Meeting Notice (Its Tomorrow Oct 15)) and other Comments

So here comes the second newsletter of the new year and we are already feeling the first touches of Autumn. It is dark in the morning when we rise and the sun sets so much earlier than it did just a few short weeks ago. I don’t know what it is about sunlight but its absence makes everything seem not quite as full of life.

The newsletter last month was a little different from the usual fare. It was more of a call for some dialogue or a quest for suggestions than anything else. And in all candor it did not elicit a great outpouring of comments or suggestions.

I ended my remarks last month by asking for three things. Well, our membership renewal envelopes have been mailed so I hope you will take out a few minutes and renew your commitment to this community. I then asked that you let me know what you think. Hey, don’t be bashful. Let me have it! What ideas do you have? And lastly I asked each of you to pass along the enclosed membership form to a neighbor and ask them to join. Remember? Let me refresh your memory.

I am going to ask you for three things:
Renew your membership in our organization. At $18 per year that is a little less than 5 cents per day.
Let me know what you think. What ideas do you have for this organization? Leave a voicemail at 718-979-6011… or send a note to… NDCCA, PO Box 060245, SI, NY 10306… or send an email to newdorpcentralcivic@yahoo.com. Speak up! Share your thoughts and suggestions.
Pass the enclosed membership application to someone in the New Dorp area and encourage them to join.

Our guest speaker this month will be David Shear from LifeWorks. What is LifeWorks? It is a Wellness Arts Center providing holistic healthcare for body, mind, heart, and spirit. What does all that mean and how does it pertain to you? Come join us and find out. Thursday. October 15. 8pm at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post at 2750 Amboy Road.

We have set up our next Dining Through New Dorp event. As you recall, we started this program over fifteen years ago in May 1994 as a way of supporting the restaurants in our neighborhood while providing our members and their family and friends an opportunity to get together socially for food and good conversation. Over those years we have purchased over 1300 meals and spent over $32 thousand on our restaurants. So plan now on joining us.We will be eating at Restaurant On the Plaza at 50 New Dorp Plaza on Thursday November 12 – not Wednesday November 11 as originally mentioned - at 7pm.
What will we be eating? Assorted hot appetizers, antipasto salad, an assortment of pizzas, soda, coffee, tea and desert… all for $23 per person. Mark your calendars and plan now on joining us. Call Linda at 718-351-3714 to make your reservation.

An article in October 7th’s NYTimes talks about declining involvement in our civic life. Specifically it talks about the poor turnout for the runoff in the Democratic primary. In a number of polling districts not a single voter showed up. Zero. None. Let’s make sure we do not suffer the same fate here in our community.

I sometimes worry about these appeals. Isn’t it like preaching to the choir? Well, I need you to sing aloud the need for civic involvement and invite your neighbors to join. The more voices the smoother and richer the sound.

Thank you for your interest in our neighborhood. You live here. You know why it is a respected and desirable community. Be proud of it.

See you around the neighborhood…

Joe Markowski

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Our next meeting is Thursday, October 15, 2009 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post, 2750 Amboy Rd at 8pm.