Thursday, March 11, 2010

Meeting Thursday March 18... but until then !

Greetings friends and neighbors. Our guest speaker this month will be Linda Perez from NY Methodist Hospital. She will be speaking to us about the warning signs of stroke, something about which we all need more awareness. Whether it’s your own health, someone in your family or a neighbor, it is important that we recognize the warning signs early and take action quickly. Come. Protect yourself. Learn.

Next month our guest speaker will be Department of Transportation Borough Commissioner Tom Cocola. Mr.Cocola will be talking to us about the traffic situation in New Dorp with emphasis on the Safe Streets for Seniors program that was first implemented in our community.

There are three things I would like to talk about briefly.

First, Spring cannot get here too quickly. Enough of winter. Enough of snow… at least from my perspective. I enjoy the seasons. Each has its own special characteristic. Yet this winter seemed to drag on and on and the late season snowstorms made it all that more oppressive. (And when Groundhog Day comes next year I’m thinking I will need to very carefully measure the indication given by Staten Island Chuck. He wasn’t even close this year.)

Second, we seriously need for our economy to pick up. Walk up and down the Lane and the Plaza. I have not seen this many empty stores in a decade. Many people are being careful with their money as they wonder about their jobs or continue searching for jobs. As long as the credit markets remain cautious the stores will reopen slowly as more of our people weigh very carefully the wisdom or opening a new endeavor. These are trying times. Look for opportunities to spend your money in New Dorp.

Third, I cannot remember when our roads have been in such poor shape. Moonscapes. Roads that were recently fixed are already cratered. Seams where new roads were joined together are scarred with holes. What happened? Yes, I know it snowed. It snows every year. Never before have I seen such widespread cratering. What gives? Has the mixture of asphalt they use changed over the past year? Or are the crews less skilled ? Or are they more rushed? Why is every trip down the road a challenge?

We need to look beyond the “traditional walls” that define our association. Meetings and newsletters remain a vibrant part of our outreach. However we recognize that there are new ways that we must reach out if we are to remain relevant in our community. Check out our newly updated and redesigned webpage at http://www.ndcca.com/. Along with http://www.ndcca.blogspot.com/ and our email account at newdorpcentralcivic@yahoo.com. We are reachable in many ways. Oh yes, our telephone still works at 718-979-6011 or our Post Office box at PO Box 060245, SI, NY 10306.

Plan on attending a meeting and bring a neighbor. Can’t you give two hours a month to your community? Think about it.

Lastly, never forget that an important part of this dynamic is your feedback and participation. We need your comments, your concerns, your suggestions, your complaints. It is your neighborhood. What is on your mind?
Let us know at 718-979-6011, newdorpcentralcivic@yahoo.com or comment on the blog. Check us out at http://www.ndcca.blogspot.com/ for continuous updates.

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