A community member’s bright idea for a light tour

His positive attitude and willingness to pursue a project that brings the community together is remarkable.”

JoAnna Datz

One Lynbrook community member rallied the support of the Lynbrook Police Department to host a Holiday Light Tour on Dec. 13 in hope it becomes an annual tradition.

Christopher McArdle, a 20-year-old active member of the Lynbrook community who has autism, pitched this light tour event at the Lynbrook village board meeting on Nov. 28. He was there with police chief Brian Paladino, who reinforced his support for McArdle and his community walk. McArdle’s pitch to the board members was a great feat for him to do on his own.

“I love Christmas lights and know a lot of community members who love Christmas lights too,” McArdle told the board. “This year, I made flyers which help me remember on what day and time we can all walk around and enjoy the holiday light displays together.”

With Paladino by his side, McArdle gained the support of the board to host the community walk.

“Chris saw that I like doing community walks and he came up with idea of doing it in the Yorkshire section where he lives,” Paladino said.

According to Paladino, McArdle is a huge fan of the police \ and wanted to collaborate with the police force to make the event happen. McArdle told Paladino that he plans on carrying a speaker with Christmas carols playing during the walk.

McArdle wanted to let the police department know about his autism and from there he formed a relationship with officers like Paladino. “I developed a relationship with them so they know my face,” McArdle said. His mentor, JoAnna Datz, encouraged McArdle to form this relationship with the police department.

“As Chris gets some more independence as he gets older, his mom, dad, and I wanted him to have familiar faces within the neighborhood,” Datz said. “Not just of neighbors, but also with the police.”

Ann-Marie McArdle, Christopher’s mom, agreed with Datz. “He is in a more vulnerable part of the community and we wanted to make sure that the police are there to protect him,” Ann-Marie McArdle said.

Christopher attributes his confidence and independence to being an “entrepreneur.” McArdle said, “being an entrepreneur allows me to host clubs and activities for people.” Datz believes that this is the “highlight” of McArdle’s independence.

McArdle’s first entrepreneur venture was the lunch club and then the social skills club where he made friends his own age. “He learned how to facilitate a good conversation at this club,” Datz said. This club was created by McArdle and promoted on the Long Island CSS and Friends Facebook group, a group for families with special needs. Along with these clubs, McArdle works at Parmagianni in Rockville Centre.

He does all of his entrepreneurial work while being a student at Molloy University. McArdle is in the Most Program, designed to afford a college experience to developmentally disabled adults between 22 and 27 years old. “The program teaches me finance, budgeting, and social media literacy,” McArdle said.

During the weekday evenings, McArdle spends his time at BackYard Players and Friends in Rockville Centre. “At BackYard Players, I donate clothes, do volunteer work, and take music class,” McArdle said.

“His mom, dad, and I are very proud of Chris,” Datz said. For McArdle, he is most proud of being able to speak confidently. With this confidence, McArdle is able to make him known in the community.

“Christopher seems to be the ambassador of this town,” said Brian McArdle, Christopher’s father. “He brings people home and introduces them to us and people say ‘your son was the first one to welcome me to the neighborhood’.”

With the Holiday Light Tour being the next event McArdle hosts, his mother is hoping that it becomes a yearly event with great attendance.

Christopher McArdle said organizing the Holiday Light Tour wasn’t hard work and he’s glad he was able to put it together. “As an individual with special needs, we’ve discussed with Chris how hopeful we are that his initiative will inspire others with special needs to develop positive relationships with essential community workers like the police and pursue their own community projects,” Datz said.