Five Towns Letters to the Editor

Posted

Attend Community Chest’s annual meeting

To the Editor:
Community Chest South Shore’s annual meeting will take place on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Boehm Meeting Room at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, at 1125 Broadway in Hewlett.

We are thrilled to welcome keynote speaker Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen. Join us as we install our new 2018-19 Board of Directors and honor the 2017-2018 Youth Board. We will also recognize and honor outstanding individuals and organizations that have made a difference in our community in 2017.

Whether you’re a supporter or you’ve received assistance, we invite you to attend and learn how Community Chest is bettering our community. And if you’re just learning about us, and what we do to help those in the Five Towns and surrounding areas, we want to meet you!

We hope to see you this Monday.
Cal Nathan
Community Chest president

Stop the offensive rhetoric

To the Editor:
As you may know, throughout the past several weeks, our community has debated the merit of adding holidays to the Hewlett-Woodmere district calendar for the 2018-19 school year.

Unfortunately, this consideration has led to several derogatory and hurtful comments at Board of Education meetings, on social media and through private channels. Due to the sensitive nature of the issue, this debate has extended far beyond the boundaries of our beloved community to both the local and national news media.

It is important to note that if similar statements were made inside the walls of the school buildings, they would be immediately actionable as bullying and/or harassment. It is essential that, as adults, we model the behavior we expect from our children. They are most certainly watching.

Disagreements among adults on any variety of topics are inevitable. It is how we handle these disagreements that define us and set the example for our children. We cannot allow the voices of a few to divide our extraordinary community.

It is our fervent hope that we can put the events of the past several weeks behind us and move forward as one unified and diverse community. Our future depends on it.

We have important work to do — educating the children of Hewlett-Woodmere. That is, and must remain, our highest priority. These young people will lead us long into the future, and it is imperative that they lead with their hearts and minds focused on respect and dignity for all.

We will continue to do our part in teaching the children of Hewlett-Woodmere the importance of civil discourse, tolerance, understanding and respect. We hope that you will join us in this mission.

Wishing you and your families a peaceful 2018.

Dr. Ralph Marino Jr. Superintendent

Scott McInnes Board president        
Hewlett Woodmere Public Schools

Alumni group shutting down

To the Editor:
The Hewlett-Woodmere Alumni Association has existed since 1994. It was started by a group of alumni (class of 1963) after they held a 30th reunion. The reunion was so successful that the group thought it would be a great idea to create a districtwide association to keep alumni informed about the Hewlett-Woodmere community, its schools and growth.

With the help of the then Hewlett High School Principal, Dr. Donald Robbins, the HWAA was founded. The goal was to provide a link between the past, the present and the future.  In the early years, we celebrated Homecoming, parades, football games and even attended a high school dance during the centennial celebration of the school district.

In 1997, we created the Alumni Hall of Fame to honor alumni for their accomplishments. We hold a brunch and induction ceremony at Hewlett High School in the spring. The honorees’ photos and brief bios have been placed in the hallway opposite the cafeteria for students to see.

The board members have served for many years and have both enjoyed and were gratified by the appreciation that the HWAA has received from the community and the honorees. As of late, it has become difficult to recruit new members to serve on the board. We live in changing times and volunteering to work for an organization has become a disappearing art.

Therefore, we feel it is time to take off our hats. As we do not have new alumni to take over the leadership, we are announcing that the April 29 brunch and Hall of Fame induction will be the final one.

On behalf of the board, I thank the high school and the community for their support during the past years.

Is there is anyone who would like to go forward with the Hewlett-Woodmere Alumni Association and continue the tradition that we began, I would be delighted to hear from you.

As this is the final year, if you know of a Hewlett or Woodmere graduate deserving of a place in the Alumni Hall of Fame, please email us at: Connectionseditor@oscworld.com.

Susan Love Wilker
HWAA president