Ed Fare: Are you involved, or do you just live here?

Greetings! Anyone paying attention in Valley Stream this year knows it’s our 100th-anniversary centennial celebration year. Sept. 27 is the date for our big Centennial Parade and Community Block Party (rain date: Sept. 28). Save the date and make plans to be there. A village-wide event like this is not to be missed!

You have heard me talk about volunteerism and community engagement in the past. That is Valley Stream’s strength. Getting to know your neighbors unites us. Groups, clubs, teams and civic organizations all supplement a meaningful life. We can raise one another up with a greater sense of being included in other ways of life and other schools of thought.

We have a saying in the volunteer fire service: “Are you a member, or do you just belong?”

What does that mean? Well, it’s the difference between superficial participation and genuine connection. Saying you live in Valley Stream is one thing. But are you connected to the community? Are you actively engaged in volunteerism, community activities, local charities, youth sports or other community groups? There’s no substitute for a personal sense of belonging and acceptance. It also fosters and creates a resilient community.

Our nation was founded on the principle of hard work, and there are countless examples throughout American history of groups from all backgrounds working hard to make it a better place. No one is asking anyone to give up their ethnicity or heritage (think Chinatown, Little Italy and other places of cultural significance). But to become a part of a greater community is truly a worthwhile experience. We are a village of individuals and families coming from different places and experiences, who come together to make Valley Stream better.

We know that the coronavirus pandemic led many folks to loneliness and isolation. Happily, it looks like we are emerging from those years better and stronger.

I often say that Valley Stream is a “great big small town.” Community events that celebrate all that we love about our hometown, and one another, foster good mental health, sympathy and empathy for our neighbors and other cultures.

I often walk around block parties and attend cultural events that are very different from those of my upbringing. I leave feeling fulfilled, with enhanced learning experiences, as if my mind has been enriched by finding a human connection and participating in age-old traditions that I’ve never experienced — neither better nor worse than my own childhood; just new, interesting and, so often, eye-opening.

It’s definitely a moment of personal growth for me. Enhancing social cohesion, events like these foster a sense of unity among diverse groups, breaking down barriers and promoting inclusivity. It’s a great feeling.

I recently visited Africa. Even on vacation, I needed a temporary visa, and I was expected to leave the country before my visa expired. I tried hard to learn the language and culture of this wonderful land. It was fun and a great learning experience, and it made me a better person, having immersed myself in geography, food, experiences and culture that were very different than my own. It expanded my mind. Now, I’m not saying that a Centennial Parade and Community Block Party is capable of a social-cultural impact at that level, but it’s a start.

Let’s work to improve communication and understanding, in all aspects of our lives. Most arguments result from lack of communication or misunderstandings. We can do better.

I hope to see everyone at our 100th-anniversary celebration. The parade route follows our usual Memorial Day line of march, beginning on Rockaway Parkway. Step-off is at 4 p.m., immediately followed by the block party on the Village Green. For more information on how to take part in the parade, contact valleystream100@vsvny.org.

Our schedule for the block party includes a live DJ, a concert by a cover band, dancing, bounce houses and plenty of other children’s activities, giveaways, beverages, food trucks and, perhaps most important, a sense of pride in your village!

Ed Fare is the mayor of Valley Stream.