Thursday, October 1, 2026
Berta Weinstein is an icon in Merrick.
For almost 20 years, she has been an active community leader working closely with her neighbors and local government to help the south shore way of life stay at its highest quality. For her decades of outstanding community service, the Town of Hempstead honored Weinstein with the Pathfinder Award.
Weinstein has been a member of the South Merrick Civic Association for about 20 years, holding positions on the board including secretary, treasurer and vice president. She became the president of the organization in 2023.
“(This is) basically what we do, in a nutshell: we try to keep our community safe, we keep it clean, we want to beautify it so that people come to our community,” she said.
Weinstein’s involvement in the civic association began when she approached the group as a concerned resident regarding the development of cell phone towers in close proximity to her home. From there, the rest was history; she became increasingly involved in local groups and events.
Weinstein has shaped many new programs in Merrick, from including young people’s voices at civic association meetings to passing along the concerns of local residents to the town. An important program to Weinstein was the inclusion of People Oriented Policing officers at meetings, helping connect local law enforcement with people in the neighborhood.
“I enjoy meeting people in the community, and I continue to do the work to make the community better,” she said. “That’s a big deal for me.”
The award recognizes women whose work leaves a lasting impression on their communities during Women’s History Month every year.
“Berta Weinstein represents the very best of what community leadership looks like,” said Councilman Chris Schneider in a statement provided to the Herald. “For more than four decades, Berta has been a constant presence in Merrick, strengthening neighborhoods and bringing people together. We recently honored to her as a 2026 Town of Hempstead Pathfinder Award recipient, and I am thrilled to see her receive even more well-deserved accolades. Her dedication to our home continues to inspire and uplift our entire community.”
Former Civic Association President Joe Baker worked with Weinstein for over a decade and continues to stay in touch. The two shared a philosophy regarding community service in Merrick.
“My feeling has always been, look good, feel good,” Baker said. “If the community looks good, people going to feel good about the community, and they’re going to, and it’s going to hopefully get more people to join in.
“When you volunteer for the community, it’s, it’s nice to be recognized,” he continued. “And this way people appreciate what you do, what you accomplish… She most deservedly got the award.”
“Anything that I’ve done, I’ve not done alone,” Weinstein said. “I’ve done this with many people’s help.”
