By Dana Williams
Not only is he a very humble individual, he also has a sense of humor that could make the most unhappiest person crack a smile or two.
When asked to describe West Hempstead, Shaud, who has lived in the hamlet with his wife Katherine since 1962, simply said “it is a great place to live." "West Hempstead is just a place that you want live in," he said. "I lived here for a longtime and all I can say is that it's really a great, warm and wonderful community."
When he is not working to preserve the hamlet's history as the president of the Historical Society, Shaud, 75, who is also a Korean War veteran, can often be found making beautification improvements inside of Hall's Pond Park in West Hempstead.
"For years, he has done a back breaking job at Hall's Pond Park by planting flowers, weeding and taking care of the flower beds ... and he does it every season," explained Rosalie Norton, president of the West Hempstead Civic Association. "He's very supportive with all of the community projects that we have ... and we're very fortunate to have someone like John here in our community."
The Herald recently chatted with West Hempstead's Person of 2007 during a telephone interview to learn more about him and here's what he said:
Herald: What were your first thoughts after you learned that you were this year's honoree?
John Shaud: Well after I got the phone call from Rosalie Norton, I was very delighted. I remember smiling because it’s not something you hear everyday. It was definitely a great feeling.
H: Tell us about some of the community projects you are involved with?
JS: The Beautification Committee for Hall's Pond Park is a very important one. We have nine flower beds that we take care of and through the generosity of the Eisenhower Park Greenhouse, we receive flowers to plant inside of the park. We just try to keep the park looking beautiful and that's something that I'm glad to help with. We really want to make Hall's Pond Park a tourist attraction [laughs]. I'm also the president of the Historical Society and what we try to do is keep the spirit and history of West Hempstead alive. West Hempstead is full of great history that should always be remembered.
H: We heard about the historical displays that you create in the public buildings in West Hempstead?
JS: Yes, the Historical Society has these showcases that we do in the West Hempstead Library and the West Hempstead Post Office. We update it for different holidays and special events and it's something that's important for residents to see. We have the July 4th one on display now and we're going to be putting up a new one pretty soon.
H: Why do you continue to stay active in your community?
JS: Well, I've been retired for 21 years, so I have the time to do these things [laughs]. That's the best answer to that question [laughs]. No, I'm just kidding [laughs]. I just like to help other people and helping my community is one way that I can help others. West Hempstead is a beautiful place and I just enjoy doing what I can to help keep it that way.
H: Pretend this is your acceptance speech, who would you like to thank for receiving the Person of the Year Award?
JS: Acceptance speech? I feel famous [laughs].
H: Yes, you are a local celebrity.
JS: OK then [laughs], well I have to thank the West Hempstead Civic Association for awarding me with this honor. I also want to thank Beverly Klemes, my partner in the Halls Pond Beautification Committee because she has been my partner in the volunteer work at Hall's Pond for many years. And a thank you also goes to June Action, who helps me put together the West Hempstead Historical Society's displays in the post office and library. Without their help, I could never have been named West Hempstead's Person of the Year.
H: Name one event that you are looking forward to for this year or the years to come?
JS: My wife and I are planning a big trip to Las Vegas in 2010 for our 50th Anniversary and I'm very excited about that. It will be my first time visiting that city, and I will be with my loving wife, so I’m really looking forward to that.
