By STACY PENZER
When the Greenbergs moved from Queens to Oceanside in 2004 to "grow their roots," they said they encountered a strong sense of pride in the community. They found it on their block, where the couple started a neighborhood watch program, came across it on the soccer fields at School 9 that buzzed with energy on Saturday mornings, and at local shopping centers, PTA meetings and Oceanside parks. The Greenbergs soon found themselves becoming active members of the community and developing their own Oceanside pride.
"We are proud of Oceanside's good schools, and it's a nice place to raise a family," Rebecca said. Mark has joined the Board of Directors of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce, and he is a co-founder of the Oceanside Civic Association. Together, the civic-minded couple runs the Web site oceansidelocal.com, an online community resource. This venture eventually inspired them to research the town's history.
"This gave us the idea of creating a holiday to promote the community and bring people together," Rebecca said.
"We wanted to create a hometown identity to bring different parts of Oceanside together," Mark added. "Oceanside Founder's Day celebrates the history of Oceanside and helps maintain a small-town feel within the community."
The first Founder's Day was held at the Chamber of Commerce's craft fair on June 24. In a ceremonial presentation before the Schoolhouse Green at School 6, Hempstead Town Clerk Mark Bonilla issued Greenberg a certificate of recognition declaring Oceanside Founder's Day.
Rain may have dampened the day, but not Mark Greenberg's spirits as he sat beneath his tented booth on the Schoolhouse Green, proudly displaying historic photos of old Oceanside and attracting visitors with a "hole in one" raffle. His volunteers handed out community discount cards to encourage residents to shop locally.
The inclement weather did not stop waterlogged fair-goers from munching tasty treats from the Boy Scouts bake sale and Sweet Melissa's dip display. They browsed through the Greenbergs' display of historical photos, as well as a maze of booths selling everything from geodes and jewelry to knitted baby clothes and hand-painted items.
Mark is hopeful that each year's Founder's Day will grow bigger and better. "I'm asking all residents to help me add onto a collection of old Oceanside photos," he said. "I can display the photos at the fair each year and on our Web site."
For more information on the history of Oceanside, visit oceansidelocal.com and schoolhousegreen.org.
"Residents have a genuine good feeling about living in Oceanside," Greenberg said. "Go out, explore and enjoy our Oceanside."
Comments about this story? JKellard@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
