A 10-year resident of Elmont, Smith has been the driving force behind the beautification of Hempstead Turnpike and has attended countless meetings to help revamp the community. Her efforts are made with little fanfare, and she refuses to seek credit for any of her hard work.
For her seemingly countless hours spent trying to improve the community, Smith is the Herald's 2008 Person of the Year.
As chairwoman of the Elmont Coalition for Sustainable Development, Smith has led a rebirth in the community over the past three years, with her main focus being the revitalization of the Hempstead Turnpike corridor. She has also been deeply involved with the “visioning” program, bringing community leaders together and asking them what they would like to see happen, specifically along Hempstead Turnpike – new stores and restaurants, for instance.
Observers say Smith must have attended well over 100 committee meetings over the past three years. One of her main goals is to clean up the area, which she believes would lead to the revitalization of Elmont.
Smith is also vice president of the Argo Civic Association, serving the Dutch Broadway community.
“Improving quality of life – she's the backbone of that effort,” said Scott Cushing, who is chief of staff for Assemblyman Tom Alfano (R-Elmont) and has worked with Smith on many community projects. “She’s a real stalwart and has done the heavy lifting. But she's not the type of person to stand up and say, 'Clap for me.' She's the quiet person, but a very forceful leader. When Sandy speaks, it's always something important.”
Whether she believes her community needs a new traffic light or a bus shelter, Smith doesn't hesitate to roll up her sleeves and go to work. “She wields an iron fist in a velvet glove,” said Cushing, adding that Alfano has called her one of the most effective community leaders. "She's a great consensus-builder. She brings people together with different opinions.”
Pat Nicolosi, co-chairman of the Elmont Coalition for Sustainable Development, has worked closely with Smith on many community development and beautification projects. “She's phenomenal,” said Nicolosi, who is also president of the Elmont East Civic Association. “We've all come together to work together, and she's done a phenomenal job with that. It's been a pleasure working with her.”
Nicolosi said that he and Smith have been working with elected officials to come up with plans for a more inviting Elmont, including a proposal for a hotel on the north side of Belmont and shopping and restaurants on the south side. “There are a lot of great things going on in Elmont, and the whole community is now working together to get things done,” he said. “It's been a great couple of years, and the fruits of our labor are starting to show.”
Cushing said that Alfano has such high regard for Smith that he has asked her to emcee his Women of Distinction ceremonies for the past five years. Smith has also taken the lead in “making Belmont really accountable to the community,” Cushing said. “She believes they should be part of the effort to be a good neighbor. She believes they should be accountable by cleaning up their track.”
Alfano sponsors a 3-on-3 basketball tournament during the summer at Dutch Broadway School that draws 600 kids. “Sandy's not just out there cheering on the kids, she's helping to get them on line with plates in hand so they can have pizza,” said Cushing. “This is the woman behind a table at a PTA event helping serve the food.”
Smith is definitely not afraid to get her hands dirty. On Nov. 8, she helped organize a community cleanup to spruce up the area along Hempstead Turnpike, from the racetrack to the Franklin Square border, and it drew 150 people. “She is helping to do a lot of things to change Elmont for the better,” said Nicolosi. “By picking up the garbage, she is showing everyone that they should be taking pride in their community. We have a great community and we want to revitalize it.”
Smith started out as a PTA leader in Elmont, serving as president of the Dutch Broadway School, where she strived for educational excellence. Walter Aksionoff, principal at Dutch Broadway, said he met her many years ago as a new parent in the district who wanted to find out what the school had to offer her son. He recalled being so impressed with her that he recruited her as an aide in the school.
“She's a dedicated individual, not only to the children of Dutch Broadway, but all of Elmont,” said Aksionoff. “She's a concerned citizen. She had such a concern for the children here. She wanted to make the kids' life better.
“She was a driving force for the PTA, always looking to get parents involved,” he added. “She's a very civic-minded person really looking out for the kids.”
Aksionoff explained that each September, administrators and teachers at the multicultural school meet new parents, to help make them feel welcomed and more comfortable. “And Sandy is right there with us, helping the teachers and working with me,” he said. “I wish I had a hundred ladies like her working hard for the kids.”
Many who have come in contact with Smith say they are so impressed with her work ethic that they want her working on their behalf. State Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre), having seen how she has gotten results for her community, recruited Smith to work for him. For the past six months, she has served as a case worker for Skelos’s constituents, helping to advise residents who call the senator's office seeking help with problems.
“Sandy is an incredible person who does an incredible job,” said Tom Locascio, district director for Skelos. “She does a great job with our constituent calls, assisting people with any problems or difficulties they may be having.”
“Sandy is a close friend who has always been a great advisor and someone I can count on in my work in the community,” said Alfano, who added that he has known Smith for 12 years. He described her as “up-front, no-nonsense‚” and as someone who “bleeds Elmont.”
Smith volunteers her time without seeking credit, works hard and never refuses to help out whenever she can, Alfano said. “Sandy is someone people trust and admire,” he said. “When Sandy speaks, you know that she says what she means and means what she says. Elmont is a better place because of her.”
“She's a real asset to our community,” said Norma DeBartolo, Elmont School District Superintendent Albert Harper’s special assistant for community affairs. “She works tirelessly with dedication, leadership and professionalism.”
DeBartolo, who said she has known Smith for 18 years, added that she is doing for Elmont what she has done for the school district's children. “She always did for the children of the district,” DeBartolo said. “Now she is not only doing for the children, but for the entire community, for the betterment of Elmont. She's working very hard.”
Pamela Byer, a member of the Elmont school board, echoed those sentiments, saying that what makes Smith so special is that “she's a great family person.”
“She believes in families, and so she becomes part of your family,” said Byer. “She's always asking what she can do next for you. She's a very strong person with a strong personality. ... In the district we saw that when it came to students' education. She always wanted to reach for excellence.”
Smith said she gets involved because of love of community. “I live here and I love the place,” she said. “I don’t want to see it deteriorate. I want it to look great. I want things as close to perfect as possible, and to see things coming together and moving in a positive direction is definitely rewarding.”
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