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HOME What's New Important Dates Meeting Agenda Chitchat Dining Program Volunteer Corner Community Links Congrats & Thanks Photo Gallery History Of New Dorp NDCCA forms Contact us	JUNE 2007 Greetings… Summer has arrived… and we welcome it with open minds and hearts. Our special guest speaker last month was Councilman James Oddo. I want to thank him for taking the time to visit with us. I do regret that we did not have a better turn out at our meeting to hear his updates and answer your questions… but more on that inside. If you missed the meeting you also missed a special appearance by Deputy Inspector Thomas Delahanty, the new commanding officer of the 122 Precinct. We also dined at Restaurant on the Plaza – the 43^rd edition of our Dining Through New Dorp program. Since 1994 we have purchased over 1250 dinners from our neighborhood restaurants and spent over $30,400. It is a program of which you can all be proud. This month we will have our elections. And then we will explore your suggestions for expanding the reach and effectiveness of our organization… but more on that inside. Our meeting this month is Thursday, June 21, 2007 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post at 2750 Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski MAY 2007 Greetings… alas Spring has arrived. The spring rains, the sound of lawnmowers, daylight lasting into the early evening, colorful blossoms… can Summer be far behind? Our special guest speaker last month was Debra Derrico, the new district manager for Community Board #2. Ms. Derrico spoke to us about her priorities and answered questions from our members. I want to thank her for taking the time to visit with us. This month we will have two guest speakers. First… we will meet Councilman James Oddo. The councilman has visited with us in the past and returns to update us on a number of initiatives that are relevant to our community as well as to hear your comments and questions. This is a chance for you to meet him, learn about his priorities and share with him your thoughts and concerns. Then… we will meet Robert Englert – the Director of Land Use for the Borough President’s Office. Mr. Englert will talk about various projects in our community and update us on the thinking at the BP’s office and how they view the development needs in our community and Staten Island. Come, greet, listen, and question. In June we will have elections. If you are interested in running for office you need to submit your name at the May meeting. Lastly, join us for our last Dining program before the summer on Wednesday, May 30. Check inside for details. Our meeting this month is Thursday, May 17, 2007 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post at 2750 Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! APRIL 2007 Greetings… the calendar may say Spring but the weather – with a few exceptions – has been anything but Springlike. Ah well, one of these days… Our special guest speaker last month was Kay Pesile, a gifted financial planner and member of our community. Ms. Pesile answered many questions concerning you and your money and she also shared her thoughts on the pursuit of a new College President at CSI. You can reach her at 718-667-6928 if you would like to discuss any financial matters. This month we will have two guest speakers. First… we will get to meet Deputy Inspector Thomas Delahanty – the new Commanding Officer of the 122 Precinct and a Grant City resident. This is a chance for you to meet him, learn about his priorities and share with him your thoughts and concerns. Then… we will meet Debra Derrico – the new district manager of Community Board 2. After working for CB2 and then the Borough President’s office, she returns to our community as district manager. Come and greet her. In May we will welcome as speakers both Councilman James Oddo and Director of Land Use Robert Englert of the BP’s office. … but our meeting this month is Thursday, April 19, 2007 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post at 2750 Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! MARCH 2007 Greetings… and tell me… are you enjoying Winter? Sure January was exceptionally warm but February and its bitter cold and ice sure felt like Winter to me. So I guess there is some truth to being warned – be careful what you wish for. We began this year with a special guest speaker - Victoria Larsen, the Staten Island Director of the Community Assistance Unit of the Office of the Mayor. Ms.Larsen gave us an overview of her responsibilities, answered many questions, and took on some tasks where she will be looking for answers to some questions posed by our attending members. Our special guest speaker this month will be Kay Pesile, a gifted financial planner and member of our community. As you work on your New Years’ resolutions, like last year, I ask you to keep your community in mind. Resolve to get more involved. Resolve to reach out to your neighbors and get them involved. Resolve to be a good neighbor. Over the course of this year we will seek out a diverse range of speakers including finance managers, healthcare professionals, utility companies and our elected officials and the people who support them. If there is a specific topic you would like us to cover – or if you have an expertise that you would like to share with our members – contact us at 718-979-6011 and share your concerns and/or knowledge with your community. Our meeting is Thursday, March 15, 2007 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post at 2750 Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! FEBRUARY 2007 Greetings… and Happy Winter! Last month I commented on how warm it had been and it would not be long before winter arrived. Well it has finally arrived and we are now reminded of how cold our winters can be. As you work on your New Years’ resolutions, like last year, I ask you to keep your community in mind. Resolve to get more involved. Resolve to reach out to your neighbors and get them involved. Resolve to be a good neighbor. Over the course of this year we will seek out a diverse range of speakers including finance managers, healthcare professionals, utility companies and our elected officials and the people who support them. If there is a specific topic you would like us to cover – or if you have an expertise that you would like to share with our members – contact us at 718-979-6011 and share your concerns and/or knowledge with your community. We begin this year with a special guest speaker. Our speaker will be Victoria Larsen, the Staten Island Director of the Community Assistance Unit of the Office of the Mayor. Ms. Larsen will give us an overview of her responsibilities and be available to answer questions. Our meeting is Thursday, February 15, 2007 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post at 2750 Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! JANUARY 2007 Greetings… and Happy New Year ! Although the winter has been slow to arrive, I’m certain that at some point it will remind us what cold weather feels like. Until then though you have to love the gentle temperatures we have been enjoying. As you work on your New Years’ resolutions, like last year, I ask you to keep your community in mind. Resolve to get more involved. Resolve to reach out to your neighbors and get them involved. Resolve to be a good neighbor. Over the course of this year we will seek out a diverse range of speakers including finance managers, healthcare professionals, utility companies and our elected officials and the people who support them. If there is a specific topic you would like us to cover – or if you have an expertise that you would like to share with our members – contact us at 718-979-6011 and share your concerns and/or knowledge with your community. At our meeting this month we will review the outstanding issues from 2006 and identify areas for focus in 2007. Our meeting is Thursday, January 18, 2007 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! DECEMBER 2006 Greetings. As the year winds down and we move into the holiday season and prepare to make New Years’ resolutions, I ask you to keep your community in mind. Resolve to get more involved. Resolve to reach out to your neighbors and get them involved. Resolve to be a good neighbor. Our guest speaker last month following the November elections was -Staten Island Advance Political Writer Tom Wrobleski. Tom met with us and answered questions about this past election season as well as numerous other questions we had about the political process. It was a very interesting question and answer event… a valuable post-mortem and thoroughly enjoyed by all. And you can continue to read Tom’s insights in the Staten Island Advance. Roseann Holt from Meals on Wheels also spoke with us and gave us an update on the program and shared with us ways that we can help in this meaningful endeavor. If you can volunteer a couple of hours a week, reach out to her. They are always looking for additional help. Our meeting is Thursday, December 21, 2006 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! NOVEMBER 2006 Greetings. By the time you receive this newsletter the elections will be over and you will all know who our elected officials will be over the upcoming days and months and years. Let’s wish them well and encourage them to do the right thing. Our guest speaker last month was Meagan Devereaux – the Chief of Staff to Borough President James Molinaro. Ms. Devereaux spoke to us about the role of a Chief of Staff and provided us with an insight into the many challenges that the Borough President’s office faces. This month - following the November elections - Staten Island Advance Political Writer Tom Wrobleski will visit with us and answer questions about this past election season – what he looked for, what we might look for, as well as other questions you might have about the political process. It should be a very interesting question and answer event… a valuable post-mortem. Also speaking with us with is Roseann Holt from Meals on Wheels. She will give us an update on the program and share with us ways that we can help in this meaningful endeavor. Look inside for an update on our last Dining Program and our planned visit to the Christmas Show at the St.George Theatre. Our meeting is Thursday, November 16, 2006 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski OCTOBER 2006 Greetings. There is a lot going on so make sure you stay alert to the happenings in our neighborhood and the Island. And if you see something happening in the neighborhood, say something. Everyone needs to play a part in protecting our community. Our guest speaker last month was Carmen Nieves who spoke to us about the EPIC Program – the New York State Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program. Thanks to Ms. Nieves for helping us understand more about this important topic. Our special guest speaker this month will be Meagan Devereaux – the Chief of Staff to Borough President James Molinaro. Ms. Devereaux will speak to us about the role of a Chief of Staff and provide us with an insight into the many challenges that the Borough President’s office faces. This should be an interesting peek into the workings of our elected officials. Next month - following the November elections - Staten Island Advance Political Writer Tom Wrobleski will visit with us and answer questions about this past election season – what he looked for, what we might look for, as well as other questions you might have about the political process. It should be a very interesting question and answer event. Until then, make sure you keep current on the candidates running for office. Many of them represent us and it is important to stay informed and select someone who is good for you and good for our community. Stay informed! And then get out and vote! We are dining out this month – Dining Through New Dorp – 41 –at Portofino’s so look for further information in this newsletter. Our meeting is Thursday, October 19, 2006 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski SEPTEMBER 2006 Greetings. Following a long, wet summer we now enter the waning days of summer, the resumption of the school year and our civic year and the approach of Autumn. Our guest speaker this month will be Carmen Nieves who will be speaking to us about the EPIC Program – the New York State Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program. Have a question about drugs and the elderly? Have an elderly parent who needs medication? Come hear how this plan can impact your life. Make sure you keep current on the candidates running for office this year. Many of them represent us and it is important to stay informed and select someone who is good for you and good for our community. Stay informed! And then get out and vote! The NYC Department of Parks & Recreation will host a ground breaking ceremony of “new paths, seating areas and landscaping” at the new New Dorp Beach Park on Friday, September 22 at 10:00 am at the corner of Cedar Grove Ave and New Dorp Lane. We have asked for this upgrade of our beachfront for many years and we are thrilled that it is about to begin. Have some time Friday morning? Come celebrate with us. Our meeting is Thursday, September 21, 2006 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood, stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski FEBRUARY 2006 Greetings. At the risk of speaking too soon, we have had a mild winter this year. Could it be related to the fact that I finally got a snowblower? Nah, that’s silly. Anyway, I’m not complaining. (Note: For the snow affectionados in this community, the winter isn’t over and there is always next year). The new Medicare Prescription Plan has caused much confusion and uncertainty. Our speaker this month – Eric Hausman – will try and clear away some of that fog for us and help us understand what it all means and who needs to do what. So mark your calendar, tell your neighbors and plan on attending. We have extended an invitation to Councilman Jim Oddo to address us in March. There is so much to discuss: the Dept of Buildings, the new Transportation Task Force, the Growth Mgmt Taskforce, the SI Railway meeting. In April we will host a NASCAR Forum. We have invited both supporters and detractors of the proposed plan to address our group. This will NOT be a debate. Each side will be allowed to present their views. At the end of the presentations they will be available to answer questions. In May we will mark the 30^th anniversary of our organization. Look for a gathering of notables to celebrate our years of service to the community. Plan now on celebrating with us. That’s May 18. You will want to be there! More info to come next month. As I mentioned last month, to ensure our continued vitality and to deal with the issues of the future we must bring in new members. We must reach out to our neighbors. So I ask each of you this year to resolve to invite one neighbor to join our Association. The next time you are chatting with or visiting with your neighbor, suggest they give us a call and join with us as we work to ensure that this neighborhood is second to none. Call 718-979-6011 for more info. Plan now on attending these informative meetings. Share your thoughts, concerns and suggestions with us. Our next meeting is Thursday, February 16, 2006 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood… stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski JANUARY 2006 Greetings…. and Happy New Year. I hope the holiday season was filled with enjoyment for you. As for the weather, it has been more like Spring, less like Winter. But, hey, who’s complaining !?! With the New Year comes the opportunity to make resolutions to accomplish new things. I can remember how we worried at the end of December 1999 and feared that all our technology would go crazy and planes would fall from the sky. Our worst fears were not realized. Then in September 2001 planes did fall from the sky and our worst fears were realized. Now - its 2006 - the start of an exciting year, a year that can be filled with wondrous accomplishments – if we act to achieve them. So let’s plan on doing that. This year will mark the 30^th anniversary of our organization. Look for a special meeting in May/June to celebrate that achievement. And like any ongoing organization, our membership is filled with people who have been around a while. To ensure our continued vitality and to deal with the issues of the future we must bring in new members. We must reach out to our neighbors. So I ask each of you this year to resolve to invite one neighbor to join our Association. To help with this I am enclosing an extra application form in this issue. (Call 718-979-6011 if you need more.) The next time you are chatting with or visiting with your neighbor, suggest they give us a call and join with us as we work to ensure that this neighborhood is second to none. And plan now on attending our next meeting. Share your thoughts, concerns and suggestions with us. Our meeting is Thursday, January 15, 2006 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood… stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski DECEMBER 2005 Greetings. The holiday season is upon us and the year is nearing an end – a year that has flown by so quickly. I wish all of you the happiest of holidays! Last month we presented a “Good Neighbor” award to John DeLillo for his many efforts over many years in our neighborhood. (See photo inside!) At our December meeting we will review the state of the neighborhood and recent issues that we have been following. Then we will conclude the meeting with a little holiday celebration. This will include a selection of the winner of our Holiday Basket. (Chances are still available at $2 and 3 for $5. Call 718-351-3714 if you want to purchase a chance.) And we will have our holiday grab bag. Bring a gift ($10 approximate value) and get a gift. Remember: this is our neighborhood. Observe what has and has not been happening. Come share your insights and observations with us. So, plan now on attending our next meeting. Share your thoughts, concerns and suggestions with us. Our meeting is Thursday, December 15, 2005 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood… stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski Note: Our 2006 dues notices have been mailed. Our dues remain $15 per year and that works out to about 4 cents a day… 4 cents! That is a very small investment in your neighborhood … but an important contribution to the works of our organization. Look for the “*” in this issue which indicates you are a fully paid up supporting member. And thank you for your continuing support of this Association and its work. NOVEMBER 2005 Greetings. Autumn has arrived and we can finally turn off the air conditioners. Let’s hope we can afford to heat our houses this winter. The Department of City Planning will be doing presentation at our next meeting. The presentation will center around the proposal for “Fresh Kills Park”. Come see what is planned for this incredible site! We will also be making a “Good Neighbor” presentation to Herbert Van Houten for his efforts in our neighborhood. We are now accepting reservations for our next dining experience on Oct 25 at Restaurant on the Plaza Pizzeria. Check inside for details. Plan on joining us for good company and good food at Dining Through New Dorp #39. Remember: this is our neighborhood. Observe what has and has not been happening. Come share your insights and observations with us. So, plan now on attending our next meeting. Share your thoughts, concerns and suggestions with us. Our meeting is Thursday, October 20, 2005 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood… stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski Note: Our 2006 dues notices have been mailed. Our dues remain $15 per year and that works out to about 4 cents a day… 4 cents! That is a very small investment in your neighborhood … but an important contribution to the works of our organization. Look for the “*” next month which indicates you are a fully paid up supporting member. And thank you for your continuing support of this Association and its work. OCTOBER 2005 Greetings. Autumn has arrived and we can finally turn off the air conditioners. Let’s hope we can afford to heat our houses this winter. The Department of City Planning will be doing presentation at our next meeting. The presentation will center around the proposal for “Fresh Kills Park”. Come see what is planned for this incredible site! We will also be making a “Good Neighbor” presentation to Herbert Van Houten for his efforts in our neighborhood. We are now accepting reservations for our next dining experience on Oct 25 at Restaurant on the Plaza Pizzeria. Check inside for details. Plan on joining us for good company and good food at Dining Through New Dorp #39. Remember: this is our neighborhood. Observe what has and has not been happening. Come share your insights and observations with us. So, plan now on attending our next meeting. Share your thoughts, concerns and suggestions with us. Our meeting is Thursday, October 20, 2005 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood… stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski Note: Our 2006 dues notices have been mailed. Our dues remain $15 per year and that works out to about 4 cents a day… 4 cents! That is a very small investment in your neighborhood … but an important contribution to the works of our organization. Look for the “*” next month which indicates you are a fully paid up supporting member. And thank you for your continuing support of this Association and its work. SEPTEMBER 2005 Greetings. The summer that we longed for has come and gone. It began wet, moved to hot and humid and ended rather nicely. Now we put our fond vacation memories behind us and return to the excitement of our daily lives. Make sure you hold October 25 open so you can join us for our next dining experience – Dining Through New Dorp #39. We will be eating at Restaurant on the Plaza Pizzeria. Details to follow. Its time for a look around the neighborhood and a review of what has and has not been happening. Come share your observations and insights and let’s lay out an agenda for the upcoming year that will move us in the direction of protecting and enriching our neighborhood. So, plan now on attending our first meeting of the new season. Share your thoughts, concerns and suggestions with us. Our meeting is Thursday, September 15, 2005 at the Kells-Grennie American Legion Post on Amboy Road. We will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Come. Join us. And… bring a neighbor! See you around the neighborhood… stay safe and enjoy each day! Joe Markowski Note: Our 2006 dues notices will be mailed soon. Our dues remain $15 per year and that works out to about 4 cents a day. 4 cents! That is a very small investment in your neighborhood … but an important contribution to the works of our organization. Thank you for your continuing support of this Association and work.