In 1919, Pasquale Iavarone stepped off a boat from Italy onto Ellis Island, one of thousands of Italian immigrants who came to this country to make a new life during the first two decades of this century.

Eight years later, he opened his own pork store in Brooklyn, producing Italian sausage that drew so many customers at holiday time, police barricades were erected around it to control the crowds.

With his old world work ethic, he had established a family business and tradition that remains alive today at the Iavarone Brothers location at the Lake Success Mall in New Hyde Park, one of four stores the family runs in Nassau County and Queens.

Jonathan Iavarone, 28, one of Pasquale’s great grandsons, takes pride in managing the store that is part of his forebears’ legacy.

“It’s nice working with my family. Everybody gets along,” he said.

Joseph and Jerry Iavarone, Pasquale’s sons, followed their father into the business and kept the original location going until 1958 before relocating to another store in the borough. In 1971, John and Joseph, Jr., the family patriarch’s grandsons opened a store in Maspeth, Queens.

Like many Italians who’d settled in Brooklyn, the Iavarone family followed the migration path of their kinsmen east on Long Island, subsequently opening stores in Wantagh and Woodbury, adding the New Hyde Park location in 1991.

Today, Jonathan Iavarone is one of four members of his family’s generation to be in the business, along with his brother Christopher and his cousins Michelle and Michael.

There was a large concentration of Italian-Americans in the area with a keen appetite for the large variety of Italian sausages and cheeses, olive oil, caponata, bread and other delicasies Iavarone Brothers built its reputation on when the New Hyde Park store opened.

But the demographics of the area have changed over time, and the flavor of the business has changed with the times, according to Jonathan Iavarone.

These days, the store offers a full selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, in addition to the fresh baked goods it started producing on the site 10 years ago. American Kobe steaks are included along with the Italian sausages sold in its meat department.

“The neighborhood changed a little,” Iavarone said. “We used to be a little more Italian. We call ourselves an international market now.”

Iavarone Brothers’ Lake Success store also expanded into the catering business 15 years ago.

Today, the internet has helped transform the business into a national one that ships its goods around the country based on orders made through its Web site (www.IBFoods.com).

“I have one customer in North Carolina who buys 20 pounds of sausage every year before Christmas,” Iavarone said. “We have a lot of relocated customers for sure.”

But as the business has been transformed, the standards Pasquale Iavarone strived to set for his Brooklyn pork store in 1927 still inform the Iavarone Brothers objective in terms of service and quality, according to Iavarone.

“We strive for quality. And customer service is a major thing,” he said, adding that employees in his store make an effort to take time to consult with customers to meet their needs.

On a given Sunday, it can become challenging to maneuver through the aisles in the New Hyde Park store. And as Iavarone Brothers keeps growing customers, Iavarone said it is contemplating a future expansion of its location in the Lake Success Mall.

Startling Orange might work as a signature color for the Dunkin’ Donuts franchise, but it is apparently not the shade of choice for the Village of Great Neck.

After welcoming the soon-to-be-built donut shop to the village with open arms last month and approving a facade plan at a meeting Tuesday night, the village board of trustees unanimously rejected the possible use of “Startling Orange” for the restaurant awnings.

“We are unanimous, we don’t want it,” said Village of Great Neck Trustee Mark Birnbaum. “I would certainly be okay with this if you can tone it down.”

“There are families that live on Brokaw, just west of this building at 566 Middle Neck Road, that are going to be driving past there everyday,” said Trustee Bart Sobel, who preferred the color brown. “I don’t know that that wouldn’t just wear on them, that Startling Orange.”

Keeping the historic character of the village in mind during ongoing efforts for preservation and revitalization of the downtown area, color preferences for the Dunkin’ Donuts awning varied among trustees.

Village of Great Neck Mayor Ralph Kreitzman preferred cranberry, another of Dunkin’ Donuts’ theme colors.

Other trustees were mainly against dark colors for the downtown area.

“I don’t want anything that’s so dull,” said Trustee Jeffrey Bass, disagreeing with Sobel on a brown-colored awning for the donut shop. “I think that while we are trying to upgrade and maintain the historic nature of it the village, we also want to add life to Middle Neck Road.”

Bass suggested he was in favor of a more subdued orange color that was listed in the schematic plans for the building.

“Startling Orange would add life on high-test caffeine,” said Bass, to the restaurant’s architect. “The subdued orange that you have here I think is very attractive.”

Restaurant representatives said when people are looking for a Dunkin’ Donuts, Startling Orange is an identifying color.

“I think that everybody on the entire peninsula will know that you are there within about a week after you open up,” said Trustee Mark Birnbaum, who sided with Bass on a more subdued shade of orange for the awning.

Trustee Mitchell Beckerman agreed.

“It’s not out of line to go away from the Startling Orange,” said Beckerman.

Although most all construction details have been approved, Dunkin’ Donuts representatives agreed come back at a later board of trustees meeting with a few different choices for awning colors.

From gutter colors to trash cans, the board of trustees has in recent months thoroughly discussed details of the building plan at meetings in an effort to maintain the historic character of the village and building harmony.

“We are trying to take a nondescript, modern building and bridge the gap,” said Kreitzman, regarding the proposed Dunkin’ Donuts facility. “We can’t obviously make it historic, but to the extent that we can harmonize more.”

In the end, the architect thanked the board for their ideas and said the Great Neck Village plan might be used in other cities.

“This is something that will probably carry through forward as a vernacular in other downtown areas,” said Ed Butt of Butt, Otruba and O’Conner Architects of Roslyn, who promised a cafe-style donut shop complete with Wi-Fi and outdoor seating.

“It’s more of a cafe than your garden variety Dunkin’ Donuts,” said Butt.

Kreitzman said residents he has talked to are ecstatic about the opening of the donut shop.

The eatery is expected to begin construction in about one month and plans to offer kosher donuts.

The mayors of the two Great Neck villages most affected by the Long Island Railroad’s proposed pocket-track extension in Thomaston met Tuesday to discuss their differences on the project.

“We had a most cordial conversation,” said Village of Thomaston Mayor Robert Stern, who called the informal meeting with Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender to discuss the interests of their prospective villages regarding the LIRR’s plans.

Stern said the two left the brief meeting at a Plaza coffee shop with a better understanding of each other’s positions.

“We don’t disagree,” said Stern, who opposes the pocket track extension plan for Thomaston, but said he understands the needs of the Great Neck Plaza commuters.

Hoping to regain Plaza service, which was cut in half last year by the LIRR, Celender said last week that she is in favor of the pocket-track extension, which she said would benefit her “transient-oriented community.” But she said her support was conditioned on the LIRR further evaluating ways to address the concerns of both Thomaston and Plaza residents who would be will be impacted by the track extension.

“Those residents have to have proper mitigation,” Celender said.

Celender said Plaza commuters would favor a pocket-track extension if it results in improved LIRR service to New York City, which she said is important.

“If you ask the average resident that uses it, I think they would argue that they are for it,” Celender said. “I’m for getting back the service that this community has enjoyed.”

Citing potential noise and environmental issues, dozens of Thomaston residents have publicly stated their opposition to construction of the pocket track in their community.

The proposed pocket-track extension is part of a $36-million project that would replace the century-old Colonial Road Bridge in Thomaston and improve drainage in the area.

Stern said he and Celender discussed the possible impact of increased LIRR service to Plaza parking.

The LIRR has said the project is an essential part of its plans to improve service on the heavily used Port Washington line, which includes bringing the LIRR to Grand Central Terminal in 2016.

Using LIRR estimates, Stern said that a 10 percent increase in traffic to the Plaza would result in about 1,400 people using the line, the majority with cars.

“I don’t know where [Celender] is going to put a thousand cars,” said Stern.

Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, Celender said parking was not an issue for the Plaza regarding the pocket-track extension, which would increase the number of riders using their station in Great Neck Plaza, according to the LIRR.

“I haven’t seen that be a concern of my village since I’ve been mayor,” Celender said.

She said the LIRR would not be granted any additional parking spaces by the Plaza if the pocket-track extension goes through.

“They don’t need increased parking,” Celender said.

Stern has stated that the LIRR is ignoring village opposition to the plan and suggested at a special meeting last month that the town notify elected officials of their concern regarding the construction of the proposed pocket track.

On Tuesday, Stern sent letters to LIRR President Helena Williams and MTA President Jay Walder addressing his concerns, which he also submitted as letters-to-the-editor of the local newspapers including Blank Slate Media.

“I believe I have a reasonable solution to the residents’ objections,” Stern said in his letter to Williams. “I find it difficult to believe that the message that the railroad wants to send to me and the affected residents is – ‘”That’s it, we won’t talk to you!”‘ That is very strange from a state agency.”

In his letter to Walder, Stern asked that the MTA chief intervene to set up a meeting between him and Williams.

A subcommittee was appointed in the Village of Thomaston last month to come up with suggestions to submit to the Long Island Railroad regarding the proposed pocket-track extension.

According to Williams, Great Neck is a prominent location to extend the pocket track because it has reverse commuters and would provide people with more flexibility and seat opportunities when using the LIRR. She said not having a longer pocket track would only harm LIRR customers who use the Great Neck rail road station.

“If there is no project, service reliability would not increase which would hurt our customers,” Williams said. “We want to increase the number of trains available to our customers if we make improvements, especially those who commute to Great Neck. Not having the pocket track in Great Neck would be a detriment to commuters who begin their trips here.”

Dozens of Great Neck Plaza merchants are calling for an end to one of Great Neck’s biggest events of the year, which they say has been in decline in recent years.

Local officials disagree, saying the successful annual Autofest/Street Festival will take place again this year – although no money has been allocated by the Village of Great Neck Plaza to date.

A March 9 meeting has been scheduled by the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District at the Plaza Village Hall to listen to suggestions from merchants who want better planning for the event – or even its cancelation.

“They have asked what we can do differently,” said Ron Edelson, vice president of the Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District, who said he is not concerned that the festival will be called off.

“We have thousands of people who show up every year, why would you want to cancel it?” Edelson said.

Signatures of owners from 52 Great Neck Plaza and Great Neck Estates businesses are on the list which calls for local officials “to cancel any plans for a 2011 Annual AutoFest/Street Festival in Great Neck Plaza,” according to the Petition To Cancel The 2011 Autofest/Street Festival obtained by Blank Slate Media. A few of the businesses on the list, which was circulated about two months after last year’s festival, are no longer open.

“It’s not a matter of not wanting it, it’s a matter of improving it,” said Philip Meltzer of Spectacles located at 80 Middle Neck Road in Great Neck Plaza, who was instrumental in starting the petition. “As an individual voice, I’d like to eliminate it.”

Meltzer said the annual festival does not negatively affect his business, but he believed the car show has gone down considerably in recent years and the money used for the event should be used more effectively.

Last year, the Village of Great Neck Plaza contributed $10,000 for the event, according to Plaza administrator Pat O’Byrne.

“Having been here for 23 years and seeing the decline of the festival, I thought that something new had to be done,” said Meltzer, who questions the research and planning of the festival in recent years.

Citing declining attendance, competition from other Long Island car shows, the quality of cars at the car show and decreased interest by merchants during the festival, the group is urging officials to consider other options.

The group suggested additional promenade nights on Middle Neck Road, Bond Street, Grace Avenue and North Station Plaza could be accompanied by an “exotic car display” that would attract shoppers offering greater sales potential for Great Neck Plaza merchants or a formal fashion show, utilizing professional models and staging.

Last year, the one-day Autofest/Street Festival drew an estimated crowd of between 20,000 to 30,000 people on Middle Neck Road and intersecting streets, according to event organizers.

Held Sept. 25, last year’s event featured live entertainment, an antique fair, more than 100 domestic, foreign and collectible cars, carnival rides, pumpkin carving, hayrides, pony rides and a petting zoo on Middle Neck Road and intersecting streets.

BID officials say the country fair atmosphere helps make the event special and popular.

Jay Corn, executive director of the Business Improvement Board, said the festival helps local businesses by attracting people from surrounding communities to come to the village and it also rewards those who shop in Great Neck regularly.

“This is a day to celebrate and thank the people that come into town all year long,” said Corn. “It is the biggest foot-traffic event that the Plaza holds every year.”

Great Neck Plaza Mayor Jean Celender did not return a request for comment made by Blank Slate Media regarding the festival.

On March 15 our community will hold village elections.

As disturbing as it may sound, some years election day tends to slip through my hectic schedule. Whenever I fail to cast my ballot. I am able to set aside all guilt I may feel by taking comfort in knowing the individuals on the ballet have the best interest of the community at heart.

I am not a “political” person. My family, husband, Joe, and two boys, Joseph and Angelo, consume my daily life. To many I could be writing about you and your family and yet others I am sure can identify with me. To these readers I address this letter in hopes they will make the effort this year to vote.

Why is this year different than others? This year our village is fortunate to have Mrs. Bonnie Parente running for village trustee.

Mrs. Parente while raising, along with her husband, Kevin, their two children, Emma and Kevin Jr., has volunteered her time to the youth of our community.

Through her tireless effort she has and continues to help mold the youth of our village into forthright and confident young men and woman. Yet to many she remains anonymous. Mrs. Parente, a full-time labor attorney is a girl scout leader, boy scout leader, and this years chairperson for Northside’s Earth Day. Mrs. Parente also sits on or village appellate zoning board.

I have come to know her and her family through scouting. Not one aspect of her life is neglected.

Though she volunteers much of her time, her family always takes precedent. As a volunteer not one detail of an organized event or scouting trip is overlooked. This past weekend on a Saturday morning with the temperature at 30 degrees you would have found Mrs. Parente in the Charminade High School pool teaching water safety to her boy scouts.

We all know individuals who have hectic lives yet manage to volunteer their time. What makes Mrs. Parente stand out is not only her dedication to our community which she has served, it is her ability to make decisions while facing deadlines and her ability to focus on details. It is these attributes which will serve our village well as this year we face financial and societal issues. Decisions made this term will have a profound impact on the village we moved to for educational standards, and have come to love for it’s close knit traditional values.

I do consider myself fortunate to have her as a friend, yet above all Mrs. Parente as village trustee will ensure the decisions made on behalf of our community will preserve what we have come to love about our village as we move forward in this ever changing world.

Debra Martello

East Williston

Veterans showed up in force Tuesday to voice their opinions to the Nassau County Legislature regarding the recent replacement of the director of the county’s Veteran’s Service Agency by County Executive Ed Mangano – some in favor, others against.

The decision by the county executive to appoint 10-year veteran caseworker and former U.S. Marine Michael Kilbride to replace longtime director Pat Yngstrom has angered some veterans who have been helped by the agency.

Speaking in support Yngstrom, one former service member was brought to tears.

“He helped more vets than anyone else I have ever seen,” said Jerome Delaporta to the legislative body.”I cannot see how you can disregard all the framework that he has done in this county for veterans. If you don’t look at this, then you are blind.”

John Javis, director of special projects for the Mental Health Association of Nassau County of Nassau County and chair of the Veterans Health Alliance of Long Island, said Yngstrom was an effective leader that should not have been replaced.

“I would respectfully request that this legislative body consider reinstating him at the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency.”

In a written statement read by a Korean War veteran Dan Brandi, a member of the county executive’s advisory committee on veterans affairs said the new appointee could never attain the same standards of accomplishment as Yngstrom.

“I implore you not to give into political pressure to ensure that our many brave men and women who along with their families have sacrificed beyond description for you and your families are protected and provide for in their time of need,” said Brandi.

Other veterans spoke in favor of Mangano’s appointee at the public comment section of the legislative meeting in Mineola Tuesday including combat veteran Steven Mendez; Jerry Laricchiuta, a Nassau County union head; former Hempstead Village Mayor James Garner; Hempstead school board member Betty Cross; and an active duty Marine First Sergeant Roger Fortune, who served together with Kilbride in Garden City said he has known Kilbride for more than 30 years both personally and professionally.

“For his knack of knowing the inside and outs of the VA from the ground up, he will be an outstanding director.”

It is the mission of the Nassau County Veterans Service Agency to ensure that former military members are receiving the benefits and services that they are entitled to, according to the Nassau County website.

The county Legislature played no role in the appointment of Kilbride.

Brian Nevin, Mangano’s Chief of Staff said Yngstrom was replaced due to his inability to manage his staff and the Veterans Service Agency.

In a letter acquired by Blank Slate Media, John Kavanagh, a service officer with the American Legion, criticized Yngstrom for claim problems and response times to veteran’s affairs earlier this month.

“The quality of your staff’s claim work is also having an affect on the time it takes my staff to process the daily submissions,” stated the letter, dated Feb.1, 2011. “Please contact me so we can resolve the concerns regarding the quality of claims and timely responses to our e-mail and phone inquires.”

Nevin said the letter was “a perfect example” of why Yngstrom was replaced.

East Williston is fortunate to have three diligent candidates seeking to fill the two open positions on the board of trustees.

Local elections are often more about popularity than the issues facing the village. In this case, all three candidates are popular, and to make matters more confusing, they share many of the same friends.

I am familiar with their community involvement.

If a vote on election day is based solely on hard-work and dedication to the community, I would not know which two to choose above the other. In fact, it seems awkward to choose only two out of the three.

However, I want to draw attention to this great opportunity for East Williston. As many of the surrounding villages have learned, these are very tough times to run the business of village life. The funding for the budget offers very little room for a learning curve or on the job training. The EW board will need to establish the 2011 budget, negotiate many of the expiring contracts for immediate services such as sanitation, water, utility, and strategically plan for funding of issues that are arising in the near future. The local news has been flooded with stories about reneged grant money from New York State and other statewide problems that will cause more uncertainty and need for experienced members of the board of trustees.

With this in mind, both Bonnie Parente and Bobby Shannon have the top-tier level of professional experience that can guide the village through the next four years. It is in times like this that people with their backgrounds step-up and rise to the occasion.

Bonnie is a highly accomplished attorney and executive at the New York Racing Association. Mrs. Parente’s daily responsibilities of overseeing the operations at the NYRA facilities, including negotiating issues like pensions, financing, NYS contracts, union work, and emergency response protocol, have provided her with the experience necessary to success in issues directly related to running our village on a regular basis.

Bobby Shannon will provide the board with the balanced perspective that comes from an entrepreneur who understands the mix of keeping costs as low as possible and still delivering the very best customer service.

Though many of you know him as a business owner, or as the president of the Chamber of Commerce, he is also an attorney and has a degree in banking and finance. If you have ever worked with him, you know that he is the right person for the board of trustees. He is intelligent, and displays the very rare ability to always start with the end objective in mind. It is a logical choice to choose someone with his experience to actively watch over our village.

If we each had the opportunity to sit with Bonnie Parente or Bobby Shannon and interview them for the job of protecting our greatest investment, I believe that we would know that a vote for them is a vote for stability in our village.

Dr. Armando D’Arduini

East Williston

Ticket? What Ticket??? I’m voting “A La Carte”

On March 15 the residents of East Williston will have the opportunity to vote for a new mayor and two trustee positions. Apparently the mayoral position will be filled by Mr. Tanner, as he is running unopposed. The question arises as to how to best fill the two trustee positions when there are three candidates vying for this position.

There is a “ticket,” which seems to be confusing many. Voting for Mr. Tanner and Ms. Bonnie Parente does not guarantee that Mr. Shannon receives the second trustee seat. As a matter of fact, the reason for this correspondence is to specifically point out that Ms. Caroline DeBenedittis would be the perfect match in the trio.

Ms. DeBenedittis has proven her commitment to this community time and time again. She is a constant voice of reason and sits in attendance at all village meetings. I have worked along side her as she runs our recreation committee – coordinating programs for your children as well as residents of all ages.

Fiscally, she is the most cost conscious person around! She is always looking at ways to get the best products at the best price. Her concern for the safety and welfare of our residents has been proven time and time again. An example of this is when she rallied and gathered in excess of 400 signatures from village residents to petition New York State for a much needed crosswalk.

Sadly, however, the state decided that we did not have enough foot traffic to warrant it.

What the humble Ms. DeBenidittis won’t necessarily tell you, but I will is that she gives of herself tirelessly to an elderly resident on Atlanta Avenue. She cleans this gentleman’s home, walks his dog, food shops and drives him to doctor appointments.

I also want to take a moment to endorse Ms. Bonnie Parente. Not only am I fortunate to live across the street from Ms. Parente, I have also done business with her.

She is an incredibly gifted attorney, negotiator, business woman and mother. We have worked together on real estate closings, arranging a much loved village event at Belmont, (which she always surprises the residents with free give-a ways) and other ventures.

She is extremely level headed and focused. She exemplifies the qualities necessary for a position on our village board.

Vote “A LA CARTE” and Caroline DeBenidittis and Bonnie Parente for village trustees.

Sandi and Kurt Polinsky

East Williston

It was amazing how a right-to-life anti-abortion ad on a billboard in Manhattan went up and had to be taken down within one week.

New York City Public Advocate Bill De Blasio’s position was that this billboard simply doesn’t belong in New York City. The same sentiments were expressed by New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and a long list of other elected officials who offered similar comments.

Regardless of what anyone thinks about the views on abortion expressed in the billboard on the corner of Watts Street and Avenue of the Americas in SoHo paid for by Texas, Life Always – it is an advertisement which has a place in our society. We are a nation, which still believes in open dialogue, tolerance and discussion of different thoughts and ideas.

Those on the political left, who practice political correctness to the extreme, are no different from their counterparts – the Moral Majority thought police on the extreme political right.

Both groups promote censorship and intolerance to those whose divergent viewpoints differ from their own narrow-minded ideological views.

This is disappointing to people who cherish freedom of speech and intellectual discourse on issues of the day, no matter how controversial.

Both sides need a refresher course on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, including the First Amendment which protects freedom of speech.

Why was the American Civil Liberties Union missing in action?

I was always under the impression that residents of SoHo, the West Village and Manhattan claimed to be the most tolerant, liberal, free speech advocates.

Perhaps it depends upon whose free speech they are defending.

We are fortunate to be living in one of the few free societies left in the world today.

Freedom of speech including ideas expressed in billboards paid for by private citizens or organizations is usually cherished here, not trampled on.

Larry Penner

Great Neck

Library opposes fee hike.

This was the headline in the Feb. 18, 2011 issue. They complain like an ordinary homeowner. If we divide the projected renovation of Main cost of $22,000,000 amongst the 27,600 resident cardholders that comes to about $800. each. If there are two cardholders in the household that is about $1,600. This in addition to their share of the $8 million yearly budget.

If there is a bond issue and all the residents are taxed then there is a different channel. A $22,000,000 project (X) times, at a good rate of 3.25%, comes to $715,000 per year. This times 20 years equals $14,300,000 interest over the life of the bonds in addition to the $22,000,000 cost. Divide the $36 million by the number of adult Great Neck cardholders comes to about $1,300 each.

A recent ad for an Amazon Kindle showed that it could be purchased for under $200 (Staples). This number times 2.600 patrons would come to $5,340,000. Lots of shelves would be eliminated, lots of trees saved, and lots of trips to the library (no parking needed) eliminated. No more books to buy!

Borders went bankrupt last week. Most of the books sold go to libraries or as gifts. I watched for 20 minutes at B&N.

Breakfast bagels are served certain mornings at the Main library. Call about joining the staff.

Norman Roland

Great Neck

I read with astonishment the recent letters of Michael S. Glickman in which he suggests that Great Neck Plaza residents should go to the polls to vote for candidates other than those who appear on the ballot. Mr. Glickman simply has no credibility on the matter.

Over the last several months, Mr. Glickman’s vitriolic rants about the Plaza’s mayor and board of trustees have been frequently published in in one of our local newspapers. Yet Mr. Glickman, who professes to embrace governmental transparency, has never reminded readers of his own failed campaign for Plaza trustee just last year. Mr. Glickman’s obvious distress, frustration and bitterness over his own electoral loss are evident in each of his serial tirades in the local press.

Mr. Glickman does not have the conviction of character to discuss legitimate policy issues as a candidate for office this year. Presumably, he either could not find the necessary support for a campaign, or he privately realized that support would be woefully lacking, as it was only twelve months ago.

Instead, Mr. Glickman, inexperienced in local government,seeks to mock those who are willing to put their name on the ballot and continue to serve their community.

Though he wages personal attacks on village officials, in those rare letters in which he mentions a substantive issue, he offers no solutions to the problems that he perceives. In his most recent letter to the editor, Mr. Glickman even outrageously suggests that the village judge should disregard the current laws in effect in the Plaza.

Overall, Mr. Glickman has revealed an attitude and disposition that are unwelcome in public service, counterproductive to the resolution of real issues, and undermine the public welfare.

I am proud to support the candidates whose names are on the ballot on March 15 – Trustee Gerry Schneiderman, Trustee Marion Green and Judge Neil Finkston – and I am confident that each will continue to ably serve the residents of Great Neck Plaza.

Marlene S. Gerber

Great Neck

While volunteering with the Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Little League and other organizations is a noble display of public service, on March 15 our concern should be whom can best serve the Village of East Williston.

Caroline DeBenedittis has volunteered for multiple organizations but most importantly she has served our village for the past 11 years. She started as a member of the recreation committee and then went on to chair the committee. Not only has she been involved in planning wonderful events for the adults and children of our village, she has carefully navigated the politics as well. Caroline is often seen at board meetings raising concerns and questioning agendas.

It was Caroline who single-handedly fought for the safety of the residents within our village, seeing the dangers of crossing East Williston Avenue to get to the park. She spearheaded a campaign to put a crosswalk on East Williston Avenue to ensure the safety of children and parents trying to walk between the Richard Camp Park at Devlin Field and the library.

After discussing this a number of times in a public forum with little success, Caroline went further and obtained over 400 signatures conveying her concerns and had them acknowledged.

Caroline does not have a political agenda in becoming trustee. She has the betterment of the village and the safety of the residents in mind.

Caroline is an independent thinker who is not afraid to confront and challenge adversity. We need a person on our board that will put the residents of this community ahead of following the status quo. We need a leader who is not swayed by the popular opinion.

I wholeheartedly support her nomination for East Williston trustee because she has put the safety and well-being of our residents first. Her commitment to public service is an example we should all follow.

Eileen Leccese

East Williston