Mayor's Message
September 7,
2007
MALVERNE; THE RICHNESS OF HERITAGE AND HOPE
Walking through the village, I’m often struck by the very
real and sustained beauty and charm of my hometown, Malverne. Those
moments help me appreciate the deep commitment of the residents
who have come before me and have given of themselves to help
create the wonderful community that we all love today.
My parents
moved her almost 50 years ago. I recall hearing about their neighbor, Mrs.
Winnie Rank, who saw a new mother (my mom) struggling to keep up with her young
family. She would drop by just to help and lend a hand. Fifty years
later, my neighbor, Mrs. Rank, is still here in Malverne helping friends and
neighbors. I also remember hearing the story of Tony Canzoneri. Almost
80 years ago, Tony discovered that there wasn’t a shoemaker in town. He
bought his property on Maple Avenue and started his family here. Many of
his descendents still live here and are hard-working members of Malverne’s
community life. Malverne’s Police Chief, John Aresta, grew up in
Malverne and graduated from Malverne High School. Fire Chief Bill Ward
is a lifelong resident of Malverne, and his mom, Lee remains a tireless volunteer
at the Our Lady of Lourdes Thrift Shop.
In every organization,
house of worship, or club throughout the village, we see principles
and cherished traditions handed down from one generation to the
next. Little League’s
Opening Day is still one of the biggest events in the village. After the
Memorial Day Parade, there are hot dogs and Dixie cups at the American Legion.
We share years
of common memories – playing at the summer recreation program, buying pumpkins
at Grossmann’s, running down to the Malverne Movie Theatre and the bowling
alley, or to the Malverne Bakery to get a “big” chocolate chip cookie. Thank
goodness the chocolate chip cookie recipe is the same today as it was when I
rode my bike after school to the bakery! The mural in the Astoria Federal
Bank captures a moment in time on Hempstead venue. I love looking at that
and remembering those times, when it seemed like “Z” was playing
at the Malverne Theatre forever. Some of the names of our businesses have
changed – Associated is now the Village Market – but in many ways
the village is the same as it has always been. Lindner Place School was
renamed Maurice W. Downing Elementary School and Itkins Luncheonette became Annie’s
and is now Our Town Grille.
Our location
in the heart of Nassau’s south shore completes the narrative of who we
are and why we choose to reside here. In less than an hour, we can be in
the middle of Times Square or Jones Beach. The best of the world is within
our easy reach. People travel from around the world for a small glimpse
of the natural, cultural, and historic resources available to us every day. Nowhere
else in the world do people enjoy the variety of sports, restaurants, night life,
schools, museums, libraries and entertainment that we do.
The residents
of Malverne have so many options available to them on a daily
basis. Year
after year, I find that it is the people of Malverne that those of us who live
here value the most. Whether at Groundhog Day or the Lighting of Malverne
of recent years, or the “Hi, Neighbor” nights of my youth, we still
look forward to having the opportunity to meet and mingle with the other folks
who share our love of Malverne.
Malverne today
is a reflection of the caring, hard-working families who built
a gracious and beautiful village here. The stories of the Rank, Ward, Aresta, Grossmann,
and Canzoneri families are not unusual. They are typical of so many people
who moved here and have contributed to making our community the great place it
is today. It is also typical of the kind of people who continue to discover
our little village and move here to make their mark for future generations.
It is important
to learn from our past so that we can fully develop the potential
of tomorrow. Our
respect for the beauty, simplicity, and neighborliness of Malverne binds us. Looking
ahead, we will work together to protect the common vision that we share to preserve
our heritage and build a strong village for those who follow us.
- Patricia Ann Norris-McDonald, Mayor
|
