BULLETIN TEMPLATE (Feb 13, 2018)

Our visiting speaker- no stranger to our club- was Deirdre Dubato, a Rocky Point Rotarian. Deirdre, who has long been involved with Rotary along with her husband, has in the past held memberships with clubs in the Hamptons and the Moriches area. In addition, Deirdre is heavily involved with the Mount Sinai Civic Association. For years, beginning in the '90's, she has been part of a group that vigorously sought property to be used as a public central park for her community, which really lacks a "downtown" center. When the McGovern Sod farm owners decided to sell off some of their acreage originally to a Home Depot, she and her group of activists lobbied the town, county, and state to be allowed to purchase the land for a triangular public park instead. They had to raise $500,000 to start and eventually also bought adjacent land owned by the Vincent Bove family. The group formed a 3-way ownership, a partnership that included the Mount Sinai Civic Association and local government, and became a 501 c 3, The North Shore Heritage Land Trust, Inc. (Heritage Park). Granted parkland status in 2000, this land was referred to as "The Park on the Wedge", as it is bounded by Rte. 25A, Patchogue-Mount Sinai Rd., and Mt. Sinai-Coram Rd. Preserving the wedge has created a sense of community via a multi-generational meeting place, funded solely by donations, grants, and fundraising events- but NOT by tax dollars. The Heritage Trust's Mission Statement says that it is dedicated to preserving and enhancing the natural resources of the communities through land use, planning, conservation, and education. Groundbreaking began in 2002. In 2004, the Port Jeff Record named the Trust "People of the Year". The community center, a "green" barn-like building using solar energy, was built at the southern tip of the wedge between 2006 and 2007. In 2008, the playground opened. Among the various activities/events/and fundraisers that are held on this community property: The Parade of American Flags; "Easter Egg Hoppings"; the Fling Into Spring Carnival; Movies in the Moonlight; a Fall Carnival; the Halloween Festival; Christmas Tree Lighting; Breakfast With Santa; and the Menorah Lighting; as well as a number of antique auto shows. There is an active garden club operating at the wedge. The park is used by thousands of people daily for a variety of sports and other forms of recreation. The 2 softball and soccer fields are used by the Town. The park also includes a putting green; and a maze has recently been planted. Current planning is under way to build a Splash Pad, Spray Park, or Interactive Water Fountain. The Splash Pad, "the 2nd to last project" for the park, is projected to cost around $125,000. Fundraising is now underway. So far, around $45,000 has been collected in a relatively short time. Deirdre is appealing to our club to donate $2,500 as part of a corporate sponsorship program (as her Rotary Club has done). The last project for the future, by the way, will be to create an amphitheater in the park.