April 26th 2021
This has probably been the most difficult ‘Letter from the President’ I have ever had to write during my time with the FSCA. There are almost no words. The events of a week ago have shocked me and my heart breaks for our community. I know I speak for the board and our membership when I offer my deepest most heartfelt condolences to those who lost a loved one and to those who now watch their loved one’s struggle to survive as a result of those tragic events. I also want to thank all the first responders and the Nassau County Police Department for their service that day, and for the swift apprehension of the person responsible for this horrific attack.
My children went off to school that day like every other, masks on, iPads ready with their health forms displayed. They are now accustomed to all that has changed so much for them in the past year. Thanks to the wonderful staff at our local school, they came home having no idea of the days’ harrowing events. They remained unaware that their parents received phone calls regarding a district wide lock-in, that there was an armed criminal at large in their hometown who could be roaming the same streets where they ride their bikes or walk to get ice cream with their parents.
After all the struggles of the previous year, this is almost too much to bear. I know one day I will not be able to hide things like this from them but for now, I hope they continue to feel the same way about their hometown as I did growing up here. That, despite its size and population, it’s an insulated place full of hardworking people who care about their home and community. Its full of neighborly people who still pull over to stop and chat when they see each other passing on the road. It is a place where school friends live right down the block and (one day soon) have play-dates. It’s a place where, on a clear night, you can hear a train pass to the north and the firehouse horn blare at (almost) six pm. It is a multigenerational family full of their friends, relatives, classmates, and neighbors.
Those are the images of our hometown I call on when things like this happen, when I need a little hope. I know, regardless of what happens, at its heart it’s still the same community of people. One of the reasons I joined the Civic is because it’s full of people who feel the same way about where we live. They know that no matter what happens, we always find a way to pull through together. We must do that now.
The Civic has been hard at work on several projects, some of which you may have seen such as decorating the lampposts near the post office. I would love to tell you about all of them, but I feel now is not the time. Instead, in closing I would just like to ask you all to stay safe, take care of one another, and look forward to a time when our focus can return to happier things.
Sincerely,
Katherine Tarascio
President, FSCA