From left:Marye Heston, president of the Community Club, Ira Joe Fisher, Prem Chauhan, Drama/Literature chairperson, and Peter Archese, publisher of Mr. Fisher's volume of poetry. Wednesday, March 12 th was a brilliant clear day with the nip of late winter in the air and the bright promise of spring ready too bloom. In this setting, Ira Joe Fisher, weather reporter for WCBS-TV, came to address the members of the Community Club of Garden City/Hempstead.

But, weather was not the topic of the day. Oh, yes, Mr. Fisher did discuss briefly his television career, but the assembled members of the club were more interested in his new career-that of a published poet.

Growing up in Salamanca, NY, Mr. Fisher's life was changed at the age of 16 when his English teacher rated him 92% on a poem he had written. Encouraged, he began to write poetry in earnest and earned a MFA from New England College. He currently teaches poetry at the University of Connecticut at Stamford. His poetry has appeared in various literary journals.

Ira Joe Fisher was surrounded by (l to r) Marye Heston, Peter Archese, Prem Chauhan, Joan Kuster and Emily Sair. Mr. Fisher read excerpts from his recently published volume "Some Holy Weight in the Village Air." He preceded each reading with amusing anecdotes describing how he came to write the poem.

At the conclusion of the program, there was question and answer period after which Mr. Fisher autographed copies of his book.

Arrangements of the day were taken care of by Willa Ward with decorations by Anne Daly and Joan Kuster. Adele Lynch, Ruth LaBosco and Lillian La Plac greeted the guests and Ida and Jennie Catania were in charge of hospitality. Ruth LaBosco and Anne Daly acted as pourers of the day.

To learn more about the Community Club and how you may become a member, please call the office at (516) 746-0488 between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.