A Grateful Heart

To The Editor:

Does it take an episode of deadly road rage for us to step back and assess our own driving habits? Or does it take a raging fire that takes ten stores for us to take inventory of what we have and evaluate the importance of installing fire alarms or buying more insurance? Unfortunately sometimes it takes a tragedy to make us reassess our priorities to such an extent of taking new action. And then sometimes it doesn't. The tragedies and raging fires in our lives can reaffirm the choices we have made and make us appreciate even more what we have. For the lucky few who think this way, it doesn't require a worse case scenario to happen in order for us to create new plans on how we will live our lives.

Who are these lucky few? I think they must be the ones who walk through most of their lives with a grateful heart. Grateful for what they have, grateful for their family, friends and health, and simply for what life has to offer.

So if you are lucky enough to be one of those grateful people, how very lucky you are indeed. But if you aren't, hopefully you are smart enough to surround yourself with people who do have a grateful heart. For when you forget to be, these grateful people will simply remind you to be thankful for all of the blessings you have in your life.

So as you live the coming days, remember to tell the people you love - that you love them. And remember to have a grateful heart for what you DO have in your life as opposed to what you do not. For we need not a tragedy or a raging fire to remember what is good in our lives. But it certainly can remind us . . .

Sue Fragale,

Former Garden City resident

Collecting Instruments

To the Editor:

My name is Charlie Eschmann I am 17yrs. old. I am a Boy Scout in Troop #243 in Garden City. Currently I am working on my Eagle Scout Project. Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more then 1.7million young men.

Requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges and demonstrating Scout Spirit, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages.

My project is to procure 50-65 new and or gently used musical instruments for St. Martins Deporres School in Uniondale Long Island. I will be organizing and running a basketball tournament at the school on June 14th to raise money to buy or repair any instruments.

Anyone able to participate in the tournament can contact me at 1-516-294-6554 I will also be collecting any gently used and unwanted instruments on a date later to be announced I can pick up instruments from your house or they can be dropped off at my house.

No instrument is too small.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Charles Eschmann

Proud Of GCFD

To the Editor:

On Friday, May 15th, my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the Garden City Volunteer Fire Department Installation Dinner at the Floral Terrace. The program and installation of officers by Fire Commissioner Episcopia highlighted the extraordinary work and sacrifice exhibited each and every day by our fellow citizens who serve us all as firefighters. The new Chief, William Graham leads a focused cadre of dedicated volunteers who are unified in the desire to protect us all in case of a fire emergency. Outgoing Chief James Meehan has completed his term as chief engineer of the department so special thanks to him as well. To Vincent Cashman who celebrated 50 years as a Garden City volunteer you inspire us all.

The residents of our village can be proud of our volunteer firemen. Their work with Operation Wounded Warrior and other charitable causes continue to make Garden City the special place that it is. So when you see one of our volunteers, please say "thank you" for the work they do.

Dennis Donnelly