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

A Wonderful Service

To the Editor:

I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Biggane for the wonderful service and education they provide to our community. I have two daughters in the Middle School who attended an assembly given by the Bigganes regarding Melanoma awareness and prevention. Mr. and Mrs. Biggane shared the story of their beautiful daughter Mollie who grew up in Garden City and died tragically at the age of twenty from Melanoma. We do not know the Biggane Family personally but they have made a significant impact on our family. My two daughters identified with Mollie as a young girl growing up in Garden City and were extremely sad about her life cut short by cancer. Over the last several years we have also received sunscreen and hats that the Bigganes have generously distributed on the sports fields.

As a result of this my girls automatically reach for the sunscreen and don't have to be nagged to do so. In fact now my daughters remind the rest of the family, extended family, and friends to wear sunscreen. After the assembly the girls started to carry their own sun protection and make sure its always in the cars and on the table by the door. The Biggane message is visable about an invisible killer.

Thank you for bravely sharing your story and helping our children by increasing their awareness about the seriouness of sundamage and Melanoma. Your message has had a wonderful ripple effect in our community.

Kathy Adams

Thanks To TMA

To the Editor:

When the Garden City High School Class of 2009 Luau Pool Party invitation arrived in the mail, festively wrapped in a confetti-filled clear plastic wrapper, my senior was deliriously happy. If you are the parent of a GCHS senior, you and your child have endured an awful lot of change over the course of the last four year. But thanks to the generosity of the Garden City Men's Association, the post-graduation pool party will remain on the agenda for graduation day as a well-deserved celebration for our seniors. I am confident that the Class of 2009 will demonstrate their true maturity as they celebrate with their friends and prove to the community that these long-time traditions should remain part of Garden City's special celebrations.

Although I have never had a child graduate from GCHS, I do know that planning, organizing and supervising the pool party is a monumental task. I also know how wonderful it is that my daughter and 280 other high school seniors will be able to continue the tradition and attend the annual pool party and say farewell to GCHS and enjoy a great evening of camaraderie thanks to the efforts of the TMA. Thank you for understanding the value in an event like this and for agreeing to host it.

Thank you from all us parents whose children have worked so hard these past four years. Your efforts are appreciated more than you know. Seniors '09!

Joe and Beth Castronovo