Another well-attended meeting of the Lindenwood Alliance this week brought residents and community activists out in response to several local issues. The meeting was visited by president of the Richmond Hill South Civic, Margaret Finnerty, who discussed the coupon drive she got involved with years ago to help servicemen and women overseas with their commissary shopping.
Finnerty’s group has organized a drive to collect the manufacturer’s coupons, clip them and send them overseas where they can be used in exchange for purchases by the armed forces with the exception of the US Coast Guard. Finnerty asked for help from the Alliance as well as all individuals present. Her goal to reach one million dollars in clipping is within her reach, she says. “To date we have clipped over $750,000 in coupons and we are still going strong.”
Finnerty read a letter from the Army to the audience which thanked everyone for their efforts and explained what a tremendous service it is for these men and women to have some form of assistance and support from back home.
Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder addressed the meeting about current conditions at the Aqueduct Racino including traffic and security concerns. Goldfeder said his indications are that things are moving along well with the expected amount of glitches that can arise with any new project. He also encouraged residents to visit his district offices with any issues.
Another group of residents attended the meeting to express their dismay over a level three sex offender who had moved into a cooperative apartment building near MS 232 on 153rd Avenue. Handouts of the sex offender were displayed at the meeting and Alliance President Joann Ariola said her group would now actively participate in a campaign to encourage all co-op and condo boards as well as management companies to run applicants against the sex offender registry maintained by the state. “This is an invaluable tool for the community to use in protecting our children and ourselves against these individuals,” Ariola said. You can find more information and access the registry online at http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us
The meeting concluded with a presentation by Swami Durga Das of the River Fund, a client choice food pantry in Richmond Hill. The pantry has served over 100,000 clients this year and continues to grow. It is an entirely volunteer based organization that turns no one away. To learn more about the River project visit them at the web at www.riverfund-ny.org or call them at 718-441-1125.
The next meeting of the Alliance is a holiday party which will be held on Monday night December 12.
