Get Ready Nanuet - It's Your Time!

I've lived in Nanuet for most of my life. I went to Highview School from Kindergarten through 5th grade. Had Mrs. Schiller for Kindergarten, Mr. Abt for a principal, watched the original Steamboat Willie in the auditorium in the old wooden seats on rainy days during recess, stood in the "Idiot Box" during recess for talking in Mr. Winslow's class (can you imagine a school having an Idiot Box today!?) and even helped out in the office running off "dittos" and getting covered in purple ink.

I went on the middle school (which was only called "the middle school" back then), wore the "new blue with stripes" gym uniforms instead of the ugly yellow ones, and then went on to the high school to play in the band, perform in the shows, go to the dances and graduate with a "small" class of 240 (somehow we all managed to fit into the school then without any problems and without any expansion….?)

After going off to college, I eventually moved back to Nanuet in 1993 and became one of those who "never got over the wall." Many people I run into also never got over the wall, many bought their parents' homes and are raising their children in the very same houses and on the same beautiful streets. That says a lot about a little town. That many people make a choice to stay, to send their kids to the same school, to eat at the same pizza place and to play at the same playground.

Those who live here know we are a wonderful community. We are closely tied to this little hamlet and when we find each other on Facebook, we rejoice in the same memories and rekindle some of the friendships which were lost over the years. A few weeks ago I actually went to dinner with the same girls I sat with at the lunch table in high school. We laughed just like we did then and couldn't imagine where all the time has gone.

So, what's the point? I want to encourage all of you who also call Nanuet home, to join me on Monday, April 23 to talk about how to make Nanuet better. How to improve things here for us and for our children (who might not get over the wall!). When dedicated, passionate people come together, the results are obvious, just look at Highview Playground! What an amazing undertaking! I am hoping that we can rally that same spirit and create a new chamber of commerce or action committee or whatever we want to call it, and plan projects that we can all do together as an "old fashioned" community for the betterment of the town, for the camaraderie of spirit and for the future of our little hamlet.

Come over to the Nanuet Library on April 23 at 7 p.m. We'll be upstairs in the community room. We want to see who wants to do what, what projects we can work on together and how we can make Nanuet THE place to live in Rockland. There aren't any jobs, positions, tasks, bank accounts or anything right now, just people with ideas. So bring your ideas, thoughts, suggestions and energy. Teenagers welcome!!!  See you there!