Since February, members of the Farmingdale Village Green Gazebo Bandstand Committee and the staff at the Farmingdale Village Clerk's office have been raising funds in an effort to provide enough money for a new gazebo bandstand to be built on Farmingdale Village Green, just outside of Village Hall on Main Street. To date, the committee and staff have enjoyed great success in their efforts through various fundraisers.

To get plans underway, a seven-person committee was formed last September, and committee members worked diligently to organize several fundraising efforts needed to complete the community project.

According to Gazebo Committee Chairman Ted Dorfmeister, the structure will accommodate community events including the very popular Village Pops concert series, six weekly concerts which take place each summer in Farmingdale, as well as being center stage for parades, fairs, art shows and other such cultural events. In addition, Dorfmeister added that the committee hopes the gazebo will be utilized by couples on their wedding day for picture purposes. "It's a way of sprucing up the community," he said of the gazebo.

Dorfmeister added that the committee is looking for the project to be completed by next May, in time for the US Open which is scheduled to be held at the Bethpage State Park Golf Course. This is not the main reason they are building the structure, he added, but said it would add a nice addition and would beautify the area.

In addition to donations they hope to receive from both local residents and local merchants, Dorfmeister said that the committee has been holding various fundraisers in an effort to make more money. The staff at the Village Clerk's Office has been supporting the effort by selling souvenir flags to local residents. The flags, which were unveiled in April, depict the name of the Incorporated Village of Farmingdale and are embellished with gold tassels. According to the clerk's office, the 4"x 6" cloth flags allow citizens to display their pride in the community while making a tax-deductible contribution to a good cause. They are available for $4 each and can be purchased by mail or at Village Hall. All proceeds from flag sales go toward the gazebo fund. Larger flags, measuring 2'x3' feet, are also available for $40 each.

Dorfmeister explained that those who make larger donations of $150 or more to the gazebo fund will receive recognition by having an engraved acknowledgement permanently displayed inside the gazebo. He added that those who contribute an amount over $200 will be recognized with individual markers in the gazebo bandstand.

Fliers seeking donations were sent out to several local homes earlier this year, and Dorfmeister said that such fliers will be sent out again in the very near future, and he asked that residents who wish to contribute to keep an eye out for them in their mailboxes.

The committee plans on attending the three-day fair in Farmingdale this October and intends to sell pens promoting the gazebo as well as T-shirts. In addition, he and his brother recently attended their high school reunions and received directories of alumni from the area, and have contacted those individuals for help.

"We're keeping our fingers crossed that we can at least break ground by October or November," Dorfmeister said, recognizing this as a dream for the committee. "But if we break ground by late winter/early spring that would be just wonderful."

Dorfmeister explained that all donations are tax deductible. "Donations are needed to realize this fine addition to the continual beautification of Farmingdale," he said. Residents interested in making a donation and/or purchasing a flag may visit Village Hall or send their name, address, telephone number, number of flags which they wish to purchase, and contribution, payable to Village Green Improvement Fund, to Village of Farmingdale, 361 Main Street, Farmingdale, NY 11735. Any questions may be directed to Village Hall at 249-0093.

For further information, please contact Ted Dorfmeister, chairman of the Farmingdale Gazebo Committee, at P.O. Box 220, Farmingdale, NY, 11735, or by phone at 293-2768.