In the month of September it has become tradition for the mayor to visit our local civic associations and give a state of the village address. It is one of the many services that our civic associations provide to our residents.

Our four civic associations have a long and respected history. At its core, it is a touchstone for civil affairs, where residents and neighbors come together to share and learn about community life, to work together to resolve problems and to plan ahead for a better future. Members of the civics will often learn valuable information from the association's president, officers and guest speakers, which often include local elected officials.

The information highway at these civic meetings is definitely a two way street. While my perennial address to the civics is designed to disseminate as much information about village life as possible I also find I am the beneficiary of information of which I'm unaware. The exchange between residents and elected officials enriches the knowledge of both and provides a vehicle of cooperation uniquely suited to addressing concerns and problems. I find the relationships that these associations foster among themselves and those who serve in office makes for a more enlightened democracy.

As an extension of these monthly civic meetings this past Saturday morning, I hosted a mayor's open house at village hall. I found that some people would rather not speak in an open forum but would rather address their concerns in private dialogue with the mayor. I felt that a more intimate setting might do; after all, village hall is the people's house and they should always feel right at home. I envisioned a kind of fireside chat without the fireplace for sure but hopefully greeting my neighbors, my friends in an atmosphere conveying the same warmth and coziness.

From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. I opened my door to these residents whose problems and concerns varied as much as their ages, which ranged from senior citizens to young teenagers. But their differences were not nearly as important as what they had in common: a need to be heard, to be recognized and to be understood.

My eyes were opened to many of the issues they addressed and once again I found myself the beneficiary of a deeper perspective and a wider horizon of life in our village. I do not have the answer to every problem and concern but I am fully committed to working to make things, wherever I can, a little bit better.

I'm pleased to announce that we have been successful in obtaining another legislative grant in the amount of $20,000 for the purchase and installation of generators. Cumulatively we have received $75,000 in grants for generators to be installed in Public Works and the firehouses. Electrical power is the lifeblood of our emergency services especially in the event of power shortages and blackouts. We sincerely wish to thank Senator Mike Balboni for his many efforts on our behalf.

I would also like to thank Dennis McEnery who prepared a successful submission to obtain $60,000 pursuant to the Environmental Bond Act of 2004 to be used for improvements of the street side exterior through the installation of a path and lighting. This village is deeply grateful for Dennis McEnery's ongoing pro bono legal services on behalf of the Floral Park Conservation Society, its president, Steve Corbett, its many dedicated volunteers and to Nassau County Legislators Vincent Muscarella and Richard Nicolello who strongly supported the project, which received unanimous approval by the Nassau County Legislature.

This past Saturday was indeed a remarkable and memorable day. After open house at village hall I met the Floral Park Memorial Homecoming Parade on Carnation Avenue and Floral Boulevard. The weather was magnificent, the pageantry a phalanx of red (the school's colors) and everywhere you looked school spirits were soaring. Members of the varsity football squad, who were wildly cheered from the crowded sidewalks of Tulip Avenue, led the parade.

The flowing array of marching red softened to a warm pink as I entered the recreation center on Liz's Day devoted to breast cancer awareness. It was a triumph. Rarely have I seen a demonstration of so many different people working together for such a wonderful cause. It only confirmed my belief that it is when we band together that we discover, in Lincoln's words, "the better angels of our nature."

For all the time and preparation of the many organizers and volunteers, for all the contributions of the many vendors and merchants, for the support of the many hundreds of people who not only opened their pocketbooks but their hearts, you have the gratitude of our village, the gratitude of all those who struggle with breast cancer and the gratitude of all those families who have loved and lost but still have not given up in defeating this dreaded disease.

Finally, it was all over. Kurt Meyfort and his staff continued, as they had all day and into the early evening to clean up and make sure things were running smoothly. Kurt and his team are a model of cooperation and efficiency. Exhausted and exultant, I left the park making my way slowly up the tunnel and onto the newly paved and reconstructed Magnolia Avenue. The fever of life had subsided now and only the chirping notes of the crickets could be heard in the hush of the soft cool night air.

The blessing of silence is that it allows us to look and listen. I saw Magnolia Avenue many times in broad daylight but never sought to gaze at it under the stars. Positioned at the apex of the tunnel I looked east at the striped road as it winded around toward Cisney Avenue. Looking west, the white lights of the street lamps shimmering off the blackness of the asphalt had a bewitching effect as the avenue stretched sinuously and seemingly endlessly toward Plainfield Avenue. Braced as it was on either side, north and south, by the symmetry of the white curbing I could only think that Magnolia Avenue was an artistic achievement --- the Mona Lisa of roads.

But even the glory of Magnolia misses the true essence of Floral Park. You won't find the greatness of this village in its physical amenities for it is not to be found in its parks or paved roads, its gardens or plantings, or its buildings and architecture. These are just reflections of the people who have settled and work here. Where you will find it is in the soul of its residents that is mirrored in the efforts of our civic associations, the charity of our fraternal organizations, the spirit of our school parades and all the good works done at Liz's Day and other great events throughout the year where Floral Park wears its heart on its sleeve.