I had the pleasure of participating in the Garden City Athletic Association's Little League parade held Saturday, April 9. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the GCAA. Al Vanasco, the current president, has been affiliated with the GCAA since its inception as a player, coach, manager and board member. Congratulations to Al, the current board and past presidents who were able to attend. My children participated in the GCAA and I was a manager and coach for over 10 years. I would also like to recognize the parents, volunteers and sponsors that enable the GCAA to function and continue its fine tradition.

My office has been advised that the United States Census Bureau began mailing the American Community Survey (ACS) nationwide to 250,000 addresses per month in January 2005. The ACS will provide elected officials, businesses, community leaders and planning organizations current information to assess local needs, such as where to build new roads, housing, schools and senior centers. The survey will help ensure that communities receive their fair share of the more than $200 billion in federal funds awarded every year to localities based on Census Bureau data. The ACS will ask the same type of questions as the census long-form questionnaire it is replacing. While the long form was sent to 1 in 6 households in 2000, the ACS was sent to about 1 in 40 addresses each year, or about 2.5 percent of the nation's population.

The households selected for the survey will receive their questionnaire by mail. Any request for survey information from the Census Bureau will be clearly identified as coming from the US Census Bureau and as "official business" of the United States. Follow-up phone calls will be made if the questionnaire is not returned. Later, a Census worker may visit the household to conduct a personal interview if no one is available. All the information the Census Bureau collects for this survey is confidential by law.

If you receive a survey and are concerned about the legitimacy of the American Community Survey, you can contact the US Census Bureau toll free at 1-800-991-2520.

With spring here, plans are already under way for various events that are scheduled in Garden City. These events are designed for the entire family so be sure to mark your calendar. Some of these activities include:

Friday, May 6

SEPTA Street Fair on Seventh Street

4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Monday, May 30

Annual Memorial Day Parade and Fair

Service at 9 p.m. Parade begins at 10 a.m.

Friday, June 10

Belmont Parade and Street Fair

Parade begins at 7 p.m.

Franklin Avenue to Seventh Street (6 p.m. - 10 p.m.)

All residents are asked to assist in the task of cleaning up our community to make it look like a beautiful "Garden City." We can do that by picking up paper, cans, bottles and other debris that may have been deposited on the streets and other public areas near their homes. A few minutes of cooperative effort by all of us can make our village look 100 percent better.

Residents are also reminded that rubbish should not be placed on the curb before the evening prior to the collection day. It is a detraction from the aesthetics of the village and poor treatment of one's neighbors to ignore the village law, which specifies that rubbish should not be deposited at curbside before the evening prior to collection.