We received e-mails from near and far with estastic messages for Sarah and her family. We are reprinting some of them here.

Congratulations to Sarah Hughes, you were wonderful!

-the Leonard family & Leonard Bros. service station

Sarah Hughes has placed Great Neck on the world map. We are so proud of her skating achievements and the pleasure she has given to all who have followed her jump, twist and dance on ice. Sarah has shown young people that with smiles, determination, and hard work and a supportive family, we do have a chance to capture our dreams. I propose that Parkwood Skating Rink be renamed after Sarah Hughes. She filled us with pride in her courage to go-for-broke and attempt the impossible. What a joy it was to watch Sarah succeed to the top of the Olympics in women's figure skating.

-Roger Minionis, retired math teacher from South High School

I couldn't find a place to e-mail Ms. Hughes, but wanted to congratulate her on her Gold Medal win. There are moments in the Olympics, regardless of the time that passes, that will never be forgotten. Tonight was one of them. I'm proud to have witnessed her accomplishment tonight, not just as a citizen of the United States, but as a human being.

- Ken Maness, Greensboro, N.C

Congratulations to Sarah Hughes on a beautiful performance and a well deserved Gold Medal.! I watched her with pleasure and it was wonderful to see how much she was enjoying herself, skating not to win a medal but to do the best she could and make herself and a lot of other people proud and happy. I'm an alumna of Great Neck North, class of '69 and I've never been prouder!

-Barbara Pilvin, Philadelphia, PA

This young woman I could watch for hours; she is amazingly gorgeous, talented, and an inspiration to us all.

- Chad Phillips , San Diego

She skates like gold on ice, the best I have seen in 75 years. Best regards.

-Jim Vescoso, Las Cruces, NM

Kudos to your newest hometown heroine! I have been rather apathetic toward ladies figure skating after the judging 'atrocity', in my opinion, that literally stole a Gold Medal from the Canadian team of Torville and Dean in the '94 winter Olympics. That opinion wasn't helped by the ludicrous buffoon circus that engulfed the Kerrigan/Harding story. Even Tara Lipinski's story from Nagano didn't bring me back to believing that ladies' figure skating would ever be objectively and fairly judged.

However, after the seemingly predictable controversy of the ladies' short program, I was irresistibly drawn to watch the long program Thursday night. I had heard of Sarah Hughes only in passing, though the reference proved to be both prophetic and ominous for her better known competitors: "Don't dismiss her."

I'm no judge. I don't know that much about the three aspects that are judged in figure skating. I just know what looks right, smooth, and procedurally correct to me. Michelle Kwan wasn't, Irina Slutskaya wasn't, Sasha Cohen wasn't. Sarah Hughes was. I was more surprised that she won: not because of how she skated, which was magnificently, but more because I had little faith in the judging fairness and objectivity. For once, I had to applaud the judges' decision. The winner truly won.

I congratulate your community for being home not only to an Olympic champion, but to a champion who appears gracious, modest, and a class model for all future Olympians.

And I know this isn't your duty, but if possible, I'd ask you to convey to Miss Hughes and her family my personal admiration for an unheralded and virtuoso performance; not a sterling one but a golden one. Thursday night she was a statuesque, beautiful flashback to Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamill, with the sheer exuberance of Mary Lou Retton and Bonnie Blair, all the while being uniquely herself, a first class act all the way. May her Olympic performance prove only the beginning of a long and very happy life. Again, Great Neck, N.Y, Congrats!

-Mike Bay, Lakewood, CO

On Friday morning, when I casually asked my eighth-grade homeroom if anyone had seen Sarah Hughes's Gold Medal performance, I was almost knocked over backward by a wave of energy from the girls who were nearest me as they nearly leaped out of their seats. "She was awesome ... That was unbelievable ... did you see that?" Off in the back, penetrating through the wall of sound, one of the boys added "She was the best!" To see a teenager, someone just a few years older than they are, going out to have fun and do her best and by doing so to earn such well deserved respect and honors for the high quality of her performance clearly moved and inspired these kids, girls and boys, in ways I suspect will stay with them through life. I can understand, for her performance thrilled and moved me as well. Congratulations and best wishes to Sarah.

-Bill Ivey, Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

Congratulations Sarah Hughes from Phoenix, the valley of the sun and the home of the world champion Diamondbacks!

The whole world loves Sarah. I just want to say that I'm very happy for her. She is so sweet with a great personality and she knows who she is and she is what we see.

-Charles Reed, San Antonio, Texas

My husband, Rob, and I would like to join the throngs of Great Neck residents in congratulating Sarah Hughes on her triumphant Gold Medal skate, in the women's Olympic final! We were watching from our home in Vancouver, B.C. and were delighted to see this incredibly talented 16-year-old, display poise and talent beyond her years. She is a treasure that will doubtless grow greater with each passing year.

As we had no idea how to get our message to Sarah and her family, we thought that contacting the local paper would be worth a try. These days, with so much negativity having surrounded various aspects of the games, Sarah's wonderful demeanor was a joy. I was a skater myself and have been watching these games for over 40 years. To say in an interview, immediately after her win, that she really wanted to skate for the pure joy of it, really came through in her program. Congratulations on a job well done. May your life be filled with the joy you give to the people watching.

-Robert and Barbara Ewart, Vancouver B.C.

This letter of congratulations travels from across the nation but is measured by disclosing a secret. While two of the U.S Olympic figure skating finalists hail locally in Southern California, my enthusiasm as a city commissioner in Irvine Calif. was voiced for Great Neck's Sarah Hughes.

The celebration of her Gold Medal victory was global; watching her dad's beaming smile underneath his adorned FDNY hat was exactly what New York needed. Her champion performance reawakened a mighty community and emotionally brought us all back home to celebrate Great Neck's new world class hero.

From afar to demonstrate that the nation stands at your side, last fall, in coordination with the City of New York and Mayor Giuliani, the international campaign I launched encouraged air travel and support for commerce in New York. Creating the campaign (www.epiccusa.com) led to 5,000 people from 23 states getting back on airplanes and traveling to the Big Apple. At the time, though, it showcased what determination can do from this former Kings Point resident and 1980 graduate from Great Neck North Senior High School. But, today a new champion has elevated the gauge of distinction; the enchanting Hughes has forever placed Great Neck on the world map in a very good way.

-Mitch Goldstone, Irvine, CA

Congratulations on your Olympic Gold Medal! you earned it! Just seeing you on TV seemed to bring back memories of my youth in the early 1960's. It made me feel 40 years younger. Of course our paths took different forks in the road. After graduation from high school and two years of college, my future lay on the deck of an aircraft carrier fighting a war no one appreciated. It is a somber feeling to work and talk to your friends in a pre-launch briefing in the morning and realize odds are you will never see some of them again in the afternoon. That is a strange feeling that is hard to describe. I can understand the feelings of New York City emergency service personnel that deal with death on a daily basis. At least their loved ones can feel a sense of pride and purpose for their lives because the American people have given them their blessing. No such luck for Vietnam Veterans: we were reviled and despised by our country for our service! Godspeed, Sarah Hughes!

-John S. Shackelford, St. Albans, WV

I sent a short e-mail to Sarah at an Olympic site, but I'm not sure she will get it, with all of the excitement in Salt Lake. I thought perhaps somehow you could pass on how proud we are of her wonderful accomplishment tonight. To Sarah Hughes and those who have supported her: I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations on your performance, not only for winning the Gold Medal, but for earning it with such a sense of charm and spirit. It literally brought tears to my eyes. Watching it all unfold with the rest of America, combined with your reaction to it all, is something I will never forget.

Sarah, you demonstrated what the Olympic Games should be about and not only captured America's heart but lifted her spirits as well. Thank you. We wish you all the best in the future.

-Chief John F. Pollinger, Middletown Police