The one-year-old Great Neck Historical Society is off to a "great" start, with a full year soon behind them and a busy slate for the future. The very next big event will be the historical society's presentation at the upcoming June commemoration of the Great Neck Park District's Great Neck House. Speaking about the fledgling group, members will explain their goals and aspirations, as they honor Great Neck House.

"We want to let everyone know that we are here, here to educate, here to preserve the history of 'Great Neck the Greater,' " said Regina Gil. Ms. Gil, who serves as president, was one of the founders of the Great Neck Historical Society, along with the organization's vice president, Deena Lesser, and a dedicated executive board. Both were quick, too, to give much credit for the concept to former Town Supervisor May Newburger.

When Ms. Lesser realized that Great Neck was the only area of the Town of North Hempstead without a historical society, she went to work. "First I went to Regina Gil, she's a magician," Ms. Lesser told the Great Neck Record, while Ms. Gil was adamant that Deena Lesser is the "driving force behind this historical society." They were quickly off and running, gathering a talented executive board, who Ms. Lesser explained, all felt the lack of historical preservation on the Great Neck peninsula.

"We're really an advocacy organization," Ms. Lesser said. Executive board member Rafe Lieber explained that the group cannot, legally, landmark any property, but they are hard at work helping local municipalities with their identification of potential landmark locations.

Committees are already at work. One committee is developing guidelines for buildings that warrant historical designation; guidelines to help local municipalities in their landmark work. Another committee, archives and collections, is in the process of interviewing longtime residents, developing a file of oral histories. And a committee is addressing plaques for historic locations.

According to Ms. Gil, the historical society is currently working to incorporate as a not-for-profit organization. And a brochure is being prepared, offering different levels of membership, something available on all levels, for everyone. "We want everyone to work together, as one community, to preserve Great Neck," Ms. Gil told the Record.

In a further effort to raise the public awareness, Mr. Lieber is currently working on a Great Neck Historical Society website.

The board now consists of members from the library, the park district, the school district, the town, the local newspapers, and local neighborhoods such as village and town representatives. The ultimate goal is to involve every part of the peninsula. "We have a few villages who haven't joined yet, but we keep reaching out," Ms. Lesser said.

To start up this historical society, the founding members turned to non-residents with experience, those involved with other, existing Long Island historical societies. They found wonderful assistance from the town's historian, George Williams; from Joan Kent of the Cow Neck (Port Washington) Historical Society; from Don Cavanaugh, a member of the Roslyn Landmark Society, who grew up in a historic house in Lake Success; and from Jeff Mansell, ex-director of the Roslyn Landmark Society.

"Our mission statement says that awareness of the past helps us to understand how to build for the future," Ms. Gil stated. "We are open to everyone; high school students are encouraged to join," she added. And Ms. Gil stressed that the historical society plans to have programs for everyone, including local tours --- "We are mostly here to educate."

"If you have an interest, if you have information to share, if you have a special area of expertise, please call us," Ms. Lesser emphasized. Deena Lesser can be reached at town hall at 869-7712. Regina Gil may be reached at the Great Neck Arts Center at 829-2570.