Each year February is designated as African American History Month and in the Town of Hempstead we are proud, not only to acknowledge that designation but also to pay tribute to the many African American men and women who make a difference in our township.

On Feb. 26 the Town of Hempstead will host our annual African American History Celebration. New York State Secretary of State Randy A. Daniels will be our guest speaker for this very special event, which this year will be themed "Preparing for Tomorrow." Mr. Daniels truly exemplifies the leadership of African Americans. He is only the second African American to serve as secretary of New York State and the first to hold the post in nearly 20 years. In addition to this prestigious position, Mr. Daniels has served as a member of the State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees since 1997. It is a privilege for us to have him as our guest speaker for this special ceremony.

An important aspect of this celebration is the recognition of those who have exemplified community service within the town, making the difference in the lives of our residents. The recipients of this year's Community Service Awards are Hempstead Village Mayor James Garner and Hempstead Town Employees Claudette Harrison and James H. Whitaker.

In addition to our Community Service designees we are also recognizing three town employees for 25 years of service. It is a true honor for me to be able to commend William Bragg, Jr., Peter Edwards and James Poulson for their dedication to providing the highest level of service to all our residents.

I would like to invite all our residents to attend the Town of Hempstead African American History Celebration on Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. The event will be held in the Nathan L.H. Bennett Pavilion at Town Hall. Residents also may visit Town Hall throughout the month to view the artwork of the talented students from Roosevelt High School.