More than 100 Manhasset residents came to the library on Sunday, Feb. 4, to share the memories of Manhasset with friends and neighbors. With the Our Town History and Heritage exhibit as the backdrop, everyone enjoyed nostalgic conversation of the past as well as the pleasures of living in Manhasset today. Those in attendance were treated to delicious refreshments, courtesy of the Friends of the Library.

Plandome resident Linda Solari Reilly facilitated the program with humor and stories of her own. Chairs were set up in "town meeting" style, with the audience divided in half and facing one another. Residents had the choice of coming up to the podium or remaining seated, speaking through a hand microphone passed around the room.

A highlight of the program was the presence of Mr. and Mrs. William Ruggiero. For more than 50 years, Bill Ruggiero owned Town Hall Pharmacy and his brother, Phil, owned the Manhasset Sports Shop on the other side of Plandome Road. Camille Ruggiero charmed the audience and shared stories of the many Ruggiero family members who grew up in Manhasset. Through the kindness of Bill Ruggiero, many of the wonderful photos of sports teams from the '20s enhance the Our Town exhibit. Since her husband was too modest to share his own sports successes; Mrs. Ruggiero stepped in and said that Bill received a full scholarship to Notre Dame in the '20s, as a result of his four-sport accomplishments. It is interesting that Bill and Phil's father, Mr. Ruggiero Sr. was responsible for planting the trees still standing on the edge of Molloy-O'Connell Field.

People remembered sledding down Nassau Avenue, placing a sail on the old Model T and crossing a frozen Manhasset Bay, paying 15 cents for a soda at Town Hall Pharmacy in the 1960's--and spending the day there on that 15 cents-- shopping at Jaffe's department store, and flying a kite anywhere in Manhasset--the trees were so young.

Sally McMorris brought several interesting pieces regarding the original Strathmore development, which she recently came across in her husband Jim's family attic. She generously offered this material to the library for the archives.

Before the program ended, Whitey Henrickson spoke of the development that has occurred in Manhasset since he has lived here and said that the time has come for a new library. Linda said she shared his opinion and thanked everyone for coming to share their Manhasset memories.