More than 10,000 people attended the Mineola Fair on May 21. Among those who stopped at my table were: Kathy and Jerry Garrido; Linda Monez; Peter Gong; Bob Winterton; Pat Hart; Vincent and Theresa Collins; Vera Henriques; David Borysowski; Juanita Maltese; Rose Smith; Christine Gawrych; Winifred Vokoun; Robert Hilsby; Melissa Sinisi; Rita V. Hesse; Sandy Clark; Kathleen Woody; Gerald Johns; Sidney Glee; Janet Rubin; Cleo Silva; Jerri Quibell; Dan and Cathy Gray; William Senikowich; Jennie Scapellati; A. Vicira; Jane Weimer; Andy and Alice Smith; Gabe Parajos; Ryan, Wendy, Sarah and Grace Foley; Bernadette Vaskas; Bruce and Mariann Burns; Dan Scheidel; Bianca Acanfrio; Kathy Brady-Turkson; Ron Clark; Stan and Magnus Hutchinson; Donna Burke; Gavin Duffy; Marjorie Watts; Dianne Hammond; Bob and Rose Kulfan; Marion and Nadine Seaman; Marjorie and Charles Bedell; Denise Zunno; Joyce Gorycki; Don Hammond; Neil, Raphaela and Virginia Piloto; Kathy Mortillo; Lynne LaPointe; Michelle, Andrew and Scott Bauman; Louise Juliano; Dara, Russell, Haley and Kevin Perlow; Ruth Brickner; and Tony Rammer.

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The centennial journal that Tom Raad, Neil Young and Margaret Ann Castrigno are working on should be quite a collector's piece. It will be an overview of our 100-year history with text and many pictures of Mineola's past and present. There will be pages of ads (the main source of revenue needed for this event). In the back part of the journal will be places for family names and events they would like remembered - more old pictures are needed. If you have any, call Bob Hinck, 746-0750. The Nimble Fingers ladies are preparing an historical quilt; in fact, Bob Hinck's mother is doing the part showing the old library on Banbury Road. The centennial year will kick off with a Nassau Pops concert starring Jim and Judy Carlson at Chaminade. There will be the presentation of The Mineola, composed by Carl Strommen and original music by George Petersen. The fashion show is being organized by Sandy Pusey aided by Fox's and to be seen at the Knights of Columbus Hall. At the huge centennial parade, Bill Urianek has arranged for a flyover by a Vietnam helicopter followed by fireworks at Wilson Park being planned by John DeVanzo. Candia Maia is in charge of the centennial ball with music by the Capris. Carl Marchese is the treasurer and with his years of business experience is doing a fine job. At the end of the year a time capsule will be buried. Above all is the play where we need hundreds of players. No acting experience is required. Call today and be part of the celebration.

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Dennis O'Sullivan had coffee at the Jericho Diner. His wife Betty was the grand marshal of the St. Patrick's Day parade. Dennis is employed by Beardslee Transmissions.

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Bishop William Murphy was present for the Feast of Corpus Christi concelebrated with six priests and two deacons. Part of the Mass was in English and Portuguese and the hymns in the latter language are very beautiful. I had a chance to speak briefly with the bishop who remembers me from the St. Patrick's Day parade when I marched with the Irish-American Society.

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Jim Howard was also at my favorite diner and tells me he is a big Mets fan and also roots for the Jets and the Islanders (remember when there was hockey?). He and his wife, Maureen, live in Williston Park and he is retired from the court system.

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Our daughter, Sister Annmarie, sent us a card from Brazil and it only took three weeks to arrive. Still, that's better than a card she once sent from Rome which took three months to get here after first being delivered to Manila in the Philippine Islands. Manila or Mineola - close in spelling if not in geography.

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Gerard Terry was having lunch, you know where. He is the lead lawyer of the Nassau Democratic Party. His classmates at Mineola High School that year were Tom DiNapoli, now an assemblyman; Jim Randall, an editor of the Staten Island Advance; and our son, Tom, a CPA and the controller of the Mellon Foundation.

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Bill Weisse has owned the Albertson Sugar Bowl on Willis Avenue for 46 years. I met him at the Sparta Diner and he told me that parking is a problem for him since there are only a few spots in front of his store and they are often taken by people who ignore the 30-minute limit. Being an unincoporated village there are no code enforcers.

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Mary O'Donnell of O'Donnell's Irish Pub is gravely ill. Our prayers go out to Mary and her husband, Martin and their son and Mary's parents who flew in from Ireland.

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Newsstand sales of our paper were big two weeks ago when we carried the charges against John Jackson, a former Mineola school official.

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That excellent hairstylist, Pat, has left Tres Belle, and is now with the Cuttin Club on Hillside Avenue.

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Chester Easton, pastor of the local Presbyterian church, is often seen keeping fit riding his bike around town. It was he who sang the National Anthem at the Mineola Fair.