In April of this year a group of volunteers will put forth their best effort to raise more than $50,000 through a fund raiser that has become a tradition...the Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club clothing sale. By doing this we help keep over 1,000 boys and girls off the streets and give them the opportunity to learn and play in a safe and wholesome environment.

The clothing sale, a week long event held at the club, is in its 32nd year and what makes it so successful is that everyone benefits. Persons who have donated their gently used and new clothing of high quality benefit with a tax write-off, persons who attend the sale get the buys of a lifetime, and the youngsters who belong to the club benefit the most.

If you can imagine a 50 by 80 foot gym lined with designer clothes, furs, gowns, sweaters, dresses, night wear, men's suits, shoes and much more, then you can imagine the work and effort that goes into such an event. Our volunteers do a terrific job, but without people like you who can promote this sale throughout the island and New York City, it can't be as successful as we need it to be.

The sale will begin on April 21, and will run through April 27, with the exception of Sunday. It is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. This is the first year the sale will be held in April so it is very important for us to let the public know of the new dates!

The sale began on a small scale many years ago when nearly all the clothing was couture evening wear and gowns that had been worn once or twice to social events. Times and people have changed and so have the clothes. While we still receive a large number of high quality evening wear and many vintage items, we now have Calvin Klein suits, Donna Karan dresses, Ann Taylor blouses and Givinchy originals. All priced to be sold!

The Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club, an affiliate of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, provides after school, weekend and summer programs for children and teens of Locust Valley and the surrounding communities. Please help make this sale a success...please help us help our children.

For information about the club or the clothing sale call 759-KIDS.

Locust Valley students interested in the performing or visual arts can register now for the Summer Arts Academy. The four-week program is for boys and girls entering the 6th or 12 grades, and it encourages them to explore their talents in creative writing, dance, drama, musical theater, instrumental and vocal music or the visual arts.

The academy is held at the Nassau BOCES Cultural Center in Syosset and will take place from July 6 to July 31 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All classes are held in a spacious, air conditioned arts complex which has custom-designed dance studios, practice rooms and skylit art studios.

Interested students should ask their guidance counselor or principal for an application to attend the academy. The application deadline is June 1.

Youngsters or parents who would like more information can call the Cultural Arts Center's Principal Ava Favara at 364-1177.

Locust Valley Middle School Principal Dr. LaVerne Flowers announced the January and February students of the month at the January and February middle school town meetings.

For January, Maja Szumarska was selected as sixth grade student of the month. Maja was nominated by her team teachers who call her enthusiastic, energetic and an intelligent young lady. She participates in the mock trial team, school newspaper, and after school sports. Seventh-grader William Schrack was selected to represent his grade because he is a conscientious and very attentive student. According to his team teachers, Billy has an overall positive attitude about learning which is reflected in his obtaining the high honor roll status. Martha Relyea, eighth-grader, was selected as January student of the month because she always tries her best, and freely extends her help to those around her.

The month of February brought sixth-grader Jennifer Kirby, seventh-grader Anjuli Patel, and eighth-grader William Goodman as students of the month. Jennifer was nominated due to her positive attitude, and her preparedness. She is a member of the sixth-grade band, and participates in Math Olympiads. Anjuli is known by her team teachers as a role model who is respectful of her peers and teachers alike. William excels in the area of participation in each of his classes. He helps to create a positive classroom environment because he is a diligent student who works well with his peers. According to his team teachers, William has a contagious positive attitude.

Dr. Flowers offers her congratulations to all recipients of this honor, as well as to their families.