On behalf of the Junior League of Long Island, I would like to respond to the letter written to you on Feb. 14 entitled "A Towing Adventure."

The reader was correct in stating that "as private property owners (as the Junior League Thrift Shop, we) are within our rights to seize your car if it is on their property." After business hours, we conduct various membership meetings and very often we need every parking spot we own in order to accommodate the parking of all our members. (Our membership roster is comprised of roughly 130 active members and 200 sustaining members.) In addition, our warning signs are clearly marked and visible, even in the evening hours. As for Jerry's Towing Service, they are used by many merchants in the Town of Roslyn. The Junior League of Long Island is entitled to use any towing service it chooses.

For insurance purposes, we cannot allow restaurants or merchants to use our parking lot even in the event that a meeting of ours is not taking place. Also the wear and tear that would be placed upon our lot would be tremendous. We are a charitable non-profit organization, and do not have the funds to repave our lot on an annual basis.

We feel it is important to point out that we are currently leasing 20 of our spaces to the Post Office of Roslyn and we have just agreed with the Mayor of Roslyn, upon his request of six spaces to be granted (through his office) to local merchants for parking, as a gesture of goodwill to the town. We honor our position as part of Roslyn's historical neighborhood and we want to do our part in supporting this fine community. To suggest that we are doing anything else, is just a result of this reader's misguided anger at being towed for legitimate reasons.

Maggie Viklund

Vice President

Junior League of Long Island