After forming in 1997, it took time for the Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset to get on its feet. After being active for just one year, the civic organization has grown from just three people to over 300 families - and it is not stopping there.

This organization was formed to improve both the aesthetics and safety of the Syosset community. In 1999, the organization worked on village, park and neighborhood beautification by decorating downtown Syosset for the holidays, cleaning Memorial Park, sponsoring a new playground on Peg Place, planting over 130 trees on Jackson Avenue, removing graffiti, addressing many traffic concerns and much more.

Residents is involved now with Councilwoman Bonnie Eisler and the Town of Oyster Bay to make a master plan for the entire town. "There is no sense of theme or community throughout Syosset," said Lorraine Donlon, corresponding secretary for Residents. "This master plan will help solve that problem. It is the beginning of redoing downtown Syosset."

The most recent project for Residents was a large patch of land near St. Edwards Church on Jackson Avenue which stretches 660 feet long and ten feet wide. It was covered in trash, weeds, glass and litter. "I decided that I needed to stop complaining and do something about it," said Donlon. "The private homes are kept so nicely in Syosset and we want the public spaces to look the same."

There was a discrepancy over land boundaries in the area. Nassau county claimed that it was the responsibility of the homeowners to clean the land and the local residents felt that it was county land and their responsibility. After researching the area, it was found that although it is considered county land, it was the responsibility of the community to keep the area neat.

The Residents Organization had to obtain permission from every bordering house, the county and different organizations which used the land, such as Bell Atlantic, to legally be able to clean the area. After six months of litigation, Residents began working on the land.

One hundred feet of this land, once seen as a utility strip, was recently turned into a garden. Since there is no sprinkler system in place, drought-tolerant plants were purchased. "We bought $4,000 worth of plants, perennials and shrubs and got them at wholesale for $1,100," said Donlon. The recent rain storm will also help the new garden flourish.

Volunteers helped clean and plant in the garden and a landscaper was hired to tend to the area once a week. "It is costly to maintain," said Donlon. "We greatly appreciate the donations that we have received in the past and they have made this all possible. This area now has such a nice, manicured look."

This recent clean up has motivated people not to throw trash in this area as they did before. "Where we would clean up and collect a bag of garbage per day has turned into a bag per week, which is a vast improvement," said Donlon.

Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset was formed in September of 1997 and was composed of a few of Donlon's neighbors who wanted to fix what they kept complaining about. Donlon wanted to reach as many of Syosset's 16,000 homes as possible.

Another organization that was formed not too long ago is also dedicated to restoring downtown. The Syosset Chamber of Commerce has placed garbage receptacles throughout the downtown area to help alleviate the trash problem. "The result is amazing," said Frank Urso, Syosset Chamber of Commerce president, at a recent chamber meeting. "If we miss a daily pick-up, the receptacles are overflowing."

Members of Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset pay a yearly fee of $35 per family and receive many benefits including a newsletter and updates. Any donation that is made to the organization is tax-deductible as non-profit status was achieved earlier this week. All of the money collected goes back into Syosset and beautifying the area as all of the work is done on a volunteer basis.

Donations can be sent to: Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset; PO Box 446; Syosset, NY 11791. For more information about Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset, please call 364-2649. Information is also available on the organization's web site located at www.Syosset.org. There is a new committee, consisting of six or seven people, that will be updating the website weekly to keep the community informed of the civic group's latest accomplishments.