With Code enforcement a key, the Civic Association's Quality of Life initiative continues to evolve. The visible signs of an upturn can already be seen in our business districts, with an ongoing campaign to rid our commercial areas of unsightly graffiti, and we have made great inroads in our residential neighborhoods, sprucing up our parks and playgrounds, addressing safety issues, and tackling community concerns, from missing stop signs to misplaced shopping carts.

And now, the Civic Association takes the Quality of Life initiative to the streets - quite literally. Few things diminish the beauty of a community as do litter and trash in the streets, parks and byways. The errant soda bottles and last week's newspapers at the curb. The abandoned easy chair discarded along the LIRR right-of-way. The cigarette butts and the fast food containers lining the walkways and defiling the wooded areas of Hall's Pond Park.

The Civic Association, recognizing that we all play a role in creating the litter we often take for granted as part of the landscape, now seeks to begin a campaign to re-educate the public on keeping our streets, parks and open spaces clean. In order to evoke a response from the community at large, the Civic Association has launched an Anti-Litter campaign, enlisting the aid of government officials.

The following letter is being sent to our representatives in Congress, Representative Carolyn McCarthy, Senator Charles Schumer, and Senator Hillary Clinton:

The members of the West Hempstead Civic Association would like to highlight an issue that we feel has lacked public focus and publicity for quite some time. The issue is public apathy toward litter, and how it plagues our local communities, State and Country. Just take a close look at our sidewalks, streets, highways, parking lots, athletic fields, playgrounds, parks and the grounds surrounding our private and public buildings. The litter problem reaches epidemic levels, especially in high traffic, densely populated areas. Litter is a basic environmental issue that should not and cannot be ignored.

We are asking our representatives in the Congress and Senate to aid in raising America's consciousness, and to help combat the litter problem that has resurfaced in our country. Most Americans who were around during the '60s and '70s remember the federally sponsored television and print ads featuring a Native American Indian. We, quite clearly, remember the tears rolling down his checks as he viewed the willful destruction of our environment due to the improper disposal of trash. Many Americans have either forgotten or simply were not around when the anti-litter campaign was in full swing and receiving a lot of attention.

We are asking our representatives in Washington to appropriate the necessary funding to create an anti-litter campaign similar to that which existed in the late 60s through the early 70s. We need to once again wage war against public apathy toward litter. Bilingual media ads featuring children who represent our counry's racial and ethnic diversity would be quite effective in getting the word out to all who reside in our great nation.

The litter issue has an immense impact on the quality of life for all Americans, and we would appreciate your immediate consideration of our request.

Seth Bykofsky

President, West Hempstead Civic Association

West Hempsteaders are urged by the civic association to do their part by adding their names to the Civic Association's "Letter Against Litter." To join the cause, simply complete the form below, and return same to the Civic Association, P.O. Box 425, West Hempstead, New York 11552-0425.