Letter to the Editor: Albertus Student on Cut Youth Programs

My name is Alyson Benoit. I am a Junior at Albertus Magnus High School.

I am one of several local teens that have created a fund to raise awareness and money  because the youth programs in Orangetown were cut from the budget. We are  raising money to have the programs reinstated for the kids of Orangetown. Some of the youth programs that were cut are the Orangetown Youth Police Academy, the Youth Fire Academy, and the Dare Program.

We made a presentation to the town board to ask if we could raise funds so that we could have a Youth Police Academy. They explained the reasons why the programs had to be cut. We are hoping to raise funds so the the money raised would go directly to having a Youth Police Academy and the other youth programs!

The program is named in memory of NYS Supreme Court Judge George Bergerman, who passed away in June 2005. He was a Judge from Piermont whose court was in New City. He worked many years in Orangetown as a lawyer, a Family Court Judge, then a Supreme Judge. He was a firm believer that kids can do great things. He was also my grandfather. We named the fund after him to show respect for the faith he had in young people, especially the young people of Rockland County.

We don't want the programs for young people to go away. They were so beneficial in bringing members of the police department together with kids and teens. These programs made police officers your friends and created respect between young people and those in law enforcement.

We are asking the members of our community to contribute, as generously as they can, to the George Bergerman Youth Activities Fund. We are asking everyone to speak to others who may be able to contribute to saving the programs for the youth of our town.

We have been working with a liason to the Orangetown Police Department, Lt. Butterworth, who advises and helps us. We ask that contributions be made out to George Bergerman Youth Activities Fund and mailed to: 

26 Orangeburg Road, Orangeburg, NY 10962 ATTENTION: LT. BUTTERWORTH.

We are very grateful to all those who have contributed so far.

———Alyson Benoit