A Public Thank You To All the People In Rockland County !

It's my very personal and unusual way to celebrate my Birthday.

I lived in the Bronx from birth to the day I left to join the Marine Corps at the age of 21 in 1957.

Upon my release from Active Duty in 1960, I moved to Pearl River, a place I never heard of until a pal convinced me it was where I should live to raise my children.

This turned out to be profound advice.

My pal was right and I fell in love with the community and by 1965 I was steeped in the community's life. This is where my story begins.

From that year of 1965 to the start of 2022, My community life has been blessed beyond words, made possible by all the people who encouraged and supported me in my public service/community life beyond my family life and livelihood.

It gained momentum when I was appointed in 1971 to the newly created Rockland County Legislature, which was only 2 years in existence.

As a Legislator I discovered new worlds that captured my heart, my passion, my values taught to me by my Mother and my education ending in Manhattan College. The core of that education was that the blessed are blessed to protect and help the vulnerable helpless.

Being an elected official gave me exposure to the vulnerable, and yes, power to do something for them, so this is the result. But before you read it, please know that it was the residents of Rockland who empowered me, enabled me. You gave me the key to open the door of public service. I was and am your instrument, the fulfillment of your caring for others.

These are/were the most important opportunities to help me to help in alphabetical order

Abbott House, St. Dominics Home & St. Agatha’s Home - orphanages
American Cancer Society Relay For Life - 3 years
Camp Venture serving our intellectually & developmentally disabled for 44 years as President
Joseph's Home for the homeless - CoFounder & President for 10 years
Helen Hayes Performing Arts Center - CoFounder & BOD Member
Loeb House serving our mentally ill - CoFounder & President - for 35 years as President
NYS Rockland Psychiatric Center - Board of Visitors - Current President
NYS Rockland Children’s Psychiatric Center Board of Visitors
Orangetown Narcotic Guidance Council -
Rockland Autism Symposium - 15 years
Rockland County Board of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Alcoholism
Rockland County Child Advocacy Council Founder
Rockland County Legislator [for 44 years]
Rockland Homes For Heroes - homes for homeless veterans since 1909
Surrogate Decision Making Committee of the NYS Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs.

At present I remain active only on the Rockland Psychiatric Center Board of Visitors and the Rockland Homes For Heroes Charity, which is in the very incredibly difficult process of adding 14 more supportive apartments for homeless veterans. This project needs financial help. If you might like to celebrate our shared experiences with a very very modest holiday gift, please visit our web site at www.rocklandhomesforheroes.org or the Venture foundation at

https:// venture foundation.org/donate-online,

which was such an important life experience for me.

I close by thanking all of you who helped me ever at all, even if was just to vote for me or volunteered to help me help others, please know what good was done, you made it possible. It's always the foot soldier who wins the war, not the Generals. God Bless each and everyone of you.