My Dear Queens Villagers,

               Our dreams of warmer days with beautiful flowering plants and trees will soon become reality.  As we enjoy the gorgeous weather and open our doors and windows to catch refreshing breezes, let’s remember to close and secure these openings into our homes when necessary to prevent burglaries.

               Group homes are abundant in our area, and there is always a request for another group home at every meeting I have attended at Community Board 13. We must say “thank you” to Assemblywoman Barbara Clark and Senator Malcolm Smith for speaking in our behalf and asking the Commissioner of Group Homes to place these homes equally throughout the City.  We are also asking our City Council members to assist us in this matter.

               We have received two requests for our Educational Awards applications. These forms can be obtained at this month’s meeting or by calling me at (718) 468-2160.  (Look for more information in the news page.)

              This month’s meeting will feature nominations for the officers who will serve us for our 2002-2003 civic year. Members who are interested in these positions should let us know at the meeting.

               We send our warm Happy Birthday wishes to our cherished member, Rosaline (Rose) Olson, on the occasion of her 80th birthday.  Rose is our Financial Secretary and has been a member of our Executive Board for 17 years. She has resided in Queens Village for 48 years and is a community activist who has given much of her time to maintaining our quality of life and to improving our schools and our community.  Rose and her late husband, Arthur, are the parents of six sons.  There are nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.   A Board Member of the Queens County Farm Museum, Rose was the recipient of the Queens Village Civic Association Community Service Award in 2000 for her many
years of dedicated service to our community.

               You can do something good and rewarding for your family, friends, and neighbors by joining the Queens Village Civic Association, where we don’t just complain about problems, but work on solutions.  I hope to see you on April 16.

             Applications and eligibility requirements for our Educational Awards can be obtained at this month’s meeting or by calling (718) 468-2160.  Applications must be mailed to the Queens Village Civic Association, Post Office Box 0766, Queens Village, New York, 11428-2160, and postmarked by May 10, 2002.  Our civic association wants to recognize and support two promising Queens Village students with an Educational Award of $200.00 at our Annual Dinner and Installation of Officers  event on Tuesday, June 18.

               Don’t be fooled into letting a con artist or thief into your home.  Be wary of persons posing as any of the following:  Utility workers making unscheduled visits to check on water, gas, or electrical problems; cable TV employees at your door without an appointment; home repair handyman who want to fix your sidewalks, roof, or windows; Social Security or bank representatives; persons making unexpected deliveries.  Always ask to see identification. If the person acts suspicious, call 911 immediately. Remember:  If in doubt, keep them out.  You don’t deserve to be robbed or assaulted in your own home.

              Effective April 1, New York City has declared a Stage 1 Drought Emergency, which means that there are now mandated prohibitions on water use that will be enforced by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the New York City Police Department.   Some water use restrictions are:

• Vehicle washing is prohibited unless using well water.

• Watering lawns is restricted to 7:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.   Even number addresses on even dates, and odd number addresses on odd dates.

• Water may be served in restaurants only if requested by patrons.

• Swimming pools may be filled one time per year and must recirculate the water.  Pools may be topped off minimally as needed.

               Queens Legal Services Corporation, the New York Urban League (Queens Branch), the NAACP (Jamaica Branch), and the Queens County Bar Association invite you to attend their 2nd Annual Fair Housing Conference on Saturday, April 20, from 12:00 Noon to 3:00 P. M., in the York College Atrium, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard, Jamaica.  You will learn about Landlord/Tenant Rights and Responsibilities, Low Cost Home Mortgage and Improvement Loans, Recognizing and Avoiding Predatory Lending Scams, and Illegal Apartments.  Call 392-5646, Ext. 40, for more information.