Your Community Needs You

by Marilyn A. Pellini

Ihave a theory that if we all gave a few hours per week to our immediate neighborhood and community, we would be living in a much happier, safer, and more perfect world. Pulling together and getting to know each other better would make us kinder and more responsive to those around us, their needs, and to our precious environment.

I used to head our Village Improvement Society, whose main focus was beautification. Every spring, we put a blurb in the local newspaper announcing Clean-up Day, one of our permanent projects. We would have at least 50 people attend, dressed in their blue jeans and wearing gardening gloves. The immediate downtown area had parents and children picking up papers and twigs, raking out last fall’s dried leaves, doing a bit of weeding, and even trimming small shrubs as they went along. All my group had to provide were big green garbage bags, and some people were thoughtful enough to bring their own. We chose a Saturday, with Sunday as a rain date. Within a three-hour time slot, there was a truly visible difference in that area and lots of pride to go around.

We have well over 60 different organizations one can join and volunteer their time with in my town. Every year, the town supervisor sponsors a Community Day, and as many of these groups who want to participate can. Just bring your own table, information about your group, and people to sit and talk to those who might want to join. The town provides cold drinks and hot dogs. It’s a “fun” day full of town spirit and camaraderie.

There’s a group that is especially interested in restoring old burial grounds. They have researched and unearthed neglected graves and cleaned and righted headstones. The shrubs, grounds, and grass have been brought back to life wherever they’ve worked. Our town’s people are proud of their heritage, and many can even trace their ancestors back to when the town was first settled. They do not want to lose or erase their heritage.

The Town Tree Board is a very active group and strives to protect the big, beautiful trees in our area from the wrath of the bulldozer or unthinking property owners. A tree over 18 inches in diameter can’t be cut down without a permit. Certainly they don’t want anyone’s home to be in danger of a falling tree. We did, however, have a noted celebrity who lived in our midst for a while and wanted a better view of the nearby reservoir, so they cut down countless trees. They were issued a fine and had to replace many of the trees that had been felled. Our pride and joy is a 400- to 500-year-old oak. One day the tree will most certainly die, but we want to preserve it for as long as possible. You would be amazed at the number of people who come from far and wide to view this magnificent specimen and take pictures with it. We’ve ensured that they can’t trample on its root system or climb up into the stately giant.

We have an area Rotary Club and a chapter of the Lions Club. These worthy groups donate time, money, and most importantly man-hours to many local causes, and on a national and international level as well. Guiding Eyes for the Blind is one of their special causes.

Our town is served by a local volunteer fire department. When the whistle blows, they’re out there in a flash. My little family knows that from experience. Years ago, I shook my husband awake one night, saying that the house had a strange smoky smell. We had a fire plan, thank goodness, as you do not think clearly in the middle of the night when awoken from a sound sleep. “I’ll get the kids,” I said as he dialed 911. It was the middle of winter, so I grabbed their winter jackets and then ran to the front door where they had left their boots. At that moment, my doorbell rang insistently. It was our next-door neighbor, who as a volunteer had gotten the call. He ran to my house through two feet of snow and took my children to his house. By the time he got back, the fire company was there and discovered our stereo equipment had overheated and was smoldering. It was tossed out into the snow, and every window in the house opened. Needless to say none of us went to work or school the next day, having had no sleep, but you can bet our fire department got a lengthy thank-you note and a donation from us. The firefighters’ budget is made up of donations and the proceeds from the carnival and parade they hold once a year. What a group of dedicated men and women!

Then there is our ambulance corps. Again, totally volunteers. My friend was advised to go to a hospital in the nearest big city because her case was just too complicated for the local facility. The ambulance corps was glad to drive her well over an hour away. here are those who over the many years have been dedicated to the Boy or Girl Scouts, Little League, soccer teams, youth football, etc. These men and women know that keeping kids off the street and out of trouble is well worth their time and energy.

The Farmers Club is dedicated to keeping our suburb of a large city as rural as possible; our town was a farming community when it was established. In good weather, the group holds a Farmers Market on Saturday mornings where you can purchase fresh fruits and vegetables home-grown on our soil.

In another one of my articles, I mentioned our local women’s clubs. Since our town is comprised of three hamlets, we actually have two women’s groups, each performing great services for the members of the community. One owns a thrift shop, which is staffed by its volunteer members five days a week. Among other philanthropic contributions, they give many scholarships every year to local kids to help defray college expenses.

Local garden clubs, of which there are a number, dedicate themselves to planting in public areas. Many of these club members have small greenhouses on their property and raise beautiful, unusual flowers from seedlings. When the weather permits, they prepare the local beds and plant flowers where we all can enjoy and view them.

Hospital volunteers abound at our local facility. They transport patients in wheelchairs to various tests they need while having an in-hospital stay, and endlessly fill pitchers with cold water. The NICU always needs people to hold and rock newborns until their hospital confinement is over.

The more I write, the more unusual and giving my little community seems. But, there’s so much more out there that needs to be done, and so many more people who could really contribute. You know the saying, “If you need something done, ask a busy woman.” That of course goes for men too. I personally belong to five women’s clubs and do try to give each some of my time. I retired not too long ago, and have wondered ever since how I had time to work. Now, unfortunately, I am a widow, and can tell you with certainty that those alone, for any reason, could use some help and companionship. Make it your goal to get out there and give your time, friendship, and expertise to those in need. It will bring them, and you, untold joy and rewards.

Marilyn Pellini has recently published a grief book titled Dear Al, A Widow’s Struggles and Remembrances. Her other credits as a writer include recent articles in Brick Magazine titled “Memories in My Button Jar” and “Restructuring My World,” pieces in Westchester Parent Magazine, Bay State Parent Magazine, On The Water, Balanced Rock, and others. In May 2018, she took the first place prize in the NY State Federation of Women’s Clubs writing contest.