Our 2012 Citizens of the Year……… The Greenwood Lake American Legion Arthur Finnegan Post 1443; their members, Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary. This unassuming organization is made up of men and women who have served our Country in times of war and conflict along with patriots that support them.

Service to the Country has transported to service to their Community. The Legion Family has for decades provided recreational space for Village sports programs, meeting facilities for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and charity events for outside organizations. They have hosted our Village Veterans Day and Memorial Day Remembrances and proudly serve as the Color Guard at our Village Fourth of July Parades. Many graduates from our Greenwood Lake Middle School and High School have been awarded scholarships from the Legion to advance their education.

Their untiring work to feed and cloth the disabled Veterans in the Hudson Valley is truly commendable. They support our troops abroad by sending many packages and notes of encouragement throughout the year. Again they take care of their own here in our Community; during the two weather disasters we experienced in 2011 the Legion opened their doors to residents in need of shelter and food. Their building served as our official 24 hour shelter and the membership volunteered their time and energy to assist the residents of our Greenwood Lake community as well as those in need from the Town of Tuxedo. The membership gave up their Thanksgiving holiday to serve community members who could not afford to feed their family or who would be alone.

There are so many other ways that the Legion has contributed to our Country and Community. We will be honoring them at our February 6th Village Board Meeting which will be held at the Greenwood Lake American Legion, 40 Mountain Lakes Lane in the Village of Greenwood Lake beginning at 7:30PM. Please mark your calendars to attend.

The sidewalk or the front of your property and what surrounds it is a business calling card or a welcome mat which represents the business owner or the occupants. Beautification of our community and the success of our business districts is everyone’s responsibility. So we ask you to take the time to pick up the bottle or debris that someone else may have deposited in front of your building or property and dispose of it properly. If they can do it in New York City we certainly can do it here!

• Fallen Tree Clean Up on the Village Walking Path and in some areas of the Greenwood Lake Park clean up continues. Please stop in to Village Hall M-F from 8:00AM until 4:00PM or after hours at the Greenwood Lake Police Station to read and sign the waiver. This waiver is required and must be on your person at the time you are on the municipal property to remove the fallen trees for your personal use.

• Veterans History Project/Veterans Memorial
The Village is requesting that if you are a resident of the community and have served our Country in war or in peace time that you call Village Hall at 477-9215. You or a family member can make the call and all that will be required is your name and telephone number. You will be contacted at a later date by a volunteer student from the George F. Baker Tuxedo High School who will ask you a brief series of questions for our database. This information will allow us to update our Village Veterans Memorial. It will also, with the Veterans permission, be provided to the United States Veterans History Project which is held in the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

The year started off with the selection of our Citizen of the Year Mr. Walter Andrews. Walter, a very humble and unassuming individual, has volunteered years of his time and energy to guide numerous young men through the goals of scouting.

Planning began to become more sustainable in growing and sharing fresh produce in Greenwood Lake. The Greenwood Lake Community Garden Project under the direction of Community members Gregg and Elka Noll took shape in January. We opened our first Village Community Garden in the spring to the delight of all who participated. Look for information on our 2012 Garden coming soon!

As the snow falls and we shiver from the cold our budget team worked to bring in the 2011/2012 Village budget. Over the five years of my administration, through hard work and forward thinking we have presented an average budget increase of 1.48%. Even with the unfunded mandates from the State and annual increases in pension and health insurance costs we have not cut any of our essential services. Through our village property taxes we provide for health and safety by the existence of a full time police department, we supply garbage and recycling service, proper roads and drainage, recreation and beautification to all our community members. In 2012 we will seek to assure the continued high level of service that we have attained, while holding a level tax base.

In Greenwood Lake effective management of stormwater runoff and protection of our lake is a priority. We are continually looking for grant opportunities to implement our goals. In the spring of 2011 we were awarded our second New York State Green Innovative Grant. This grant award, a joint project with the Greenwood Lake Public Library of $560,000, will allow us to remove the asphalt parking area in the park n ride/library parking lot and replace it with designs and technologies to control stormwater as well as beautify this space. We also received a New York DEC Grant in the amount of $150,000 to make stormwater improvements in two strategic areas to prevent sedimentation and pollution from entering the lake.

Our lake community has so much to offer. We are fortunate to have such a diverse landscape of steep slopes and shimmering lake to hike, boat, or just take a passive moment to view from our beautiful Waterfront Park or your own backyard. Because of our location the Village of Greenwood Lake was selected to be the backdrop for a major motion picture. This film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen started production in the summer. With star sightings and local residents taking center stage the Village was turned into a little Hollywood with daily excitement for all to witness. We hear the movie editing is going well with a summer 2012 opening!

As the movie trucks moved out, in came Hurricane Irene. The Village of Greenwood Lake took the time to have proper preparation for the storm in cooperation with outstanding local agencies before, during and after the storm. Our flooding issues came from the intensity of the volume of water rushing from the highlands and the high water level of the lake itself. We are still working with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Greenwood Lake Commission to solve this issue so we will not be impacted in the future.

Just as we have cleaned up from the hurricane, attended FEMA meetings, filled out numerous forms and await the findings, the snow began to fall. That surprise October snowstorm caused more power outages and destruction in the community then Irene.
In storms of this magnitude an evacuation center had to be established in the Village. I can not say enough about the kindness and volunteer spirit of the Greenwood Lake American Legion Post who opened their doors in both storm events to house and feed the people of our community and those from the Town of Tuxedo.

Every year our community suffers the loss of members we hold dear. We will miss these major contributors to our community’s history;

Mr. Brian Bennett
Mayor Marty Yannitty
Edmund “Ted” Ryerson
Village Historian Ross Miller
Mrs. Marie Smith

I wish to acknowledge the service and talent of our Village Administrative Staff, Police Department, Dispatchers, DPW Crew, Buildings and Grounds and the members of our Zoning and Planning Boards. Along with a special thank you to our volunteer agencies, the Greenwood Lake Fire District and Greenwood Lake Ambulance Corps for their efforts to be there for the community in a time of need. Many thanks and appreciation to the non profit, civic and fraternal organizations that provide outstanding community services and help to make Greenwood Lake a great place to live.

So as 2011 comes to an end and the New Year begins my pledge is to continue to provide professional management of our community. We will continue to focus on economic continuity and development and continue to improve our established policies and programs. Bust most importantly we strive to protect and serve the interest of all our Village residents.

Wishing all of the residents of our Village and our community neighbors a joyful, healthy and prosperous 2012.

With this in mind I ask that you become a Community Volunteer and help your neighbors in need. Please call Village Hall (477-9215) or our Police Department (477-9211) to register to rake and assist with snow removal for someone in your neighborhood or within the community. If you are already assisting your neighbors thank you. Your service fosters strong community relations and relieves stress from the elderly. It will also provide for safe passage for our emergency service personnel and volunteers.

There is an old saying that in life we only need three things;

Something to do
Something to look forward to
And
Someone to love

The holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to do just that. We should all try to help those that are in need by encouragement, inspiration or lending a helping hand to make a difference in their lives.

Our traditional holiday show was a great hit with the duo of Larry Newcomb and Leigh Jonaitis, the “Rockette” like performance by the Tuxedo High School Dance Troop, the angelic voices of the Daisy, Brownie and Girl Scout Troops of Greenwood Lake, along with members of the Greenwood Lake Cub Scouts and the fine holiday tunes of the Tuxedo High School Band. As the sky darkened Santa lead the countdown and the Village Christmas Tree, dressed in holiday splendor by the kind donation of the Greenwood Lake Lions Club was lit!

All of these events are planned and executed to improve the quality of life for everyone in our Greenwood Lake Community. For most of us the Holidays are a time of joy spent with family and friends. For some though, it is a reminder of what they do not have. I ask that when planning your holiday gift shopping that you remember to donate to the organizations that serve our community to help those in need. Our Greenwood Lake Food Pantry, a not for profit organization has had an increase in participation and is in need of donations. The Greenwood Lake Volunteer Ambulance Corps is accepting new unwrapped toys to distribute to the children in our community. Many families are struggling to make ends meet. A lot of those that need assistance in these tough economic times are hard working people that you would never expect. So make this a holiday of good cheer by helping others have a happy holiday.

A special note from the Mayor;

As a Community we work together to make our Village Events a success. I would like to acknowledge the following organizations and businesses that helped make our Holiday Celebration a day to remember:

Event Venue; the Greenwood Lake Ambulance Corps Building manned by the men and women volunteers of the Corps. Along with great cookies and hot chocolate provided by the membership for all who attended.

Purchase of Lights for Christmas Tree; The Greenwood Lake Lions Club/Monica
Conway, Committee Chair

Installation of Lights for Christmas Tree; Donation of manpower and equipment Holly Tree Service of Greenwood Lake- Don Weiss, Proprietor

Horse and Carriage Rides; Greenwood Lake Merchant’s Guild, Greater Greenwood Lake Revitalization Committee and the Greenwood Lake American Memorial Triathlon

Santa’s Arrival; Mr. Al Ginetti, pilot and owner of the helicopter.

The Greenwood Lake Volunteer Fire Department for providing
security and safety at Santa’s landing pad and then transporting
him to meet with the Children.

Photo’s with Santa; Greenwood Lake Merchants Guild

Windows on Windermere and Beyond Competition; Greater Greenwood Lake
Revitalization Committee
and the merchants that participated!

Stage equipment; Greenwood Lake Union Free School District

Preparation; Town of Warwick DPW/Greenwood Lake Crew
Tom Anderson, Greenwood Lake Buildings and Grounds
Brendan Kolesar, Greenwood Lake Buildings and Grounds

And no event can happen in our Community without the helpful and watchful eyes of the Greenwood Lake Police Department.

With regards to all,
Barbara

The residents of the Village of Greenwood Lake make our community a very special place, from the organizations and causes we support to the neighborhoods we live in and strengthen.

I am thankful for the people who make our Village what it is; a welcoming, compassionate and innovative place where anyone can find that place of “community.” I am thankful for the hardworking employees and volunteer agencies that give support to our Village. I am thankful for the numerous organizations that affect the Village in so many positive ways. I am thankful for the countless ways in which our community members look out for one another.

This Thanksgiving and holiday season, I ask everyone to get in on the spirit of giving and to take the time to say Thank You for all that we have. Please support our Greenwood Lake Food Pantry who assists those who are in need. And please have a safe, warm and peaceful Thanksgiving.

Our lake is beautiful and it provides fun activities and passive recreation. Whatever is in the street or in your yard may end up in a stream and the lake itself after the next rain or snow fall. Please do your part by keeping your yard and the street in front of your home or business free of leaves and debris. Leaves account for a significant portion of the algae-feeding nutrients in our lake and streams; we can all help reduce their impact.

• Leaves contain nutrients that fertilize algae, which turn the lake green in summer
• When leaf piles sit in the street or on your property, wind and rain carry them to storm drains eventually into the lake
• Rain seeps through leaf piles, making a rich “nutrient tea” that flows into the storm drains or directly into the lake

Village of Greenwood Lake residents we ask that you please take the time to rake and bag your leaves in the biodegradable bags and leave them for pick up by our Village carter. For those of you that live in the Greenwood Lake watershed and do not have leaf pickup we suggest that you rake your leaves and compost them. Composted leaves make a great fertilizer and can be valuable mulch for gardens and for use around trees and shrubs.

In Memoriam

The Village of Greenwood Lake has lost two major contributors to our community’s history;

Marty Yannitty served our community as Mayor from 1984 to 1987. Marty was also a merchant in our community; first as an upholsterer which turned into the landmark hardware store on Windermere Avenue. Marty was also a member and past president of the Greenwood Lake Lions Club.

Edmund “Ted” Ryerson was a member and past commander of the Greenwood Lake American Legion Post. He served our community as a member and past chief of the Greenwood Lake Volunteer Fire Department and was a dedicated member and past president of the Greenwood Lake Volunteer Ambulance Corps. In 1987 he was honored as the Greenwood Lake Citizen of the Year.

Our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families

Food Pantry- Thanksgiving Baskets

The Thanksgiving holiday is rapidly approaching and our Greenwood Lake Food Pantry is in need of frozen turkeys. Please take this opportunity to help those in need and bring a frozen turkey to the Greenwood Lake Police Department no later than this Friday November 18^th at 1:00PM. Food baskets will be distributed over the weekend.

• At 1:00PM our community gathered to honor Alec Williams who received the highest honor that can be bestowed on an individual by the Boy Scouts of America; his Eagle Scout Award. After only seven years of scouting and many merit badges Alec proudly has attained his goal.

Greenwood Lake Boy Scout Troop 121, under the direction of Scout Master and 2011 Citizen of the Year Walter Andrews, the numerous Scout Leaders, Committee Volunteers and the Scouts themselves should be commended for their participation in the nations largest values based youth development organization. Your sense of commitment adds to the greatness of our community.

• Beginning on Saturday afternoon at 2:00PM trick or treaters and their guardians had the opportunity to visit our Village businesses for a treat. They also had the chance to view the merchandise in our retail stores and have an occasion to speak to the owners of the restaurants and professional service offices. This event is always positive for the children their guardians and the business owners!

• As the costumed children went in and out of the shops, members of the Merchants Guild, numerous volunteers, and organizations all coordinated by co-chairs of the event Denise Bernard and Kristi Fodera were busy setting up for the Terror on the Trail. This spooktacular event would happen within our Village walking path as darkness came on Saturday evening.

• At four o’clock parade participants lined up on Waterstone Road behind the Fire District vehicles to march in the Village Halloween Parade. This portion of the day was coordinated by 1^st Assistant Chief Marty Hickey. The highlight of the parade was the appearance of the Headless Horseman on his beautiful Clydesdale. He looked just like he stepped out of the page of a storybook! The participants marched to the Greenwood Lake Park for costume judging and awards provided by the Greenwood Lake Volunteer Fire District.

• As the sun set Greenwood Rec Committee Member Anne Caric was getting all the vendors in place at the Greenwood Lake Park setting the stage for the Terror on the Trail midway. Food was provided by the Knights of Columbus of the Holy Rosary Church (proceeds were donated to the Greenwood Lake Food Pantry) and the Greenwood Lake Elks Club. Booths of food, games, merchandise and information were sponsored by the Greenwood Lake Girl Scouts, Greenwood Lake Cub Scouts; Den 2 & 7 of Troop 121, Greenwood Lake Boy Scout Troop 121, Greenwood Lake Antlers, Greenwood Lake Soccer Club, George F. Baker High School French Club, Greenwood Lake Parent- Teacher- Student Association, Greenwood Lake Police Department, Ambulance Corps, and Fire Department, The Buzz Café, Back Pack Club, The Blanket Boss and the Greenwood Lake Garden Center.

• As the clock struck 7:00 the gates of the Haunted Trail opened and hundreds of people young and old strolled through the path of terror! At the same time the Greenwood Lake Lions Club members and guests donned their masks to honor the organizations diamond anniversary at their Masquerade Ball. The diamond has remarkable optical characteristics, it can be contaminated by very few impurities, and it is transparent, clear and colorless. A great analogy; reflecting the brilliant membership of this organization.

Thank you to all the volunteers who give up their time day after day, week after week for the betterment of our community.