We received the letter below in response to a Community Watchdog item that appeared Jan. 27 in Newsday. The complaint involved a home in Baldwin whose owner has been given summonses by the Town of Hempstead for excessive trash around the yard and other code violations. We didn’t name the homeowner in the column.The letter has been edited so that he remains anonymous here, and for length. The photo of Greco appeared in the column.
Dear Gwen Young,
After reading the Community Watchdog complaint by Della Greco... I felt compelled to write an neighborly response. I have known the owner of the property for years as a fellow resident of Baldwin. I have employed him to do odd jobs, as well as consulting with him on antiques and restorations. And while [he] may be one of the town’s more colorful characters, I have always known him to be an outstanding individual with an incredibly wonderful attitude about life and living.
He sees art and beauty in Americana and in our past. His home restoration project is a labor of love, and with many long term restoration projects time and patience is required. While Ms. Greco may find the property in disarray at times with wood, ladders, and old appliances lying about, these objects she gripes about are really unrestored gems from Long Island’s past.
All construction projects are messy. But this property is not dangerous and it is not a “pigsty” inside or outside. [The owner] has come a long way in completing his dream house; that of an 19th century homestead, but more time is required.
Unfortunately time may be running out for him. He has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and is now in poor health and suffering from the ill affects of the cancer and the aggressive Chemotherapy treatments he is currently undergoing.
As neighbors we certainly find it easy to complain and easy to pass judgment on our fellow neighbors. Their lawns are not cut. Their children are too loud. Their property is messy. There is always something to say, to gossip and stew about - that is in our natures. But in times of emergencies and strife we do have the ability to come together for the better. To that end, I have offered [the owner] help in getting his work site in shape, for him and for the community in general. The help he needs, but that he can no longer do by himself.
Perhaps if we all stopped complaining about problems and got out there to offer our support we might just accomplish something positive in the end.
I urge Ms. Greco and all [the owner’s] neighbors to rally behind him and lend a neighborly hand. It’s so easy to complain and to hide behind a letter, and I guess even harder to lift a finger to actually help somebody out. It would be a win, win for all of us!
Alan Matlick
Baldwin
Unrelated to this topic:
Thanks to the NY Giants for a fantastic Superbowl!
