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Overcast Coalition for Youth in East Rockaway seeks board members
Four of five resign; two nominations offered
The Coalition for Youth in East Rockaway, which will begin its third year next month, is seeking three members for its board of directors after four of its five members decided to step down at the organization’s meeting on March 19.
President Theresa Barto and members Patty Seifert, Jill Cote and Laura Putelo are no longer on the board, each having served two terms since the coalition’s founding in 2010. Stephanie Johanson will remain, and newcomer Colleen Fusco will join the board. “The outgoing members are happy to have you become a part of this very worthwhile organization,” Barto told Fusco at last week’s meeting.
“I am leaving the coalition board in order to bring new life into it,” said Barto. “We need new members who will be able to continue our mission. It’s a bittersweet moment for me to look back at what we’ve accomplished and know that I will no longer be on the board. It’s a decision that I’ve struggled with because I have seen the improvements we’ve made for the youth in East Rockaway. I have faith that the new board will continue with the success of the coalition.”
Seifert said that she plans to focus on working with children as the advisor for the East Rockaway Fire Department Juniors. “We have seen a decline in community involvement in the coalition over the past year,” she said, “and I’m hoping that a change in board members, with new faces and new ideas, will help spark greater interest in this much-needed organization.”
Johanson said that creating a nurturing environment for young people, along with creating awareness in the community, is not an easy task. “Being a full-time working parent, I know how hard it is to find the time to get involved,” she said. “However, there is strength in numbers, and just coming to a meeting and bringing it back to your friends and neighbors is helping to get the word out. Bringing viable ideas or resources is a big help as well.” She added that the Recreation Department and school programs make the task easier.
