Addressing the issues in their community

It has evolved from the Inwood Board of Trade to the Inwood Chamber of Commerce, the Inwood Civic and Businessmen Association and then the Inwood Civic Association, “to make it more inclusive,” said longtime member Roy Meserole, but by any name the organization founded in 1945, has had but one mission: to help ensure that the issues in the community are addressed.
“It’s important so people are aware of what’s going on in their town,” said Rosemarie Dorn, the group’s current president, who first got involved about 15 years ago. “We can be a voice for our residents. We’ve had representatives from the Post Office, Town of Hemsptead, police, etc. at meetings, so people can discuss their issues.”
The issues have ranged from increasing police presence to mowing the grass and maintaining the medians along the Inwood portion of the Nassau Expressway to attending town zoning meetings. The association also awards scholarship to local graduating high school seniors.
An aunt who was a member prodded Dorn to join, she said. “I grew up in Inwood as did my mother, and I still love it,” Dorn said. “Even though it’s changed over the years, as most towns have, I still have that small-town feeling, knowing so many people. I feel still watch out for each other, which is important.”
Meeting on every first Thursday of the month from September to June at the Sons of Italy house at 202 Wanser Ave., members and resident who attend discuss the goings on in the community.

Patty Vacchio became involved about three years ago. “Pete Sobol asked me to attend a meeting with the organization struggling and hoping for some new energy to help keep it going,” she said. “I left being nominated for Secretary and have been ever since.”
For the past two years, the civic group led by Sobol, Meserole and others have mowed the grass using a lawnmower the group bought. They planted flower baskets along the section of the Nassau Expressway that is in Inwood and pick up the roadside trash. “The state doesn’t look at the grass until it is eleven inches high and Lawrence maintains their area,” Sobol said about the state roadway also known as Route 878. “We recognize outstanding citizens each year and act as a watchdog on quality of life issues, and as a vehicle for people to address those issues.”
Membership wanes at times and several members belong to or run other organizations that take their time. Dorn said that members pay their dues, but don’t attend all the meetings. “It is difficult to get members to meetings,” she said. “We do have a lot more members than actually attend. I try to explain to people that there are a few members that go out and do things. Without help, only so much work can be done.”
Vacchio said she is one of those people who is involved in several organizations and finds membership and commitment difficult, but believes that having such a group is important. “Every community should,” she said. “Especially one like ours, where there is such diversity. We should take advantage of our differences; learn from each other and join together to set a better example.”
The next meeting is Nov. 5. “I would like to continue to work on cleaning up our neighborhood and make people proud to say they live in Inwood,” Dorn said.