He makes a difference in Valley Stream

As president of the Valley Stream Historical Society, Gaetano Ferrara loves studying the past. Better known in the community as Guy, the historical society is just one of Ferrara’s many volunteer activities that earned him a Make a Difference Award from the Town of Hempstead last week.

Ferrara was one of just a dozen people honored at the Nathan L.H. Bennett Pavilion in Hempstead on Nov. 9 by Supervisor Kate Murray. He was selected from about 150 nominations.

As historical society president for the past year-and-a-half, Ferrara has made his mark on the organization that celebrates Valley Stream’s past. He successfully lobbied the Hempstead town board to place a historical marker outside of Home Depot in Valley Stream to mark the site of the old Curtiss Airfield, which operated in Valley Stream from 1929 to 1933. Home Depot sits on the site of two of the airport’s old hangars.

Ferrara then organized a ceremony for the unveiling of the historical marker, which featured village, town and state officials and drew several dozen interested community members on a brisk Saturday morning last October. With an avid interest in Long Island aviation history, his next project is to get a historical marker placed at Mitchel Field in Uniondale.

He instituted a trip program for the Valley Stream Historical Society. Members visited the estate of famed pilot Charles Lindbergh on the North Shore, and will soon go to the Cradle of Aviation Museum.

Ferrara is also vice president of the Valley Stream Civilian Patrol, a volunteer organization in which members patrol the community in their own vehicles, and call in any signs of trouble to the police. He is a past president of the organization, as well. “We know the community really appreciates it,” he said, “and we can tell by the low crime rate.”

At his church, Blessed Sacrament, Ferrara is on the Pastoral Council and a member of the Holy Name Society. He schedules and trains ushers for masses and works with the outreach center to deliver food and clothing to the needy in the community.

“I do a lot of stuff that I don’t tell people,” said Ferrara, who also volunteers to teach tennis to people in wheelchairs at Point Set Indoor Racquet Club in Oceanside.

Ferrara was nominated for the award by a fellow parishioner at Blessed Sacrament Church, Frank Farella.

It was during a ride to Farella’s machine shop that Farella got to know Ferrara a little better, and all that he does for the community. “He never mentions it to anyone,” Farella said.

When he found out about the town’s Make a Difference Award, Farella said Ferrara stood out. “I said, ‘I’m going to give it a shot,’” Farella said, “because I think he’s well-deserving. When he starts something, he attacks its and he does a pretty good job.”

Farella said he has known Ferrara for about three years. He said he was pleased that the town selected Ferrara from all the nominations. “I don’t know what the other candidates were like,” Farella said, “but the ones who did get chosen did a lot of their community, just like he did.”

Ed Fare, chairman of the historical society’s board of trustees, praised the work of Ferrara as president and described him as enthusiastic. “He spreads his enthusiasm,” Fare said. “He gets other people excited.”

Ferrara has lived in Valley Stream for 44 years and was a technology teacher — “Which was called shop years ago,” he said — for more than 40 years in the Hewlett-Woodmere School District before retiring. He also coached the Hewlett boys tennis team, leading them to one county championship.

As he was joined by family and friends at last week’s ceremony, Ferrara said he was extremely touched that a pair of former students showed up. “Two kids heard through the grapevine, somehow,” he said. “I didn’t tell them.”

Ferrara said he hopes to see more people work with volunteer organizations. He said from the fire department to the police auxiliary to the numerous service organizations, there are no shortage of groups to join. “I wish more young people would get involved,” he said. “There are so many fine organizations in Long Island and Valley Stream.”