Community league to decorate Rath Park with trees

The Community League of Garden City South planted and dedicated a dogwood tree on June 12 at Garden City South Park on Nassau Blvd, part of the civic organization’s two-year-long campaign to add to the county’s gardens.

Councilman Thomas Muscarella of the Town of Hempstead and former New York State senator Elaine Phillips attended the dedication ceremony, along with two commissioners of the Franklin Square and Munson Fire District Commissioner, Dennis Lyons and Chris Mollish. Community league board members were also in attendance, including President Marge Kelly, Vice President Andrew Monteleon and more.

The dedication of the tree, which was both purchased and planted by Garden City Gardener's Market, is part of the organization’s larger campaign, which President Marge Kelly said has been “very successful.” Kelly said that the group asked members of the community to donate perennials (any plant that lives for two or more years and is likely to return in the spring), from their own gardens, which were then split and planted in the gardens of Garden City South Park.

“We had a tremendous response and I am happy to say all the gardens are now beautiful and thriving,” Kelly said. Kelly said the organization kicked off the garden campaign last year and plans to expand it going forward. “We plan on expanding this campaign to include Rath Park in the Spring of 2022,” Kelly said, referring to Franklin Square’s Rath Park.

This campaign, Kelly said, is part of the Garden City Community League South’s larger mission: giving back to the community. Andrew Monteleon, the Garden City Community League South’s vice president, spoke in a previous Herald story about how important strengthening community is to the group. “We just feel that these are the things that we should be recognizing,” he said.

Kelly said that 90% of the money raised by the civic organization is ultimately donated back to the community. “Our board members, my family, myself… we wear multiple hats and work in various ways and we hope to keep this community the way it is,” she added.