Due to the snow storm and snow removal there will be no parking on Main Street Until Further NoticeHow we see and use our Village has changed over time. It is of course a wonderful place to live with an intrinsic downtown to do daily business, but it is also a crossroads of social and cultural activity. That has grown and I believe our lives are enriched by the many activities and events that spark our community calendar. This is made clearer in the post pandemic time we’re in – especially with the news of the delta variant, it feels somewhat fragile.
But for now, we have a window to enjoy summer and the place we live. This past weekend was filled with the activities that spoke of joy, sharing, and small-town life. It is a reminder that we live in a remarkable place.
For myself Friday was an incredibly busy day, but the highlight was a luncheon at Grappa followed by the graduation of this year’s class of the Summer Youth Leadership Academy at the Community Center. The Youth Leadership Academy is an extension of the Warwick Youth Development and Outreach Program that has been a program and partnership between the Village and Warwick Community Center for over 30 years. It began as an idea that my father developed as a Village Trustee. The leadership Academy is newer, and I believe one of the most successful programs of its kind regionally. The program is partially funded by the Orange County Youth Bureau as well. In a five-week period a group of middle school and high school youth come together daily to do projects, visit local leaders, and along the way create extraordinary bonds. This is a hands-on program helping to form future leaders.
To see the development and transformation that happens in this short period of time is extraordinary and I congratulate the class of 2021 for their success.
On Saturday there were activities throughout the village and seemingly at every hour of the day. Main Street was alive with visitors enjoying the beautiful weather and physical environment – the streets, shops, and restaurants were bustling. On the other end of the village the library had a very, very successful used book sale that drew hundreds of bibliophiles looking for a bargain. The Warwick Fireman had a Family Picnic Celebration in Memorial Park. A little later Main Street was closed for outdoor dining and to end a wonderful summer day, there was a concert on the lawn at Stanley Deming Park.
And Sunday? My wife and I headed for our beloved Farmers’ Market. By the way, last week over 2,000 folks came to the market! The Village was humming!
This is the joy I speak of and the hard work and dedication of so many that make our Village a vibrant center. I commend the staff at Village Hall and our DPW who help make everything seem seamless and pay attention to the myriad details that an event can challenge us with. In conversations with some of the Youth Leadership Academy class it was clear how much they love the Village and all that it means and offers as a special place. Maybe too, at another time, these young men and women will return to share the leadership skills that began at home.
July 31st is the birthday of Clinton Wheeler Wisner, former Mayor, avid horseman, architect, romantic. He served the Village at the turn of the last century. I think he would be pleased where we landed and where we’re going!
To have a say about where we’re going, please take a 3-minute survey visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WarwickSurvey.
