East Williston continued its centennial celebration with a gala on Thursday, April 23 ,and the burial of a time capsule two days later.
The gala at Westbury Manor was a highlight among several events on the village’s calendar this year to mark the village’s 100th anniversary. Residents, village leadership and elected officials from across Nassau County attended the gala for food, music and entertainment.
East Williston MayorBonnie Parentesaid 100 years ago, the founders of her village and Williston Park worked together to separate from the surrounding areas, and decided on the railroad tracks as the dividing line between the neighboring villages.
“Our differences make up today’s fabric of what East Williston has become,” she said. “Our village is our binding, our connection, our commonality. It’s where we call home.”
The night included a cocktail hour, a meal, dancing, and award presentation to former Trustee Rafaella Dunne, a flag presentation by the East Williston Fire Department and a performance of the National Anthem by Broadway singers Nathaniel Hackman and Kaley Ann Vorhees.
New York Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra, New York State Sen. Jack Martins, Nassau County Comprtoller Elaine Phillips, County Legislator Scott Strauss, North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jen DeSena, Plandome Manor Mayor Barbara Donno, Mineola Mayor Paul Pereira, Baxter Estates Mayor Nora Haagenson, Baxter Estates Mayor Ralph Ekstrand, Sea Cliff Mayor Elena Villafane, Williston Park Trustee and County Fire Marshall Michael Uttaro and Williston Park Deputy Mayor Kevin Rynne were all present.
Parente highlighted recent achievements in the village and thanked the current Board of Trustees and former village officials for their service. She thanked Village Clerk Joanna Palumbo for her work organizing the event, and spoke about the village’s history and founding.
“The vision was colonial homes on equally sized lots for workers traveling to the city,” she said. “The predominant reason our village was created was to manage rapid development, preserve large lots and to create what we now know as local zoning.”
“Two different visions and two success stories,” she said, adding that the village has modernized its facilities and communications with residents. She said the village has been working to find underground water leaks to save resources and money for the village and its taxpayers.
She said the village is pursuing reimbursable road improvements and investing in equipment for first responders.
Source: LI Press
