YMCA Closes In Massapequa C a , l s ror Welfare Recipients
The Nassau- Suffolk Board of Directors of the To Work If Physically Able
YMCA this week announced the shut down of the
Greater Massapequa Branch of the YMCA due to
the lack of funds.
The four and one half year effort by a Founding
Committee in the Massapequas, was burdened by
the inability to raise the required funds to operate.
At a kickoff dinner by the
Massapequas Founding Committee
on June 1, 1964 a goal of
$ 60,000 was set and $ 27,770 was
pledged. Only a small portion of
the pledges were realized.
Meanwhile, an office at 100
Hicksville Road was opened and
a professional YMCA director,
Ted Meyer, was retained.
In the fall of 1964, a youth
program was started with day
camping, educational trips,
sports, recreational events and
personal guidance provided. The
official shut- down announcement
pointed up that despite allocations
of United Fund monies and loans
by the Central office of the YMCA
fewer and fewer members of the
community responded to appeals
for aid. Leaders who had once
been enthusiastic, became understanding
discouraged. The illness
and resignation of the director
was a final blow to the organization.
At the end of the summer
last year, the branch showed a
balance of $ 300 with no signs of
repayment to the central office
advances.
After repeated conferences by
members of the branch board, a
meeting was called of all leaders
and past leaders to consider the
future of the branch. At a meeting
on December 4, 1967, the decision
was made to recommend
to the Board of Directors of the
Nassau- Suffolk YMCA, to discontinue
the operation. The Board
of Directors, on January 15,
1968, declared the branch inactive.
The initial effort began in July
1963 and shortly after a feasibility
survey was made. In July 1964,
the Nassau- Suffolk YMCA recognized
the organization officially
as the Greater Massapequa Provisional
Branch.
George White was named
Chairman of the Campaign Executive
Committee and Herman
R. Maass was named General
Chairman. Richard Rahn,
Charles Anderson, Edward Baker,
Hugh Burr and Harold W.
Tepfer served as the first Division
Managers.
Figures released by the Com-
District 22 Board Breathes
Easier As Law Uncovered
mittee, showed that the youth population
of the Massapequas totaled
36,853 with an overall population
of 78,484.
The 48 man Provisional Board
of Managers outlined a program
of goals for the year 1964, based
on the findings. Plans called for
the employment of a full time director;
a complete development
of a ' Y' Branch organization; the
opening of a ' Y' office; the organization
of a program of youth activities
and the development of a
long range plan to include a
' building.
Youngsters affected by me f
shut down are being encouraged
to join the Glen Cove or Huntington
YMCA groups where well-rounded
programs are being offered
in the ' Y's own buildings
with swimming pools and day
camp facilities.
Records and office equipment
from the Massapequa office have
been moved to the YMCA Central
Office at 150 Jericho Turnpike,
Jericho.
Elston H. Swanson, President
of the Nassau- SuffolkYMCA
Board of Directors, in making the
announcement, stated that ' It is
with deepest regret that I inform
you of the above action. To those
who have given leadership, long
hours of unselfish effort, and financial
support to this enterprise,
we express our thanks. We
share the disappointment of all
the boys and girls who will now
be deprived of the fun and influence
of the Y. All of us in the
YMCA hope and pray that the day
will come that this program may
be reinstituted with greater success.'
The Metropolitan Commuter
Transportation Authority said
that it had uncovered an old state
law that would allow it to pay
local government, including the
Farmingdale School District and
the Town of ! Babylon, some of
the tax money that had been feared
lost. Under the law, the state
would pay a gradually lessening
share of the airfield's tax each
year until the natural valuation
rise in the district ( about
$ 300,000 annually), wiped out the
loss of the facility from the
tax rolls.
School Board Attorney Kend-rick
C. Smith brought these facts
to light at the Board of Education
meeting on Monday night. He
explained that under section 545
of the State Real Property Tax
law, the state would reimburse
town, county and special tax districts
for the full amount of their
tax loses for the first year, and
a gradually decreasing share
each year thereafter. Under the
formula of state relief, the state
would reimburse the district for
the full assessed valuation of the
facility as it was computed two
years before acquisition.
The Commuter Authority
maintains that the tax loss would
be $ 308,979 and might go as high
as about $ 320,000 if additional
parcels were required. Republic
Airfield has an assessed valuation
this year of $ 1,171,010.
The MCTA spokesman also
said, " The Center will provide a
key transportation nucleus which
will unquestionably attract other
industrial andcommerical businesses
to the immediate vivinity.
Land values therefore are ex -
pected to increase most sub -
stantially in properties surrounding
toe transportation
center."
Extend Hours For Veterans
In Need Of Counseling
To accommodate the risingin-flux
of veterans returning from
the Vietnam conflict and the
growing number of older veterans
now requiring counseling, County
Executive Eugene H. Nickerson
moved this week to provide special
evening hours for veterans
at the Nassau County Veterans
Agency.
Beginning Wednesday, February
28, the Agency office will be
open on Wednesday evenings from
5 p. m. to 8 p. m. for the convenience
of veterans who live in
Nassau, but work in New York
City or elsewhere.
The office will be staffed during
the three hours by one Veteran's
counselor and Jack Kluger, Acting
Director of the Agency. If
the work load becomes too heavy,
a third counselor will be added
Welfare recipients physically
able to work who refuse to accept
available employment will be
guilty of a misdemeanor and
subject to imprisonment under a
legislative bill introduced by Assemblyman,
Francis P. Mc Clos-key.
Mc Closkey said that the need
for this legislation grew out of a
decision by the New York State
Court of Appeals last year which
reversed the conviction of a person
on welfare who refused to take
a job to which he had been r e -
Broadlawn Manor Nursing Home
Vital Affiliated
Invite Your Inspection
400 Broadway
AMityvilla 4- 0222,
racy H •• Logan
Business Manager
ferred by the State Employment
Service.
The bill would amend Section
145 of the Social Services Law
to provide that any person who
does any wilful act designed to
interfere with the proper administration
of public assistance
or refuses to accept employment
furnished through the State Employment
Service or who commits
fraud in an application for
welfare assistance shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor and subject to
a maximum of one year in prison.
Policeman Slain In
Line Of Duty
Thirty one year old Anthony
J. Graffia of 4 Pompano Lane,
Massapequa Park, a New York
City police patrolman stopped
in a drug store in South Ozone
Park, Queens for a sandwich.
Arrangements had been made
for the police to eat their lunches
in the back of the store because
of recent holdups at toe
pharmacy. The owner had prearranged
to drop a heavy object
on the floor to alert the
policeman in the event of trouble.
Then it happened. It was 7 p. m.
on Monday.
• We want the works', one of
the gunmen shouted. Graffia
dashed out of the back room,
one of the gunman whirled and
fired. Graffia fired and fell fatally
wounded. The pair of gunmen
fled empty handed and drove
off.
Graffia, moved to Massapequa
Park eighteen months ago. He
is survived by his wife Frances
and three children Anthony Jr.,
5, Philip, 4 and Lorraine 3.
Funeral services will be held
' Lights On Program* Will
Spotlight State Aid For Education
The Farmingdale Council of
PTA's asks that residents of
District 22 show their support
for legislation for increased State
Aid for Education by turning on
their automobile lights on
Wednesday, March 6 during the
day time. The program is entitled
" Auto Lights On For Education".
ALL REGULAR ACCOUNTS EARN
Low- cost Protection
for all the family
SAVINGS BANK
LIFE INSURANCE
Come in, phone or write
for full d e t a i l s -
no obligation!
a year
Latest
Dividend
Declared
PAID FROM DAY OF DEPOSIT
COMPOUNDED 4 TIMES A YEAR
NEW
MASSAPEQUA
' OFFICE
to the staff.
The Veteran's Agency, which
was established in 1945 offers
free counseling services including
the initiation of claims for
compensation and pensions, insurance,
educational be n. ef i t s,
home loan mortgage guarantees,
veteran's tax exemption on property,
and hospitalization and
many more.
The Agency not only services
veterans, but aids their dependents
or survivors. It also supplies
important information on
Federal and State agencies, and
on civil service opportunities for
veterans.
Letters were sent by the County
Executive to 150 leaders of vet-e
r a n s organizations advising
them of the new agency plan.
FREE PARKING AT OUR CONVENIENTLY LOCATED MASSAPEQUA OFFICE
REGULAR
BANKING HOURS
Friday 10 A. M. to 8 P. M.
Monday thru Thursday 10 A. M. to 4 P. M.
DRIVE- UP and WALK- UP WINDOWS OPEN
Monday thru Friday 9 to 10 A. M.
Hicksville Road near Jerusalem Avenue
( Opposite Holiday Park Shopping Center)
Massapequa, N. Y. 11758
THf
KINGS COUNTY
SAVINGS BANK
Incorporated 1860
Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Central Office
539 Eastern Parkway at Nostrand Avenue
Brooklyn, N. Y. 11216
PResident 3- 7000
For
information
telephone
PYramid 9- 6100
Broadway Office
135 Broadway at Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, N. Y. 11211
STagg 2- 6676
Farmingdale OBSERVER Thursday, February 22, 1968
Riverdale Office
3709 Riverdale Avenue, Bronx, N. Y.
between West 236th and
West 238th Streets
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