To The Editor:

I was born and raised in Croton-on-Hudson and decided to come back here after college. Now, I live on North Riverside Avenue with my wife and enjoy exposing her to the many different sides of Croton that we all love. This past weekend was a prime example of the spirit of what makes Croton so special: our residents care about community and actively participate in community life.

On Sunday, residents came together to maintain the breathtaking Croton Gorge Unique Area as part of Love My Parks Day on the Old Croton Aqueduct; they supported the educational aspirations of our students at Croton Yacht Club Scholarship Dinner & Silent Auction; replenished lifesaving blood reserves as part of the Croton Community Blood Drive; supported the fair trade movement at the Plant & Bake Sale at the Holy Name of Mary; and enjoyed the arts at the the Croton Chorale presentation of Rachmaninoff’s “Vespers” at Asbury United Methodist Church, and the Spring Photo Show at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Hudson Valley.

Later this week, residents will join together to plant new native species at Brinton Brook Sanctuary on Friday, May 11 (6 PM to 8 PM) and learn about the power of solar energy to light our homes, trim our electric bills and protect our environment at the Solarize Croton-Cortlandt Workshop this Saturday, May 12 (10 AM) at the Hendrick-Hudson Free Library.

These wonderful community projects are the work of many dozens of people voluntarily joining together to improve our world. I have a deep appreciation for those who step up in big ways and small, because Margaret Mead is right: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Brian Pugh