Unsung Hero Bill Ryan: Nanuet Civic Association Volunteer

By Barry Warner

Neighborhood Associations play a vital role in representing the interests of the residents and enhancing the local community. A well-organized association can have a significant impact on the quality of life in the neighborhood. The Nanuet Civic Association is a non-partisan, non-profit, volunteer organization of residents and business owners located in the hamlet of Nanuet. It is dedicated to promoting the health, safety and welfare of the Nanuet community, assisting in the improvement of existing commercial areas, monitoring land use, planning, zoning and other issues affecting Nanuet and informing the community about these issues.

President of the Nanuet Civic Association Roberta Bangs said, “Bill Ryan has been a member of the Association even longer than I have. He served as First Vice President under Bob Jackson, then served as President and is still unfailing in his concern for our Nanuet community. He deserves praise for his diligent work to erect the Veteran’s Monument on Prospect Street near the train station. Bill is always ready to help out in any needed capacity and has served as a trusted advisor during my three years as President. His knowledge and experience is invaluable to me and the Association. He is truly an Unsung Hero.”

Bill Ryan told the Rockland County Times, “I was President of the Nanuet Civic Association for ten years. The old Nanuet Mall had a significant impact on the quality of life of the community. I was concerned about the exiting of a large number of cars on community streets. The owners of the Mall became good neighbors about sharing the concerns of crime and pollution. Simon Properties, the new developer of The Shops of Nanuet, were welcoming to the Civic Association when local issues were addressed. I gave a lot of my time to the Association because I live in the community and wanted to give back.”

According to the website www.cstx.gov , some of the most common reasons why neighborhoods organize include:

. To address a particular concern- Many neighborhoods become organized when a particular concern emerges in which they can rally around. Residents of the neighborhood will get together to discuss problems and come up with solutions.

. To empower residents- Power is the ability to act and with it comes a responsibility to the community. When neighborhoods organize, they acquire power by joining together to accomplish something.

. To build community-Organizing to build community means improving your neighborhood’s ability to act and organize the diverse skills of its residents. Residents want to become better neighbors by getting to know each other and helping each other out.

Increasing citizen participation benefits the whole community by creating a positive environment of shared responsibility and collaboration. There are several opportunities to become involved. Some of these are to: attend regular meetings, volunteer for activities, become a registered member of the association and attend regular association events and programs.

The Nanuet Civic Association meetings are held in the Nanuet Public Library. Call the Library at (845) 623-4281 for information about the next schedule of meetings of the Association in 2017.