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AMITYvIlle _____________
HERALD ReCORD
Also serving Amityville, North Amityville, Amity Harbor, Copiague, and East Massapequa DECEMBER 25 - 31, 2024
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VOL. 129 NO. 50
HERALD PERSON OF THE YEAR JOAN DONNISON
She's an activist and educator and always there when needed By Carolyn James
North Amityville Fire Company battles house fire Page 6
Joan Donnison, a self-described “child of the ’60s,” has spent much of her life educating and empowering others—not by exerting influence, but by challenging them to become informed and engaged citizens. What they do with that knowledge, she says, is entirely up to them. “I don’t like hearing people say, ‘How did that happen?’ as if life is something that just happens,” Donnison said. “I want them to get involved, to seek out the most accurate and reliable information on issues that affect their lives. Then I want them to decide what to do and how to act, because they have a stake in the outcome.” It is this drive for education, empowerment, and community action that has earned Donnison the Amityville Herald Record’s prestigious Person of the Year honor. “Joan is a tireless advocate for her community, working on behalf of the people oan is a of Amityville, year in and year out. She is the village’s heart and soul and I could not tireless think of a better person to be recognized,” said Babylon Town Supervisor Rich advocate for Schaffer her community, As president of the Bay Village Civic Association (BVCA), “Joan works tireworking on lessly to provide pertinent information to village residents by atttending and report- behalf of the ing on Amityville board meetings. She people of has become the guardian of our community,” said Suzanne Carl, who works with Amityville, year Donnison at the BVCA. “Joan continues in and year out. to build community spirit by sponsoring the Farmers Market, and various BVCA RICH SCHAFFER social events.” Supervisor Born in Goshen, N.Y., Donnison Town of Babylon spent her early years in both Goshen and Park Slope, Brooklyn. She has a sister and three half-brothers, all of whom live upstate. After marrying John Donnison, who is now deceased, she moved with him to Amityville 40 years ago. Her passion for empowering people led her to a career in education. She taught in East Harlem and after her retirement she was a substitute teacher in the Amityville School District. During her time in East Harlem, she also served as president of the local teachers' union, working to ensure that educators had a voice in decisions that shaped their lives and their profession. In 2006, Donnison’s commitment to community engagement deepened when a proposal was made to extend a commercial site that could have resulted in the demolishment of a small historical house at Ketcham Avenue and Merrick Road. Concerned that the house could be lost, Donnison reached out to her neighbors to discuss the proposal, but she refrained from offering her opinion.
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Supervisor Rich Schaffer works to clean up Babylon. Page 10
Louise K. Radcliffe celebrates her 100th birthday. Page 12
FOR BREAKING NEWS go to liherald.com
Instead, she focused on ensuring that those directly affected knew about the proposal and had the information they needed to form an opinion and be heard if they chose to speak on the issue. “That’s how I met many of my neighbors,” she recalled. “I didn’t tell them how I felt, but I made sure the process included their input.” A that time, Donnison quickly realized she needed to educate herself about village codes and ordinances. She turned to John Lauria, Amityville’s building inspector at the time, whom she credits with “empowering and informing” her. From that effort, a grassroots organization emerged, which eventually became the BVCA, which was incorporated in 2007. “She is tireless in her devotion to the village of Amityville,” said Edria Parks, a BVCA committee volunteer. “She is a person of strength and determination, attending the many village meetings to learn what is happening, and informing the BVCA members (and residents, businesses and village neighbors) of the various village events. Joan advocates for the village as well, helping to preserve the beauty and charm of our historic, evolving community, as we continue to be a Long Island destination. It is a wonderful and deserving
Continued on page 2 Carolyn James/Herald
Joan Donnison has led the Bay Village Civic Association since it began in 2007