FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com november 12, 2015 • The Queens Courier 37 SCOTT BARON’S STAR OF QUEENS brought to you by star OF queens SCOTT BARON & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Attorneys & Counselors at Law 1-866-WAS-HURT (866) 927-4878 718.738.9800 CUTLER’S LIGHTING Over 50 Years Experience REPAIRS • REWIRING • RE-FINISHING • LAMP SHADES FALL SAVINGS TAKE 20-50% OFF 10% OFF ANY PURCHASE With Coupon. Not combinable – New Orders Only. Limit 1 per customer. $150.00 max for discount. Excludes Repairs, Refi nishing, Rewiring. Exp. 11/30/2015 CUTLER’S LIGHTING CUTLER’S LIGHTING LYNBROOK 817 Sunrise Hwy (2 Blocks west of Peninsula Blvd.) 516-887-1300 GREAT NECK 120 Northern Blvd. 516-482-1919 12 years from now, this LED bulb will still be saving you money. OFF LAMP SHADE SALE on yellow and red tagged items Photo courtesy of Phil Andrews You deserve a great rate today! Go ahead and treat yourself! 18-Month CD 1.50% APY* on a balance of $2,500 or more and with a Checking Account! • Totally FREE Checking • Mobile Banking Apps • Mobile Deposit Capture • Bill Pay • Online Banking • Text Banking • Debit Cards • e-Statements • Account Alerts 28-21 Astoria Blvd., Astoria, NY 11102, P (347) 472-1727, sussexbank.com In NJ: Andover • Augusta • Franklin • Hackettstown • Montague • Newton • Sparta • Vernon • Wantage - In NY: Astoria, Port Jervis *Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of September 16, 2015 and subject to change at any time without notice. Fees may reduce earnings. Visit sussexbank.com or contact a Bank Representative for current rates, terms and account requirements. Offers apply to personal accounts only. Funds must come from a source outside Sussex Bank. FDIC insurance up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each ownership category. Offer expires on December 31, 2015. The minimum balance required to earn the APY is $2,500 and must be deposited in a single transaction. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawals. After maturity, if you choose to roll over your CD, you will earn the base rate of interest in effect at that time. Must have a checking account with direct deposit to earn stated APY. Thomas Dowd President Friends of the Ridgewood Library Personal Background: Thomas Dowd’s roots in Ridgewood, Queens, trace back to his grandfather’s immigration here in 1890. He was raised in Ridgewood where he attended St. Matthias School. In 1979, he returned to Ridgewood and bought a one-family home with his wife around the corner from his childhood home. Profesional Background In the 1960’s, Dowd attended NYU, where he majored in journalism. Soon after he was hired to write for the New London Day. Dowd decided to join the Peace Corps, where he served as an agricultural marketing organizer, stationed in Columbia for two years. He went back to school to earn his master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh, where he met his current wife of 44 years and interned with the United Nations. He gained an association with the Earth Society Foundation and worked on the original Earth Days for two years. He returned to New York, where he spent the rest of his career working on Wall Street with computer systems relating to telecommunications with companies such as Merill Lynch. He also worked as a project manager for IBM in Poughkeepsie, New York. After retirement he shifted his focus to civics work, often being called a “civic activist.” He is currently the president of the Friends of the Ridgewood Library. He is also on the board of directors at the Onderdonk House, serves as chairman of Boy Scout Troop 327, works with the Earth Society Foundation, and is a member of Community Board 5 and its Parks Committee. His main practice consists of working to reserve the Ridgewood Reservoir, a natural phenomenon formed by a glacier ages ago. Greatest Achievement Other than his two children, Dowd’s greatest achievement has been getting all local elected officials to agree with his point of view of preserving the reservoir. The Ridgewood Reservoir was made into an environmental center seven years ago. Dowd and his team have since been fighting to preserve the reservoir and stopping the plan to fill it with 100,000 truck loads of dirt from Jamaica Bay. This would destroy the endangered wetland plants that live in the reservoir as well as disturb the Atlantic Flyway, the bird and insect migration route that cuts across the reservoir. The area has led to the breeding of more than 150 different species of birds. Biggest Challenge Dowd and the community board underwent a seven-year struggle to contest the Parks Department’s plan to fill the reservoir out of fear of a possible flooding hazard. They were able to reach a level of cooperation that included repairing the dam of the reservoir so as to not disturb the wildlife. Motivation to Contribute to the Community Dowd has been a lifelong Ridgewood resident, which fuels his motivation to help this community. His experience with the eagle scouts and the Peace Corps as a community organizer also has influenced his desire to be active in Ridgewood. As president of the Friends of the Ridgewood library, he recently worked with his wife and the library to raise $12,000 for new library books. In recent years Dowd has noticed a new wave of immigrants as well as talent in Ridgewood, many of whom frequently visit the library. He is working to “integrate the newly arrived art community into the work of the library.” He believes “the new artists have a lot to contribute to the community so the merge has to happen.” He is hoping that people can pull together to serve new community members. Many of them visit the library for their collection of six language programs. “The library is a hub of cultural integration and I’m really happy to be part of that.” Looking forward, Dowd is hoping to host a pilgrimage around the reservoir while discussing climate change as an ethical and moral issue. BY BROOKE SMITH
QC11122015
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