Save our History: Old Bethpage Village Restoration

[KarinTimour]

Re: Save our History: Old Bethpage Village Restoration

Dear Chris:

Ok, letters will be heading out tomorrow.

Folks, also consider rather than sending emails, write the email, print it and then put it in an envelope with an old-fashioned stamp. Surprisingly enough, legislators pay more attention to the snail mail than they do to emails. And if you send a letter with a stamp, you speak with the power of ten. Legislators figure that anyone who sends a written letter -- well they were agitated enough that they sat down and put it in an envelope -- even if it's just the printed email. And they figure than 9 other people were just as upset as you, but didn't have the time to write. Postcards count for 5 additional people plus you. Emails are so easy legislators count them as one agitated voter.

So print out that email that you already sent, stick it in an envelope and put 42 cents on it to the legislator....

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Sleeping Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[bhutton]

Re: Save our History: Old Bethpage Village Restoration

This would be a blow to Historical Preservation and education on long Island, I've taken my children there many times and participated in several events at OBRV, the public is very receptive, the children and young adults (mine included) will be deprived of this opportunity to learn about the past from knowledable living historians. There exists no other place like it in our area.My Emails and letters are going out to all the named legislators and I will advise all my family and friends to do the same

[MBBursig]

Re: Save our History: Old Bethpage Village Restoration

I have shot off emails to Congress, the County Executive, and County Legislature. New Yorkers and LI-ers unite!!

[CJDaley]

Since 1963 Old Bethpage Village Restoration (OBVR) has been a premier 19th Century living history museum. Encompassing over 209 acres, the out door museum was designed to be a safe haven in the growing urban sprawl on Long Island. All but one of the 52 buildings were moved to OBVR from other locations in an effort to save them from demolition.

For over 45 years, OBVR has opened the doors of the restored homes, farms and businesses to visitors and school children. OBVR hosts the Long Island Fair, a traditional county agricultural fair that draws tens of thousands of visitors, and through most of the year the village supports a steady series of family-friendly events and exhibits, including old-time "base ball" tournaments.

The buildings range in restored age from 1795 to 1876, and since the 1980s they have hosted scores of Civil War living history events.

Now there is a plan in place under Nassau County Executive Suozzi's recent deficit reduction plan to close OBVR this spring. All county museum staff have been unofficially been told that we will be laid off early this spring. This could possibly mark the end of one of the nation's living history landmarks and educational resource.

On behalf of the OBVR staff and the historic landmark, I implore you to write to those you feel would help us to stay open.

Here are some suggestions of people you should contact:

Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi
1550 Franklin Avenue, Mineola, NY 11501
(516) 571-3131
Email: http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agenci...ive/email.html

NY Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand
531 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4451

NY Senator Charles E. Schumer
313 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6542
Web Form: schumer.senate.gov/new_website/contact.cfm

Representative Timothy H. Bishop 202-225-3826 202-225-3143 http://timbishop.house.gov/?sectionid=96§iontree=796

Representative Steve J. Israel 202-225-3335 202-225-4669 http://www.house.gov/formisrael/contact.html

Representative Peter T. King 202-225-7896 202-226-2279 pete.king@mail.house.gov

Representative Carolyn McCarthy 202-225-5516 202-225-5758 http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Representative Gary L. Ackerman 202-225-2601 202-225-1589 http://www.house.gov/ackerman/pages/contact.html

On a personal note: I've spent my entire adult life devoted to living history because of my tenure at Old Bethpage Village Restoration. I was an interpreter there in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I learned to sew there, I met amazing historians there and I was first exposed to Civil War reenacting while working there. Please help my former co-workers Save our History at Old Bethpage Village Restoration