In an age of nasty political partisanship, it’s nice to acknowledge acts of plain, ordinary, good citizenship—especially when they occur locally. One such incident took place on the evening of Wednesday, July 31, in the meeting hall above the Jeffersonville Village Hall. That night, 45 concerned citizens met to discuss ways to revitalize Jeffersonville and its larger region.

The meeting was the brainchild of three civic-minded local women: Barbara Winfield, Jane Lawski and Colleen Freitas. Building upon a workshop held in May that was hosted by village and town leaders, Barbara, Jane and Colleen planned the July 31 meeting, sent out invitations, and framed and led a productive discussion. And they’re not stopping now.

Five additional workshop sessions have been scheduled for future months to ensure that the July 31 workshop’s discussions won’t end with empty promises and unfulfilled wish-lists. They and the attendees are determined that concrete policies, programs and plans to strengthen the village and benefit its residents will result from these meetings. Kudos to these three good citizens for taking this important initiative.

Ken Hilton

Jeffersonville, NY