Community2gether launches three new projects

Published in the Warwick Advertiser - October 4, 2018

WARWICK — On Sept. 25, a core of about 40 Warwick residents gathered in Greenwood Lake for the second Community Action Fair of the year. It is at these Fairs that the ideas and dreams that more than 3,000 Warwickians expressed during the year-long Visioning process get turned into projects, each with its own Community Action Team of avid supporters......  READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Strategy emerges for Warwick Visioning projects

Published in the Warwick Advertiser - August 31, 2018

WARWICK — Next Community Action (CA) Fair to be held Sept. 25 in Greenwood Lake. The first two community projects that were launched in May as part of the recently completed town-wide, Community2gether Visioning are off and running. Both the 3 Lakes Festival and the Wawayanda Creek project have gotten off to strong starts, so much so that the Community2gether organizers have adjusted their strategy and timeline to reflect this successful approach to introducing new projects.....  READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Wawayanda Creek Project Launched

Photo provided by Geoffrey Howard. Kayakers working in the Wawayanda Creek to clear debris.

To find out more or get involved in the project, visit the Wawayonders Facebook page.

Published in the Warwick Advertiser - July 19, 2018

WARWICK — The community volunteer project to clear the Wawayanda Creek has gotten off the ground — and into the water. An energetic and intrepid group of kayakers — five men and three women — made a preliminary reconnaissance run recently to assess conditions in the creek and on the banks...  READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Three Lakes Festival planned for 2019

Planning is underway for the Three Lakes Festival in Warwick next summer. Events - from flotillas, canoe races to fishing contests and educational programs will be held at Glenmere Lake, Wickham Lake and Greenwood Lake, all designed to promote a greater sense of community within all of the Town of Warwick.

Published in the Warwick Advertiser - July 5, 2018

WARWICK — Events - from flotillas, canoe races to fishing contests at Glenmere Lake, Wickham Lake and Greenwood Lake - would promote a greater sense of community...  READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Photo by Jonathan Talbot. Pictured left to right: Vision Co-chair Geoff Howard, Vision Co-chair Roger Moss,Warwick Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton, Village of Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard, Greenwood Lake Mayor Jesse Dwyer, Florida Mayor Daniel Harter Jr., Vision Co-chair Tony Trimarco, and Vision Consultant Gianni Longo.

Published in the Warwick Advertiser - May 30, 2018

The Work of Warwick's Town Vision Begins

WARWICK — The townwide Warwick Vision took almost a year to develop and involved more than 3,000 residents. The finished Vision document was officially presented to Warwick’s elected officials — the Town Supervisor and the mayors of Florida, Greenwood Lake and Warwick — in a well-attended ceremony at Town Hall on Tuesday evening, May 22, and almost immediately ideas in the Vision began to move forward.... READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Published in the Warwick Advertiser - May 16, 2018

Community 2000 to deliver 'TOGETHER: Building Tomorrow Today' planning document to town and village officials.

WARWICK — The Vision document for the Town of Warwick known as "TOGETHER: Building Tomorrow Today" will be officially handed off by Community 2000 to Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton and the mayors of the three villages at a formal gathering at Warwick Town Hall on Tuesday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m... READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Press Release - December 14, 2017

Published in Warwick Advertiser

On Monday, Dec 11th, more than 150 Warwick residents attended the much-anticipated Community Voices meeting at the Warwick Middle School. 

The crowd represented a true cross-section of the larger community — the Villages and Hamlets, farmers, artists, merchants, musicians, commuters and local government officials — all were there and actively participating. 

That meeting was one of the key events in the Community Visioning project that has been going on since late summer. Those who came were asked to do two things: first, to vote, using hi-tech electronic keypads, on which goals they felt were most important to the entire community; and second to suggest possible “game-changing ideas” for Warwick. 

While the complete results of the voting and the idea-generating won’t be known officially for a few weeks, positive ideas have already emerged about things such as improved zoning for balanced growth, better pedestrian access and safety, bike lanes, infrastructure improvements, and much more. 

Working together

One of the strongest outcomes of the meeting was the sense that if the entire Town were to grow in the best way, it would take a balance of government action and increased civic engagement, with residents in all communities working together. 

Fortunately, that hoped-for civic engagement was fully evident at the meeting. As the meeting drew to a close, fully 90% of those in attendance said they were willing to get involved in helping the Vision process move forward and 86 people signed individual pledge cards detailing how they were willing to help.

What happens now

Once Community 2000 and the Visioning Steering Committee have reviewed and organized the data by category, action teams will be formed — some governmental, some community-based, some mixed — to determine how best to make these ideas become reality.

“The table is set”, said Steering Committee member Erika Grizzanti. “We started with buy-in from the 4 governments, and now we have both the community-generated ideas and the boots on the ground to make them happen. People should look for things to start happening in early 2018, and the easiest way is via the website, community2gether.org, or the Community2gether Facebook page”

Part of the audience that turned out for the Community Voices meeting on Dec. 11.

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Press Release - November 27, 2017

Open Call to all Warwickians

This is an open call to all Warwickians: wouldn’t you like to have some say about what will and won’t happen here in the next 20 years? You can! 

Warwick — the entire Town and the 3 Villages — is in the middle of a Visioning project called Community2gether. Visioning involves a community coming together and deciding what they do and don’t want to see in their community. Those four words, “coming together and deciding,” will be the focus of the Town-wide Community Voices meeting on Monday, December 11 from 7 - 9 pm at the Warwick Middle School cafeteria. 

If you’re concerned about how Warwick can grow and prosper without losing the special qualities that make the Town, the Villages, the hamlets special … come to this meeting.

If you would like to see young people and seniors be able to afford to live here … come to this meeting.

If you have ideas for the kinds of businesses you would like to see — or not see — in our community … come to this meeting.

If you like your community just the way it is … come to this meeting. If you see some things that you know could be done better … come to this meeting. If you think it’s a bad idea to sit back and just accept what happens … come to this meeting.

It’s time to “come together and decide” on December 11. Mark your calendars!

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Published in The Warwick Advertiser, October 3, 2017.

WARWICK — The town-wide visioning process, led by Community 2000 and known as Community2gether, is an attempt to engage the entire Warwick Valley community — residents, farmers, merchants — in a structured exercise to look 10 to 20 years down the road and envision what the best possibilities might be and then to work collaboratively, municipal governments and community members together, to turn those best possibilities into realities... READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Press Release - September 10, 2017

Community Vision Project to kick off with potluck picnic

Community 2000, Warwick’s community development non-profit, along with Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton, Mayors Jesse Dwyer, Greenwood Lake, Michael Newhard, Warwick, and Jim Pawliczek, Florida will host a potluck picnic party to kick off the 2017 Community Visioning survey. 

The family-friendly event, is to be held on Sunday, September 10 from 3-6 PM at Warwick Town Park on Union Corners Rd. Children of all ages are welcome. 

The name of the Community Visioning project is “TOGETHER: Building Tomorrow Today.” The process invites everyone who lives or works anywhere in the Warwick Valley to think about how they would like to see their community develop over the next 20 years. 

The public is encouraged to share their ideas by completing a survey that will be posted on the TOGETHER website - www.community2gether.org  – starting the following day. The survey will ask questions about the quality of life throughout the Warwick Valley. It will take only 7 or 8 minutes to complete and will be totally anonymous. Community 2000 is hoping for at least 1,000 completed surveys before the end of September. 

Survey results will be posted on the TOGETHER website. Public meetings will be scheduled in November to review survey results, suggest additions, and prioritize preliminary community goals to serve as the foundation of the TOGETHER vision. 

“It’s up to YOU, the public, to imagine what the Warwick Valley has the potential to achieve. It will be as bold as your imagination! Learn more when you join us for the kick-off potluck picnic party,” adds Community 2000 President Roger Moss.

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Published in the Warwick Valley Dispatch - July 8, 2017

Community 2000, in partnership with the Town of Warwick and the Villages of Florida, Greenwood Lake and Warwick, is organizing a major effort to create a shared vision for the future of the entire Warwick community. The four municipalities have funded the major part of this project and have designated Community 2000 to be project manager... READ THE FULL ARTICLE

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Town Workshop Results

Thank you to all who came out and participated in the Town Community Voices Workshop on December 11th. We were thrilled to have over 150 people in attendance!

The following charts represent the opinions and ideas shared at the Town Workshop. The information gathered through the survey and at this and the 3 Villages Workshops have culminated in the Vision and Implementation Plan report.

Our thanks to the over 150 people who came out for this workshop. They contributed their ideas and opinions, helping to bring definition to the vision for the Town's future.

The information and questions presented to attendees were derived from the Survey results and Village Workshop input. Using hand-held keypads, participants were able to vote and see the tally immediately displayed.

Near the end of the evening we asked the attendees for their "Game Changer Ideas", and although it’s too early to know the full number and range of ideas that were submitted, from the ones that were voiced, it’s clear that there will be many ideas for positive steps forward for the Town and the Villages. We commit to organizing those ideas into achievable goals.

Keep an eye on this site for follow-up information and dates for meetings to discuss how to implement the ideas. To get the latest updates, click here and we will add your email to the mailing list.

Even if you were unable to attend the workshop, we still want to hear from you. Please leave your comments below. We urge you to come out to future meetings and work sessions. Help us create a beautiful future for our hometown.

Questions or comments? Post them below or email us here: info@community2gether.org

Village Workshops

Thanks to all who came out for the Village Workshops! In November we met in the Villages of Florida, Greenwood Lake, and Warwick. The ideas and comments shared at these 3 meetings were a vital step in the visioning process and were used to inform the Town-wide Workshop in December and ultimately in the Vision and Implementation Plan report.

Survey Results Preview

Here's a taste of what will be presented at the Community Voices Workshops on November 13th, 14th, 16th, and December 11th. The results of the survey will be the basis upon which we build a vision and plan for our 3 Villages and the Town. Please come and join the discussion, let us know YOUR vision for the next 20 years in the Warwick Valley.

Join us at a Workshop to discuss these and other findings, even if you did not take part in the recent survey. Your voice deserves to be heard.

A Message From Mayor Jesse Dwyer →

Thank you for participating in the town-wide visioning survey that was recently completed. Residents in Greenwood Lake represented a large portion of respondents and that shows how much we care about the future of our community.

I would like to invite you to participate in the Visioning Forum that will take place next Tuesday, November 14th from 7pm - 9pm in the Greenwood Lake Middle School Cafeteria. There will be a presentation about where the visioning project is right now, where it is heading, and ways in which your voices and contributions can still be implemented within the plan. 

For more information on this visioning project, please visit www.community2gether.org or their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/community2gether/. 

All the best, 

Mayor Dwyer

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“Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better.”

— Studs Terkel

A Message From Mayor Michael Newhard

The three Villages and the Town of Warwick with the help of Community 2000 have been working together on a Town-wide Visioning. The next step will be the community Voices Workshop which is a facilitated gathering of information relevant to the specific municipal entity. This is a moment we can meet as a community and help shape the shared vision for our Villages and Town. There will be four meetings in the next few weeks. The first meeting is specifically for the Village of Warwick which will be  this Monday Nov. 13th 7:00 – 9:00 pm at the Warwick Middle School Cafeteria, 225 West St. This workshop is open to all Village Residence and I urge you to bring a neighbor – the value of this workshop is the diversity of ideas so please pass this invitation on.  We live in a remarkable Village and this is an opportunity to help create a vision for the future.

For more information please visit www.community2gether.org or their face book page http://facebook.com/community2gether/

I’m looking forward to the Workshop and I hope to see you there!

Very truly,

Mayor Newhard

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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

— Margaret Mead

Visioning Survey Shatters Expectations With 1,794 Responses

The Community Survey which closed this week, generated almost 1,800 responses from all over the Warwick Valley community. When the Survey launched at the end of August, Visioning consultant Gianni Longo was hoping for 1,000 responses. Upon hearing the final tally, Longo said, “That’s really a great number, one of the best I’ve seen. It shows how much people in this community care about what’s happening now and in the future.” 

All respondents answered questions about the Town of Warwick as a whole. For those who lived in Florida, Greenwood Lake or the Village of Warwick, there were additional questions that focused on those villages. There were questions about the greatest strengths, challenges, and opportunities. In addition, specific areas such as growth, the local economy, education, taxes, and the environment were raised. Longo added, “When a large number of residents think about what they do and don’t want in the future, when they put forth specific ideas, it provides critical input for local leaders and the community at large to plan the right way.” 

Community2gether organizers were especially gratified with the broad diversity represented by the responses. In addition to the three Villages, Pine Island and the other hamlets, surveys came from the Hispanic, African-American and Asian communities, from newcomers and people who’d lived in the community for generations, from high school students and people well into their 80’s, and from farmers, merchants, families, and singles. 

Two organizations played key roles

Getting surveys into the hands of key demographic segments of the community was critical to its overall success and two local groups stepped up to the challenge. The Warwick Valley School District took advantage of the back-to-school season to make sure parents knew about the survey and its importance. In addition, the Leadership class in the High School not only took the survey, but they are considering working with Community2gether organizers to lead a modified version of the Visioning in the High School. 

The other group to make a huge difference in survey responses was HRH Care, also known as The Alamo, the organization that works closely with farm workers and the local Hispanic population. Kathy Brieger, the HRH Care Executive Director, not only got the survey translated into Spanish, she also encouraged many Alamo community members to take it. Brieger commented poignantly about how meaningful this was for many, “Some of these people have lived here for more than 25 years and were never asked about what they needed!”

Next step: Community Visioning Meetings

The 1,791 responses to the Visioning Survey will lead to the next step in the process: Community Visioning meetings which will be held in each of the three Villages in November and then a Town-wide meeting in early December. At these meetings, community members will gather and, using the Survey data, work together to map out specific ideas, projects and strategies for each area. Specifics of the meetings are:

— Mon Nov 13: Village of Warwick, 7 - 9 PM at the Warwick Middle School Cafeteria

— Tue Nov 14: Village of Greenwood Lake, 7 - 9 PM at the GWL Middle School Cafeteria

— Thu Nov 16: Village of Florida, 7 - 9 PM at the Florida Senior Center

— Mon Dec 11: Town of Warwick, 7 - 9 PM at the Warwick Middle School Cafeteria  

This Visioning Process is something that happens roughly once every 25 years. When it was last conducted in 1993, it led to many positive changes including the Farmers Markets, the preserved farmland, and a new Master Plan among many other things. Now in 2017, with Master Plans throughout the Villages and the Town being either redone or updated, the input from community residents is especially important, and that input will come from these Community Voices meetings. 

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“Community is much more than belonging to something; it’s about doing something together that makes belonging matter.”

— Brian Solis

The Town of Warwick and the Villages of Florida, Greenwood Lake, and Warwick, in conjunction with Community 2000, have begun a town-wide survey of its citizens. The survey launched on September 10th and will run through October 16th. 

Wow!!!

We started this visioning process with the lofty goal of 1,000 surveys taken. Thanks to all of you, we have bested that goal and reached 1,794 entries! On top of that, the comments that were posted here on the community2gether website and Facebook have also been noted and entered into the mix of ideas. You can still join the continuing discussion online, and we encourage you to be a part of the next phase of the visioning. 

Stay tuned, the Community Voices Workshops will be starting in mid-November!

Thank you!

Any More Ideas?

Have you taken the survey, hit the submit button... and now you've just thought of another GREAT idea? We still want to hear what you have to say! Please comment below. Share your evolving vision for our hometown. From Pine Island to Greenwood Lake, Sterling Forest to Florida... keep those ideas coming! 

Greenwood Lake's Take

If you live in the Village of Greenwood Lake, we need to hear from you! This is your place to weigh in.

What do you love about living in Greenwood Lake? What would you like to see happen here for the future of the village and for our town?  

Please post your thoughts below. Thank you!

Florida Weighs In

If you live in the Village of Florida, we need to hear from you! This is your place to weigh in.

What do you love about living in Florida? What would you like to see happen here for the future of the village and for our town?  

Please post your thoughts below. Thank you!

Village of Warwick Sharing

If you live in the Village of Warwick, we need to hear from you! This is your place to weigh in.

What do you love about living in the village? What would you like to see happen there for the future of the Village of Warwick and for our town?  

Please post your thoughts below. Thank you!

Your Hamlet Speaks

“Sometimes you gotta create what you want to be a part of.”

— Geri Weitzman

If you live in any of the beautiful little hamlets in the Town of Warwick, we need to hear from you! Amity, Bellvale, Edenville, Greenwood Forest Farms, Little York, New Milford, Pine Island, Sterling Forest... and all of the other small communities that add to the diversity and richness of the Warwick Valley, this is your place to weigh in.

What do you love about living in your hamlet? What would you like to see happen there for the future of your community and for our town?  

Please post your thoughts below. Thank you!

Town of Warwick Thoughts

“Participate! This is your Town and Villages, what do you want to see for its future?”

— Michael Sweeton, Town Supervisor

If you live in the Town Of Warwick, we need to hear from you! This is your place to weigh in.

What do you love about living in Warwick? What would you like to see happen here for the future of our town?  

Please post your thoughts below. Thank you!

Masquerade Fundraiser!

As ideas continue flowing in through the website, we want to prepare for the projects that will blossom from our visioning efforts. We may need assistance from an attorney, guidance from professional planners, or other services.

Community 2000 is hosting a Masquerade Party to raise funds for the visioning process’ critical next steps. This is a costume party - so dress up in whatever wacky way you choose -  and we can hardly wait to see the get-ups you wear!

You can purchase your tickets here.

If you prefer to pay at the door (cash or check made out to Community 2000), please send your RSVP to info@community2gether.org  

We hope you can join us for an evening of fun and fundraising, but if you can’t come, please consider making a donation to keep the work going. You can do that through Paypal (click "Donate" below) or if you prefer, mail a check to Community 2000, P.O. Box 1270, Warwick, NY 10990.
 
With our thanks for your participation and support,
 
Roger Moss
President, Community 2000

Come to the Kick-Off Party!

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The Together Kick-Off Party was a success! 

Community 2000 Board Members

Coordinating Council and Town Officials

Together Kick-off Event

The crowd listens to the speakers.

Roger Moss, Community 2000 President

Town Supervisor, Michael Sweeton speaks.

Press Release - September 2017

Community Vision Project to kick off with potluck picnic

Community 2000, Warwick’s community development non-profit, along with Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton, Mayors Jesse Dwyer, Greenwood Lake, Michael Newhard, Warwick, and Jim Pawliczek, Florida will host a potluck picnic party to kick off the 2017 Community Visioning survey. 

The family-friendly event, is to be held on Sunday, September 10 from 3-6 PM at Warwick Town Park on Union Corners Rd. Children of all ages are welcome. 

The name of the Community Visioning project is “TOGETHER: Building Tomorrow Today.” The process invites everyone who lives or works anywhere in the Warwick Valley to think about how they would like to see their community develop over the next 20 years. 

The public is encouraged to share their ideas by completing a survey that will be posted on the TOGETHER website - www.community2gether.org  – starting the following day. The survey will ask questions about the quality of life throughout the Warwick Valley. It will take only 7 or 8 minutes to complete and will be totally anonymous. Community 2000 is hoping for at least 1,000 completed surveys before the end of September. 

Survey results will be posted on the TOGETHER website. Public meetings will be scheduled in November to review survey results, suggest additions, and prioritize preliminary community goals to serve as the foundation of the TOGETHER vision. 

“It’s up to YOU, the public, to imagine what the Warwick Valley has the potential to achieve. It will be as bold as your imagination! Learn more when you join us for the kick-off potluck picnic party,” adds Community 2000 President Roger Moss.