My Letter To The Town Of Hempstead

Dear Sir or Madam,

Before I start, I would first like to thank you for offering this forum to make my voice heard. I would also like to thank everyone who has helped get the Lighthouse Project to this point. As a 27-year-old who has spent plenty of time questioning his future on Long Island, these efforts are greatly appreciated.

When my parents introduced me to the world in 1981 and christened me with the name Bryan (after Islanders legend Bryan Trottier), it was more than just a way to honor their favorite hockey player. It was their way of expressing what Long Island meant to them. Both of my parents were born and raised on Long Island. They married on Long Island and raised their family on Long Island. By naming me after one of Long Island's most cherished figures, they were passing the tradition of Long Island down to me. As such, my ties to both Long Island and the New York Islanders run deep.

That said, after 27 years on Long Island, I've come to a crossroads. I have a wife and daughter of my own, and their needs come before any connection I may have to my parents, my namesake, or anything else. Like most of my friends, I'm stuck at a crummy job, in debt up to my eyeballs, and paying way too much in rent for way too little space. The dream of owning a home on Long Island is a dream that died a long time ago. If the right opportunity came along to improve my family's quality of life elsewhere, I regret to say I'd leave in a heartbeat.

The Lighthouse represents a glimmer of hope to us jaded 20-somethings who feel that Long Island has done very little for them - and deservedly so. By catering to the wealthy, Long Island has essentially held the door open for people in my predicament, encouraging us to leave the only place we've called home. The Lighthouse is a sign that Long Island cares about us, that it wants us to stay. It's the kind of reciprocation many of us have been waiting for. It might not be enough to keep some of us on Long Island, but it will help ensure future generations that there is a place for them on Long Island.

While young people are an important part of the future of Long Island, this future must also include the New York Islanders. Everybody knows that the Islanders are the only major professional team on Long Island, but that's only one portion of their relevance. In many ways, everybody who lives on Long Island can claim ownership of this team. Every time a person wears an Islanders jersey or Islanders hat, they are representing Long Island, and they should be proud to wear the colors of this team. The community work done by the Islanders changes lives on a daily basis, and the Islanders deserve to know that they will be able to continue to make a difference on Long Island. The Lighthouse would only enhance the Islanders' contributions to Long Island; it would also significantly increase loyalty of Long Islanders to the team and, by extension, Long Island as a whole.

In closing, I would like to reiterate the importance of reaching out to Long Island's next generation. The young people of Long Island are capable of doing some amazing things. Like the Islanders, they can make Long Island proud, just as they should be proud to represent Long Island. Approval of the Lighthouse would be a clear message to these young people that they can look forward to a bright future on Long Island. As for my family, we remain at a crossroads. But the knowledge that Long Island is committed to my generation's future just might convince me to stick around.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Bryan Berg

Hicksville, N.Y.

www.nyhockeyrivalry.com