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DECEMBER 28, 2023 - JANUARY 3, 2024
Vol. 35 No. 1
HERALD PERSON oF THE YEAR KAthy BAxley
A force for change in the community What’s INSIDE
Students bring Christmas cheer to Sandel seniors Page 3
Elks present firefighter appreciation award Page 7
St. Agnes hosts tree-lighting ceremony Page 25
Kathy Baxley is not only the village’s deputy mayor, but a tireless volunteer By Daniel Offner
It doesn’t take a politician to effectuate change in a community. All it requires is the commitment to roll up your sleeves and try to help improve other people’s lives. That is how Kathleen Baxley, who was a schoolteacher for nearly 30 years, first caught the attention of Rockville Centre Mayor Francis X. Murray. “Deputy Mayor Baxley embodies everything good about our great village,” Murray said. “She selflessly gives of her time and energy to benefit all who live and visit Rockville Centre … Her invaluable service to our village makes a positive impact in and around our community. I am proud to not just work alongside her every day, but to ockville call her my friend.” Centre is It is because of Baxley’s unwavering efforts to improve the community that a community the Herald is proud to name her its where people 2023 Person of the Year. help each other Baxley, 59, was appointed deputy mayor in June 2017. She came highly and support recommended for the role because of each other. her work as a volunteer, although she says she never had any intention of Kathy Baxley getting involved in politics. Rockville Centre “The mayor reached out to me and deputy mayor asked me if I would consider filling in an open seat on the village board,” she recalled. “It never even crossed my mind … but after several weeks of meetings and discussion, I agreed to do it.” Baxley had served on several PTA boards in the village school district, as well as a number of committees and organizations, including the Rockville Centre Education Foundation, the Breast Cancer Coalition, the RVC Sponsors of the Arts, the No Place for Hate committee at South Side High School and the St. Agnes Parish Gala committee. She was a Girl Scout troop leader for more than a decade, a Cub Scout den leader for five years, and was instrumental in launching the RVC Moms community Facebook group in 2012, with the goal of helping parents in the school district find recommendations or advice from others online. What began as a small group of parents — 20 moms from the school district — saw its membership skyrocket. Today RVC Moms is
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nearly 4,000 members strong. “It has been a very positive group for many people,” Baxley said. “They’re an amazing group of women who help and support each other. Looking at it right now, there are (posts) for toy drives and support drives for rescue animals.” She recalled that during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, while many people were without power, others were logging into social media for updates on the storm. RVC Moms also played a big role during the coronavirus shutdown. As a way of thanking essential workers, Baxley reached out to James McDonald, the owner of Lost Dog Art and Frame Company, about creating and selling signs in appreciation of their hard work. The signs sold for $20, and all of the proceeds were used to purchase meals for police and firefighters as well as sanitation, health care, utility, postal and grocery store workers. Once Baxley shared the idea with RVC Moms, donations came pouring in. In virtually no time, McDonald had orders for 200 signs, followed by another order for 300 more. “I like to give back,” Baxley said. “I like to do for others. Ev-
Continued on page 2 Ben Strack/Herald
Rockville Centre Deputy Mayor Kathy Baxley, pictured above during a female empowerment event at Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth, is the Herald’s 2023 Person of the Year, honored for her tireless work in the community.