To the editor:
So often, editorials are written by the disgruntled and discouraged. I am writing to you, however, to share a wonderful experience my son and I had with the director of the Hillsborough Department of Parks and Recreation, Mr. Rich Resavy.
Early in August, my son Ryan returned home from a beautiful day of golf instruction at Neshanic Valley Golf Club. He was upset to find that the grass in Surrey Field, upon which our backyard borders, was well over a foot tall.
On nice weather days over the past few years, Ryan had spent hours hitting golf balls from our backyard into this field and an almost equal amount of time scouring the field to retrieve them. With the grass so long, however, Ryan knew that retrieval would be a futile effort.
Rather than be angry and passive, I encouraged Ryan to write a letter. So he did write to Mr. Resavy in pencil on lined, three-holed paper. Ryan asked if, for his own sake and the sake of other children he had watched ride bikes, play ball or play AirSoft in the field, Mr. Resavy the township could maintain shorter grass in this field. With shorter grass, the field could once again be used for recreation by the neighborhood children.
The day after Ryan mailed that letter, Ryan returned home to find a huge tractor mowing the grass in Surrey Field. He was elated! He immediately ran outside and began to hit golf balls. Later that week, he commented as he saw kids biking through once again.
A week or so later, Ryan received a professional, typed letter from Mr. Resavy on township letterhead. It thanked Ryan for bringing the unkempt nature of the field to his attention and assured him that it would be maintained on a more regular basis.Perhaps the timing of that first mowing was a wonderful coincidence. I like to think that Mr. Resavy had a hand in calling an active crew and asking them to attend to the matter as soon as possible. Either way, my son learned a valuable lesson in active citizenship.
I want to personally and publicly thank Mr. Resavy for the professional, efficient and effective way in which he handled a 9-year-old boy’s plea,
From a mother who is trying to raise a productive and responsible son, I appreciate his effort.
Dana Goldan Sealander
Hillsborough

