I would like to thank the Fire Island News for giving me the opportunity to introduce myself to the Fire Island community. I would like to thank the community for the privilege and honor of serving you in the New York State Assembly.

Each assemblyman is assigned to committees based on their background. Based on my background as a retired New York City police officer; an attorney; a past town supervisor and by virtue of my degree in elementary education; I have been assigned the following committees: Judiciary, Codes, Education, Government Employees and I am the ranking member on the Aging committee.

Any assembly office is only as good as the people in the community who are willing to get involved in the process. Many communities throughout the Fifth Assembly District have civic organizations, chambers of commerce, fire departments, or home owners associations, just to name a few, that act as a voice for their community. I would ask everyone to seek out these organizations to help make a difference. The worth of a community is not based on the geography of an area; but rather the people who live and work in any given community, and their willingness to get involved and put forward energy to better their community for the benefit of all who live there.

However, you do not have to be in an organization to have your voice heard. If you have a thought or an idea to help make government more effective for the people it serves, please feel free to contact my office I can be reached by calling 589-8685, or drop me a line by sending your letters to 859 Montauk Hwy., Ste. 1, Bayport, N.Y., 11705.

Let's work together for the benefit of all the people of the Fifth Assembly District.

New York State Assemblyman Alfred C. Graf succeeded Ginny Fields in the Fifth Assembly District; which includes most of Fire Island.