Jeff from Community Park

Jeff Peltz is now a prominent Attorney in Brooklyn, NY and posted this in 1999

In 1959 my parents bought a house in Community Park. I spent every summer there from 1960 through 1971. I also spent many week-ends there. After 1971 I would come by every so often to visit. Community Park consisted of approximately 60 one family ranch style homes, each painted a different color. Our house was pink. I loved that house and the country. I would spend my summers mostly looking at puffy clouds in the blue sky, wandering through the woods surrounding the community, picking berries, walking on the old rail road tracks to Mountaindale or Woodridge, riding my bike even further.

Winters in Mountaindale usually emptied the town, and it seemed that most people either went back to the City or to Florida. The winters were cold and snowy. The autumn was as colorful as any in Vermont. I had good friends in Community Park: Harvey Seinfeld, Mitchell and Mark Needleman, Diane Must and Barbara (formerly Schulman) and her family. Bess, Barbara's mother was like a second mother and Barbara and her brother Paul were like my little brother and sister. I remember spending much time with them hanging out and playing.

In regard to the town of Mountaindale, I remember the old post office. It was a great place, lots of wood and very old fashioned. I remember when the new post office opened. Our box was number 19. I remember Smalls pharmacy and the old candy store (Neiderman's) next to it. I would buy penny candy and play the pinball machines. I remember the old wooden floors. I remember the Gulf station and Ford Dealer in town, Lungen. I remember when the Mustang came out in the summer of, I believe, 1965. I remember the first time I ever went to a restaurant without my parents. My friends from the Community and I went to the deli in Moutaindale, near the school. I had a hot dog, which I think was 35 cents and a soda and I was very proud of the five cent tip that I left. I used to love to go to the bakery and get the little cookies with the pink icing on top. The lady at the bakery always had them for me. I remember the year after Woodstock and the excitement about the Mountaindale Festival that almost happened. I remember the water hole outside of town on the way to Ellenville and getting drinking water in gallon glass jugs because the water in the Community was full of sulphur. I am sorry for all of this rambling, but I have lots of warm memories of Mountaindale and its people. I could really go on like this, but I will stop for how.