Dear Fellow Retired Sergeant,

Ordinarily, I would at this time be extending
our spring greetings. We would be discussing
the return of our snowbirds, Easter, Passover,
and of course our annual Spring Meeting on
Staten Island. We would be announcing our guest
speaker during this important election year.
We would be planning and setting up for our
June General Meeting in the Bronx and urging
our members to attend the SBA Annual Family
Picnic at Nansen Park. We would also, and most
importantly, be working our legislative agenda.
As they say in the movie romances; “Fate takes
a hand”. More appropriately, the Communist
Chinese took a hand. We here in the United
States are working our way through a dangerous
pandemic. The COVID-19/Coronavirus has taken
over our lives. No need for me to describe to
you what our everyday lives have become over
these past weeks. Needless to say, the work of
your RSA has been seriously obstructed, as has
been every aspect of American life. Businesses,
government agencies, unions representing
workers, even the manner in which we shop for
our everyday items has changed. Temporarily.

This year, thanks to the efforts of our Legislative
Rep. Frank Martarella, we had a very promising
outlook in Albany. Several of our bills looked
good for possible passage. A number of our
legislators had signed on to our legislation and
we seemed to be moving forward. Unfortunately,
Albany is unable to function normally during
this emergency. We of course have prepared
ourselves for when things in the legislature
returns to a semblance of normalcy. Until then,
we must all do our best to keep safe and healthy
by complying with the directions coming from
the administration and the CDC. Thankfully,
the U.S. is led by a proactive President in Donald
Trump, who very early on restricted entry
into the U.S. from China and soon after from
Europe. He created a panel of experts under
the supervision of the Vice President, which
has kept us informed and worked to reduce the
spread of the virus. Had he not acted so quickly
and decisively, I’m sure that this virus would
have had a much more devastating impact.

In the interest of safety and in compliance
with requirements of social distancing, we
are postponing our scheduled April 29, 2020
General Membership Meeting on Staten Island.
We hope we can reschedule for some time in
June on Staten Island. We hope that by then
the SBA Picnic at Nansen Park will be held on
schedule. In the mean time, we will continue
to work as best we can to provide the service
you deserve. Our phones are open, our website
available, and emails functioning. Please do not
hesitate to contact us for any of your needs. This
thing touches all of us. Even some of our own
board have been touched by the virus. Seems
no one is immune. So please follow the protocol
set forth and be safe. Let’s all follow the basic
rules of social distancing, and frequent hand
washing and general common sense. Contact
any of us if you have concerns. Stay well and we
will all come out of this terrible time together.

This is a hell of a way to celebrate our 25th
anniversary year!!

Until we meet again.

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your
President.

Fraternally,

Patsy A. Noto
RSA President