​I am in the process of reading the essays on your Sunnyside website.  They are well written and evocative.  The site is a creative masterpiece and an historical document.  As a Woodside guy well but superficially acquainted with The Gardens, I never realized its significance as a social and political community.  While I warmly remember many of my neighbors and the stores on Roosevelt Avenue (and some on Skillman), the memories don't have the social and emotional significance that those on your website evoke even in me.  Congratulations.   And to the contributors - well done! 

Al Sils, August 21, 2020

 

Mazeltov on your achievement!  I look forward to reading the pieces.  Deborah Heller

 

A truly extraordinary piece of work! Everlasting thanks.  Jim Perlstein

 

I had no idea that this would have been such an ambitious undertaking for you.  So much rich material here, far more than I can digest in one sitting. I am eager to plow through all the stories over several sittings. Thanks, Ruth, for making this happen.   Susan E. Meyer

 

Thanks so much.  I am looking forward to taking a trip back in time to a land of fond memories!   Bill Woolf

 

Wow! Can't wait to sit down with a glass of wine and read through it all. 

Lynn (Vogel) Wilson

 

I’m SO delighted to get this today, just the pic you selected for the home page is wonderful and so evocative of the season we’re currently slipping into…Now I’m going to feast on what you’ve done which will hopefully inspire me to get my P.S. 11 material down in readable form.   Peter Straus

 

I just got this and just began to read it and look at the pictures and have only seen a small part, but I want to thank you right way, very much, for doing this.  You have done a great job.  Stephen Fisher

 

Congratulations!  I’ve only read a few, but I’ve enjoyed them.  Marjorie (Godlin) Roemer

 

I am overwhelmed by your gift to us Sunnysiders and the world. Thank you for your time, determination and love.  In deep appreciation, Paul Friedlander

 

Though I've only had time to read a small portion, what I've seen so far is AMAZING!!  Thank you, thank you for the time and energy you put into this project - and during growing season.  Planning to print the stories so I'll have them forever.  Maria DeFina McAndrew

 

It is a remarkable document.  Lenox (Lee) Stonehill

​

I sent you another note but this is just absolutely fabulous. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed going through it which I will do over and over. Thank you so much.  Steven Wolfe

​

You've done a wonderful job!!!  Linda (Millet) Herman

​

The pictures and stories are fascinating Ruth!  Thanks for sharing!  Katie Porter

​

Lovely! Thanks and congrats!!!  Angelica Feigin

​

Thanks much. I know the stories are inherently interesting and I'll check them out. 

Gene Wildman

​

Thanks Ruth. Didn't have a chance to read it yet....it looks beautiful. Maddy Federman

​

I did it and loved it. Great idea and you did a wonderful job. What fun to read all those thoughts of long ago…What a pleasure to read and then reading all the works from others in the 'neighborhood'.  What a great day!   Ann (Anluise Williams) Wyrick

​

Thanks Ruth for working so hard for all of us...Suzanne (Frank) Ruta

​

A lot to read in one sitting, but I have enjoyed what I’ve read so far and I really liked the slide show.  Susan E. Meyer

​

A spectacular job, Ruth!  Thank-you so much for pulling this together, making it happen, and tolerating my procrastination!  Nora (Straus) Albert

​

I've been greatly enjoying reading the stories and seeing the pictures.  What I've been finding is that we all shared a common experience - and, for the most part, what a wonderful experience it was.  Sunnyside sure was a treasure and I thank you so very much for bringing back all the fond memories...Bill Woolf

​

Thank you for the Sunnyside Stories-- they brought back so many memories…Seeing the class pictures and looking at the names brought back lots of memories and it was a joy to read other people's stories-- thank you so much for including me in the list of people you sent them to!  Victoria (Woskoff) Bestock

​

Many thanks for the wonderful Sunnyside website. Haven't read all the essays yet but enjoying the ones I read.  Fun to see all the photos.  Thank you for adding the Dodger photos to my addition.  Adria (Fisher) Price

​

Congratulations on a magnificent work!  I am taking you up on your offer to accept more contributions even after launch of the project.  Lee Stonehill

 

Congratulations on such a full and appealing Web site…I'm looking forward to reading everything, and I've already looked at many of your nice photos.  Herb Reynolds

​

Ruth, thank you for your story and doing all the work to collect all of ours. I appreciate your fully expressing beautifully the essence of my experience as well.  Laura Lambie-Wallace

​

Your website is fantastic.  Laurie (Beckwith) Wellman

​

Really great material.  Allen Rosenshine

​

I so enjoyed what you forwarded that I sat down and wrote my story.  Lew Katz

​

You have a fascinating project. Many of the people you have written to were good friends, and some are still, so many years later. I lived “across the border”, in Woodside, on 39th Rd between 52 and 54th St. And not for very long, perhaps four years. But most of my friends were from the Sunnyside crew whose names you have.  Roald Hoffman

​

As a lifelong Sunnysider and amateur historian I found this most interesting and that is a mild term. Congradulations are in order to all those who submitted their memories. 

Jack Hubert

​

This is a surprise and a delight. Over the next month I will put together some photos and words. Thanks for your, everyones' efforts!   Eugenie Marek

​

This is absolutely wonderful! What a joy to relive those innocent and wonderful days. 

Nora Wells Weinrich

​

Great stories. I found an old friend.  Victor R. Rolando

​

Thank you for the wonderful pictures...Sunnyside was the best place to grow up and the wonderful pictures bring it all back. Thank you again.  Susan Bottari

​

Wow! I grew up in Sunnyside from 1969 to 2006. My Mom sold the house on 48th st between Skillmann and 39th Ave in 2007.  We are on facebook now with our stories.  I always felt like I was late bloomer in Sunnyside because it had such a rich history, but we put our stamp the map from 1970s, 80s and 90s. 43rd st park was our stomping ground and Queen of Angels home field in Roller Hockey and Soft ball. Thanks for doing this, it was such a great read! I know every inch of Sunnyside, Queens. Many stories of my own.  Ian Weir

​

​It was a real treat to get this collection of images and memories, and to read some of the powerful and poignant essays you have written. As a kid from Jackson Heights, it was Bryant High School that introduced me to the world of Sunnyside Gardens, and its impressive group of new friends and their very interesting families. It was the beginning of my experiencing a wider world, and the formal and informal reunions over the years have reinforced the power and importance of those early friendships for me.  Some of my memories specific to Sunnyside folk:  playing flute and guitar duets with Jay Wolfman; the lovely blue sweater that Carol Zuckerman knitted for me; Dan Shapiro’s father who was a machinist (I think) and also a remarkable painter whose works, years later, I arranged to have exhibited at the Mt. Kisco Public Library; and, more recently, enjoying Fiasco Theater performances together with Naomi Lehman and Grace Polk.

Michael Steinfeld, 12/1/2016