Citizens group seeks to save landmark

Many thanks for your ''Don't build on golf course'' editorial, which suggested that officials should consider the Fort Homestead for use as a community center.

A local nonprofit citizens group is forming to encourage and work with the town in efforts to preserve, restore, rehabilitate and reconstruct the Fort Homestead as a living history education center.

Our first goal would be to encourage the town to accept the homestead from Ginsburg Development, as they have offered publicly, for a nominal fee. Then we'd work with the town and volunteers to ensure the homestead is placed on the state and national historic registers, and seek grants and benefactors, and conduct fund-raisers. These funds would help preserve and restore the homestead with contractors and volunteers working in conjunction with experts in the field, with the ultimate goal being to open to the public the historic Fort Homestead as a living history center and ensure its preservation for generations to come.

Anyone interested in joining the ''Fort Family Homestead Association'' as a charter member or has services they can offer as a volunteer should contact me at 845-462-1932, e-mail wolf6pack@aol.com , or Virginia Buechele at 845-452-6417, e-mail ginnyflies@usa.net . An organizational meeting will be held in the near future to which the community will be invited.

Together we can make a lasting contribution to our community.

Judy A. Wolf, Poughkeepsie