The annual Country Fair, sponsored by the Babylon Beautification Society, is, without exception, one of the most popular and anticipated events of the year. But for the past two years, a controversy has been brewing, and this year it boiled over into a major disagreement.

At the center of the broohaha is the Society, and the American Legion. The two sides have been unable to resolve a disagreement about whether the Legion should be allowed to directly solicit funds at the fair—money that they use to send packages to the troops

By unanimous agreement of the Society's board, the organization stopped all charitable organizations from collecting money at the fair. While the Society still allows the groups to have a table at the fair at no cost, and also allows them to distribute informational material and envelopes for donations, the board believes that by collecting cash, the Society's annual fundraiser would be undermined.

And, it told every local organization that two years ago, including the Legion. Most of the groups understood, said Society President Donna Consola. But the Legion refused to accept the board's decision and continued to press for permission to have a table at the booth and collect money. "We could not allow them to collect money and not allow other groups to do the same," said Consola. "That would not be fair, and would undermine our position."

"A little piece of home is important to these troops who are in a foreign land and fighting for your life and the ideals of your country," said Legion Commander Richard Grispino in a letter outlining the organization's concerns. (See Page 4.) "They (the Society) felt that all money raised that day should go to the Babylon Beautification Society, which purchases all the flowers that decorate our Village. While we are appreciative…we are surprised to hear that flowers would be more important than our troops." The Legion collects money to offset the cost of mailing the packages.

But Society members said that is simply not the case, and that the Legion is attempting to discredit their organization and has taken a hard-line position, refusing to accept any reasonable alternative they offered.

"We had a meeting with them (Legion representatives) to try and resolve this and we offered them several options," said Barbara Keneally, a member of the Society's Board. "They refused everything, and even called us terrible names. Other sources said they charged that the group was being "unAmerican."

Keneally and Consola, as well as other board members, said the Society would make a donation to the Legion, and offered several other alternatives.

"We offered to assist them in holding their own fundraiser for the troops and to advertise for donations for them at our own expense," said Keneally. "They rejected that as well."

Members of the Society said that they do not want to be put into a position of having to determine if one organization is more worthy than another. "They all deal with very important issues," said Keneally. "Whether they are raising money to help a child with cancer, to research cure to breast cancer or to help a woman whose husband suffers from Alzheimers, they are all worthy and we should be able to work together."

"The board believes that it is the Society's fundraiser and to allow other groups to collect money or hold raffles is wrong," said another board member, Rita Walsh. "That's not to say that we don't support the work of the Veterans and the Troops and every other group in the Village and appreciate what they are doing because we do."

Legion members continue to be angry at the Society's position, however, and said they considered picketing the fair this year, but decided against it. Instead, they got permission to have a table in front of the Masonic Hall, which is next to the fair, but did not collect what they would have collected had they had a table and solicited funds at the fair. As a result, the Legion is trying to apply public pressure on the Society's board to get them to change their mind for next year, and is asking the public for support.

"We love our country and we love our Village…we have never seen the citizens of Babylon turn their backs on someone in need and we don't want to start now," said Grispino.

Keneally said she is surprised that the Legion has taken the issue to such lengths and believes that the organization's position discounts the efforts of every other organization in the Village that is also doing good work. "We have always tried to take the high road and do the right thing for the Village," said Keneally, who joined the organization in 1977. "I don't understand why they (the Legion) would intentionally try to discredit us in this way."