Mayor McDonald Shares a Lifetime of Malverne Memories

For nearly four years, Patricia Norris-McDonald has been serving as mayor of Malverne, a place where she was born and raised, and has watched her son grow. She is very proud of her roots and shared with Patch a lifetime of fun-filled memories she has of growing up in Malverne.

As a child, McDonald attended Kindergarten at James A. Dever Elementary School, and then spent the rest of her elementary school years at .

"I remember the summer recreation program that Dever has for the kids, and when I went to Our Lady of Lourdes they would have the Christmas choir concerts and the spring concerts," McDonald recalled.

Our Lady of Lourdes had many opportunities for its children, she said. She remembers "having fun on the ski trips, [and playing] sports like volleyball and basketball."

McDonald was an avid basketball player, who went on to become a referree for the sport as she got older.

"It was fun playing the game and then calling the plays," she added.

One of her fondest memories of growing up in this community was the days spent simply playing in the street.

"Our community was and still is safe," McDonald said. "There were no worries...everyone knew each other and looked for each other too."

The holiday season has always been a special time of the year for Malverne residents.

Although the Lighting of Malverne started when McDonald was older, she remembers Santa visiting her childhood home in the Westwood section of Malverne. During the Christmas season, she explained, the Westwood Civic Association sent Santa to the houses of children in Westwood.

"This special event still goes on and my son Conor helps with it," the mayor said.

Like many residents in Malverne, Mayor McDonald also has fond memories of , where she would go with her mom to buy vegetables and flowers. 

Mayor McDonald has enjoyed growing up in the village and watching her own family flourish here. She has experienced so many great things in Malverne that have left a lasting impression on her and strives to do the same for her fellow residents, especially the youth of the village.

She said, "I enjoy seeing the joy in the children's faces and knowing that Malverne is still a safe and caring community."