YOUR SOAP BOX – Kamillah Hanks

KAMILLAH HANKS, STAPLETON Executive Director, Staten Island Downtown Council

Thursday, December 04, 2008Staten Island Advance

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — “Everything about who I am revolves around the Stapleton area: I went to Trinity Lutheran School, my first job was at Bayware Video Store, I was married at First Central Baptist, I vote at the New Family Life Center, I shop at Western Beef and Top Tomato and I work down the street at the Downtown Council . . . I have owned my home on Tappen Court for 11 years.

“What I love about the neighborhood is that I know every single business owner, and I love them. I’ve known the guys in the local bodegas and businesses around Tappen Park forever. I’ve got a credit account with Frank’s Pizza, so they’ll deliver a soda for me and I’ll pay them at the end of the week. I have breakfast at Jerry’s Diner, where they have the best Western omelets, every Sunday. I love the merchants at Beuscher’s flower store, the Shampoo hair salon, the car wash and Dunkin’ Donuts. I walk down the street and they say hello; they know me and they know my four kids.”

Ms. Hanks told us why she loves the neighborhood of Stapleton. We’d like to know what you like about where you live. E-mail us at shores@siadvance.com. Be sure to include “Soap Box” in the subject line.