T IMES
WALLKILL VALLEY
Vol. 35, No 29 3 WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 2017
Mets’
honored
guest
ONE DOLLAR
VC
fashions
Page 34
Page 2
www .W allkill V alley T imes . net
A community mourns
One fallen Marine had strong ties to Montgomery
By MELANIE ZERAH
Sixteen U.S. Military Servicemen
who died in a Mississippi plane crash,
including one from the area, were
remembered Saturday night at a
memorial service.
Gunnery Sgt. Mark A. Hopkins, 34,
of New Windsor, was among those who
died in the July 10 crash. He leaves
behind a wife, Patricia Hopkins, and
three children: Wyatt, Abby and
Lewis. The couple had been married
in Montgomery’s Goodwill Church
and remained active in the church
community, along with Patricia’s
parents Jim and Mildred Ferguson,
“Pastor Josh, Pastor José, and the
entire leadership of Goodwill Church
join me in offering our deepest
condolences to the families, friends,
and colleagues impacted by this tragic
loss,” said Goodwill Pastor John Torres
in a statement posted on the church’s
Facebook page. “God’s Word promises
that the Lord heals the brokenhearted
and is near to those who are crushed in
spirit (Psalm 34:18).”
Hopkins was part of the Marine
Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron
452 (VMGR-452) based out of Stewart
Air National Guard Base in Newburgh.
He joined the U.S. Marine Corps when
he was 18 and served as a navigator.
“Hoppy,” as he was referred to by his
Marine brothers, was based in Okinawa,
Japan with VMGR-152 from 2004-06.
“Mark was a man of the Bible whose
faith in Christ shaped every area of
his life,” read the church’s Facebook
post. “ Mark was a genuine, creative,
compassionate man who exuded
happiness and brightened every room
3
Walden seeks
state grant for
community
center
By TED REMSNYDER
Goodwill Church Facebook Page
Gunnery Sgt. Mark A. Hopkins and his wife Patricia were married in Montgomery’s
Goodwill Church.
he walked into. He loved God, his family,
and reading his Bible. An adventurous,
genuine people-person, Mark had many
talents and hobbies including playing
guitar, running, snowboarding, hiking,
and surfing. He was an avid traveler and
especially enjoyed spur-of-the-moment
road trips — there was never a dull
moment with him. He was a deeply
spiritual man who shared his faith with
others and lived his life to its fullest.
He is most known for his unforgettable,
radiant smile — he was always happy
and had a welcoming presence about
him. He had a knack for always bringing
out the best in others.”
Also killed in the crash of the KC-130T
aircraft were: : Caine M. Goyette, Sean
E. Elliot, Brendan C. Johnson, Joshua
Continued on page 3
Officials and residents in Walden have
long desired a community center to call
their own. So the village is taking another
crack this summer at securing funding
for the proposed community hub, which
would be located in James W. Olley
Community Park.
The village is planning on applying
for a $832,000 grant through the state’s
Consolidated Funding Application (CFA)
that would cover the entire cost of the
project. The application is due by July 28
and Walden could get word on the CFA
grant by December. If the village receives
the funding for the community center,
they’d have one year to build the local
gathering site.
This week, village officials will also
meet with State Senator William Larkin
in hopes of securing money for the
community center project through a SAM
grant. “We’re going to ask him if he can
help us out with any amount so that
would reduce the CFA request,” Village
Manager John Revella said. “Hopefully
that would increase our chances of getting
funding through that program.”
The Walden administration contends
that a community center for the village is
long overdue. “We are the largest village
in the Town of Montgomery, and we’re
the only village right now that does not
have a dedicated community center,”
Walden Mayor Susan Rumbold said. If the
village obtains the money for the center, it
Continued on page 2
SERVING CRAWFORD, GARDINER, MAYBROOK, MONTGOMERY, PINE BUSH, SHAWANGUNK, WALDEN AND WALLKILL