logo
Google Play App Store
Log In subscribe and/or renew Eeditions
  • Home
  • E-Edition
    • This Week Newspaper
    • Archives
    • Local Shops
    • This is Westfield
    • Search the Archives
  • News
  • Opinions
  • Sports
  • Community
    • Life Events
    • Community Calendar
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Classified
  • Legals
  • Advertise
    • Advertorial
    • Paid Political
    • Sponsored Content
  • subscribe and/or renew
  • Contact
    • Home
    • E-Edition
      • This Week Newspaper
      • Archives
      • Local Shops
      • This is Westfield
      • Search the Archives
    • News
    • Opinions
    • Sports
    • Community
      • Life Events
      • Community Calendar
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Obituaries
      • Submit an Obituary
    • Classified
    • Legals
    • Advertise
      • Advertorial
      • Paid Political
      • Sponsored Content
    • subscribe and/or renew
    • Contact
  • Home
  • E-Edition
    • This Week Newspaper
    • Archives
    • Local Shops
    • This is Westfield
    • Search the Archives
  • News
  • Opinions
  • Sports
  • Community
    • Life Events
    • Community Calendar
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Obituaries
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Classified
  • Legals
  • Advertise
    • Advertorial
    • Paid Political
    • Sponsored Content
  • subscribe and/or renew
  • Contact
    • Home
    • E-Edition
      • This Week Newspaper
      • Archives
      • Local Shops
      • This is Westfield
      • Search the Archives
    • News
    • Opinions
    • Sports
    • Community
      • Life Events
      • Community Calendar
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Obituaries
      • Submit an Obituary
    • Classified
    • Legals
    • Advertise
      • Advertorial
      • Paid Political
      • Sponsored Content
    • subscribe and/or renew
    • Contact
Can You Meet Me for Coffee?
Paid Political
Bonnie Stewart - Westfield on
April 28, 2021
Can You Meet Me for Coffee?

“Can you meet me for coffee? I have an idea”. So it begins, Dawn Mackey has put her mind to a project. Although this simple question may seem like she is just conceiving it, this powerhouse Councilwoman is many steps ahead in her mind. She sees the entire event unfolding, smiling children, happy parents, the town coming together for a morning, a day, an evening to celebrate, Westfield, our restaurants, our downtown, an underserved park, and while you are hearing about this one event, Dawn is planning others in her mind. These will be revealed when the time is right.

I believe that what makes Westfield great are the connections we have to each other. Dawn is a leader that makes opportunities for connections. AddamsFest is a great example. Charles Addams grew up in Westfield. His legacy has been there for other administrations to enhance. However, it was this administration, and, in particular Dawn, who had the vision to create an event that touched the various age groups and interests of the residents of Westfield. The event featured an ale garden for the adults, miniature golf for the kids with holes themed after the Addams family—created by local builders, red carpet movies at the Rialto, original Charles Addams artwork and drawings located at the Ward Mansion where the exhibit could take on the elegance worthy of Gomez and Morticia. The capstone event, the masquerade ball, was complete with eerie drinks that smoked. It took the creativity of Dawn Mackey to come up with these ideas and it took her tenacity, business sense and hours and hours of work to bring this to fruition. Dawn looked to volunteers in town to bring this event together and to make it special to everyone who helped.

AddamsFest is just one of Dawn’s ideas. The Chili and Chowderfest highlighted many of our downtown restaurants, the Wicked Windows at Halloween showcase our talented artists and the Gingerbread houses highlight our many bakers. The Butterflies exhibit is a great example of Dawn’s vision bringing a spotlight on Westfield and drawing visitors from all over to photograph themselves at this public art exhibition. Not only do events like these bring people to our town for the day to enjoy our restaurants and shops, but it also makes our town desirable as a potential place to live and raise a family.

Dawn is also exceptionally attuned to the both the concerns and needs of residents in regards to Tamaques Park. When I was moving to Westfield I asked a friend living here already, “What’s this Tamaques Park I hear so much about?” She described it as “Westfield’s own Central Park”. Truly, what an apt description. Not only is the park a naturally landscaped gem, but it also evokes the same hustle and movement of NYC’s central park where every inch has some special use. As plans for the park evolve, Dawn has not waited to beautify some areas of the park that needed an extra touch to make them special again. This past summer, during the Pandemic, she conceived and oversaw the painting of the bocce court as well as the beautification of the gazebo area including painting the picnic tables and the incorporation of a giant compass on the floor. The cost effective project created with the artistic talents of some of our local Ward 4 residents adds charm to an area of the park that had been overlooked for years.

I personally appreciate all of the hard work Dawn has done on behalf of Westfield. I hope you agree that Dawn should be reelected to another 4 years on Town Council. The entire town will benefit and I just can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next. And if you get that call to meet for coffee, you can bet there is something exciting on her mind.

ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
ePaper
coogle_play
app_store
Most Read
Main, News
1958 Cuban Cuisine Reopens Following Mandated Closure
By KATIE MOEN 
Thursday, September 11, 2025
WESTFIELD — 1958 Cuban Cuisine, a Westfield restaurant that was cited for unsanitary conditions last month, has reopened with a satisfactory rating af...
this is a test
Main
Clark BOE Prepares for Referendum, Nov. Election
By KATIE MOEN 
Thursday, September 11, 2025
CLARK — Clark residents will be heading to the polls next week to weigh in on a $34.8 million bond referendum that school officials say will help to c...
this is a test
Summit Area Old Guard To Host Guest Speaker
Community, News
Summit Area Old Guard To Host Guest Speaker
Thursday, September 11, 2025
AREA – On Tuesday, September 16, at 9:30 a.m., The Summit Area Old Guard will welcome our member James T. Clemens, PhD, physicist and former AT&T empl...
this is a test
Paid Political
Westfield Would be Lucky to Have a Mayor Like Jeremy Berman
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
I am proud to submit this letter in support of Jeremy Berman for mayor. My family and I moved to Westfield in the summer of 2020—a time that was anyth...
this is a test
Imagine and Fairview Offer Event for Grieving Families
Community
Imagine and Fairview Offer Event for Grieving Families
Thursday, September 11, 2025
MOUNTAINSIDE — For the past few years, Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss has been proud to partner with Fairview Cemetery to offer a butterfly re...
this is a test
This site complies with ADA requirements

© Copyright The The Westfield Leader

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy
This site complies with ADA requirements

© Copyright The The Westfield Leader