LORDSTOWN Man takes district under his wing

The NYC philanthropist slept in the Lincoln Bedroom during the Clinton administration.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LORDSTOWN -- He's a personal friend of former President Bill and Sen. Hillary Clinton and has adopted the school district as his home away from home.
The relationship between Walter Kaye, a wealthy New York City philanthropist, and the village school district dates to 1998 when high school Principal Larry Crawford read a magazine article about the man. Kaye, 84, a contributor to the Democratic National Committee, had been in the news for getting Monica Lewinsky her White House internship.
The magazine article covered Kaye's contributions to charitable causes. Crawford wrote a letter to Kaye, who's been successful in the insurance industry, telling him about the district. Kaye has since sponsored scholarships and trips to New York and Washington, D.C., for the high school pupils.
He brought lunch to all of the pupils during his visit to the high school Friday.
"He personified the definition of a true friend," Crawford said during an assembly.
Kaye first visited the school in 1998.
"Lordstown has become my adopted town," he said.
'Goodwill ambassador': President Clinton appointed Kaye civilian coordinator to the secretary of the Army, a nonpaid post. President Bush reappointed him this year.
"I'm basically a goodwill ambassador between the public and the U.S. Army," Kaye said.
He calls the post the most exciting job he's ever had.
Although he didn't vote for President Bush, he thinks he's doing a good job and supports his efforts in the war on terrorism. Kaye lives within a few miles of where the World Trade Center towers used to stand and was in the city Sept. 11 when the terrorists attacked.
Kaye, a son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, visited ground zero shortly after the attacks.
"Unless you see it, you can't believe how horrendous it is," he said.
Kaye is invited to the Clintons' annual Christmas parties, has slept in the Lincoln Bedroom and spoke with the former president by telephone earlier this week.
"Chelsea is a living doll," Kaye said. "She's really a great kid and she adores her father."
He suggested Crawford write the former president a letter, asking him to speak to the Lordstown pupils. Kaye said he'll deliver the letter to Clinton.
"He might come," Kaye said. "He just might like the idea."
dick@vindy.com