With so much doom and gloom and negativity dominating the headlines, how refreshing it is to pause for a moment to recognize the goodwill and enormous generosity of a Tarrytown resident who seeks no publicity but has dedicated much of her long life to making the world a better place.

Kathryn Wasserman Davis is 102 years young and has the smile of a school girl that radiates and grabs the hearts of everyone privileged to be in her presence. A true inspiration in every way.

She had the fortune of marrying a Wall Street legend, Shelby Cullom Davis, and throughout their lives they donated large sums of money to promote global understanding and peace through education, children’s health and well-being and preserving land in the Hudson Valley.

Mrs. Davis has said she loves the water because it constantly changes and challenges us and admits to having “an 80-year love affair with the Hudson River.” To demonstrate that passion, two years ago she pledged $4 million to Scenic Hudson to renovate a former bathhouse at Kingsland Point Park in Sleepy Hollow into a modern facility for education and recreation. (She has also pledged another $1 million to build a park in Tarrytown.)

While the new RiverWalk Center will bear her name, that’s not what she’s about. Never confuse her with Donald Trump. She doesn’t seek fanfare. She simply receives joy and satisfaction from giving back and helping others.

There’s a lot that can be learned from the examples set by Kathryn Wasserman Davis. Few may be as wealthy, but the more people give back to a community with time, talent and genuine concern, the richer it will be.