The Goods

Details: Written by Stacie M. Waldman; Published: 28 February 2015; Created: 28 February 2015; Last Updated: 02 March 2015; Hits: 15337

If you think you've heard enough stories of people who survived the Holocaust, you have not heard Martin Greenfield's story. If you think you've heard enough stories of people who dress celebrities and presidents, you have not heard Martin Greenfield's story. His is a unique and powerful one: one of family, survival, sheer luck, and the belief in the greatness of America. On March 26th, Mr. Greenfield will be speaking at the JCC of mid-Westchester and you won't want to miss the opportunity to hear this man's unforgettable journey from concentration camp victim to master custom men's tailor to Hollywood A-listers and U.S. Presidents.

I was given the honor of being invited to sit for an hour with Mr. Greenfield and hear more about his life story. I arrived at his factory in Brooklyn and was greeted by his son, Jay. Within moments, a stunningly dressed, elegant man with a big smile approached me for a firm handshake and led me to his office. There was not a computer in sight, just stacks and stacks of folders and framed pictures on every inch of wall space. I learned very quickly that the folders contained not only letters from ambassadors and university professors, but also letters from Jews and non-Jews around the world that had been affected by his story.

Although the questions I came prepared to ask reflected the style of his book, (half about his time in concentration camps during the Holocaust and half about his success as a master tailor to celebrities,) I quite quickly put down my notes and just listened. All Mr. Greenfield wanted to talk about was his childhood, his perfect childhood, and his family, and the day his life went from perfect to a series of horrors when the Nazis came and took him and his family away. "Growing up was a lot of fun for the first ten years," Mr. Greenfield told me, "until I had to start wearing the Jewish star on my arm. At age 10, the Russians sent my Czech teacher away and closed my Czech school- they put me in a Russian school. They wanted to send me to a work camp, so my father sent me to Budapest to work to avoid the Russian work camp. I became a different person when we became occupied and I had to wear the star. Before that, in Czechoslovakia, it didn't matter if you were Jewish or gentile, it must mattered that you were a person. I had such a happy childhood. There was always principle in my life- I was taught to bet on myself." He continued to talk about his family, namely his baby brother. "He was only a year old, my baby brother, when I left for Budapest. When I came home three years later he was 4 and all he wanted to do was hold my hand. We slept together in the same bed. He followed me everywhere and never let go. Until we got to Auschwitz. And that was the end of it. The end of him. That's what I couldn't conceive. The Nazi people destroyed my family; my two sisters, my mother, my grandparents, and my baby brother were all sent immediately to the gas chamber to die. My mother was originally sent to go with us but she wouldn't let go of my baby brother, so they were both sent to what was to be their deaths. Mengele made that decision. You know that name? The 'Angel of Death.' The doctor known for his unspeakable medical experiments on the innocents. My father and I were sent to work." Mr. Greenfield wanted to stay with his father but his father insisted that each of them had a chance of survival only if they parted. '"On your own, you will survive,' my father said. If you survive...you must honor us by living, by not feeling sorry for us."

In 1944, at the age of 15, Hitler's army rounded up the Jews of Pavlovo, Czechoslovakia where Mr. Greenfield lived with his family. They had an hour to pack up their belongings (which were handed over as soon as they entered the concentration camp) and were loaded onto a train that took them to a temporary ghetto and then to Auschwitz, the camp known for horrid medical experiments, the gassing then cremation of over a million Jews, and hard labor for the 10% of prisoners (mostly men) that were allowed to survive. "They gave us an hour to pack our things then they rounded us up and put us on a train. My dad was always an important guy- he was bright, he was an engineer, he helped build Czechoslovakia, he even built a synagogue- so we were on the last transport. Maybe my family got to live for two, three, five more days since we were the last transport," he remembered.

I asked Mr. Greenfield if he ever resisted the Nazis. "You could not resist anything," he responded. "If you resisted, you got shot. The one time I resisted they sent a dog after me. It bit my foot and it was bleeding in front of my father. They dragged me back. I still have a scar. They put me in the tailor shop to punish me and that is how I learned the trade. I also learned the power of clothes. I stole the shirt of the Nazi who had beaten me for accidentally ripping his shirt and I wore it in the camp (after I repaired it- my first tailoring lesson) underneath my prisoner's uniform. Wearing it made me realize that clothes possess power. Wearing the shirt helped me survive the camp. And now I am one of the most successful and famous custom men's tailors in America!"

Mr. Greenfield continued to reflect on his family, mostly the male figures in his life. "My grandfather, he was my Hebrew teacher. Part of my religious teaching was to treat all people with respect no matter what. That's why I did not shoot the woman who reported me for taking rotten lettuce out of her injured rabbit's cage." In his book, Mr. Greenfield describes a time when he was at Buchenwald when he was permitted off the grounds for work purposes. He was charged with helping to clean up the local mayor's house that had been bombed. When he got there, he found some pet rabbits, barely alive. As he was literally starving, he saw some brown, slimy lettuce in the rabbits' cage and a half eaten carrot and began to eat it out of desperation. The mayor's wife, carrying a baby on her hip, caught him and shouted at him that she was reporting him immediately. It struck him as particularly cruel given the circumstances, and also because he knew he looked like a skeleton and she had her child there as witness. Mr. Greenfield was severely beaten by an SS soldier immediately, and swore that if he survived Buchenwald, he would come back and seek vengeance on this woman- he would kill her. When he was liberated, on April 11, 1945, he began to formulate his revenge. He secured a machine gun and some friends, found the woman at her house, and with his hand quivering above the trigger, he, in his own words, became human again. "If I had shot her, the wound would have been in my own heart. That's how I was taught- it's written in the Gomorrah. I talked to the woman. I took her outside. I said, 'I am not Mengele. I am angry, but I cannot kill you.' I followed what was taught to me by my family. I have gotten many letters asking why I did not shoot her. I was raised to believe that I would have been as evil as a Nazi had I shot her. I was also taught to always share. There wasn't a Friday night that there wasn't a stranger at our table. One day, I asked my grandma, 'can't we ever eat alone?' She told me that we have enough, so therefore we share. We grew everything we ate and we had animals that sustained us as well. The greatest pleasure I have even today is when I have other people at my table or helping someone else I know needs help."

I asked Mr. Greenfield to tell me about his days after liberation. "My Czech teacher, a gentile, was one of the first people I found when I ventured back to Prague. He said, 'Your father wanted you to be a doctor. I will make you a doctor.' But I was determined to first find my father. It took me two years to find out about my father. He was shot at Buchenwald, where I was also a prisoner along with 89,000 others at the time. My father- he was executed one week before liberation. Only one week. When I was liberated by the Americans, before I knew what happened to my father, I vividly remember feeling such sorrow for those who suffered yet lived only to die right before liberation, during liberation, or shortly after. The Russian communists began to take over and they were almost as bad as the Nazis. They took everything from my family. My father's big, beautiful farm- they took it. Years later I went back to Pavlovo with my son and there were still Russians living there. It was no longer my family's house and farm.

After the war, Mr. Greenfield was sent for in Europe by relatives in America. An arduous boat ride left him on the shores of America in the hands of relatives he had never met. "I moved in with relatives in Baltimore," he said. "My cousins, three little girls, cried when I told them my story. Overnight, I thought, 'If I lived in this country, I wouldn't believe my story, so I'm not gonna talk about it.' I thought about what my dad had taught me and I wanted to honor my dad. 'Don't cry for us, just go on living. Honor us by living. Create our family in whatever you do if I don't survive.' For years I didn't talk bout what I had been through. Many of my big customers didn't know I was a Holocaust survivor- I always had a big smile and having an accent was commonplace. I didn't talk about it until a gathering in Washington, D.C. The Holocaust Museum was created and people started telling their stories. I did the Shoah [an audiovisual testimony] so my son's could have my story on tape. It took me until I was 86 years old to write a book."

"My relatives in Baltimore bought me my first GGG suit," he recalled. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Greenfield moved to New York and began working at GGG as a floor boy, eventually moving up the management chain. Thirty years later, he owned the company and changed the name to Martin Greenfield Clothiers. A very short list of the people he has dressed includes Presidents Eisenhower, Ford, Clinton, and Obama; Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.; Martin Scorsese, Jimmy Fallon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, Ben Affleck, Michael Strahan, Kobe Bryant, Patrick Ewing, Conan O'Brien, Eddie Cantor, Sir Ben Kingsley, Al Pacino, Paul Newman, and the list goes on and on and on.

Asked about the response to his book, Mr. Greenfield became reflective and teary-eyed. "The book has been such a big hit. I can't believe it. Ambassadors invite me to lunch at their embassies. People want to talk to me. I get invited all over. In Texas, they have the book in one of the high schools and kids from the school have been writing me letters. They're not Jews. It's just incredible. You've got to read these letters. From China, from Buffalo, from all over, I don't know where to keep the letters any more. I can't answer every one. But I keep them all. Here, read this letter from a painter down south." I paused and read the letter. "Look what my book did for him. His letter made me cry. Look what he says. For this alone, if the book helped one person, isn't that something?" he asked. Mr. Greenfield proceeded to take the letter from me when I was done and reread it. A tear dripped down his cheek even though this was his second, third, or fourth time reading the same letter. It's impossible to get through his book without crying, yet here was Mr. Greenfield, Holocaust survivor and tailor to presidents, crying while rereading a letter from a stranger. "I got a letter from an 11 year-old that wants to become me. You wouldn't believe how an 11 year-old could write a letter like this. A 13 year-old relative wants me to be on the pulpit with him for his Bar Mitzvah." For several more minutes, Mr. Greenfield had me read letters from strangers who had been moved by his book. Many were hand written, some were emails that had been printed. They are all kept by Mr. Greenfield in manila folders piled on his desk surrounded by signed boxing gloves, basketballs, and pictures.

I couldn't leave without asking Mr. Greenfield about dressing so many greenfield book famous people for so many years. He had even recently provided over 600 suits for "Boardwalk Empire." But he didn't have much interest in talking about that. "Being in the shop is my greatest pleasure. I know I won't be around forever so I'm teaching the younger people. I still do as much myself as I can." Although proud of his work, he seems to want his story to be his legacy more than his famous line of suits with his name on them. I had a quick tour of the factory and gave this miracle of a man a hug before he sat down on a century-old stool to eat Chinese food with his factory workers.

You can purchase Martin Greenfield's book on Amazon and you can come here him talk at a special event at the JCC of Mid-Westchester on March 26th from 7:30-9:00 PM.

Details: Written by Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 25 February 2015; Created: 25 February 2015; Last Updated: 25 February 2015; Hits: 4273

bball3 The Scarsdale Girls Varsity basketball team will play Lourdes (Poughkeepsie) in the Class AA semifinals on Thursday February 26 at 6:30PM at the Westchester County Center.

The Raiders earned their spot in the semi -finals by beating Mahopac at home and upsetting Ursuline (52-46) on the road. The Raiders are now 15-5 and make their first appearance at the County Center since 2008-09 to meet the third-ranked team from Poughkeepsie.

The Raiders are led by captains Abigail McDonald (sr), Dana Maroney (sr) and Alexis Kline (jr). In addition the roster is made up of Ashley Barletta (so), Jordie Cohen (so), Rachel Cohen (jr), Emma Coleman (so), Ally Dweck (jr), Lindsey Kramer (jr), Taylor Mancini (sr), Sam Mancini (fr), Kaylie Waterhouse(jr) and Julia Zucker (jr)

Support the Raiders in their quest for the "Golden Ball" Thursday evening 2-25 at 6:30PM at the County Center.

Details: Written by Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 02 February 2015; Created: 02 February 2015; Last Updated: 03 February 2016; Hits: 15071

challengecamp There may be snow on the ground – but summer will come – and now's the time to consider summer camps and programs for your toddler, tween or teen for the 2015 season. We asked a few local programs and advisers for details about what they offer and here is what they shared. Consider these activities now because school will be out in just a few short months.

Open the door to a delightful and meaningful summer of fun and learning for your bright, curious child. Challenge Camp, an ACA accredited camp in Rye, NY celebrating its 35th summer. Challenge is dedicated to providing meaningful opportunities for children aged 4-15 to realize their intellectual and personal potential. They offer over 100 enrichment courses range from 3D printing, architecture, art, chess, cooking, magic, Minecraft, robotics, theater, and more. Including Sports/Swimming and now Fencing. Bus transportation, early/extended day and kosher lunch options available. Please join them for an Open House on Sunday March 1, 2-4PM at their location at School of the Holy Child - 2225 Westchester Avenue, Rye NY 10580. For more information click here or call (914) 779-6024

Chelsea Piers Connecticut Summer Sports Camps feature world-class facilities, expert instruction and the most exciting sports curriculum available – all under one roof! Campers can choose Soccer, Basketball, Hockey, Ice Skating, Squash, Tennis, Swimming, Gymnastics, Lacrosse or Multi-Sport full-day camps. Half-day camps for preschoolers and elite training camps for competitive athletes are also available. Camps run June 15 - August 28, 2015. Register by April 30, 2015 and receive Early Bird prices.

New in 2015: Bus transportation from Pelham, New Rochelle, Rye and Harrison! Visit our website for updates on exact locations. For more camp information click here or call 203.989.1100. Chelsea Piers, One Blachley Road, Stamford, CT 06902.

Concordia Summer Camp offers exceptional summer programs for children ages 3 to 18. Programs include Enrichment, General Sports, Slam Dunk Basketball Camp, Musical Theatre, Band Bash, Piano, Suzuki Guitar and Violin, Chamber Music, Vocal, Songwriting and Composition and Art......and don't miss their water inflatable fun Fridays! All classrooms are air-conditioned. Location: 171 White Plains Road, Bronxville, NY, 914/395-4848, www.concordiasummercamp.org.

Summer Scene at The Little School at 307 Mamaroneck Avenue in Scarsdale combines the fun of summer camp with early childhood learning in a structured, nurturing environment under the guidance of our acclaimed teachers. Children enjoy adventure filled days that incorporate active athletic play, swimming at the Scarsdale Pool, art projects, music, play centers and plenty of time outdoors. Each week features a different Theme Adventure or Special Event, creating added excitement and learning opportunities. Theme Adventures for 2015 include Happy Birthday USA, Ocean Commotion, Down On The Farm (with petting zoo), A Bug's Life, Swingin' Safari, A Camping We Will Go and Trucks, Trains and Tractors. This engaging agenda gives children a chance to expand their talents and interests, build self-confidence and create lasting friendships. The program is open to children 3 and 4 years of age. Our 7-week program runs Monday - Friday from June 30 - August 14. The Full Day program is 9-3, with a 9-1 half-day option for 3 year olds. Extended hours before and after camp are available from 7 AM - 6:30 PM. Lunch and a healthy snack are provided each day. For more information,call 914.472.5409.

Camp Ramaquois, "A day camp as complete as sleep-away camp", situated on 44 acres in Pomona, NY. From adventurous activities to creative arts to athletic activities, boys and girls, ages 3-15 experience a traditional day camp program filled with a variety of stimulating activities including instructional and general swim in 9 heated pools and boating on a 5-acre crystalline lake. They offer a unique blend of true camping with our contemporary programs where campers meet new challenges and make lasting friendships. Exciting optional adventure trip program combines with a regular day camp program for campers grades 3-10. Call to set up an appointment for a tour at (845) 354-1600 or click here to visit their website.

JCCCampPhoto At the JCC of Mid-Westchester, campers have big fun, big laughs and make big memories. The JCC offers unique programs, led by educators and seasoned professionals in their field. Unlike other camps, here campers choose their daily activities from a variety of offerings. Camp Gadol is the traditional day camp for 2yr olds -grade 4 where children enjoy a variety of outdoor and indoor activities including art, music, sports, swimming, nature, gymnastics, and special events. The highly regarded Summer Arts Center (SAC) provides artists, actors and dancers entering grades 3-8 the joy of creative expression and campers customize their schedules with a variety of classes which they can combine with swim, gymnastics and teen fitness options. Camp Xtreme offers campers grades 5-8 an activity-filled summer close to home – a combination of traditional camp activities coupled with special weekly enhancements such as science and technology and weekly trips. Toward Tomorrow provides a nurturing, learning and recreational summer experience for children with developmental needs, 3-12 years leveraging the JCC's renowned programs with highly qualified experts and inclusion options. Dance Intensive provides serious dancers entering grades 7-12 the opportunity to take their training to a new level through a comprehensive curriculum of dance and dance-related classes. Contact the JCC for more information or to take a tour. JCC of Mid-Westchester Summer Camps, 999 Wilmot Road, Scarsdale, NY, 914-472-3300, www.jccmw.org.

summerstars Summer Stars at Scarsdale Synagogue is the perfect place for your child's first camp experience. This warm and nurturing program is a seven week camp for children 18 months to 5 years old. The campers are engaged in activities such as sports, music, art, story time, daily water play and much, much more. There are special theme days each week such as Circus Day, Hawaiian Day or Carnival Day. At Summer Stars, friendships are formed and children grow socially, emotionally and intellectually as they engage in fun, stimulating summer activities. They offer a three-day option for Toddlers ages 18 to 30 months and Two year olds may choose 3 or 5 mornings a week. Three to Five year olds may choose a half-day 9:00-12:00 option or a full-day 9:00-2:00 option. Click here for more information or contact them at 914-723-3001.

Squire Advantage and Squire Sports Camps at Maria Regina High School in Hartsdale squires is celebrating its 42nd anniversary of operation. An open house and carnival is scheduled for Saturday February 7th from 1-4 PM. There will be door prizes, bouncy houses, carnival games and food! Instructors and coaches will showcase their courses and tours will be given. Courses are taught in air-conditioned classrooms by certified teachers. Hot lunch is included and transportation is available. Squire Advantage Primary (grades K-3) and Advantage Choice (grades 4-9) is created for campers who wish to custom design their own schedule by choosing courses in the fields of swimming, computers, sports, fine arts, science, cooking, music and more. There are more than 50 different courses to choose from! Squire Sports Camps are divided into 2 different sports programs. Squire All Sports Academy (Ages 6-15) allows for instructing and playing of many different types of sports throughout the day. Sports include tennis, basketball, soccer, baseball, flag football, etc. Squire Tennis Academy (Ages 6-15) is a fun and challenging tennis experience designed for beginners to experienced players. Squire Camps programs run from June 29th until August 14th 2015. Visit their website or call (914) 328-3798 for more information.

Westchester Reform Temple's "Summer Play Place Camp" offers young children a unique 7 week summer experience. Our professional staff provides arts and crafts, water-play, stories, games, athletics and snack within a nurturing and loving environment. The 3's and 4's program is enhanced by specialists in music, movement and nature and special theme days. We offer separation classes and classes with a loved one to stay as options for children who will be entering a 2's program in September. The little ones also enjoy crafts, water-play and music. Your children will learn, laugh and flourish. For information please call 914-723-5493 or email [email protected].

ywca The YWCA on North Street in White Plains offers an array of summer day camps and programs: Camp Funkist (ages 5-15) provides non-competitive relaxing days of sports, swimming, visual arts, music, nature, trips, and other age-appropriate summer activities. New activities for 2015, include musical theater, expanded free swim time, special activities for our Upper Camp (grades 3+), FIT camp and our CIT leadership program. Creative Adventures Camp, is tailored for the young camper and combines summer fun with academic enrichment for children preschool through first grade. Intensive full-day Summer Gymnastics for girls and boys offers opportunities for recreational and more serious gymnastics to hone their skills. Finally, the YWCA offers Summer Camp for Children with Developmental Disabilities, which is designed to complement extended school-year programs. The YWCA has well-equipped indoor and outdoor facilities. Experienced and qualified staff-lead recreational and instructional swimming.

Camp Funkist and Travel Camp (914) 949-6227 x168 
Creative Adventures Camp (914) 949-6227 x142|
Gymnastics Program ((14) 949-6227 x135 
Camp for Children with Developmental Disabilities (914) 949-6227 x108.  

The YWCA is located at 515 North Street in White Plains, New York.

Camp Advisors:

Spectacular Summers: Are you starting to think about sleepaway camp for your child spectacularsummers for Summer 2016? Or perhaps you have not yet made summer plans for your child or teen for this year. (It is not too late)! In either case, Ellen Wylie of Spectacular Summers would be happy to help you. Based in the Scarsdale/Edgemont area, Ellen knows the camps and teen programs well and will share her personal knowledge and expertise with you. Ellen extensively visits camps and teen programs every summer. During the rest of the year, she speaks and meets with directors and obtains feedback from families she has placed. As a result, Ellen has the up-to-date knowledge and information to make the right recommendations for each child. Ellen gets to know the individual child and provides each family with a few (and not too many) well-thought out suggestions. The service she provides is free of charge to parents. Ellen is highly respected by camp directors and parents alike. To find that spectacular summer program for 2015 or 2016, call Ellen Wylie at (914) 722-2644 or email [email protected]. Visit her website here.

Summer 365: The premier free advisory service that specializes in sleepaway camps Summer365 and summer programs, trips and travel for children and teens. With Summer 365 as your guide, you can rest assured that the perfect camp or program is just ahead. Summer 365 has first hand knowledge of the top sleepaway camps and programs throughout the country and around the world. They tailor their services and insights to each family and child and provide an invaluable resource to help navigate the whole search process and make it fun and easy. As moms and former campers they know the importance of getting it right, and they've done all the research for you. The right match ensures your peace of mind and a summer your child will never forget!

500+ camps and programs for children 7-18: *sleepaway camps *specialty camps *sports camps special needs camps *teens tours *community service *wilderness+ adventure *academic + enrichment *language + cultural immersion *creative + performing arts and more. To plan the summer of a lifetime call Summer 365 Counselors Leslie Klein + Lauren Nearpass at 646.543.8726 or email [email protected], [email protected]; visit summer365.com to learn more!

Also consider:

Scarsdale Recreation Department day camp, sports camp and teen travel camp

Badger Day Camp: 119 Rockland Avenue, Larchmont

Elmwood Day Camp: 900 Dobbs Ferry Road, White Plains

Camp Hillard: 26 Elizabeth Street, Scarsdale

Camp Mohawk: 200 Old Tarrytown Road, White Plains

Mount Tom Day Camp: 48 Mount Tom Road, New Rochelle

Details: Written by Joanne Wallenstein; Published: 21 February 2015; Created: 21 February 2015; Last Updated: 21 February 2015; Hits: 5081

cat Colvin Road residents found the black cat pictured here in their yard on Saturday. The cat is very friendly, cold and hungry - and just walked up to their back door when they went outside at about 12:45 on Saturday. It is definitely someone's house cat that escaped very recently. No collar. If you are missing your kitty or have any idea who is please email Lynn at l[email protected]. Please forward this to anyone in the neighborhood that may be missing their cat.

Details: Written by Traci Dutton Ludwig; Published: 27 January 2015; Created: 27 January 2015; Last Updated: 27 January 2015; Hits: 10130

straussbroganmatturro As the incoming Chief of the Scarsdale Police Department, Andrew Matturro's credentials are impressive. His promotion to Chief marks a transition from his role as Captain, an executive officer position that is second in command and oversees all divisions of the department. Before becoming Captain, Matturro served as Patrol Lieutenant, Patrol Sergeant, Detective and Patrol Officer – acquiring an in-depth, hands-on understanding of the various divisions and functions of the police department. In total, Matturro brings 30 years of experience to the job. He was hired by Rye Brook Police Department in 1984 as a patrol officer, and he transferred to Scarsdale in 1988. During the course of his career, Matturro has actively pursued additional training and education. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, the LEEDS (Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar) program at Princeton University and the inaugural session of the New York State Law Enforcement Executive Institute. He possesses a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Mercy College and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Marist College. But, more his sterling resume, Matturro's day-in and day-out dedication to policing, the needs of the village and the entire SPD team of have prepared him for the role of Chief. Matturro's work ethic and professionalism stand out. In the 27 years he has been with the Scarsdale Police Department, he has only been away from the job on one sick day – and that was when he came to work with a badly injured, heavily bandaged thumb, and retiring Chief John Brogan sent him home. The next day, Matturro removed the bandage, bore the pain of the broken digit and carried on with his work.

"I've always believed in coming to work and doing your job the best way you possibly can. Whatever you do, you should give it your all – with no exceptions. The appreciation is nice, but the real reward is in knowing that you have met or exceeded your part of the obligation," Matturro said. "Of course, I've been fortunate to have been supported and mentored by really great people along the way, who have all set excellent examples – particularly Chief John Brogan, who was my sergeant when I started here 27 years ago."

Reminiscing about the past, Matturro recalled the thrill of realizing his dream of becoming a police officer. "Ever matturroospeaks since I was a little kid, I knew police work is what I wanted to do. So, I focused on it and went in that direction. ... When I was hired here in Scarsdale, before I started, I had a moment of hoping I made the right decision – which is normal for any young person beginning a new job. But after that first day, I have never looked back. I love coming to work every day. I'm proud to be part of this police department, and I'm honored to work with such a dedicated and talented group of people."

While this kind of commitment is often cultivated in families with traditions of law enforcement careers, this is not the case in Matturro's family. Aside from his great-grandfather's brother, Vito Matturro, who was the first Italian cop in the city of Rye in the early 1900s, no one else in Matturro's family has pursued police work.
According to Matturro, being a Scarsdale police officer involves special aspects of the profession that go beyond typical police work. "Scarsdale is a unique community. Here we are fortunate to be very much supported by both the community and village management, and we accordingly emphasize an attention to service and human compassion on the job. We are always thinking about what the community needs from us and what we can do for the greater good of the village. I always tell officers to treat people exactly as they would want their own family to be treated when encountering a police officer. Everyone who is part of this department understands service is an important part of this job. However, for the people we hire, this generosity and community mindset is part of who they are; it is how they were raised, and so they naturally bring it to the job."

Matturro credits former Chiefs Brogan and Donald Ferraro, who served as Chief prior to Brogan, with establishing the current culture of the department. Their policies, practices and leadership forged and strengthened the department's professionalism, its attention to service and its relationship with the community. As incoming Chief, Matturro intends to build upon these important aspects of the department.

"I want to increase our ability to address to the needs of the village and the community by actively looking at various situations and by listening carefully to input from the community. The goal, of course, is to develop appropriate programs and enhance existing initiatives, such as the department's youth services and services for older adults," he said. Together with the command team, Matturro is currently working on a plan to best solicit and review input from the community.

Several proactive initiatives are already in the works. "We have a police force of incredibly talented individuals with many different interests and strengths. If someone on our team has an idea that can benefit the department and help the community, I encourage that idea to be brought to my attention so it can be discussed and developed," Matturro said.

As an example, Matturro shared the story of an officer who is passionate about reducing incidents of dangerous texting and driving. "When this officer, Armando Nava, pulls someone over for texting and driving or cellphone use, it's not just about writing the ticket; it's really about talking with the person and getting that important message across," Matturro explained. "Supporting this officer by enabling opportunities to officially spread the message about dangerous texting and driving, such as through his upcoming participation in a panel discussion next month, can have a significant, valuable impact in the community. These opportunities can also be professionally satisfying to the officer, who knows he's making a difference. ... This is how you build a committed team that's engaged, active and effective, and it's how you achieve programs that work."

Just as Matturro has always supported the men and women of the department – by ongoing training, professional development and the facilitation of special interest programs – Matturro is wholeheartedly supported by police department members, village management, village staff, and a network of regional colleagues. According to organizers of the promotion ceremony, approximately 70 people were initially anticipated to attend the event at Scarsdale Library, Jan. 22; however, more than 120 guests showed up to offer their support. Among those in attendance were uniformed, off-duty and retired personnel from various jurisdictions, village officials, dignitaries, civic leaders, citizens and Matturo's family – including his wife of 22 years, Kyle, and their daughters Brenna (18), Allaire (14) and Caaelyn (10).

Speakers and guests at the promotion ceremony repeatedly remarked on Matturro's strong, intelligent and directed leadership, as well as on his skills at productively motivating a team. Both of these qualities have been developed not only through Matturro's professional experience in law enforcement, but also through his 20 years of coaching Junior Varsity football at Port Chester High School. Working alongside his cousin and fellow coach, Mark Santora, Matturo inspires his players through encouragement and by holding the kids to high standards and expectations.

"I have three daughters, but with the football team, it's like I also have 30 sons," Matturro said. By believing in the kids, by expecting them to always do their best and by requiring them to behave with good sportsmanship and good citizenship, Matturro has succeeded in molding responsible, respectful and hardworking young men.

"As a coach, these life lessons are more important to me than winning the game," Matturro said. "If I can teach these kids to be good people – to be honest, to work hard at the best of their ability, to be polite, to treat women and other people with respect, to think about their actions, to have good moral character and make good choices, to do the right thing – this is what matters most. If you can influence just one kid or make a difference in just one person's life, this is the measure of real success. You're really coaching life – not just a sport."

Matturro's attitude about coaching – and his way of bringing out the best in others – provides exciting insight into what the future of Scarsdale's police service to the community might mean. As outgoing Chief Brogan told this reporter, "The moment of retirement is bittersweet for me, but Andy [Matturro] is incredibly well prepared to take the reins. Scarsdale is in very good hands."

Photos courtesy of Jon Thaler. See more and purchase photos at JonThaler.com.