Cocktails, Movie Night and Mah Jongg: All for Good Causes
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Drinks at Chat: The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) will hold a fundraiser at Chat American Grill in Scarsdale on Thursday April 30th at 7 pm. DJ David Gage will be spinning tunes while Scarsdale moms Andrea, Jodi, Stephanie, Lisa and Debbie are behind the bar. There is no charge to attend and all tips will go to CCFA, a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to finding the cures for Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis. Since their founding over four decades ago, CCFA has remained at the forefront of research in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Today, they fund cutting-edge studies at major medical institutions, nurture investigators at the early stages of their careers, and finance underdeveloped areas of research. In addition, our educational workshops and programs, along with our scientific journal, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, enable medical professionals to keep pace with this rapidly growing field. The National Institutes of Health has commended CCFA for "uniting the research community and strengthening IBD research."
Stop by Chat and have a drink for a great cause.
Family Movie Night at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
The Scarsdale Elementary Schools are working together to host their first annual "Kids Helping Kids" family movie night FUNdraiser on Wednesday, May 20th at 5pm at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Yonkers. The movie screening is the family-friendly; "Cheaper by the Dozen 2".
The event is sponsored by the Alamo, and all proceeds from the event will go directly to help Starfish Greathearts Foundation build a school in South Africa. Five raffle prizes, donated by each of the elementary schools, can be won, with raffle ticket sales adding to the fundraising efforts.
Alison Litofsky, Quaker Ridge Community Service Co-Chair, said "The individual Scarsdale elementary schools work throughout the year on many projects to help our communities close to home. How exciting that all of the schools are working together on this movie night event to benefit the children in South Africa!"
"The Alamo family movie night FUNdraiser is a great way for Kids to help Kids - Scarsdale families will come together to enjoy dinner and a movie and support an incredible cause. This year our goal is to build a school in South Africa. We'll choose a different international charity that supports children in need every year," added Sherri Marrache, Heathcote Community Service Co-Chair.
Nicola Atherstone, Executive Director of Starfish USA, said, "I recently visited many of the rural schools that Starfish supports in South Africa and was struck by how little they have, and how much we as a community in Scarsdale could do to make a big difference. These schools teach children in corrugated iron shacks, without electricity or running water. The children are well cared for and love to learn and receive two hot meals a day. The teachers are making an impact, despite their lack of resources."
"Kids Helping Kids" Community Service Chairs are: Sherri Marrache and Deb Smith (Heathcote) Moira Crouch and Maura Lee (Edgewood) Jackie Wolfson and Michelle Miller (Fox Meadow) Rickie Broff and Alison Litofsky (Quaker Ridge) Eva Wilson and Nicola Atherstone (Greenacres)
Mah-Jongg Tournament at Scarsdale Synagogue:
The Women of Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El will hold an all day Mah-Jongg Tournament on Sunday, June 7, 2015 from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the synagogue at 2 Ogden Road in Scarsdale. The event is open to the community. The all-inclusive entry fee is $50 if you RSVP by May 21. After May 21, the entry fee is $60 if space allows.
Mah Jongg (or "Maajh", as it is usually called) is a fascinating rummy-like game played with tiles rather than cards. The game originated in China, dating back to the time of Confucius. The tournament will follow National Mah-Jongg League rules.
The order of the day is as follows:
9 a.m.- 9:30 a.m. - Registration and a light breakfast)
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. - Tournament begins, Play Rounds 1 - 3 (55 minutes/round)
12:30 p.m. - 1 p.m. - Lunch and Dessert (Included in fee) 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. - Play Rounds 4 – 6 (55 minutes/round) 4 – 4:15 p.m. - Awards / Cash prizes
To register and for more information contact Randee Horowitz at 914-472-3420 or email her at [email protected].
Good Work From Backyard Sports Cares, Lifting Up Westchester, the UJA Federation and the Autism Science Foundation
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Backyard Sports Cares held its third annual Basketball Tournament on Sunday April 19th at Purchase College with 30 teams participating. Attendees enjoyed appearances by Walt Frazier, Langston Galloway, and the Knick City Dancers.
The winning teams were:
- 35+ Category: Tommie Copper
- Rec Category: Metro North Transfers
- Open Category: New Rochelle
The Backyard Cares All Star teams, which included special needs players were assisted by teen volunteers played during half time.
Through the Hooping and Helping booth, participant families bought and autographed 20 basketballs that will be donated to Backyard Sports Cares programs throughout Westchester County.
This year BYSC introduced a new charitable project called Dunk Your Kicks which is a part of the Max Cure Foundation. 142 pairs of athletic footwear were donated and then collected by five 10th graders Leah Glucksman, Liza Brecker, Willow Malsch, Haley Sontag, and Jilly Mehlman who attend Scarsdale High School as well at Tripp Lake Camp. The Dunk Your Kicks campaign is intended to raise awareness of the fight against pediatric cancer while also helping the environment by keeping old "kicks" out of the landfills. The money raised through the resale of this affordable footwear helps low-income and military families living in the U.S. with a child battling this disease.
Lifting Up Westchester
Grace Church Community Center, the 36 year-old Westchester County social services organization, has announced its re-launch with a new, comprehensive brand identity and tag line: Lifting Up Westchester: Where Hope Takes Flight – One Person at a Time. The unveiling of the new brand took place at the organization's Oasis of Hope spring gala at Leewood Golf Club in Eastchester on April 17, with more than 200 patrons and supporters in attendance. A community-wide celebration open to the public is slated for late spring.
"This is a major milestone in our organization's long history," remarked Paul Anderson-Winchell, Lifting Up 
Westchester's Executive Director. "For 36 years we have been a hidden gem in this county. A more identifiable name is integral to increasing our impact in Westchester. That said, our mission remains intact: to restore hope to our neighbors in need." Chris Schwartz, Director of Development, added "Our vision is to continue our legacy of providing people in need with food, shelter and support and lift them to greater self-sufficiency with dignity and respect. Equally important is that we focus on the individual – helping one person at a time."
Lifting Up Westchester provides the following assistance to Westchester County's neediest and most at-risk residents:
· Homeless Individuals
For the 2,000 homeless in the county, services includes Grace's Kitchen which annually provides over 20,000 free and nutritious weekday and holiday meals, Samaritan House Women's Shelter and Open Arms Men's Shelter, in addition to housing services to prevent eviction and homelessness.
· Youth
For disadvantaged and homeless youth in the county, Lifting Up Westchester offers five weeks of summer day camp, an after-school mentoring program and college scholarships to help them to be the first in their families to get a college degree and the last to live in poverty.
· Seniors/Disabled Individuals
Lifting Up Westchester's Neighbors Home Care Services, a licensed home healthcare services agency, offers quality homecare to over 400 homebound seniors and disabled individuals annually.
Board member Linda Gallo, who spearheaded the rebranding initiative, noted that "The prevailing perception of the organization as a church and/or community center is inaccurate. Board executives, patrons and staff members expect the Lifting Up Westchester rebrand to change this perception and significantly boost awareness of our organization." In addition to the new name, tagline and logo, a year-long marketing program is underway with multiple public events to showcase the services provided by the organization in an effort to drive awareness, increased donations and volunteers.
For more information, please visit www.liftingupwestchester.org or contact Chris Schwartz at [email protected] or (914) 949-3098.
UJA Federation Honors Shari and Joel Beckman of Scarsdale:
More than 350 guests joined UJA-Federation of New York's Westchester Region as it honored the Beckman family of Scarsdale and the Rieger family of Bedford. At this Westchester Celebration, Yoav Cohen of White Plains was recognized for his contributions as Westchester's first shaliach, or Israeli emissary, who serves as a cultural bridge between the local community and Israel.
The event took place on Tuesday, April 14, 2015, at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, where guests came together as a community to applaud the achievements of the honorees for their committed leadership in the Westchester Jewish community and to support UJA-Federation and its network of nearly 100 local and global nonprofits.
The evening's theme focused on the families' legacy of transmitting values — including commitment to their Jewish heritage, philanthropy, caring for those in need, and collective responsibility — and recognized the honorees for their dedication to making a difference through their actions.
"In the rich narrative of Jewish history, the Beckmans and Riegers continued the chain by passing these meaningful values to their children," said UJA-Federation's Westchester Regional Chair Martine Fleishman of Purchase. She encouraged guests to view an exhibit at the event, a colorful timeline that showcased UJA-Federation's response to the events that have shaped the Jewish community around the world.
"You'll see that UJA-Federation's history may very well mirror your family history in many ways," she continued. "For nearly 100 years, we've responded in times of challenge — during the Great Depression, the darkness of the Holocaust, and the Six-Day War — and in times of joy and opportunity, such as the establishment of the State of Israel and the opening of the Iron Curtain to Soviet Jews."
An interactive drumming experience kicked off the program and enlivened the evening.
Shari and Joel Beckman, who were honored with their sons, Steven and Jacob, have embraced the values of UJA-Federation for the past 30 years. Shari has served the organization in many capacities, including as Scarsdale area chair and as a member of both the Board of Directors and the Westchester Program Services Cabinet, which provides funding to programs that further the Westchester Jewish community's efforts to address needs and support new approaches to successful models. Shari's professional career as a college advisor to high school students has extended to volunteer opportunities, such as working with the Off the Street program, which is run by UJA-Federation beneficiary agency Westchester Jewish Community Services.
Co-founder of Greenbriar Equity Group, a private equity firm in Rye, Joel serves on the Board of Directors for UJA-Federation and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty. A past board member of the Jewish Community Center of Mid-Westchester, he is vice-chairman of the Chordoma Foundation and active in other philanthropic organizations.
Benefit for the Autism Science Foundation:
On Thursday April 23 through Sunday April 27 the Golden Horseshoe and select stores will raise money for the Autism Science Foundation. There will be sales promotions as well as T-shirt giveaways at participating stores. The Scarsdale High School Autism Science Foundation club will be on site handing out literature and raising money.
Stores participating and running promotions and sales include:
All Good Things, Beginnings, Chefs Table, Cheers Wine and Spirits, Cheryl's Closet, Eye Q Optometrist, Infinity, Italian Village, Leah's Salon, Neil's, Platinum Drive Realty, Physique 57, Seven Woks
Junior League Seeks Applicants for High School Volunteer Awards
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Do you know a female junior in your school who is making a difference? Is she a leader in school or in her community? Is she someone who cared enough about an issue to take a stand and make a difference? However she has done it, she is making a contribution and the Junior League wants to hear about her!
The Junior League of Central Westchester (JLCW) is offering three $500 Volunteer Service Awards to female high school juniors. The recipients of this award will be young women who have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to volunteerism within their community and/or school. The purpose of this award is to promote volunteerism and to support the development of young women.
Award Criteria
The JLCW will consider all applicants who meet the following criteria:
• Female
• High school junior
• Student in Ardsley, Eastchester, Edgemont, Greenburgh Central, Scarsdale or White Plains School District
• Has demonstrated a commitment to volunteerism between September 2013 and March 2015
Application Deadline
All applications must be submitted by May 4, 2015.
To download an application, please visit www.jlcentralwestchester.org.
Questions? Email [email protected].
Not Your Usual Spring Break: SHS Students Travel to China
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When the SHS spring break came to a close, some students gushed about tans from the Bahamas, family adventures in Europe, and a lot of Netflix at home. But a few select students were able to share their memories of a far more exotic excursion to China with the Chinese Exchange Program. For about two weeks, from March 27 to April 11, 14 SHS students traveled to China, and had the experience of a lifetime. On this fourth ever Chinese Exchange Program at SHS, students ventured through Beijing's historical sights, while staying with host families and attending a local school--Ping He Bilingual. ESL teacher Barbara Reef and Social Studies Department Chair John Harrison accompanied the students in China.
Students who applied to participate in the exchange were selected through a lottery. According to Mandarin teacher Wenhui Gu, "The American students and the Chinese students were matched according to their interest. The China exchange program is important is because it is a cultural and language exchange, instead of just a language exchange. Therefore, students who are not enrolled in the Mandarin program can still apply for it, to explore and enjoy the authentic Chinese food, the historical and modern buildings, and the lifestyle and education system of the Chinese people."
Though ,at first, the trip may have been a bit intimidating to many students, it was comforting that the SHS students had already been acquainted with their Chinese exchange students. In the fall, the same Chinese students visited Scarsdale and stayed for two weeks, alternating between sightseeing in New York City and attending SHS. Going to China was the second half of the exchange program, so SHS students knew their Chinese exchange students fairly well and this alleviated some of the anxiety. "I wasn't really nervous about going on the trip because I knew I was going to have so many amazing experiences and I was really excited to become closer with my exchange student and make a lot of new friends," shared Scarsdale senior Julia van Zwieten.
Students came back from the trip with very positive reactions. James Baker, a senior who spent his sophomore year in China, was still in awe of the memorable trip. "I'm never going to forget all the connections I made with the Chinese students--it was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience," he said. Scarsdale High School sophomore, Jessica Waldman added, "a really special part of the trip was that we were staying with people who stayed with us in the fall so we got to bond even more with them while learning and experiencing their culture."
Maybe equally as memorable as living with Chinese host families was all the sightseeing in China. Students spent the first four days in Beijing, where each day they traveled to see some of China's most spectacular historical sights, including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Palace of Heaven. "I think that the Great Wall was the coolest part of the trip because you always hear about it and you think of this big wall but when you actually get there its way bigger than anything you could have ever imagined," shared Scarsdale sophomore Corey Waldman.
Though everyone seemed to have gotten along with their host families, there were bound to be some cultural differences. "I thought the biggest cultural difference were the eating habits," commented Corey Waldman. "But what we learned was that their eating habits were not weird or wrong, just different," added Jessica Waldman. Some students also noted that another difference was the Chinese student's intense work ethic. "My exchange student would come home every single day and just do work all afternoon, and all night, and then go to sleep super late," said Baker. "Her parents were pretty strict too, but it paid off because she is one of the smartest in her class."
Not only did eating manners and work habits differ from those in Scarsdale, but the teaching style was different in some ways as well. "At Ping He all the students stayed in the same classroom the whole school day, which started at around 7:50 A.M. and ended at 4:30 P.M.," noted Baker. "Unlike Scarsdale, the teachers were the ones who would switch classrooms and come to the students."
However, despite the differences in the education system, there were also many similarities. "All the classes were taught in English because Ping He is a bilingual school, and in many of the classes they were using similar learning materials to what we use in Scarsdale," shared Baker. "In fact, I noticed that in World History they were using the same exact textbook that Scarsdale uses!"
Because Ping He is a bilingual school and all the classes are taught in English, SHS students did not find it difficult to communicate even though most who came on the trip did not speak a word of English. "I know about three words in Chinese but I was totally fine at school and with my family," said Corey Waldman. "There was really only one kid on the trip who spoke Chinese well so whenever it was necessary he translated for all of us."
Beijing is infamous for it's air pollution, something that worried some of the students.. "In Beijing the pollution was pretty bad," admitted Baker. "You couldn't really see the sun and a lot of people were wearing masks." Van Zwieten agreed, and said that she "could literally feel it [the pollution] in [her] hair and on [her] skin and it just made me feel dirty." Although Beijing's air may not have been the best, both Baker and Van Zwieten agreed that the air in Shanghai, where they spent the majority of the two weeks, was much better.
Though the complete exchange program has now come to an end, many hope to keep in touch with their exchange student. "I'm definitely staying in touch with my student," asserted Baker. "If I go back to China, which I really hope to do, I want to meet up with her again and we have already been chatting through the app WeChat." Likewise, van Zwieten also believes she will stay in touch with her exchange student. "I think we will definitely stay in touch, especially now that we have more ways of communicating!"
Overall, everyone on the trip gained some kind of new insight from China, and came back with exciting stories, whether it was about sliding down the Great Wall of China, showing the Chinese students Häagen Daz for the first time, or bragging about strange foods they ate. Even though the students may have missed out on a classic spring break in the Bahamas, "going to China was definitely worth it and I don't regret it at all," exclaimed Baker.
Scarsdale Police Receive Top Accreditation
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A national law enforcement commission has awarded the Scarsdale Police Department its highest accreditation standard.
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) has awarded the Scarsdale Police Department an "Accreditation with Excellence" under the "Gold Standard Assessment" program. The award was given on March 21st at the commission's conference in Reno, NV.
The program is voluntary and requires an agency to comply with 484 sets of standards in such areas as policies and procedures, crime prevention, management, support services, community advocacy and personnel practices. The agency is required to submit periodic reports to CALEA, and undergoes a comprehensive onsite inspection by a team of CALEA assessors.
The Scarsdale Police Department was first accredited by CALEA in 1990 and has continuously maintained its accreditation status since then. This is the first time the agency has been awarded "Accreditation with Excellence," which requires compliance with 100 percent of mandatory standards and 80 percent of optional standards. The Scarsdale Police has previously been awarded "Flagship Agency" status, and has been designated as a "Meritorious Police Agency" for maintaining national accreditation status for more than 15 years.
Only 5 percent of agencies in the nation are CALEA-accredited, according to the Commission. Of those, only 20 percent receive "Accreditation with Excellence."
The Scarsdale Police Department has also been continuously accredited by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services since 1990.
Scarsdale Chief of Police Andrew A. Matturro said the accreditation "is an outstanding honor and achievement for the men and women of the Scarsdale Police Department. This is a validation of their exceptional work ethic and the highest level of professionalism."
