Maggie Dunne: She's Not Afraid to Ask
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This spring, SHS Alumni Maggie Dunne was honored by Glamour Magazine who named her the winner of the grand prize of $20,000 in the magazine’s competition for the Top 10 College Women for 2012. She was selected for her work on behalf of the Lakota Pine Ridge Indians in South Dakota who she has helped via the Lakota Pine Ridge Children’s Enrichment Program which she launched. Now a student at Colgate University, Dunne didn’t stop and rest when she won the grand prize …. instead she leveraged the $20,000 to find two additional matching gifts – raising even more money for the Lakota.
An inspiration to children and adults, Dunne has worked tirelessly to address Native American poverty. Dunne agreed to an interview for Scarsdale10583. Here is what she shared about growing up in Scarsdale and becoming an activist for those less fortunate:
What are the roots of your volunteerism? What were some of your earliest philanthropic activities as a student in Scarsdale?
From the age of 4 years old I was involved with a very active Girl Scout troop that placed a large emphasis on community service. My family moved to Scarsdale when I was in third grade and I remained active in my old troop, which did a lot of service throughout the school year, ranging from singing at senior facilities to hosting after school cubs. I began figure skating in Middle School and proposed that the rink offer free group lessons to girls with juvenile diabetes, which I taught for a few years. In eighth grade I became one of the founding members of the Youth Action Committee, Founded by Reverend Frances Grenley at the Scarsdale Congregational Church, and which is still going strong and does service activities throughout the school year. Through YAC, in turn, I became a frequent participant in the Midnight Run, which was one of my favorite activities. In my sophomore year, two seniors wanted to do something meaningful for spring break and asked Frances Grenley if she would consider putting together a service trip, and that trip was to the Pine Ridge Reservation (my first trip to the reservation). At SHS I was also Co-President of the “Make it Green” club and we raised awareness about ways for students to be more eco-friendly, and organized a program to sell eco-friendly school supplies packages to Scarsdale students.
Who influenced you to advocate for those who are less fortunate?
The primary influences have been the women around me. My little sister is low functioning autistic and has experienced discrimination in many aspects of her life. Her condition and our close relationship has had a tremendous impact on my ability to connect to those less fortunate and, also, to put the problems of daily life into perspective. My girl scout leader juggled a demanding career and always made time for service, running a troop of 17 girls with 17 working mothers and about 12 service activities every year. When I returned from my first trip to Pine Ridge I felt a need to do more than just volunteer but the problems on the reservation seemed so overwhelming that I did not know where to begin. I brainstormed with Frances Grenley, who encouraged me to take action and helped me narrow my focus so that I could act on my passion. A local attorney followed my progress and offered to create the corporation that I now run to help the children of Pine Ridge. Of course, my mom is always there for me and my family is incredibly supportive! We are a great team!
Are there any teachers at SHS or SMS who helped you along the way – or people you met in the community?
The most supportive influences at SHS were Chris Renino, who was my Senior Options mentor for a fundraiser that brought representatives from Pine Ridge to Scarsdale and raised over $4000. He was always extremely supportive of my projects and a great mentor. He has continued to be an occasional box filler and hauler for the Scarsdale shipments. Mr. Klemme always encouraged me to follow through with my outreach efforts and to follow my heart. He was my reference for an internship at the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh the summer after I graduated from High School.
Tell us something about your visits to South Dakota:
It is hard to get there from NY! It takes about 10 hours, two flights, and then a 2 ½ hour drive. There are only two motels that I know of on the Reservation, which is roughly the size of Connecticut. I often stay at Re-Member, an outreach group on the Reservation, where we sleep in triple bunk beds and sleeping bags. I bring a group of students from my university every spring break to volunteer on the reservation.
What have your learned at Colgate about community organizing and fundraising?
Before attending Colgate, I learned from the Scarsdale community not to be afraid to ask people for help -- our community has risen to the challenge every time I have asked for help; the response to every drive and fundraiser has been overwhelmingly positive!
Working with the support of Colgate University has been amazing. Before entering Colgate I attended their Outreach orientation and learned how the process worked and also got involved in local charities. Last spring I was employed by the Center for Outreach, Volunteerism and Education. The college environment has presented endless opportunities for me to expand my reach, through the school newspaper, clubs, community outreach and fundraisers. Over the years I have developed a network of people who help with most of my efforts. Through my various commitments on-campus I have really grown as a leader and learned how to fundraise and organize successfully. Our current VP is Kelsey John, an education major at Colgate. Kelsey is committed to education reform and to providing Native American children with the tools they need to succeed in education and also pursue higher education.
How many hours a week do you spend on your fundraising – is it difficult to balance this with your school work?
It really varies but the last two years I spent about 20-40 hours per week, and often more. This past spring was very difficult because I travelled a lot, due in part, to the recognition I received for my outreach efforts. It has been exciting to see the response from the public and it has become extremely important to build a team that has a strong work ethic.
What are your goals for the future for the Lakota?
My goal is to support their goals. So far I have concentrated on helping the children and supporting families and schools. I would also like to do more to help make culturally sensitive and appropriate mental health services available to the community.
Describe the Glamour Magazine award and how you leveraged it to receive a matching gift:
I was notified at a three- day event in New York City that I was receiving the Grand Prize of $20,000. About a week later Richard Branson was scheduled to speak at Colgate University and as a member of the entrepreneur club, Thought Into Action, I was invited to a closed question and answer session. I raised my hand, Richard Branson called on me and I gave my 60 second pitch on Lakota Children’s Enrichment, told him about the Glamour Award, held up the big pink check and said that I was going to donate the money to my nonprofit. Then I said: “So my question to you is: do you know of a potential celebrity, philanthropist or humanitarian who might be willing to match my own contribution?” He laughed and said that if I could get a Colgate Alumnus to give me $20,000, so would Virgin Unite, his nonprofit company.
Any advice to younger students who want to follow your path?
Go for it now. You do not have to wait until you are 30, 40 or 50 to make a difference in the world and follow your passions. Young people across the country have taken part in our drives and have done amazing things. Edgewood School is mobilized and helping – just last month 10 fourth grade girls raised over $900 and the classes all filled backpacks for children on the Reservation.
What can readers do to help?
We are trying to raise an additional $20,000 via our online Razoo fundraising platform to aid the Lakota. To participate, click here :
Project Grad Bag Seeks Used Dorm Room Items
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Recently, Scarsdale's Tara Tyberg was moving her daughter out of college and watched kids tossing their dorm room and apartment furnishings into dumpsters. Lamps, sheets, towels, rugs, fans and hangers in good condition, were just a few of the items she saw in the trash. At the same time, Tyberg and Liz Gruber, another Scarsdale mom, were thinking about what Scarsdale's STEP students would need to go off to college. They thought about all the items that were tossed rather than recycled and came up with the concept of Project Grad Bag.
They realized that there are a lot of dorm room items that college kids have no use for once they've graduated but are in fine workable condition. They decided to collect these things and distribute them to entering college students who don't have the means to buy them on their own. They like the environmental aspect of reusing and recycling while providing necessary “stuff” for students.
They have reached out to our friends..... parents of recent college graduates who have collected things in their basements and to people who have college seniors to alert them to bring their home their unwanted things instead of throwing them away.
The two found a partner in Let’s Get Ready (LGR) who anticipates that 100 students will soon “graduate” from their college preparation program and be off to start their college careers in the fall. LGR is running a day-long orientation program for these students in August at Barnard College. Let’s Get Ready proposed that as part of this orientation day, the students would be offered the selection of items that Tyberg and Gruber collect. They would like to publicize this initiative to the Scarsdale community so that they can amass a volume and a variety of goods to offer the students.
Once they determine the value of the program the two hope to coordinate with colleges. They have done some research at schools in the area and found that some have systems in place to donate dorm items to local communities. But others might not. They are connsidering placing a collection site near senior student's living quarters where they can donate lamps, comforters, extra-long sheets, small rugs, storage containers, blankets, laundry bags, window fans, etc., and Project Grad Bag could arrange to pick up, sort and redistribute.
Here are the items they need:
- XL twin bed sheet sets
- Blankets or comforters or duvet covers
- Desk lamps
- Small rugs
- Surge protector strips/ extension cords
- Window fans
- Bed lifts
- Shower caddy
- Over the door hooks/over the door towel rods
- Laundry bags/ hampers
- Alarm clocks
- Plastic storage boxes/ under bed storage
- Bed study pillows
- Plastic hangers
- Bulletin Boards
If you have any of the above in good condition, please consider donating them to Project Grad Bag. You can drop the items off or request a pick up. Contact Liz Gruber or Tara Tyberg to make arrangements:
Liz Gruber: [email protected]
Tara Tyberg: [email protected]
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Setting Up a Local Fundraiser?
Consider holiding it at Athleta in Scarsdale:
At Athleta, commitment to our community is a major part of who we are. We are happy to offer the opportunity for local organizations to use our store to host meetings, private shopping events, classes and workshops. If you are interested in holding an event in our Scarsdale store or would like more information, please contact Martha Kaplan at 914-723-0961 or [email protected].
Scarsdale College Students Need Your Support
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This letter was submitted by Monica Rieckhoff on behalf of the SHS PTA Scholarship Fund: As a 17 year old, I was thrilled by the prospect of heading off to college. Then, the reality of college costs arrived in the form of a financial aid package. My parents would be able to cover a portion of the fees and I would max out student loans and have a work-study job in the cafeteria. Additionally, the college provided a partial scholarship. It was enough to get by as long as I didn’t come home more than once a year and worked during school breaks.
But what if my mother or siblings had become ill, my parents divorced or my father lost his job? Divorce, disease, death and job loss have hurt families in Scarsdale, affecting their high school senior's ability to afford college. The SHS PTA Scholarship Fund is our community resource, for any Scarsdale student who has exhausted their means to pay for the first year of college. This year the need is greater than ever- applications have doubled while donations have declined 25 percent over the past two years. It is hard for a family to reach out for help and even harder to be rejected. Please consider making a donation to help these students.
Sincerely,
Monica Rieckhoff
SHS PTA Scholarship Fund for College -- Board Member
Donations can be made at http://www.scarsdaleschools.org/Page/2206 . Or checks payable to SHS PTA Scholarship Fund can be sent to PO Box 147H, Scarsdale, NY 10583
UJA Event, AFYA Appeal and ARC of Westchester
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Here's some of the good work that is going on in Scarsdale. Read how residents are helping others and learn how you can get involved:
UJA Honors Four Scarsdale Women:
On Wednesday morning May 23, over 150 women gathered at Westchester Reform Temple to do a community service project and to honor Scarsdale’s Caryl Orlando, Linda Plattus, Nina Ross, and Suzanne Seiden for their work to fund a local food pantry. The four raised $75,000 to provide a refrigerator/freezer system and shelving at the Bronx Jewish Community Council’s food pantry’s new space in the Bronx.
In addition the women organized the group to highlight the needs of the vulnerable by collecting and packaging 
toiletries and making sandwiches for the hungry. BJCC’s food pantry, which operates on a walk-in basis and serves anyone in need, is the third largest in the borough and the only one open five days per week. Food is distributed to more than 2,400 people each month with demand increasing each year.
For further information contact Dana Asher at 1.914.761.5100 ext. 103 (work), 1.914.262.5091 (cell), or [email protected].
AFYA Launches Mothers Saving Mothers Campaign
AFYA has just launched the Mothers Saving Mothers campaign to help mothers-in-need in Liberia and Guatemala with home births. They are seeking supplies including blankets, beanies, hand sanitizer, newborn diapers and soap, to send overseas to Liberia and Guatemala to support the work of rural midwives. Learn more about AFYA at afyafoundation.org .
To donate these items bring them to:
The Afya Foundation
140 Saw Mill River Road
Yonkers, NY 10701
914-920-5081
ARC of Westchester
Middle School student Sabrina Wirth is working to help ARC of Westchester provide assistance to over 2,000 people living in Westchester County with developmental disabilities. ARC helps those with autism and other disabilities by providing support and residences where they can live independently. As part of her project Sabrina is working with Alex, an ARC resident who is also a very talented artist. See her video about her work here and help her to meet her goals.
Adults Rock Out For Teens
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The Scarsdale Teen Center held its 6th annual “Adult Night Of Rock” fundraiser at Vintage Bar in White Plains, hosted by 107.1 The Peak's Jimmy Fink on Saturday night May 5th. Scarsdale adults flocked to Vintage to hear performances from We Stole The Kids, The DB6, and Skyfactor, all of which have ties to Scarsdale. While listening to the bands, guests bid in a silent auction which included items as varied as the music. Included in the auction were a signed picture of New York Yankee Curtis Granderson and a brick from the old Yankee stadium, both of which were donated to the Teen Center by Last Licks. Local Scarsdale businesses such as Moscato, Chat and Learning Express were also featured in the auction.
But what really brought in the crowd were the music and the $4 margaritas. The doors opened up at 7:30 pm with the band Harvest the Champion playing a short set. Leading Harvest was Scarsdale High School student, Connor Bodine. The opening act served as a reminder of what this night was all about and what the Teen Center was raising funds for: the teens. As The DB6’s guitarist Dave Cannon said, “It’s all about the kids.” For years the Teen Center has been putting on the Adult Night Of Rock as a way to get the community involved in keeping teens safe and away from alcohol and drugs.
Parents and community members have always shown resounding support through their donations and participation in the Adult 
Night Of Rock, and this year it was no different. While their crowd was small, Harvest the Champion played liked the room was packed and the adults clapped at the end of their set to show their support. “We’re excited to be playing here,” said Bodine, “We’ve played a bunch of shows at the Teen Center, and we have great time doing it.” A few Scarsdale teens had shown up to support Harvest the Champion but once the local high school band had finished their set the bar became 21 and over and it was time for the featured performers to take the stage.
Vintage started to fill up as We Stole The Kids (WSTK) began playing. For the most part the audience was made up of Scarsdale parents and community members, but sprinkled throughout the room was the occasional college student, home for the summer. While We Stole The Kids has played venues from Dewey Beach Fest in Delaware to The Studio at Webster Hall, they haven’t forgotten where they got their start, their hometown of Scarsdale. Members Eric Sherman, Daniel Lonner (aka August Coupe), Scott Jacobson and Ziya Smallens played together while they were students at SHS, performing at the Teen Center and larger venues like the Apollo Theater in Manhattan. Since then they have added Jess Ingui on vocals and Brett Schneider on drums and have continued to have success. Lonner, a sophomore at the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music at the Tisch School, said he likes playing at large festivals but he was excited to be playing a gig in his hometown in a more relaxed setting. Eric Sherman, a junior at Boston University said, “it’s nice to play a show close to home where people can come out and enjoy themselves and support a great place like the Teen Center.” While WSTK’s sound may be geared toward a younger audience, the adults in the room danced and bopped their heads to Daniel Lonner’s rapping and Jess Ingui’s diva style vocals.
We Stole The Kids wasn’t the only band present with Scarsdale roots. Skyfactor’s Jon and Cliff Rubin grew up and in town and were part of the band “Sky Blues” in the early nineties, which recorded five albums at an indie label. But like We Stole the Kids, the Rubin brothers got their start in the halls of SHS. “We both grew up in Scarsdale and had a great experience there, so agreeing to lend our time and talents for the Scarsdale Teen Center was a no-brainer for us,” Rubin said. Skyfactor has been playing together for seven years with their drummer Jason Taylor and lead singer Bob Ziegler. Taylor and Ziegler have been playing music with the Rubins for seven years and are Westchester residents as well. Skyfactor was eager to bring their jam band sound to the stage at Vintage, representing a musical style that pre-dated the electronic and alternative sound of We Stole The Kids.
However, it was The DB6 that put the “Adult” in Adult Night Of Rock. Not to be outdone by the younger bands, The DB6 jammed on classic rock tunes, bringing to the stage their versions of songs like American Girl by Tom Petty and Ramblin’ Man by The Allman Brothers. The DB6 band members Dave Cannon, Dan Groner, Dan Bernstein, and Eric Wayne, play in another Scarsdale band that has been around for several years, The Del Bocas. However, two of The Del Bocas were unable to make it to Night of Rock this year, so they added Steve Rabinowitz on guitar and Mike Pearson on drums to form The DB6. One of The DB6’s guitar players, Dave Cannon, has participated in every Adult Night Of Rock, playing in different bands over the years. “It’s an important night for us,” said Cannon after he and The DB6 had finished their sound check, “It’s a great cause because the Teen Center keeps kids drug and alcohol free, and we have a lot of fun doing it. Any way to help out the Teen Center’s cause is worth it.”
That seemed to be the overall sentiment of the night. It was all about helping the Teen Center raise money and to put on a great show. Like Cannon, the event’s host, Jimmy Fink, has been involved in the Adult Night Of Rock every year. He summed up the night quite nicely. “I think the Teen Center is something unique to Scarsdale. If we can help by having an event like this, all the better.”
This article was contributed by Sandor Mark, a 2009 graduate of Scarsdale High School who currently attends Boston University. He is a former member of the Scarsdale Teen Center board.
