Facts of Life

Happy birthday to former Port Chester Trustee Alex Payan who celebrates Jan. 22.

Happy birthday to Frankie Lanzilli of Lake Peekskill, N.Y., formerly of Rye Brook, who celebrates Jan. 21.

Happy birthday to PCHS graduates Valerie and Veronica Tornini who celebrate Jan. 23.

Happy birthday to Aimee Morabito of Port Chester who celebrates Jan. 26.

Happy birthday to PCHS graduate Steve Wesley who celebrates Jan. 23.

Happy birthday wishes to Ellen Edwards of Bronxville who celebrates a milestone on Jan. 26.

Abby Zahl of Rye Brook was named to the fall 2023 President's List at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Miami University students ranked in the top three percent of undergraduate students within each division for the fall 2023 semester have been named to the President's List recognizing academic excellence.

Ashley Cabrera and Isabella Pistone, both of Port Chester, have been named to the Dean’s List for Fall 2023 at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. To qualify for the Dean's List, students must earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 with no grade lower than C. Full-time students must complete at least 14 credits in a semester, with at least 12 credits that have been graded on a letter grade basis to be eligible. Part-time students must complete at least six credits during a semester.

Ashley Ferraro, William MacAllister and Christopher Soria, all of Port Chester, have been named to the President’s Honors list at SUNY Cortlandt for the Fall 2023 semester. To qualify for the President's List, students must earn a grade of A- or better in each of their classes while carrying a course load of 12 hours or more. Ashley’s major is Social Philosophy; William’s major is Physical Education, K-12 and Christopher’s major is Adolescence Education-Math.

Maria Cortes, Melanie Tapia and Daisy Ayavaca, all of Port Chester, have been named to the Fall 2023 Dean’s List at the University of Bridgeport. To be named to the Dean's List, a student must have a term grade point average of between 3.2-3.69.

Cintya Ore and Jesse Montaleza Loja, both of Port Chester, have been named to the Fall 2023 President’s List at the University of Bridgeport. To be named to the President's List, a student must maintain a term grade point average of 3.7 or higher.

Port Chester Youth Baseball League Spring 2024 registration is now open for children in the Port Chester and Rye Brook community, from T-ball (age 4) through Major League (age 12). Registration information for the league’s 2024 Spring Season is available on their web page (www.portchesterbaseball.com).

The next Port Chester High School Marching Band bottle and can recycling collection will be Sun., Jan. 21, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Middle School parking lot on Bowman Avenue, Rye Brook. Collections generally take place on the first and third Sunday of each month. Call 914/200-1464 for updated information.

Westchester County Parks has announced that applications are now available to be considered for employment as a Westchester County lifeguard. Applicants must be 15 years of age or older to apply. Lifeguard training courses will be announced for those who need to train to become a lifeguard. Applicants should possess a current American Red Cross Lifeguarding/First Aid and CPR/AED for Lifeguards certifications or equivalent and pass the Westchester County practical skills test. County Parks offers training for new guards, which includes waterfront training for the option to guard at either a pool or beach.

Those applying must be able to work at varied locations including Saxon Woods Pool in White Plains, Sprain Ridge Pool and The Brook at Tibbetts in Yonkers, Willson’s Waves Pool in Mount Vernon, as well as Croton Point Park Beach in Croton-on-Hudson and Glen Island Beach in New Rochelle if waterfront certified. For more information contact the County’s aquatics team at [email protected] or 914/231-4556.

NYC Restaurant Week runs thru Feb. 4. Hundreds of restaurants in the Big Apple offer prix fixe lunch and dinner menus starting at $30. To book a table, go to www.nyctourism.com

The Westchester County Department of Public Safety is accepting applications for seasonal park rangers to patrol County parks this summer. Applications are due by Feb. 17 and are available online at the Department of Public Safety’s web pages: http://publicsafety.westchestergov.com. Uniformed park rangers work under the supervision of County Police officers to maintain a safe and enjoyable atmosphere in the county’s parks. They assist park users, provide information on park rules and procedures, help in searches for lost children, perform basic first aid on occasion and make regular security checks of buildings and facilities. First-time rangers are paid $17 hourly; salaries are higher for those who have worked as a ranger for the County before. To qualify, applicants must be a high school graduate, at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen, and possess a valid NYS driver’s license by the time of appointment. Preference in hiring may be shown to Westchester residents. The application form may be found in the Employment: Seasonal Park Rangers section of the Department website. Accepted candidates must complete a 162-hour peace officer training program at the Westchester County Police Academy. Park rangers are paid during this Academy training.

The Bruce Museum in Greenwich has announced the selection of Kimberly Klauss as its inaugural Artist-in-Residence. She will embark on a transformative nine-month residency at the Museum, where she will have the opportunity to delve into her craft, experiment with new ideas, and interact with the Museum's diverse audience. During the residency, she will respond to the works Collage X Landscape by George Morrison and DNA: Sepia V by McArthurBinion through the lens of her own practice. www.brucemuseum.org

The Westchester County Historical Society was recently awarded a federal grant from the National Historic Publications and Records Commission, part of the National Archives, to make an important collection accessible to the public with more than 1,100 pages of handwritten interviews conducted between 1844 and 1850 with Westchester County residents who endured the impact of the Revolutionary War. The $75,875 grant will provide funds for a professional archivist and librarian to transcribe the interviews and digitize the entire collection, allowing for greater accessibility on the websites of the WCHS and NY Heritage. The project is anticipated to take 12 months.

The Hudson Gateway REALTOR^® Foundation, the charitable arm of the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®, recently presented a check for $2,000 to Make-A-Wish® Hudson Valley, located in Tarrytown. Make-A-Wish creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Since 1986, Make-A-Wish^® Hudson Valley has granted the wishes of more than 3,200 children in the Hudson Valley region with critical illnesses. Serving the eight counties of Delaware, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester, the Chapter’s mission is to ensure that every eligible child residing in the Hudson Valley who qualifies is granted their most heartfelt wish. While wishes are referred and completed on an ongoing basis, they currently have over 220 children waiting for their wishes to be granted.

Lifting Up Westchester, a non-profit agency committed to helping individuals experiencing homelessness and hunger achieve self-sufficiency, has announced its seventh annual high school student essay contest. open to all students attending school in Westchester in grades 7-12. This year’s contest is called “Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes,” because they are asking students to learn about the different programs offered by Lifting Up Westchester and to write a narrative about someone who accessed and benefited from one of these programs. The student’s story can be inspired by real events, such as someone they knew, have seen in school, in their community or in their travels or the story can be from the student’s imagination. First, second and third place cash prizes will be awarded in each of three grade groups—7th & 8th, 9th & 10th and 11th & 12th--$500 for first prize, $250 for second prize and $100 for third prize. Students can enter until Feb. 16 at 5 p.m. at www.liftingupwestchester.org. Winners will be announced in early March 2024 and an awards ceremony will be held Apr. 14, 2024.

2024 Mah Jongg cards can be ordered now with payment by cash or check payable to Leslie Brandeis and mailed to her or dropped at her heme, 48 Meadowlark Rd., Rye Brook, or at the home of Allene Berman, 20 Mohegan Lane, Rye Brook. $14 for standard print; $15 for large print. Orders must be received by Feb. 5. For additional information email Leslie at [email protected] or Allene at [email protected]

Congregation K.T.I. is participating again this school year in Food 2 Grow On to provide bags of groceries each weekend and during school vacations to alleviate hunger and food insecurity among elementary-school aged children at Edison, Park Avenue and King Street schools in Port Chester. They also welcome checks made payable to Food 2 Grow On, mailed c/o the Rotary Club, P.O. Box. 26, Port Chester, NY 10573. Food donations needed include: healthy cereal, peanut butter (14-16 oz. jars), tuna fish, canned fruit (14-18 oz. cans)—store brands are OK. Food donations can be dropped in the bins at 48 Meadowlark Rd., Rye Brook. For questions or to arrange a pickup of donations call Leslie at 914/939-8659 or email her at [email protected]

The Westchester County Department of Health is reminding families to book vaccine visits with their child’s healthcare provider or at the free back-to-school clinics. Families with no insurance, ChildHealthPlus or Medicaid should call the County Health Department to schedule an appointment for vaccines at no charge. Call 914/995-5800 to see if you qualify and to secure a spot at the Health Department Clinic, 134 Court St., White Plains. Appointments are Fridays 9 a.m.-3 p.m.