Facts of Life

Happy birthday to Ashley Pezzella of Port Chester who celebrates Mar. 22.

Rose Ayala of Port Chester has been named to the Dean’s List at SUNY Oswego for the fall 2023 semester. Rose is majoring in criminal justice and human development. Dean’s List students are those attaining a semester grade point average between 3.3 and 3.79 while carrying required academic credits.

Officials from St. Vincent’s Hospital Westchester, a division of Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, and the St. Vincent’s Auxiliary Board joined together on Mar. 7 to celebrate the winners of the 32^nd Annual Youth Awards. Twenty-two high school students from schools in Westchester, Rockland and Fairfield counties, including Melody Sapione from Port Chester High School, received awards. In addition to the St. Vincent’s Youth Award, the students received U.S. Congressional Certificates of Achievement.

St. Vincent’s Annual Youth Awards were established in 1993 by the Auxiliary Board to recognize young people who support St. Vincent’s values and to promote lifelong patterns of volunteerism.

The next Port Chester High School Marching Band bottle and can recycling collection will be Sun., Mar. 17, 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.

The Collegium for Lifelong Learning at SUNY WCC has announced that registration is open for its 20^th Anniversary Spring Session which will run for six consecutive weeks, with Wednesday classes from Apr. 3-May 8 and Friday classes from Apr. 5-May 10. An extra bonus class will be held Wed., May 15, available to spring registrants at no additional cost. Courses include The Architecture of NYC, The Historical Novel, The Bible, Opera, Theater on Film, Women in the Arts and Animated Films. For additional information, fees and to register, go to www.sunywcc.edu/collegium

The League of Women Voters of Westchester County advises that Early Voting will be held Sat.-Sat., Mar. 23-30. The last day for an application for a mailed absentee ballot or a mailed early mail ballot to be received by the Board of Elections is Mar. 23. The Presidential Primary in NYS will be held Tues., Apr. 2.

Stop & Shop has announced the 23^rd Annual Help Cure Childhood Cancer campaign to support two of the nation’s leading pediatric cancer centers—Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund in Massachusetts and MSK Kids, the Pediatric Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The campaign will run in all stores thru Mar. 31. Shoppers can donate at checkout by rounding up their total to the nearest dollar or by donating $1, $3, or $5.

Westchester County Tourism & Film’s free official travel and meeting guide is available to order at www.visitwestchesterny.com/plan/order-free-guide/ A digital version is available at visitwestchester.ny.com

County Executive George Latimer and the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board hosted an event recently at SUNY-Westchester Community College Yonkers for the County’s annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program which helps low- and moderate-income individuals and families eligible for the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit file their taxes for free. The program also provides help for people with disabilities, senior citizens and those for whom English is a second language. The program is operating thru Apr. 15 at locations in Westchester including the White Plains Career Center, 120 Bloomingdale Rd., 2^nd floor, Mondays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. by appointment only.

Playland Park has launched its Community Program, #OurPlayland. This initiative aligns with the vision that Playland is a place to gather, share and create new memories. Playland is calling on the community to be a part of the Playland Hometown Heroes Banner Program which will serve as a living tribute in the community to honor veterans, past and present, throughout Westchester County and beyond by displaying personalized banners along the waterfront boardwalk starting Memorial Day through Veterans Day. Purchase a Hometown Heroes Package at playland.com. All entries must be submitted by Apr. 8.

Westchester County Parks, in partnership with the Westchester Parks Foundation, is offering 10 scholarships to local students to fund Lifeguard Certification courses for those who want to work as a Westchester County Parks lifeguard this summer. Students must be 15+ and are encouraged to write explaining why they want to be a lifeguard and how they will benefit from the experience. Submissions should be at least 250 words and emailed to [email protected]. Deadline is Fri., Mar. 15. Those awarded scholarships will be expected to work at any of the following facilities: Croton Point Beach, Glen Island Beach, Saxon Woods Pool, Sprain Ridge Pool, Tibbetts Brook Pool or Willson’s Woods Pool.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced four additional designated Free Fishing Days in New York: June 29 & 30, Sept. 28 and Nov. 11. During these days, the fishing license requirement is waived for freshwater fishing on New York’s waters. The Free Fishing Days program provides a great opportunity for aspiring anglers to try freshwater fishing for the first time or former anglers to reconnect with one of America’s favorite pastimes.

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]

At Congregation KTI it is a Mitzvah (good deed) moment for all to help feed those in the community who are needy. All food collected in KTI’s ongoing drive is being given to the Salvation Army in Port Chester. Food requested includes cans of tuna, chicken, vegetables, beans and fruit as well as pasta, 10-16 oz. bags/boxes of white rice, snacks, shelf-stable milk, healthy cereals, macaroni and cheese and canned meals like Chef-Boy-r-Dee, chili, etc. The food can be left in bins in Leslie Brandeis Novack's driveway at 48 Meadowlark Rd., Rye Brook.