Facts of Life
September 11, 2024 at 11:09 p.m.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Westchester & Putnam (BBBSWP) has announced the appointment of Ann Ellsworth, LCSW, as its new CEO. She joins BBBSWP following an impactful 18-year tenure as Executive Director at the Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center, where she advocated for and provided vital support to adult and child victims of domestic and sexual violence. Ellsworth succeeds Valerie Brown who has been CEO of BBBSWP since 2015.
Port Chester Council for the Arts, Inc. is seeking professional visual artists who would like to be considered for participation in their upcoming art show, ART10573, to be held Sun., Oct. 20 at the Crawford Mansion Community Center in Rye Brook. There are a limited number of spots available. Interested artists should email [email protected] for more information and an application which is due by Fri., Sept. 27.
The New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs is now issuing Korean War and Vietnam War commemorative medals approved by the legislature and Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2022. The legislation, signed by the governor prior to Veterans Day in 2022, establishes the New York State Vietnam War Commemorative Medal and the New York State Korean War Commemorative Medal. The medals are not for wear on a uniform but were designed and authorized as a way for the legislature to thank veterans of these wars for their service. Veterans can apply for the medals online by going to the Division of Military and Naval Affairs website at https://dmna.ny.gov/awards/
Congregation K.T.I. is participating again this school year in Food 2 Grown On to provide bags of groceries each weekend and during school vacations to alleviate hunger and food insecurity among elementary-aged children at Edison, Park Avenue and King Street school in Port Chester. Checks made payable to Food 2 Grow On are also welcome and should be mailed c/o the Rotary Club, P.O. Box 26, Port Chester, NY 10573. Food donations requested include healthy cereal, peanut butter (14-16 oz. jars), tuna fish, canned fruit (14-18 oz. size)—store brands are OK. Food donations can be dropped in the box 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]
Rye Brook Recreation has announced that registration for the 2024-25 After-School Program is now open. Monthly fees: $275 for 2 days per week; $370 for 3 days per week; $435 for 4 days per week and $525 for 5 days per week. For information, call Rocky Furano at 914/438-2087 or [email protected]
Quassy Amusement Park and Waterpark in Middlebury, Conn. has announced the launch of a new tradition—Hispanic Heritage Month—every weekend thru Sept. 29. This celebration highlights the rich Hispanic culture that has long been a vibrant park of the community. Guests can purchase All Day Ride Wristbands for $21.99 + tax when bought online at www.quassy.com
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has launched its redesigned and more user-friendly website. The redesign has a more intuitive interface with streamlined content to help New Yorkers seamlessly navigate dozens of online transactions and obtain important information from the DMV. This change is part of the agency’s ongoing modernization initiative to significantly enhance customer service, to make services more efficient for customers, and to replace DMV’s aging technology.
Registration for the Fall Session A at Clay Art Center in Port Chester is open. It includes weekly classes for adults in wheel throwing, handbuilding and sculpture. Session B registration for members begins Sept. 25. For information on classes and to register, go to www.clayartcenter.org
The Hudson Gateway REALTOR® Foundation, the charitable arm of the Hudson Gateway Association of REALTORS®, recently presented a check for $3,000 to Furniture Sharehouse, located at the Westchester County Airport in W. Harrison. Furniture Sharehouse is Westchester’s only furniture bank and provides gently used, unwanted furniture to economically disadvantaged families and individuals across the county. Clients are referred to Furniture Sharehouse by almost 50 member agencies and include those who are moving from homeless shelters or escaping domestic violence, working families living in extreme poverty, veterans struggling with financial hardship or young adults aging out of foster care.
The Sherman Fairchild Foundation has awarded Purchase College a $500,000 Arts & Technology grant. This grant will help establish TAPROOT—“Technology in the Arts Project: Reinvent, Originate, Open, Transform”—with the overarching goal of fostering an expansive creative culture in which emerging technologies are strategically and intentionally integrated across the arts. Supported activities include 3 cohorts of 4 faculty fellows who will collaborate to build emerging technologies into their courses and teach students how to use those technologies as tools in the creative process. The grant will also support an Interactive Media Arts Computer Lab and an Interactive Media Arts Creation Lab located in the library; introductory faculty peer workshops, course development, grants to support senior projects growing out of TAPROOT work, and an annual symposium also showcasing the work coming out of the TAPROOT project.
The Village of Rye Brook has partnered with Westchester County to offer residents a free cell phone app called RecycleCoach where you can look up your Rye Brook sanitation schedule, view holiday week changes, and receive answers to commonly asked questions such as if a particular item is recyclable. It is a very useful tool, is relatively user-friendly and can be downloaded from the App Store.
Hillside Food Outreach, a nonprofit dedicated to delivering high-quality, nutritious food to low-income and limited mobility families, seniors and the chronically ill in Westchester, Putnam, and Fairfield counties, is calling on the community to join its mission. The organization, which provides food deliveries free of charge to more than 2,000 individuals twice per month, is in urgent need of volunteers to help meet the rising demand. They are seeking additional delivery volunteers to ensure that no household on its waitlist of over 100 families goes hungry. Volunteers typically deliver to up to six households, fostering trust and long-term relationships with the clients they serve. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, call 914/747-0095 or visit hillsidefoodoutreach.org.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has designated Free Fishing Days in New York this year. Those remaining are 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.
The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles has launched the New York Mobile ID, a highly secure digital version of a state-issued driver license, learner permit or ID on a smartphone. The Mobile ID is a voluntary product designed for the convenience and security of New Yorkers and is available to IOS and Android users. Anyone who has a valid, state-issued driver license, learner permit or non-driver ID can download the secure Mobile ID app through Google Play or the App Store.
The Westchester County Clerk's Office is open with extended evening hours for their popular mobile passport services weekdays from 5-8 p.m. at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., White Plains. The U.S. Department of State estimates standard passport processing times at 6 to 8 weeks and expedited at 2-3 weeks, with an additional charge. Remember to bring all necessary documents, like proof of citizenship (birth certificate, consular report of birth abroad, or naturalization certificate) and proof of identity (driver’s license or government-issued ID). For renewal applicants, there are specific guidelines to follow, and for minors under 16, both parents need to be present, unless specific conditions apply. All details and forms are on their website, www.WestchesterClerk.com. Fees: $130 for adults; $100 for minors under 16. Payment is by money order or check payable to the U.S. Department of State, plus a $35 service fee payable to the Westchester County Clerk (credit card, money order, or check). Passport photos are $10 each ($7 for seniors). For questions, call 914/995-3082 during the week or go to the website.
The 9/11 Memorial & Museum, located in the footprints of the Twin Towers in NYC, offers free admission exclusively to New Yorkers on the first Monday of each month, providing New Yorkers a special opportunity to see the Museum with one another and to reconnect with the feeling of community and cohesion that blanketed the city and nation in the wake of 9/11. The Memorial can be visited daily 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; the Museum is open Wed.-Mon., 9 a.m.-7 p.m. For regular admission rates, go to https://visit911memorial.org
Westchester County Executive George Latimer has announced the debut of the new Westchester Craft Beverage Trail and free online passport. The trail includes more than 24 distilleries, craft breweries and cideries throughout the region. A free, online passport for users 21 and older allows them to easily sip and savor their way across the County while earning rewards for fun items reflecting Westchester’s craft culture. Learn more at www.visitwestchestercounty.com/things-to-do/dining/craft-beverage/trail/
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.
Happy birthday to Barbara Minnitte of Rye Brook who celebrates Sept. 16.
Happy birthday to Lauren Tartaglia, daughter of Dan and Linda Tartaglia of Rye Brook, who celebrates Sept. 15.
Michael Treusdell, Allegra Burke, Allyson Lunarejo and Nathan Provencher, all of Port Chester, are enrolled in the University at Buffalo Honors College for the 2024-25 academic year. The Honors College is made up of students who are intellectually ambitious and interested in pushing themselves and others to maximize their undergraduate experiences. The UB Honors College supports and challenges academically gifted students to strengthen their studies and explore their interests across disciplines. Honors scholars enjoy many benefits designed to foster academic and personal success—including personalized advisement, faculty mentorship, priority registration, access to unique funding opportunities, specialized living communities and a network of global honors alumni. Honors scholars must maintain a 3.300 undergraduate Grade Point Average during the first year and at least a 3.500 undergraduate GPA in each successive year to graduate with an overall GPA of 3.500.
The next Port Chester High School Marching Band bottle and can recycling collections will be Sun., Sept. 15, 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.
Burke Rehabilitation, a leading provider of physical and medical rehabilitation, research, and graduate medical education based in White Plains, has been named to Newsweek’s 2024 list of America’s Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers. This recognition comes shortly after Burke’s recognition as one of U.S. News & World Report’s 2024-2025 Best Rehabilitation Hospitals in the nation. These recognitions are a testament to Burke’s personalized, patient-centered care, as Burke has the lowest rehabilitation hospital readmission rate in the country.
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