Chalking It Up To Say Thanks
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 1784
Kids and adults of all ages used their artistic talents on April 22 to thank the emergency workers who are helping the Village through the crisis. Residents chalked driveways and make window signs to show their appreciation for policemen, firefighters, EMS workers, Scarsdale’s water and sanitation departments and everyone at Village Hall who are keeping the Village safe and running in these difficult times.
The event was conceived by Scarsdale’s Dara Gruenberg and made official by the Village of Scarsdale.
Take a look below at their work. And if you want to add your photo to the gallery, please email it to scarsdalecomments@gmail.com.
Become a Pen Pal for Life
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 1983
Social isolation caused by the Covid pandemic has been difficult for everyone in our community. But the isolation has been especially hard for senior citizens in nursing homes who are unable to see family and friends during this difficult time.
Two Scarsdale students, Matthew and Jordan Knispel are leading the effort to help seniors in our community. The program is called Pen Pals For Life and its mission is to create connections between school-aged children and senior citizens who may feel isolated during this time.
Explaining the mission Matthew says, “As a teenager I am very lucky to have my parents and sister with me every day. But so many people are not as fortunate. When my Grandma was living in a local nursing home we visited her several times a week. When social distancing began I immediately thought of the residents in nursing homes and how lonely this would be for them. Feeling connected is now more important than ever and I am very happy to be able to bring this program to New York and help our local community.”
PenPalsForLife.com allows students and adults to sign up to become a pen pal. Each participant will be assigned an email address where they can send communications to their Senior Pen Pal. The goal is to write two letters a week to the senior during this time of social distancing. In some cases, the senior may be able to write back and in some cases, they may not. But either way, they hope that sharing stories, jokes, pictures or just a note of friendship will be uplifting and heartwarming to those elderly people alone in their communities and homes. They also believe it will be fulfilling and meaningful to the participants who choose to volunteer.
Students can send a letter, a picture, or even a short video clip to their assigned senior to brighten their day and let them know they are not alone.
Here’s an example of a recent letter:
Hi Samuel,
My name is Austin and I am in 9th grade. I am 15 years old and I love to play basketball. It's been challenging because I haven't been able to play with my friends during this time. My favorite subject in school is Spanish. Como estas?? I've been spending my days doing my schoolwork and playing my video games. When the weather is nice, I go bike riding and play with my basketball hoop outside.
I hope you are well and staying healthy. I am thinking about you and your family during this difficult time. Maybe one day, we could meet and I could get to know you better. Here's a joke: What do you give a sick lemon? Lemon aid!!!
Take care!!
Austin
Sign up here to become a Pen Pal for Life!
The Safe Coalition: Children, Families, Community Heightens Awareness About Domestic and Sexual Violence
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 2255
The Safe Coalition: Children, Families, Community, is reminding the Scarsdale community about two important items.
First- we continue to recognize that social distancing and isolation places families where there is violence at high risk. There is great concern for physical and emotional safety in homes where there is violence of any kind (domestic, child, elderly). Below are a few basic tips that we hope can be helpful:
Keep lines of communication open and stay in touch with your support network when possible
Create a safety plan, including how to leave the home and where to stay that is most safe in your own home
Create a “peaceful” space in your home for you and/or your children. This can include pictures, imagery, and positive affirmations, reminding them and you of your worth
Consider options, but trust your own instincts. Survivors are experts in their own situations. What can make one person feel safer could create increased danger for someone else
Share your concern and any history of violence at home with someone, possibly even the Police
Provide to contacts a seemingly innocuous word/phrase that you can use to alert them to that you are in a potentially dangerous situation
Know there is help and resources available!
Second- the Safe Coaliton will be participating virtually in Denim Day, a campaign on Wednesdsay April 29th in honor of Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The campaign was originally triggered by a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped her rapist remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault. In this rape prevention education campaign we ask community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual assault.
So people can demonstrate their participation, please send all pictures to lpomerantz@scarsdaleschools.org or follow/post them on our facebook page:
Together as a community we can show our support for survivors of sexual assault.
Gaming for Good
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 1555
Noah Weber, Larry Nance Jr Athletes vs. Crohn’s event.Two Scarsdale High School high school students are "gaming for good.” They've launched an NBA 2k20 game tournament—with the help of NBA player Larry Nance Jr. of the Cleveland Cavaliers—to raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts at White Plains Hospital. To date, the tournament has raised nearly $68,000 and counting.
Scarsdale High School juniors Noah Weber and Max Roth started the tournament in April. Noah had a very important connection to help drive the fundraising effort. In 2017, he and NBA player Larry Nance started a non-profit, Athletes vs. Crohn’s and Colitis, to raise awareness for the inflammatory bowel disease. Both Larry and Noah were diagnosed with Crohn's and wanted to inspire and mentor young athletes with the disease.
Now the two are working together to support another health crisis, this time it’s COVID-19 relief.
“My friends and I have been playing a lot of NBA 2k20 while quarantined,” says Noah Weber. "The NBA is doing a 2k tournament of their own, and we were inspired to do a similar one to help White Plains Hospital,” said Weber. Roth and Weber are both members of the White Plains Hospital’s junior board and both have parents who are physicians at the Hospital.
The tournament is open to both Xbox and PS4 users in the format of 5v5 team matchups. The 
Left to right Noah Weber, Max Rothtournament is round-robin, followed by single-elimination. The winner on each platform gets to take on Larry Nance Jr. and his squad in a game of NBA 2k20. The entry fee is $50 per team. For info on the tournament, click here.
Left to right: Max Roth, Noah Weber, Larry Nance Sr (retired Cleveland Cavalier, NBA Allstar, Larry’s father) Larry Nance Jr (Cleveland Cavalier) at Athletes vs Crohn’s 2019 event.
Scarsdale Stays Busy While Social Distancing
- Details
- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
- Hits: 3522
Despite the orders to practice social distancing, residents are finding ways to get out of the house. Here are some photos and observations from this weekend:
Nine year-old Rowan spent the day creating this magnificent chalk image on her driveway in Edgewood. Chalking is a great safe outdoor activity for the kids. Send us photos of the work at your house.
Carnival
In West Harrison the Verzillo family made a carnival in their yard. Today they are painting Easter signs:
Driveway Tennis
Here's a good way to keep fit and busy without leaving home. Driveway tennis! Greenacres Avenue residents set up a net across the driveway and play everyday. Fun and legal!
Coffee
Others decided to venture out to the drive-through window at the Starburks at the Golden Horseshoe. On Sunday, the line-up snaked out to Wilmot Road!
A Heathcote resident send us the following reminder:
Slow Down!
“There are many children riding their bikes, some with or without helmets and some with or without parental supervision. Please remind your readers to DRIVE SLOWLY and CAREFULLY! Thank you!
P.S. -- truly liked you reminding people to help pick up random bits of trash and gloves around the streets ... Scarsdale Sanitation is overwhelmed with corrugated box pick up and cannot be expected to pick up after neighbors. Thanks for keeping the community informed during these times. “
Another asked us to post the following:
Discard Gloves and Masks
“One thing I am noticing is discarded gloves and masks on the ground. I live near Balducci's and its parking lot is littered with them. But I see then even along the residential streets around Heathcote Elementary. Not sure if you can use your platform to urge people to dispose of their gloves and masks properly.”
How are you staying busy? Send us photos of your activities – inside and out-- to scarsdalecomments@gmail.com.
