Making Waves to Fight Cancer
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- Written by Bill Doescher
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If you are a swimmer, or any of your children are, mark Thursday, July 25, 3 to 5 p.m., at the Scarsdale Golf Club (SGC) pool in Hartsdale on your calendar, as your chance to provide support to cancer patients and their families in Southern Westchester.
That’s when Swim Across America, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention, and treatment through swimming-related events, in concert with the Cancer Support Team and SGC, will be holding its third fund-raising event at SGC.
You don’t have to be a member of SGC to participate.
All are welcome to participate, whether you swim, volunteer or sponsor a participant. Children who participate are encouraged to raise $250, and adults $500 for this special cause.
The goal for the 2024 event is to raise $10,000.
To register, donate or volunteer, go to www.swimacrossAmerica.com; pool swims will come-up and pick New York; then hit on SGC on July 25, then select donate or register.
Scarsdale Shines Bright: July 4th Week
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- Written by Eian Tsou
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This year, Scarsdale celebrated Independence Day with a series of vibrant events at the Scarsdale Pool, bringing the community together in joyous festivities. The events drew a record breaking crowd. Recreaction Department Supervisor Brian Gray said, "The Department of Parks and Recreation estimates we had in excess of 3,500 people within the pool complex to view the Fireworks and another estimated 2,000 people on surrounding athletic fields, riding stables and the Saxon Woods Golf Course. It was the biggest crowd I have witnessed at the complex."
The celebration began on the evening of July 2nd with a spectacular display of fireworks. Families and friends arrived early to secure the best spots on the grass, setting up blankets in excitement for the evening’s affairs. As they waited for the sparkling show, the tantalizing aroma of hotdogs and fried chicken tenders filled the air, with many taking the opportunity to enjoy these fresh delights.
Acting Village Manager added, "In order to accommodate the crowds, the Village closed portions of Mamaroneck Road and advised residents with a press release and through the use of Everbridge Communications the day before and day of the event to increase awareness about the traffic pattern and road closures."
The wait was made even more enjoyable by the Westchester Band, which delivered captivating performances of over a dozen pieces, including patriotic classics like "American Overture" and "Stars and Stripes Forever." The band’s rendition of "Y.M.C.A.” was a highlight of the evening, as the crowd enthusiastically joined in, performing the iconic dance moves with gusto. The music, combined with the community’s energy, set the perfect tone for the night’s grand finale.
“I love how we’re all able to come together as a community to enjoy a mutual holiday of the country,” commented Santi Zraick, a student at Scarsdale High School. “Events like this provide a shared experience where people from diverse backgrounds come together to celebrate a common heritage or occasion… they can create memories that Scarsdale residents can cherish together”.
As darkness filled the space, so did a sharp silence as anticipation rose. However, the quiet was soon replaced by cheers and sounds of awe as the fireworks lit up the sky in a dazzling array of colors and patterns. Streams of sparks cascaded down, creating an amazing spectacle that danced in the background of the night sky. Each explosion seemed to outdo the last, filling the air with reverberations that echoed throughout the park. Phones were out, capturing every mesmerizing moment. The traffic on the drive home was well worth it.
The celebrations continued on July 4th with a full day of activities once again at the Scarsdale pool. The smell of sunscreen and chlorine wafted through the air. As adults settled in their chairs and soaked in the sun, children’s laughter rang all around as they bounced around in the bounce house and had their faces painted by high school students on the job.
The pool area was particularly busy with kids participating in relay and pool noodle races under the supervision of trustworthy lifeguards. The competitive spirit was friendly and fun, with parents cheering on the children from their lawn chairs. A DJ provided lively music throughout the day, keeping the energy high and the dance floor busy. It also provided the perfect backdrop for families enjoying an ice cream to cool off or for the games ongoing in the water.
“I’m always so impressed with the events that Scarsdale pulls off,” said Cindy Yau. “The way they organize everything, from the fireworks on July 2nd to the many activities today – it really shows how committed our community is to creating amazing experiences."
Scarsdale once again has demonstrated its ability to host vibrant and spectacular celebrations. A shout out to the following for making the event a success:
Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation
Scarsdale Police Department
Scarsdale Fire Department
Scarsdale Department of Public Works
Scarsdale Managers Office
Westchester County Police Department
Westchester County Parks Recreation and Conservation
Photos and text by Eian Tsou.
Jennifer Roane Named Coach of the Year by the NFHS
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Scarsdale Coach Jennifer Roane has been named the Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High Schools for her coaching of Boys Tennis. Commenting on the honor, Roane said, “I'm honored to receive the recognition. I have enjoyed coaching at SHS over the past 29 years.”
Announcing the award, Scarsdale’s Athletic Director Ray Pappalardi said, “Jen Roane has been named NFHS Coach of the Year in New York State for Boys' Tennis. While Jen could be recognized for any of the sports she coaches, her accomplishments in Boys' Tennis span decades. Please join me in congratulating Jen for this incredible level of recognition.”
Roane’s record has been truly exceptional. This year she took the boys doubles team of Jack Reis and Sam Saeed to the state championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens where they prevailed.
Even more impressive, for the past two years the Girls Varsity Tennis team, under the direction of Coach Roane won the New York State Team Championship at the National Tennis Cente. The team has not lost a match in the past five years. The girl's team now has a record of 77 straight wins and they have been team champions in 2021, 2022 and 2023. It doesn’t get much better than that.
But the criteria for the Coach of the Year Award is not just about winning. Here is the list of what is considered to win this award:
1. Having coached during the 2023-2024 school year or having been retired no more than one year.
2. Having coached 10+ years, BUT not a must
3. Have a good win / loss coaching record, BUT not a must.
4. Have served on league and / or sectional committees for their sport
5. Be a positive role model within their school and community.
The committee is trying to recognize coaches that have made outstanding contributions to their sport via their school, section, and community over their years of coaching.
Congratulations to Coach Jennifer Roane!
DeCicco's in Scarsdale Says They Are Here to Stay
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Rumors are abuzz about DeCicco’s in Scarsdale. Customers are finding empty shelves, limited supplies of dairy items and very few essentials like eggs and butter. As you can imagine, they are concerned.
We spoke with store manager Walter Wadwick today, who confirms that the store is here to stay. DeCicco’s has a long-term lease and he insists they will not go out of business.
Wadwick says the reason there are empty shelves is that the store is in the process of seeking new distributors with more reasonable prices. While they make these changes, there will be some gaps. He conceded that they have been hit with competition from the DeCiccos in Eastchester along with the bigger supermarkets on Central Avenue. Rising food prices have also hurt them.
However they are looking to be back in full swing and fully stocked by the Jewish holidays and hope to be able to sell food at reasonable prices.
The store is still receiving food, just smaller deliveries. He said that three truckloads arrived today and the store will continue to be supplied. The fish department, meat department and deli have good inventory of fresh products.
He asked for your patience and loyalty as they make this transition. He said, “We are here for the community and here for older residents who depend on us for deliveries.”
He asked the community to disregard any claims on Facebook and repeated, “We are here to stay.”
Kudos to Scouts at Village Hall
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Adelia Bandsma, Charlotte Blotner and Kyra MontgomeryThough scouts missed their opportunity to march in the Memorial Day Parade this year due to stormy weather, they had their night in the limelight at Village Hall on Tuesday May 28, 2024. Two boy scouts who received their Eagle Awards and three girl scouts who received Gold Awards were recognized by the Village Board for achieving the highest scout awards.
Scarsdale Edgemont Girl Scout Volunteer Service Unit Manager Donna Caro announced the three girl scout awards explaining, “The Gold Award is the highest national leadership award a high school Girl Scout can earn. She must identify an issue that matters to her and then develop and execute an innovative and sustainable solution with measurable impact. She must log at least 80 hours with a minimum of 16 hours directly leading others. Only 5.4% of eligible Girl Scouts nationwide earn this prestigious award.”
30 banners honoring hometown heroes have been posted around the Village.Charlotte Blotner and Kyra Montgomery have both completed their projects. Adelia Bandsma still needs to submit her paperwork and have an interview.
Charlotte Blotner’s project, "Accessible Art" aimed to address the negative effects of continued cuts to programming in the arts in schools. She taught children about art and art history, donated art supplies and created a printable journal to help children and adults find their own creative outlets.
Kyra Montgomery’s 'project, "Your Vote is Your Voice" aimed to increase civic engagement and voting among young people. She created a voter registration club at her school which runs regular voter registration drives throughout the school year and also ran voting workshops for younger girl scout troops to educate them about the women's suffrage movement and the election process in the U.S.
Adelia Bandsma has worked with numerous officials in the Scarsdale Village Government to bring the Hometown Heros flag project to Scarsdale Village. There are now 30 military tribute banners honoring veterans with a connection to Scarsdale hanging in the Village due to Adelia's work. Discussing her project, Bandsma said, "I was inspired by the Hometown Hero banners in Eastchester. They are such a heartwarming sight to drive by and I thought Scarsdale needed that too. I decided to do it as my Girl Scout Gold award project so I met with Mayor Arest and he said it was a nice thing to do. We decided to put the banners up in the village along the Memorial Day parade route. The Scarsdale Historical Society sponsored three banners for Scarsdale Historical veterans. Colonel Alexander Baxter Crane, Major William Popham and Captain Caleb Tompkins. Colonel Crane is on Crane road and Major Popham is on Popham road. I hope this project makes Scarsdalians who serve our country feel valued and cherished."
Eagle Scout Awards for Zachary Finkel and Noah Millard
Zachary Finkel and Noah Millard
Zachary Finkel, along with members of Troop 4 Scarsdale constructed twelve Mobile Boot Brush Stations. The Boot Brush Stations will help prevent the transfer of invasive plant and insect species. The stations are transportable and will be rotated around different locations seasonally and for special events. Finkel learned basic woodworking and workshop safety skills in a professional studio in Manhattan. He designed and custom built twelve sturdy wooden bases, including measuring, cutting, drilling, sanding and sealing the platforms. Finkel, who serves as a Patrol Leader with his Troop, is a Senior at Eastchester High School. He is on the High Honor Roll and will be graduating in June. He is interested in studying Political Science or Medicine.
Noah Millard's project involved the painting of the side of a flight simulator at the White Plains Youth Bureau and the construction of a wind tunnel. The side of the flight simulator was painted white then had decals added to resemble a plane. The wind tunnel is about the size of a folding table and is made up of a box fan, a funnel, an air straightener made with PVC pipe, and a test chamber that has a wood frame and clear acrylic. Inside of the wind tunnel is an air foil that is used to demonstrate lift. The wind tunnel can show the properties of lift and will help the Aviation Academy at the White Plains Youth Bureau.
