SFD Swears in New Firefighters
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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The Scarsdale Fire Department's newest probationary firefighters, Rory Tully and John Nannariello, were sworn in by Deputy Village Clerk Veronica Regazzi at Village Hall on September 18, 2014. They will begin an intensive seventeen week training program at the Westchester County Career Fire Academy at the County Fire Training Center in Valhalla, NY and will return to the Scarsdale Fire Department as Nationally Certified Level II firefighters in late January.
Rory Tully is from Yonkers and previously worked as a physician recruiter in Connecticut. John Nannariello is from Eastchester and is the owner and lead instructor at a Cross Fit gym in Pleasantville. Both recruits are single.
Several on-duty Scarsdale firefighters attended the ceremony as well.
Left to right: Deputy Clerk Ronnie Regazzi, Fire Chief Thomas Cain, Probationary Firefighter Rory Tully, Probationary Firefighter John Nannariello, Village Manager Al Gatta,
Cub Scouts Kick Off Fall Season in Scarsdale
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On Sunday Setpember 14th approximately 70 children turned out for the Scarsdale Cub Scout Pack 440 Klondike, the annual kick-off and recruitment event. The event was at Hitchcock Church and included fun activities for current and potential scouts, including competitions, skill development, and crafts. Approximately 70 children participated.
Scarsdale Pack 440 is a non-sectarian pack, composed of boys from Scarsdale and neighboring towns. Our boys are in 1st-5th grades. We are part of the Boy Scouts of America, Westchester-Putnam Council.
For more information please contact Woodrow Crouch, [email protected].
Day of Service at the JCC this Sunday
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The community is invited to participate in a day of service and remembrance on Sunday September 14 from 10 am to 3 pm at the JCC of Mid-Westchester in Scarsdale. The day is sponsored by the JCC in cooperation with UJA-Federation of New York as part of the National Day of Service and Remembrance, a federally recognized observance. This day of good deeds and charitable service, with a Remembrance Program 1:00 p.m., is a county-wide event and all members of the community are invited to come out and donate items for charity and/or participate in numerous charitable activities for people of all ages and interests.
Popular children's author Ellen Bari (sponsored through PJ Library) will make a special appearance from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. and read from her book "Jumping Jenny." Other programs for the day include: 11:00 a.m. Teen Tribute Program; 12:00-1:00 p.m. Organized Sports Activities in the JCC gym; 1:00 p.m. 9/11 Remembrance Program featuring elected officials and community leaders; and 2:00-3:00 p.m. performance by the New Westchester Symphony Orchestra in the Bendheim Performing Arts Center, 2:00-3:00 p.m. Free Family Swim in the JCC pool, and 2:00-3:00 p.m. Family Sandwich-Making to benefit Bronx Jewish Community Council's Pantry sponsored by ENGAGE of Westchester. Participants are encouraged to bring a loaf of bread for the sandwiches.
Activities to benefit more than 25 local agencies will take place; a bone marrow drive with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, a pet adoption and pet toys collection with PetRescue, card-making for inclusion with items and food for AnySoldier, which sends packages to for overseas troops, hair donations for Locks of Love, a blood drive to benefit the blood bank at White Plains Hospital, a Rosh Hashanah Package Delivery program (DOROT Westchester), a lemonade stand to benefit Sunrise Day Camp for children with life threatening illnesses and their families, a pasta and cereal collection for Bronx Jewish Community Council's Pantry, a canned tuna collection to benefit Hope Community Services, which provides meals for the hungry in New Rochelle, collection of school and art supplies (for K-5th) for Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA) Cottage School Programs. Donation collections include used Ipads, new or gently used children's books to benefit JCY-Westchester Community Partners, children's clothing for Kid's Kloset of Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), and new pillows for Life Haven Shelter for Women and Children. Village Squares Quilters will coordinate sewing pillow cases for pediatric cancer patients, and ENGAGE will sponsor family sandwich-making to benefit Bronx Jewish Community Council's Pantry.
The event is free of charge and begins at 10 a.m. At 11:00 a.m., the second annual JCC of Mid-Westchester Teen Community Service Award will be awarded to a local student who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the Westchester community through service and volunteerism. As a day of service for families with children of all ages, there will be service activities for teens from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (pre-registration is required), including a car wash, sandwich-making for Hope Community Services, and cupcake decorating for local first responders, as well as activities for the youngest set, including child-friendly tzedakah art projects. There will also be intergenerational activities, which include a senior luncheon sponsored by the Esplanade Luxury Senior Residences at 12:00 p.m., organized sports activities for children with special needs led by teen volunteers from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., and age-appropriate art activities.
For more information about the JCC of Mid-Westchester visit www.jccmw.org.
Lakota Children's Enrichment to Hold Inaugural Event
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Lakota Children's Enrichment will hold their inaugural fundraiser on Saturday, September 13th from 4-7 PM, at Westerleigh, a private residence in Greenwich, Connecticut. Special guests include Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams, Brandon Steiner, Jasmine Mans, Peter Balakian and Susanne Pari. The mission of the group is to empower Lakota youth and amplify their voices by providing opportunities in the arts, education, sports, leadership and mentorship.
The organization is working with a group of talented youth on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, who are committed to their education and realizing their full potential.
The setting for the event is Westerleigh, the home of Steven and Diana Steinman that is modeled after the stately Edwardian country houses designed by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in early 1900s. The estate features a facade of gorgeous earth-toned antique limestone imported from abandoned Chinese villages and beautiful English gardens interspersed with several water features. The interiors by Michael Aiduss Interior Design seamlessly complement the exterior architecture.
Visit their event page here and purchase tickets online here or email them at [email protected] to arrange to pay at the door. Attendance is limited, so act soon to save your spot! If you cannot attend, please consider making a contribution.
Learn more about Lakota Children's Enrichment here:
How Lucky I Am To Have Something That Makes Saying Goodbye So Hard
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Assistant Village Manager John Goodwin will be leaving Scarsdale to take a new job in the Finger Lakes Region as the Assistant City Manager in Canadaigua, New York. During John's four years in Scarsdale he's seen the Village through some tough times and thorny issues such as Hurricane Sandy and the tax revaluation. Goodwin was unfailingly polite, respectful and willing to help. Well-liked by his peers and residents too, Goodwin will surely be missed. We asked him a few questions about his experience here and plans for the future and here is what he shared:
When did you come to Scarsdale and how did you learn about the job? I was a recent graduate from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, SUNY Albany and had been working for several months for the Town of Rye as an independent consultant when my professor Bob McEvoy called and told me there was a great position open in Scarsdale. I applied shortly thereafter and started in Scarsdale on March 1, 2010.
What was your prior educational/work experience? I received my BA in Political Science from the University at Albany in 2008 and my MPA from Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy, University at Albany in 2009. During my time in Albany, I had interned for the New York State Assembly, New York State Racing and Wagering Board (now New York State Gaming Commission), New York State Department of Civil Service and with the Schenectady County Manager's Office. I also spent time as an independent consultant for the Town of Rye prior to coming to Scarsdale.
What are some of the initiatives that you worked on? What are you most proud of? I have been active with many projects in my time with the Village, but am most proud of the stormwater management projects such as the South Fox Meadow Stormwater Improvement Project and Library Rain Garden Project. I know that I am not the only one to drive out to Cooper Green and George Field Park during a rain event to witness the detention basins filling up and see the benefit to the community.
What were some of the biggest challenges of the position and what did you enjoy about the job? Every day brings a different challenge, some bigger than others, but that is what makes the municipal management enjoyable.
What do you anticipate will be the big differences between life in Westchester and life upstate? There are cultural differences between Downstate and Upstate some more obvious than others. The difference, especially Western New York is the amount of snow! I am a native Western New Yorker and can deal with the snow and have seen the cultural differences first hand. The example that I always note is that in Upstate, when you walk down the street and pass someone you look them in the eye and say good morning; where that is not common custom in Downstate. Another example is that I will be able to call soda by its true name again, "pop."
Tell us something about Canandaigua: Where is it? How big is it and what are the issues they face? Canandaigua is a small city in the Finger Lake Region about 30 minutes south of Rochester. It is a beautiful community located on the top of Canandaigua Lake. I am from Olean, NY which is about 2 hours southwest from Canandaigua, so I will be a lot closer to my family.
Like most municipalities in New York, the major issue is maintaining municipal services with the 2% Tax Cap. Canandaigua also has some major re-development projects that will need to be managed and coordinated. Another issue that is not too dissimilar to this area is protecting the watershed. The Finger Lakes Region is driven by the lakes, so protecting that vital resources is an important issue.
What is the title of your new job and what responsibilities will you have? I will be the Assistant City Manager. I will be responsible for a wide variety of administrative work, human resources and budgeting work.
What will you miss when you leave? I will miss working with the dedicated people that serve Scarsdale every day. 
It is the people that live and work in Scarsdale that make it special and I will miss them. I am a father of two young children and in reading them a story the other day, I came across a line in Winnie the Pooh that sums it up nicely, "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from many wonderful people here and saying goodbye is hard.
