Nan Berke Recognized for Contributions to Scarsdale Congregational Church and the Community

Nan Berke and Kelly Rogers at the dedication ceremony at the SCC Nursery SchoolNan Berke is a long time Scarsdale resident who leads by example. It is tempting to praise a volunteer by counting the hours they commit to their various causes. But the hours are not really the point. What Nan has given this town and her faith community at Scarsdale Congregational Church is a kind of reliability, the assurance that even if the work is hard and unglamorous, someone will take it up and see it through.

Twice a year, for months at a time, she chaired the our church tag sales known as the Fair and The Garage Sale. This is a job that is mostly lifting, sorting, hauling, recycling and organizing. Though her meticulous care, Nan makes sure that we only put out items that provide the wider community with dignity. If you buy an electronic, it works. If you buy clothing, it’s not ripped or stained. Few people see how much of a church’s public life rests on that kind of labor. Nan is a doer, and she does so much for those around her. Our sales raise money for our Outreach efforts and she has long held the responsibility of making sure they run smoothly.

Her service to the Scarsdale Congregational Church has been wide. She has been our Outreach Chair, a Buildings and Grounds Trustee, and our Nursery School Liaison. She directed the renovation and licensing of the Scarsdale Congregational Church Nursery School, work that was slow and exacting and which few would choose. A space in the renovated school has now been dedicated in her honor, which is fitting, since much of what stands there stands because of her. With the renovation and once the school is officially licensed, we’ll be able to offer full day programs to benefit the young families of Scarsdale and our surrounding communities. She was also on the search committee that brought the current Pastor and her family to Scarsdale and she oversaw the construction of the Parsonage where they live.

Nan’s commitment to others has never stayed inside the walls of the Church. For many years, she helped run Scarsdale’s S.T.E.P. program, and she also opened her home as a host family. She regularly volunteers at the United Interfaith Food Bank and with Grassroots Grocery. While her three boys were going through Scarsdale Schools, she served on the Scarsdale PTA. Finally, she has been a long time advocate with Moms Demand Action, bringing the same steadiness to the work of preventing gun violence that she brought to everything else.Nan and SCC Nursery School Director Melissa DiCostanzo

Scarsdale is a better place because of Nan Berke. In a town full of distinguished people, she really stands out.

The Learning Studio at Scarsdale Congregational Church