Want to Give Back to the Community? Here are Three Easy Ways to Do it!
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Amidst the chaos that has become the new normal, it is important to remember to give back to our local community, as well as help those who are less fortunate and may be struggling to get by. Here are three ways to lend a helping hand to wonderful causes.
Join Amy Hu in Support Shiloh Shower Service for the Homeless via Bake Back America
“I'm collecting the following shower supplies to support the Shiloh Shower Service for the Homeless via Bake Back America. Because of COVID-19, many places where the homeless normally shower are closed, so a local food pantry is running a truck to provide showers to the homeless and needs supplies to stock the truck! Below are the items that they are hoping to receive, and I hope to achieve the goals within the next 10 days to make the July 22 shower event happen. Please fill the items that you can donate on this form and I will begin engaging in contactless pickup. Thank you to everyone for your generosity!”
Items to Donate:
- Towels (gently used or like new is okay)
- Face cloths (gently used or like new is okay)
- Tubes of toothpaste (can be travel size)
- Toothbrushes (can be travel size)
- Bars of soap (can be travel size)
- Shampoos (can be travel size)
- Lotions (can be travel size)
- Men's deodorant (can be travel size)
- Women's deodorant (can be travel size)
- Men's new boxer shorts (sizes M,L,XL,XXL)
- Ladies new panties (M,L,XL)
“We’re all in this Together...”: An Art Competition for All Ages
“We find ourselves in very troubling times. Divisiveness in our society, COVID-19, institutionalized racism and a struggling economy are all contributing to feelings of hopelessness, despair and isolation. Many children and families are struggling. With so much uncertainty, the sense of order created by the annual rite of passage of returning to school is even more important than usual yet many people cannot afford the basic supplies that their students’ need.”
What you need to know:
- Details and sign up form are in the attached flyer.
- All funds raised go directly to buying school supplies and a gift card for new shoes or clothing for needy children.
- Open to all ages.
- Deadline is July 30, 2020.
Learn more here.
Help Deliver Air Conditioning Units in New York City
The East Harlem Health Outreach Partnership (EHHOP) at Mount Sinai Hospital is looking for drivers to help distribute AC units to NYC community members. The event will take place on Sunday, June 12, and only takes 3 hours of volunteer time.
Graduation Speech from Class of '20 President Isabella Lelis: We Can't Control What Happens, But We Can Control the Way We Respond
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Izzy Lelis, SHS Class of 2020 Senior Class PresidentThis speech was given by SHS Class of 2020 President Isabella Lelis at the virtual graduation ceremony on June 23, 2020: Good afternoon Class of 2020!
I want to start by saying how much I wish we could all be together right now. I've been looking forward to this moment of speaking to you all on this special day since I was elected as your class president. This longing of mine increased even more after I attended the graduation for the Class of 2019 last year. On that day as I watched the crowd of graduates, all I remember thinking was “that’s going to be us in one year.” One year. I thought to myself at that moment that we only had one year left to make our final mark at Scarsdale High School, to relish in the relationships we’ve built over the years with both our classmates and teachers, to experience all the milestones and events we’ve been looking forward to, and I remember feeling what most of you are probably feeling right now - a mixed emotion of excitement, determination, and yet a bit of sadness. Little did I know back then that not only does one year go by so fast, but that it also only takes an instant in that one year for things to change drastically.
Before second semester, most of us were so stressed with schoolwork, college applications, our last SATs and ACTs that we did not have the time to appreciate what we have now lost. The little moments of high school. I know most of you are wishing you stayed in your seats in you final class on March 6th, our last day in the building, just a little longer after the bell rang, wishing you spent your time walking in the hallway and looking up at each other rather than staring at your phones and rushing out of the building to your cars because of marker tag, wishing that wave or conversation with that one friend or teacher in the hallway in person wasn’t your last, wishing you could eat one last time in the library before getting caught of course, and just wishing you hadn’t taken these little moments for granted.
The coronavirus pandemic has taken so much from us seniors and from our world as a whole, but it also has taught and made us so much stronger. I can say with full certainty that from now on we will take full advantage of each opportunity we are given and all of the time we have. We have learned that we must always appreciate and never take for granted the present, from the biggest moments to the little things that happen behind the scenes. From now on, when I think of our class, I will think of these lessons we’ve learned, but even more, I will think of resilience. We faced many challenges, from transitioning to zooms classes to coping with tremendous uncertainty and even not being able to sit next to each other on Dean Field right now, and it is sad that we can’t control what happens. However, we learned that we can control how we respond to what’s happening in a positive way, and we did. We donated our marker tag money to help those affected by COVID-19 and to first responders, we found ways to get senior options and our graduation to occur, and we definitely kept in contact through it all in our grade groupme. We sacrificed attending our final speech and debate tournament, taking the field one last time as a raider, being with our friends, for the safety and well being of all, and that should not go unnoticed. We also know that we could not have done it without our teachers, administrators, parents, and family members, who were experiencing the challenges of this pandemic for the first time just like us, and yet still took extra time and care to support us and to make our final moments as a senior so special.
To me, it’s pretty ironic that these final moments are even happening the way they are. Just when we finally have time to sit with one another without the stress of school, we can’t. Just when our cooking and baking skills have improved with this extra time, we can’t invite anyone to try our food. Just when roads have become empty, there really isn’t anywhere open to go. So, because of these contradictory times, I think I’ll drop some irony as well. In a time where I haven’t seen or been physically near any of you, I feel connected and bonded to you all now more than ever. And it’s not only because we faced this pandemic together - we cannot let that be the only thing that defines us- it’s because I’ve had time, as most of you have had, to reflect on everything else we did together. From the moment we walked through Brewster Entrance for the first time to our final, unexpected exit, we all shared certain experiences together: the hard work we put in, both the awkward silence and the booming laughter during a class, the kindness from our faculty and friends, the many gridlocks we attempted to have, the endless trips to Lange’s and Nonni’s - those are the moments we will look back on and cherish following our high school career, and what I want you all to be thinking about right now as we bid farewell to our school.
Few classes will graduate into a world as in need of our help as the one we are about to enter. In a couple of months, most of us, fingers crossed, will be leaving our little bubble of Scarsdale and going to different places across the country and even the globe. I know I’m not older than any of you, I’m barely taller than most, if not all, of you, but I want to give you some advice as you go on into the “real” world. We’ve had the privilege to go to Scarsdale High School, use what you’ve learned, use your voice to speak and stand up for those who can’t, remember those who have lost and sacrificed their lives during this time to help others and follow in their footsteps. Class of 2020, we will forever be bonded and we will leave a lasting legacy of resilience on this school and the classes that are to come. I know I can’t see any of your faces right now, but as I metaphorically look out to all of you watching and think about all of the people in our class, I am confident that we have not only impacted our school and each other, but that we will continue to make an impact on this world, who so deeply needs it. So although we are all going our separate ways, remember deep down, we will always be “all in this together.”
Candidates Forum and Voter Information for June Primary from LWVS
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Dear Editor: On June 23, voters registered to a political party will have the opportunity to vote in primary elections for the office of President of the United States, members of Congress, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
The League of Women Voters Scarsdale and our neighboring Leagues are following our mission of informing and educating voters. We have hosted Candidate Forums for some of the primary elections — these forums can be viewed via the links included in this letter.
The majority of Scarsdale is represented by Congressional District 16. In this District, the candidates running for the Democratic nomination are: Jamaal Bowman, Eliot W. Engel, Chris Fink, and Sammy Ravelo. The Westchester League held a Candidate Forum for the Democratic Primary of CD 16 on June 7. Click here to watch the video:
There is no Republican primary for Congressional District 16.
A few residences in Scarsdale are represented by Congressional District 17. In that district, there will be a Republican and a Democratic primary. To vote in those primaries, voters need to be registered to the political party in which they are voting. The League of Women Voters Westchester conducted a virtual Candidate Forum for the Democratic primary in Congressional District 17 on May 21, 2020. The Forum can be viewed here.
The League of Women Voters Westchester had planned to conduct a virtual Candidate Forum for the Republican primary in Congressional District 17, but that Forum could not be scheduled because the candidates did not accept the League’s invitation to participate.
In addition to the Congressional primary races, there will be a Democratic primary for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. The League of Women Voters Westchester hosted a virtual Candidate Forum on May 28, 2020 and it can be viewed here:
Vote 411.org is a helpful ballot information resource for voters. In addition, voters can find details about their voter registration and whether they are registered to a political party here.
Due to COVID-19, voters eligible to vote in the June Primary were sent an absentee ballot application from the Westchester County Board of Elections. Completed absentee ballot application must be postmarked by June 16th.
On June 7, Governor Cuomo announced an Executive Order extending the absentee ballot submission deadline for the June Primary. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by June 23, the date of the election, to be counted.
If you have any questions regarding the absentee ballot application, please contact the County Board of Elections at 914-995-5285 or [email protected]. In-person voting will also be available for primary voters, detailed information will be forthcoming from the Board of Elections. Additional information can be found on the Board of Elections website here.
An additional helpful resource is a text alert system created by The League of Women Voters of New York to keep voters up to date on election changes. Text VoteNY to 474747.
If you have any questions regarding voting, please contact the League of Women Voters, voter service.
Alissa Baum
Ronny Hersch
Beatrice Sevcik
Voter Service Co-Chairs
League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
Election Results Uncertain Due to Large Number of Mail-In Ballots
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(Updated June 24 9:30 pm) Though we have the tallies for the in person voting for the Democratic Primary in Westchester, there remain an estimated 58,000 mail-in ballots that have not yet been counted. So for now, it’s too early to call either the race for the 17th Congressional District or for Westchester County District Attorney.
Both races were highly competitive and voters are eager to know the outcome. An email from incumbent Eliot Engel, who ran against challenger Jamaal Bowman says, “There are many thousands of absentee ballots that will need to be counted, and that count won't begin for another six days.”
Mark Lewis, Chair of the Scarsdale Democratic Town Committee reported, "Westchester County has received over 58,000 mail in ballots which have not been counted. Ballots postmarked June 23, 2020 have 7 days to arrive at the Board. On June 30 all mail in ballots will be counted."
Lewis provided these local counts for voting in New Rochelle and Scarsdale, along with county wide numbers which can be verified on the website of the Westchester County Board of Elections.
In Scarsdale and New Rochelle, Engel received 867 votes to Bowman’s 642. However, county wide in-person voting shows Bowman with 15,042 votes and Engel with 9,607.
In the race of Westchester County District Attorney, Scarsdale’s Mimi Rocah received 958 votes to Tony Scarpino’s 314 in New Rochelle and Scarsdale. For the county, Rocah now has 27,748 votes to Scarpino's 13,064.
An email from the Scarpino campaign also advises that it’s too early to declare a winner, saying, “There are still tens of thousands of absentees ballots outstanding and more coming in. That process needs to run its course. The results of this election are still pending, and we look forward to seeing all the votes counted.”
Here are the numbers on the in-person voting as of June 24, 2020.
Voter Information for June Primaries
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Dear Editor: On June 23, voters registered to a political party will have the opportunity to vote in primary elections for the office of President of the United States, members of Congress, and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
The League of Women Voters Scarsdale and our neighboring Leagues are following our mission of informing and educating voters. We have hosted and will continue to host Candidate Forums for some of the upcoming Primary elections.
The majority of Scarsdale is represented by Congressional District 16. In this District, the candidates running for the Democratic nomination are: Jamaal Bowman, Eliot W. Engel, Chris Fink, and Sammy Ravelo.
The League of Women Voters Westchester will be hosting a virtual Candidate Forum for the candidates running in the Democratic Primary in Congressional District 16, and all of the Democratic candidates are expected to participate. The Forum will be held this Sunday, June 7th from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM via Zoom. In order to watch the Forum live, please register here: In addition, voters are invited to submit questions for the candidates. You may submit questions here.
If you are unable to watch the Candidate Forum live, it will be recorded and available to view on the League of Women Voters Westchester website at LWVW.org.
There is no Republican primary for Congressional District 16.
A few residences in Scarsdale are represented by Congressional District 17. In that district, there will be a Republican and a Democratic primary. To vote in those primaries, voters need to be registered to the political party in which they are voting. The League of Women Voters Westchester conducted a virtual Candidate Forum for the Democratic primary in Congressional District 17 on May 21, 2020. The Forum can be viewed here:
The League of Women Voters Westchester had planned to conduct a virtual Candidate Forum for the Republican primary in Congressional District 17, but that Forum could not be scheduled because the candidates did not accept the League’s invitation to participate.
In addition to the Congressional primary races, there will be a Democratic primary for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. The League of Women Voters Westchester hosted a virtual Candidate Forum on May 28, 2020 and it can be viewed here:
Vote 411.org is a helpful ballot information resource for voters. In addition, voters can find details about their voter registration and whether they are registered to a political party here.
Due to COVID-19, voters eligible to vote in the June Primary were sent an absentee ballot application from the Westchester County Board of Elections. Completed absentee ballot applications must be received by the Board of Elections by June 16th. If you have any questions regarding the absentee ballot application, please contact the County Board of Elections at 914-995-5285 or [email protected]. In-person voting will also be available for primary voters, detailed information will be forthcoming from the Board of Elections. Additional information can be found on the Board of Elections website here.
An additional helpful resource is a text alert system created by The League of Women Voters of New York to keep voters up to date on election changes. Text VoteNY to 474747.
If you have any questions regarding voting, please contact the League of Women Voters, voter service.
Alissa Baum
Ronny Hersch
Beatrice Sevcik
Voter Service Co-Chairs
League of Women Voters of Scarsdale
