Reimagining the Scarsdale Bowl
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Although the Scarsdale Bowl Dinner, honoring an exemplary community volunteer, has been held since 1944, this year’s Bowl dinner will be anything but traditional.
Most in the community do not realize that the Scarsdale Foundation, the group that hosts the dinner, offers much-needed scholarship funds to college sophomore, juniors and seniors from Scarsdale. These grants are often given to students who received assistance for their freshman year from the Scarsdale PTA Scholarship Fund – which only awards grants to SHS seniors entering college. The Foundation traditionally fills the gap in subsequent years, giving out around $130,000 per year – and has to dip into their endowment for the shortfall between what they raise and what they give. They currently depend on a few generous donors to fund all the scholarships.
College tuition has jumped more than 40% in the last ten years. To meet this need, the Foundation hopes to increase the amount of scholarship money per student and increase the total amount of scholarship awards.
That’s where the Scarsdale Bowl Dinner comes in. Unlike most organizations, who use their annual gala to raise funds, the Bowl Dinner has never been a fundraiser. The dinner ticket price simply covered the cost of the meal– and that was that.
Now the Scarsdale Foundation has moved the dinner to another venue and will increase the price slightly. The Foundation is hoping to raise additional funds for scholarships at the dinner through table hosts, a new Volunteer Honor Roll, a raffle and donations. According to Nancy Michaels, who chairs this year’s Bowl, “The former model was not sustainable.” She said that the Foundation will use this year’s Bowl to “engage community members by increasing awareness and outreach.”
This year’s dinner will be held at Braeburn Country Club on Wednesday April 22 at 6:30 pm. The theme is “Shine on Scarsdale,” as the Foundation has helped the community shine for nearly 100 years. The dinner hosts are reaching out to a
ll segments of the community and hope that the event draws a wide swath of Scarsdale, including those new to town and those who have lived here for decades – along with volunteers, people who work here and anyone with a connection to Scarsdale.
One key element of the dinner will remain the same. The purpose of the evening is to celebrate volunteerism and the two honorees that have been selected to receive the 2020 Scarsdale Bowl.
In the spotlight this year are a star volunteer couple: Jon Mark and BK Munguia. BK has been a staunch defender of Scarsdale’s non-partisan system, serves on the Board of the Scarsdale Foundation and was the President of the Scarsdale Teen Center.
Jon Mark is a former Mayor of Scarsdale, two-term Village Trustee and can be found volunteering everywhere and anywhere he is needed.
Come out and celebrate Jon, BK and everyone who volunteers to make Scarsdale such a special place – and help some very worthy students at the same time.
Watch for your invitation in the mail and mark your calendar for Wednesday April 22 at 6:30 pm at Braeburn Country Club. Learn more about the Scarsdale Foundation and the Scarsdale Bowl here.
Rick Wilson and Chris Riback: Policy and Politics are Complex Work
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- Written by: Diane Greenwald
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The following was submitted by Diane Greenwald of Scarsdale:
On Wednesday evening January 15, I went to the high school for a well-attended fireside chat sponsored by the Scarsdale Adult School. Local resident and podcast phenom, Chris Riback, interviewed Rick Wilson, the GOP political operative and attack-ad producer. Out of step with his own party, never-Trumper Wilson frequently appears on CNN and MSNBC. He launched the Lincoln Project, a super-PAC for conservatives opposed to Trump. He is now peddling his most recent book, billed as an ‘insider’s guide’ on how Dems can beat Trump in the 2020 election.
I attended the event because 1) I am friendly with Chris and he invited me; 2) I support the Scarsdale Adult School; and 3) I actively support inspiring pro-choice Democratic candidates across this country. I was curious.
Good news first: Chris Riback was an excellent interviewer! He was quick, funny and prepared. His daughter sat behind me, proudly snapping photos, which reminded me how warm a local community event can be. It’s also always exciting to see the work of yet another stellar Scarsdalian. We boast so many!
Rick Wilson was witty and direct, rattled off a litany of insights about Trump, his enablers and hangers on, and even called out Fox News as the darkest force in America. It’s depressing stuff. Wilson offered some advice, much of which I agree with:
• Don’t nominate Sanders, who isn’t even a Dem and is “like, 850 years old.” Check.
• Focus on the critical states, like Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, etc. Check.
• Hey campaign! Don’t take your foot off the gas until you win. Check.
• Don’t hang your hopes on young people, they typically don’t vote. Check.
• The country is more moderate than lefty progressive. Check.
• Support Senate candidates across the country and make McConnell worry; he cares more about holding power in the Senate than he cares about Trump and could, maybe, cut and run. Check.
Wilson went on. He noted that Senator McConnell raised $200M already to spread out to hot senate races, the same amount Bloomberg has already spent on himself. Interesting. Wilson further noted that a woman can and has won the popular vote, but that the electoral college isn’t going anywhere so be sure to focus on it. He counseled party discipline. OK, thanks.
Here is the rub. I am wary of a cynical, jaded and long-time Republican strategist lecturing me and the Democrats. Trump didn’t rise out of nowhere, and I’m concerned by the lack of humility that comes with Wilson’s commentary.
Rick Wilson began by saying, “I have not changed.” And that’s a problem, a disappointment. Wilson bemoaned an American tribalism that he helped create in his decades of work leveraging and unleashing simplistic, dismissive fear-mongering messages for a buck. And though he claims devotion to the Constitution and the rule of law, he doesn’t seem to have much faith in human beings. “Just win.” He says. OK, but at what cost to our national fabric? Playing to anti-intellectualism, encouraging sound-bite decision making, and amplifying base fears doesn’t get us to a better America.
Wilson is a strategist first, stating on his website that he enjoys, “overthrowing governments” along with fishing. This is sport to him, and his long career making hard-hitting, dismissive attack ads for Republican candidates is part of the problem, not the solution. Democrats are not pure as driven snow nor are they of one mind, and politicians all are a strange breed, but the adherence to the most base and manipulative instincts in campaigning can’t be a good answer.
I can’t forget that Wilson was part of the machine that made ‘liberal’ a dirty word, demonized our government, unleashed hatred, and divides for political expedience. Wilson spent a career filling seats with bodies, not with quality candidates. I don’t think he can have it both ways-- be a puppet master, manipulating the masses AND espousing value in an America he made a career of undermining.
Politics and policy are complex work that requires vision, patience, diplomacy, character, compromise and intelligence. And we should be promoting those qualities and leaving behind the dirty games targeting the ‘under-educated’ (Wilson’s word) and uniformed with incendiary rhetoric.
Wilson and I agree on one key thing – anyone would be better than Trump, the most corrupt, lawless, morally bankrupt, racist, sexist, xenophobic bad actor we have ever known in the presidency. For example, Wilson sheepishly acknowledged that even… dare I say it… Elizabeth Warren would be better. He may not agree with her on much, he said, “but she isn’t insane.” In fact, he goes one to point out that Warren is smart, prepared, experienced, compassionate and honest. (I’ll quote Wilson, offering the same comment he shot at an audience member later in the program: “Duh.”)
I have no idea who to back for the presidency and Wilson didn’t help much (though I was struck by how many of us spontaneously clapped at the mention of Amy Klobuchar, hmmm…) but I think it’s a good start not to undermine anyone and to focus on those fundamental qualities -- smart, prepared, experienced, compassionate and honest. Let’s sell that to the public!
In the end, Wilson may be good at dishing, and offer clear-eyed strategy, but I didn’t buy his book. He struck me as too mercenary, not a man making amends. The GOP isn’t hiring him, so he has targeted a new audience! Not Florida evangelicals, but me, whom he noted by my demographic highlights – a white, educated, suburban woman and lifelong Democrat who is afraid of 4 more years of Trump. He knows his market, he claimed! But hey, not everything is predictable – I said no thanks, I’m not buying.
Thank you to Chris Riback and the Scarsdale Adult School for a great event!
Ten Elected to School Board Nominating Committee; Amendments Pass
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Ten candidates were elected on January 14, 2020 to join the School Board Nominating Committee for 2020. The following candidates were elected:
Edgewood - Cecilia Anon-Kowalski, Prem Itharat
Fox Meadow - Swapna Kanekar, Jonathan Lemle
Greenacres - Deborah Jeanne Skolnik, Cindy S. Yau
Heathcote - Curtis Parker, “Claire” Yin Yang
Quaker Ridge - Susi D’ambra Coplan, Purnima Srivastava
A total of 137 votes were cast in the election, of which nine (9) were mail-in ballots. There were two (2) write-in candidates. A total of 240 votes were cast in 2019.
The breakdown of votes cast by neighborhood are as follows:
Edgewood: 21
Fox Meadow: 26
Greenacres: 19
Heathcote: 37
Quaker Ridge: 34
This year’s new members will join the existing SBNC members of the committee each serving three-year terms on the SBNC followed by a two-year term as part of the Administrative Committee.
The 21 amendments to the Resolution were passed. A total of 125 Resolution ballots were cast in the election, of which nine (9) were mail-in ballots. The breakdown of votes cast for each amendment is as follows:
The committee will have its first meeting on January 26, 2020 and by the end of March it will nominate two (2) candidates for the Scarsdale Board of Education to fill the seats currently held by Christopher Morin and Scott Silberfein. All Scarsdale residents are welcome to propose Board of Education candidates to the SBNC at [email protected]. The SBNC Board of Education candidates, along with any other candidates who may choose to run, will stand for public election May 19, 2020 at the same time as the school budget vote.
Press Contact: Felicia Block, (917) 287-3079, [email protected]
From the Mayor: Freightway Development on Hold
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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Dear Scarsdale Community,
The Village Board wants to share a brief update regarding the Freightway redevelopment project.
The process -- which started 3 years ago -- was designed with numerous community touch points to receive comprehensive input and to be transparent. While the Village Board never considered either proposal shown to the community in December to be close to final, we believed that entering into a non-binding agreement with a preferred developer and working with them to meaningfully improve their proposal was a productive next step.
We are listening to your feedback (thank you!) that the community is not comfortable with this process. As such, we are putting a hold on the Freightway timeline. A preferred developer will not be chosen unless and until more appropriate starting points and data are provided and presented to the Board and to the community.
The Village Board believes that the future of Freightway remains an important agenda item for continued community conversation. We will review all responses received during the public comment period. Your ongoing input is greatly appreciated.
Wishing you a happy and healthy new year,
Mayor and the Village Board of Trustees
Letter to the Editor: A Traffic Study is Needed to Consider the Impact of Development at Freightway
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- Written by: Joanne Wallenstein
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This letter to the editor was submitted by Don Friedman of Garth Road
12.23.2019
Dear Neighbors,
We residents of Eastchester and Scarsdale share many things in common. We are citizens of Westchester County, New York, we share the same weather, utilities, water and all of the other “catastrophes of suburban living”.
We share the same roads and rail road station in Scarsdale; and here is where it becomes a bit of rough road.
I’m talking about traffic, parking, and the roads that bind us: Post Road, Scarsdale Avenue, Garth Road, East Parkway, and Popham/Ardsley Road.
Traffic is about to become much more difficult.
The Village of Scarsdale is in the discussion phase with two finalists that have bid to redevelop the land and building owned by the village of Scarsdale. Both sides of the Rail Road tracks, and the air rights (space) over the tracks south of Popham Road.
To my knowledge there has been no hiring of a licensed Traffic Engineer to determine the impact of what is under consideration: to include: apartments, parking, and retail. (see what has been posted on scarsdale10583.com.)
I don’t believe the police chiefs of Scarsdale, Eastchester and Greenburg have met on the issue of the impact on traffic or any other issue of the proposed development. Yet the slightest road work, utility repair, or accident cause traffic to back up into the adjacent village.
I ask you, my neighbors, have you not missed a traffic light on the above roads?
Are there no vacant stores in our two villages that we need more stores?
Is the housing supply so tight that we need more housing? Are you satisfied with classroom density?
I suggest that all of the above concerns need more thought, discussion and involvement by all who are concerned with these issues in a neighborly way.
First, we need a licensed Traffic Engineer to tell us what we will live with going forward on the roads that bind us together.
Sincerely,
Don Friedman
155 Garth Road, (Eastchester)
Scarsdale NY 10583
646-831-6444
