The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Christine Pasqueralle

Pam Gittleman’s Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times

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We’ve all grown up listening to classic nursery rhymes and if you’re a parent, grandparent or caregiver, chances are you have a rotation of them in your daily reading repertoire with the kids. But have you ever really listened to some of their not-so-pleasant themes? Chappaqua resident and veteran early childhood music educator Pam Gittleman has just released Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®, Volume 2, her second volume of updated rhymes perfect for the children in your life.

This new collection under the For Kinder Times® brand features nine updated nursery rhymes with storylines promoting kindness, empathy and gratitude. If you’re familiar with the classic rhymes, many of them have dark themes and acts of violence. Kinder Times® rhymes show acts of compassion and help kids (and parents) recognize different emotions and how to regulate them in a fun and whimsical way.

Part of the reason Gittleman wrote the books was to help preserve this genre for a new generation. “As an early childhood music educator, I loved reading/singing traditional nursery rhymes. I loved that they had an inherent musicality, supported imagination and language and were memorable. It concerned me that an important genre for supporting language development and musicality might fade away.”

Says Gittleman, “When I realized that young children and families were increasingly unfamiliar with so many rhymes because their parents and teachers found them too old-fashioned, dark, irrelevant and “cringey” to share with their kids, I set out to provide an alternative that everyone could feel great about sharing with the young children in their lives, hence the creation of Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times.®” They are a fresh take on some not-so-friendly rhymes. Did you ever stop to think what actually happened to Humpty Dumpty when he fell off the wall? In this new version – his friends help him back up and give him a band aid!

Another fun aspect of the book is that it comes with an emoji chart to help preschoolers identify and label emotions that they or the characters in the story are feeling. Each rhyme also has guiding questions to encourage conversations about feelings and emotions while supporting language and literacy. “Nursery rhymes are a genre that can provide fun and memorable ways to support imagination, whimsy, musicality and language,” said Gittleman. “Why not leverage them to deliver messaging that is relevant, positive and agreeable/accessible to people of all backgrounds?”

Having already published two volumes is quite an accomplishment but hasn’t come without its challenges. “The biggest challenge I’ve faced is in convincing a traditional publisher to publish my rhymes. Since the concept of a collection of new rhymes did not fit the typical mold of a children’s picture book, it was a hard sell in today’s market. I ultimately decided to publish with a hybrid publisher (a form of self-publishing).” But it is not without its rewards. “One teacher told me that the use of the emoji chart helped one student admit he was sad and angry about a situation at home. She was able to get help for his family as a result of him learning to identify, label and share his feelings. Having an impact like that on even one child has been extremely rewarding.”

And Gittleman is definitely an advocate for reading with children of all ages. “Reading books with young children helps nurture strong, positive relationships, it helps children begin to link printed to spoken words which is a building block for language and literacy, it reinforces listening skills and allows children and caregivers to engage in a shared experience that is bonding, educational and fun.”

Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times®, Volume 2 by Pam Gittleman, with art and design by Dan and Catherine Markowitz is published by Mascot Kids, an imprint of Amplify Publishing Group, a leading independent hybrid publisher. It is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. For more information visit pamgittleman.com.

The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation

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March 4, 2018 concert at Tarrytown Music Hall
Daniel, Heather, Jon Bon Jovi, Jennifer and Roseann Flood

What if you were told that you or a loved one needed a kidney transplant in order to survive but were having difficulty finding a match? Currently there are 90,000 people on the waiting list for a transplant and sadly, 11 people die each day. In 2008, the Flood sisters – Jennifer, Heather and Cynthia started the Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation to help their father Daniel find a kidney match through a living donor. In the years since, they have helped numerous patients in their endeavor to find a new kidney. Now in addition to their amazing work, they are planning to create a wellness center where patients and their loved ones can go for a holistic experience. I recently spoke with Jennifer Flood about all of their work spanning almost two decades, as well as the bright future of the foundation.

At the end of 2007, Daniel was told he needed a transplant in six months or go on dialysis. Unfortunately none of the sisters were a match. Heather suggested taking to Craigslist to find a donor, as the national waitlist is 6-10 years. After posting the ad, they had thousands of responses and the sisters turned finding a donor into a full time job. As the months went by, the process became tedious but eventually on December 12, 2008 Daniel received his new kidney thanks to a donor from Monterey, CA. After the success of their father’s transplant, the sisters came together again. Says Jennifer, “We said we have all these donors – how do we stop here? Let’s do this for other people now.” The Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation, a 501(c)3 was born and they started making matches right out of their parents house.

When it comes to finding matches for recipients, everything is referral-based. In 2015 the sisters received a call that Jerry Edelstein, the attorney for Dolly Parton and Jon Bon Jovi, needed a kidney transplant. They were on a mission to get a campaign going to help find a donor. Dolly Parton created a video entitled The Christmas Wish, advocating for Jerry and within a short time thousands of people were reaching out to help. Eventually a match was found in Arizona and the transplant was successfully performed at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. Jerry then came up with the idea to get Jon Bon Jovi involved and do a benefit for the foundation. It took some time but on March 4, 2018, Jon played a sold-out show at the Tarrytown Music Hall and raised $250,000 for the Flood Sisters Kidney Foundation. Unfortunately Jerry was not in good health by then, living with dementia. But as Jon said from the stage that night, “Jerry is alive today because of these three sisters.”

Sadly, Heather passed away in January 2025 – she would have turned 49 on May 24th. Jennifer and Cynthia are now on a mission to create a holistic wellness center in her honor. One that will empower patients and give them a whole approach to their treatment, care and well-being. “We want to bring kidney matching to the center. We see it as a place people can come to get a match – not have to travel to the city”, says Jennifer. The center would work with patients on everything from nutritional counseling, therapeutic services and activities such as yoga and reiki, providing a peaceful experience. ”We want the center to be dedicated to our sister Heather, our father Daniel and all the patients we transplanted who passed on and who are still living.” The sisters are hoping to build the center in Westchester or CT.

John Cusmano (center) of Toms River, NJ with friends.
John is B blood type and can accept from a B or O kidney donor

One of their main focuses right now is finding a kidney transplant for their patient John Cusmano of Toms River. NJ. John, 67 was born with polycystic kidneys and is registered at Hackensack University Medical Center and at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell in Manhattan. John has always been deeply involved with his community, giving back and helping others. He is very close to going on dialysis and his need is urgent. He would need a match with Type B or O blood. People can contact the Foundation or make donations through their website, floodsisterskidneyfnd.org to help patients such as John as well as help continue the great work that began from three sisters love for their father.

Pathways to Progress: Building Better Support Systems

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Located right on Marble Avenue in the heart of Pleasantville, you will find Select Human Services (SHS) – a division of New Hope Community, Inc. A place where young adults with developmental disabilities can gain independence, friendship and a wide variety of services. I recently spoke with Lauren Iglesias, Waiver Services Program Director and Carleen Miller-Verna, Self Direction Program Director about the organization’s services as well as their upcoming expansion in the Pleasantville community.

Select Human Services was founded in 2010 and partnered with New Hope Community in 2020. Under the direction of Debra McGinness, New Hope helps to empower the lives of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. SHS supports over 700 individuals through its services. It has allowed New Hope to expand into Westchester County from its homebase in the Catskills, giving people a greater choice of support services and the opportunity to implement dynamic change.

Lauren Iglesias started with SHS in 2015, providing waiver services through both Community Habilitation. It is designed for individuals to stay at home longer after graduating school, instead of living in a group home, and Respite which is a safe supervision for an individual, providing relief for the caregiver. Hires, knowns as Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are sourced through the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and matched with families after going through extensive training. 1:1 service is personalized to the individual and their disability and a care plan, known as a Life Plan, is put in place to identify goals and the best way to work with each individual. “We want quality, not quantity with our staff. The last thing families need is a revolving door in their house – we send one support person who fits so that their services can flourish.”

A New Path of Service – Select Connects

Since 2020 there has also been a shift in the ways services are being expected. In the old model, individuals graduated high school, went into a day program and moved into a residential setting. Parents wanted to break that mold and push for a different model. “Based on family feedback, we created Select Connects which is extremely different from anything we’ve done”, says Lauren. Opened in 2023, Select Connects is a site-based respite program which supports 24 people per day in a 9 a.m.-3 p.m. program. It’s for those individuals that can be successful in a 1:3 staffing ratio. Most people in Select Connects come a few days a week on days where they’re not doing something else such as working or attending another program. There are a wide variety of activities offered through skilled workers such as music therapy, yoga and recreational therapy. There are also outings and day trips to places such as the JCC in White Plains for swimming and gym time, Lasdon Park and more. As Lauren stated, “Everyone’s capabilities are utilized. We want to be out in the community and for them to see us. It’s like a big family.”

The R&R program (Recreation & Respite) allows those still in school and beyond to enjoy a variety of group activities and outings such as social nights, bowling, art, fitness and more. It provides them with a safe space in which they can have fun and be engaged – especially during times when parents may have to work, such as during the summer and school breaks.

Working closely with Lauren is Dominique Baptiste, Waiver Services Public Relations Manager. She has a caseload of people she services and has strong community ties to Pleasantville. Her fundraising and community outreach efforts are vast, working with the Chamber of Commerce and setting up events such as a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, paint night and the upcoming inaugural Select Prom in April. As Lauren says, “We’re relatively small, but large when it comes to the service we provide and outreach in the county.”

Self Direction – Keeping Young Adults Independent

As Self Direction Program Director, Carleen Miller-Verna manages the Self Direction program which oversees 217 individuals with disabilities. It helps to empower them and their families to design a service plan based on their needs and goals. Their support team can include family members, Care Manager, Broker, Fiscal Intermediary (both chosen by the individual) and others they would like to include in their care. Many people in this program work part-time jobs and attend day programs and community classes. Twenty-three of the individuals live independently with support. As Carleen says, “Self Direction is trying to give that person the highest level of independence they can safely achieve. A huge piece of what we’re trying to include in Self Direction is interaction and inclusion.” Five individuals in the program are enrolled in college programs – some at Syracuse University in their InclusiveU program which allows for students to live on campus, taking classes in subjects such as organization and scheduling.

SHS has recently purchased a new building in Pleasantville right down the street from where they’re currently located and are hoping to move into the space in April. Says Lauren, “It’s important to stay in Pleasantville – we have strong collaborations with the school district, police department, etc. They’ve gotten to know us, and we feel comfortable working with each other. Pleasantville is very near and dear to Debra McGinness – she knows the importance of staying here with all there is to do in the area.”

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth at Fleetwood Bakery

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If you live in Westchester, chances that you’re familiar with Mount Vernon’s Fleetwood Bakery – a staple of Italian American delights. But did you know that this local gem has recently opened its second location in Pleasantville? If you haven’t checked them out yet, I suggest you go try one of their tasty treats? I recently spoke with owner Enzo Cutaia all about the bakery, their new location in Pleasantville, and the future.

Fleetwood Bakery has been a part of the Westchester community for almost 30 years, and it’s still going strong. In 1997 when Enzo was only 17 and his brother Joe was 20, they decided to buy Angelo’s Bakery from their godparents. Along with their mother Josephine and sister Filomena, they created a mainstay in the community and named it Fleetwood Pastry Shop in honor of the area of Mount Vernon in which it’s located. As Enzo says about the early days, “We learned on the fly straight out of high school. There was a lot of trial and error – but you learn from your mistakes and start to tweak things on your own.”

As time went on and the bakery became a popular spot for customers near and far, Enzo and his partners wanted to expand north. “Lots of people from the Bronx, Yonkers, etc. were moving north. I did some research, and Pleasantville was an up-and-coming town. I thought it would be a perfect central location to a lot of northern Westchester towns. I live in Ossining, like to support the local restaurants, and fell in love with the area.” Fleetwood’s new location officially opened on February 14, 2024, on Wheeler Avenue, and the response has been extremely positive. “We have a lot of repeat customers, and I enjoy getting to know them. When they come in, you can see the joy in their faces,” Enzo said.

Customers can certainly smell all of the delicious baked goods when they come through the door. Fleetwood offers a large array of items from danish, muffins, cakes, pies, pastries, tarts, cookies and more, with all baking done on premises. One of the items they’re most famous for are their Lobster Tails. “We make our own fresh homemade Bavarian cream. Anyone can make the pastry shell, but the cream is what really makes it special.” Other top sellers include their cannoli and strawberry shortcake made with fresh, homemade whipped cream.

The bakery will certainly be busy for the upcoming holiday season, creating everything from specialty Thanksgiving pies in flavors from apple and pumpkin to pecan and coconut cream, to struffoli (honey balls), towering cookie platters and festive gingerbread houses into December.

In 2024, after 27 years in business, Fleetwood Bakery took home a prestigious Best of Westchester Award for Best Italian Bakery from Westchester Magazine. “You put in the time and the hard work and so it’s nice to get recognized. Between opening in Pleasantville, the award, and our Mount Vernon location still going strong – all good things are happening.” And the future looks bright too with some yet-to-be-announced plans in the works. “Everyone wants us everywhere – we have big plans for the future.”

As for the secret to their success? It’s very simple. “We love what we do– I’m at the bakery at 5:30 am every morning. I love meeting the customers. That’s part of me.” The family is also heavily involved in the community – giving back and donating wherever they can whether it’s to the police department, town sports teams or other local entities. “The business is not just in the back baking but knowing who’s in the store and in the community. No matter how busy I am – that’s just who we are.”

Let’s Play Platform Tennis

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If you haven’t yet heard about the newfound popularity of Platform Tennis, or Paddle as it’s affectionately known, then you’re missing out on a fantastic workout and very social sport. I recently spoke with Charles Mingoia, who plays in the Westchester Platform Tennis League (WPTL) about everything paddle and got an inside look into the game and how people can join in on the fun locally right here in Briarcliff Manor.

Platform Tennis was created almost a century ago in Scarsdale when in 1928 James Cogswell and Fessenden Blanchard, two tennis enthusiasts, wanted to find a way to enjoy racquet sports during the colder weather months. They built a raised platform, slightly smaller than a regulation tennis court and bought some balls and wooden paddles. They enclosed the platform with chicken wire to prevent the balls from landing in the snow and a new sport was born. Paddle is particularly popular in the Chicago area but is now seeing a resurgence in the place in which it was born.

These days, the game, which has similar rules to tennis, is still played on a raised decking – now made of aluminum and with a sandpaper-like grit to it, surrounded by the screens. If the ball hits within the court and bounces off the screen, you can still play it. The great thing about paddle is that even if you’re not very skilled in tennis you can still play with those who are – the screens help to equalize things a bit.

The game is known for being a very social one as well as one that can be played year-round, even in the cold weather. And one of the main reasons for that is the warming hut. Sounds cozy right? After games, many of the players can be found in the warming hut to relax, have drinks and just hang out and chat. “Our courts here in Briarcliff are public courts (located in Law Memorial Park). We have two courts and a warming hut that we built through private funds and donated to the Village. The social aspect of the game is much better with the hut.”

The WPTL is comprised of 10 divisions of 7-8 teams each and is part of the American Platform Tennis Association (APTA). The Briarcliff home courts have 4 teams in the league, in different divisions. Games are typically played on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Briarcliff teams mostly play those from various country clubs around Westchester. There’s a women’s league that typically plays during the daytime with some women also playing in the evening division matchups. Mingoia got started with the sport in 2016 and was quickly hooked on it. “It’s something fun to do. It had been a while since I had played in competitive matches before this, but I learned pretty quickly. There’s a lot of strategy to the game but at the same time, the screens help as an equalizer. At the time I started playing there were 19 permit holders in town and now there are almost 100.”

The Briarcliff courts are dedicated to Ernie Pacchiana who passed away in 2022 and who in the 1970’s introduced paddle tennis to Northern Westchester. He also founded the Briarcliff Rotary Club chapter – sensing a need for something new and then creating it. The courts have become a place of not only friendly competition but also lots of social interaction. In addition to the weeknight matches through the WPTL, people can go on the weekends to play pick-up matches. “Once we got the hut, we would start hosting special events like Friday night couples paddle. It’s a great thing for the town – it’s very social,” says Mingoia.

As for how those new to the sport can get involved. “It’s mostly word of mouth. We’re always looking for new players. Maybe you’re new in town, or you played tennis in college.” And you don’t need to be the best athlete out there to play. “You don’t need to be super strong or super fit. We have an 81-year-old playing who loves it and we have college kids too.” The group found a big uptick in popularity during Covid, because it was something active and social that people could enjoy outdoors. And now they’ll scout for new players or just garner interest from curious onlookers at the courts. The group hosts an end-of-year paddle party as well as special tournaments throughout the year.

As for the warming hut, Mingoia views it as the best public one in the county. “We have a TV, fridge, refreshments. etc. People are always in the hut and hanging out.” And even if you’re not the most skilled paddle player, everyone’s an equal when it comes to enjoying some post-game fun.