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Northern Westchester Hospital Foundation Board of Directors Appoints Four New Members

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The Northern Westchester Hospital Foundation has appointed 4 new board members. From left to right, Carl D. Reimers, MD, FACC, FSCAI; Pamela Hervey; Barbara Alpert, MD, PhD, FACP; Amanda L. Messina, MD, FACS will all serve three-year terms. Photo credit: Northwell Health

MOUNT KISCO, NY – The Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) Foundation announced today that Barbara Alpert, MD, PhD, FACP; Pamela Hervey; Amanda L. Messina, MD, FACS; and Carl D. Reimers, MD, FACC, FSCAI, have been appointed as board members. The mission of these volunteer leaders is to serve as hospital ambassadors for the community and to provide advice on fundraising strategies for the hospital, which is part of the nonprofit health system Northwell Health.

“We are thrilled to have Drs. Alpert, Messina and Reimers and Ms. Hervey join our already amazing group of foundation board volunteers,” said Keeva Young-Wright, associate executive director of NWH and president of the NWH Foundation. “These four mission-driven leaders have longstanding relationships with the hospital and, as Foundation board members, will provide great insight to fundraising initiatives that advance patient programs, lifesaving equipment and technology, and capital improvements.”

All new members will serve three-year terms. Dr. Alpert, an internist specializing in adult internal medicine at Optum Care, formerly CareMount Medical, has served since 2013 on the NWH President’s Council, an advisory board designed to help the hospital address community needs, and said she is excited about her new role.

“I am very enthusiastic about this opportunity to serve the community through participation on the NWH Foundation Board,” said Dr. Alpert. “Our hospital is singularly focused and uniquely positioned to address the medical and emotional needs of all residents of our community, and I am honored to contribute to this endeavor.”

Ms. Hervey is a longtime philanthropist, devoting her time and resources to many local organizations including the Westchester Land Trust, John Jay Homestead, the Community Center of Northern Westchester, Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, and Friends of Karen, where she served as board president.

“My passion for improving the lives of others, especially within the community I live, has been paramount to me throughout my life,” said Ms. Hervey, who remains on the board of Friends of Karen, a nonprofit that provides support to families across the tri-state area with a child facing life-threatening illness. “I have no doubt that my skills in finance, strategic management, and governance will help Northern Westchester Hospital achieve its goal to improve the wellbeing of the community.”

Dr. Messina, the chief of general surgery and a bariatric surgeon at NWH, brings an extensive background in leadership to the board. She serves on several oversight committees, providing strategy and development insight to maintain top-quality care and patient safety at the hospital.

“My training to continuously improve my skills as a surgeon perfectly prepares me to support the mission of the Northern Westchester Hospital Foundation board to improve the quality of care patients receive at this amazing hospital,” said Dr. Messina, who is also part of Optum Care. “I am privileged and eager to add impact to this board’s mission.”

Dr. Reimers, director of the cardiac catheterization lab, brings 27 years of experience as a board-certified cardiologist and interventional cardiologist. The catheterization lab is part of the Seema Boesky Heart Center at NWH, an extension of the renowned cardiac catheterization program at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, which consistently earned national distinction under his leadership. 

“In my career I have never found a place as unique and special as Northern Westchester Hospital,” said Dr. Reimers. “The team spirit, quality of patient care as well as patient experience are exceptional here. It is an honor to become a Foundation board member and to have a role in the ongoing success of this hospital.”

For more information on Norther Westchester Hospital and the Foundation, visit https://give.northwell.edu/northern-westchester-hospital.

News courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital.

 

A Chance to Support the September 18 Raveis Ride + Walk Raising Millions for Cancer Research

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The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute are the two main recipients of funds raised by the annual Raveis Ride + Walk

The annual Raveis Ride + Walk fundraiser will take place on Sunday, September 18 at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, Conn. It will include a 5K walk, a 12-mile and 25-mile bike ride, and a children’s 100-yard dash, as well as family games and prizes. Raveis is raising money to support two of the most prestigious and innovative cancer organizations in the country: the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Through the William Raveis Charitable Fund, $3.5 million (and counting) has been raised, along with the funding of 24 scientists who are researching eleven different types of cancer at 10 different institutions.

Everyone is affected by cancer in some way – whether it’s yourself, a loved one, a colleague or a friend. “For me, cancer is very personal,” relates Bill Raveis. “When my wife Candy was diagnosed with acute myeloma leukemia, her doctor gave her four months to live. Thanks to the cutting-edge cancer research being done, she benefited from new drugs and treatments on the market. It’s now eight years after her diagnosis, and these crucial new treatments gave us the gift of more time together. Everyone has a story like ours. It is incredibly important to our company that we support cancer scientists like those at Damon Runyon and Dana-Farber, so we can help cancer patients and survivors in our communities. Our fundraising and support have direct results, and I’ve seen it firsthand!”

Agents at Raveis offices countrywide are leading the fundraising charge. At the Chappaqua Raveis office, as one example, Sena Baron as a team captain is playing a leading role raising funds. “As many of you know, cycling is one of my passions, and I have lost friends and family to Cancer.” Please click the link to support Sena: https://www.raveisridewalk.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=5801

This year, longtime Strategic Growth Manager in the Glastonbury office, Micki Gebhardt, a multiple cancer survivor will share her inspiring story at the Ride + Walk. “She has been an avid supporter of the Ride + Walk, and we appreciate everything she’s done to fundraise and spread the word of our mission.”

“Cancer is a terrible disease. As a community, we can make a major impact together. It’s amazing what we can do as a company when we set goals,” said Bill Raveis. “I hope to see so many of you on September 18 in CT! Register today at raveisridewalk.com. 

A Satisfying Visit to Sweetgreen at Chappaqua Crossing

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At Sweetgreen–a friendly salad-making team who aim to please!  Photo by Grace Bennett

In search of a perfect oasis one afternoon during this summer’s heat wave–and with a yen for an exciting salad bowl and cool drink–I ventured out to finally, finally check out and hang out at the new Sweetgreen at Chappaqua Crossing. I was already familiar with this healthy, popular eatery, a favorite on the upper West Side, where my son lives. All the excited chatter on Chappaqua Moms over its opening in April reminded me that yes, we still really do live on the outskirts. It’s nice when a little bit of the city’s best lands here!

In this case, Sweetgreen is a welcome neighbor to a local favorite too, ROCKS Jewelry/Gifts/Home store right next door. You can now shop for jewelry knowing there are additional options to satisfy your thirst or hunger pangs before or after, too, or take it all home.

I arrived at its sprawling, cool and sparkling new space with no idea which salad to order, so I was happy to see two specials highlighted so that I didn’t have to think too hard. Will it be the Summer Teriyaki salad or the Peaches and Goat Cheese salad combination today? I went with the fruity choice, and brought up the store’s app to place my order. If you told me five years ago, that I’d be ordering or picking up food on my phone this way, I’d have looked at you cross eyed. I tend to resist technology but then I do settle into it and feel a sense of pride when I successfully get with the program. The app in fact was very easy to navigate and my order was ready within 15 minutes.

The salad bowl arrived with generous portions of its promised ingredients (to which I’d added customized choices such as cilantro in lieu of mint, crunchy red beets and sweet potatoes), dressing on the side, along with a 4-calorie seltzer drink. Covid 19 weight gain is a real thing, and I am closely watching every bite now. It felt gratifying to opt for nutritious AND delicious, and to find a place so open and cool to relax. I know I’ll be back. order.sweetgreen.com

Cookie Cutter Doesn’t Cut it at Harvey

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Rugby match at the Harvey School on April 5, 2022. (photo by Gabe PalacioOpen House at Harvey this year is Saturday, October 22, 2022 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Open House: Saturday, October 22, 2022 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

https://www.harveyschool.org/admissions/upcoming-events/2022openhouse

The Harvey School will hold its annual Fall Open House Saturday, Oct. 22 featuring a special panel discussion on “How to Find the Right Independent School for Your Child.”

The open house, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at noon, will offer campus visitors opportunities to take student-led tours, speak to current school parents, and meet faculty and administrators who will be on hand to answer questions about such topics as the academics, athletics and student life at Harvey, an independent college-preparatory school for students in grades 6-12.

Tours will traverse Harvey’s bucolic hilltop 125-acre campus on Route 22 in Katonah which features multi-sports athletic fields, the iconic Evarts Ice Rink, the state-of-the-art Walker Center for the Arts and Fenstermacher Athletic Center, the Upper School complex, and the middle school housed separately on the lower campus.

The special panel discussion will be held from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. The school leaders on the panel will include Harvey’s Head of School William Knauer, Head of Middle School Dr. Brendan Byrne, Director of the Performing Arts, Vinny Alexander, Director of Athletics Ray Lacen, English Department Chair Virginia Holmes, and School Counselor Jacquie Butera. Among the topics to be discussed will be how to find a school that fits the needs of your child, how to help your child find their voice, and the importance of understanding your child’s learning profile – recognizing their strengths and interests and what their optimum learning environment would be.

The Harvey School personalizes an educational journey for students in grades 6-12 to be as unique as each individual student. Students don’t conform to a singular “portrait of a graduate.” They have unlimited opportunity to unlock their potential and chase what fulfills them, instilling a desire for greater knowledge, broader perspectives, and cultural awareness. At Harvey, helping students become their best self has everything to do with trust. When students connect with their teachers, they dream big, try new things, and move out of their comfort zone. The result: extraordinary personal and intellectual growth. Harvey equips students with everything they need to live meaningfully, happily, and successfully. Because joy matters.

“The opportunities we get at Harvey are just so diverse. In the fall, you can do the musical, and be a baseball player in the spring. You’re not stuck with one sort of stereotypical group. You don’t have to just be an athlete, or the theater kid, or in robotics. You can do all of them.” – Amanda ‘22

Harvey’s diverse, inclusive, and welcoming community includes students from over 100 communities in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, and international students from seven countries including Sweden, Japan, Germany, Spain, China, and Lithuania.

Located on a beautiful 125-acre hilltop campus in Katonah, New York, Harvey provides a college-preparatory program that cultivates academic excellence, artistic exploration, athletic achievement, and service to others, with 5-day boarding in grades 9-12. There’s nothing more powerful than a student who believes they can make a difference.

 

From Spain to Briarcliff… and into your Living Spaces: How Terra Tile & Marble Beautifies Homes Throughout the Region

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Terra Tile and Marble had its humble beginnings in the town of Alcora, Spain, in the province of Castellon.  Castellon is the heart of ceramic art and tile in Spain where Manuel Gasch, founder of Terra Tile and Marble was born and raised. There he learned the tile trade and met many people who would later assist him in the tile industry. His family was always involved with tile production and the love of tile and marble runs deep in the roots of the Gasch family. 

Manuel came to the New York area in the mid-seventies as a young man, bringing his love of tile with him. It was the post-Franco era and Spanish tile factories were eager to expand to this new market. The U.S. home improvement market was happy to oblige.    

Manuel was soon representing more than a dozen manufacturers and travelling the U.S. selling to importers and distributors. Americans were changing their use of tile from just a few square feet on the bathroom floor to throughout the entire home. There was product demand. 

Establishing in Westchester

He opened a warehouse in Ossining in 1989 for the wholesale trade but soon discovered that there was a retail market here waiting to be served. Establishment of a larger warehouse and showroom soon followed in Briarcliff Manor, and in 2000, another showroom in Fishkill and a stone fabrication plant for countertops in Millwood. The business has grown to the point where Terra Tile is one of the largest sources of imported tile and marble in all of Westchester and Duchess Counties. 

The company caters to architects, builders, interior designers, and homeowners considering home improvement projects. These range from kitchens, home offices, bathrooms. and foyer upgrades to entire new home construction. Clients come direct to the showrooms and meet with a design consultant, or they can preview first the many products on the company website. Products are available from all over the world now–mainly Spain, Italy and American artisans. 

Manuel’s son, David Gasch, also joined the family tradition 25 years ago by working summers in Castellon tile factories in his teenage years and then at Terra Tile during the school year. Dave says he “always feels blessed” that his dad chose Briarcliff to be the location for their first store. He says it’s a great area filled with wonderful people who really care about their homes. Dave takes pleasure in knowing that his neighbors are also his customers. That sensibility is very much in line with the very strong community Terra Tile fosters and supports. 

Today, David is President of Terra Tile, succeeding his late father. From his experience of regularly attending tile trade shows in Italy, Spain and the US, he predicts that bold and bright colored tile is the new wave in home design. Perfect timing since Terra has just unveiled a new spring line “Fado” which exemplifies this trend–one you may wish to check out. 

On the fabrication front, Terra expects large format porcelain slab installations to be an exciting part of their future projects. With this in mind, Terra just acquired new state of the art machinery to make single piece, groutless shower wall installations as well as intricate fireplace and countertop designs an amazing reality for our clients. 

Proudly serving their local retail customers and over 175 tile and wholesale dealers, Terra Tile and Marble has an amazing selection of in-stock tile, marble, and accessories. For more information, visit TerraTileandMarble.com or call the store directly at (914) 923-4295.