In and Around Town

Preparations for Houlihan Lawrence’s fund drive for the American Cancer Society are in full swing in Chappaqua. Enthusiasm pervades every aspect of the endeavor which begins by enlisting participation from local merchants and businesses and culminates in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk on October 21 at Manhattanville College.

Marie Herrero is one of the key organizers of the entire fund raising endeavor. Herrero, a mortgage banker with Thoroughbred Mortgage works in conjunction with the Chappaqaua branch of Houlihan Lawrence. Her main effort is devoted to the boutique, a unique component of Houlihan’s Chappaqua office involvement in the company’s fundraising efforts. Last year, over $6,000 was raised at the boutique alone. This year the boutique will be held on October 13 at the office and the goal is even higher. Raffle tickets for many exciting prizes will be on sale on that day as well as at community day. Prizes are donated by a multitude of merchants in the hamlet, Mount Kisco and Pleasantville.

The Chappaqua community appreciates the opportunity to shop for a cause. Attendees have said that they would “love to see a future for our children without cancer,” Herrero related.

Real estate agent Jeanne Coon will be one of the vendors at the fourth annual boutique. She will be showcasing the wares of her venture entitled
Jewels by Jeanne. Coon’s gems are all hand crafted and designed. Her line includes bracelets, necklaces and earrings for women and girls. “Everyone knows someone who’s a survivor,” Coon mentioned. She finds the community’s involvement “very touching.” “It makes you want to do more,” she continued.

Presents for Purpose, a business founded by several cancer survivors will also be on hand. This vendor will offer gifts, clothing, jewelry and accessories. Realtor Nancy Zucker is another one of organizers of the fundraising effort. She enjoys joining in the walk and is inspired by seeing everyone clad in pink hats and shirts. Many agents are accompanied by family members and friends.

The festive mood of the day is enhanced by live music and radio station broadcasts during the walk. The Making Strides walk is always held rain or shine. “It’s a tremendous amount of work for a tremendous cause,” Zucker noted. She is extremely motivated by the chance to “contribute to a cause” that she truly believes in. All agents are members of various groups in town including the garden club and are charged with spreading the word about the event. Clients are encouraged to attend the walk and patronize the boutique. “We build community involvement, “Zucker observed.

Sarah Ellen Berman appreciates the value of altruistic shopping and walking.

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On May 18th balloons soared above Step in Style, Chappaqua’s ladies shoe boutique. A day long event was hosted by proprietor Licia Mikulicic to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.Ten percent of all proceeds were donated to the Foundation.

The idea for the occasion was a natural for Mikulicic who has worked extensively in retail and seen many successful fundraisers held at different stores. She chose the Foundation as the beneficiary of her first charity event. “I’ve had friends and colleagues that have had breast cancer and have survived, some have not. They [the Foundation] do wonderful work,” she noted. To accommodate mothers with young children, Mikulicic chose to devote the entire day to the cause. In the evening, patrons sat outside and enjoyed prosecco, tea and light fare. “It was very festive,” Mikulicic said.

–Sarah Ellen Berman

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By Sarah Ellen Berman

When domestic violence strikes, a victim’s world is upended. Safety becomes a primary concern. Seemingly insurmountable problems loom large. Solace, care and compassion await at Hope’s Door.

The main mission of Hope’s Door is to end domestic violence and facilitate the transition to a safe environment for all victims.

This private nonprofit organization, formerly known as the Northern Westchester Shelter, has a facility in Pleasantville, and will be opening a new location in Ossining in the fall; in addition, it has a residential shelter in Westchester.

“The most important thing we could do for victims of domestic violence is to offer hope,” explained executive director Carla Horton. Many clients have told her that Hope’s Door is “a place where I could be hopeful about the future.” The organization provides a vast array of services including a hotline, shelter, safety planning, counseling, support groups, legal referrals, teen dating abuse prevention and community education.

The initial point of contact for many victims with Hope’s Door is the hotline, answered by an expertly trained staff twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. All calls are completely confidential. In 2011, a total of 1,027 calls were fielded by the hotline.

In addition, twelve residents of the town of New Castle received assistance from Hope’s Door. “It doesn’t matter what your socioeconomic status or race is,” Horton noted, “Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence.”

Board member and secretary Carey Vames is one of the many dedicated volunteers at Hope’s Door. She relishes her role as “ambassador” at many events including community days in Chappaqua and Ossining. In October she attends the Annual Teen Symposium at Pace and leads a small discussion group.

“I’m very passionate about it,” she said. This forum focuses on teaching adolescents about the occurrence of abuse in teen dating and ways to prevent it. In addition, Vames, who is also an EMT on the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corp has developed a program for children in the shelter to demonstrate the positive side of an ambulance. These youngsters fear the siren’s wail because it reminds them of tragic events in their lives. “When you hear the siren it means you’re important. Other people have to get out of the way,” Vames explains.

Elizabeth Grant is a survivor of domestic violence, thanks to the care and guidance provided by Hope’s Door. The staff helped her secure funding for an alarm system for her home.

“It made me feel safe,” Grant recalled. “I could go to bed at night without fear.” When she had to appear in court and face her ex-husband, Director Horton accompanied her. “She was an advocate for me,” Grant noted.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. For more info and to support Hope’s Door and/or to attend their annual luncheon on October 11, go to hopesdoorny.org.

By Gina Faustini

Chappaqua held an inaugural Swim Across America of Long Island Sound event (SAALIS) on July 15th. The event raised money for cancer awareness, with proceeds going directly to charities according to SAALIS Event Coordinator Tony Sibio.

Swimmers of all ages participated in the event, swimming a mile or half-mile at the Chappaqua Swim & Tennis Club to support a cause that has directly affected many of them. The fact that many participants had a connection with cancer heightened the importance and value of the event.

According to SAALIS committee member Jean Fufidio, the Chappaqua Swim & Tennis Club’s leg of Swim Across America set a high standard for future events. Although this was the town’s first year participating, it’s likely that Chappaqua will have second highest number of swimmers for the 2012 SAALIS season.

“I think this is a record-breaker, especially for the first time an event is held at a new location,” said Fufidio. Bobby Hackett, a 1976 Olympic Silver Medalist in the 1500 Meter Freestyle, attended and hosted a swim clinic for the younger participants.

“I’m going to teach them swimming techniques–based on the fact that just being big and strong doesn’t help you in the water,” said Hackett. He also gave out Olympic pins at the end of the clinic, something that resonates well with the children being that this year’s summer Olympics could be the first that they remember watching.

Hackett, a Katonah resident, has been involved with Swim Across America in the past and says he really loves the foundation, the cause, and the environment of these events. Something he says he particularly liked about Chappaqua’s event was all of the young children who showed up. “I like to give the younger kids a good impression about being a successful swimmer and making it to the Olympics–if I can do it, anyone can do it,” said Hackett, a Yonkers native. It was certainly a family-friendly day; the lanes at Chappaqua Swim & Tennis Club were filled with smiling children, many with their parents and grandparents. Some were affiliated with the Chappaqua Swim Team, including Dan Levy, who has coached the team since 1999 and has a strong personal connection with the foundation. “This gives me a good feeling, because I started the team for my sister Karen, and then for the former Board President’s husband David Simon who passed a year later,” said Levy. “The children are learning that swimming isn’t just for racing and getting ribbons; it can also give back to the community.” The previously mentioned former Board President is Judy Simon, who helped organize the event. Her son Henry, 18, participated in Swim Across America in the past (he could not swim this year due to a back injury.)

“For Henry, it’s a way of fighting back against the disease that took his father,” said Simon. “Most people here have been touched by cancer, and although the smaller children didn’t know my husband, they do know my children and they know they are supporting a great cause.”

Twelve-year-old Chappaqua swim team member Gaige Elms swam a mile this year at her Swim Across America debut. She says she connected to it even more than she thought she would. “It may sound cheesy, but I got this warm feeling while I was raising money for the event, and I want to do even more next year,” she said.

Bobbie Pearce, 13, also weighed in on the event. “I personally don’t know anybody with cancer, and I feel like I am very lucky to have everyone in my family happy and healthy,” she said. “I want to help people who are not as fortunate as I am.”

From elementary school aged children to an Olympic medalist, this event was a light and fun way for attendees to help fight against the harsh realities of cancer. A common motive of every participant was the desire to help stop cancer in its tracks.

Gina Faustini is entering her junior year at Quinnipiac University. She is majoring in Media Studies, and is working with Ruby Media Group for the summer.

By Rona Horowitz   Photos by Naliah Harris

The Renaissance Education, Music and Sports program began helping inner-city kids in 2001 and continues to expand. The program helps kids learn and build fundamental skills in all areas of life, in an informal educational setting. The program began with 65 kids in one music program and one basketball program. Today, during the school year, the program hosts about 1,200 students a week, said Howard Altarescu, Chairman of the Board and Chappaqua resident.

In addition to the music and basketball programs, tutoring, and SAT/ACT prep is now being offered. The program also gives students real life information from mentors. The teachers and mentors consist of teens and adults who volunteer their time to these promising students. Lending their time helps instill necessary skills in the kids, and especially helps those who may not get as much attention to these pivotal techniques at home.

Altarescu and his wife Carol, an active volunteer in the program, were hosting a party at their house when Hillary Clinton was running for senator. On the invitation, the guests were not only invited to hear Clinton speak, but also to hear music from students in the Renaissance program. What started as a “come meet the kids,” idea as Carol called it, sparked the initiative of other Chappaqua families to get involved. The Altarescu’s have now made the party an annual event. The students in the program come to Chappaqua and perform for the residents, and the residents get to meet the students on a more personal level.

The center has become more to the Altarescu’s than solely helping these inner city kids: “It has become a process to help ‘bridge the gap’ between these two communities,” Carol said.

“The Chappaqua Nine”
Jessie Nadler, a Chappaqua resident, began getting involved in the math SAT prep program. Nadler recruited eight of her friends, then Horace Greeley attendees, and they each headed to the south Bronx approximately one Saturday a month. They became known as the Chappaqua Nine.

“I met a lot of really great people I wouldn’t be able to have met before hand,” Nadler said. He encourages everyone to get involved, but says the key to a good tutor is finding someone who wants to be there, so the kids being tutored are motivated too. As the program expands and becomes a more formal educational setting, our community’s interest grows.

“We have tremendous appreciation to the parents and the kids for the impact that Chappaqua has had,” Altarescu said. “It is invaluable to have hands on instruction from very bright Horace Greeley High School students.”

After moving to a larger location, the program is flourishing. Younger kids can now participate in a toddler basketball program. Older students can participate in a mobile music program called Music with a Message. These students get to drive around to perform positive music. Another part of the program called Music on Wheels goes into public schools where music programs have been cut and involves them in music. Altarescu says they have been seeing tremendous attendance and focus from the participants.

Another Chappaqua resident, Anne Hasegawa, volunteers her marketing and creative skills to the program. She said there are many different ways our community can contribute and benefit from the experience as well. “They [the students in the program] have a lot of energy and heart, and I just find it all very amazing,” Hasegawa said.

She continued by saying seeing them perform is inspiring especially because they don’t have the same advantages members of our community do. In efforts to continue to bridge the gap between these communities, the program will be having performances around town and in the gazebo, like the performance held on July 21.

The Altarescus say that people making contributions by using their skills to help benefit others is a great thing. The program also always welcomes instruments, books/office supplies, and donations through Renaissance-EMS.org.

Greeley grad and IC intern Rona Horowitz is a Quinnipiac Journalism major, international business minor heading into her Junior year. She enjoys taking pictures, traveling to new places, and being with friends and family.

Naliah Harris is a graduate of the The Renaissance Education, Music and Sports program.