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Wellness Garden Gives Back in the Time of COVID

August 27, 2021 by Inside Press

Staff members at Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) gathered in the new Wellness Garden to enjoy a bounty of summer produce, learn how to care for plants, and taste some of the first harvest.

Vegetables from the garden will be “prescribed” to patients who face food insecurity when they are discharged. The patients will leave the hospital with fresh, organic, ready to eat fruits and vegetables selected to meet their nutritional needs by staff dieticians.

Northern Westchester Hospital staff in the Wellness Garden

However, the garden was created to provide more than physical nourishment. It also serves as a sanctuary for hospital staff, who plant, weed and harvest the garden on a voluntary basis.

The garden is the culmination of a year-long effort on the part of Zack Couzens, who graduated from high school this spring and dedicated his Eagle Scout project to the heroes of Northern Westchester Hospital. He and his fellow scouts, classmates, family, and more than 30 volunteers built the 27 raised beds that comprise the garden. He also created a GoFundMepage that raised more than $3500 for the project, double his original fundraising goal.

Zack was inspired to give back to the hospital because of the care it provided for his family. In March 2020, his parents were among the first Covid-19 cases in Putnam County to be admitted to NWH. In the harrowing weeks that followed, his mother was released, but his father was put on a ventilator and spent three weeks in the hospital. Zack, who was born 10 weeks early, weighing only two pounds, eight ounces, also owes his life to the care he received at Northern Westchester.

“The Hospital has given so much to my family, saving both my parents’ lives, and my own,” he says. “Fortunately, everyone recovered, in large part, due to the extraordinary care my family received. My hope is that when people look back at the Covid-19 pandemic, this garden–dedicated to the heroes of Northern Westchester Hospital–will remind them of how the hospital’s staff worked tirelessly to keep the community members well.”

Northern Westchester Hospital leaders recognized that many staff were themselves recovering from their experience with the pandemic. A Wellness, Recognition and Resilience Committee was formed to further support NWH providers during this unprecedented time and the idea of a Wellness Garden.

“The idea quickly grew beyond helping staff,” says Rebecca Martin, a committee member and the senior director of Dining Services at the Hospital. “We realized that if we built a garden of raised beds, we would be able to grow organic vegetables for the community.”

Story courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital

The Harlem Wizards are Coming to Town!

January 13, 2020 by Inside Press

Chappaqua’s favorite day of hoops and alley oops is back on Sunday, January 26^that 1:30 pm. Come watch the beloved teachers of the Chappaqua Challengers as they take on the Harlem Wizards! This annual highly anticipated event, hosted by the Chappaqua School Foundation, is the definition of local family fun. Not only an opportunity to support your schools, it’s guaranteed laughs as the tables are turned and the kids cheer on their teachers.

Make this event even more memorable by purchasing the coveted Benchwarmer or Courtside Plus VIP seats! Both include premier seating, a meet & greet with the Wizards, a souvenir lanyard, team poster and discount on team jerseys. The newly introduced Benchwarmer seats, however, is the only way to watch the action straight from the Wizards bench and includes a half-court photo opp.

Don’t miss out on the fun and purchase tickets today.

Courtesy of the Chappaqua School Foundation

“New Era of Expanded Services” at the Renamed Hollis Laidlaw & Simon P.C.

September 17, 2019 by Inside Press

HLS Group, (L-R): David Simon, Moira Laidlaw and Dan Hollis.

Shamberg Marwell Hollis Andreycak & Laidlaw, P.C. has changed its name to Hollis Laidlaw & Simon P.C., ushering in a new era with new leadership, a growing team, and expanded services.

Thirty-year partner Dan Hollis, managing partner Moira Laidlaw and partner David Simon comprise the new leadership team. Mr. Simon, who joined the firm in 2018, has bolstered the litigation and land use practices, expanded the corporate practice, and added an employment practice. “I am honored to take a leadership role at such an exceptional firm,” said Mr. Simon. “I was drawn to the firm because of the collaborative nature of our attorneys and the obvious benefit to the client when we put our minds together.”

Hollis Laidlaw & Simon has recently welcomed new hires, expanding the team to 15 attorneys. “We’ve been fortunate to attract incredible talent over the years,” said Ms. Laidlaw, who has overseen the growth in her own trusts and estates practice and across the firm. She appreciates the strength that a larger team affords. “We love the challenge of working with any client who walks in our door,” she said. “With a deeper bench, we are positioned to provide a broader range of legal services to our existing clients and cater to an even wider clientele as we move into the future.”

Mr. Hollis appreciates that while the firm has evolved, it still honors the values of the past. “Our concentration has always been on providing excellent service and surrounding ourselves with the smartest people with the highest ethical standards,” he said. “With our new leadership team, this will still be our theme, and we will continue to thrive.”

Hollis Laidlaw & Simon looks forward to continuing to provide their clients with the highest level of excellence and personalized counsel in their core areas of practice: litigation & dispute resolution, land use & zoning, corporate, employment, real estate, trusts & estates, guardianship, specials needs planning, and elder law and Medicaid planning.

Five Rules When Talking to Adult Kids About Money

August 25, 2019 by The Inside Press

BY RICHARD BLOOM

More than 22 million adult children between the ages of 18 and 34 are living at home with their parents.¹ This phenomenon is partially driven by the financial realities facing 20-somethings today, but it also illustrates the strong ties that exist between boomer parents – who have been scrutinized for “helicopter parenting” – and their boomerang kids. The U.K. Journal, Psychologist, found that more than half of millennials phone, text or email their parents nearly every day.²

Despite communicating frequently and openly about everything from playground gossip to conflicts at work, however, one topic families continue to avoid around the dinner table: money.

With more than one-third of millennials admitting to finding it difficult to start conversations with their parents about saving and investing,³ it is hard to imagine millennials addressing the more sensitive (yet necessary) conversations, such as estate planning. Here are some rules that apply specifically to some of the challenges parents face when talking about money with their adult kids.

1. Be smart about how you support.

No matter how old or “grown up” your child is, it’s a mistake to think that a parent ever ceases to be a parent. You will always have a responsibility to mentor and guide your children as they tackle life’s many obstacles. However, this unconditional support does not necessarily need to extend to the financial realm. The proverbial financial cord may never be severed completely, but it is often in your child’s best interest for them to establish a certain level of financial independence.

2. Create a culture of “family partnership.”

Glenn Kurlander, Head of Morgan Stanley’s Family Governance and Wealth Education unit, notes that, “one of the biggest concerns I have encountered among parents with considerable means is the fear of raising entitled children.” He believes that the best way to prevent this sense of entitlement is to create a culture of family partnership. In other words, driving the philosophy that “we’re all in this together,” and that while you are prepared to use your family’s wealth to help your children in meaningful ways, you are not prepared to remove every obstacle or challenge from their path. Denying your child the opportunity to learn some life lessons on their own (even if it’s the hard way) could end up hurting them in the long run.

3. To trust is relative.

Trust is an important component of any conversation related to money. While you may trust your children and their ability to make smart financial decisions, you may not necessarily trust the people they choose to listen to. Because it’s impossible to know who may influence your child in the future (perhaps when you’re no longer around to make your case in person), you may want to consider using certain wealth management structures (such as trusts) to protect the family wealth. To avoid resentment and confusion in the future, it is important to explain your rationale to your children: make it clear that your primary objective is to protect them and your family’s interests – it is not a reflection of a lack of trust or a desire to limit their financial freedoms.

4. Family finances are never one-size-fits-all.

As parents, you will have to decide what’s “fair and appropriate” for your unique family. This is particularly relevant when it comes to estate planning. In some families, “fair and appropriate” may mean giving equal amounts to each child; in other families, fair may mean treating each child differently based on their individual needs or challenges.

Use your resources, even the small ones.

Even when your children have children of their own, it’s not too late. In fact, this momentous event in their lives may present an opening: a timely reason to start a conversation about the family finances. Whether you want to encourage your children to become more fiscally responsible themselves, or address sensitive topics such as your own estate plan, grandchildren can help break the logjam and diffuse the situation: “Now that there’s another generation in the picture, we want to make sure that you are planning appropriately and responsibly for them.”

Whatever challenges you face or conversations you need to have, a Financial Advisor can act as a resource and a buffer. They can be present to facilitate the discussion in person, or help you prepare talking points in advance.

FOOTNOTES

1. “Helping Adult Children”, Pew Research Center (2015)

2. “The Ascension of Parent-Offspring Ties”, Karen Fingerman. Psychologist Journal. Vol. 29. (Feb. 2016)

3. Millennial Money Study, Fidelity Investments® (2016)

DISCLOSURES

Article by Morgan Stanley and provided courtesy of Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor.

Richard Bloom is a Financial Advisor in 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104 at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”). He can be reached by email at Richard.Bloom@morganstanley.com or by telephone at (212) 893-7597.

This article has been prepared for informational purposes only. The information and data in the article has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. It does not provide individually tailored investment advice and has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it. The strategies and/or investments discussed in this article may not be suitable for all investors. Morgan Stanley recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors and Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning, charitable giving, philanthropic planning and other legal matters.

Richard Bloom may only transact business, follow-up with individualized responses, or render personalized investment advice for compensation, in states where he is registered or excluded or exempted from registration, http://brokercheck.finra.org/Search/Search.aspx.

LaGravinese Jewelers: Serving Armonk’s Jewelry Needs with a Personal Touch

August 24, 2019 by The Inside Press

Armonk’s original jewelry store, LaGravinese Jewelers, located on Main Street in Downtown Armonk is in its 26th year of providing its clientele with beautiful jewelry. The LaGravinese family has been in the jewelry business for over a century. Debra LaGravinese, owner of the Armonk store, is trained in diamond grading, gemology, gem identification, and pearl grading by the Gemological Institute of America. LaGravinese Jewelers carries a large selection of jewelry at all price points and are known for their custom design work, excellent service, and quick turnaround time.

Custom Design

Clients looking for handcrafted custom pieces specifically made for them meet with LaGravinese and her trusted bench jeweler/“right-hand man,” Art Manfredo, to create the design they have in mind. They can incorporate a sentimental piece of family jewelry into a new design or simply construct an entirely new piece of jewelry. Approximately eighty percent of LaGravinese’s business involves redesign, repairs and special orders.

“If you have an estate piece that nobody is wearing and it just sits in a drawer, we can make something current out of it, either trendy or classic, that the next generation wants to wear,” says LaGravinese.

Celebrating Milestones

Jewelers often get to share in their clients’ most joyous celebrations. Helping clients choose the perfect gift for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, or any momentous event, is what they do. It is especially sweet when they have personal relationships with those clients.

“I have recently been working on a lot of engagement rings,” LaGravinese says. “All of my clients’ children are at an age now where they’re all getting married. After 25 years in the same town, it’s great to see these generational milestones. I have amazing clientele and I’m so lucky to be part of their process of buying and giving to their family.”

Happy Customers

Many of LaGravinese’s clients have been customers for decades. The business is well sustained by virtue of repeat customers and word of mouth.

“You don’t get to stay in business 25 years doing the wrong thing,” she remarks. Despite being a small store in a small town, she makes certain that the store remains competitive. “We are very close to Manhattan, so I compete with that and I compete with the internet. I make sure I am giving the best possible deal to my customers,” she says. LaGravinese travels to jewelry shows and strives to acquire a diverse collection and unique pieces such as watches from Shinola that her clients may not have seen elsewhere.

As a full service jewelry store, they cater to all their customers’ jewelry needs, including watch battery, watch repairs, appraisals, ear piercing, custom orders, redesign, pearl restringing, and they buy diamonds, gold and silver.

LaGravinese is grateful for her clients and to many of them that have become friends over the years. “I’m blessed to know them,” she says.

With the fall season upon us, LaGravinese is stocking up on plenty of new inventory for the holiday season. Be sure to stop in and check out their selection. Also, be on the lookout for their occasional specials when a portion of proceeds are donated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

LaGravinese Jewelers
430 Main Street in Armonk
P: (914) 273-5432
lagravinesearmonk.com