Chappaqua

Mud, Sweat and Cheers: Hundreds Expected to Get Dirty for a Good Cause in the Evan Lieberman Westchester Medical Center Mud Run

June 24, 2016 by The Inside Press

WHEN: Saturday, June 25. Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. Heats begin at 8:30 a.m.

WHAT: The Evan Lieberman Westchester Medical Center Trauma Mud Run is a 5K foot race where participants traverse over, under and through a series of challenging obstacles including tire swings, cargo nets, fire towers, running streams, a giant mud put and more. Adding to the fun this year will be a new course feature – spray guns – that will douse participants with bright colors as they traverse two of the courses toughest obstacles.

The event is a true endurance race, one that tests runners’ physical and mental abilities. It is also an important fundraiser for Westchester Medical Center’s Joel A. Halpern Regional Trauma Center and its Burn Center services. The Level I trauma and burn care services offered by Westchester Medical Center are the only programs of its kind in the region. They are a lifeline for the Hudson Valley’s most seriously burned and injured residents.

*Fun for children (and their parents!): a special Kids’ Dash heat will step off at 9:15 a.m. for participants under the age of 13. The Kids’ Dash course will be shorter and less challenging than the adult course, but just as muddy and colorful!

To learn more, sign up and watch a promotional video showing the course and it challenging obstacles, interested participants should visit events.westchestermedicalcenter.com/mudrun

The Evan Lieberman Westchester Medical Center Trauma Mud run offers media the opportunity to cover a “dirty” story with great visuals. All are invited to attend.

WHERE: On the grounds of Westchester Medical Center, 100 Woods Road, Valhalla, New York

WHO: Hundreds of participants from the Hudson Valley and beyond brave enough to tackle course challenges.

CONTACT: Andy LaGuardia

(914) 493-6532

andrew.laguardia@wmchealth.org

Love Triumphs at Chappaqua Vigil for Orlando Victims

June 14, 2016 by Inside Press

Story and Photos by Grace Bennett

Chappaqua, June 13–On the steps and floor of the South Greeley Avenue gazebo or on the soft field of grass, and under a gradually darkening sky, Chappaqua residents stood together either silent or in song during a vigil to honor the victims and their loved ones in Orlando–and to hear and be comforted by the words of area clergy and public officials, and also to begin the hard work of making sense of Saturday night’s horrific massacre.

Chappaqua Vigil for Orlando Photo by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

The crowd was led in singing Ya’aseh Shalom (a prayer for peace) by Star Trompeter, the Cantor of Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, and Amazing Grace, led by Dr. Martha Jacobs of the First Congregational Church.

Rabbi Jonathan Jaffe of Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester opened the ceremony noting “already stories of courage and faith abound from the victims and survivors,” and that “in such moments we have the opportunity to bring godliness into the world.” He thanked Dawn Evans Greenberg and New Castle Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein and his fellow clergy for making the event possible. “Let’s support one another through our grief and heartache while committing ourselves to the hard work of making a more peaceful world a reality.”

Supervisor Greenstein reminded that “more love and less hate stands for a better tomorrow…
“Love serves as both our shield to protect us and our sword to fight hatred and violence and intolerance.”

Dr. Jacobs spoke of the critical need for unconditional love in all our lives and to not allow hatred to poison our outlook or our souls. She asked that everyone reach out and support members of the LGBT community, as well.

“No one is spared from grief and sorrow in our world; it’s the price we pay because we love, we all have grief and we all have sorrow. For those who decide to kill each other and cause such sorrow, I truly have a hard time believing that they have experienced love, absolute love, unconditional love. Because once we experience love, it is something that draws us back again and again to be with people in our lives….”

“The best we can do is share the love with all those with whom we come into the contact. I pray in the aftermath of this horror we can find ways to support and honor our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer friends and neighbors while also being mindful of the cost that gun violence brings to many communities every day…Even while we may disagree I call on us to be more mindful of those directly affected by gun violence–not only in Orlando but across the country…
“Jesus tells us to love our enemies, but that does not mean that we are to be silent in the face of such a horrific act of killing people in the so called name of someone’s God.”

Dr. Jacobs reminded that while we may be angry, “hate will not stop the cycle of violence, not in this country, not anywhere in our world.”
And she recalled the words of Martin Luther King:
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.”
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”
“Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
“Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.”
“Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.”
“Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.”

Khusro Elley of the Upper Westchester Muslim Society offered poignant words affirming Muslim beliefs: “As Muslims, we can and do condemn in strongest possible terms the killing of innocent people in Orlando. It appears the only crime in the eyes of the killer was the sexual orientation of the victims. We should urge our lawmakers for the harshest measures for hate crimes and take whatever measures are available to prevent such dastardly acts…

“Believe me that fact that the killer professed to be of the Muslim faith makes each and every muslim feel the pain even more than otherwise. We feel the pain as Americans, parents, brothers, sisters and wives and husbands and we feel the pain as Muslims…

“I am proud to stand in solidarity with all other faiths and all other the people in Chappaqua to mourn the untimely deaths of all the victims in Florida, many of them still in the prime of their life. May God grant us the courage to overcome this loss.”

A representative for Congresswoman Nita Lowey reminded that the gun purchase by the terrorist perpetrator was legal. “He was a citizen much as any of us here.” She said that Lowey firmly believes and will fight for a ban on such weaponry. “We have to try. For every person who says it won’t stop anything, if it stops one person from doing something this awful, she (Lowey) says yes, let’s try.”

The final speaker was Chappaqua’s Sheryl Goldberg Manassee, a member of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Dressed in an orange tee, Manassee read from an essay written by an openly gay young woman whose identity she did share at the event, but Sheryl and the young lady’s family have since asked The Inside Press for her anonymity. She wrote that she had attended and “had a great time” at the Los Angeles Gay Pride Festival the night before learning of the massacre and of how her sense of safety has been shattered. She pointedly reminds that you don’t need to be gay to feel unsafe, either.

“This is what it feels like for her…,” began Manassee.

“…Last night I kissed my girlfriend in public in a simple act of love and protest that straight people participate in without thought or fear. Last night I was not afraid and allowed myself to believe that love triumphs hate. This morning something changed. I guess a part of me always knew that I was truly not safe anywhere. Just like a part of you knows that you are not safe anymore. And neither are your sons, daughters and sisters, whether they are straight, whether they are gay, or whether they are black or whether they are white.

“You feel safe in school, until massacres, at Virginia Tech, and USCB, and Columbine and Sandy Hook and Columbine show you that you are not safe even in school. You feel safe in a movie theater until the deaths of those who dare to watch a Batman film in Aurora show at you are not safe in a movie theater. You feel safe at your place of employment until those who went to work in San Bernardino one day never came home. You feel safe in a church, protected by God himself until a racist unleashes and shows you that you are not safe in church…

And speaking metaphorically to the terrorist, she asked: “Did you think of these people as individuals? Did you check to see that your friends were not one?”

Manassee reached out to those in attendance. She handed out 50 pennies to place down in a location in remembrance. “50 people. Take 50 pennies. Line them up and think of each as a life that was taken last night. Each one is my brother and my sister and each one of them is targeted. 50 people whose friends and families will never be the same. 50 people who left their dogs at home, their mothers or lovers, who said, I’ll be right back…” Single stem pink roses donated by Whispering Pines of Chappaqua were also placed to honor the victims.

To Support Multiple Myeloma Research: Eric Gelber Aims to Go the Extra (200th!) Mile

June 3, 2016 by The Inside Press

Photo 1 - Eric Gelber Running — Gelber running in the Mojave Desert as part of his 135 miles in the Badwater Ultra-Marathon, Death Valley, CA, 2015.

By Matt Smith

You know how the saying goes: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” While these words are no doubt sage advice for anyone wishing to achieve any goal, you can bet they’re especially pertinent to Chappaqua resident Eric Gelber, who will take his third stab at running 200 miles on September 16th through New York City’s Central Park to support and raise funds for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

Gelber began running independently for the cause in 2007, to raise money in support of a friend who had been diagnosed with the disease, an incurable blood cancer that has one of the lowest five-year relative survival rates of all cancers. “It started out with a marathon in New York City,” he explains, “and over the years…sort of built up and [I] started running longer races.”

The idea for the Central Park event arose in 2011, when “I did a solo run through the Catskills,” which he completed in 45 hours, beginning in Oneonta and ending 175 miles later at his parents’ home in Suffern. “It wasn’t a [official] race, though,” he explains. “It was just [of] my own [accord] to raise money…and attract some more attention [to the cause].” However, “when I got there [to the finish line], there were 50-60 people–I could hear them cheering from down the road as we finished and I just knew right then that we were doing something that was making a difference.”

And he capitalized on that feeling. The following year, he ran the Badwater Ultra-marathon in Death Valley, CA, “but the plan was to come back in 2013 and do something in New York City.” And, that September, as planned, the epic Central Park challenge was born.

Gelber initially pledged a goal of 200 miles, which he would achieve by running continuous 6.1 mile loops around Central Park. Though he hasn’t made it quite yet (his previous attempts in 2013 and 2014 covered 164 and 176 miles respectively), after a year off in 2015, during which he returned to Badwater–and raised a whopping $140,000 for the MMRF–he’s excited to be back in New York City for another shot at the 200-mile goal. “8 a.m. [on] September 16th, I’ll be out there,” he says, proudly, noting he’ll begin up at Engineer’s Gate on the East end of the park, “and I’ll [aim to] finish sometime on the 18th.”

If you’re inclined to support Gelber in person, “we’re really easy to find out there,” he says, noting the “big orange MMRF tent” at which he and his team will be situated. “We also have a [Facebook] page called ‘Just a Mile to Go,’” he adds, “where we will post information on how you can actually register and sign up to come run a loop with me, [or] make a donation, or set up your own fundraising page.”

If you can’t yet decide how you’d like to contribute, you can always simply show up at the event and take it from there, which Gelber notes “a lot of people do.” (They’ll also live stream the run straight from the Facebook page as well.).

(L-R) Kyle, Tani, Isla, Eric and Jared Gelber

Whichever way you support, Gelber hopes you do take note of the cause, as it’s near and dear to his heart. To that end, though his friend, Anita Sorrell, unfortunately lost her battle in 2012, his involvement with the MMRF has allowed him and his wife to engage and connect with others who have been affected both directly and indirectly by the cancer. “Sometimes when you lose the person you’re fighting for, your first reaction–which certainly was mine–is ‘What’s the point?’” Gelber explains. “But after taking a step back and thinking about where we were on this journey, my wife and I thought it was important to keep fighting for everybody who’s still with us. So, we do it for them.”

And while it isn’t always easy waking up to a daily 4:30 a.m. alarm and training intensely before heading off to a full-time job, Gelber acknowledges that the strides made in collecting donations and funding further research make it all well worth the effort, stating: “I know that what I am doing is making a real difference in the lives of [multiple myeloma] patients.”

But that’s not to say he does it all solo. Wholly recognizing “there’s no way I could do this on my own,” he wishes to extend sincere thanks to the entire staff at the MMRF for all their help and assistance, as well as his many close friends and family, both here in Chappaqua and in other neighboring towns. Above all, however, he thanks his wife, Tani, and three children, Jared, Kyle, and Isla. “Their support is unwavering,” he says, with a smile. “It’s been amazing.”

In closing, Gelber, who describes himself in three words as “determined [and] mentally tough,” offers a few encouraging words to those “adventurers”–men, yes, but also people of all ages and gender–who might be looking to pursue a similar goal. “I think you just gotta commit,” he says, “and not just to the end goal, but to the process of getting there.”

Citing the multiple myeloma patients and their “incredible mental focus, commitment, and [the fact that they’re] willing to fight,” he reminds the dreamers: “Don’t let anything stand in your way. You gotta follow through, make promises to yourself and keep those promises. I remind myself of the promises I make to myself each night, and I get up and do it. Take one step at a time, and you’ll reach your goal eventually.” And hopefully, if you’re anything like the tenacious Gelber, when you do, the world will be better for it.

For more information on the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, including how to join Gelber in his efforts and/or donate to the cause, please visit www.themmrf.org.

In Memoriam – Gerry Golub Larger than Life

June 3, 2016 by The Inside Press

By Deborah Raider Notis

When Gerry Golub and his family moved to Chappaqua from New Jersey in 1971, they wanted a bigger house, a great school district, and a bucolic suburban town not too far from Golub’s job as an accountant in Manhattan. Golub never imagined that he would become such an integral part of the town he chose to call home.

Golub, who passed away on the 9th of October in 2015, was a fixture in Chappaqua. “After he died, I received so many letters, thanking him for everything he did for people,” says Bonnie Golub, the love of his life and his wife of more than 54 years. He was an active volunteer who served as Fire Commissioner between 2009 and 2014, as a member of the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals, and as a pollster for the Board of Elections. More significantly, he was known throughout town by his friends and loved ones as a class act with a great sense of humor.

Golub grew up on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, attending Yeshiva of Flatbush and Stuyvesant High School. He came from a family of modest means and was always determined to achieve financial security. He graduated from Brooklyn College with a degree in accounting and worked as a CPA for 50 years. He started his own firm, Goldstein Golub Kessler & Co, and became Managing Partner of the firm. When he sold his firm to American Express in 1998, the first transaction for the sale of an accounting firm into a large corporation, Golub served as Chaiman of American Express Tax and Business Services. From 1994 through 2000, and then again in 2003, Golub was on the elite list of Accounting Today’s “100 Most Influential People in the Accounting Profession.”

While he was an innovative and dedicated businessman, Golub’s true passion was his family, starting with his wife Bonnie, whom he met at a school fair at Brooklyn College. Golub and Bonnie were engaged nine months after their first date, married seven months later, and graduated from college as a married couple. They have three children, Kenny, Laurie, and Alli. Yet, he was most proud of his six grandchildren, upon whom he doted endlessly. “He always said that grandchildren are the best part of having kids,” muses his wife. “He was larger than life,” notes Bonnie. She says that Golub did everything to excess and had a great sense of style and was a genuine “clothes horse” with a tie collection of more than 450 ties with matching hankies.

Gerry Golub with his wife Bonnie (second from left) and their family

“Gerry had a separate wardrobe for every outing, a golf wardrobe, a dressy wardrobe, an everyday wardrobe,” says Bonnie. But he was most proud of his Harley wardrobe, which he acquired over the past 15 years when he bought his beloved Road King. “After forbidding his kids to ever ride a motorcycle, he went out and bought a Harley,” laughs Bonnie.

According to his wife, Golub had a great interest in machines and anything that moved. He was extremely interested in cars, and he was always up on the latest information about them. If you wanted to buy a car, he was happy to negotiate the deal and always knew the ins and outs of every purchase.

Bonnie, who clearly misses her husband every day, says that he was passionate about life and constantly looking toward new and exciting experiences. “I was surprised that he never took flying lessons.” It is clear that he was exceptionally happy on the ground in Chappaqua surrounded by his close-knit community and loving family.

Deborah Raider Notis is a freelance writer and co-owner of gamechanger, LLC gamechangernow.com, a free referral service connecting Westchester families to highly qualified, competitively priced academic, athletic, music, and art instructors. In addition to writing multiple articles for the Inside Press, Deborah’s writing can also be found on suburbanmisfitmom.com.

STEM Fest Kids Describe their Projects

June 3, 2016 by The Inside Press

Editor’s Note: STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Before this year’s STEM Fest day, held May 14th at the Bell Middle School, the following students volunteered to explain their projects to Inside Chappaqua! Here’s just a sampling of hundreds of projects and experiments the kids have been engaged in. For more information about STEM Fest, visit chappaquaptastem.com

Arnav Roy

Project: Knock Lock

This circuit is a small locking mechanism that opens or locks a box with a specific ‘knock.’ My circuit has a sound sensor called ‘piezo,’ which can sense vibrations as well as sounds. I wanted to build something that I could attach to my room door, so that only I have access to my bedroom. The best part was making the circuits itself, as I enjoy experimenting with circuits. In this project I soldered wires for the first time and that was fun. The hardest part was to get the right knock intensity to fall in an acceptable range of the code. For my future project, I want to work on an app for my Knock Lock.

Gigi Wheeler

Project: Parabolas

I saw a film at the San Francisco Exploratorium about parabolas and got the idea for this project. A pendulum makes a parabola shape. There are all kinds of examples of parabolas in nature. I’m taking pictures of the ones I see and writing about them. I like taking the pictures. When this is over, I might want to study matter, or how dragonflies fly, or what infinity is.

Neel Roy

Project: Coding

I coded a few different programs using ‘Python.’ Every Sunday, I take Python classes at my friend’s house. The best part about this project was creating new programs and playing with all the games that I made. The hardest part about this project was making the game, because if the coding was not right I would get a syntax error. Then I would have to go back again and find the code that was incorrect. In the future, I want to create a really big complicated game using code.

Tessa Wheeler

Project: Testing for Lead

I had been hearing about the problem with water contamination in Flint, Michigan. My grandmother works in Flint at The University of Michigan’s Flint campus. So she collected some water and sent it to in the mail. It was hard to get it here safely. I then talked with my aunt’s boyfriend who works at the National Science Foundation about the best ways to test for lead. He said that using test strips is a fine indicator for lead presence, so I used that. I tested the water from Flint, Michigan, and thankfully it was negative for lead. I then decided to test some toys for lead. I started by researching what toys had been recalled. I found that one of our toys was recalled for lead. And a toy my sister recently received for her birthday even has a notice on it that it contains lead! I want to make sure kids are not getting toys with lead. For my next project, I want to do a study on the immune system or dwarfism.

Henry LePage and William Hollister

Project: A Small Scale Hovercraft

We thought it would be interesting to build transportation that has no friction, because it floats on a cushion of air, and goes really fast. We got the idea for the hovercraft from a book called “How Things Work.” There was a cut away section of the inner workings of a hovercraft, and we decided to figure out how to build a working model based on the picture in the book. The best part of collaborating on this project was working together and using power tools. Truthfully, nothing worked at first. We needed to adjust the weight of the craft and the skirt didn’t seal properly. Then we had to change the height of the fan and make a cage for the fan since we realized the blade could cut off our fingers. The hardest part, by far, was getting the weight down. After the STEM Fest, Henry is planning on building a full scale wooden boat that will broaden his woodworking and CAD skills. William will attend a technology camp this summer, and he has plans to land the first Lego mini figure on the Moon with a model rocket.

Understanding how Enzymes Work

Chappaqua

Mud, Sweat and Cheers: Hundreds Expected to Get Dirty for a Good Cause in the Evan Lieberman Westchester Medical Center Mud Run

Love Triumphs at Chappaqua Vigil for Orlando Victims

To Support Multiple Myeloma Research: Eric Gelber Aims to Go the Extra (200th!) Mile

In Memoriam – Gerry Golub Larger than Life

STEM Fest Kids Describe their Projects

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