Vote in the Citizens Nominating Committe Election on Tuesday November 13
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On Tuesday November 13, one week after the federal and state elections, Scarsdale qualified voters are encouraged to turn out one more time -- to vote for their neighborhood candidates running for seats on the Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC), and to vote on amendments to the Village's Non-Partisan Resolution.
All qualified voters in Scarsdale can participate -- it doesn't matter which political party you're registered in, or no party at all. If you're 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, and have lived in Scarsdale for 30 days or more on November 13, you're eligible to vote.
Unlike New York State and Village elections VOTING BY MAIL IS AN OPTION. The Mail-In Ballot must be received in the Procedure Committee PO Box 284 by 5 PM on November 13. Download the Mail-In Ballot here:
Scarsdale’s Non-Partisan System promotes the election of candidates who are qualified by reason of their civic abilities and experience, rather than political aspirations. Each year Village residents elect their neighborhood representatives to serve on an all-volunteer CNC, which in turn selects a non-partisan slate of candidates for the village offices of trustee (each year), mayor (every two years), and village justice (every four years).
The system belongs to everyone: there is no party registration requirement. Any Scarsdale resident can automatically participate in the Non-Partisan System. Anyone can propose a candidate’s name for village office to the CNC. Candidates are typically proposed by neighbors or fellow community volunteers who respect the candidate’s judgment and value the candidate’s history of involvement in village affairs. Candidates are free of special interest lobbying. Candidates are not beholden to special interests or parties, and the pool of people the system can tap is larger than a party-based system. Elected official’s positions are derived by listening to community residents, gathering all available information and using good judgment to determine what is in the best interest of the village as a whole.
Learn more about Scarsdale's 88-year old Non-Partisan system here.
I Am More Scarsdale to Host Charitable Event with Impact 100 on November 7
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I Am More Scarsdale
Marcy Berman-Goldstein and Abbey Solomon of I Am More Scarsdale will host Impact100, a collective giving organization in Westchester County engaging women in philanthropy on Wednesday, November 7th, 2018 from 10:30 am to 6 pm.
Community members are invited to attend this Shop, Support & Learn event to learn how Impact100 Westchester engages women in philanthropy and funds transformational grants for nonprofits serving Westchester County. I Am More Scarsdale will offer customers 10% off their entire purchase and will donate 10% of all in-store and online sales to Impact100 Westchester.
I Am More Scarsdale is a unique women’s retail concept in the heart of Scarsdale Village, whose mission is to empower women to make them feel confident, support up and coming and established women-owned businesses and designers, and to give back to local and women’s philanthropic organizations. They recently celebrated their one-year anniversary on October 18th and their charitable events have provided over $10,000 in cash and $50,000 in merchandise to more than 25 charitable organizations. Store owners Marcy Berman-Goldstein and Abbey Solomon were recently named as Westchester’s most powerful women in The Business Journal of Westchester and Fairfield Counties.
I Am More launched its first product line, Strong + Beautiful, in collaboration with Safe Horizon in New York City, the nation’s leading victim assistance organization, whose mission is to provide support, prevent violence and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families and communities. Strong + Beautiful was created to remind all women of their internal strength and beauty, no matter their current state of mind or well-being. Kira Kazantsev, Miss America 2015, is the Strong + Beautiful brand Ambassador. Strong + Beautiful products include a reed diffuser and candle, notepads and leatherette pouches, as well as T-shirts, Muscle Tee’s and Sweatshirts. 20% of all proceeds benefit Safe Horizon. Strong + Beautiful products are available for purchase in-store and online at www.iammorescarsdale.com.
“We have seen a groundswell of interest in recent Village Center events and are grateful for the leadership provided by our local merchants. In this changing economic landscape, consumers have many choices; and they will patronize establishments that reflect their sensibility and values. I Am More remains true to its mission, to serve the entirety of its customers. With Shop & Support, all the Village benefits. We’ll see increased foot traffic, and the community can take great pride in helping the greater good,” said Jane Veron, Scarsdale Village Trustee and liaison to Scarsdale Business Alliance.
Over the past five years, Impact100 Westchester has engaged women in philanthropy through collective giving. By pooling resources, they have awarded over $1 million in grants to nonprofit organizations serving Westchester’s most vulnerable populations.
Each year they provide Transformational Grants that are used for a specific project or program and Core Mission Grants that are unrestricted funds to be used to advance the core mission of the nonprofit.
In some cases, Impact100 grants catalyze further support for their beneficiaries. For example, Pace University chose to expand its support for the Pace Women’s Justice Center after Impact100 helped fund construction for their new walk-in legal clinic, allowing them to serve almost 500 more people each year. “The Impact100 grant started the ball rolling and we are growing and expanding our services,” says the Women’s Justice Center’s Executive Director, Cindy Kanusher. “We are so grateful.”
Scarsdale resident Sharon Salomy Douglas founded Impact100 Westchester in 2013 after witnessing the Philadelphia chapter in action. There are over 50 chapters worldwide. In their first year they had 132 members and that has grown to 332 women last year. They are currently in their membership drive for the 2019 grant cycle. Grant money comes entirely from membership dues—$1,000 per year for the grant fund, plus $100 to cover administrative costs—so a larger membership means greater opportunity to make a difference.
Some members simply send their membership dues and attend the annual meeting, but many take active, year-round roles in the organization’s various committees and outreach efforts. Last year, over half the membership participated in the rigorous grant-application review process. Selected finalists present their projects to the entire membership at the annual meeting in spring, at which time every member will vote to determine the winners. To date, Impact100 Westchester has awarded grants to 30 local organizations aimed at tackling a variety of issues, including children’s mental health, education access, and support for survivors of abuse.
“This model is quickly becoming an influential and effective way for women to participate in philanthropy while networking and building friendships. Our community of Westchester County has areas of extreme wealth, yet, 10% of the residents live in poverty. When we pool our funds, we can achieve transformational results and change lives. We are grateful to I Am More for hosting this Shop, Support & Learn event on behalf of Impact100,” says Susan Bloom, Co-President of Impact100 Westchester.
Joining Impact100 gives women an opportunity to learn about the needs of their neighbors and allows them to respond with much needed assistance. The Westchester chapter continues to expand, and they are currently looking for new members to help them grow. If you are interested or would like more information, please email us at info@impact100westchester.org or visit the website at www.Impact100Westchester.org.
2018 was an exciting year as they celebrated their 5th anniversary and awarded additional core mission grants as well as 3 transformational grants.
Transformational Project Grants - $90,000 each:
The Guidance Center of Westchester: Culinary Arts/Vocational Program
Westchester Parks Foundation: Camp Morty Pavilion
Youth Shelter Program of Westchester: Miller Place Project
Core Mission Grants - $12,333 each:
Gilda's Club Westchester: Teen Cancer Center
Westchester Exceptional Children's School: Gymnasium Renovation/Adaptive Physical Education Program
Core Mission Grants - $5,000 each:
Boys and Girls Club of New Rochelle
Community Resource Center
Hillside Food Outreach
Hope Community Services
Women's Enterprise Development Center
Deb Pekarek to Chair Scarsdale Bowl Committee
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Deb Pekarek has been named Chair of the 2019 Scarsdale Bowl Committee. Randy Guggenheimer, President of the Scarsdale Foundation, announced the appointment.
Mr. Guggenheimer also announced that Abby Sroka will be joining the Bowl Committee as Secretary/Treasurer.
The Scarsdale Bowl is awarded annually to a Scarsdale resident in recognition of their outstanding volunteer service to the community.
As Bowl Committee Chair, Deb Pekarek will head the Scarsdale Bowl nominating committee and the community celebration dinner to be held on Wednesday April 10, 2019 at Mulino’s at Lake Isle. When she accepted her appointment, Ms. Pekarek noted, “Volunteerism and Scarsdale are synonymous. To be part of the process to recognize one of our many volunteers is a great honor. I look forward to our Scarsdale Bowl Dinner! Please join us!”
Deb has been an active volunteer in a multitude of Scarsdale organizations and boards most recently as a Village Trustee and Police Commissioner, chaired Personnel, Sustainability, Municipal Services, and was Fire Commissioner. She has also served as Vice President and chaired Planning & Zoning with the Scarsdale League of Women Voters, was a director of the Friends of Scarsdale Parks, President of the Greenacres Neighborhood Association, vice chair of the School Board Nominating Committee, Scarsdale Forum Sustainability Committee chair, Junior League of Central Westchester
Finance and Training Chair and Greenacres PTA Carnival Chair. Deb graduated from Elizabethtown College with a degree in business administration and received her Masters of Teaching from Manhattanville College. She was a product manager for ten years and then was a teacher in Mamaroneck and the Bronx. She and her husband Jon Leslie lived in many communities across the country and moved to Greenacres in 1992 with their son Jeffrey, who graduated from SHS.
The Scarsdale Bowl is administered by the Scarsdale Foundation, which operates as a not-for-profit community foundation to promote the civic welfare. The Foundation provides need-based financial aid to Scarsdale High School graduates who are entering their sophomore, junior and senior years in college and to children attending the Recreation Department summer day camp. It also administers a number of special purpose funds and makes grants for various community needs, which have included the Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the Scarsdale/Edgemont Family Counseling Service and the Scarsdale Public Library.
Additional information about the Scarsdale Foundation and the Scarsdale Bowl can be found at www.scarsdalefoundation.org.
WeRun Takes Home Prizes at Westchester Healing Half and 10K Run
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When the summer heat receded and we had our first chilly Sunday, Team WeRun knew it was race day for the annual Westchester Healing Half & 10K Run.
Team WeRun remained the No.1 charity fundraising team for Westchester Medical Center. In addition, the runners also performed well on the race course.
On Sunday October 14, 2018, Shuangyuan Luo (37:59) won the first place in Men’s 10K Overall ranking, and Xiaojuan Hu (1:32:22) won second place in Women Half Marathon Overall ranking. The WeRun team has been one of the major teams in this event. Kudos to the team!
Location for Proposed Dog Park is Not a Done Deal
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Some Quaker Ridge residents are upset about the potential location of a dog park at Weinberg Nature Center. We have heard complaints about traffic, noise and fears that the presence of dogs would drive away the wildlife that currently inhabits the Nature Center.
It turns out that Weinberg is just one of several possible locations under consideration. We spoke to Scarsdale Mayor Dan Hochvert who explained that the Trustees have not selected a site for the park. They agreed to ask the Village Staff to request bids from two engineering firms on doing a feasibility study for various sites in Scarsdale that might be home to a dog park. How much would it cost? What would be involved? What are the environment impacts?
Hochvert explained that along with Weinberg Nature Center, the Village might consider placing the dog park at Drake Field, George Field Park or Crossway. Once the firm is selected, they will study all potential sites.
We also received the following letter from the Scarsdale Neighborhood Association Presidents (SNAP) to clarify their position on the creation of a dog park:
Dear Mayor Hochvert and Trustees:
We write to clarify the Scarsdale Neighborhood Association President’s (SNAP) position with respect 
to the idea of a dog park in Scarsdale. The SNAP proposal for a dog park states that SNAP “requests the Village Board consider the establishment of a dog park in an appropriate Village location.” Accordingly, while SNAP supports an examination of the creation and feasibility of a dog park in the Village, SNAP has not recommended or requested the construction of a dog park at any specific location. Consistent with our proposal, SNAP respectfully requests that the Trustees engage in a comprehensive analysis of the feasibility of the creation of a dog park within Scarsdale at ALL potential locations. We believe it is premature to have adopted a resolution naming a specific location; our position is and has been that all viable locations should be considered jointly.
Thank you,
Sarah Bell
The Scarsdale Neighborhood Association Presidents (SNAP)
So, clearly it’s not a done deal yet. The Mayor invites all residents who want to express their opinion on the placement of a dog park to attend a meeting at Village Hall prior to the Village Board meeting on Tuesday November 13. Ruff!
We are running a survey on Scarsdale10583 to find out what you think about a dog park. If you're a Scarsdale resident, please complete this short survey by clicking here.
