It Takes A Village: Volunteer to Help Your Community and Yourself
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Now that school is back in session, Scarsdale is in full swing and there are many opportunities for adults to participate in community activities, along with the kids. Volunteering is a great way to meet your neighbors, make new friends, understand how the Village works and make an impact on your community. In turn, many Scarsdale organizations rely on volunteers to carry out their missions, so it’s a win-win.
We reached out to several local organizations to see how you can join them. See below for descriptions - and if you would like to add your group to the list, email us the details at scarsdalecomments@gmail.com.
Scarsdale Boards and Councils
Scarsdale is a special community full of accomplished and hardworking residents who engage and participate in every arena, giving generously of their time and expertise. While the Village has an exceptional professional team in place, the local government simply could not run at its current exemplary level without the dedication and engagement of Scarsdale residents. If you’ve ever wondered about the “how” and “why” of decisions made by the Trustees, or a particular Village board, or pondered the best way to contribute to making sure things run smoothly in our Village, please consider getting involved. If you become a member of a Village board or council, you will have a tangible impact on maintaining, and even improving, the quality of life for all.
Th Scarsdale Board of Trustees’ Personnel Committee invites all residents to apply to lend their voices, training, and skills to help shape, preserve and adjust myriad aspects of this wonderful community. Village staff and Trustees rely on insight and recommendations from resident volunteers with relevant experience and skills; community input is a key component of what makes government effective, responsive, and inclusive, whether it be problem-solving, addressing current needs, expanding successful programs, or preparing for what lies ahead.
There are advisory boards and decision-making boards. Please check out this page online in order to find the descriptions of each volunteer board and council, including duties, time commitments, frequency of meetings. Residents can learn more about eligibility, and access the application here. While the number of open spots fluctuates, there is something for everyone over the course of time, depending on availability, experience and interests.
Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corp
As one of the most respected ambulance services in the county, SVAC offers members countless opportunities to make a difference while giving back to the community. Team members ride along with ambulance crews, receive free, ongoing training, and successfully treat patients, all while making our community a better place. No prior medical experience is required -- just a willingness to learn and the drive to make a difference in somebody's life. From top-of-the-line equipment, to initial training for NYS EMT Certification, to ongoing medical education, to camaraderie and support, we set you up for success. Click here to see how to get started: or email David Raizen.
Scarsdale Volunteer Firefighters
Scarsdale's volunteer firefighters are residents who lead active lives and still find time to be real "hometown heroes" as well. They are accountants, doctors, lawyers, business executives and schoolteachers. They are commuters and local trades people. They're recent graduates, and they're fifty-year veterans of the volunteer fire force.
For information about becoming a volunteer firefighter, please contact the training officer at 914-722-1215, ext. 4, or contact Lou Mancini at lou@jdevents.com or complete this form to get more information.
Scarsdale Conservation Advisory Council
The Scarsdale Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) advises the Scarsdale Village Board of Trustees on environmental and conservation issues of local interest. The CAC collaborates with staff to develop and recommend solutions to concerns associated with land, water, energy, waste, and other areas impacting sustainability; members may also have an opportunity to participate in implementation activities.
Notable examples of CAC projects include developing and launching the first curbside food scrap recycling program (and the first to have home pickup!) in Westchester County, converting Scarsdale’s streetlights to LEDs, increasing Scarsdale EV fleet and charging, expanding Scarsdale’s gas leaf blower ban, banning pesticide use on Village properties, adding battery, paint, soft plastics, tennis ball, book, cork, eyeglasses, and cooking oil recycling to the Scardale Recycling Center, installing trash and recycling bins in all 26 Village Parks (including tennis ball recycling bins), working to install trash and recycling bins in the Scarsdale Village Center, and updating the Residential Recycling Guide.
The CAC is seeking residents to sign up for the Scarsdale Food Scrap Recycling Program - email composting@scarsdale.gov to sign up. Let’s all do this and help the environment! The CAC is also seeking resident volunteers to help staff events to sign up residents for food scrap recycling. Please email composting@scarsdale.gov to volunteer! Thank you!
Friends of the Scarsdale Parks
Friends of the Scarsdale Parks, Inc. (FOSP) is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization operating in the Village of Scarsdale that focuses on the preservation, restoration, and conservation of Scarsdale’s parks and open spaces. FOSP promotes the use of native plants and trees throughout Scarsdale to support our local ecosystem. FOSP also works with the Village staff to identify residents who would like the Village to plant a new tree in the Village “right of way” in front of their homes. If you are interested in volunteering to garden with us in our local parks, or if you would like to find out more about having a Village tree planted in front of your home, please email Cynthia Roberts.
Neighborhood Associations
Scarsdale’s fifteen Neighborhood Associations facilitate the exchange of information between and among the Village, Town of Scarsdale and School District, on the one hand, and the residents on the other hand. They promote a general and cooperative spirit to enhance the welfare of all. Every resident of Scarsdale is eligible to join his/her neighborhood association which is designated based on street address. Some have neighborhood events for July 4th, Halloween, get togethers and more.
To join your neighborhood association, contact Sarah Bell at SNAPPres10583@gmail.com to request the email address of your neighborhood association president.
Scarsdale Citizen’s Nominating Committee
The Procedure Committee (PC) invites Scarsdale residents to run for a position on the nonpartisan Citizens Nominating Committee (CNC). Thirty voting members on the CNC, six representing each of the five elementary school districts, will interview, evaluate, and select candidates running on the nonpartisan slate for open Village offices in the March 18, 2025 Village Election.
A candidate for membership on the CNC must be a qualified voter (18 years of age or older) and a resident of Scarsdale for at least two years. The CNC application is simple, consisting of a biographical form and a 10-signature petition signed by the applicant’s neighbors. Instructions for filing can be downloaded on the PC’s website at www.scarsdaleprocedurecommittee.org.
For more information contact Chair Heath Sroka, hbsroka@gmail.com or Vice Chair Ralph Geer, RalphGeer@AOL.com.
Scarsdale School Board
In January 2025, the Scarsdale School Board Nominating Committee will be seeking candidates for nomination to the Scarsdale School Board. Three members of the Board of Education are completing three-year terms. Upon reconvening this upcoming January through April 2025, the School Board Nominating Committee (SBNC) will be seeking to identify potential candidates to serve on the Scarsdale Board of Education. Following the first meeting to be held on January 12th for the 2025 season, SBNC will at that time be actively conducting outreach to build a robust candidate pool for the nonpartisan slate in the next school board election. The school board election and budget vote are slated for Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
The SBNC invites all Scarsdale School District residents to consider themselves or others when proposing names of qualified individuals to serve on the Scarsdale Board of Education by email to sbncchair@gmail.com. A candidate must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a qualified voter, and a resident of the Scarsdale School District for at least one year prior to the May 20th school board election date. General information about this volunteer position is currently available on the SBNC website at scarsdalesbnc.org. Updated application form for 2025 will be posted once SBNC convenes in January or contact the SBNC Chair(sbncchair@gmail.com) for further information.
Grassroots Grocery
Every Saturday morning, families across Scarsdale are joining the Grassroots Grocery Produce Party! What's a Produce Party? It’s a fun, family-friendly event where parents and kids work together to pack and distribute fresh produce to food-insecure households in Harlem and the Bronx. It’s a great way to spend time together, teach children about the importance of giving back, and connect with neighbors in a meaningful way.
Families interested in joining can click here to sign up for an upcoming Produce Party that works for their schedule!
Feeding Westchester
Though we often don’t see the need, 1/3 of Westchester families are food insecure and 24% don’t make enough to feed their families. With vast warehouses in Elmsford, Feeding Westchester feeds over 200,000 people each month. The effort is partially staffed by 11,000 community and corporate volunteers who are vital part of the operation.
Donate your time to pack food, raise funds, or help from home. You can provide food — and hope — to those who need it. Click here to see how you can help. https://feedingwestchester.org/get-involved/
Dorot Westchester
Dorot Westchester seeks to combat social isolation in the elderly has opportunities for volunteers of all ages to connect with homebound seniors by phone or by visiting their homes to provide social engagement and deliver meals. https://dorotusa.org/about/our-impact
Bronx River Conservancy
The Bronx River Conservancy is an advocate for the protection and preservation of the Bronx River Parkway Reservation: sign up to participate in a clean-up of the park or bi-weekly vine-cutting to save trees from invasive lethal vines. https://www.bronx-river.com/
Yonkers Partners in Education
Volunteer to help high school students as a tutor on their path to academic success or as a Coach to help them through the college application process—reading essays and helping them apply. https://www.ypie.org/volunteer
Midnight Run at Hitchcock Church
On the last Saturday of each month, prepare food or join a can of volunteers making late-night deliveries of food, toiletries and clothing to homeless individuals in Manhattan. https://www.hitchcockpresby.org/midnight-run
These are just a few of the many local organizations that will welcome your help. To add your group to the list, email us at scarsdalecomments@gmail.com.
It's One Step Forward and Two Steps Back for Retail in Scarsdale and Hartsdale
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Hartsdale Automotive is moving to Gray Rock Road in ScarsdaleNo one seems to want a comment about what’s happening at DeCicco’s in Scarsdale Village. Empty shelves in June had customers wondering what would become of their local market. When we spoke store manager Walter Wadwick a few months ago, he indicated that the store was here to stay and would recover over the summer. He projected that they would be fully stocked for the upcoming high holidays with specialty brands. He encouraged the community to hang in and support the store while they made arrangements with new vendors.
DeCicco's is asking for customers to stick with them while they recover.
And so we hoped to find full shelves in September, but instead were greeted with an even sadder scenario. This week, the produce section is virtually empty, the meat refrigerators are half full and dairy offerings are spotty.
We reached out to Wadwick again for answers and he said, “All I can say is we’re holding our own and hoping for the best right now. (When asked if we could speak to the store owner, he said, “I’m not at liberty to share anything more and I don’t believe they are willing to share anything more about the situation than we are trying our best and hardest especially for the community and our employees and their families. Our jobs are on the line.”
DeCicco’s leases the space from Scarsdale Improvement Corp (SIC), who owns a good chunk of the real estate in the Village. A representative at SIC said, “We’re doing our best to work with them and get them back on track. They want to stay there, make the space nicer and get more food.”
Ramsey's Farm has a beautiful selection of vegetables, fruit and flowers and will remain open until Thanksgiving.For anyone looking for fresh produce in the interim, take a trip to Ramsey’s Farm on Ramsey Road in Scarsdale. They have beautiful vegetables, fruit and flowers and are open seven days a week!
Sadly, the new cheese shop, Dobbs and Bishop, never got their bearings in Scarsdale. After taking almost a year to open, they have already closed. A note on the door thanks Scarsdale for a “warm welcome” but says they are closing “due to unforeseen circumstances.”
Hartsdale
Hartsdale is also experiencing some big changes. Earlier this year the Rite Aid closed, leaving a void for many who used the store for prescriptions, vaccinations, household and drugstore purchases. That building is now vacant.
Several years ago the Starbucks closed in the Hartsdale Train Station. Metro North, who owns the station house claims to be searching for a new tenant. However, it remains empty and is missed by many who ran in for a cup of coffee or used the tables both inside and out before commuting or to sit and chat with friends.
Some of those customers moved to the bakery Enrico’s where they could also enjoy pastry and coffee. Sadly Enrico’s has posted a big sign on their window saying they will close by the end of the year. They say they never recovered after the COVID crisis and Hurricane Ida and the owners plan to move to South Carolina. In that space, Mikado Sushi will open.
Most surprising, we learned that Hartsdale Automotive is moving to Gray Rock Road, behind Garth Road, in Scarsdale at the end of September. They have been in business in the same spot for more than 25 years and many rely on them for gas as well as auto repairs. The good news is they are not going far. 
Joelle Anisse Salon is now open in Hartsdale
We asked why they were moving and were told that the property owners want to replace the automotive shop with a convenience store. We can’t verify that!
On a brighter note, a beautiful and expansive new hair salon has opened in the space formerly occupied by the Chase Bank. It’s called Joelle Anisse and they are open for business and ready to serve you. So check them out.
Do you have any insights into what’s going on? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Vandals Smash Car Windows Overnight in Scarsdale and Edgemont
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Photo Credit: Linda Shin from GreenacresAccording to readers at least 40 cars in Fox Meadow, Greenacres and Heathcote were vandalized in the early morning hours of Labor Day. Social media shows that the vandals hit the Cotswolds in Edgemont as well. Some residents awoke to find two of their cars smashed.
The Village of Scarsdale issued this alert on Monday morning: “Early this morning between the hours of 3:00AM and 6:00AM, numerous vehicles were vandalized in the Greenacres and Fox Meadow neighborhoods. The Scarsdale Police Department is investigating this matter. Residents with any surveillance footage are encouraged to contact the Scarsdale Police Department at 914-722-1200.”
We received an official report from the police that overnight on Sunday the front passenger windows of two volkswagons on Fox Meadow Road were smashed between 5 am and 6:40 am , but nothing was stolen.
We also heard that cars were broken into on Brewster Road, Dobbs Terrace, Ridgecrest, Chesterfield Road, Old Orchard Lane, Kingston Road, Greenacres Avenue and Rutland Road in Edgemont. This morning Greenacres Avenue was littered with broken glass. Readers say that police told them that at least 40 cars were vandalized. However many reported that though car windows were smashed, nothing was taken from inside the cars.
We have asked the police for more information but have not received a reply. If you have info, report it to the police or share it in the comments section below.
Scarsdale Forum Calls for Reopening of Discussion on Development at the Freightway Site
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The future of the Freightway Garage and the adjacent Village-owned land continues to hang in the balance. The possibility of developing the site into housing, retails spaces, parking and other community facilities was discussed for several years. However, the issue was tabled in January 2020 by Mayor Samwick after the community could fail to come to consensus on a host of issues raised by potential development.
Since that time, the aging garage continues to deteriorate and its condition will need to be addressed.
A new report from the Downtown Revitalization Committee of the Scarsdale Forum calls for the Village Board to reopen the discussion about the garage.
Below find their press release:
The Downtown Revitalization and Municipal Services Committees of the Scarsdale Forum have prepared a Report recommending that the Village of Scarsdale renew efforts to study the potential redevelopment of the Freightway site
You can read a copy of the full report which is available for download here.
According to Downtown Revitalization Chair Susan Douglass and Municipal Services Chair Madelaine Eppenstein: “The Forum’s Report urges the Village Trustees and the Scarsdale community to look closely at the site, consider its potential, and revive the process of reimagining improved uses of this large tract of land.”
The Report makes the following recommendations to the Village:
1. Engage the community by providing an updated summary of the work done to date and the reasons for continuing the redevelopment project.
2. Address the need for development promptly, considering that portions of the garage are already cordoned off due to safety issues and the likelihood of ever- increasing costs to address the future of the site.
3. Assess future parking and e-charging needs of motorists and users of bicycles, scooters, and other motorized vehicles.
4. Determine preferred uses for the site and issue an RFP for developers who will engage in a community-based development project.
5. Consider multi-unit housing as part of the site development plan and modify zoning as needed.
6. Reassess the impact of multi-unit housing on the School District and propose limits on unit sizes and occupancy to avoid negatively impacting the schools.
7. Establish an accelerated timetable for development of a strategic plan and implementation of the project to prevent escalating costs far into the future.
For more information about the Scarsdale Forum and how to join us please visit our website at www.scarsdaleforum.org.
What To Do If You See a Coyote
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Scarsdale Police are reporting several coyote sightings in recent weeks throughout the Village. Here is some information from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) about what to do should you come across a coyote.
According to NYS DEC, if you see a coyote:
Be aggressive in your behavior – stand tall and hold arms out to look large. If a coyote lingers for too long, then make loud noises, wave your arms, throw sticks and stones.
Contact your local police department and DEC regional office for assistance if you notice coyotes exhibiting "bold" behaviors and having little or no fear of people, or if you see them repeatedly during the daytime in a human-populated area or near residences. Seeing a coyote occasionally throughout the year is not evidence of bold behavior.
Do not allow pets to run free. Supervise all outdoor pets to keep them safe from coyotes and other wildlife, especially at sunset and at night. Small dogs and cats are especially vulnerable.
Teach children to appreciate coyotes from a distance.
Of course, if there is ever an emergency involving a coyote, please contact the Scarsdale Police Department at (914) 722-1200. A police officer will be dispatched.
Please check the DEC website for further guidance and information.
DEP Regional Office: 845-256-3000
