Co-op City Times 01/09/16 by Co-op City Times

Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. Vol. 51 No. 2

Open Board meeting Wednesday to discuss proposed revenue programs and incentives for shareholders Riverbay Board President Cleve Taylor has scheduled an Open Board meeting to discuss a couple of revenuegenerating programs for the housing corporation, as well as an incentive for those shareholders who opt-in. The open meeting, which all shareholders are urged to attend, will be held on Wednesday, January 13, at 7 p.m. in Room 31 of the Bartow Community Center, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY. The revenue-generating programs to be discussed and voted on by the Board include a proposed 6% discount for shareholders who pre-pay their annual carrying charges and an equity increase for new and transferring shareholders. The Board will also vote on the 2016 Election Rules and Regulations, and the community will receive an update from the elevator task force. In order to have a full and focused BY ROZAAN BOONE

exchange between shareholders and the Riverbay Board on the issues at hand, shareholders who have specific questions and concerns about their apartments or any other matters that are unrelated to the topics of discussion at Wednesday’s meeting are strongly encouraged to come early and meet with the respective department directors and their personnel who will be available starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening outside of Room 31 in the Bartow Center. The Board business meeting will begin promptly at 7 p.m. The issue of the pre-paid carrying charges is one that the Board President has been informing shareholders about, especially at building association meetings, throughout the development for the past year. “I am pleased to present this strategic

Gallery Session at Wednesday’s Open Board meeting (Continued on page 4)

Shareholders interested in speaking at the gallery session at Wednesday’s Open Board Meeting, January 13, 7 p.m. Rm. 31 in the Bartow Center, are asked to focus their questions on the topics of discussion (see agenda on page 4) in order to maximize time and have a focused exchange with the Board. Those with specific questions and concerns about their apartments or any other matters that are unrelated to the topics on the agenda are asked to come early and meet with the respective department directors who will be available starting at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening outside of Room 31 in the Bartow Center, to have their issues addressed.

Three vehicles parked on Erskine Place vandalized over New Year’s weekend The persistent crime of cars being randomly vandalized while parked on the streets in and surrounding Co-op City continued as 2016 began when three vehicles parked on Erskine Place near Building 31 were significantly damaged some time during the overnight hours between January 1 and 2. A resident of Building 31 reported to Public Safety on Saturday afternoon that he noticed significant damage to his vehicle, a 2005 Honda Accord, when he went to the car at approximately 4:30 Saturday afternoon. The vandalism victim reported BY BILL STUTTIG

6% Annual Prepay Carrying Discount - Proposed

Saturday, January 9, 2016

that he parked the car in front of Building 31 at approximately 8:30 p.m. the previous evening, January 1. When he returned to his vehicle 20 hours later, it was damaged with dents and scratches on the top, front, side and back of the vehicle. When Public Safety investigators responded, they noticed two other vehicles parked in the same vicinity – a Toyota Prius and a Nissan Pathfinder – with similar damage. Chief Frank Apollo, Commander of Co-op City Public Safety Department, reported late last year that while crime (Continued on page 2)

25¢

Dear fellow sharetion and there was President’s Message holders, plenty of cash around. Firstly, I would That was untrue. In like to extend heart2014, when I looked President felt best wishes for a into Co-op City’s finhealthy, happy and ances, I noticed we prosperous New Year. were not taking advantage of a It has certainly been a $1.4 million savings by prepleasure representing you paying our NYC water bill. Our Managing Agent’s as President of the Corponly thought was to borrow oration for the past two more money from Wells Fargo years. A great deal has Bank, on an unapproved budbeen accomplished during get line. The bank prudently that time, basically turning said “NO!” to Marion Scott the company around in the Realty, Inc. right direction. Viewing these circumstances involvCo-op City’s 55,000 residents reping loans, cross market opportunities resent the highest income per capita caused me to recall some previous case minority community in the City of studies I had done while studying interNew York. That’s stability! The Genesis national finance, money and banking at In 2014, when I took office, I immethe undergraduate level. These studies diately started looking for ways to stainvolved the principle of “Arbitrage” bilize the Riverbay Corporation and which, in its simplest form, takes simulreturn value to the company and its taneous advantage of buying and selling shareholders. Our suspended Managing of a commodity in different markets in Agent told the Board of Directors that (Continued on page 2) Co-op City was in great financial posi-

Cleve Taylor

Co-op City realizes more than $1.6 million in energy cost savings during the last quarter of 2015 The unusually warm weather these past three months helped keep Co-op City greener in more ways than just the lawns. According to figures released this week by Riverbay’s Finance Department, Co-op City spent $1.6 million less on energy costs during the last three months of 2015, as compared to the same three months of 2014. The total amount spent on energy costs during October, November and December of 2015 was $3.22 million, according to Finance Department figures which also indicate that energy costs for the same quarter in 2014 was $4.83 million, a $1.61 million difference. The savings are even greater if you go back further. The records indicate that for the last quarter of 2013, Riverbay spent $5.1 million on energy costs and for 2012’s last quarter, the total amount of energy costs came to $5.6 million which means that energy costs for the last quarter of this year have been reduced by $2.38 million when compared to energy costs for the BY BILL STUTTIG

last quarter of 2012. Brian Reardon, Director of Riverbay’s Power Plant, said, “While co-generation and the improved efficiency of the Power Plant can take some of the credit for the realized savings, especially over the extended period of time, the warm weather we had this past November and December are also responsible for a bulk of the savings we realized just this past year, along with the lower cost of fuel which is now at its lowest price in close to a decade.” A closer look at the energy costs figures reveal that more than 100% of the savings come from a lower amount spent on gas. Riverbay only spent $1.975 million on gas during the recently passed quarter as opposed to approximately $4.11 million spent during the last quarter of 2014. In 2012’s last quarter, the amount spent on gas needed to run the Power Plant, supply heat and generate electricity to the community was $4.475 million. In fact, electricity costs actually rose (Continued on page 2)

Energy savings

in the last quarter of 2015, as opposed to 2014, with $1.245 million spent of electricity for the quarter in 2015 as opposed to $715,000 in electric bills for the last quarter of 2014. The reason for this is that in October, 2015 Riverbay shut down its generators since electricity was cheaper to purchase than generate. Built into the reduced energy costs for this last quarter is an approximate $70,000 a month savings for the community due to a credit on monthly stand-by costs charged by Con Edison. Stand-by fees are charged by Con Edison just for its ability to provide power to the community on short notice in case of an emergency with Co-op City’s Power Plant. Monthly credits on these stand-by charges were recently granted by Con Edison to the community due to the proven reliability of the Power Plant during the summer of

Auto Vandalism

is at historic lows in the community in most major crime categories, auto vandalism and auto larceny continues to be the one persistent crime problem plaguing the area. Last year, there were two outbreaks of vandalized vehicles on the other side of the community, specifically Baychester Avenue. Plainclothes investigators were assigned to the area and arrests were made, temporarily halting the troubling trend. Apollo reported that although there were nearly 100 incidents reported in the community last year, very few of them occurred to vehicles parked in garages, with the vast majority occurring to vehicles parked on streets at

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016 (Continued from page 1)

2015. These credits from Con Edison will continue for at least every month through October, 2016. In addition to these realized savings, a check for $550,000 was recently presented to Co-op City from Con Edison as payment for the community’s participation in the utility’s power load shedding requests this past summer. The check was presented to the corporation in late November by executives from Energy Spectrum, an approved demand response aggregator that represents Riverbay in its participation in various programs that allow the community to earn revenue for the Power Plant’s load shedding capabilities. The additional $550,000 earned last year due to the Power Plant’s capabilities is above and beyond the energy cost savings realized during this last quarter of 2015. (Continued from page 1)

the perimeter of the community. This week’s incidents are not similar to the 2015 cases which largely involved smashed windows in an attempt to grab any valuables inside the car that might have been visible. This recent case involves apparent deliberate damage to the body of the vehicles with larceny not an apparent motive for the malicious acts. As of now, these Erskine Place incidents appear to be isolated. Public Safety and the 45th Precinct continue to investigate who might be responsible for the malicious attack. Anyone with information can call Public Safety at 718671-3050.

President’s Report

order to take advantage of pricing discrepancies. I took this principle and applied it to a strategy that would benefit all the cooperators of Co-op City, even those who could not participate. The Strategy The case strategy is simple: Condition #1. Co-op City purchases water from the City of New York monthly, no discount is given. 2. The City of NY gives approximately 12% discount to multi-family residences if you pre-pay 1 year of your estimated water bill. 3. The Riverbay Corporation, which represents the shareholders, does not have enough cash to pre-pay all of our water bill (only $5 million of the $17 million), therefore the loss value is $12 million. 4. The loss discount savings provided by the City of NY is approximately $1.44 Million. My premise is to take advantage to transfer these funds ($1.44 million) to the cooperators of Co-op City and the corporation. The Plan This can be done through a simple long-standing, generally accepted accounting principle (GAAP) prepaid carrying charge/rent with the discount being applied to your account on a monthly basis for those who choose to annualize their payment in conformity with the City of New York annualize water bill.

(Continued from page 1)

Under my proposal, the 12% discount would be divided in half, 6% to the shareholders who choose to pay their 12-month carrying charge in advance and 6% to the cooperative as a whole to benefit all shareholders. Prepaid carrying charge/rent is not a new concept. It has been around for hundreds of years. Many cooperators currently prepay their carrying charge for various reasons: going on vacation, extended hospital or rehabilitation and they do not want to be late with payment or the convenience of a single payment for a period of time. This option gives the cooperator a 6% discount on their carrying charge if they pay one-year in advance. Safeguards If a cooperator should pass away, the prepaid carrying charge would be returned to the shareholder’s estate within 30 days. In closing, more particulars will be sent to you by the Director of Finance if Resolution #15-75 for Prepaid Carrying Charges is approved by the Board of Directors. Please attend the Wednesday Open Board Meeting, January 13, at 7:00 p.m. scheduled in Room 31 of the Bartow Community Center to voice your support and get first-hand information. Also, make sure you are on the list if you are interested in prepaying your annual carrying charges for a 6% discount.

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

2nd

Combing Co-op City

Extension of Riverbay’s Bookkeeping window hours continue for shareholders’ convenience in new year BY ROZAAN BOONE

Find out what’s going on in Co-op City here...

Council Member King to Host Open House

City Council Member Andy King will hold an open house and community “meet and greet” at his 12th District offices at 940 East Gun Hill Road and 135 Einstein Loop, Room 44, in Co-op City on Friday, Jan. 15, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Joining Council Member King will be his staff and representatives from city agencies, who will be available to answer community questions. The open house also celebrates the observance of the birthday of the slain civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Support group for caregivers

A support group for people who give care to an infirmed or disabled loved one, family member, or friend is offered each Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Bartow Community Center, Room 31. The program features guest speakers each week touching on such topics as elder care law, available home care services, personal safety initiatives to protect your loved one, and information on handling specific conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease. For registration information, call 718-320-2066.

Self-defense class for seniors

JASA in collaboration with the Women’s Empowerment SelfDefense Academy, will offer selfdefense classes for seniors at 1 p.m. each Friday from January 8 through February 12th in Dreiser Auditorium B. The workshops will focus on practical self-defense techniques including improving awareness of your surroundings as well as practicing good personal safety habits. For registration information call 718-3202066.

Comm. Board 10 meeting Jan. 21

Community Board 10 will hold its first general monthly meeting of 2016 on Thursday, January 21 at Villa Barone Manor, 737 Throggs Neck Expressway. Community Board 10 serves the interests of the communities of the east Bronx, including Co-op City. Time is provided at each monthly meeting for the general public to raise areas of potential concern and action for the Community Board but speaking time must be reserved in advance. To arrange to speak regarding an issue of concern in this or other communities within the Board’s service area, call 718892-1161 during regular business hours.

FRONT PA G E

In consideration of Riverbay shareholders who work outside of the community and must leave early to travel to their jobs, Riverbay Corporation will continue extended hours of the Finance Department’s Bookkeeping window throughout the new year. The Bookkeeping window, which is located in the Riverbay administrative reception area in the Bartow Community Center, 2049 Bartow Avenue, will continue to open at 8 a.m., instead of 9 a.m., on the two busiest days of the month for the Finance Department— the 10th of the month which is the last day for shareholders to pay their maintenance charges without the $50 late fee, and the last business day of the month when maintenance charges must be paid before legal action commences and a $200 legal fee is assessed. Riverbay’s Director of Finance Peter Merola notes that this service, which was implemented several years ago, comes at no additional cost to Riverbay Corporation’s shareholders because the

Bookkeeping employees agreed to change their work schedule to accommodate the extended hours on the two busiest days of the months. Primarily, shareholders pay their monthly carrying charges by placing their payments in one of the 3 drop boxes located in each community center, but some also pay at the bookkeeping window. Prior to the extended hours being implemented, shareholders waited in the reception area for the window to open at 9 a.m., usually resulting in a crowded waiting room, sometimes with the line stretching out into the corridor. Since its implementation, many more shareholders, including seniors and those who are disabled, have been taking advantage of the extended hours. The next Bookkeeping window extended hours will be available this Monday, January 11, and again on Friday, January 29, when the window will open at 8 a.m. so those who have to leave their homes early to travel to their jobs can first stop in and make their payment. In February, the extension of the

Truman law team competes in "We The People" competition in Manhattan

Several law students, with teacher Mr. Zanoni show off the plaque they earned at December's "We The People" competition in Manhattan.

Truman High School's 10th Grade Honors Law class recently went head-to-head against four other schools to test their knowledge of the Constitution and Civics, as well as take and defend stances on various Constitutional issues. "We The People: The Bill of Rights and the Constitution" took place on December 12th at Martin Luther King High School on the city's upper-west side. At the event, the class was broken into six teams, who each wrote a pair of essays on a given topic. Once written, those essays were presented before a panel of judges, lawyers and law professors. Finally, the students had to field questions about their subject. "We competed against students who were 11th or 12th graders," said teacher Marc Zanoni. "We managed to win one unit." The unit that Truman won was titled "What rights does the Bill of Rights protect?" The winning essay related more specifically to the merits of capital punishment. Although the team had a great showing at the event, they were not able to move on to the next level of competition, which takes place at the state capital in Albany.

Bookkeeping hours will continue on Wednesday, February 10 and on Monday, February 29. On Thursday, March 10 and again on Thursday, March 31, extended Bookkeeping hours will also be available starting at 8 a.m. In April, the extended hours will continue on Monday, April 11 and then again on Friday, April 29, as well as on Tuesday, May 10 and on Tuesday, May 31. In addition to shareholders paying their carrying charges at the bookkeeping window, or dropping them in the boxes in each of the three community centers, carrying charges can also be dropped off at New York Community Bank branch located inside of the A&P in the Bay Plaza shopping mall. Riverbay does not accept cash; all payments must be made by personal check, bank check or money order. Shareholders should also write their account number and/or building and apartment numbers on any payment to Riverbay and return it along with the stub portion of their bill to ensure proper processing.

Farewell to a first line of communication

On New Year’s Eve, the Public Safety Department bid farewell to Communications Dispatcher Christine Marsanico (3rd from left). Christine worked for two years as a dispatcher in the Public Safety Communications Office. “Christine demonstrated excellent skills as a dispatcher and an outstanding performance record while she was working,” said Captain James Keappock. “It will be hard for us to find a replacement to match her professional skills and her wonderful personality.” Dispatcher Marsanico was given a gift certificate from the supervisors working with her on her last night on the job (l. to r.) Sgt. Yasmine Taylor, Sgt. Nathaniel Diaz, Dispatcher Marsanico, and Captain Keappock.

Let us know… If you have news you’d like to share with your neighbors, please give us a call at (718) 320-3300, Ext. 3375/6; email: cctimes@ riverbaycorp.com or fax (718) 320-2595.

Open Board Meeting

proposal to the Riverbay Corporation,” said Board President Taylor. “It will benefit the cooperators who choose to prepay their carrying charge and the cooperative as a whole. With full participation in the New York City Multi-Family Conservation Program provided by the Department of Environmental Protection, I hope to pass approximately $1.4 million back to the residents of Co-op City. The hope is that the Board of Directors will approve this offering back to the cooperators, since it is safe as a prepaid asset on both sides of the ledger.” Riverbay Corporation currently spends approximately $18M in community-wide water and sewer charges to the City of New York’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), due largely to astronomical, consecutive rate increases that were implemented by the city in the mid-2000’s. Several years ago, given the size of Co-op City and the complexity of the water and sewer billing, Riverbay management contracted with American Utility Consultants to audit the community’s water charges, and to make recommendations for savings as well as programs to take advantage of the community’s size. As a result of that work, Riverbay Corporation was reimbursed more than $1M that had been overcharged by the city. In addition, consumers in multi-family dwellings can either pay the city on a metered rate, or on a fixed rate if they are enrolled in the city’s Multi-Family Conservation Program (MCP). “It has been determined that the fixed rate is cheaper,” said Peter Merola, Riverbay’s Director of Finance. “However, in switching over to the fixed rate, you have to pre-pay your water and sewer charges one year in advance, versus on the meter where you pay every quarter.” Since Riverbay did not have enough funds to pay the entire $18M up front, the decision was made to convert groups of buildings at a time to the city’s MCP rate. “We’ve already spent about $6M switching over some of the buildings to the fixed rate,” said Merola. “Recently, in building up some funds, we switched over the next two groups, which are in the process of being converted since you have to complete an application process whereby the city has to check the metering, ensure there are no leaks in your pipes, we have to install meters on the nonresidential structures like professional offices and daycare centers, and other items that must be addressed before the application is approved, so that process is currently in the works.” This leaves the corporation with $11,572,436 worth of water bills that are still on the metered rate and switching these buildings over to the city’s MCP would reduce this cost to $10,146,672, a savings of $1,425,764 to the shareholders of Co-op City. However, the corporation needs to raise the $10.1M to pay the water and sewer charges up front. “That’s where the pre-paid carrying charge program comes in and that savings of $1.4M represents a 12% savings in our water and sewer charges,” Merola said. “Therefore, if we can get enough shareholders to prepay their carrying charges to raise the $10.1M, we would take that, and just like they are pre-paying the carrying charges, we would pre-pay the water charges and save $1.4M or 12%.” Further, the plan is to split the resulting 12% in savings with those shareholders who participate in the pre-paid carrying charge program, since it is a voluntary program and no one has to participate if they do not want to. The Finance Department has deter-

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016 (Continued from page 1)

mined that based on an average size apartment being 4½ rooms, and the average carrying charges being approximately $217 per room, and the average monthly carrying charge being about $977 therefore, the average carrying charge per 4½ room apartment is roughly $11,724 per year. At this rate, the corporation needs approximately 865 shareholders to sign up for the pre-paid carrying charge program in order to be able to pre-pay its water and sewer charges and take advantage of $1.4M in savings for shareholders. However, this is not an-all-or-nothing situation because if fewer than 865 shareholders opt-in to the pre-paid carrying charge program, the $10.1M represents about 10 different water meters/accounts, according to Mr. Merola, so Riverbay Corporation can continue switching over groups of buildings at a time to the city’s MCP as money becomes available. In addition to presenting information on the pre-paid carrying charge proposal at Wednesday’s Open Board meeting, Merola said that a notice will most likely be included in next month’s carrying charge statement asking shareholders to indicate whether they would be interested in the program and if yes, their name would be added on a first-come basis to a list which would only be implemented when Riverbay’s application for the MCP is approved by the city and the city asks for the funds to pre-pay the water and sewer charges to be sent. Merola explained: “We have to apply to the city, they have to possibly do tests, we have to install separate meters for non-residential spaces, the city may test for leaks on underground piping and if they find any, they would have to be repaired, so you don’t apply and automatically get approved; it could be several months, so our thinking is to put out a notice to shareholders and get an idea of who is interested – don’t send any money, tell us you’re interested and we put you on a list which will be on a firstcome, first-served basis, and then when we get closer to knowing that the city is going to approve us, we can contact those on the list and say, you said you want to pre-pay your carrying charges and get 6% discount on your carrying charges, so within the next 2 weeks, send us your money and then we will have the money right when we need it to pay the city.” If a participating shareholder moves out, surrenders their apartment or vacates the development, Riverbay would credit back to their account the money they had pre-paid for their carrying charges, Mr. Merola said. In addition, if a shareholder who pre-pays their carrying charges should pass away, the money they prepaid would be automatically credited back to their account once the proper paperwork is submitted to surrender the unit. (See the Board President’s Report on page 1 for additional information on the proposed pre-paid carrying charge program.) At Wednesday’s meeting, a proposed increased in equity from $4,500 per room to $5,500 per room for new and transferring shareholders slated for implementation on March 1, 2016 would also be discussed. The equity on Co-op City apartments have not changed since December, 2008. Existing shareholders would not be affected by this increase in equity except that it represents additional funds coming into the corporation’s budget which helps to keep costs down and maintains Co-op City’s affordability for its residents. Based on a monthly rate of 40 movein’s, the $1,000 increase in equity per room would add approximately $2.2M to the corporation’s budget. However,

with more and more incoming, as well as transferring shareholders, taking advantage of Riverbay’s deferred equity program since state regulations require transferring shareholders also to pay current or market equity, that additional funding would not necessarily be realized immediately, but over the course of the 7 years of the deferred equity payment period. “That’s mostly money coming in from new people coming into Co-op City, so the equity increase would have no affect on shareholders who are already here, except those who are transferring to another apart-

ment,” said Merola. “We have a six-year waiting list which amounts to about 3,100 people so even if it affects half of those people, it is still a great deal and there are still people waiting to move in to the community.” An increase in Co-op City’s equity would require approval from the state supervisory agency, the New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). During the course of Wednesday’s meetings, Board Directors will give their committee reports and several first readings of resolutions will also be presented.

OPEN BOARD MEETING

DATE: Wednesday, January 13th, 2016 TIME: 7:00PM PLACE: Room 31

AGENDA

1. Approval of the Agenda 2. Presidents report 3. Report from Management 4. Gallery Session 5. SECOND READINGS: • #15-75- Prepaid Carrying charges • #15-76- Election Rules • #15-78- Increase Equity 6. Discussion/ update from Elevator Task Force 7. Discussion on Bathroom Heaters 8. Committee Reports 9. FIRST READINGS: • 15-79- M & L Power Systems • 16-01- Auditorium Renovation 10. Next Board Business Meeting TBD 11. Adjournment - 10PM SHARP

CO-OP CITY FOOT CARE CENTER SECTION 5 • BUILDING 29C 4240 HUTCHINSON RIVER PARKWAY EAST

(718) 671-2233 DR. LOUIS JACOBS, DIRECTOR ALL FOOT CONDITIONS TREATED The in-office surgical correction of BUNIONS • HAMMERTOES • INGROWN TOENAILS PAINFUL CORNS and CALLOUSES The treatment of traumatic foot injuries, heel spurs, bursitis and arthritis of the joints of the feet, toenail and skin infections, as well as other conditions.

Most Union and Insurance Plans Accepted. HIP CMO (Montefiore) Health Plan Accepted. We participate in Postal Workers, Mail Handlers, Letter Carriers, Verizon Workers, 1199, GHI, Blue Shield, Empire Plan, Medicare, Travelers, United Health Care and many other union and major medical plans. Se Habla Español MEDICARE ACCEPTED • HOUSE CALLS BY APPOINTMENT

Diabetic Patients with Medicare may be eligible for shoes.

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Happening in Co-op City

Co-op City was well represented at Carnegie Hall

On December 19, 14 year old Cassie Ortiz, granddaughter of Co-op City shareholder Carmen L. Carattini, wowed the judges at Carnegie Hall with her vocal talent when she performed on stage with other young performers from around the world in the American ProtĂŠgĂŠ International Vocal Competition 2015. According to Cassieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father, Joe Ortiz, who grew up in Co-op Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Section 3, there were 40 performers in Cassieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time slot at 7:30 p.m. who represented different age groups. Contestants came from as far as Korea, Australia, Ireland, Japan, China, India, Russia, the Philipines, Serbia, Thailand and Spain, as well as from all across the United States. Cassie won First Place in the 11-14 year old category. She also won Best Performance in her show slot. Tune in to Cassieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UC8R2swyD4pPub4v8G89cHXw/videos to see some of her performances.

Building 12 Cooperators Civic Association

We wish all of our neighbors, relatives and friends a happy, healthy and safe New Year. Our next meeting is Monday, January 25, 7:30 p.m., Activity Room. Your continued support and participation in your building association is much appreciated. Some of you have ideas as to what you would like your building association to do. Come on down to our next meeting and let us hear from you. Thank you to Sonia, Loretta, Donald, Ron and Mr. Plummer for decorating our lobby. A special shout out to all of our neighbors who decorated their

floors. A clarifying noteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;our neighbors who decorate their floors do so out of the goodness of their hearts and pocketbooks. In other words, they pay for it themselves not the association. Best wishes to all who are celebrating a special event this month. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who has suffered a loss or is sick and shut-in. If you see something, say something. To contact CCPD (Public Safety), call 718-671-3050. We can be contacted at MLSAH@ aol.com or 718-379-7841. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Sonja Maxwell

Black Forum

Next Defensive Driving class The next Black Forum defensive driving course will be Saturday, January 16, Room 1, Dreiser Community Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lower your liability insurance cost by 10% and remove up to 4 points from your driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license. Please make your check in the amount of $35, payable to â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Black Forum of Co-op City,â&#x20AC;? and mail to P.O. Box 563, Bronx, N.Y. 10475 at least 1Â˝ weeks before the class, or you can walk in on the day of the class but you must have $35 in cash to pay for the course. Emergency Food Program We are open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Room 20 in the Dreiser Center. Also, due to budget constraints and shortage of available food, you must live within zip

code 10475 to participate in this program. You must also have your card with you and bring two clean plastic shopping bags. Please also have your current photo ID, such as a non or driverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s license or any photo ID card with proof of address. You will then be issued a card in order to pick up food in the future. We Need You - Join Us Today Membership is $5 per year/person. Call (718) 320-8035 or write to Black Forum, P.O. Box 563, Bronx, NY 10475; email: coopcityblackforum@gmail.com or tonyshome10475@gmail.com. Help us keep independent community organizations alive in Co-op City. Everyone is encouraged to join. Call or visit us, Room 20 in the Dreiser Community Center. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Tony Illis

;6?.<= :?%%.

%8' ;)? /;"8 %>=53->1?">$7<->,? ?">9<=>,? <9>? 43? 7<5 Custom Dentures â&#x20AC;˘ Toothache â&#x20AC;˘ Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Sleep at Night â&#x20AC;˘ Root Canal â&#x20AC;˘ Extractions â&#x20AC;˘ Crown & Bridges â&#x20AC;˘ Cosmetic Bonding Laminates â&#x20AC;˘ Emphasis on Gum Disease (Bleeding Gums) â&#x20AC;˘ Implants â&#x20AC;˘ Cosmetic Dentistry ;?&8;) &!)8 >?;##>$5? *=13-7=#>? <=#93,<= ? 0 :? &>795 $9> :? 22 ? ? 22 + =<4=:?!0;:?/.8;:? >5)< >:?/4=?8,<14=:?' ?'3-1<= ?;11=6:?&*! %>=579:? 6 6 6:?.*%.:? &*:?093>?/-411 093>?. <>9,:?;>5=76

2 + 2?0>=# 9> ?!97#>? 03<9,<= ? /4 4$?/<5 ? ??0-4= :?' ?2+ ( OFFICE HOURS: 0 ?;$$4<=5 >=56? .753-,7 ? ?8 >=<= ? &43-1?; 7<97 9>6

(2 ( 6 ++

.!8/*;)? 8"

8 ; ? ? "; ? ?/)8;'*' ?

(

A. Singh, D.D.S. 120-1 Benchley Place (Building 24)

(2 6 ( 6 ++

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Safe driving on Co-op City streets

Co-op City motorists are reminded that the speed limit was reduced citywide to 25 mph from 30 mph as part of the Mayor’s Vision Zero Action Plan to ensure the safety of pedestrians, especially children and the elderly, on all city roadways, and the city is aggressively enforcing the speed limit with the installation of speed enforcement cameras at 140 locations throughout the city, in particular, in school zones. The previous speed limit on city streets – 30 mph – remains in effect on all roadways where another speed limit is not posted. In addition, some streets, especially those near to schools, may have an even lower speed limit so drivers must pay close attention to the posted speed limit signs and be aware of the lower speed limit on all city streets, especially in and around school zones. The city’s Department of Trans-portation (DOT) has informed the public that it does not post signs or announce

the location of speed cameras enforcing school zones because, first and foremost, it is illegal to speed anywhere within the City of New York and posting the locations of the cameras reduces their effectiveness as a deterrent to speeding. The cameras, however, do not photograph every vehicle passing through the school speed zone, only those that are travelling at 10 mph or more above the speed limit within the speed zone on: (1) School days during school hours and one hour before and one hour after the school day (2) Any period during school activities at the school and up to 30 minutes immediately before and up to 30 minutes immediately after such school activities Since school hours and student activities may vary from school to school, the DOT says it contacts each school before beginning speed camera

Domestic hot & cold water shutdown - Building 5B, “a” line

enforcement within that school speed zone. Speed enforcement cameras are reviewed by trained DOT technicians to ensure accuracy and only in cases where it is evident that the vehicle in question was travelling at 10 mph or more above the speed limit in the school zone is the owner of the vehicle mailed a Notice of Liability (NOL). The Vision Zero Action Plan was implemented in the city’s continuing effort to slow drivers down to a safe speed and protect New Yorkers from injury and loss of life. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle travelling at 30 mph is twice as likely to be killed as a pedestrian struck by a vehicle travelling at 25 mph. Cameras have also been increased at red light intersections throughout the city to change driver behavior at these intersections thereby reducing vehicular crashes, and protecting and saving lives.

The domestic hot & cold water will be shut down in order to do restoration work. Date: Monday, January 11 Time: 9:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. As soon as the work is completed, the hot and cold water will be restored. Please make sure that you keep your faucets in a closed position and all drains cleared of objects. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience in this matter. —CSO (Dreiser Loop)

ELEVATOR SHUTDOWN BUILDING #8, CAR #3

Please be advised that we will be performing repairs to elevator #3 which necessitates having to take the car out of service. The elevator is expected to be out of service on: TUESDAY, JANUARY 12TH and on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13TH

The elevators hoist ropes will be replaced during this shutdown. We will make every attempt to restore the elevator back to service as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconveniences caused, and thank you for your patience and understanding. —Riverbay Management

Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community. (718) 320-3300, ext. 3375 cctimes@riverbaycorp.com

Rozaan Boone Editor-in-Chief

Bill Stuttig

Associate Editor

Jim Roberts

Business Manager

Jennifer Piovanetti Operations Manager

Ralph Henriquez

Production Manager

The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be handsigned by the writers and include their addresses and phone numbers, which will be kept confidential, so that the editor can verify the authenticity of the authors. Writers will be limited to one letter per topic. Anonymous or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Letters cannot exceed 350 words. Ideally, they should be typed. All letters must be in the Co-op City Times office in Room 21, Bartow Community Center, by 3 p.m. every Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Views and opinions expressed in letters and Directors’ Viewpoint are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp. Advertisements and classified advertisements in the Co-op City Times do not necessarily reflect an endorsement from Riverbay Corporation of goods and services, but present greater options to cooperators of products and services available. The Riverbay Corporation does not assume any responsibility nor is it a party to any contract or agreement between the cooperator and the vendor. All matter published herein is copyrighted by the Co-op City Times. Permission for reprints of advertising or editorial contents produced by the Co-op City Times must be obtained in writing from Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Ave., Bronx, New York 10475.

If the Co-op City Times Was Not Delivered: Call 347-439-5632 on Saturdays ONLY, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Advertising works! Call 718.320.3300, x3384 for our affordable rates.

Important Notice to Shareholders of Building 19 Article SIXTH of your Occupancy Agreement provides, in part, that your lease automatically renews for an additional three (3) year period. You need to do nothing if you want your lease to extend for another three (3) year period. If you will be moving out at the end of your lease, notify Riverbay, in writing, Attention: Sales Support Office, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475, ninety (90) days prior to lease expiration.

Co-op City Times

Building 19

Current Lease Expiration Date

New 3 yr. Expiration Date

Building 19 140 Alcott Place

Mar. 31, 2016

Mar. 31, 2019

Public Safety Report

CCPD alerts residents of telephone tax scams BY LIEUTENANT PAM APOLLO The Co-op City Department of Public Safety stays updated on all of the current trends on the latest scams. We recently reported about a series of scams that have apparently targeted cell phone users. Scammers have the technology to make numbers appear as though they are coming from government agencies, law enforcement agencies or credit card companies. The Department of Public Safety urges cooperators to be vigilant when calls are received as caller identification can no longer be trusted. As we enter early tax season, remember that scammers may use people anxious to receive their tax refunds as an opportunity for a scam. Be sure to use a reputable tax preparation service. Also, do not give out your bank account numbers, pin numbers or Social Security number unless you are sure of whom you are speaking to. Try to do your taxes early in the season to avoid the craziness associated with the April 15th rush. Your 2015 W-2 forms should be arriving soon. A few months ago, I received a message on my cell phone from a 202 number – a Washington, D.C. area code. This automated message claimed to be the IRS demanding that I contact them immediately before they take action against me. Someone could easily believe this was legitimate and call and perhaps be scared into sending money. The IRS wants the public to know that they do not send out any type of digital or robot calls. It is also possible that this fake call can somehow have your Social Security number or just the last 4 digits. Follow-up calls after the initial call can even appear to come from the Department of Motor Vehicles or a police agency. If you have any questions regarding your tax obligation, contact the IRS directly at 1-(800) 829-1040. Scammers have even tried to pretend to be the New York City Police Department via the fake caller ID route. We received information from the NYPD of another telephone-based scam in which scammers are identifying themselves as NYPD members asking for information. These scammers have the technology to have false information appear on your caller ID as the IRS, DMV or NYPD. The NYPD wants you to know that they will never ask you to divulge any passwords or sensitive information over the telephone. The NYPD also does not solicit money. The Co-op City Department of Public Safety also does not solicit money. Both agencies participate in a variety of fundraising drives and benefits for various charities. This is not done via telephone. For example, the NYPD hosts a benefit to support a charity which helps the widows and children of fallen officers. During certain times of the year, the Co-op City Department of Public Safety collects food and toys for drives, such as Second Harvest and Toys for Tots. All of these drives are well publicized. Outside of the City of New York, some smaller police and fire departments may solicit money. If you are interesting in donating to one of these agencies, take down the information and make sure you are actually donating to the actual agency. It is always better if you seek out the charity that you wish to donate to, instead of replying to a phone call or an e-mail. With people growing leery of scammers asking them to wire money, scammers have moved on to Green Dot cards and even gift cards. Although Green Dot cards and gift cards are not a problem themselves, mailing them to someone you do not know anticipating a larger payout in the future is a problem. Never wire money or send a Green Dot card to anyone you do not know. Western Union and Green Dot cards have become the money transfer tool of choice by scammers due to the accessibility, anonymity and untraceable nature of these methods. Scam artists are a very clever group of people. They take their knowledge of human nature and (Continued on page 26)

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

OPPORTUNITIES AT CO-OP CITY

Tell your friends, relatives and employers about:

2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475 • 718-320-3300 Riverbay Corporation is an equal opportunity employer.

For information on CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ONLY, please contact: Lenya Garcia at Lgarcia@riverbay corp.com; AND Barbara Penn at Bpenn@riverbaycorp.com. Please note that emails should be sent to both parties. Please DO NOT email resumes for EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to the aforementioned emails. For EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, please see bottom of the employment listings for specific directions.

CONTRACT SUMMARY

Contract 2861, 2862 & 2863 (REBID), Exterior Renovation for Shopping Centers: Exterior restoration of the three (3) shopping centers located in Co-op City Bids Due: January 12, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Bonding is required. Insurance is required.

Contract 2955, Painting & Plastering for Occupied Apartments, Unoccupied Apartments, Fire Apartments, Public Spaces and Bathrooms: Provide painting and plastering services. Pre-bid Meeting: January 21, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Bids Due: February 16, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Bonding is not required. Insurance is required Contract 3043, Installation of hollow doors and frames Bids Due: January 21, 2015 at 2 p.m.

Insurance: Insurance is required

Contract 841, Convector Covers, Revcor Wheels, Rubber Gaskets & Rubatex Rolls. Contract 842, Convector Boards, Drip Pans and Spouts Contract 843, Convector Motors Bids Due: January 14 at 2 p.m. If you are interested, please email bpenn@riverbaycorp.com. To receive the bid sheets, bidders must make an appointment to see the items on each bid, except for the motors. Motors are made by A.O. Smith and the Bid Sheet will have the model numbers. Registered vendors who are interested in bidding, can go to the e-bid system and get the information.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

New Job Posting: Open to All applicants from Jan. 4th to Jan. 12th, 2016 Job Reference #: 16-01 Buildings Porter Buildings Department THIS IS A TEMPORARY POSITION. Ideal employee will be responsible for the day-to-day responsibilities duties, including but not limited to, numerous cleaning and restoration duties, such as washing, sweeping, mopping, waxing, buffing and stripping of VCT and terrazzo floors. Responsibilities include cleaning all assigned internal and external areas of the residential buildings and/or shopping centers. Seasonal duties, including leaf raking, snow removal and power washing of assigned areas, will be required as necessary. If assigned to community centers, candidate will be responsible for set-up and breakdown of center rooms for various social functions. This employee will also need to respond to emergencies (floods, etc.) throughout the Co-op City complex, as well as the completion of other assignments from supervisor(s) as necessary. Job Description: Ideal candidate will: • Service, clean, or supply restrooms. Gather and empty trash. • Clean building floors by sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, or vacuuming. • Follow procedures for the use of chemical cleaners and power equipment to prevent damage to floors and fixtures. • Mix water and detergents or acids in containers to prepare cleaning solutions, according to specifications. • Clean windows, glass partitions, or mirrors, using soapy water or other cleaners, sponges, or squeegees. • Notify managers concerning the need for major repairs or additions to building operating systems. • Requisition supplies or equipment needed for cleaning and maintenance duties. • Dust furniture, walls, machines, or equipment. • Strip, seal, finish, and polish floors. Steam clean or shampoo carpets. • Clean and polish furniture and fixtures. • Move heavy furniture, equipment, or supplies, either manually or by using hand trucks. • Remove snow from sidewalks, driveways, or parking areas, using snowplows, snow blowers, or snow shovels, or spread snow melting chemicals. • Monitor building security and safety by performing tasks such as locking doors after operating hours or checking electrical appliance use to ensure that hazards are not created. • Set up, arrange, or remove decorations, tables,

chairs, ladders, or scaffolding to prepare facilities for events, such as banquets or meetings. • Performs other duties as assigned. Job Requirements: HS Diploma or equivalent is a plus; Candidate should have a working knowledge of janitorial equipment, tools, and material; Applicant must have ability to walk for long periods of time, twist, kneel, push, stoop, climb ladders, work in inclement weather, as well as lift and carry up to 80 pounds; Must be available for emergency work; Must be able to read and write in English; Bi-Lingual is a plus. Days and Hours: Days and hours of operation will vary on a flexible schedule FLSA: Non-Exempt Testing Requirements: Drug Screening Test, Background check How to Apply: Applications are given out at the below address from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. __________________________________________ New Job Posting: Open to All applicants from Jan. 6th to Jan. 14th, 2016 Job Reference #: 16-02 Groundsman Grounds Department THIS IS A TEMPORARY POSITION. Ideal candidate will be responsible for the day-to-day responsibilities of duties in the landscaping, maintenance of and general upkeep of company grounds and property greens. Responsibilities include basic grounds keeping duties such as planting flowers, trees & shrubs, weeding, fertilizing, mowing, cutting hedges, general lawn & nursery care and seasonal duties, including snow removal. Job Description: Ideal candidate will: • Operate powered equipment, such as mowers, snow blowers, chain saws, electric clippers, sod cutters, and pruning saws. • Mow or edge lawns, using power mowers or edgers. • Shovel snow from walks, driveways, or parking lots and spread salt in those areas. • Care for established lawns by mulching, aerating, weeding, grubbing, removing thatch, or trimming or edging around flower beds, walks, or walls. • Use hand tools, such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, saws, hedge or brush trimmers, or axes. • Prune or trim trees, shrubs, or hedges, using shears, pruners, or chain saws. • Maintain or repair tools, equipment, or structures, such as buildings, fences, or benches, using hand or power tools. • Gather and remove litter.

Applications are given out at the following address from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Riverbay Corporation Administration Office, 2049 Bartow Ave., Bronx, NY 10475; OR Resumes can be faxed to 718-320-3672 with the Job Title and Job Reference # on the TOP RIGHT CORNER of the resume. *Riverbay Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer* Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, creed, ethnicity, alienage, citizenship, color, religion, national origin, age, sex or sexual preference, marital status, military status, disability or any other recognized protected basis under any applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. Please inform Human Resources if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process. (Continued on page 26)

Historic turnaround of Co-op City continues Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

First, let me wish everyone a healthy and prosperous new year! I hope your holiday season was abundant with love and happiness. Lower Winter Cost To date, the weather has been on our side with a mild winter, something that is critical for our budget at Co-op City. We have saved money on energy, labor and materials that we would normally expense during the stormy winter months, as we did last year. Therefore, even if February and March are harsh this year, we are ahead of the cost of the winter of last year. Transition, Not Crisis There have been claims by some that our current management is failing and as a result, we are in a crisis. As the First Vice President and co-Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for Management Search, I can assure you we are not in a crisis! We are in a period of transition from a failing property management company into new management. We replaced three executive level staff members of MSI with only one Riverbay executive. The Ad Hoc Committee recommended to the President that additional executive staff would be necessary if we did not hire a management company. The President agreed and included this plan in his report to HCR, HUD and Wells Fargo on October 6, 2015, when they asked how the Riverbay Board of Directors planned to manage Riverbay Corp. It was very important to understand there were many changes that were necessary to right the course of this corpora-

Linda Berk

Director’s Viewpoint

First Vice President tion. We needed to change staff, systems, corporate culture, begin staff training, update technology (IT Department) and transition into new software for property management. Along the way, we discovered several major problems that we inherited from the previous management that has not only distracted us from our progressive plan to move Riverbay forward, but has required immediate attention to very critical issues. The Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee and I spent over a hundred hours preparing, vetting, interviewing, reading proposals and discussing the merits of the management companies that responded to Riverbay’s “request for proposals” (RFP). I spent additional time recently listening to the recorded tapes of 3 of the four-hour company interviews. There were some good points made in these interviews, and I heard new angles, but there was no one solution offered from any one of the companies. We cannot wait for a magical solution. We need to begin making changes now and, in my opinion, we should systematically move forward. When major changes happen at

Building 18 Association

Hi, neighbors. We wish you a healthy, happy and prosperous NEW YEAR!! We thank all who came down to our New Year’s Eve party, and to all who donated their favorite dish, thank you; a good time was had by all. We look forward to a very productive 2016, e.g. increased attendance to association meetings and building activities. Our first general meeting in 2016 is scheduled for Tuesday, January 26th, at 7:00 p.m. in the meeting room. Our guest speaker is Noel Ellison, Interim General Manager of Riverbay. Please attend this very important meeting and hear the past, present and future, since his inception, of what is happening in our community straight from the source. There will be a 50/50 drawing and refreshments will be served. Look forward to seeing you there. Movie Matinee: We will show a movie on Wednesday, January 20 at 3:30 p.m. in the association room. Please make an effort to attend; refreshments

will be served. Come down and enjoy the movie, your neighbors and the refreshments. Election Time: This month, we will be electing new officers for the building association. All positions are open: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary, and Sergeant at Arms. You must be an outstanding member of the association to participate. Please watch bulletin board for updates. Building Newsletter: Please continue to send your articles to our e-mail address: BLDG18newsletter@aol.com. Newsletters are delivered to each family of the association six times per year. We enjoy reading the jokes, special recipes, etc. After all, laugher is good medicine. Happy birthday to all with that special day this month, enjoy and please be safe. To the sick and homebound, we wish you a speedy recovery and to the bereaved families, we offer our sincere sympathies. PLEASE STAY ALERT! IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING! —Gertie Brown

In Memoriam: Elizabeth “Betty” Rose Elizabeth Rose passed from this life eleven years ago, January 30th. During her 90 years, the long-time Co-op City resident accomplished much. After she gave birth to me, a child with cerebral palsy, she, along with my late father, Tony, became staunch fighters for the rights of the disabled, becoming founding members of United Cerebral Palsy. Her dedication to me throughout my life helped me to lead a productive, rewarding life despite my disabilities. I still miss her terribly, but I will always be grateful for her unwavering love and guidance. Her loving son, —John Rose

any institution, it is vital to keep a steady hand and have a realistic understanding of what is involved and how long it will take. So, let me say again, we are not in crisis, we are in transition! Something to be Excited About For those who believe we need CompassRock to perfect our management experience, I see things very differently after endless hours of interviewing, vetting and visiting the property they managed. One of the reasons I reconsidered this particular company was because of their record on maintenance. They did not have very good reviews regarding maintenance and I personally questioned their management and residents on this issue. While there is room for Riverbay to improve its own service, overall, we are in good stead. When you have 15,372 units, 325 acres of property, 3 shopping centers, 8 garages, and a power plant and more, there are plenty of opportunities for things to fall between the cracks. The major challenge for Riverbay is embroiled in that we have relied too much on a paper system. This, in itself, leaves too much room for error when dealing with as many units on a property with so much complexity. Our track record for maintenance is much better than all the developments we visited, but that does not mean we should not aim to be better. I believe we must modernize our system and this is definitely one of management’s priorities via streamlining the process, automation and training. I am excited that management has

taken many steps to bring in new and experienced talent to evaluate where the corporation is today; professionals who bring us global experiences and who are capable of developing strategies for 2016. Our new Directors of Internal Audit, Procurement and Human Resources will work with new Directors being recruited now for Information Technology and Construction Management. Together, they will have exciting plans that will turn Riverbay Corporation around. We should be excited about this time at Co-op City. There is so much to look forward to; this is not a time to be scared or concerned. This should be a time to be deliberate, strategic and resourceful. I encourage you to share your interest and talents with one of the Riverbay Board committees. I also encourage you to consider running for the Board of Directors. It is, at times, consuming, and at other times, frustrating, but it is so rewarding to know you can help make a difference in your community. We need your energy, we need your optimism, and we need your ideas. These are exciting times here at Co-op City and I feel blessed to be a part of the changes. I am confident the shareholders will continue to feel the improvements as we move forward. I continue to be interested in your thoughts and ideas. Please contact me at Riverbay Board of Directors, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475 or by email at: lberk@riverbayboard.com.

DR. LEWIS WOLSTEIN Podiatrist — Foot Specialist • Practicing in Co-op City since 1975 • Board Certified in Foot Surgery • ALL conditions of the foot treated • We

accept most health insurance plans

• Participating in the Medicare Diabetic Shoe Program • Evening and Saturday appointments

Dr. Lewis Wolstein

Call:

“Se Habla Español”

718.671.7226 100 DeKruif Place

Building 8 • Ground Floor Section 1 • Co-op City • Bronx, NY 10475

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Let’s make this year count! Hello fellow cooperators, shareholders and 21’ers! If you live in Building 21, then you are a “21’er”! If you live in Co-op City and you are reading this article, you are part of the Co-op community family. We are moving swiftly through the month of January, but we can still say, “Happy New Year!” Now, ask yourself, what YOU are doing for your community to help make it better. Meet us at one of our next gatherings. Our next 21 Association gathering will be January 27th. Please mark your calendars accordingly. If you have any questions regarding the 21 Association, you have three ways of gaining information. Email your Building Association at 21association@gmail.com. Call your association at 347.504.1821, and you can attend the monthly meetings which are held every 4th Wednesday in the meeting room in the rear of the B-

Building 17 Association

Hello, neighbors of Building 17! On behalf of the building association, we would like to wish everyone glad tidings during this blessed holiday season. And to those who are homebound or bed-ridden, get well soon. We also send prayers and blessings to those families who lost friends and loved ones. The board would like to express their overwhelming thanks for the support the association received for our annual food and toy drive for the needy. The items were picked up Saturday, December 20, 2015 by the good Rev. J. Smith, along with his wife. The collection was a great success. A letter from Rev. Smith will follow in the near future. Collection for our cleaning personnel and lobby attendant was another success (a thank you card is posted on the lobby bulletin board). Hoping everyone is enjoying the holiday display in the lobby. Great love was put into decorating the lobby by Ms. Barbra Johnson, Ms. Betty Thomas, Ms. Elizabeth Roach and Ms. Imagene Fowler. Each of these ladies should receive a standing ovation. Last, but not least, let me give each neighbor and cooperator a standing ovation for your support. Caring is what goes on here. 2015 has passed. Hoping 2016 brings everyone good health and blessings. Remember, if everyone did a little, no one has to do a lot. —James Payne

Building 26 Association

New Year's greetings to all of our Co-op City families, friends, neighbors, merchants, and especially our new residents. We hope that 2016 is a healthy, safe, blessed, peaceful, and prosperous year for everyone. Winter is here so while weather permitting, get out and enjoy our beautiful community with a leisurely stroll throughout Co-op City. We send loving wishes to all of you celebrating birthdays, wedding anniversaries, new births, and other celebrated events during the month of January. Well wishes for a speedy recovery to all homebound, sick, and hospitalized persons. Our deepest condolences are sent to those families who have experienced the recent loss of a loved one. May you be blessed during this difficult time of bereavement. Our next building association meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 12, at 7:30 p.m., in the rear lobby of 2420 Hunter Avenue. Please stay informed by attending, and bring any questions, your concerns, and/or suggestions. Refreshments will be served and a 50/50 raffle will be held. Friendly reminder, for you to submit your completed and signed Window Guard Form on or before the deadline of February 15, to your CSO office. Let’s all work to help keep Co-op City clean by properly disposing trash into the nearest garbage receptacle. If you see something, say something by calling 9-1-1 for emergencies and 3-1-1 for all nonemergency incidents. —YuVonne Lewis

Building 21 Association

section at 7 p.m. THINK TANK at Building 21 is in session every Friday, 8:30 -10 p.m. except Christmas and New Year’s Day. We are located in the rear of 21B and ALL are always welcomed. FYI, all monies collected (i.e., annual dues, etc.) are turned in to our treasurer and installed in the association’s bank account. Floor Captains are an ABSOLUTE NECESSITY IN EVERY BUILDING. Thanks to the cooperators of Building 21 who have stepped up to the plate and volunteered to be floor captain for their floor. You know who you are, and we truly appreciate you. All we ask of anyone kind enough to be a Floor Captain is as follows: 1. Contact Numbers (for your floor only): List all emergency contact numbers and distribute to each neighbor.

9 2. Co-op City Times: Place them at each apartment door (delivered on Saturdays). 3. Elevator Notices: Read them and talk to your neighbors about them. 4. Promote: Meetings, clubs and gatherings. 5. Encourage your neighbors to: • Vote – Vote – Vote! in the Riverbay election. • Make calls to the Riverbay offices: Security - 718-671-3050 CSO Offices - 718-320-3300 We are dedicated to the self-development and empowerment of every shareholder in Co-op City. We are passionate about our community. Do you share this positive energy and passion? Come join us at Building 21 sometime. Bring a friend. Bring a skeptical friend. Bring a young friend. Come, and let’s begin again! See you around the neighborhood! —Michelle Marbury

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Cooperators’ Feedback

Evelyn Turner

Director’s Viewpoint

Happy New Year again and I appreciate the feedback during the week from cooperators. As we move forward in 2016, it’s important to share what’s on your mind. A cooperator is concerned that “The Board of Directors stood by and gave MSI the opportunity to make fools out of us.” Additionally, a concern is that a few of us “are making the Interim Management feel inadequate.” The answer to the first statement is that in spite of the best efforts of many Board Directors, past Board Presidents, two (2) law firms and one (1) on-site lawyer, MSI was able to get away with a lot without being exposed. During my short time on the Board, I was the only Board Directors to document in writing that a MSI employee was “dishonest” and asked for his termination. I was the only Board Director that a MSI employee had our Chief Counsel write up and threaten to CENSOR. In other words, “silence my voice.” It did not happen! The lesson learned was that while he had the negative lens on this Director for asking questions, he was cutting deals/favors for MSI’s benefit. We have to give kudos to President Cleve Taylor

and a majority of Board members for providing the leadership to suspend MSI. Please remember that this action required 8 votes. The Interim Managers deserve the SAME skilled staff that our previous Management Company had. They have an awesome responsibility and many serious issues to deal with. The Board wants the best for the community and as such, must ensure that we have additional management team members to complement, not replace the Interim Managers. The Ad Hoc Committee is meeting and will make this happen. We will present an acceptable plan to the governing agencies. We continue to have serious issues with our elevators and pending lawsuits that will cost an enormous amount of money. The community should know that 99% of your Board members are involved in some committee activity

other than voting on Resolutions. We all devote a significant amount of volunteer time on cooperators’ behalf. You are encouraged to run for the Board as elections are coming up in May, 2016. And, of course, prepare yourself for criticism, good, bad and ugly. I am no exception. Kudoes To Commercial Leasing Thanks to our Commercial Leasing Director, Kim Umstead, and Board members for their input that allowed an outside broker, Kathy Zamechansky, President, KZA Realty Group, to not only broker a long-term lease deal with Rite Aid for the corporation, but guaranteed her company consultant fees/salary for 15 years. Many of our departments have benefited from outside consultants with unique skills, connections and salary requirements to assist Directors we have in place. Undoubtedly, the demographics in Co-op City are being analyzed to assess the level of consumerism possible from cooperators and the general public to generate income from all empty commercial spaces. Our goal is to keep “Maintenance Fees” from going up again any time in the near future. Resources Shared By Cooperators

Hi, neighbors of Building 25. We would like our weekly news articles to reflect safety, peace of mind for all of us and community involvement. Building 25 Association would like to thank all of you who blessed us with your presence at the 2015 Holiday Party last Saturday night. There was plenty of food, beverages, pastries, music, laughter and friendly conversations. An invited guest who lives outside Co-op City was astonished when he asked for directions to our meeting room that residents could not direct him to it. Neighbors, we want to encourage you to do better. As you go through your New Year 2016 and start to settle into your New Year’s resolution, we hope that being

more actively involved in your building association is one of them. If you see something within our building that you think needs improvement or maintenance attention, bring your questions and/or concerns to the meetings and let them be known. We look forward to seeing a bigger attendance from our neighbors this year. As a reminder, please remember to dispose of your Christmas tree responsibly. The disposable Christmas tree bags would be the better way to go, but if you cannot find a disposable Christmas tree bag, use twine or rope to tie the tree branches together and put in large garbage bags. However, if you find that despite your efforts to proper-

ly dispose of the tree, the tree needles littered the hallway, elevator or lobby, please sweep it up, if the job is too big, find a Building 25 maintenance personnel and ask for help, or call the Maintenance office for our building at 718-320-3403 and report it so that they can assist you. My point is, you do have options, but by no means ignore it. Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, at 7:30 p.m. Notices will be posted near elevators to confirm this date or of changes. JASA (Jewish Association for Services for the Aged) is sending a representative to speak with us at this meeting about the services that their organization provides to senior citizens. Please come out to welcome them, show

Second Vice President

Building 25 Association

Association of Building 14 Cooperators

Yes, indeed, another year has come and gone. As we embrace the new year, here’s wishing that we’ll all focus more on the positive, be thankful for the little things and share the greatest gift there is – love! On behalf of the officers of the Association of Building 14 Cooperators, we thank each and every one who has volunteered, attended meetings, become members, supported our fundraising efforts, helped with holiday decorations, donated household items, and taken interest in or action towards making our building and community a place that you can take pride

in. In your honor, the association plans to host a Volunteer Recognition ceremony in January, date to be announced this weekend. Kudos and well wishes for a prosperous and fruitful new year to my counterparts (Section 2 Building Presidents) for all they do and to the Riverbay staff that are so instrumental in helping us get things done! Be safe and take care until next year! Reach your association at theab14c@hotmail.com or 917.612.1951. —J. Ferguson

Our Bingo and Pokeno Nights are doing well. People are having a great time and having lots of fun. These events are continuing. Bingo night will be on Thursday, January 14 and 28, at 7 p.m. in the association room. Thoughts and prayers to any of our sick and shut-in

neighbors. Get well soon. We have a Facebook page: Building 33 Association. We also have a website: www.building33.org, and you can email us at: bldg33Assoc@gmail.com. You can also call or text our Building 33 hotline number, 347-7460608. —Tobias Garcia

Building 33 Association

The Museum of Natural History, Lang Science Program – 2016 APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION is Tuesday, January 19. This is for 5th graders up who get excited about science, nature, dinosaurs and galaxies far away in space. Students will work with Scientists: http://www.amnh.org/learnteach/grades-6-8. Though tuition for this program is $2,000, the website states scholarships are available. Truman High School is having TRYOUTS for HOOPERS GIRLS BASKETBALL (4th – 12th Grades), February 27 and 28th. Call Bryan Williams at 914-403-2207. Scholarship information for high school students will hopefully be on our website before the end of the month. Stay tuned. Good luck to students applying for college! What has been compiled can be mailed upon request. Please contact, eturner@riverbay board.com. Thanks, cooperators for sharing. “Life’s most urgent and persistent question is, WHAT are you doing for others?” —Dr. Martin Luther King. I may be reached at Evelyn M. Turner, 917-324-1033, or eturner@riverbayboard.com.

your support and get informed. Our building association meets every third Tuesday of the month generally from September through June at 7:30 p.m. If you cannot make it to meetings due to scheduling or other obstacles in your way, please log onto our building email address at building25ca@ gmail.com and address your emails to any or all members of Building 25 Association. I will close with the following quote, in memory of the unforgettable, late Natalie Cole: “I never got to make the transition from little girl to young woman ... and that really screws you up.” —Natalie Cole —Wanda Bailey

Building 32 Association

We are hosting a Meet and Greet in Building 32A on Saturday, January 9 between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in the lobby. You will have the opportunity to find out about our building association, what we do and what we would like to accomplish to better our lives, our building, and our community. We will be in Building 32B, in the lobby, on the following Saturday, January 16, also between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Stop by, meet us and let us greet you. Our first General Membership meeting of the New Year will be on Wednesday, January 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the association room, located in 32 B, first floor rear. There will be light refreshments, a door prize, fifty-fifty, and the opportunity to find out firsthand what is happening and what needs to happen. Our meetings are held bi-monthly and while we all lead busy lives, it is worthwhile to attend. —Lorna Smith

Follow and read the Co-op City Times online at www.issuu.com/cctimes

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Co-op City in crisis Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Bernard Cylich

Looking back objectively, 2015 was a Director’s year of success for our corporation in spite of many obstacles inherited from our previous manager, Marion Scott, Inc. (MSRE), suspended in late 2014. As I wrote in a Viewpoint (12/26/15), “The interim managers, who replaced three fulltime managers, need an immense broom to clean out the mess MSI left. Some problems have been corrected, at a great savings to the corporation. Work is in progress to correct others.” However, in a Viewpoint (1/2/16), a Board member asserted that we have a “management crisis.” What I see as a glass that’s half full, the other Board member sees as half empty. Is Chicken Little’s sky falling once again? But let’s examine what, if any, conditions in Co-op City constitute a “management crisis.” Are we getting sufficient heat and hot water, and air conditioning in the summer? Are the porters keeping the public-area floors clean, and does the Maintenance staff respond to shareholders’ calls in a timely manner? Is our garbage being collected, and is the community’s nearly 300 acres of greenery properly maintained? And there’s more! Weren’t the cooling towers that tested positive for Legionella-related bacteria in 2014 given a clean bill of health recently after major overhaul? Isn’t Co-op City enjoying the lowest crime rate in the Bronx, if not in the city? Didn’t we pay off the $6.5 million labor lawsuit? Didn’t we take steps to ensure that Riverbay is in compliance with the Fair Labor Standard Act, thus avoiding costly fines and lawsuits? Aren’t we witnessing the lowest move-out rate in Co-op City’s history, and isn’t there a 5-year waiting list for Co-op City apartments? Aren’t cooperators and commercial tenants, with

Viewpoint

a few exceptions, paying their monthly carrying charges and rents? Aren’t our carrying Treasurer charges way below market rates? Doesn’t Riverbay pay all its monthly bills, including mortgage fees and taxes, promptly? It seems indisputable that the sky is not falling on Co-op City. There is, quite simply, no “management crisis.” HCR has not overruled MSI suspension On November 17, 2014, MSRE was suspended in order to protect Riverbay’s financial integrity. Two days later, Riverbay’s Board asked HCR (the state’s oversight agency), to investigate the issue, and to terminate MSRE, officially, for cause. To date, even though we presented a mass of evidence of problems with MSRE, HCR has taken no action. It has not overruled the suspension nor terminated MSRE officially. We have, in the meantime, been managed by interim co-managers, Noel Ellison and Peter Merola. Interestingly, when MSRE sued Riverbay in State Supreme Court on January 21, 2015, claiming it had been wrongfully terminated and requesting reinstatement, HCR did not show up in court to join MSRE in its claim. Why not? MSRE’s claim was dismissed by Justice Paul Wooten, who ruled that he found no evidence that the suspension of MSRE had caused irreparable harm to Riverbay Corporation and to the shareholders. Crisis? What crisis? On October 2, 2015, an important meeting took place that could help determine the way Co-op City is managed. At the meeting, Co-op City was represented by Board President Cleve Taylor, First Vice President Linda Berk, and I, the Treasurer. We were accompanied, and assisted, by Riverbay counselors Jeff Buss, and Michael Munns; our interim co-managers, Ellison and Merola; and our elected officials Congressman Eliot Engel, Assemblyman Mike Benedetto, a represen-

tative of State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson and Councilman Andy King. We met for an hour and fifteen minutes with a battery of officials from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); HCR; New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development; and our lender, Wells Fargo. After Taylor and Ellison presented detailed financial and operational reviews, none of the oversight entities expressed concern about the way Co-op City was being managed. None of them found Co-op City to be in “crisis.” No one challenged the legality of the MSRE suspension. No one demanded that we hire any of the eight property managers who had bid for the position, none of whom the Board had found to demonstrate the ability, experience, and “level of expertise that is needed to manage a project of our size and scope.” The HUD representative asked Taylor to provide a document describing how Riverbay is managed. Such a written account would help HUD assuage any concern in Washington that our community is a risk. That document was immediately prepared and in the hands of the oversight entities just four days later. They have not yet responded. Apparently, the agencies do not see crisis in our community. Search for GM candidates For more than a year, our interim managers have run Riverbay capably, overcoming many obstacles and working to overcome others. Nevertheless, the Board and management agreed that the office of Executive Management must be strengthened. Therefore, in November, the Board reestablished an Ad Hoc Committee to begin a search for such candidates or entities. In December, the Board approved a job description for the position to be filled. This job description requires a candidate to have a minimum of 15 years’ experience “managing a large, regulated housing community or local government or municipality.” The committee has begun to solicit for such candidates. We will keep you informed.

We were all saddened by the loss of our beloved “Mayor” of Building 13. We can all take a lesson from the book of the recently departed Sinclair Rowe. He engaged everyone in the building whether he knew you or not, from the youngest to the oldest. He did it in such a way that you were compelled to laugh and answer back. I love sitting in the lobby meeting and catching up with my fellow shareholders, but especially with Sinclair because he made me laugh and supplied really good “oldie” music. We recently sat in the lobby collecting for the holidays while volunteers were decorating and his music was so good folks came in, started singing, reached into their pockets, stayed awhile and

talked. Sinclair will be missed by one and all. Sleep in peace, my friend. Building Elections: According to our by-laws, voting will take place in March and the new term will commence April 1st, the beginning of our fiscal year. Thanks for attending our meetings and events. Our association strives to keep you informed, answer your questions and continue the spirit of togetherness in our building and community. Game Night will be held on January 23. Come play Bid Whist, Spades (bring your partners), Left, Right and Center and Bingo. Of course, if there is another game you want to play, bring it down and teach us. Light

refreshments and dishes are welcome. YOGA classes will resume at the regularly scheduled day beginning on Friday, January 8. What a way to start the New Year. Join us. Checks for Building 13 events should be made payable to Building 13 Assoc. Inc. and mailed to Building 13 Assoc., 100 Casals Place #32K, Bronx, NY 10475. For information, contact Gail Sharbaan, Treasurer at 718-671-3801 or Leslie Peterson at 718320-1370. Our website is http://www.bldg13assoc.com or e-mail us at bthirteen.assoc@yahoo.com. As always, thanks for making our team work. —Leslie Peterson

From Broun Place Townhouse Association: BREAD DUMPED AGAIN AND AGAIN! We have placed signs and will replace them if weather and whatever removes them. We cannot tolerate this illegal act. Bread dumping attracts birds and vermin which means a ton of extra dirt and mess, to say the least. We hope there will be action on moving a camera on the dumpster pad, viewing who is the culprit. I have received a report that the bread dumping is not only in Broun Place. It was also sighted around “Killer Curve.” Please report to Public Safety, 718-671-3050 or CSO. Illegal dumping is a crime and easy to cure. All they need to do is to put it in a bag and into a dumpster bin. New Year’s greetings are again extended. Good luck getting back into your routines. Loved this week’s issue of our Co-op City Times. It contained a review of 2015 and covered the great Kwanzaa celebrations. The Co-op City Times is your source for information of Co-op City and our citizens.

Broun Place Executive Board announces the first meeting of the New Year to take place at the Lazaar home. A flyer will be distributed. It is Thursday, January 21 and then we will celebrate the New Year as we did at last year’s January meeting. Please keep in touch with your Executive Committee, discuss and/or refer your problems regarding sustaining Broun Place and Co-op City. Be on the lookout for people who break our community rules, but please don’t “YOU” intervene directly, call Public Safety. The holiday now behind us means the traffic problem is too, at least Monday through Friday! However, the shopping holidays will bring it all again. Please keep your road rage safety belted. Yeah, they are sneaking up on merge lanes, but you ease over, get to your destination. We see an increase in illegal dumping especially around Stillwell Avenue. We spoke to the CPB10 and will follow up. Unfortunately, the next CPB10 meeting

is the same night as ours. We will learn what went on there. In case you hadn’t noticed, winter is here! We saw someone’s blue terrace cover went over and get stuck in a tree. Thanks to the powers that be for getting that down! Hopefully, your patios and terraces are secured. Cover your tables, chairs and grills. Almost every corner of our neighborhood has a litter can, use them for your litter. Please follow garbage recycling rules when disposing of your garbage. Signs are clearly posted at the compactor sites. Discarded holiday trees belong bagged and placed toward the rear of the dumpster pad. Remember the seven principals of Kwanzaa and employ them. Do you watch Sunday Morning? A segment this week reminds us to take a breath and not overreact to life’s events. Perhaps meditation is helpful in coping with life. Wishing my friend and neighbor, Dorothy. and myself, happy birthday. —Eva Lazaar

Building 13 Association

Broun Place Townhouse Association

If you SEE something, SAY SOMETHING!!! 718-671-3050 • Co-op City Public Safety

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

The Ghanaian Association of Co-op City

About Us: The Ghanaian Association of Co-op City (GACC) is a not-for-profit organization with the purpose of promoting the general welfare of the Ghanaian community in Co-op City. The objectives of the association include providing educational programs to members, building a capacity for greater involvement in the activities of the community, and providing a platform to address issues of common concern to members and the Co-op City community. Children and Youth! As discussed previously, we want to increase our attention on programs and activities for the children and the youth. We need your ideas and support in engaging the children and the youth in meaningful and promising endeavors. Give the name and grade of your child to the youth committee if you have not done so yet. They are the future; let us prepare them well for the opportunities and challenges ahead! Leadership Training: We are reminding all the executive committee members

and general members who are interested of the leadership training on Friday, January 22nd, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. All executive committee members are required to attend the training. Please plan accordingly. January General Meeting: The next General Meeting will be Saturday, January 30th. Dues: Members are reminded to pay your dues. You can now pay using credit card. Pay the entire year’s dues by the end of March, 2016 and get the $20 discount. T-shirts: If you don’t have the association t-shirt yet, please get yours for only $15! You may get additional t-shirts for family and friends. Please Join Us: We need your support. Please join us. We invite you to come to our next general meeting. Call 347-7733499. UNITY IS STRENGTH! JOIN US TODAY! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK! Coop Ghanama or http:/www.facebook.com/ gacc2013 —Seth Osei-Fosu

Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club

The Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club will hold its Regular Monthly Meeting on Thursday, January 21, in the Bartow Center, Room #28, at 7:30 p.m. It is requested that all members attend this very important meeting. This will be our first meeting for the New Year. Several meaningful issues will be discussed relating to the club's activities for the upcoming year. So please attend. The Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club cordially invites you to attend the 12th Annual St. Valentine's Day Dance on Saturday, February 13, in the Dreiser Loop Auditorium B. The time of this event will be from 4 p.m. thru 9 p.m. Music will be provided by Ty & Tye (affiliates of DJ Carol Productions). The cost is $30 per person ($3 per set-up). For ticket information, please contact Ms. Barbara Irby at (718) 379-9294, Ms. Sylvia Polite at (718) 320-2837 or Ms. Gloria Clarke at (718) 379-5430.

There will be no tickets sold at the door. Come out and have an enjoyable time while actually celebrating the observance of Valentine's Day. The club continues to extend get well messages to those members who are recovering from injuries, illnesses, surgeries, and various medical procedures. Please notify our Good & Welfare Chairperson, Ms. Gertie Brown, of any incidents of hospitalizations, surgeries, home-bound status or death in the family. She will handle all acknowledgements from the club regarding these matters. Best wishes are also extended to those members who are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or special event during the month of January. The club extends a very happy and healthy New Year to all our members and members of the Co-op City community. Thank you for your continued support. —George T. Clarke

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Thanks to all our cooperators that contributed to the collection for our building staff. They were presented with their gift on December 18, 2015. Thank you to our building staff for all you do to help keep our building clean and safe. MEETING: Let’s start off the New Year by supporting our monthly meeting and other activities. Our first meeting of 2016 will be held on January 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the rear of Building 4B. There will not be a guest speaker, but we will be introducing our NEW Executive Board members. Stop down and meet, greet and welcome them. Also at this meeting, we will be planning activities for the year 2016. Please come down with any suggestions that you may have as they are welcomed.

ACTIVITIES: (1) You don’t have to go outside for some fun. Come down to the meeting room for a few hours of fun EVERY Thursday. We will be hosting Game Day from 1-3 p.m. You are welcome to share a new game or idea with us or just join in with whatever the week’s game may be. (2) Check the Lobby bulletin board for information regarding our Post-holiday Social. Congratulations to those born in the month of January (including me). Enjoy your special day. Get well wishes to our sick and shut in and condolences to those who have lost someone special. Here is hoping that everyone will have a happy, healthy and safe 2016. Don’t forget this is our home; if you see something, say something. —Yvonne Burrus

Donizetti Building Four Association

Please Refrain From Littering. Keep Co-op City Clean! Thank you!

Sales Committee Report Committee Report

Prepared and submitted by Director Leslie Peterson The Sales Committee meeting was held on December 21, 2015. Restoration Questions: During a discussion regarding the restoration and sale of vacant apartments, several questions arose. We will invite the Restoration Director to an upcoming meeting. • Are there dedicated staff for move outs? • Who is accountable for the inspection of restored apartments before keys are given to Sales Department? • What is the timetable for completion of vacated apartments? • Is there an inspection of the vacated apartments once notification of move out is received? • How soon after an apartment is vacated does restoration begin? • Can the point at which financing is requested be reviewed? The committee is desirous of exploring ways to reduce the number of complaints received after a shareholder has moved in, the condition of the apartment when being sold, and discussing the wait time after the sale is completed. Update - The following informa-

tion is through November 30, 2015. • There were 35 move-outs, 27 move-ins and 6 transfers. • There are 2,971 applicants on the waiting list (as of November 30, 2015), one (1) bedroom - 1,074, two (2) bedroom - 1,293 and three (3) bedroom 604. • There are 167 applicants on the transfer list (as of November 30, 2015), one (1) bedroom - 14, two (2) bedroom - 101, and three (3) bedroom - 52. There are 179 vacant units in various stages of sale. 1. Applications at HCR awaiting approval – 58 2. Applicant files being prepared for HCR – 23 3. HCR approved applicants waiting for financing/closing date – 23 4. Applicants contacted awaiting response/additional information – 53 5. Applicants scheduled to view a unit – 17 6. Transfers contacted awaiting response/additional information – 2 7. Waiting for # to be reached – 1 8. Model apartments – 2 • The next Sales Committee meeting is scheduled for January 25.

Co-op Insurance

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

The Wright Agency: Serving Co-op City for 35 years!

Riverbay Requires Current Co-op Shareholders to Obtain Coverage!

Your Co-op is an Investment Worth Protecting! Pro tecti on to cover your bel ongi ngs against: • Fire & Smoke • Water damage from plumbing • Vandalism/Riot

We o f f e r :

• Low Premiums • Protective Device Discounts • Auto-Home Discounts • 55 & Retired Discounts

• Certain personal liabilities • Guest medical protection • And so much more!

Other Line s of Insurance: • Auto • Homeowners • Life

Anthony Wright

The Wright Agency

Rates as low as $72 for the entire year!

Notary Public on staff!

We are conveniently located only blocks from Co-op City! Hours:

Monday: 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Tuesday: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Wednesday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m.

(near Eastchester Road)

1435 East Gun Hill Road

718-671-8000 Call Us Today!

Courteous Staff! Convenient Hours!

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Let's critique what's going on with these leaks Daryl Johnson

Our finances are partly being drained because of our high water bills. And, I hon- Director’s estly don't believe that our water bills and our leaks are being taken seriously by some of our managers. Don't Go With This Flow Can you believe that twenty-eight (28) gallons of water are still leaking out of those bad pipes on Cooper Place, near the baseball fields? And, guess who is paying for this waste? According to our budget, we will pay about $18 million a year for our water bill. Now, please ask yourself if it makes sense for us to pay this amount of money and we know that we have pipes that are leaking a lot of water. Nevertheless, an argument can be made that management has to go through the so-called 'system' just to speed this work up. And, this argument might be true. But, my point is that an emergency meeting should be called to get the state and our directors to approve the work that needs to be done so that we can get those pipes fixed. Who is going to deny this request? Who is going to vote no for an honest resolution to fix these pipes? Personally, I don’t think that anyone is going to deny this request, if things are done properly. So, if that's the case, then why isn't this work getting done? My opinion is that some of our managers have not shown the proper willingness to get this job done in a rapid manner. And, this lackadaisical attitude has permeated through several departments here. So, that's another reason why we must bring in a no-nonsense management company to take care of business here. Pipe Sealant? There's a company that claims it can place a sealant in our pipes to supposedly stop those leaks. And, their sealant is supposed to last for a long time. But, my question is: What if that sealant doesn't work out? "Well, I don't know. I guess that we'll have to start over again," is what some people might say. Nonsense! Look, let's bring in some professional engineers and

Viewpoint

let's replace those damaged pipes with some really good pipes. Then, let's work with those engineers to see if we should build a protective encasement for those new pipes. Rocket science? No, you don't need a degree in rocket science to get this job done. What we need are people that care about this community. Ferry Service Starting in 2017, the city will launch a new ferry service that will cover all five boroughs. From the Bronx, the ferry service will start in Soundview. The cost will be the same as the subway, $2.75. Question: Why haven't we done anything with our waterfront on Co-op City Boulevard? Look, it would have been great if we could have developed our waterfront and had a ferry service to Manhattan and other places. This one development could be bringing in millions of dollars for this community. New Laundry Machines New washing machines should have been installed in building 17 this past week. And, if everything goes well, new washing machines will be installed in the following buildings: 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 18, 28, 32, and 35 by the end of April, 2016. Previously, we had a lot of problems with the former washing machines breaking down for a variety of reasons. There would be occasions when four or more washing machines would be out of service at the same time. Fortunately, management replaced those machines with new machines. But, those new machines were installed with darkened glass panes. That infuriated a lot of cooperators because they couldn't see how those machines were performing. These new machines will have clear glass panes. And, they should hopefully perform better than the previous machines. A normal wash cycle should take about 36 minutes. This 36-minute timeframe will be extended to about 42 minutes if the extra rinse button is pressed. The price will remain at $1.25 for these 22-pound

machines. However, a .25 cent discount will be offered from 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This discount is offered to alleviate the crowded conditions during the evenings and weekends. Townhouse Safety Our townhomes are nice and offer a lot of convenience to our cooperators. But, everyone should think about a big safety issue that is affecting this community and lots of other places. Specifically, we have to consider that someone might want to break into our homes and steal our property. Now, do we have a lot of break-ins here? No. However, have burglars been caught inside of some of these townhomes? Absolutely, yes! So, I want to encourage everyone that lives in these townhomes to please lock your doors and your windows before you go outside. Also, I want to encourage everyone to please look out for your neighbor's property. Did you see someone acting suspiciously near someone's townhome? Did you see someone opening and climbing into a window? These outrageous incidents have occurred at some of these townhomes. So, that's why I want to encourage everyone to please be courteous and help your neighbors. Also, please call our Public Safety Department at 718-671-3050 if you see anything suspicious in this community. Thank you. Close Let's do our best to make 2016 a better year than 2015. Thank you. Questions or comments? Please send a letter to: Daryl Johnson, Riverbay Board Director, c/o Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475. Or, please send a message to me at darylhjohnson@optonline.net (There are absolutely no problems with this email address. So, please double-check the spelling of this address if your message bounces back to you.) Also, please call me at 718-671-4544 if you don't receive a response from your message. You can also join me on Facebook by typing in: Daryl H. Johnson. Okay, that’s it for now. So, please have a wonderful week. And, may God bless you and your family. Thank you.

The New Year has begun and we are in full throttle. This year, we will be focusing on cultural history, personal growth, economics and empowerment. If you want to contribute something positive this year to any of the above, email us at the address below. The association sponsors the following ongoing programs and encourages your participation. Children’s Programs – For information about the early morning school drop-off program and the afterschool programs, call 718-379-5555. Yoga & Pilates Mat Classes – Classes are held at 7:15 p.m., Dreiser Center, Rm. 2. Lose weight, tone and strengthen your muscles with exercises that reduce

stress through breathing techniques. For more information, call 718-671-8364. Belly Dance Classes – Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m., Dreiser Center, Room #2. For a nominal fee, you will have fun and stay in shape. For more information, call Xonia, 646-301-9438. Evening Line Dance Classes – Dance to Soul, Latin, and Gospel music on Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. in Dreiser Center, Room #2. Call Cynthia, 917-903-7073. Music, Rhythm & Dance – Most Fridays, 7:30 p.m., Dreiser Center, Rm. 15; most Saturdays, 10:00 a.m., Dreiser Center, Room #2. Call Keith, 917-561-6211. Adult Study Group – The Institute for Youth meets

on the 2nd & 4th Mondays, 7:00 p.m., Dreiser Center, Room 15. Please call to confirm, 718-379-5555. General Membership Meeting – The next meeting will be on Thursday, January 14, at 6:30 p.m. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please read our weekly column for updates. Also, if you wish to join or update your membership, please send a check or money order (DO NOT MAIL CASH) of $15 for a single membership or $25 for families to: African-American Association of Co-op City, P.O. Box 702, Co-op City Station, Bronx, NY 10475. Donations are welcomed. Like us on Facebook: CoopcityAfricanamericanassoc/ email us at: aaaccpower@gmail.com. —Kevin Lambright

Wow! Here we are in 2016! We wish all of our members, friends and neighbors good health, peace and prosperity in this New Year! Our NCNW Co-op City Section will have its first membership meeting of the new year tomorrow, Sunday, January 10, in Room 11, Dreiser Community Center at 3 p.m. Let this meeting be a priority for you! This is a special year for us! We will be celebrating our 45th year in the Co-op City community. It was in 1971 that Dr. Dorothy I. Height came to Co-op City and issued us our charter. Since we are a community service organization, it is only occasionally that we have gala celebratory events, but we certainly are planning one in October of this year. Please come out to this first meeting to suggest your ideas, share your contacts and experience and volunteer your time to “get this show on the road.” Also, just a reminder that if you have not yet paid your local dues, your name

will not be listed on the next Membership List unless you pay at January’s meeting. Please do not keep our 15th Annual Black History Youth Celebration a secret. Save the date: Saturday, February 27, Dreiser Auditorium B from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. If you know any youth or youth groups who would like to showcase their talent in singing, dancing, poetry, spoken word or displaying their art work, please contact Lori Melton at ncnwco.opcity@gmail.com or Facebook.com/ncnwcoop or P.O. Box 93, Bronx, NY 10475. We are pleased to have Artist/Author Robin Miller as our Storyteller, and Radio Personality DJ Roxie from 103.9 radio station as our Mistress of Ceremonies. Now that the holidays and vacations of 2015 are behind us, start planning for 2016. We still have a few spots available on our trip to Italy. Spend eight glorious days in Italy visiting Rome, Florence and Venice,

September 11-18. A perfect one-week vacation seeing the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s David, private boat ride on the Venetian canals, St. Mark’s Square and Doges’ Palace and much more! To reserve your space, send your deposit and trip insurance to: NCNW Co-op City Section, P.O. Box 93, Bronx, NY 10475. For more information, call: 718-320-2366 or 718-655-9034 or 718-538-8606. Most of our travelers use a monthly payment plan and credit card payments are also accepted. A special thanks to our members and friends who donated so many hours to our fundraising gift wrapping at Barnes & Noble in November and December. When we work together, so much can be accomplished. Happy birthday to all our members with birthdays in January! Let us celebrate with you at our meeting tomorrow. —Joyce Howard

African-American Association of Co-op City

National Council of Negro Women

If you SEE something, SAY SOMETHING!!! 718-671-3050 • Co-op City Public Safety

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Co-op City Sports

Velocity Track Club New York Happy New Year! If this weekend’s performance is a sign on how 2016 will be, then Velocity Track Club New York will have a blessed year. On the weekend of January 2nd, VTC girls competed in Week #2 of the Colgate Women’s Games and on Sunday, January 3rd, the boys and some girls competed in the YMCA Brooklyn Armory Meet #1. Both meets were highly competitive with athletes traveling as far as Georgia. In Week #1 of the Colgate Women’s Games, we were just coming off the cross-country season and we didn’t adjust to the sprints as good as we wanted to. In Week #1, we had 5 girls earn points: Dominique Jackson, Nariah Mathis, Olyvia Burrell, Jada Clark and Danielle Jackson. In Week #2, we have 7 girls earn points, plus some of them earned points in 2 events. Athletes added to the list of point earners are Brianna Burrell, Jaelah Eargle and Pearl Webster.

Great job! As of January 1st, some athletes moved up to a new age division. Every two years starting at 8 years old, athletes will compete in a two year age bracket under the USA Track & Field rules, 9 & 10, 11 & 12, 13 & 14, 15 & 16 and 17 & 18 years old. Therefore, on Sunday, January 3rd at the Park Slope Armory YMCA (Brooklyn) Meet #1, some of our children moved up to a new age division. The meet events were long jump, high jump, 4x200 relay, 1500 meters, 3000 meters, 200 meters, 800 meters and 4X400 meters relay. Medals were given to the top 5 athletes in their event, gender and division. VTC athletes were able to muscle up 12 medals. In the boys 8 & under age division, Pierce Parker took 2nd place in the 1500 meter run and Dillon Hampton took 3rd. Moving up to the boy’s 11 & 12 age division, Dontae Lindo won the 3000 meter run and took

Two Co-op City student athletes shine at CHSAA BY WINSTON DINKINS Two Co-op City student athletes on the Monsignor Scanlan Track Team, Alyah Lightbourne and Jaelah Eargle, were standouts in the Catholic High School Athlete Association (CHSAA) track meets. On Saturday, December 19th, Monsignor Scanlan High School Track & Field Team participated in the Ignatian Invitation at the Vince Lombardi Center in the Bronx, NY. The meet was well organized and hosted by Fordham Prep. Schools within the CHSAA, as well as the PSAL (Public School Athletic League) participated in this invitation which made it hard to earn a medal. Medals were given to the top 5 athletes in their event/gender & division, plus the top 10 in the shot put. The events were 55 meters hurdles, 1000 meter run, 600 meter run, 300 meter run, 800 meter relay and shot put. The two young ladies from Co-op City on the Monsignor Scanlan’s Track Team represented the school well. First, Junior (11th grade) Alyah Lightboure ran her personal best in the girls 600 meter race and took 3rd place earning her a bronze medal. Alyah is known for

From left to right are Alyah Lightboure, Coach Winston Dinkins & Jaelah Eargle.

her cross-country races, so this was a plus for her to medal in a 600 meter race. Freshman (9th grade) Jaelah Eargle flew through the hurdles in the freshman division. This was Jaelah 2nd Gold Medal in the freshman 55 meter hurdles. After winning the 55 meter hurdles, she ran the freshman 300 meters dash and took 3rd place, earning a bronze medal. Continued success to both young ladies!

Building 10 Association

Please mark your calendars for our first General Membership meeting for 2016 which will occur on Tuesday, January 12, at 7 p.m. sharp. We hope you will attend and look forward to seeing you in the association room, located in the rear lobby of Building 10B. The same week, following the General Membership Meeting, we will have a Building 10 Association New Year celebration on Saturday, January 16th, at 7 p.m., also in the association room. Children can accompany their

parents. The Youth Committee’s Youth Movie Night previously mentioned here has been postponed. Look for further details in future newspaper articles. We look forward to seeing you at the next membership meeting. We will share our plans for 2016. We look forward to each of you sharing your thoughts about the events and meetings which transpired in 2015 and your ideas for what we can achieve as goals in 2016. —Ron Campbell

2nd in the 800 meter race. Then Julian Caldwell ran his personal best in the 800 meters to earn a bronze (3rd) medal. Also in the same age division, Jordan Ingram won a bronze medal (3rd) in the high jump. All 3 boys move up to an older division and were able to medal. In the Girls 13 & 14 age division, Danielle Jackson took 2nd in the 200 meter dash and Shantae Leach took 3rd. In the boys 15 & 16 age division, Raseam Phillip won a bronze medal (4th) in the 200 meter dash. Darius Gordon took 2nd in the long jump and 3rd in 800 meters. Ladarius Jones took 3rd Velocity Track Club New York’s 2015 National in the long jump. Great job, all Champion and Elite Eight (at podium) athletes. athletes! Parents and coaches are proud of what you have percent of your donation will go to help accomplished. Our next meet will be the Colgate our children. Women’s Games on January 8th – 10th For additional information, you can and the AAU Mid-Season Invitational go to our web site Velocitytrack.org or Championship at the New Bal-ance, contact me, Coach Winston Dinkins, at Armory on January 10th. 914-441-6196 or email me at watclt Velocity Track Club New York is a @aol.com. 501(C)3 not-for-profit. One hundred —Winston Dinkins

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

First 6 months of Elected Service to Our Community

Dear fellow cooperators, It is with great pleasure that I again Director’s thank you for entrusting me to be one of your 15 elected Board members. I promised you all that fiscal integrity would be a goal to which I'm committed and that promise remains. I began my term by empowering each of you with knowledge surrounding Succession Rights to your apartment. It is so important that you remember two important requirements. First, the person who you would like to succeed you MUST be on your Income Affidavit for at least 2 consecutive years prior to the planned succession. Second, while there are some exceptions to the relationship rules, typically they are blood relative of close degrees. I also collaborated, through my church, with the Community Services Society to provide greater opportunities for eligible cooperators to apply for SCRIE/DRIE last September. Both these issues are critical to overall quality of life and to assist in maintaining affordability. I also ran on a slate that promised to support the establishment of a Youth and Community Center for our community. I vigorously supported the initial idea and my children were among the youth who lent ideas to what should be offered as a service if one should ever be established. Once I became more involved with the process and tried to support the proposals before the Board/ Riverbay Fund, it became clear that there were basic things that needed to be secured prior to proceeding. My entire professional career has been devoted to youth development and revenue management. I also co-founded and ran a youth program for 7 successful years. While the initial plans and thoughts for a youth center were good, in my opinion, there was a good amount of putting the cart before the horse. When the time came to make a decision regarding the former Bingo Hall and whether or not the youth center would be housed there, or if the corporation should put the space back on the commercial market, I did not decide without careful thought and consideration being given to the needs of the youth and the

community. In my opinion, once the corporation leased the Chinese Buffet space to another restaurant that will also serve liquor, I no longer believed this space was conducive to a youth center. The proximity of alcohol to the under-aged does not make for a responsible community decision. In addition, when we raised the carrying charges on shareholders, I became more committed to investigating viable avenues to raise revenue so as to avert additional increases in the near future. Our Real Estate consultants reported to the full Riverbay Board that they are confident that the space could generate approximately $400,000 annually. If this is the case, then the responsible decision was to return the space to Commercial Leasing for them to solicit interested parties. Riverbay owns land that could be developed and a youth center be erected; this is a progressive, thinking out-of-the-box idea that should be explored. Interest in our young people is not just an interest of mine or one or two other Directors, it is an interest to all of us, including many of you. Dating back to the 1980's and under the leadership of former President/Director Al Shapiro, the interest was strong to provide a center for our youth. I believe we can work together and make this a reality in 2016 by planning cohesively and ensuring that any resources put into this project, will result in the community receiving a great Return on Investment (ROI). As Chair of the Contracts and Compliance Committee, I work closely with the Procurement Director Jose Mendez to ensure that all gaps are closed in the contracting and purchasing processes. Jose and his team are doing a great job and savings have been realized! There is much more to be done and I hope to, in the coming months, be able to share with you all savings of between $500K to $1M. I've been appointed to Chair the Labor Relations Committee and my intent is to ensure that all employees receive the best from and give their best to the Riverbay Corporation. The committee will be working closely with our newly hired Human Resources Director, Inelle

Cooper, to advocate for her department’s needs to the full Board and to provide greater oversight and set policy around issues of labor. Resolution 15-71 Succession Planning This is a Resolution that I am sponsoring and I really hope to have passed. It was tabled during the Second Reading for greater consideration. Here's the deal. Riverbay is the second largest employer in the Bronx. In my opinion, we have some of the best employees around. It is, however, an aging workforce whether Union or Non-Union. Our Non-Union Management staff, in particular, has average tenures of between 20-25 years and many are approaching retirement age. Our management payroll is in excess of $6.5M and many of our directors have no plan for their departure which includes who is a viable candidate to succeed them or whether the corporation should begin to gather a pool of possible replacements. The reality is that whether retirement or illness would be the cause of a sudden departure, the corporation has a potential gap in critical positions. I also noticed that often we are contracting with outside vendors for services or roles that should be completed by the staff we are already paying. This is duplicative and wasteful and, at the same time, necessary because we haven't planned for what next. A corporation of this size should not operate in crisis mode and this is why a Succession Plan is necessary. Our managers should be able to identify their top staff and those who they'd recommend to succeed them. The expertise and knowledge that we have been and are paying them for should not retire or leave when they do. Succession Planning will ensure that we are getting the bang for the buck that we deserve. The continued absence of such a plan will eventually lead to additional expenses to you and me. I urge the Board to pass this Resolution to ensure greater accountability and practical planning (which I might add is a staple of corporations smaller than Riverbay) in the event of retirement, illness and even the corporation's need to separate service from any employee. If you'd like to reach me, please feel free to contact me at (718) 644-0951 or by email at djenkins@riverbayboard.com.

away to the post of the everlasting on Wednesday, December 23rd, 2015. He was 73 years old and served in the US Army and held the rank of Major for 30 years. He will be missed by his family and friends. The next executive meeting will take place on January 16, at 11:00 a.m. sharp. Please arrive on time.

Quotes of the day: Better is a poor man who walks in integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways. A mistake repeated more than once is a decision. This information is provided to you by your Post information officer. —Richard I. Lawson Jr.

Rev. Deborah D. Jenkins

Greetings to all our Post members who are homebound and recovering from various medical operations. We wish you a speedy recovery. Happy birthday to all of our members who will be celebrating a birthday this month. Our Post is always looking for new members, so if you are a veteran from any branch of the military, stop by and join. Bring your DD-214 with you. Post 1871 is located in Section 5 in the community center, 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 41. Our office telephone number is (718) 320-8164 and our email address is post1871@ optimum.net. Did you know that Robert Duval, the actor, fought in the Korean War. He served a year in the US Army and held the rank of a Private First Class. Why Should I belong to the American Legion? The American Legion is the nation’s largest and most influential network of the U.S. wartime families and communities. From budget hearings to baseball diamonds, combat outpost to children’s hospitals, the Legion has something for everyone under its four pillars of service. The American Legion has nearly 2.4 million members and over 13,000 community posts. Do you know what the Revolution War was about? In the simplest terms, the revolution was about the battle of wills between an array of orators and writers unparalleled in human history and a paranoid and lazy government, detached from the citizenry and attached to power. The Tea Tax affected John Hancock far more than John Doe, but Samuel Adams and John Adams spoke eloquently, as well as many others about the right of a man to determine his own life – namely, to live his own life and not have the government determine it for him through regulations. The words “When, in the course of human events?” made it all seem so inevitable. Naturally, the government tried to stomp out the rabble-rousers. So you think you have the flu? Here are symptoms of the flu: 100 degree Fahrenheit or higher fever, cough and stuff nose, head and/or body aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive fatigue. If you have any of these symptoms, please see your doctor. Our Post Dept. Commander from 2014-2015 passed

Viewpoint

American Legion Post 1871 Home to all who served

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Retirees of Dreiser Loop A New Year

Advance Health Care Planning The Retirees of Dreiser Loop invites you to attend an advance health care forum, Wednesday, January 27, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Dreiser Community Center, 177 Dreiser Loop, Rm. 19 (2nd floor). RSVP by Thursday, January 18. Call 718-379-0377 or 917-734-5935. Travel Events (2016): (LORANTs Coach Bus, located Dreiser Loop, opposite H&R Block) ● January 13&14 (Wed. & Thurs.) – FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO, CT. Lorants Coach bus. Depart: 11 a.m. Contacts: Serita G., 347-5645722/Barbara W, 718-320-0500. ● March 24 (Thurs.) - SANDS CASINO RESORT, BETHELEM, PA. SOLD OUT!

Lorants Coach bus. Depart: 8:45 a.m. Contacts: Serita G., 347-5645722/Barbara W., 718-320-0500. ● April 26-28 (Tues.-Thurs.) BALLY’S HOTEL AND CASINO, Atlantic City. Rebate: $25 slot play + $25 food credit. A Meet & Greet upon arrival. 3 days/2 night charming hotel accommodations. Close to boardwalk and outlet shopping. Price: Double - $190/Single $250. Final payment due Wednesday, March 2nd. Contacts: Beverly James/Virginia Stewart, 718-379-0377. THEATRE COMMITTEE (2016): (*price includes transportation): ● Sat., Jan. 23rd, 8 p.m. show, DOO WOP. Price: $55. Lehman College. Meet/depart: TBA. RDL Van opposite Rehab Center. Contact: Lois Scott, 718-

379-0377. ● Thurs., March 10th, 7:00 p.m. show. Price: $117. COLOR PURPLE, Jacob Theatre. Final payment due. Contact: Eleanor Barlow, 718-324-7847. ● Wed., May 11th. Price: $135 (check/money order; your deposit will hold a seat). SAMSON, Sight & Sound Theatre, Lancaster County, PA. Price includes show, followed by a smorgasbord meal at Miller’s restaurant. FINAL PAYMENT: Wed., March 2. Contacts: Virginia Stewart/Delores Debnam, 718-3790377. Good And Welfare Get well wishes to Lorraine Parker who had a short stay in the hospital, but happily she is now back home. Those of

you still under the weather, know that you are thought of warmly and wished brighter days. Call Josephine Flowers, 718-320-0539, regarding illnesses and bereavements. Remember – Your DEPOSIT, along with your name and telephone number, is required to reserve your trip &/or theatre seat. Check/money order addressed to RETIREES OF DREISER LOOP. Committee members will be available in Dreiser clubroom 19 (718-379-0377) on Mondays and/or Thursdays, 2:305:00 p.m. “A New Year is like a blank book, and the pen is in your hands. It is your chance to write a beautiful story for yourself. Peace & Joy!” —Claudette Davis

The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (NANBPWC); The Williamsbridge Club is an organization dedicated to community service in the areas of health, employment, education and economic development. The Adult Club meets at Dreiser Center on the second Friday of every month. Young women, 18-35, who are in or preparing for a business/professional career can become members of

the Young Adult Club. Greetings, dear friends. It is our wish that you celebrated a very Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and a wonderful start to a happy, prosperous, peaceful and healthy New Year. Our next event is an Orientation for prospective new members on January 30, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., at Dreiser Loop Community Center, Room 9. The Williamsbridge Club will be partnering with the New York Downstate BPW

Club. If you wish to become a member, please RSVP to Sandra Hall (917.972. 7732) or Joetta Brown (718.328.2302). Refreshments will be served. If you are interested in serving an Internship or Community Service Project, please contact the club at the address listed. We are looking for young people who want to increase their skills. If you know of a youth age 13–18 who would be interested in joining our youth club, please forward the information to us. Please check

this column for ongoing information. Information concerning the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. may be found at www.nanbpwc.org or Facebook: ThewilliamsbridgeBPWC, or our mailing address: Williamsbridge Club, P.O. Box 6, Co-op City Station; Bronx, New York 10475. Our phone contacts are 718.328.2302, Joetta Brown; or 917.972.7732, Sandra Hall. —Joetta Brown

March meeting. The Executive Committee has decided that the upcoming election is critical. That said, we will be working diligently and join forces with others for a most massive non-partisan voter registration drive and education. We all agreed that the upcoming presidential, congressional, legislative

and gubernatorial elections are too critical to minority communities across the state and nation to not be involved in working with the NAACP and other coalitions to get people out to vote. The club will decide on endorsing candidates for elective office, as well as interview candidates for City

Council, Bronx Borough President, the State Legislature and Congress from our district. We plan to educate the community about candidates and issues. Guest speakers will be invited. We must organize for more power in Co-op City. You may call 718-3201861 to get on the mailing list. —Evelyn M. Turner

The new year has started and if you would like to be more creative and enjoy drawing and painting, you could derive much pleasure from attending classes at BVA. Art classes are held every Tuesday, in Room 5, in the Dreiser Community Center. If you have ever wanted to learn to paint and draw, this is your chance to discover your talent and the satisfaction of creating beautiful artwork. You can choose from the 2 class schedules which are 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. The fees are as follows: Annual membership is $35 a year and a session of 10 classes is

$60. This is the best bargain in the Bronx – maybe even the city – given the quality of instruction offered. Mr. Moses Groves, BVA’s own art instructor, is the artistic guide for these classes. Mr. Groves is an accomplished artist who has studied at the Art Students League and NYU. He has exhibited work in the New York and New Jersey area and has won awards for his artwork. BVA is a non-profit, self-supporting organization that needs your support to continue offering high level art instruction at these bargain prices. So come join BVA on this fabulous artistic trek,

take a class, make a tax deductible donation, and feel the satisfaction of being a creator and/or patron of the arts. All checks should be made out as indicated above. If you would like more information

about classes or members’ artwork, you can call Moses Groves at 201-8620847. Science is for the body and art is for the soul. —Sylvia Lochansky

Happy New Year! We hope that everyone has a healthy and happy new year. I would like to thank the volunteers who helped decorate the lobby for the holidays, Vasti, Pat Carmen, John Dorothy and Jippy, for doing a beautiful job on the tree. Our next building association meeting will be on Monday, January 11th at

7 p.m. in our meeting room in the rear lobby of Building 15B. We will have a guest speaker, Captain Danielle Raia of the 45th Precinct. We would like to welcome any new cooperators to the building and invite them to join us at our meeting. Refreshments will be served. We will also have a 50/50 raffle. —Sandy Krasnove

We are pleased to announce that based on the encouragement and wise counsel of the Vice President, Patricia Mayo Bonaparte, the Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club will resume meeting in March. Please be on the lookout for a personal invitation and/or a notice in the Co-op City Times about the time and location of the

Williamsbridge Club

Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club

Baychester Visual Arts Association

Building 15B Association

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

120 DeKruif Place (street level). Praise and Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. Church telephone: (347) 346-5790; email: fatwcc@aol.com. Weekly Worship Experiences: Tuesday Prayer Service, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Bible Study, 6:30 p.m. Sunday Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m. Teen Church, 10:00 a.m., 2nd Sundays; Children's Church, 3rd Sundays (K3); Older Children's Church, 4th Sundays (4th-7th). Church Motto: "We are Christ-centered, familyfocused with power and authority." Church Mission: To empower, educate and motivate men, women, boys and girls to reach their full potential and live abundant lives through preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Come worship with us – where we honor tradition, but are not bound by it! All are welcome to join us any and every Sunday because our goal is to share the Gospel of

It's a new year full of new potential and possibilities! My question is what are you going to do this year that's different from what you did last year? Where in your life are you going to make a change? I've heard it said that the definition of "insanity" is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results! Why not take my 30-day challenge and kick off your new year reaching for God's help? Here are 5 personal growth questions that I hope will help you find the answers: #1. Am I depending on God’s wisdom instead of

Faith In God Church & Bible Institute

Rev. Dr. Gladys R. Little, Apostle, and Pastor & Evangelist Vernon Little greet everyone in the name of Jesus, that name which is above every name. We want you to know that you are welcome in this house of the Lord! It is His house by ownership; it is our house by stewardship, and it can be your house by membership; so come on in and join with us. May God bless you in this house! The best place for God's Word is our hearts. This comes from reading, meditating on, and memorizing it. Let's look at Scripture to support this. Psalms 119:9-16 says: 9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Invitations Sweet Hour of Prayer is today at 3 p.m. Sunday School is tomorrow at 10 a.m. Our Sunday Morning Worship Service is at 11 a.m. Every 3rd Sunday following the morning worship, we serve Holy Communion. If you’re into gospel rap/holy hip-hop, go to www.soundcloud.com and download music from Vernon Little free of charge. He also has videos on YouTube. You will be blessed, encouraged, and inspired. We are located at 171 Dreiser Loop in Section 1. Our phone # is (347) 276-4925. Jesus loves you, and so do we. He's the reason for the season! Happy New Year! —Apostle Gladys R. Little

Faith @ Work Christian Church Jesus Christ, in LOVE, through teaching and preaching the Word of God from the Bible. 10th Annual Mom's Day of Prayer, January 16th 10 a.m. Rev. Patricia Morris, Pastor of New Springfield Baptist Church, will be our preacher. The theme is "Prayer for Children who suffer from Church Hurt." We're going in with the truth!!! If you want your children back walking with God, come out and pray with us and watch God's power be revealed. Divine Expressions Book Club: The Faith Family Life Center will host a monthly gathering of avid book lovers and those who want the fellowship of a book club. The club will read books of NYC area authors, national authors and have light refreshments during fellowship. As the author of two books, I know how important it is to meet the audience who reads and purchases your book and how important it is to hear feed-

Newsong Church

my own? Although we think we know what's best for us, we don't! The truth is most of us are in the situations we're in BECAUSE we did what we wanted to do. Pick up the Bible and read the Word of God. Go to church this Sunday and listen to God’s wisdom being preached, join a LifeGroup and learn from others who are applying God's wisdom to their lives! #2. Am I depending on God’s strength instead of my own? You may be strong, but God is stronger. In fact, when we admit we are weak in any situation, God becomes strong for us. Start asking God to be strong for you! #3. Am I depending on God’s timing, not mine? If you're like me, you're pretty impatient. Let's face it, we're used to instant gratification. How many times have you rushed into a relationship, or a decision wishing afterward that you had waited? God's timing is perfect! #4. Am I depending on God’s defense? When somebody says something mean to you on social media, do you immediately retaliate? If they spread gossip about you, do you do the same to them? This year, pay no attention to the haters and let God be your defender! (He's much better at it). #5. Am I depending on God’s security and not my own? Where do you get your sense of security from? Do you get it from your job, your money, or your

back. Our first book will be "Destiny" by Bishop T.D. Jakes. Register with the club and we can get bulk discount pricing. If you're interested, please email Pastor Jenkins at fatwcc@aol.com. 2nd Worship Service: FREE TO WORSHIP!!! FEBRUARY 28, 12 p.m. We will be adding an additional worship service!! It will be a non-traditional Free 2 Worship Hour of Power!! We are so excited!! Like our current worship service, this will be for everyone!!! If you love Jesus and for whatever reason have felt marginalized and kept from him, this is for you!! If you are raising a family and want the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this is for you!! Prepare to join us!! God will be praised!! Remember, it's never about us, but always about the goodness of the Lord. —Pastor Deborah D. Jenkins

relationships? The problem is when these things go away, it leaves us feeling anxious and lost. This year, depend on God to be your security! God promises to provide for all of your needs. He also promises to never leave you or forsake you! We hope that you will join us this Sunday! Our Worship Experience starts at 11:00 a.m. and is located at 177 Dreiser Loop in Auditorium B. Parking is available in the parking garage, just bring your ticket in for validation. Deaf interpretation is available during our adult worship experience. If you have any questions, you can contact us: Church Office: 140 Alcott Place Bldg.19. Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10AM-4PM. Phone: 718-708-8385 Email: info@newsongchurchnyc.org For more information, check out our website: www.newsongchurchnyc.org You can also interact with us on social media! Facebook: www.facebook.com/newsongchurchbx Twitter: @newsongchurchBX Instagram: @newsongchurchBX Our Newsong family is here for you, stop by this Sunday and experience the difference! God Bless you! —Pastor Mike Tolone

Family Owned and Operated

• Large Chapel on premises

• Pre-need counseling

• Ample Parking on premises

• Out of town services

• Casket Showroom on premises

• Cremations

A dignified funeral every family can afford. All areas are handicapped accessible

Personalized & Professional Care • 50 Years Serving Our Community Worldwide Shipping including Caribbean, Africa & South America

718-231-7647 Call 24 Hours

Fax: 718-231-7665

NOW WEBCASTING TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABROAD

www.mccalls.net • director@mccalls.net 4035 Bronxwood Avenue, Bronx, N.Y.

Serving all cultures & faiths

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Greater Love Baptist Church

“Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” —1 Timothy 4:15 Spiritual Food for Thought: Significant changes have taken place that affect you. Instead of looking back with remorse, set your heart to move forward with a sense of hope and purpose. There are things that you need to understand and accomplish. Position yourself for progression. Blessed New Year to all! Pastors Boyce and Carol Landrum and the Greater Love family look forward to continued service to our community in 2016. Our focus remains to teach and preach the true gospel message; The Good News about the coming Kingdom of God. It is a message of hope for this entire world and for you and your family. God is building a family that will soon rule the entire earth, bringing peace and

happiness. We welcome you to fellowship with us on Sunday mornings at 11:30 a.m. We are conveniently located at 900 Co-op City Blvd. (Bldg. 2A), on the ground level, Bronx, N.Y. 10475; main entrance - red button. Free parking is available in Garage #1 on Darrow Place. Afternoon Prayer Meetings: All are invited to participate in our weekly corporate prayer meeting on Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. The anointed servant of the Lord and prayer warrior, Elder V. Archer-Dyer, is available to pray for you and with you in the name of Jesus Christ. Sunday Bible School for Children (ages 5-12): We invite you to bring your child to Sunday School to learn about Salvation and what the Good News is all about. Class begins promptly at 10:00 a.m. A light breakfast will be provided for the children

from 11:00-11:30 a.m. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute: On Sunday, January 17th at 3:30 p.m., Greater Love will join in fellowship with the Missionary Baptist Church for a special tribute to the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Presiding Elder Landrum will be a guest speaker at the service. All traveling with us are asked to meet at Greater Love at 3:00 p.m. Greater Love’s MOSAIC (Making Our Souls Alive In Christ) Women’s Ministry: Please join us for a fellowship event and luncheon on Saturday, January 23rd from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. This month’s dynamic guest speaker is Minister Kim Wilson, Founder & President of the Virtuous Women’s Ministry/Ever Living Waters Church in Brooklyn, and organizer of the annual VW retreat at Eddy’s Farm in Sparrowbush, New York. We will also honor the Missionary Board

of Co-op City Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Sheldon Williams, Pastor, for their tremendous help in building up the food pantry at Greater Love. Come out for some spiritual R & R! Weekly Schedule Church phone: 347-920-5607 Email: glcubc@optonline.net. Sunday Bible School: 10:00 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship: 11:30 a.m. Holy Communion – First Sunday Adult Bible Study/Discipleship Class: Tuesday evenings: 7:00 p.m. Prayer Meeting: Wednesday afternoon, 1:00 p.m. Deacon Training: Alternate Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. Mosaic Women’s Ministry: Meets 4th Saturday Family Movie/Game Night: 3rd Friday – 7 p.m. —Pastor Carol Landrum

Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams and the Co-op City Baptist Church family invite you to join us tomorrow at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. for worship service. We invite you to worship, study, and pray with us. The Co-op City Baptist Church is located at 135 Einstein Loop, Room 50. Our telephone number is 718-3203774. Visit us on the web at www. coopcitybaptistchurch.org. Join us for a mid-week spiritual pick-up at our mid-week worship service on Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m. Bible study is on Wednesdays at 1:00 and 7:30 p.m. Bible study will also be held on Wednesday, January 20 at 5:00 p.m. Prayer Service is held on Fridays at 12 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The First Lady’s Ministry will be celebrating 20 years of service on Saturday, February 20, at 1:00 p.m. at the Seashore Restaurant and Marina on City Island. The cost of the adult ticket is $55 and children’s tickets (ages 6-17) are $30. The theme for the day will be “Through It All,” Philippians 4:13. Their guest speaker will be Rev. Dr. Lois Giles. For additional information or to purchase tickets, call 718-8629243 or 646-842-2458. You are invited to join us for a Senior Financial Forum on Tuesday, January 19. At 10 a.m., representatives from The Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies and Federation of Community Development Credit Unions discuss Identity Theft, Financial Literacy for

Seniors, ABC’s of Credit Unions and Mobile Banking. The forum will be held at 135 Einstein Loop, Room 51 (lower level). For additional information or to RSVP, call 718-671-8449 or 718-379-5267. You are invited to join the Scholarship Ministry on August 13 – 21, as they travel to Memphis, TN. This 9 day/8 night trip includes 14 meals, 8 breakfasts and 6 dinners. You will have admission to the National Civil Rights Museum, dedicated to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s struggle for equality; admission to STAX Museum of American Soul Music and additionally admission to the Memphis Rock and Roll Soul Museum and much more. A $100 deposit is required on or before January 10. If you

are planning on purchasing travel insurance, it is suggested that you pay it along with your deposit. Full payment is due on or before May 8. The cost for doubles will be $835. For additional information and reservations, call 718-671-7507, 718-379-0564 or 718- 320-3774. The Co-op Baptist Church extends wishes for a happy, healthy and blessed New Year to the Co-op City community. The Co-op City Baptist Church exists to glorify God and to establish a living community of people who follow the teachings of Jesus the Christ through worship, prayer, Bible study and fellowship. We seek to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the church through ministry. —Hattie L. Lucas

Co-op City Baptist Church

Community Protestant Church

On behalf of our Pastor, Reverend Dr. Calvin E. Owens, and our church family, welcome to Community Protestant Church, a church of love and understanding, located at 1659 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY 10469; telephone: (718) 862-9172. Church Schedule Sunday School - 9:00 a.m. Worship Service - 11:00 a.m. Communion Service - Every first and third Sundays Prayer Meeting and Bible Study – Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. The following programs are at the Church’s Annex: 2053 Asch Loop North (Co-op City) Morning Prayer Services - Tuesday, 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.11:00 a.m. Neighborhood Bible Study - Thursday

at 10:00 a.m. Extension of Prayer and Worship Service – Every first, second and third Fridays at 7:00 p.m. Sunday School is now in session every Sunday at 9:00 a.m. Sunday School is really a part of our history, and because someone cared and was concerned enough, many of us benefitted and know its value. In Sunday School, in a nurturing Christian education environment, an opportunity is provided for children to learn about the Bible, to grow in grace, to show love and respect for one another and to live more abundant lives. Jesus came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) Children attending Sunday School are served breakfast after classes are over. We encourage you to bring your child,

The Coalition to Save Affordable Housing will hold its first meeting of the new year on Monday, Jan. 11th in Bartow Community Center, Room 28, at 7:30 p.m. We are honored to have as our guest speaker, Interim General Manager Noel Ellison. One of the Coalition’s objectives is "to encourage fuller cooperator partici-

pation in activities within Co-op City." We invite all cooperators to take advantage of this opportunity to hear Mr. Ellison discuss our current state of affairs and join us in discussion of important issues affecting our community and offering suggestions for improvement. —Bruce Silberman

The Coalition To Save Affordable Housing

children or grandchildren to Sunday School and we look forward to seeing you. Other Scheduled Events Sunday, January 10 at the 11:00 a.m. Service – Observance of Official Boards Day. Theme: “Brokeness is God’s Requirement for Maximum Usefulness.” Our Guest Preacher will be Rev. Dr. Thomas Johnson, Pastor, Canaan Baptist

Church, Harlem, New York. Sunday, January 17 at 6:00 p.m. – Ordination of Deacons Service. The doors of Community Protestant Church are open to all to worship and fellowship with Christian believers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You are cordially invited to come in, join in and receive your blessing. —Evan G. Mitchell

VISION CARE SPECIALIST

DR. DAVID HORN, O.D. FAAO • FELLOW, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPTOMETRY

• COMPLETE VISION CARE - EYE EXAMINATION

• OCULAR DISEASE TREATMENT

• EYEGLASSES

• GLAUCOMA TREATMENT

• CONTACT LENSES

High Fashion Frames on Premises. “Your Vision Health Is My Concern.” Much of Learning Is Done Through The Eyes. Insist on a Professional Eye Examination.

120 ALCOTT PLACE

(Bldg. 17 • Sect. 3) • Co-op City

718-379-8029 Medicare and many insurances accepted. DOCTOR’S HOURS: MONDAY: 1:30 - 7:00 PM • WEDNESDAY: 2:00 - 7:00 PM FRIDAY: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM • SATURDAY: 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT!

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Bartow

Einstein

Dreiser

Activities in Room 31 unless otherwise noted Word Games 9:30-11

Activities in Room 49 unless otherwise noted Library 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Dominoes 10 a.m., Rm. 45 Line Dancing 10-11 a.m.,

Activities in Room 7 unless otherwise noted

Mon., Jan. 11

a.m.

Bingo 12:30-2 p.m. Arthritis Exercises 11 a.m.-noon Library 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Weight Management

Rm. 45

Around The Lunch Table 11:30 a.m. Word Search 11 a.m.-12

10-11:30 in the Bartow Main Office

p.m.

Bereavement Counseling Room 25, 2 p.m. Card Games 2-4 p.m. Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

Bingo 1-3 p.m., Rm .35 Pokeno 3-4 p.m., Rm. 35 Diabetes Support Group 2nd Mon. - 1 p.m.

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

Word Games

Tues., Jan. 12

Crochet & Knitting 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session 9:30-10:30 a.m. Stay Well Exercise 10-11 a.m., Rm. 2 Mind Teasers 12-1 p.m., Rm. 4 Diabetes Support Group 1 p.m. Last Mon./month Gentle Yoga 1:15-2 p.m., Rm. 2 Basic Cell Phone & iPad training 1:30-2:30 p.m. Intermediate Yoga 2-3 p.m., Rm. 2

9:30-11:30 a.m.

Dominoes 10 a.m. Tai Chi 11 a.m., Rm. 45

Cultural Dance 10:30 –

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Caregiver Support Group 1 p.m. 1st & 3rd

Matinee Movie

11:30 a.m., Aud. B

10 a.m.-noon, Rm. 45

Mind Teasers

Tues.

Pokeno 1-3 p.m., Rm. 35

Zumba 1-2 p.m., Aud. A Afternoon Movies 1-3 p.m. w/popcorn

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

Thurs., Jan. 14

Wed., Jan. 13

Blood Pressure 1st & 3rd Wed., Rm. 31

Word Games 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Stay Well Exercise 10-11 a.m.

Line Dancing 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Bingo 12:30-2 p.m. Card Games 2-4 p.m. Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

Dominoes 10 a.m., Rm. 45

Spelling Bee 10 a.m. Spanish Practice Class

9:30-10:30 a.m. Sewing 9:30 -11:30 a.m. Tai Chi 11 a.m.- 12 p.m. Mind Teasers 12-1 p.m., Rm. 4

10:30 a.m., Computer Lab

African Brazilian Dance w/Leona Hull, Room 2

Zumba 11 a.m.-12 p.m.,

1-2 p.m.

Rm. 45

Art Class 1-3 p.m. Yoga 2-3 p.m., Rm. 2

Library 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Dominoes 10 a.m., Rm. 45 Stay Well Exercise

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

Word Games 9:30 a.m.11:30 a.m.

10-11 a.m., Rm. 45 Spelling Bee 11 a.m.

Blood Pressure

Chat Session 9:30 a.m.-

Grandparent Connection 1st & 3rd

1 p.m.

Computer lab, 10:30 a.m.

Bingo 12:30- 2 p.m.

Arthritis Exercise Class

Card Games 2-4 p.m. Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 45 Word search 11a.m.-12 p.m. Pokeno 1-3 p.m., Rm. 35

Men’s Line Dancing 9 -

Dominos 10 a.m., Rm. 45

10 a.m.

9:30-10:30 a.m. 10 -11:30 a.m. 1st & 3rd Thurs., Rm. 8 Line Dancing, 10-11 a.m., Aud. A Piano Sing Along 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Mind Teasers 12-1 p.m., Rm. 4 Drama Club 1:30-4 p.m.

Crochet & Knitting 10

Art 10 a.m., Rm. 45

a.m.-12 p.m.

Bingo 1 p.m.

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session 9:30-10

10-11:30 a.m.

Card Games 2-4 p.m.

a.m.; 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Chat Session 10 a.m. Bingo 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Blood Pressure 2nd &

Word Games 9:30 -11:30

Fri., Jan. 15

Apple juice, Brown gravy

Alt: Veggie burger patty

Tues, Jan. 12

a.m.

Women’s Line Dancing

Rm. 25

4th Friday, 10-11:30 a.m., Rm. 45

Sing-along 11

a.m.-12 p.m.

Bingo 1-3 p.m., Rm. 35

Card Games 2-4 p.m. Dominos 2:30 p.m.

Pokeno 3-4 p.m., Rm. 35

Meditative Moments 11 a.m.–12 p.m., Rm. 8

Mind Teasers 12 p.m.-1 p.m., Rm. 4

Card Games, Dominoes 2-4 p.m.

(Schedule subject to change without notice)

Fee for lunch is $2.00 & $5.00 for guest *Menu subject to change without notice. Alternate Kosher Meals are also available

ALL meals served w/margarine and fresh milk Bartow Center (718) 320-2066, Ext. 2010 Dreiser Center (718) 320-1345 • Einstein Center (718) 671-5161

For information, please call: (718) 320-2066

New Payment Schedule - Payments for trips @ the Bartow office can be made Monday – Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Only) Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, The NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation.

Apple juice, Grilled Caribbean chicken breast, Rice a Roni Vegetable mix Alt: Egg salad

Asian Marinated pork tender loin Fried brown rice Oriental blend

Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit

Chili con carne Baked potatoes Steamed carrots

Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit

Apple juice

Wed., Stuffed cabbage w/beef Mashed potatoes Jan. Steamed carrots 13 Alt: Tuna fish salad

Thurs., Jan. 14

12-1 p.m., Rm. 4

Card Games 2-4 p.m. Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

Soups, Breads and Desserts

Mon., Turkey meatballs Chicken stew Whole wheat bread Jan. Mashed sweet potatoes Garlic mashed potatoes Whole wheat dinner roll Steamed green beans Vegetable mix Fresh fruit 11

Alert & Alive 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Non-Kosher Alternate Kosher Meals are also available

9:30-10:30 a.m.

Bingo 12:30-2 p.m. Walking Club

Piano

Date:

Kosher

Fri., Jan. 15

Orange pineapple Juice Breaded chicken breast Mushroom, red pepLemon garlic Tilapia pers & onion sauté Pasta w/sweet peas Stuffing w/apples and Sautéed spinach walnuts Alt: Baked turkey breast

Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit

Orange juice Italian roast chicken Kasha Varnishkes Cabbage w/shredded carrots, Alt: Gefilte fish

Challah bread Garlic breadstick Canned pineapples

Tomato fennel glazed cod Polenta Garden salad

Upcoming Events/Trips

JASA WELCOMES EVERYONE AGE 60 AND OLDER! Trip registration policy: There will be no refunds for all trips. All trips include roundtrip transportation! All trips must be paid in advance – No Exceptions! You can register for all trips starting the Monday after it has been published in the newspaper: JASA will not accept checks under $5. Note: You can no longer add additional names on the list for trips. If anyone is interested in the trips that are scheduled they must call themselves! (FREE) LiveOn NY - SCRIE Application Assistance/SNAP (Food Stamps) – Friday, January 22nd, February 12th & 26th, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. First come, first served! AARP Tax Aide - FREE Tax Preparation & Free E-File - JASA/Co-op City Senior Services, 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 35, 2nd floor, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Feb. 2 to April 12. First come, first served! NEW Limited Time Intergenerational Dance Class: In partnership with P.S. 178 Student Government, 2049 Bartow Avenue back of Rm. 31 at 1 p.m., Jan. 4, 6, 13, 27 – Feb. 3, 24 and March 2. Classes are 75 minutes long. Caregivers Support Group - Join us for roundtable discussions for caregivers. Meets every other Tues. at 1 p.m., 2049 Bartow Ave., Rm. 31. Light refreshments are served Join our Health/Wellness Committee at JASA Co-op City NORC. The committee is responsible for planning & development, program evaluation, event planning and coordination & presenters. We are looking for people with the appropriate skills & interest to make a significant contribution to JASA. We are embarking on some exciting developments for 2016, so this is a particularly interesting time to join us New: Women’s Empowerment Self Defense Academy - Self Defense class Fridays, 1 p.m. at 177 Dreiser Loop, Audit. B. Six weekly sessions beginning Jan. 8 – Jan. 12. Call 718320-2066 to register. Space is limited.

Come & prepare to be empowered. Shop Rite – Mon., Jan. 11th, $3. NOTE change in time for pick-ups: Bartow – 8:30 a.m.; Einstein, 8:45 a.m. and Dreiser – 9 a.m. JASA will be closed Mon., Jan. 18th in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Stew Leonard’s – Fri., Jan. 22, $5. Pick-ups: Bartow – 9:30 a.m., Einstein – 9:45 a.m. & Dreiser – 10 a.m. Broadway Show “On Your Feet” The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Story – Wed., Jan. 27th (matinee), $129. Deluxe Motor Coach Bus, 45 seats. Orchestra seating. Pick-ups: Dreiser – 11:45 a.m., Bartow – 12 p.m. & Einstein -12:15 p.m. Guggenheim Museum – Fri., Jan. 29th, $15. Pick-ups: Bartow – 8:30 a.m., Einstein – 8:45 a.m. & Dreiser – 9 a.m. Cooking Class at the Sur La Table in Ridgehill – Mon., Feb. 1st, $45. The private cooking event runs 3 hours long. You make 4 recipes in groups of 4. The students cook all the food and then they get to eat their creations, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Pick-ups: Bartow - 8:45 a.m., Einstein – 9 a.m. & Dreiser - 9:15 a.m. Foxwoods Casino and Tanger Outlet – Wed., Feb. 3. $29. Motor Coach - Lunch and bonus. Pick-ups: Dreiser - 8:15 a.m., Bartow – 8:30 a.m. and Einstein - 8:45 a.m. Tribute to Smokey Robinson at the Royal Manor, New Jersey, Tues., Feb. 16, $85. 45 seat Motor Coach Bus. Menu: salad, soup, BBQ chicken, stuffed loin of pork, vegetables, dessert, coffee, tea. Pick-ups: Dreiser – 8:15 a.m., Bartow – 8:30 a.m. and Einstein 8:45 a.m. Sands Castle Winery & Sands Casino – Wed. New Date: Feb. 24th. $56. Tour includes: 45 seat Deluxe Motor Coach Bus, wine tastings, guided tour of the vineyard & winery, free souvenir glass, 4 hours at the Sands Casino stay w/casino bonus, and $5 food voucher. Pick-ups: Dreiser - 8:15 a.m., Bartow - 8:30 a.m. and Einstein 8:45 a.m.

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

AARP Chapter #4997

FYI: First meeting for the New Year is scheduled for MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1:00 p.m. in Dreiser Community Center, Auditorium “A.” FYI-2: During NYC Broadway Week, Jan. 19-Feb. 5, stop by the Official NYC Information Center – South Street Seaport and meet with AARP New York staff, volunteers and other members, daily from 3 to 4 p.m. There you will learn more about what AARP is doing in your community. Get-well wishes to Lorraine Parker. To our sick, on the mend and shut-in members, and those bereaved members, please know that you are in our prayers. Contact Frances Wilson, Good & Welfare Coordinator, 718-671-5493.

2016 Tour Activities MARCH 28–29 – Samson: The Strongest Man Who Ever Lived...at the Sight & Sound Theater; w/a stop at the Sands Casino – 2 days/1 night; $293/ double; $341/single; $277/triple. FINAL PAYMENT DUE AT JANUARY, 2016 MEETING. Contact: Jean, 718-379-3742. MAY 28–JUNE 8 – Alaska Cruise Tour (ISLAND PRINCESS)…11 days/ 10 nights; Air—Land—Rail—Sea from Anchorage (Alaska) through Denali National Park; Sail 7 days; see Glacier Bay-Skagway; Juneau; Kelchikan; fly home from Vancouver, BC. Contact Jean, 718-379-3742. —Delores Debnam

Yes! We are having Bingo game on Wednesday, January 13th at 1:30 p.m. in Room 39, weather permitting. Steven and Jeannie will be in charge. As you know, Ann is doing well. She’s at home. It seems that we can use some volunteers to help me straighten the room. If you want to help, please call Mary at 718-379-4899 or call the office at 718-

379-9613. Leave a message. Members who would like to play Kaluki, the best day is Tuesday & Thursday in Room 39 from 1:30 p.m. Please call. For more information, call 718-3799613 and leave a message and I will get to your call. Good health to all. —Mary Pilla

Goose Island Seniors

Einstein Cancer Fund

Baychester Library Events VISIT THE LIBRARY - A GREAT WEALTH OF INFORMATION CLOSED MONDAY, JANUARY 18th in observance of MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR DAY EVENTS FOR JANUARY Knitting — Mondays at 5 p.m. (All Levels) AD Program — Every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., January 12 (Facebook 101); January 19 (How safe is your password); January 19 at 12:30 p.m. (Meditation); January 20 (Genealogy 101) Toddler Time — Tuesdays at 11 a.m. (One Snowflake) Teen Tech Time — Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. Teen Program — Every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.; January 13 (Catapult Competition); January 20th (Finger Weaving); January 27th (Optical Illusions) Tech Connect — Wednesday at 5 p.m., January 13 & January 20 (Excel); January 27 NO TECH CONNECT AD Book Discussion Group - Thursday at 1 p.m., January 14 “All the things we cannot see” Tech Connect — Thursday at 10 a.m., January 14 (Android Basics); January 21 (How’d You Do That?); January 28 (App/Vice) Teen Program — Thursday at 3:30 p.m., January 14 (Endangered Species); January 21 (Guess that Song Comp); January 28 (Writing Group) AD Program — Friday at 10:30 a.m., January 15 (I need a doctor) Kids Program — Friday at 3:30 p.m., January 15 (Toilet Paper Snowman); January 22 (JR Explorers: How do artic animals stay warm) Teen Program — Friday at 3:30 p.m., January 22 (Anime Drawing) Anime Club — Friday at 3 p.m., January 29 Saturday Afternoon Movies — Every Saturday at 2 pm., January 9th “The Golden Child,” starring Eddie Murphy; January 16th, “Something New,” starring Sanaa Lathan; January 23rd, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” starring Johnny Depp; January 30th “Catwoman,” starring Halle Berry

The New York Public Library Baychester Branch • 2049 Asch Loop • Bronx, NY 10475 (Fully Wheelchair Accessible) HOURS: Monday & Wednesday, 10-7; Tuesday & Thursday, 10-6; Friday & Saturday, 10-5. Libros En Español (Books in Spanish). HORARIO DE LA BIBLIOTECA: Lunes 10-7, Martes 10-6, Miércoles 107, Jueves 10-6, Viernes 10-5, Sábado 10-5, Domingo Cerrado.

718.379.6700 FREE ADMISSION TO ALL

Wishing everyone a healthy, prosperous and happy New Year of peace and time to enjoy everything! Happy birthday to January persons celebrating their birthday! Tuesday, January 12: Resort Casino. Cost per person, $33 with a casino slot play of $25. Pick-up time at 8:00 a.m., starting at Einstein Loop, followed by Asch Loop and Dreiser Loop. Please bring a valid photo ID and casino card. Tuesday, May 10th and 11th: A two-day trip to the Sight and Sound Theater for the performance of Samson in Lancaster, PA., plus a casi-

no trip to Sands. Room rates per person: double-$245; triple-$235; full payment for your reservations. Balances can be paid off. All balances or full payment must be paid by March 20th. For all of the above trips, please call Annie Eutsey at (718) 320-1874 or Lydia (718) 671-3005. Loretta Paul is now in rehab at Morningside Rehab Center. Please phone the homebound and those in nursing homes to brighten up their day. Good health and healings are wished to all. —Lydia Ruas

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City

Reflections by Rabbi Solomon I. Berl Spiritual Leader of Young Israel Synagogue Among the many Hebrew names for G-d, one of the most magnificent is 'Emes,' which is also the classic Hebrew term for truth. In effort, it tells us literally in a word that “G-d is truth, and truth is G-d.” The word ‘Emes’ in the Hebrew alphabet consists of three letters. It begins with an ‘alef,’ which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The middle letter is ‘mem,’ which is the middle letter of the alphabet and the last letter is ‘suv,’ which is the last letter of the alphabet. It is the Hebrew way of saying that truth is the beginning, the center and the end of all existence.

Most of us would take this, and rightly so, as a solemn warning not to utter a falsehood. But if we are to handle truth responsibly, we must realize that at times, a full truth suddenly revealed can be harmful. For example, to tell a child the complete truth about sex before he is ready can be damaging; to inform someone that he has an incurable illness will not always be the better part of wisdom; to indicate to a woman that her dress is unbecoming or to a man that his suit is wrinkled may be a thoughtless cruelty. Truth is a tremendous power and it must be handled with disciplines of conscience, consideration and wisdom.

Young Israel of Co-op City

Young Israel of Co-op City (lower level of Dreiser Loop shopping center) is a house of worship that opens its doors every morning from 6 until 7 a.m. Anyone who wishes to start the daily routine with prayers, during which our spiritual leader, Rabbi Solomon I. Berl, offers a brief Bible teaching is welcome. On Friday evening, Sabbath services begin at 10 minutes after candle-lighting time. Saturday morning services start at 9

a.m. Rabbi Berl delivers his sermon at 10:30 a.m. The Rabbi’s class on the Torah reading of the week begins one hour before sunset every Saturday afternoon. For office hours or any information you may seek, feel free to call (718) 6712300 and leave your name, phone number and a brief message on the synagogue’s answering machine and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

Pastor Anne L. Palmore and the congregation of the Church of the New Vision extend a warm and friendly invitation to everyone to worship with us every Sunday at 8:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. We are a church where inspirational messages from the Word of God, the Bible, are delivered every Sunday morning. The church is designed to meet the spiritual needs of our community by offering anointed singing and preaching, and a general atmosphere of Christian love and friendly hospitality. We also invite the youth of our community to attend our Sunday Morning services, which are designed

to meet the special needs of our young people. Parents, please send your children to learn of the Lord Jesus. Prayer Service takes place every Wednesday evening from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., followed by Bible Teaching from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Be with us to learn the truth from the Word of God. List of Events Please join us as we celebrate our beloved Pastor Rev. Anne L. Palmore’s retirement on Saturday, February 20, at 12:30 p.m. at Juliano's in New Rochelle. A donation of $65 for adults and $30 for children (12 years old & under) which is due by January 24. To make your reservation, please contact Sis. Sadie James

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City, Young Israel of Baychester, Section 5 at 120 Erdman Place (behind the lobby 27B), welcomes you to pray with them. Tel. for the Synagogue, 1-718-379-6920. Note: Office hours are on Thursday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Shabbat ends today, Saturday, January 9, at 5:32 p.m. Candle Lighting on Friday, January 15, is at 4:34 p.m. Coming Events Saturday, January 9, at 9:00 a.m., please join Rabbi Daniel Kronengold and the congregation in prayer and be a part of the Minyon. Good and Welfare We have tree certificates “in Honor

of” or “in Memory of” a special occasion or a condolence. You can give a living gift for the cost of $15 per tree. For more information, call the office at 1-718-379-6920. We can accommodate you. Mazol Tov to all who are having Simchas. Calls are welcome to Mimi who is now home at 646-554-8718. If you are feeling under the weather, we wish you all a speedy recovery. A happy “2016” to all our members and friends in the community. Health, peace and prosperity for our members and for Israel. Your support is always appreciated. Shalom. —Miriam Berlofsky

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City, Young Israel of Baychester, 120 Erdman Place, lobby level, Bronx, NY 10475. The Men’s Club wants to thank everybody who attended our trip to the Resorts Casino on December 27th. Everybody had a good time, and the weather was in the 60s for a December day. The Men’s Club trips are open to all men and women over 21 years old with proper ID. Our next trip will be sometime in March, 2016. Please check this newspaper, or your lobby, for a sign from the Men’s Club for more details. The Men’s Club helps

support the Traditional Synagogue in Section 5. The Men’s Club wishes Rabbi Kronengold a speedy recovery from surgery. Welcome back to Mimi Berlofsky from rehab. Wishing all members and friends under the weather, good health. The Synagogue has Services Friday night at sundown, Saturday morning at 9 a.m. After Services, we always have a snack. Please join the Rabbi and the rest of the congregation for the Services. Wishing everybody in the community a healthy and peaceful 2016. —Gary Schwartz

at 718.652.8943, Sis. Loretta Scott at 718.671.2623 or Deacon Ella Samuel Roy at 646.488.9446. April 9, 2016 – Sight and Sound Theatre presenting Samson. Adults, $150 and Youth 12 and under, $145. One-day package includes round-trip transportation, all you can eat at Old Country Buffet, all taxes and gratuities, show and outlet shopping. For tickets, call church at (718) 671-8746. Come Cruise with us in 2016, leaving from NYC on the Fun Ship, Carnival Sunshine, Aug. 1-9. Itinerary: Amber Cove, Dominican Rep., Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. Cost per person: Interior $1,340;

Ocean View, $1,420; Balcony $1,710 (tax and port charges included). A $50 non-refundable deposit is due now; monthly payment accepted; 50% due Feb. 2; full balance due May 11. For payment or information, contact Sadie James, (718) 652-8943 or Hermena Smith, (718) 708-5035. Church of the New Vision is located at 115 Einstein Loop, Bronx, NY 10475; Telephone #: (718) 671-8746 or (718) 320-0409. Our mailing address is: Church of the New Vision, P.O. Box 753037, Bronx, NY 10475. Please visit our website at www. churchofnewvision.com. —Carol Haque

Men’s Club of Traditional Synagogue

Church of the New Vision

Shalom Jewish Funeral Home, Inc. George Farr - Funeral Director

(718) 828-1700 / 914-654-1700 Keeping Tradition Under Rabbinical Supervision

1528 Castle Hill Avenue Bronx, NY 10462 www.shalomjewish.com Services from Our Chapel, Graveside or Synagogue Parking Facilities • Pre-Arrangements

DIVORCE - BANKRUPTCY • ABSOLUTE LOWEST FEES • EVENING APPTS. AVAILABLE • IMMEDIATE FILING

• FREE CONSULTATION • FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLANS

“COURTEOUS AND PROMPT SERVICE AT AN AFFORDABLE FEE”

633 Lydig Ave • Bronx, NY 1 block from Pelham Parkway & White Plains Road Accessible by #2 & #5 trains • #12, #22 & #39 buses

DAVID BRODMAN,Esq.

718.239.7110

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

Evangelical Church of Co-op City – UMC Open Doors, Open Hearts and Open Minds

Come & Visit Us – We welcome you to God’s House – Your House – One Family in Christ. We are a congregation with spirit-filled worship, offering a variety of opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship and service to God and our community. We are a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and bilingual congregation and all are welcome. Services are at the church at 2350 Palmer Avenue, across the street from Building 30. Parking is available. Our phone number is (718) 320-3795, and leave a message, if there is no answer. Pastor Magaly Beltré is at the church on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Sunday Services – The first Sunday of the month is a bilingual service with

communion, service starts at 11:30 a.m. Every other Sunday, the English Service is at 11:30 a.m. and the Spanish Service is at 1:30 p.m. Children: Sunday School will be at 10 a.m. for all children ages 4 to 12 years. Bring your children so they may learn what the Bible says and have fun with all the other activities. Prayer Night (English) & Prayer Morning (Spanish): The Lord said, “Whenever two or more are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:20. Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday mornings at 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Come and bring your prayer needs so we can pray together. Remember that prayer brings

many blessings, which God has promised to all his children that have a personal relationship with Him. Friday Family Night: Family Night will be back at 7:30 p.m. It’s a fun time and learning time also. There are English and Spanish Bible studies for the adults and many activities for the youth and young adults. Women’s Fellowship: is the first Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Men’s Fellowship: is the last Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Crescendo Christian Music School: Are you interested in learning how to play an instrument or sing? Come join

the music school. Piano, guitar, drums, violin, voice and other instruments. Registration for the Spring season is here and cost is very reasonable. Registration is free. Call Maestro Frank Colon, (917) 753-3644, to set up a time to come and register. Students range in age from 5 to 100 years. Trip to see Samson at Sight & Sound: We are going to Lancaster, Pa. to see the new show of Samson on Friday, June 3. Cost will be $146/person, children 12 & under is $106/child. Call Barbara at (347) 603-7473, if you are interested. Please get your $50/person deposit(s) or full payment in quickly. Hurry, we only have a few seats left. —Barbara Penn

The congregation of St. Joseph’s cordially invites you and your family to worship in Co-op City at 155 Dreiser Loop, lower level. All are welcome. Weekly Schedule: Sunday service with Holy Communion and Sunday School are both at 9 a.m. Every 4th Sunday, our children participate in the reading of the lessons and every 5th Sunday, our young adults assist in the service. Choir rehearsal is on Thursday

at 7 p.m. The (ECW) Episcopal Church Women meets immediately after service on the first Sunday of each month. Membership is open to all women of the church and dues are $2 per month. The men hold their meeting after service on the 2nd Sunday of each month. The ECW is currently working on the calendar of events for the year 2016.

We look forward to welcoming everyone to service at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 10, when we will celebrate the First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord. Last Sunday, in transition, we welcomed Father Simeon Johnson who will be serving as our long-term supply priest. He will be our preacher and celebrant. Outreach Program: We continue to collect non-perishable food for the

feeding program at Grace Episcopal Church in West Farms. Please remember to donate. For additional information on all of the above, please call the church at 718320-0844 or visit our website: http://www.stjosephsepcbronx.org. “The Lord shall give strength to this people; * the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.” (Psalm 29:11) —M. Chambers

The Pentecostal Tabernacle invites everyone to attend worship service at 100 Co-op City Blvd., Building 22A (main lobby). Sunday School for all age group starts at 10:30 a.m. Midday worship service begins at 11:45 a.m. Wednesdays: Prayer and fasting service will be held at 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Bible study and prayer meeting will also be held Wednesday evening starting at 7:30 p.m. Fridays: Youth service will be held every Friday evening starting at 7:30 p.m. Focus: Grace is divine power that causes the heart to rejoice and reflects in the lives of those who find favor with God. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33) The promises of God are given by His grace. Peter explained that the outcome of God’s grace working in our lives is the giving of “great and precious promises.” Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (II Peter 1:1-4) At a glance, we may credit these promises to God’s power, but a closer examination of Scripture reveals that all scriptural promises are ultimately the result of God’s grace. Apart from his grace, we would not receive any promises from God. It should not be a strange thing for one who has experienced the grace of God to ask for more. Although there are several means of obtaining more grace, one way is through seeking a greater knowledge of Jesus Christ from the study of his word. Grace allowed us to enjoy God’s unmerited favor, gave us a gift that we did not deserve. This is the true love of God that supersedes the love of human as John 3; 16 stated: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. His love towards us is so strong that He was willing to give up his life for us. 1st Corinthians 13:4 speaks of charity suffers long, and is kind, charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, it not puffed up. It is very important that we try to love one another as God loves, love is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. 1st John 4:8 states: He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. For further information, please call 718-320-4218 or 718-324-0334. —Rev. R. Sibblies

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Anglican Church

Pentecostal Tabernacle

CCPD Report

combine it with current information in an attempt to find new victims. Recent studies have shown that certain types of scams, especially telephone and internet scams, increase every year. By being aware of potential scams, readers can reduce their chance of becoming a victim. The other new scam, which isn’t actually very new at all, starts off by receiving one ring on your cell phone from a number you do not recognize. Curiosity gets the best of some people and they call the number back. These numbers are registered to locations outside of the country and can be very costly. Due to the fact that the numbers are outside of this country, they are not regulated by our government. Disputing the charges may be a time consuming project. Advise all members of your family not to call these numbers back. If you receive a call you do not recognize, do not answer the phone call. Some people may read about these scams and wonder how anyone could possibly fall for them. Scam artists are very persistent; they blanket a large number of potential victims until they find their prey. The internet has made it extremely easy for scam artists to target millions of potential victims with a single touch of a button. Telephone or regular mail scam artists work a little harder, but do eventually find their victim. Bold scammers have even been known to approach their potential victim in person at their door or in a public place. Although not necessarily a scam with malicious intent, some Co-op City residents may have received a group mailing or phone call offering insurance for water pipes between the New York City water main pipes and the pipes inside your home. Here in Co-op City, cooperators are not responsible for any of the water pipes. Any problem with the water pipes inside the home or between the buildings or townhouses and the New York City water mains will be repaired by Riverbay without cost. Sending out these mailings may not have been meant to defraud cooperators, but it is clearly a type of insurance which is not necessary. Cooperators are only required to have renters insurance for their Co-op City apartments. Renters insurance protects items within the apartment and against claims that might arise for damage caused by the cooperator. Another type of scam we have seen either calls or texts someone’s phone and tells them that a family member is in danger unless they wire money to specified person. In most cases, the scammer does not even know who the victim or their family members are.

Opportunities

• Mix and spray or spread fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides onto grass, shrubs, or trees, using hand or automatic sprayers or spreaders. • Provide proper upkeep of sidewalks, driveways, parking lots, fountains, planters, burial sites, or other grounds features. • Water lawns, trees, or plants, using portable sprinkler systems, hoses, or watering cans. • Trim or pick flowers and clean flower beds. • Rake, mulch, and compost leaves. • Follow planned landscaping designs to determine where to lay sod, sow grass, or plant flowers or foliage. • Plant seeds, bulbs, foliage, flowering plants, grass, ground covers, trees, or shrubs and apply mulch for protection, using gardening tools. • Decorate gardens with stones or plants.• Maintain irrigation systems, including winterizing the systems and starting them up in spring. • Care for natural turf fields, making sure the underlying soil has the required composition to allow proper drainage and to support the grasses used on the fields. • Use irrigation methods to adjust the amount of water

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016 (Continued from page 7)

Many calls or texts are initiated until someone falls for the scam. Wiring money to someone you do not know is almost never a good idea. If something seems out of order, notify authorities. Another type of scam is a “sweepstakes” based scam. In this case, the victim receives a real looking check. New technology makes it possible for this forged check to appear realistic. The quality of the forged check is so realistic that it can even fool banks or check cashing establishments. The problem comes in when the bank attempts to retrieve the funds associated with the check and finds that there are none. By this time, the victim may have already wired money to another state or country attempting to receive an even larger sum of money. Unfortunately, the victim may be responsible for the funds received from the fraudulent check. Remember, a legitimate contest or sweepstakes will never make you pay money to receive your prize. Another scam involves a person claiming to be from a government agency saying they have unclaimed funds belonging to the intended victim. For a fee, the “government employee” can help you obtain these funds. While there are legitimate means of obtaining unclaimed funds, the government does not send employees out to solicit the owners of these fees. If you believe that you are entitled to unclaimed fees, seek out the New York State Attorney General’s Office and find out how to proceed. Never pay anyone to help you to obtain these funds. The appropriate agency will provide assistance in this matter free of charge. This is actually a good website to check on a regular basis, as there are actually unclaimed funds which you can request free of charge. The mere mention of fraud somehow makes potential victims more likely to believe the scam artist. It is not impossible that a bank could call you in the event of fraud, but a legitimate bank employee would not ask you for your account number, Personal Identification Number or other personal data. If you receive a request like this, call your financial institution using a number you are sure belongs to your bank or inquire in person. Banks and other financial institutions are happy if their customers do not readily give out their banking information. In order to protect yourself from these and other scams, realize that legitimate persons will never ask you for upfront fees to obtain a loan or receive a prize. Be leery of a lender who is not concerned with your

(Continued from page 7)

consumption and to prevent waste. • Haul or spread topsoil or spread straw over seeded soil to hold soil in place. • Attach wires from planted trees to support stakes. • Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor. Job Requirements: HS Diploma or equivalent is a plus; Candidate should have a working knowledge of grounds equipment, tools, and material; Applicant must have ability to walk for long periods of time, twist, kneel, push, stoop, climb ladders; work in inclement weather, as well as lift and carry up to 100 pounds; Must be available for emergency work; Must be able to read and write in English; Bi-Lingual is a plus. Days and Hours: Days and hours of operation will vary on a flexible schedule FLSA: Non - Exempt Testing Requirements: Drug Screening Test, Background check How to Apply: Applications are given out at the below address from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. All applicants are advised to submit a resume along with the application.

credit history. Hang up on any caller making a loan offer. Check a lender’s legitimacy with the New York State Depart-ment of Banking or the Better Business Bureau. There are reputable lenders that can help you to consolidate your debt in order to make payments more manageable. Those of you wishing to make donations to assist in the event of a legitimate emergency, make sure that the agency to which you donate is legitimate. In the past, scammers posing as charities attempted to solicit donations for disasters. It is unfortunate, but this is, unfortunately, a fact of life. In some cases, it may be better to donate funds locally at your church, synagogue or religious institution. Be certain the charitable organization you select is, in fact, using the funds for the intended purpose. It is unfortunate that scammers will take advantage of a tragic situation. Remember that this technology which can have a fraudulent identification appear on your Caller ID requires an additional level of precaution when receiving telephone calls. If you fall victim to a scam, notify the New York State Attorney General at 1(800) 7717755 or www.oag.state.ny.us/ and the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-382-4357 or www.ftc.gov/. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has set up an Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) specifically for the purpose of reporting internet crimes. Their website if www.ic3.gov/. Never operate a motor vehicle if you have consumed alcoholic beverages. Always buckle your seatbelt; it will save your life in a serious collision. Avoid distractions and excess speed when driving; these are the two leading causes of collisions within New York State. Always remember, if you see something, say something. If you see suspicious persons in the garage or lurking near parked vehicles on the street, an auto crime could be taking place or be ready to happen, notify the authorities. Call 9-1-1 and the Department of Public Safety at (718) 671-3050 or online at www.ccpd.us. Callers may remain anonymous when giving information. The Co-op City Department of Public Safety would like to thank all persons who have called in suspicious activity or sent information via our website. It is by your actions that the crime rate remains low and a high quality of life is maintained.

Public Safety Blotter: Dec. 18, 2015 - Jan. 3, 2016 December 18, 2015 – 100 Erskine Place One male was arrested for Robbery, Assault and Harassment, the male was transported to Central Booking for further processing. December 19, 2015 – Adler Place One female was arrested for Burglary and Criminal Trespass. The female was processed and transported to Central Booking. December 28, 2015 – Corner of Bellamy Loop/ Co-op City Blvd. One male was arrested for Assault. He was then processed and transported to Central Booking for further processing. January 2, 2016 – 135 Einstein Loop Mall 3 One male was arrested for Trespass and Loitering. He was issued a Universal Summons and Community complaint. January 3, 2016 – 140 Darrow Place One female was arrested for Possession of Marijuana, processed and issued a Universal Summons. Co-op City Department of Public Safety (718) 671-3050 • www.ccpd.us. If you SEE something, SAY something!

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

CLASSIFIEDS

718-320-3300 x3384 • cctimes@riverbaycorp.com Cash Paid

Blinds

Locksmith

Antiques, collectibles, pre-1950 furniture, gold, silver, diamonds, costume jewelry, oil paintings, coins, stamps, pre-1970 Latin, Jazz, R&B records, rare books, pre-1970 sports cards/memorabilia, vintage clothing, toys, bric-a-brac, contents of homes, estates. Call Mark 718-882-0598. 1/9

FAMILY BLINDS SERVICE Serving Co-op City for over 25 years

FAMILY LOCKSMITH

NEW STYLE BLINDS

HIGH SECURITY LOCKS

Hiring Partners and/or Workers needed for several moneymaking and business ideas. Call Mark 718-882-0598. 1/9

Get Top Cash for your Jazz, Soul, R&B and Gospel albums from 50s to 70s. Call Howard at 212-873-4016 anytime. 2/13

All Colors • Vertical • Minis • Woods • 2 in. Regulars • Wash, Tape, Cord Blinds

FREE VALANCE & INSTALLATION. Re-installation of any types of Blinds.

Records Wanted

SERVICES

•

SERVICES

Call Anytime • Seven Days/Week • “When You See Me, You’ll Know Me!”

L & L APPLIANCE REPAIR

• Stoves • Washers • Dryers • Refrigerators • Vacuum Cleaners and more vacuums 10% DISCOUNT (except and lamps)

Fully Insured NYC License #1233497

1-203-482-6337

SPOONER DOMESTIC SERVICE • • • •

7/2

Basic Cleaning $90 • Deep Cleaning $130 Non-Medical Senior Care — $80 4 Hour Minimum + 8.78% sales tax Bonded • 7 Days • Accept Cash, Pay-Pal

www.spoonercleaning.com (718) 320-5112 1/9

Computer Consultant, Sales & Repair JB RYAN COMPUTER REPAIR & UPGRADE

L&L APPLIANCE REPAIR Present This Coupon (except vacuums/lamps)

STOVES • WASHERS • REFRIGERATORS • VACUUM CLEANERS and more. LIMIT — One Coupon Per Person.

718.792.2655

1/30

1/16

Call 718.792.2655

EMERGENCY SERVICE

Fully Insured NYC License #1233497

Cell:

1/30

10/8

$20 OFF

Call Mike at: 718-974-1290

Professional Window Cleaning • FAST RELIABLE SERVICE

Refrigerators, stoves, air conditioners, washers, dryers, dishwashers. Free service call with repairs.

YOUR AD HERE! Call for rates!

Serving Co-op City for over 25 years. “When you see me, You’ll know me.” Call Anytime • Seven Days A Week

GEORGE’S CLEAN WINDOWS

ACE APPLIANCE REPAIR

Advertise!

Medeco • MultiLock • Wilson

Moving and Packing

Cleaning Service

(718) 379-8782

20% Off Any Lock Job! High Quality Labor For a Low Price!

Repair Closet Doors and Sell New Bi-Fold Doors! Call Mike at: 718-974-1290 1/30 Quality work! Lowest Prices in Town!

Appliance Repair

For prompt service call:

Licensed and Bonded

Repair - Upgrade - Trouble-shooting - Data Recovery Virus Removal - Laptop Overheat - Cracked Screen Broken Power Jack. Call James 646-281-4475 • 718-324-4332

2/27

FATHER & SON Top Quality Work - Painting, Plastering, Wallpapering, 1/30 Floor Sanding, Refinishing, Waxing.

Decorator

10/8

Painting

Call Wesley 212.996.7347 or

917.325.5334

1/9

EMERGENCY SERVICE

L & L APPLIANCE REPAIR

• ALL MAKES & MODELS • Stoves • Washers • Dryers •Lamps • Dishwashers • Refrigerators • Bags • Hoses • Belts • Vacuum Cleaners Family Owned & Operated Since 1954 NYC License #1233497 10% DISCOUNT Fully Insured

Handyman

(except vacuums)

718.792.2655

2951 Middletown Road, Bronx, NY 10461 (Near Pelham Bay Station)

Call

No Job Too Big - or Too Small! Cabinetry, Painting, Tiles, Electrical, Plumbing, All General Appliance Repair, Carpentry. My Motto - Honest, Reliable, Fair.

DARREN HANDYMAN EXTRAORDINAIRE

10/8

917-541-6528.

UNITED APPLIANCE SERVICE

if you are tired of paying too much for repairs! 718-829-9090 Service Charge • Washers only $24.95 • Dryers plus 10% off any repair Senior • Stoves Citizen Discount

• Refrigerators • Dishwashers • Vacuums

1058 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx

Now you can follow the Co-op City Times online at www.issuu.com/cctimes

1/30

2/13

Home Improvement

1-800-479-2667 CO-OP SALES - JASON LASH

• VERTICAL BLINDS • MINI BLINDS • SINK VANITIES • SPACE SAVERS • MATCHING HAMPERS • BATHTUB ENCLOSURES • CLIP-ON MIRROR FRAMES

Breathe Easy

1/30

• RANGE HOODS We BEAT • LIGHT FIXTURES Any • KITCHEN CABINETS • CABINET REFACING Quote! • COUNTERTOPS • CUSTOM CLOSET MIRROR DOORS • CUSTOM WALL MIRRORS

Grout & Carpet Cleaning Co-op City Resident Specials

Elim in Bugsate

Upholstery/Blinds

REUPHOLSTERING

Custom Craftsmen - 40 yrs. experience. Sofas & Chairs upholstered; Slipcovers-Fabric & Plastic; Kitchen Chairs - $8.99 & up. Caning; Venetian Blinds; Drapes - Custom made Refinishing, Touch up & Polishing of Furniture

STYLISH DECORATORS • 718.881.7691 3314 White Plains Rd. • Bronx, NY 10467

CO-OP SALES BLINDS! Vertical, Mini, Wood, Pleats

YOUR AD HERE! Call for rates!

1-800-479-2667

DON’T PAY MORE AT YOUR LOCAL HARDWARE STORE!

1/30

Co-op City Times / January 9, 2016

New Year’s Savings!! 1-800-479-2667 Reface Your Kitchen With New Counters, Sink & Faucet! $

1999

• All Wood Doors

RIVER A P P R O B AY VED!

• Choice of Hardware (Nickel, Stainless, Bronze)

• Hundreds of Counter Options

• Granite Available

OTHER SERVICES: • Flooring (Tiles, Laminate, Wood)

• Closet Doors (Full Height)

• • • • • • •

Blinds Bath Cabinets/Sinks Appliances Grout/Carpet Cleaning Range Hoods Shower Doors Light Fixtures

- We Beat ALL Competitor Pricing! JasonLash@Co-opSales.com • Se Habla Español Licensed & Insured #1188270, NYC Better Business Bureau, NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs