Co-op City Times 03/27/21

Vol. 56 No. 13

Election packages due Wednesday, March 31 As of press time Friday, March 26, eleven shareholders had either picked up or requested qualifying election packages indicating their intention to run for a three-year term on the Board of Directors.

The deadline to return the executed 2021 election package is Wednesday, March 31.

This year’s Annual Meeting, election period and voting will begin on Monday, May 3. Voting will end at 9 p.m. on Friday, May 21. If a quorum is not reached at that time, the election will be extended starting at 9:01 p.m. on Friday, May 21, and end at 11:59 p.m. on June 4.

This year, the terms of Board Directors Linda Berk, Daryl Johnson, Kevin Lambright and Leah Richardson are expiring. Director Leslie Peterson, sixth place winner in the 2019 Board election, was sworn in last May to fill out the remainder of another director’s term who resigned from the Board. She must now run for the chance to serve a full three-year term, according to the Riverbay by-laws.

As a result, shareholders will be voting to fill five seats on the Board, each for a term of 3 years.

There will be one vote per unit by residents who are shareholders of record as of March 30, 2021.

Any shareholder in good financial standing can run for a three-year term on the Board. This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional

BY ROZAAN BOONE

Saturday, March 27, 2021

$1.25

2020 Income Affidavits

Starting the week of March 29, shareholders will begin receiving the 2020 income affidavits in the mail.

On March 25, 2021, HCR announced amended Revised Procedures for Occupants’ annual Affidavit of Household Income for Calendar Year 2020 Income Review Procedure. These amendments will affect the deadline dates that are stated on the documentation in the Income Affidavit package that you will receive. PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES: The original deadline date for submission of income affidavit was April 30, 2021. This date is currently reflected on the income affidavit form that you received. Please be advised that deadline has been extended to May 31, 2021 Effective date for the new surcharges was July 01, 2021. Due to the recent amendment surcharges for prior year (2019) will end July 31, 2021 and the new surcharges for 2020 will become effective August 01, 2021 NO NOTARY REQUIRED THIS YEAR.

Easy tips for packing an emergency Go-Bag during COVID-19 (See pg. 5 for article)

(Continued on page 2)

Riverbay welcomes new senior payroll manager Justin Brisbon

BY TORIEA McCAUSELAND

Justin Brisbon has been named the new Senior Payroll Manager at Riverbay Corporation and the highly-experienced Fordham University graduate has big plans for the department.

Brisbon, born and raised in New York, grew up in Queens. He spent time out of school with his grandparents in the South. “You can say I was only in New York for school,” he said. “Spring, Winter, and Summer breaks I went down to rural South Carolina.” Those breaks weren’t all play, though, as he often had to wake up at 5 a.m. to work on the farm with his grandparents. “I got the best of both worlds growing up; I got city life and I got country life,” Justin remembers.

Brisbon previously worked at a luxury condo developer that was slowly impacted

Justin Brisbon

Riverbay Board of Directors election Voting Period: May 3 – May 21, 2021

New look

(Continued on page 3)

Ranked Choice Voting explained

BY BRANDON ORTIZ

Local elections changed forever last month when a Ranked Choice Voting system was officially implemented on February 2.

Going forward, Ranked Choice Voting will be used for all primary and special elections of the following New York City municipal offices: * Mayor * Public Advocate * Comptroller * Borough President * City Council Ranked Choice Voting is a system designed to give voters more of a voice in deciding their elected public officials, thereby ensuring the winner of an election is a candidate with a majority of the votes.

In this new system, voters will rank up to as many as five candidates per ballot. The voter will list

candidates in order of their preference from one through five.

For example, on a ballot with 10 candidates, the voter can choose up to five of them and rank them in order of their preference as opposed to voting for only one person. Ballots will have five columns across with each candidate listed going down the length of the left side of the ballot. Voters must fully bubble in their first-choice candidate in the first column, and subsequently bubble in the remaining columns with their other preferences. Voters do not have to choose the maximum of five candidates on their ballot.

If a voter has only a first-choice candidate and fills in the bubbles in the remaining columns with that same candidate, their vote will only count once, according to The New York City Board of Elections’ website.

Essentially, if an individual votes for only one candidate (Continued on page 4)

The awning above the walkway leading to the Bartow Administrative Building has a new look.

Now displaying the new rebranded Co-op City logo against a darker blue background, as opposed to the old Riverbay logo and bright sky blue background that has been a staple around the corporation for more than 50 years.

Photo by Hector Algarin

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

2

Elections

(Continued from page 1)

petition period where prospective candidates solicit the signatures of seventy-five fellow shareholders to qualify to run for the Board, will not be held in order to avoid face-to-face contact in observance of social distancing health guidelines.

Instead, prospective candidates will sign a Statement of Intent, authorization for the Riverbay Legal department to conduct a background search and acknowledgement of the 2021 Election Rules and Regulations and the candidate’s intention to abide by the rules. Each candidate must also provide proof of payment of the March 2021 carrying charges.

Throughout this weekend, election packages are available from the Public Safety window in the Bartow Center, or by sending an emailed request to the 2021 Election Committee at Riverbay2021Election@riverbaycorp.com.

The committee will validate candidates at a virtual meeting to be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 6, and the official candidates will be announced in the Saturday, April 10th issue of the Co-op City Times, along with the first Election Supplement.

A virtual meeting will be held by the Election Committee with the certified candidates on Friday, April 9, to discuss the election rules.

The first of three consecutive Election Supplements will be published in the Co-op City Times on Saturday, April 10, followed by the second on Saturday, April 17, and the final supplement on Saturday, April 24. Each candidate will place a statement and advertisements outlining their qualifications for the position of Riverbay Board director and their views on issues pertinent to the community.

All candidates’ statements and ads submitted for publication in the 2021 election supplements in the Co-op City Times are first reviewed by the Election Committee and Riverbay General Counsel prior to publication. During the election period, directors’ viewpoints are also reviewed by the Election Committee prior to publication. The Election Committee, on the advice of its counsel, reserves the right to delete any material which, in its opinion, contains libelous statements, personal attacks, or material misstatement of fact.

The Riverbay Board election is conducted by mail-in and electronic ballots.

Election-America, Riverbay’s election contractor, will mail ballots to each Co-op City household starting on Monday, April 26. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked

by May 21. In order to be valid, electronic ballots must be received no earlier than 6 a.m. on May 3, and no later than 9 p.m. on May 21.

By 12 p.m. on Wednesday, May 26, Election-America will provide the 2021

What is it?

These chest-like modules have been cropping up in the Bronx causing much speculation, even here in Co-op City. According to Riverbay’s Technical Director Rick Schmidt, they are new fiber cabinets that Altice has been adding in some locations. This one is located in the vicinity of Garage #6 on Co-op City Blvd.

Election Committee with the preliminary election results. By 7 p.m. that evening, the committee will review and certify the final count in a virtual meeting broadcast on Cisco Webex and the Riverbay Crawler – channel 12 (MATV) and channel 591 (Optimum). Once the final count is completed, the Election Committee will certify the election results.

The deadline to file electronic challenges is 5 p.m. on Friday, May 28.

The five top vote getters in the 2021 election will be sworn in as new members of the Riverbay Board of Directors on Wednesday, June 9, and begin serving their terms.

Riverbay Board election ballots will be mailed on Monday, April 26. Make a plan to vote.

Return your ballot electronically or by mail

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Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021 (Continued from page 1)

the COVID-19 pandemic.

He graduated from Fordham University, where he majored in accounting and minored in marketing, starting his career working in both accounts payable and accounts receivable.

Brisbon said: “During my first job, when the payroll manager would go on vacation, I would volunteer to cover her and learn about payroll. From that point, I just started to learn more about payroll and the laws/taxes it required.”

His love for the business started with his parents, who inspired him to go into accounting. He said, “My mother was an accounting director. In high school and first year of college, I interned with her at her company, that’s where I first learned the rules of general accounting principles and fell in love with it from there.”

Now in his new post at Riverbay, Brisbon is looking forward to moving the department away from doing much manual paperwork and utilizing current tech platforms to help staff. He said: “Helping the company move a little forward in change is what I’m looking forward to most. So far, I want to implement a PTO module where employees can track their own PTO in ADP software.”

Putting in the PTO module would be Brisbon’s first project, and he hopes to get that up and running by the summer. “By 2022 I want this to be completely employee self-serve. In time looking to roll-out other ideas, but for now looking to use the ADP software to its fullest potential,” he said.

Before retiring from Riverbay after 41 years as Senior Payroll Manager, Kenneth Duchnowski told the Co-op City Times regarding Brisbon: “The staff is in good hands with Justin. The company will do well by him, it’s going to be a smooth transition.”

Brisbon said: “I learned a lot from Kenneth – he was a great source of information and history. I tried to get as much information from him as I can, while I can. He’s a great guy and I see why he was here for so long.”

Along with improving to help employees, Mr. Brisbon would like his Riverbay career to be one of growth and long-lasting, much like his predecessor. He said, “Along with change, I’m looking forward to longevity within the company; a place to call my work home.”

Outside of work, Brisbon enjoys bike riding and bowling. A big Marvel comic fan, and although his Fordham football days as a wide receiver are behind him, he still loves the game and is a big Giants fan.

“I’m very approachable, I will try to help you any way I can,” Brisbon said.

Stay connected, Co-op City!

Be sure to check the Riverbay Crawler daily (ch. 12 on MATV, and ch. 591 on Optimum) for updates and info.

Shareholders not signed up for Phone Tree alerts are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Phone Tree alerts provide important notifications relative to the Co-op City community. The application to sign up for Phone Tree alerts can be found on page 4 of this issue of the Co-op City Times. Shareholders who would like to sign up with CCPD’s Emergency Medical Assistance Service can use the application on page 5 of this issue.

In addition to the Co-op City Times and the Riverbay Crawler, stay tuned also to Riverybay’s official Facebook page, Co-op City Riverbay; and to the Co-op City Times’ and CCPD’s Twitter accounts, @coopcitytimes and @CCPDnyc, respectively, as well as the Community Relations newsletter. Be sure to also check out and follow the Co-op City Times at issuu.com/cctimes.

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Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

4

Voting

(Continued from page 1)

five times and that same candidate is eliminated first, then the ballot is no longer counted.

Once the votes are tallied, if one choice gets over 50% of the votes, which would mean that the majority of voters picked them as their first-choice, that candidate will then be the winner.

If there is no clear number one choice with a majority of the votes, then the candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated. The process would start again until one person holds the majority. Notably, if a voter’s number one choice is the candidate that is eliminated first, the vote will then automatically apply to their second choice. With a Ranked Choice Voting system, a ballot

Building 10 Association

Greetings, fellow cooperators.

New cooperators – Welcome, all new cooperators. We look forward to seeing you at the next general membership meeting.

Zoom Meeting – On Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 7 p.m., there will be a Zoom meeting for Section 2.

The guest speaker will be Mr. Noel Ellison, General Manager of Riverbay Corporation. Please see flyer in the lobby for more details.

Cartons: Please take all shipping cartons, boxes, etc. to the basement and place them in the appropriate area.

Laundry room etiquette: Please remove your laundry from the dryers and washers promptly at the completion of the cycle so others can use them. Please pick up your dryer sheets from the floor, they are very slippery; and refrain from using the carts, benches and tables for dirty laundry.

If You See Something, Say Something – For emergencies, call Co-op City Police at 718-671-3050 and NYPD at 911. For non-emergencies, call 311.

COVID-19 – COVID-19 is still spreading. Wear a mask, wash your hands and social distance. We can beat this virus…together.

Questions, comments and suggestions – You can contact the building association via email at Building10Assoc@gmail.com. We are also on Facebook, “Building 10 “ABC” Association.” Like our page and get notified of all the happenings in and around Building 10.

We would like to wish all March/April “babies” an incredibly happy birthday.

To the homebound and sick, we wish you a speedy recovery.

To all who have lost a loved one recently, we give our deepest condolences.

Have a great week.

–Jewel Crawford-Duncan

is no longer useless if the voter’s favorite candidate did not win. Instead, their vote can now be re-distributed.

The new change to the voting system comes after 73.5% of New Yorkers voted for Ranked Choice Voting in 2019.

Looking ahead to later this year, the New York City primary elections are scheduled for June 22. The early voting window will be from June 12 to June 20, according to the New York City Board of Elections.

May 28th is the current deadline to deliver in-person or postmarked voter registration for this primary, and the last day it can be received by the New York City Board of Elections is June 2.

June 15 is the deadline for postmarking and emailing an application for an absentee ballot, and June 21 is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot in person. June

22 is the last day to deliver in-person or to postmark an absentee ballot. If the absentee ballot is mailed, it must be received by the New York City Board of Elections

by June 29.

Individuals looking to deliver their application or ballot in-person, can do so at their local polling site. Local polling site locations can be found online at findmypollsite.vote.nyc.

Shareholders planning on filling out an absentee ballot must keep in mind that their information must match their voter record verbatim or otherwise risk their ballot being invalidated.

Individuals interested in learning more about Ranked Choice Voting or curious about what a new ballot would look like can visit online at vote.nyc/page/ranked-choicevoting or by calling 1-866-868-3692.

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

Easy tips for packing an emergency Go-Bag during COVID-19

The idea of being prepared for any emergency certainly changed over the course of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic kept presenting new challenges to all facets of everyday life.

Having a proper emergency go-bag has become even more important in today’s world as it could mean all the difference should an emergency arise and help is not available right away.

Below are some tips for making an emergency gobag: Choosing the right bag: Choose a bag that is large and sturdy enough to hold essentials and still portable enough to grab in a hurry. A backpack is one option, but for those not physically able to carry a bag, AARP recommends a bag that can be wheeled.

Food and water: Choose foods like protein bars, instant oatmeal, nuts and seeds, dried fruit, canned food and any other lightweight and nutrition-packed foods that can be stored. Do not forget to have at least one gallon of water allotted per person in your household, per day. Consider adding a manual can opener or utility knife to the bag as well. Overall, a go-bag should have enough food and water to last at least three days.

Personal essentials: Add travel-sized toiletries and a first aid kit to the go- bag. Pack a few articles of clothing that includes a warm, waterproof layer.

Individuals who wear eyeglasses should pack an extra pair of eyeglasses, contact lenses and solution. The American Red Cross also recommends that an emergency blanket, scissors, duct tape, work gloves, towels and matches should be included in the go-bag.

COVID-19 needs: Masks are an essential go-bag item now. A cloth mask should be made with two or more layers of breathable fabric that is tightly woven, meaning fabrics that do not let light pass through when held up to a light source. The mask should fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face. Additionally, the mask should be a solid piece of material without slits, exhalation valves or punctures. N95 masks are acceptable masks to use as well. Individuals planning on packing disposable masks should consider packing a cloth one because, according to the latest guidance from the CDC, wearing a cloth mask over a disposable one is more

BY BRANDON ORTIZ

Rivers Run Community Garden

Out from the harshness of winter, daffodils emerge followed by the crocus, the tulips and all that is beautiful. Happy possibilities!!

We are spring cleaning before opening to the public on April 24. If you’d like the opportunity to get your hands dirty and make your heart happy, there is always something that needs doing at the garden. Volunteers are welcome.

Schedule of Events: Today at noon – Workday Sunday at noon – Workday April 3rd at noon – Workday April 24th – Earth Day celebration and food giveaway Please tell your friends and family about this amazing place where we not only grow fruits and vegetables, but we grow knowledge and friendships. Rivers Run Community Garden is a movement towards improved mental and physical health. We provide all types of workshops including nutrition, meditation, edible and medicinal wilds identification, planting, building and crafting. We are the outdoor classroom for the local schools, day cares as well as residents and neighbors. We are a place of beauty and peace. Visit. Stay. Experience us.

Membership requirements: $20 per year fee and 20 hours of work. There is a waiting list for beds. Members who are actively fulfilling the 20 hours of volunteer work requirement are moved up on the waiting list. Volunteers are welcome. Please mail your dues to Gail Sharbaan, 100 Casals Pl #32K, Bronx, NY 10475.

If you’d like to reach out to us, please email us at Rivers_run@yahoo.com or call Denise Shelley at 917232-2982 or me at 718-671-3801.

Please continue to stay safe.

–Gail Sharbaan

effective. However, wearing two disposable masks at one time is not recommended by the CDC. The go-bag should have hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol, soap, antibacterial wipes and a thermometer.

Medications: If there is a natural disaster warning or any other reason that an individual’s home must be evacuated, AARP recommends that, if possible, the individual should get in contact with their pharmacy and request an extra medication refill.

Individuals who use medication daily should pack a list of their medications and the phone numbers for any pharmacy and physicians. Individuals who need specialized medical equipment like syringes, CPAP machines and oxygen tanks should consider purchasing portable versions of these items to keep them stored in or near the go-bag.

Electronics: Add extra phone chargers, a flashlight and batteries to the go-bag. Hand-crank portable radios are recommended by the AARP as well.

Paperwork: Make photocopies of any essential documents, which includes: passports, birth certificates, driver’s licenses, Social Security and Medicare cards, marriage, adoption and naturalization certificates, title or lease documents, insurance paperwork, and lastly, credit and debit card information. Make sure to keep these documents in a waterproof, sealable bag.

Cash: If a natural disaster causes a potential power outage, then debit or credit cards may not be able to make purchases. Instead, consider adding some cash to the go-bag.

Having a complete first aid kit is essential for the go-bag too. Below are items to consider adding to a first-aid kit, according to AARP: * 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches) * 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes) * 1 roll of adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch) * 1 tube of antibiotic ointment * 5 antiseptic wipe packets * Hand Sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol * 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each) * 1 instant cold compress

* 2 pairs of non-latex gloves * 1 tube of hydrocortisone ointment * Small scissors or inexpensive multi-use knife * Safety pins * 2 roller bandages (3 and 4 inches wide) * 10 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 and 4 x 4 inches) * 2 triangular bandages * Tweezers * * A list of local emergency phone numbers Breathing barrier (with one-way valve) to administer effective and sterile mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR When determining where to store a go-bag, remember to choose a place that is not humid or damp as that could shorten the shelf life of a lot of items in the go-bag.

Shareholders who are seniors or are homebound should consider signing up for the “R U OK” program.

The program is a way to check up on seniors and homebound residents who may require assistance or who could potentially face medical emergencies in their home alone.

“R U OK” is run by the Co-op City Department of Public Safety and provides a daily call and emergency assistance when needed. To sign up for the program, visit the official Co-op City website at coopcitynyc.com/ccpd/#programs&Info, or by filling out the application published periodically in the Co-op City Times.

Shareholders who use Life Support systems or any medical equipment daily should consider adding their information to the Emergency Service Database. This program is another helpful resource provided by the Co-op City Department of Public Safety. In the event that a medical emergency happens, CCPD and emergency service will be able to prioritize assistance for individuals listed on the database more efficiently.

To sign up for the program, visit the official Co-op City website at coopcitynyc.com/ccpd/#programs&Info, or by filling out the application published periodically in the Co-op City Times.

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Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

Building 27 Association

Hello, neighbors. Hope all is well. Please continue to wear your mask, sanitize, and social distance. We will be fined $50.00 if one fails to wear a mask as long as you are on the premises of Co-op City. Please follow the CDC guidelines for the sake of us all. Staying prayerful and keeping hope alive, so many problems surrounding the education for our children. We are hoping for solutions real soon.

Co-op Vaccine Site The Co-op City vaccine site is extended indefinitely. Calls were made and appointment made at one’s choice of date and time. At this time, it is still for Co-op City residency.

Please call 718-879-5950 to set up an appointment. You will also receive confirmation via email and instructions of what one needs to bring. Other alternative, one may schedule an appointment with Montefiore Vaccine Hotline at 844-4442819, Mon.-Fri., 8:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Women History Month The achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women of our own community. Many of our neighbors were blessed to retire and we just kept going. Here in Coop City, many activities are available. Women volunteer and involve themselves in the building associations, attend meetings, instructors of many activities and leaders of many committees and organizations. We salute Co-op City younger adult women, especially at this season, as the mature adults are aging. A favorite slogan, do not be a part of the problem be a part of the solution.

Board of Directors Election The Riverbay Board of Directors annual election will

Building 25 Association

begin in May. With Management providing information advising shareholders of their obligations as a shareholder should improve the voting process. Perhaps also after this season of the pandemic, we will return to the open Board meetings to dialogue and engage with the cooperators. This would also present the opportunity to meet and greet as well as get to know their directors, Management and at the same time, discuss why a board of directors is required.

Candidates Also, June 22 is primary. There are many candidates running for the Bronx Borough President. This is the opportune time to ask questions of their plans, such as restoring trade programs, or if any are available that pay stipends for the youths to provide resources for internships for our youth, and to designate a permanent seat at the table to represent Co-op City at Community Board 10 which addresses the needs and concerns of the community with the elected officials and city agencies, etc.

Happy Birthday to those celebrating this month. Condolences to our Co-op City families who lost a loved one. We continue to pray for one another. Contact Lydia Rondon at 718-583-3040 to share information of illness, someone deceased or in a nursing home. Pray for the world and the blessing of the vaccines and passing of this pandemic. Be prayerful, kind, thoughtful and thankful.

We need leaders not in love with money, but in love with justice. Not in love with publicity, but in love with Humanity.

–Martin Luther King.

–H. Overman

Building 25 Association would like to thank Chief Riley for attending our March meeting.

It’s that time of the year when Building 25 Association asks parents in Building 25 to submit their graduating child’s name to get posted in the Co-op City Times to honor their achievements especially during the toughest time your child has probably known. Due to COVID virus, we will not be collecting names in the lobby, however, any parent who wants to participate should submit their child’s name through our general email address, building25ca@gmail.com. This offer will run until the end of June of 2021.

Every year, March 1 through March 31 is designated Women’s History Month by Presidential Proclamation. The month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history; this year’s theme is “Valiant Women of the Vote: Refusing to Be Silenced.”

We wish all neighbors born in March a happy birthday; for those who have been under the weather, we hope you get better soon.

Latest update to resuming our building meetings due to COVID19, Riverbay has not given the official go ahead to resume regular building meetings, but our next conference call will be Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 7:30 p.m. so be on the lookout for the telephone number and dial-in code posted near the elevators. Remember, residents of Building 25 can always address any comments or concerns by logging onto our building email address at building25ca@gmail.com. If anyone has problems accessing the building email address, please let us know.

Closing with the following quote in celebration of Women History Month: “A woman is like a tea bag, you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” –Eleanor Roosevelt –Wanda Bailey

VISION CARE SPECIALIST

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

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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 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

Toriea McCauseland Junior Associate Editor

Jennifer Piovanetti Operations Manager

Ralph Henriquez Production Manager

John Crow New Media Producer The Co-op City Times welcomes issueoriented 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 signed 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. 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 Corp. 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.

Rights of Shareholders in Annual Riverbay Board Elections

Any shareholder of record who meets criteria outlined in the annual Riverbay Board of Directors’ Election Rules & Regulations has a right to run for and be elected to the Riverbay Board of Directors, to elect directors, and to participate in the annual shareholders meeting.

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

7

Public Safety Department takes action against persons caught throwing objects out of windows

Public Safety Report

Throwing objects out of the windows of Co-op City apartments is a violation of the lease and is illegal. Public Safety takes complaints of this nature very seriously.

Throwing objects out of a window creates a substantial risk of serious injury or death. Persons caught throwing objects out of the windows of Co-op City buildings are subject to penalties.

Co-op City has several new construction projects, which requires scaffolding installed around and in the immediate vicinity of our buildings. It is illegal to throw anything on top of construction scaffolding as it creates additional hazards to passersby. In addition to the wind blowing objects off scaffolding and onto the street, there have been incidents of lit cigarettes igniting rubbish thrown on the top of scaffolding.

Shareholders who throw objects on scaffolding are violating criminal and building codes. There may be significant financial penalties involved also.

A person identified as throwing an object out of a window is subject to arrest for Reckless Endangerment. Reckless Endangerment occurs when a person engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person. If there is an injury, the person who threw the object out of the window can be charged with Assault. Reckless Endangerment and Assault are serious charges with severe penalties. As in criminal cases where a Co-op City resident is arrested for actions within the confines of Co-op City, a Community Complaint is also issued. The Community Complaint carries a monetary fine and is attached to the monthly carrying charges. Repeated violations may result in eviction.

Public Safety can take action against the shareholder of the apartment when an object is observed being thrown from the window of their apartment. Even if the specific person throwing the object out of the window cannot be identified, the shareholder of record is responsible for actions within their apartment. Throwing objects out of windows is an occupancy agreement violation, therefore, the shareholder of record can receive a Community Complaint when their apartment is identified as the location an object came from. The shareholder is responsible for the actions of all family members and guests, therefore, the Community Complaint can be issued without the need to identify the specific offender. Repeated violations result in escalating fines and can result in eviction.

It is important that parents instruct children and teens that throwing objects out the windows is a serious matter. Parents need to make certain that young children and toddlers do not have access to open windows. Toddlers can be fascinated by throwing objects out windows and have been known to empty an entire toy box. This creates a very dangerous situation for which the parent will be held responsible. Be certain that window guards are installed in any apartment where children under 10 years of age live or visit. Call Riverbay Corporation at (718) 320-3300 if you would like to have window guards installed. Smaller items can still fit out windows with window guards in place, so young children should not be left unsupervised near windows that are even open just a little bit.

This is another situation where the Public Safety Department asks for the help of the public in identifying violators. Try to pinpoint the exact apartment and notify the

BY LIEUTENANT PAM APOLLO

Exclusive vaccine registration hotline for Co-op City shareholders extended indefinitely

Co-op City Management, NYC Department of Health (DOH) and NYC Vaccine Command Center are continuing their collaboration to serve the residents of Co-op City and ensure that every shareholder who wants a COVID-19 vaccine does not have to travel outside of the community to be vaccinated.

Recently, Management successfully secured approval from the DOH to train Riverbay staff members to register vaccine appointments, and an exclusive hotline, manned by Riverbay personnel, has been set up for eligible Co-op City residents to call between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. each weekday. Proof of address is required at the time of appointment. The hotline number is available on the Riverbay Crawler which is accessed by tuning to channel 12 if you are on the master antenna (MATV) and channel 591 for Optimum subscribers.

Since that time, the registration service has been extended indefinitely.

Currently, individuals 50 years and older, and those with underlying conditions, are eligible to receive the vaccine. Eligible Co-op City residents who have not yet called to secure their vaccine appointment are urged to do so. Please note that the hotline is not manned after 4 p.m.

Riverbay staff members, classified as building service workers, are also now eligible to receive the vaccine and are encouraged to contact the hotline to schedule their appointment at the Dreiser Auditorium where the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is being administered.

Earlier this month, the city also rolled out its Homebound Vaccination program in Co-op City. The service is now available city-wide. Co-op City shareholders who are home-bound can indicate interest in getting the vaccine by filling out an online form at forms.cityofnewyork.us/f/homebound or by calling the city vaccine hotline at 877-VAX-4NYC (829-4692).

In addition to the vaccine hotlines, in-person registration takes place daily on the second floor in the Dreiser Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments can also be made by using the state’s “Am I Eligible” online tool, am-ieligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov, or the city’s, vax4nyc.nyc.gov.

Public Safety Blotter 03/14/2021 – 03/20/2021

04/14/21 – 140 Alcott Place FDNY responded to smoke being observed on several floors within the building with the majority of smoke filling the basement and lobby. FDNY determined it was coming from the compactor room in the basement. There were no reported injuries.

03/17/21 – 100 Erskine Place CCPD investigating a suspicious person report found a female in the stairway between the basement and first floor smoking marijuana. A Criminal Court Summons and Community Complaint were issued.

03/18/21 – Corner of Bartow Avenue and Co-op City Boulevard A male waiting at a red traffic light, fell asleep behind the wheel, proceeding into the intersection and came to rest against a rock and a bush. The male suffered no injuries and only minor vehicle damage.

Department of Public Safety if you observe objects coming from a window. Use a specific colored curtain or shade as a landmark. The responding Public Safety Officer can use a floor plan map and identify the exact apartment. Public Safety will not reveal your information to the violator. Even if you cannot specifically identify the exact apartment, it is still a good idea to call Public Safety for informational purposes. Always remember, if you see something, say something. Call 911 and the Department of Public Safety at (718) 671-3050 or online at info@ccpd.us. Callers may remain anonymous when giving information.

If consuming alcoholic beverages is in your plans, be sure to designate a driver who will not drink. Phone a friend or a ride share service, if necessary. Never operate a motor vehicle if you have consumed any amount of alcoholic beverages. Buzzed driving counts as drunk driving. The consequences of drunk driving are extremely severe. Legislation in New York State increases the charges and penalties for driving while intoxicated if there is a child in the vehicle.

The Co-op City Department of Public Safety would like to thank all persons who have called in suspicious activity. Your actions are a helpful step in the arrest process and enforcement of quality of life violations.

The Co-op City Department of Public Safety is asking cooperators to social distance and wear masks or face coverings whenever they leave their apartment.

Wearing a mask or face covering is especially important in the public areas of the buildings including the lobbies, hallways, elevators and laundry rooms. Wearing a mask is for your safety and the safety of your neighbors and family members.

Hand washing, the use of hand sanitizer and not touching your face are other strategies to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and other illnesses. Please follow the latest information provided by the CDC and the New York City Department of Health for updated recommendations on health and safety during the Coronavirus pandemic. Be a good cooperator and be Co-op City Strong.

OPPORTUNITIES AT CO-OP CITY For information on CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ONLY, please contact: Lenya Garcia at Lgarcia@riverbaycorp.com; and Anatoliy Budnitskiy at abudnitskiy@riverbaycorp.com. Please note: emails should be sent to both parties.

Please DO NOT email resumes for EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to the aforementioned emails. For EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, please see below for specific directions.

CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES There are no contract opportunities to list this week. Please check back.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES For employment opportunities, please search “Riverbay Corporation” at the following sites: www.Indeed.com www.Glassdoor.com

Candidates may review full position descriptions and apply directly at either site.

Current Riverbay employees should submit a transfer request and resumé directly to the HR department.

Thank you for your interest in working for Riverbay Corporation.

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

8 Director’s Viewpoint – Mary

Pearson, Secretary

The Ballot, the Bus Stop, and Hang in there, Baby Ranked not Rank candidate, they can.” It described a possible result, “A On and off, I’ve been erroneously candidate who receives a majority of first-choice votes writing about “Rank Choice Voting” since would win.” It explained how the votes would be counted. fall 2019 when the proposal first came up for discussion. “If there is no majority winner, the last place candidate It’s not Rank, it’s Ranked. The organization pushing this would be eliminated and any voter who had that candiclever idea was and is Rank the Vote but for the action it- date as their top choice would have their vote transferred self, it’s called, Ranked Choice Voting. (Sorry, RCV, for to their next choice.” calling you “rank.”)

I had forgotten that piece of embedded tallying info.

Changing certain NYC election rules was the first of I’ve been trying to figure out which of the many RCV five proposals to be considered on the general election bal- counting methods would be used this year. And low and lot in 2019 and RCV was part of it. I dug out the originals behold, the simplest most straight forward way of countand was surprised to see they were actually written in plain ing was the chosen method all along.

English, all printed in teeny tiny font on the back of the The instruction concluded with, “This process would ballot. repeat until only two candidates remain, and the candiOne proposal added two more Civilian Complaint Re- date with the most votes then would be the winner.” view Board members and increased the CCRB budget.

All the proposals passed by a mile.

Another limited lobbying by former city officials and anThe continuing mystery of…The missing Section 5 other set up a city rainy day fund. bus stop. The BxM7 express stopped stopping at Einstein One other was Land Use Proposal #5. Remember Loop East at Elgar Place and no one in Co-op City manULURP? (Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.) We agement, Community Board 10, or even the complaint dewere all ULURP-y around the time we were fighting the partment of the MTA was given a heads-up. Nothing’s humongous and blindingly bright billboards at Baychester changed on maps and schedules, but the bus stopped dipand Bartow back in 2018, way before the wind turbine ping into Einstein Loop, stopping instead on Hutchinson came crashing down in December 2019. This proposal River Parkway East (HRPE) at Einstein Loop South – in changed the timing of the whole land use process, ensur- both directions. My theory (along with other annoyed Secing that the Borough President, Borough Board, and Com- tion 5-ers’) is that the bus can no longer make the turn onto munity Board would get to see a project summary: “at Einstein South at HRPE because of the new crossing island. least 30 days before the application is certified for public (Which is another thing no one was notified about.) But, ah review.” It also gave the officials and the public more time ha! A new BxM7 express bus sign has sprung up right across to review any construction plan. the street from the old Einstein/Elgar bus stop. Will buses But now back to the first proposal which dealt with soon start turning off HRPE again, but onto Einstein North Ranked Choice Voting. It read, “Give voters the choice of instead? I’m guessing, yes!…eventually. ranking up to five candidates in primary and special elecHang in there, Baby. The news is, the pandemic is not tions for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough over yet. We still need to stay masked-up in all commuPresident, and City Council beginning in January 2021.” nal indoor spaces until further notice, even if we’re fully It spelled out details, “If voters still want to choose just one vaccinated. And now the CDC is saying, rare though it is,

fully vaccinated people could still catch a mild Covid case, and though they’ll hardly notice it, they could pass it on to others… like their kids or grands or great grands!

How long before we’re done with it all? Hopefully, not much longer. Just till we’re all Double-Dipped” – as they’re calling getting that second of the two Moderna or Pfizer shots, or, in the case of the Johnson & Johnson vaccination, until we’re “One and Done!”

But vaccinated or not, we still need to keep those masks on for a little longer so we might as well make mask wearing – or double mask wearing – as comfortable as possible. That’s where mask-frames come in.

You know those breathe-easy mask-frames I’ve been droning on about? I ordered more. A lot more. Practically a boatload. Why? Who the heck knows. It’s just kinda my thing, telling everybody about a new discovery that makes life easier, and for a while now, my obsession’s been maskframes. (It used to be low carb foods for diabetics.) These little plastic frames slipped inside a well-fitting mask give the wearer an extra inch to breathe, and that makes a world of difference.

So I’ve decided that, weather permitting, I’ll be hanging out at one or the other of our shopping centers for a few hours on the next few Saturdays, say, from 2 to 5 p.m., handing out these little life savers. This week, it’ll probably be by the Dreiser vaccination site. I noticed last week that the Community Center entrance was confusing to the uninitiated outsider. If it’s a nice day, I’ll point. If it rains…eh.

But if you see me out and about, I’ll have a little piece of plastic with your name on it. And how will you know it’s me? Don’t all of us masked beauties look alike? I know what! I’ll carry a balloon! Purple, if possible. So look for me and my balloon and get your mask frame to make life the tiniest bit easier.

You can reach me by voice or text at 718-219-2211 or by email at mpearson@riverbayboard.com.

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021 Emergency Food Pantry 920 Baychester Ave., Bldg. 1A (entrance faces the basketball court). The pantry opens Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. for grocery distribution. Guests are eligible to pick up food once a month during regular distribution hours. Please look at the last date on your pantry card. It determines when you can pick up your monthly package again.

You would pick up one month or more from your last pick up. It is a 30 - 31 day rotation. We will still text if additional items become available outside of business hours. All guests must present a pantry card to receive food. Remember to bring sturdy and clean shopping bags and a shopping cart. Wearing a mask/face covering is required. Physical distancing is a must. New guests are welcome to register for pantry services through April. New registrants can

9

Black Forum of Co-op City

receive food the same day they register.

Black Forum guests living in Section 5 should visit Co-op City United Methodist Church at 2350 Palmer Avenue to pick up groceries. They open on Thursdays from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. It is only a distribution point. Guests do not have to be affiliated with a church or religion to pick up food at this location.

Registration is open at this location for Section 5 residents.

Recertification Guests currently registered with the food pantry must recertify. A valid ID NYC card, a nondriver’s, or driver’s license must be shown to remain in the emergency food program. Please bring the required ID the first time you pick up food in 2021. Members of a household listed on an application must present themselves at recertification. They must show an ID.

Pantry guests visiting the church at 2350 Palmer Avenue must also recertify to continue in the program.

Income eligibility for Emergency Food Support Guests are now required to sign an Income Eligibility Form. The mandate is from the United States Department of Agriculture. The form declares that the household income is at or below 200% of the federal income poverty levels. The document specifies the eligibility requirements. Black Forum will supply the form to registered guests. We are aware that guests may pick up food from more than one agency in NYC. Each of those agencies may also ask guests to fill out the form.

Contact us We look forward to hearing from you at coopcityblackforum@gmail.com. Please stay safe.

–D. Illis

Broun Place Townhouse Association

It is already Passover 2021. Happy Passover to all.

Join in celebrating old testament miracles. The end of Women’s History Month is fast approaching too, and remember these women who have made their mark in Co-op City. Add Sally Regenhard, Harriet Jeffries, Shirley Saunders, Helen Atkins, Othelia Jones and Jeannette Graves to that list of amazing history makers.

Welcome to the new families in Broun Place townhouse cluster. Although, we have not gotten one notification, new move-ins have been observed. We hope your choice in Broun Place will begin many years of happiness. Belated happy birthday greetings for Reverend Grace Emanuel.

It was wonderful to see and read the beautiful obituary on Martha Howell in last week’s Co-op City Times. Mrs. Howell’s work in Co-op City stands out uniquely. As the long-time director of the Northeast Bronx Cultural Center and the Riverbay Fund, no one contributed as much. Many of her abilities were selftaught too, for example, grant and contract preparation.

It was her personal ability to greet and make you feel like a star that was also was her gift. Co-op City lost a pioneer leader when she moved to Las Vegas following retirement. Mrs. Howell should never be forgotten; may she rest in eternal peace. Prayers and condolences to Mrs. Howell’s family and friends.

Read your weekly Co-op City Times, it contains interesting and important news of our Co-op City community. It makes for a great and diverse community newspaper.

Our household had this experience, one of the new combo units, smoke and Co2 alarms went-off for no reason. We didn’t know who to call. Finally, having to leave the house, we duct taped the beeper and buried it under pillows. A friend advised call Maintenance.

First, the Riverbay agent was very personable and the technician sent was also very personable. Lesson learned, if an alarm goes off, call Maintenance.

The Co-op City vaccine site is up and running now. If you haven’t been inoculated, get it now. There is no truth to the rumor that the vaccine changes

Building 13 Association

Has Spring sprung? It certainly seemed so this past week with the lovely days we had. With that in mind as we begin to exit from our homes, it is important to remember the pandemic is still here with variations emerging. Fortunately, many are getting vaccinated providing an extra layer of protection. We are not there yet so continue to stay careful and safe and protected.

Building 13 along with Cooper Place Townhouses and Section 2 buildings will be having a Zoom meeting on March 30, 2021 at 7 p.m. We have a special guest to provide the most accurate information to questions and concerns. If you have a question, please submit your question to your building president or you can enter your question in the chat during the Zoom. If time permits, we will address the question or request an answer at a later date. All information pertaining to the meeting will be posted in the lobby bulletin board.

Our amazing “Masketeers” were at it again, giving out masks to make sure there is sufficient protection for families in our building. Doris Sanchez, Elena Marrero and Annice Bailey have hung in there throughout the pandemic doing their part to keep our community safe. Last year, we suspended building dues collection. We have resumed collection for this year. During the mask and sanitizer refill, we have been collecting annual dues for the upcoming year. If you missed submitting your membership donation, please place your dues in an envelope with your name and apartment number and submit to our treasurer located in #32K. Thank you to all the amazing active men and women of Building 13. My compliments to you all. Thanks for the teamwork.

We want to thank the Grounds department headed by Director Michael Ambo for monitoring the clean up around our building within the fences. Please be mindful not to litter and if you drop something, pick it up and drop it in the trash receptacles that are located all around for that purpose. We are equally responsible to help keep our building clean.

Remember as the shareholder, you are responsible for your unit, family and guests who visit. Make sure they are aware of the Riverbay Corporation safety guidelines and wear a mask in public spaces, when entering the premises, elevators and laundry rooms. Failure to comply with Riverbay guidelines of wearing your mask by family members and your guests while on the premises could result in a $50 fine.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” –Harriet Tubman Our website is http://www.bldg13assoc.com or e-mail us at building 13assoc@yahoo.com. Contacts: Leslie Peterson at 718-320-1370, president, at (daddpeterson@aol.com) or Gail Sharbaan, treasurer, at 718-671-3801. Thank you for supporting our team.

–Leslie Peterson

your DNA or will harm you. For more information on vaccines, visit: nyc.gov/covidvaccine or call 311.

The following is the help site for all your questions on COVID-19: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/coronavirus/get-tested/covid-19-testing.page. Get tested for COVID-19 and take the vaccine.

Use the CDC recommended guideline weapons to fight COVID-19: wear a clean face mask, (over your nose), wear disposable gloves, keep at least 6 feet between you and others; finally, wash hands frequently.

Don’t take the mask off to speak. The Governor has increased the business hours and occupancy allowed for indoor dining.

Are you missing supermarket weekly inserts? The contractor did not have permission to distribute in Co-op City. Refer the local market manager to the Co-op City Times for advertising information. Please join or renew your Broun Place Association membership. Dues are just $12 annually. Keep dancing and better days are ahead! Wakanda forever!

–Eva Kindaichi-Lazaar

AARP Chapter 4997

From President Mickens…With less than three full months into 2021, I feel comfortable saying, “Things are improving every day.” President Biden and Vice President Harris have been in office for less than 100 days and already almost 100 million Americans have been vaccinated against Covid-19. In New York City, some high school students are going back to in-school learning and the space reduction from the CDC stating that social distancing in lower grades is reduced from 6 feet to 3 feet will allow more students to return to school.

Our vaccination process in Co-op City has been very effective. Thanks to the administration, we had a special “vaccination call line” in effect for over one week and the response was exceptional.

I do realize that this article is about AARP issues, however, so much of Covid-19 impacts what AARP is doing, I feel it is important to keep you, our members, informed about all the issues. The Biden Relief Bill has started dispersing the third stimulus checks to many Americans. This check is for $1400 and most Americans are entitled to receive the check. As senior citizens, some of us do not file taxes and may not have received any of the stimulus checks.

This can be corrected and you can apply for these benefits without any change/penalty to your current benefits. If you have not received any or all of the stimulus checks, please contact a tax preparer or family member/friend that you trust to find out how to recoup the benefits you are entitled to. The IRS/NYS have extended the filing deadline for your 2020 taxes until May17, 2021.

AARP is keeping their finger on the pulse of main issues to our members regarding health care, legal changes and better benefits for all by legislative means. Keep your guard up concerning social distancing, wearing a mask or two and washing your hands frequently are still necessary. We continue to try and increase our membership by asking members to contact Ms. Stella Baker with their new/ renewal checks. As we come back strong, we would like to have as many members as possible to strengthen our chapter. Unity is strength and Co-op City is known for unity and strength. Make checks payable to AARP CHAPTER #4997 and mail to Ms. Stella Baker, 120 Casals Place, 24L, Bronx, NY 10475. Membership fee is $15.00 per year and include your National ID number, telephone number and e-mail address.

Our next General membership meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 12, at 1 p.m. by Zoom. Mrs. Frances Wilson reports that all of our members who were ill are now on the road to recovery and we send our prayers. All calls about health and wellness issues should still be directed to Mrs. Wilson, 718671-5493. As always, other issues should be directed to Ms. Mickens at 718379-3742.

–Ann Purnell

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

10

Director’s Viewpoint – Francine

Reva Jones,

Assistant Secretary

Board Elections and women’s contributions recognized Dear cooperators, Board of Directors Elections Several shareholders have registered to become candidates for the annual Board of Directors elections, which takes place beginning May 3rd and concludes on May 21, 2021. The Election Committee is looking to fill 5 seats of Board directors, whose terms have expired, including Directors Linda Berk, Daryl Johnson, Kevin Lambright, Leah Richardson and Leslie Peterson. Peterson is currently completing the term of Jerome Rice, who resigned from the Board, and whose term would have expired at this time. If you are a shareholder in good standing, you too may run for a seat on the Board.

Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, this year’s election will be different than elections of the past. In past years, prospective candidates were required to obtain 75 shareholders’ signatures to be eligible to run. Currently, candidates are merely required to complete and return a Statement of Intent. The other required documents that candidates are required to review and/or complete and return, include a Notice regarding contact with the Election Committee, the 2021 Official Form, Notice regarding campaign Contributions, Memorandum regarding Election Rule B, Authorization for Criminal Background Check, Certification notice regarding indebtedness to the Riverbay Corporation and HCR’s Memorandum regarding Campaign Contributions. They also receive the Election Rules and Election Schedule. The appropriate forms must be returned by March 31, 2021.

I realize that most shareholders will not become candidates. However, there are other ways to participate, and that is by getting to know the candidates and voting for up to five of them. The Election Committee will present three forums, there will be candidates’ statements in this newspaper, flyers around the community, and information on the Co-op City website and crawler. And then, there will be your ballot that you will receive in the mail. By the time you receive your ballot, you might have already decided on the five candidates for whom you will vote. You may either fill in the ballot and mail it, or vote online. Your participation is needed.

Building 20 Association On March 18, the Building 20 Association president, Darlene A. Keesley, called a virtual meeting.

Our invited guests were Riverbay Attorney Jeffrey Buss, who talked about what it means to be a share-

holder and about voting in the annual shareholders’ meeting to elect Board directors. And, Chief Joseph Riley from the Co-op City Public Safety Department, who spoke about the responsibilities of his department and stated that “noise” was the #1 complaint by residents.

Many Building 20 residents asked questions and received answers. The discussions included: How many Board directors are there and whom they direct, outsiders using the laundry rooms, leaking pipes, fixing convectors, more security cameras, packages delivered and stolen from apartment doors, marijuana smell seeping into other apartments, lobby attendants will not return, emblem in new elevators, when and where to pay dues, Hutchinson River P’way./Bartow Avenue ramp to be erected near killer curve, etc., etc.

In some cases, when the information was not readily available, arrangements were made for later contact.

There were announcements regarding: Local Law 11 and the bridging around Building 20, the Covid19 hotline, 718-879-5950, for eligible Co-op City residents only to make an appointment to get vaccinated, caution regarding heavy items being thrown down the compactor chute, and availability of hand sanitizer provided by the Riverbay Corp. A big “thank you” is extended to the Section 4 Partnership president and Board director, Michelle Marbury, for assisting the Building 20 Association on its first virtual Zoom meeting. It was a very productive.

African-American Association I am a proud member and first vice president of the African-American Association. The other officers of the association are Michelle Marbury, president; Cynthia Dixon, treasurer; Laverne Hugine, assistant treasurer; Kevin Lambright, secretary; and Marita Taylor, assistant secretary. In celebration of Women’s History/Herstory Month, I am recognizing this majority of women leadership for their efforts to keep this organization thriving and for presenting positive and progressive issues and events to the community.

Last Sunday, the African-American Association convened a virtual general membership meeting. Following the singing of the Black National Anthem by Aretha Franklin and information about the association

programs of yoga, belly dance, line dance, and salsa dance classes, the special guest was introduced. In recognition of Women’s Herstory Month, our invited guest was NYC Councilmember Vanessa Gibson, who represents the 16th District of the Bronx. She spoke of the eight years she served as councilmember and discussed Ranked Choice Voting which will be used in the NYC Primary Election on June 22, 2021.

There are many women of accomplishment and prominence, and following a video clip recognizing activist Tamika Mallory, everyone participated in the open discussion of the special women in their lives.

The meeting ended with a reminder to save the date of April 18th for the Annual Wholistic Health & Wellness Fair. It will be a virtual event and I encourage your attendance.

Vaccination Site The Riverbay Management team has worked diligently with governmental officials, and cooperators 50 years and older are being accepted for vaccination at the Dreiser Center site. NYC is registering homebound residents for vaccines. Interested homebound residents can register online at forms.cityofnewyork.us/f/homebound or call 877-VAX-4NYC (829-4692).

Essential Workers The contributions of essential workers are priceless. We must strive to live our lives as normally as possible, while adhering to the mandates to protect ourselves and our families from the deadly Coronavirus Pandemic. So, please wear a mask, stay at home if you are sick, wash your hands frequently, get tested frequently, and practice social distancing. Keep your family and friends in prayer.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. –attributed to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is a privilege to serve you and I thank you for reading my viewpoint. I can be reached at 718-6715957 or fjones@riverbaycorp.com.

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

11

SPRING HAS HAS

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Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

12 Director’s Viewpoint – Daryl

Johnson

Our Budget Needs To Get Cut Co-op City is often referred to as a city within a city. If so, then, we should try to adopt some of the methods that NYC uses to handle their budget cuts.

In other words, if the city can make their budget cuts work then we can do the same.

Operate More Efficiently During January 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio presented a $92.28 billion preliminary budget for the fiscal year 2022. However, he previously told several agencies to cut their budget by certain percentages. Then, the agencies were given a deadline to submit their budget cuts.

The agencies then complied with his order and reduced their headcount along with their other expenses.

Difficult, right? Yes. However, the city agencies carefully reviewed their budget and made strategic cuts so that they could still operate with less money.

Now, do you think that they were happy when they heard that they had to cut their budget? Probably not.

However, the job had to be done.

Our cooperators are in charge of Co-op City. So, through our board, they should be able to dictate how our budget should be handled. Regardless, our cooperators are being hit with carrying charge increases every single year.

However, let’s look at some numbers and see if our board and management should consider making some budget cuts here. Currently, we’re going to make about $240 million during this current fiscal year. And, we have 27 departments here that will incur about $137 million in expenses. So, do you think that there’s room for some cuts?

In my opinion, the answer is yes. Now, some people will make some negative comments to try to convince everyone that we will destroy our community if we cut anything. However, think, how can their comments be true if we’re making about $240 million every year? Do some math and see how much money we can save annually if we were to cut our $137 million departmental budget, across the board, by around 5 or 8 percent.

Next, ask yourself if we should introduce a vol-

Building 2 Association

Greetings, neighbors!

Spring has sprung and warmer weather is here. The trees are budding and soon we will all be able to enjoy the beautiful cherry blossoms throughout our community grounds.

Happy Passover to those who celebrate. We wish you and your families peace in your home and joy in your hearts as you cherish the sweetness of Passover.

We extend our gratitude and thanks to the NYC Department of Health and Health and Hospital Corporation for the excellent job they are doing in servicing our community with the COVID-19 vaccine. We also thank Riverbay and the personnel for the wonderful job they have been doing in getting the word out to shareholders through Robo call alerts to encourage shareholders to call and schedule in-person vaccination appointments (1-718-879-5950) or homebound vaccination appointments (1-877-829-4692). We are truly blessed to have this service available here in our community currently dedicated to Co-op City residents.

Please remember that even after we have been fully vaccinated (two weeks following the last dose of the vaccine), we must still abide by the Centers for Disease Control recommendation that we continue to wear a face mask when we are in the public and when we are visiting with unvaccinated individuals.

Happy birthday to everyone celebrating their special day during the month of March. We extend a hearty welcome to our new neighbors and get well wishes to those recuperating from an illness. Our prayers and heartfelt condolences go out to those who have suffered a loss.

Please continue to wear a mask on the building premises, in the elevators and laundry room and, continue to take the necessary precautions so that you, your loved ones and neighbors remain healthy and safe.

–Georgianna Rodriguez

untary retirement program to reduce our headcount of 1,000 employees, at around $90 million annually.

Then, consider that I previously wrote that we were spending between $15,000 - $18,000, primarily on labor, to restore an apartment here. Why? Does it really cost that much money to restore an apartment here? In my opinion, the answer is no.

Nevertheless, we restore more than 30 apartments a month. So, have these costs increased? Yes. Plus, guess what? Riverbay is providing all of the materials for these apartments. Now, do you see anything wrong with these costs?

Look, former cooperators are hit with tremendous expenses if they destroy their apartment. And, all of these expenses are deducted from their equity. So, it’s possible that they could end up getting nothing back when they leave here. Going further, their account can end up with a collection agency if their balance exceeds their equity.

So, that’s why I always encourage cooperators to fix up their apartment before they move out. Then, take photos of everything in the apartment. Also, consider having an inspection done by Riverbay employees. This way, everyone is on the same page when it comes to restoration work.

Bottom line: Based on the above-cited information, do you think that it’s time for Riverbay to reduce their department expenses?

More Tough Times For NYC Lots of news outlets in NYC are focusing on just a few general stories. So, there’s very few stories about the severe problems that some people are going through in our communities. For instance, there were 816,700 people that were unemployed in January 2021. And, unfortunately, lots of people had difficulty purchasing food and other items for their family.

For instance, it’s not unusual to see a tremendous line of people that are waiting for distributed food. Then, on top of that, NYC tenants owe $1 billion in back rent. So,

not surprisingly, landlords want those tenants out of their buildings. However, landlords can’t evict tenants right now due to a moratorium on evictions.

Regardless, do you think that the moratorium is stopping lots of landlords from taking action against their tenants that owe back rent? No. Lots of landlords have been filing lots of legal documents against those tenants.

So, can you imagine what’s going to happen in housing courts all over the city when this moratorium gets lifted? Well, with $1 billion in back rent, the housing courts will probably be overloaded with a tremendous backlog of cases.

End of story, right? No. This story gets worse because a news outlet decided to do an investigation on some of those eviction documents. Thereafter, allegations are now surfacing that lots of those eviction notices were filed against people in poor and minority communities.

So, on one hand, some landlords might be suffering because their tenants might owe them a lot of rent. However, other landlords might want to get rid of the poor tenants that are paying low rents in their building. Then, they will try to raise the rent and bring in a new crowd of people into their buildings.

Bottom line: Times might get really tough. However, let’s stay strong so that we can get through everything.

Close You will not see my viewpoints in this newspaper until the upcoming election is over. However, I will still be here to help this entire community.

Thank you.

Contact Information Please do not send a letter to me at this time. However, you can send an email to me at: djohnson@riverbayboard.com.

Also, please call me ONLY at 718-671-4544 if you would like to have a brief discussion with me. Okay, that’s it for now. So, please have a wonderful week. And, may God bless you and your family. Thank you.

Co-op City Department of Public Safety (718) 671-3050 • www.ccpd.us • @CCPDnyc If you SEE something, SAY something!

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Keep your gathering small and celebrate Holi with household members only.

If gathering in a group, wear a snug fitting face covering to protect the elderly and vulnerable.

For more information, visit nyc.gov/health/coronavirus.

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Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

13

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

14 Greetings, fellow Carver Loop shareholders.

We would like to thank all of the shareholders who attended our first Zoom Meeting on March 15. We would like to congratulate our Scholarship Raffle drawing winners: First Prize – Laptop computer (donated by John Lovell), Phillis Fanani, ticket sold by Jean Mickens; Second Prize – Ear Pods (donated by Deborah Henry), Michelle Samuel, ticket sold by Shelia Richburg; and Third Prize – Gift Card (donated by Jean Mickens & Mattie Whitherspoon), Twain Roberson, ticket sold by Hattie Robinson.

The COVID Mega Site is open in our community at Dreiser Loop. They are giving the one shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. You can call 718-879-5950 until further notice to get an appointment. I have been told that the Vaccination HomeBound Team is still contacting homebound shareholders to administer the vaccine in their homes.

I would like to encourage our shareholders to sign

Newsong Church Join us for Easter at Newsong Church!

(Well sort of)

On April 4, 2021 we will be celebrating the greatest day in history! The day that Jesus Christ walked out of His tomb! Under normal circumstances, we would be having multiple services filled with passionate worship and anointed preaching. Kidsong (our children’s ministry) would have a fun and interactive “Easter Experience” that your children would love so much, they would beg you to come back to church the following week! However, these aren’t normal circumstance, are they?

It’s been a whole year since we’ve been able to meet in the Co-op Community Center, and we have no idea when we’ll be allowed to return. But just because we can’t offer you all that you’ve come to expect from an Easter Sunday at Newsong Church doesn’t mean that we can’t celebrate the empty tomb!

We may not be able to meet together inside, but we’re going to celebrate Jesus the best we can outside, and if you don’t have a home church, we would love for you and your family to join us!

Where? Section 1 Greenway (look for the Newsong flags) When? Easter Sunday at 11 a.m.

What are you doing to protect against COVID19? Pre-Registration is required. To help everyone stay healthy, masks and social distancing are also required. (If you forget your mask, don’t worry.

We’ve got lots of extras.) We’re also asking that everyone bring their own chairs/blankets to sit, and that only families sit together.

What should I wear? Dress comfortably and casually, and please dress for the weather!

What about the kids? Every child will receive an Easter Packet with fun things to do and treats inside. However, all children will sit with their families.

How long is the service? Approximately one hour What if the weather is bad? This service is weather permitting. In the event of inclement weather, all those who pre-registered will be notified.

Can I attend if I’m _______________________?

Fill in the blank with whatever fear you have about not being accepted: divorced, a single parent, broke, an addict, a skeptic, etc. Everyone is welcome at Newsong!

So go to our website: www.newsongchurchnyc.org, and pre-register you and your entire family. Then on Easter Sunday morning, come as you are and experience the risen Savior at Newsong!

For more information about our Easter Sunday Service, call us at 718-708-8385.

Newsong Church: Loving God, loving others, and serving our community!

–Pastor Mike Tolone

Building 11 Association

up for the Co-op City Emergency Alert System Phone Tree List/Update List. It is simple and easy, just complete the form that was on page 4 in the March 20 edition of the Co-op City Times. This system allows Riverbay to contact you in the event of an emergency or to provide you with information that affects our community.

I would also encourage eligible shareholders to sign up for the R U OKAY Program run by our Public Safety Department. If you have questions about this program, you can contact Lt. Christopher Bulat at (718) 320-3300, ext. 3339. Additional information on this program can also be found in our Co-op City Times newspaper, which I suggest that you obtain from your building lobby and read regularly.

Our Riverbay Board election is scheduled to take place May 3 thru May 21, 2021. If you are interested in running for the Board, you can obtain an “Election Package” from our Public Safety Office located in the Bartow

Center, lower level. Your completed package must be returned by March 31, 2021.

Well, many of you have asked, when will we be collecting our annual association monetary donation? Arraignments are being made to ensure all of our safety as of this writing. So stand by, read our Co-op City Times newspaper and watch our lobby bulletin boards for the date and times. The donation this year will be $10.00 per household.

We would like to extend congratulations to all celebrating a birthday or anniversary. We extend heartfelt condolences to those who have experienced the loss of a love one.

Our next building Zoom meeting will be on Monday, April 12, 2021 at 7:30 p.m., sign in/on information will be posted. We are hoping to have a Riverbay Board member as our guest speaker.

Please continue to be safe, healthy and blessed.

–Deborah D. Henry

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

15

Velocity Track Club

Velocity Track Club is truly blessed! Throughout the pandemic, we struggle to have practice due to schools and most buildings being close! We had virtual practices via Zoom. Our 13 & up age athletes were able to join Planet Fitness to continue their training. Our 12 years old & under practiced in the cold and some hallways once the 168th Street Armory cancelled the indoor meets to assist with COVID 19. We decided not to attend the 2021 AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) Youth Indoor Track and Field Championship in Virginia Beach, VA on Friday, March 12 to the 14. Then the Ocean Breeze Recreation Facility started practice meets at their facility and since our children were performing well, we decided at the last minute to take the trip.

Thousands of the best track & field athletes from throughout the country converge in Virginia Beach for the 2021 AAU Indoor Track & Field National Championship especially since USA Track & Field did not have a Youth Indoor National Championship. Through all the problems we had to practice, Velocity Track Club still persevered.

All track and field events were contested, and medals were earned by the top eight athletes in their event. VTC had 12 athletes compete. We were blessed with 18 national medals (3 silver, 3 bronze, 5 fourth place, 2 fifth place, 2 sixth place, 2 seventh place & 1 eighth place medal). Eight athletes out of the 12 broke their PR (personal record).

That is a coach’s dream, to get your athletes to peak at the right time. Plus, our athletes won medals in 8 different events – long jump, 4X400 meter relay, 60 meters, 200, 800, 1500, 3000 meters and high jump. With only four coaches and assistant, we were able to train athletes to compete and earn awards in multi events on the national level.

The following athletes were blessed with medals: Bryce Hickman (2), Romel Barrett (2), Dakota Hickman (2), Pierce Parker (3), Kenese Irish-Bramble (1), Ryann Joseph (2), Cameron Joseph (1), Rakae Thomas (2), Steven Monegro (2) and Sania Grant (1). The following athletes broke their PR: Bryce (2 events), Steven (2 events), Romel (1), Pierce (1), Kimaris Hickman (1), Cameron (1),

Velocity Track Club’s athletes on Virginia Beach’s boardwalk sporting their medals from the 2021 AAU Indoor National Championship.

Ryann (2 events) and Kenia Irish-Bramble (3 events). Congratulations to all who participated, you’re all winners!

Velocity Track Club New York is a 501c3 not-for profit. One hundred percent of your donations will go towards helping our children. Support our youth so they can continue to do great things!

For additional information, please go to our website, Velocitytrack.org, or contact me, Coach Winston Dinkins, at 914-441-6196 or email me, WATCLT @AOL.COM. –Coach Winston Dinkins

Retirees of Dreiser Loop

We did it...The van is up and running. Our first shopping trip was successful.

Thank you, Kenny, for your labor of love and patience. There are more trips to come so if interested, please contact Dorothy Byrd.

As I mention Dorothy, I want all of you to know she has done an extraordinary job in keeping the organization going. She is by far merely more than an event planner. Dorothy is much more. What all of you don’t know is that in order to maintain this organization, much work is required. Dorothy took on the task from the beginning of the COVID. That is to be honored. She ventured forward taking on all that the Department of the Aging is requesting of her. Dorothy has tirelessly and consistently worked on meeting all the demands. Co-partnering with her is the treasurer, Lillian Odom. In short, Dorothy Byrd is the vice president. Anything the Retirees has done thus far is maintenance.

There is an executive committee that is alive and active. We are forever grateful for that. It’s in unity that we achieve and conqueror, not division. In one Spirit and in one accord. Therefore, when you see our sister, thank her for all she’s doing.

Give credit where credit is due. Mrs. Dorothy Byrd, thank you ... for what you have done, are doing, and about to do.

Shout out to the executive board behind the scenes: Dorothy Byrd, vice president; Lillian Odom, treasurer; Hattie Overman, Correspondence/newsletter; Carolyn Lemon, secretary.

Upcoming events: April 7, Zoom meeting, Who am I? Part 2; May 1, Mother’s Day Spectacular; June 12, Father’s Day Flavor. Lastly, in everything, give thanks.

Be blessed, brethren, until next week.

–Gladys Baez

Spanish-American Community Club

We hope you and your loved ones are doing well during this difficult time.

The Spanish-American Community Club family is always in our thoughts. We miss you all. All events will continue to be suspended until it is safe to restart again.

Please follow social distancing and mask guidelines. They save lives. Stay safe and stay healthy.

The club has received no information yet about when we will be able to use our club room again. However, as soon as we are able to return, we will be conducting our long-postponed raffle for the TV and designer gift bag.

COVID-19 vaccines are available in our community for our community! We hope you’ve been able to receive the vaccine or will soon. Please check the Coop City Times and the Riverbay website to keep informed.

2021 Tony Mondesire Scholarship Applications are available. Applications are being distributed to member households with students of higher education. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and residents of the Bronx. Students must carry a minimum of 12 credits per semester at an accredited institution for at least one year. Please call (917) 992-7311 to request an application. Applications must be returned by May 15, 2021.

Lourdes Suarez and the Visitation Committee would like to express their gratitude to Javier and Ivelisse Santiago, Mercedes Gomez and Sonia Feliciano for their generous donations of TVs for the residents in need at Pinnacle Nursing and Rehab Center.

Our president, Rosaura Cruz, and the two Board of Directors warmly wish you and your family a very safe, happy, and healthy Easter season!

–Carmen Rodriguez

Baychester Library is open for Grab-and-Go service. Please make sure to check out nypl.org for more information and online resources.

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

16 Director’s Viewpoint – Leslie

Peterson

Let’s smell the flowers together Happy Passover. Passover is a Jewish week-long holiday to commemorate the freedom of the Israelites from the Egyptians. In the Torah, God helped the people of Israel escape—with the leadership of Moses.

Passover is often celebrated with great ceremony, especially on the first night, when a special family meal called the Seder is held. At the Seder, foods of symbolic significance commemorating the Hebrews’ liberation are eaten, and prayers and traditional recitations are performed, “chag Pesach samech.”

“It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” A very poignant quote from Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations that sums up the days we have been having recently. Over a year ago, nonessential businesses closed and we all tucked inside. For the most part, we missed Spring but for those fortunate to be here, Spring has sprung. We are now being offered an opportunity to see our way clear of the ravages wreaked upon us by the pandemic. I see light at the end of this tunnel and hopefully you do also.

Let’s smell the flowers together. Let’s prepare to feel the summer sun. Be safe and protected.

Transformer: Our management company has done an excellent job via the Co-op City Times, calls to shareholders and informing the Board of the process and progress of the repair of the transformer. In addition to the repair, while tedious, they are also investigating the cause. Throughout New York City, there are transformers and pipes below thousands of manholes and Co-op City is not excluded. Management will continue to keep us informed and as pertinent information becomes available, the community will be advised.

Election: The Riverbay election is here and soon you will have decisions to make. Due to the pandemic, there will be some changes to the process. In the past couple of years, the elections have been prolonged because a quorum was not met. This election is just as important if not more than others because it immediately affects your home and quality of life. During the election, the Co-op City Times will provide you with information necessary to help you know the candidates. When you receive your documents, please make sure to participate and vote. Show an interest in your community and vote in the upcoming Riverbay Board Elections.

Lobby doors: Riverbay is continuing to move forward on the installation of the new lobby doors. The Chevron buildings were done first. Currently, Tower building lobby doors are being done, and after that, the Triple Core buildings will be completed. During this process, the look of the intercom system will be updated. Once completed, Riverbay will have handicap accessible doors. Skilled trades and contractors must use the rear door to enter the premises. I am sure instruction will be given regarding the move-in process in order to maintain the integrity of our doors.

Medicare Part B: Some retired workers are eligible and receive reimbursement for their Medicare Part B. Hopefully you reviewed your reimbursement last year. Many received the standard Medicare Part B monthly premium, less than they were entitled to receive, if so they should have completed the reimbursement form. In the past couple of years, reimbursements were short by over $300. For additional information, google the New York City Office of Labor Relations Health Benefits Program. Retirees can call (212) 513-0470 or e-mail healthbenefits@olr.nyc.gov.

Ranked Choice Voting: Many voters are not aware that the June primary will be the first time this new process will be used in a primary. It has been used in a few 2021 special elections thus far. There are many forums being held and I understand that soon the Campaign Finance Board will begin an advertisement blitz to educate voters. It is important that you try and select and rank your top five contenders. There are circumstances where your ballot may be returned for your re-consideration for various reasons and you need to know what that would entail. Note: the Ranked Choice Voting will only be utilized if no candidate receives a majority considered 50+1 percent of the vote.

Education Opportunities: The property manager of Bay Plaza is promoting The Bay Plaza Bronx Entrepreneurship Scholarship. It is for high school seniors who are aspiring entrepreneurs and about to attend college.

The amount awarded will be $3,000 annually. The deadline to apply is April

1, 2021. Take advantage of this opportunity and share the information with others. Go to MallatBayPlaza.com for additional details.

Meharry and TSU (Tennessee State/Meharry Medical) two HBCU’s, signed the Dr. Levi Watkins Jr. Medical, Dental Accelerated Pathway Program. The accelerated program seeks to reduce the amount of time it takes students to enter medical school. The traditional four-year Bachelor of Science degree will become a three-year program, students will spend three years pre-med at TSU before going on to study medicine or dentistry at Meharry.

The accelerated program will “create a pipeline for African-American doctors and dentists.” High school seniors interested in becoming a medical doctor should consider this opportunity. For more information and criteria needed, contact www.tnstate.edu/watkins.

• Recently, a discussion was held regarding the BRUCKNER EXPWY-HUTCHINSON PKWY MOBILITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, BRONX CO., NYC, Project ID No. X73127 that includes a northbound Hutchinson River Parkway exit ramp to Co-op City at Bartow Avenue. According to the Department of Transportation (DOT) page, the Bid Opening is expected to be in Summer 2021 and Construction is expected to begin in Fall 2021. It is receiving funding from Federal and State sources.There were concerns raised regarding the impact on Co-op City and we must stay informed of the plans going forward.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” –C.S. Lewis I am pleased to be of service to the community. I am interested in hearing your thoughts. I can be reached by e-mail at lpeterson@riverbayboard.com or by telephone at 718-320-1370.

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

17

National Council of Negro Women

Dr. Dorothy I. Height Tribute & Birthday – Today, Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 4:30 p.m., we will be presenting a tribute to Dr. Dorothy I. Height, the 4th National President of National Council of Negro Women, Inc. This will also be a celebration of her birthday which was on March 24, 1912. This civil rights and women’s activist was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004. Women’s History Month is the perfect time to spotlight her.

Join us on Zoom. Meeting ID: 893 8841 4916. Passcode: Height.

Women Represent! – Our Women Represent! 2021 Program will be on Saturday, April 10, 2021 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “Black Women in Justice: All Rise.” Three powerful justices will share their stories of resilience with us.

Men of all ages, you are cordially invited to attend. Girls, teens and women, enjoy inspirational messages with you in mind. Please contact Camille Worrell, chairperson for Women Represent!, for more information at worrellswords@aol.com.

Bethune-Height Recognition Program – Because of the the Covid-19 coronavirus, the BHRP Program will be a virtual program on May 15, 2021 at 12 p.m. At our 46th annual awards program, we will be honoring La-Trina Robinson-Webster, distinguished educator of NYC school system; Nydia D. Southerland, outstanding youth leader, and Sara E. Dennis, New York State honoree and affiliate.

NCNW stands in solidarity with the Asian American community – Shootings on the night of March 17th at three Atlanta area day spas led to the deaths of eight

people, six of whom were women of Asian descent. Since the coronavirus pandemic started a year ago in the United States, there have been over 3,000 hate incidents against Asian Americans. In 1871 when a White man was caught in the crossfire between rival Chinese groups, the Chinese community in Los Angeles was attacked and at least 17 Chinese men and boys were lynched. After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, thousands of Japanese Americans were forced into internment camps for the duration of World War II. When the war in Vietnam ended, many Vietnamese came to the U.S. Some found jobs in the shrimping industry only to have the Ku Klux Klan in their white robes and hoods set their boats on fire. After March 2020, when the coronavirus was identified in the United States, President Trump and others referred to the pandemic as “the Chinese virus,” the “Wuhan virus” and the “Kung flu.” The violence and racism against Asian Americans echoes many of the horrific experiences of African Americans and other marginalized communities. The systemic sexism also haunts Black women. The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. stands firmly in solidarity with the Asian American community just as we are in solidarity with our own community and any other community that is the victim of systemic racism, sexism and other systems of inequality. To paraphrase Dr. Maya Angelou, “the truth is that none of us are safe until all of us are safe.”

–Joyce Howard

NAACP Co-op City Branch

Mission Statement: “Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.”

Although Black History Month ends February 28, we know that Black History isn’t just 28 days in February – it’s all year long. Our sights are still set on uplifting and empowering our community to harness the full potential of our power; NAACP.org.

NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson releases statement on Atlanta shooting: “Our hearts are shattered tonight. The horrifying shooting that took place in Atlanta this evening is a disgusting and disturbing example of how the spread of domestic terrorism has been allowed to torment communities. These acts are the visible manifestation of hateful words birthing hateful acts. An attack on one is an attack on all. We condemn this in the strongest possible terms.”

NAACP partners with the Racial Equity Anchor Collaborative – The foremost diverse coalition of national racial justice and civil rights organizations representing and serving more than 53 million people in the United States – We condemn in the strongest terms the recent uptick in documented hate incidents including bullying and harassment, hate crimes and violence being perpetrated against Asian Americans in recent weeks.

ANONYMOUS WHISTLEBLOWER HOTLINE If you have knowledge or a concern of possible violations of law, accounting irregularities, or other suspected wrongdoing affecting Riverbay, you are encouraged to report it to law enforcement, or you may report it through an anonymous hotline by the following methods:

Go to an independent website, www.lighthouse-services/riverbaycorp, to complete an online disclosure form;

NAACP revealed that legendary entertainer, film icon and two-time Image Award recipient Eddie Murphy will be inducted into the NAACP 52nd Image Awards Hall of Fame airing live on Saturday, March 27, 2021 8:00 p.m. on BET, CBS, etc.

COVID Vaccine available for Co-op City residents.

Schedule an in-person appointment at Dreiser Loop Auditorium Community Center, second floor, or call Co-op City Only hotline at 718-879-5950, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The NAACP is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom Meeting – Topic: NAACP General Meeting; Date: Sunday March 28, 2021; Time: 3 p.m. Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81176223045?pwd=b2owTUQyZjRYNnizNIRUMEtxM1J2dz09; Meeting ID: 811 7622 3045; Passcode: 408988; Dial-in: 1-646-558-8656.

Membership Dues: To pay a new, renewal, upgrade or gift membership go to NAACP.ORG – branch #2210, or send your request for an application to naacpcoopbb@yahoo.com. Annual dues: Adult, $30; and Youth, $10, by check/money order payable to: NAACP #2210. Mail to: N.A.A.C.P. Co-op City, Einstein Station, P.O. Box 75-3111, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. We appreciate your continued support and if you would like to make a financial contribution in any amount, we thank you in advance for helping the NAACP advocate for a more just and equal America.

–Brenda Brown

Send a fax to (215) 689-3885 (the fax must include “Riverbay” in the subject of the report).

For club articles to be printed in the Co-op City Times, please take the time to proofread the article before submitting them for publication. This ensures accuracy of your message being conveyed to your readers.

Also, please check that there aren’t numerous paragraph returns after the name of the submitting person.

It unnecessarily adds pages to the document.

We appreciate your cooperation.

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

Amid ongoing concerns about the Coronavirus COVID-19, McCall's Bronxwood Funeral Home is closely monitoring the latest reports from the CDC and is fully committed to providing the funeral and memorial services you expect without interruption, in a clean and hygenic environment.

Personalized & Professional Care • 55 Years Serving Our Community Worldwide Shipping including Caribbean, Africa & South America

Call the following independent third party whistleblower hotline at 1-833-290-0009 (English); or 1-800-216-1288 (Spanish); Send an e-mail to: reports@lighthouse-services.com (the email must include “Riverbay” in the subject); or

Club article submissions

718-231-7647 Call 24 Hours

Fax: 718-231-7665 LIVE STREAMING WORLDWIDE.

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

Serving all cultures & faiths

18

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

Co-op City Toastmasters Club

Would you believe that it has been twenty years that Co-op City Toastmasters has been in existence here in Co-op City? This gem of a group has been going strong. Co-op City Toastmasters is the place to hone your communication skills as well as develop your leadership skills. For many, this group has been an avenue to launch personal and professional endeavors. It is a place to develop life-long friends. If you were ever interested in honing your public speaking skill, join us on Zoom on April 15, 2021 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

We are encouraging everyone in the community to join us on Zoom. You will hear from our founders and

local community leaders and, of course, our best speech makers.

Our meetings are on the first and third Thursday of each month. Join us for a virtual meeting and find out how we may help you to enhance your communication skills.

Please contact us at 347-244-9550 or 718-344-6719 for Zoom information. You may also visit our website at 3824.toastmastersclubs.org or Toastmasters46.org.

We look forward to hearing from you.

–Marietta C. Phoenix

Caregivers Outreach Mentorship Empowerment

March is Kidney Month Taking care of yourself is a priority as you care for others. March is kidney awareness month. Are you aware of the vital role your kidney plays to maintain a healthy body function? We are born with two kidneys. However, some people have been found to only be born with one kidney. A person can live a totally normal life with only one kidney. The kidney regulates fluids, activates Vitamin D for healthy bones, filters waste from the blood, directs production of red blood cells, regulates blood pressure, and keeps blood minerals in balance. Some of the risk factors of kidney disease are family history, diabetes, high blood pressure and being 60 and over. The problems kidney disease can also cause are nerve damage, cardiac disease, weak bones, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, anemia and kidney disease. Kidney disease can cause swelling of the face, hands, abdomen, ankles and feet. The urine can be bloody and foamy. Some other symptoms are puffy eyes, difficult and painful urination and increased thirst and fatigue.

It is very important that you monitor and discuss your kidney status with your health care provider. Be sure to ask your health care provider the results of two lab test. The urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio which is an indicator of the amount of a type of protein albumin that you excrete in your urine. Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) tells how your kidneys are working to remove waste from your bloods. It is the best way to check kidney function.

Some things you can do to keep your kidney healthy: Drinking plenty of fluids will help your kidney function property. Your urine should be straw-colored. During hot weather and when exercising strenuously, you need to drink more water than usual to make up for the fluid lost by sweating. A balanced diet ensures you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Eat plenty of fruit, vegetables, and grains such as whole wheat pasta, bread and rice. Do not eat too much salty or fatty foods. Have your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure has no symptoms, but it can increase your risk of kidney and heart problems. An ideal blood pressure is considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg. Do not smoke or drink too much alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol and smoking both raise your blood pressure. Your body mass index (BMI) is a helpful way of checking whether you’re a healthy weight. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, cycling or swimming every week. Thirty-three percent (33%) of adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease, but most of them don’t know it. Having kidney disease also puts you at an increased risk of developing life-threatening complications from COVID-19. Visit www.kidney.org and take the short survey to see if you’re in the 33%.

Please note, the Medicaid guidelines and regulation will be changing in August. Contact us with your questions at 718-379-3159 or email us at Info@comeoutreach.org.

–Diane Cooper

Building 9 Association

Salutations, Building 9 family. Wear a mask always, wash your hands often and social distance whenever possible. Get vaccinated, if you can.

The CDC issued guidelines for fully vaccinated persons. Familiarize yourselves with the most updated information. Use your own best judgement.

The scaffolding, shedding and fencing will remain around our building for the foreseeable future. New York City building code requires inspectors to review the site before removal.

Thank you to those who supported our Popcorn Fundraiser, your purchases should arrive in the next week or so.

The New York City election primaries for local municipal office vacancies such as Mayor, Comptroller, Public Advocate, Borough President and City Council will be conducted using Ranked Choice Voting. Remember, you may vote for up to five candidates, you may not vote for any candidate more than once, select your candidates in order of those with the most compatible policies and values to your own.

To our Building 9 Asian American and Pacific Island neighbors, Ms. Park, Mr. Kim, Ms. Patel and others, your Building 9 neighbors and the greater Co-op City community stand with you against bias, bigotry and hate. You matter to us. You are valued members of our building association and of our community. Stay strong and be encouraged. You are not alone.

As a country, we have been responsible for waves of misrepresentation, discrimination and injustice targeting AAPI communities for generations. Most notably, immigrants from China, Japan, and India, but also a myriad and diverse group of others who fall under that category, have struggled for acceptance and recognition.

Chinese communities were America’s first ‘undocumented immigrants.’ From the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, to WW2 Japanese Detention Camps, to Anti-Asian racism after the Korean and Vietnam Wars, to violence after the September 11th attacks, the AAPI community has been subjected to prejudice and violence.

For many years, the AAPI community was regarded as a mostly invisible thread of the fabric of America.

In fact, the opposite is true. They were instrumental in helping to build our great railroads (Transcontinental Railroad). They have dazzled us on the silver screen from Meryl Oberon, Constance Wu, Bruce Lee, Ang Lee, Priyanka Chopra, Lee Byung Hun, Margaret Cho, to Sung Kang. They have been leaders in medicine and science. Dr. David Ho, who was the lead scientist in 1980s HIV/AIDS research and development of treatment therapies, as well as his most recent work with Novel Coronavirus research. Politicians such as Andrew Yang, Grace Meng, Mazie Hirono, Ro Khanna, Tammy Duckworth and, of course, Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris are making their mark.

The myriad and diverse contributions to American society by members of the AAPI community warrant the respect, gratitude, support and thoughtfulness of every American.

I am the proud grandmother of a wonderful young woman whose father was born in Bangladesh, India. We are a multicultural community and society. Our strength is in our diversity. Our power is in our unity.

Hatred is an insidious poison. Love is the antidote.

In solidarity, –Linda Collins

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Anglican Church St. Joseph’s is located at 155 Dreiser Loop, lower level, Co-op City, Bronx, NY 10475.

Greetings! Due to the ongoing pandemic, St. Joseph’s Church has suspended services until further notice. However, we continue to worship via teleconference on Sundays, 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Father Johnson also conducts daily weekday services at 12 p.m.

You are invited to participate in these services by calling 1-425-436-6344, access code: 509 898, followed by the # sign.

Grace and peace!

–M. Chambers

Co-op City Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams and the Co-op City Baptist Church family invite you to join us tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. for worship service on Zoom. You can join us by Zoom Video, https://us04web.zoom.us/j/ 9623430102, or Zoom Telephone Conference Line, (646) 568-7788, Conference ID: 962 343 0102, Password: 788175#.

Next Sunday, April 4, at 9:00 a.m., the Sunday School will present its annual Easter Program. You’re invited to join us using the Free Conference Call.com Line, 563-999-2090, PIN #: 660065.

Wednesday Bible Study is held at 1:00 p.m. You can join us by Zoom Video, https//us04web.zoom.us/j/ 9623430102, or Zoom Telephone Conference Line, (646) 568-7788, Conference ID: 962 343 0102, Password: 788175#.

Thursday Prayer Warriors is held at 12 p.m. You can join using the Free Conference Call.com Line, 563-999-2090, PIN #: 660065.

Friday Noon Prayer is held at 10 a.m. Please note time change. You can join us using the Free Conference Call.com Line shown above.

Friday Evening Prayer is held at 7:30 p.m. You can join us using the Free Conference Call.com Line shown above. Please note: Friday Evening Prayer service is not held on the first Friday of the month.

Sunday School for adults is held on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. Use Free Conference Call.com Line shown above to join in. Sunday School for children and youth are held as follows: Primaries (6-8 years old), 2:30 p.m., FCC: (701) 802-5451, PIN/ACCESS: 2788906 Juniors (9-11years old), 3:30 p.m., ZOOM: (516) 259-9274 (no access code required) Young Teens (12-17 years old), 9:30 a.m., FCC: (701) 802-5230, PIN/ACCESS: 3559529 The COVID-19 vaccination is available for those 50 and older. If you are interested in getting the vaccine and are a Montefiore patient, you can schedule an appointment at www.montefiore.org. Montefiore also has a Covid-19 Hotline which can be reached at 844-444-2819. You can also make an appointment at Dreiser Community Center. Co-op City residents, call 718-879-5950, Monday to Friday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.), to make an appointment.

Please keep each other in your prayers and be wise in your decisions. Don’t forget to wear your masks, practice social distancing and stay safe!

GOD will strengthen us as we travel through this storm. GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 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

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Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

Dreiser

(929) 399-1394

(718) 671-5161

(718) 320-1345

Mon., Mar. 29

Einstein

No Activities

Tues., Mar. 30

Bartow

Arthritis Exercise class with Damion, every Tues., 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/ Meeting ID: 982 8183 3325 Passcode: 582148 Mobile: +1-929-205-6099

Body in Motion (exercise class) 11 a.m. -12 p.m. (via Zoom or phone) Must call or email to register: 929-399-1387

Wed., Mar. 31

Health and Wellness, 10 a.m. -11 a.m., via Zoom or phone Zumba with Ola 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., via Zoom or phone Bereavement Group, 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of the month 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Fri., Apr. 2

Thu., Apr. 1

Must call or email to register: 929-399-1387

Arts with Laura 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (via Zoom and phone)

Chair Yoga w/ Charles Tyler 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/99565341173 1-646-876-9923 Meeting ID: 995 6534 1173 Passcode: 855423

Music Therapy, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Zoom call-in #: 1-646-876-9923 Arts with Laura, 10 a.m. Meeting ID: 935-5178-1563 12 p.m. via Zoom and phone Passcode: 045708 “Zumba w/Ola,” 1 - 2 p.m.

Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/99231696108 Meeting ID: 992 3169 6108 Passcode: 503637 Call in number: 1-929-205-6099

Must call or email to register: 929-399-1387

“Creative Hour with Sister Grace,” 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. How to make Floral Arrangements.

Dial-in: 929-205-6099 Meeting code: 915-3777-954.

Email Ann for Zoom link, amoncrieffe@jasa.org Smartphone/Tablets Zoom Meeting w/Ralph, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. https://zoom.us/j/2959552471 To register, please call the JASA office with your name, email address & phone number.

Meeting ID: 2959552471 Passcode: 259554 Dial in: 1-929-205-6609

Weight Management Support Group w/Gigi, 2nd Wed. of month, 1 - 2 p.m. Call: 929-299-1045, Code: 1386 Game Day – Every Wed., 1-2 p.m. w/Ms. Margaret Kempe and students (Pay it Forward Engineers) at Scarsdale HS. Virtual game day, different games each week incl. Bingo.

Please call 718-320-1345 to register & receive Zoom info.

Computer learning w/Ralph, Wed., 11 a.m. -12 p.m. To register, call JASA w/name, email & phone.

Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/93681329040; Dial in: 929-205-6609; Meeting ID: 936 8132 9040; Passcode: 259554

Health and Wellness 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Meditation w/Charles Tyler Time: 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Must call or email to register: Zoom Meeting link: https://zoom.us/j/94868805136 Smartphone/Tablet Class 929-399-1387 w/Ralph, 1 - 2 p.m. Call Main Arthritis Exercise Class 1-646-876-9923 Office, 718-320-2066, to regis- w/Damion every Thurs., 1 - 2 Meeting ID: 948 6880 5136 ter. Please give your telephone p.m. Zoom Meeting ID: 986 Passcode: 770292 # & email address 0021 6442, Passcode: 573762

(via Zoom or Phone)

Stretch and Tone w/Ola, 1 - 2 p.m. (via Zoom or phone). Must call or email to register: 929399-1387 (NORC) Aerobic Classes every Fri., 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Zoom: https://zoom.us/ Mobile: 929.205.6099 Meeting ID: 986 8235 8691 Passcode: 849150

No Activities

Concerts in Motion, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/ j/82906881632.

Dial in by phone: 646.558.8656 Meeting ID: 829-0688-1632

For information, please call: (718) 320-2066 (Schedule subject to change without notice) Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, the NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation.

Have a Happy Palm Sunday tomorrow and a Happy Passover this week.

Words from the Goose Island Seniors president – I had a wonderful experience getting my Johnson & Johnson vaccination. I went to the Dreiser Auditorium Vaccine Site.

No line, I received an appointment for next day. The place was packed but orderly so I was taken right away and out in no time. Only one shot necessary. I felt no side effects.

When we reopen, no one is allowed in the club room unless vaccinated. Homebound vaccinations, register online at forms.cityofnewyork.us/f/homebound or call 877-VAX-4NYC (877-829-4692).

June 6, 2022 will be our 50th Anniversary. I would like us to start thinking of a way to celebrate. I was thinking

Goose Island Seniors

of several members telling us some of the best moments in the club. Would you like to be one of the speakers? It’s a little over a year away but the day will be here before we know it. I’m hoping we can celebrate somewhere really nice. Send me your suggestions via text, email, or phone call. Contact information is at the end of this article.

Tax Preparation – I still have no information on free senior tax preparers. Keep checking Co-op City Times.

Anyone with information please contact me.

To all members: Happy Birthday to our members who celebrate their birthday in the month of March: Molly Konikoff, Hattie Lucas, Shirley Rooney, Stephen Roberts Sr., Vivian Werner, Michelle Rosenthal, Diane Rodriguez, Lillian Friedman, Benjamin Carter and Pearl Applewhite.

Upcoming Events JASA Co-op City NORC Program invites you for the Upcoming Virtual Activities – March/April

JASA Bartow Senior Center 12-weeks Cooking Classes – Every Thurs. starting Mar. 11 – May 27, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Please Note: THESE ARE NOT PLANT BASED CLASSES. Meeting ID: 910-2152-1179, Dialin: 646-876-9923 w/meeting ID number.

New – Bartow Window Gardening Club starting Tues., Apr. 6 to Jun. 22, 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Each participant will get a free garden herbs starter kit. Must register for this class. Deadline is Fri., Mar. 19. Please email amoncrieffe@jasa.org. (Emails only with your name, address and phone number.)

Co-op City’s Annual Passover 2021 (Virtual event) – Fri., Apr. 2, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Please join us for a wonderful morning of our Annual Passover celebration. Live entertainment by: The Sheer Entertainment Group, special gifts provided. For Co-op City Senior Center members who are Co-op City residents only. Please call 718-320-1345 or email pogando@jasa .org to sign up and get the Zoom link. Seder Menu: Ribeye steak, roasted potatoes & carrots, Dessert: macaroons.

Chat/Talk group w/our Social Work Student – “The Bubble of Strength w/Kyra,” Mondays, 1 p.m.

-2 p.m. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/95595038251, Meeting ID: 955 9503 8251, Passcode: 762941, Dialin: 929-205-6099.

Every Tuesday Yoga classes with Adira Polite – 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m., https://zoom.us/j/98404647097?pwd=RXg2WCtqNzlEa0JLVWtWN3VWa1JPZz09.

Dial-in: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 984 0464 7097, Passcode: 952022.

Every Wed. – Arthritis Exercise/Dance Class w/Damion, 11 a.m - 12 p.m. Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/96708931492, Meeting ID: 967 0893 1492, Passcode: 491268, Dial-in: 1-929-205-6099.

Every Wednesday Tai Chi classes w/Adira Polite – 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/95267447198?pwd=MDhCa1U5d2 4rMkdpNWZnMXVHejl2dz09, Dial-in: 929.205.6099, Meeting ID: 952 6744 7198, Password: 455576.

Meditation Class – GPC (Grandparents), 11 a.m.

- 12 p.m. Third Thurs. of every month, https://bit.ly/35VESDV. Dial-in: 929.205.6099, Meeting ID: 991 1390 5105, Passcode: 170462.

Updated information – Digital Photography Class w/Eddie, Thurs., 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Learn how to not only take pictures but how to edit, enhance and digital print them by using your handheld devices. Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/94802959309, Meeting ID: 948 0295 9309, Passcode: 337875, Dial-in: 929 205 6099.

Friday Aerobics Class with Adira Polite – 11 a.m.

- 12 p.m., https://zoom.us/j/98682358691?pwd=dS9ublovZ01m RVVYbEhCYng2SkZHdz09.

Dial-in: 929.205.6099, Meeting ID: 986 8235 8691, Meeting ID: 986 8235 8691, Passcode: 849150.

Zumba Classes on Saturdays – Zumba classes on Saturdays, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/92928109097?pwd=Z1lwMHFNcDNRSGZZZ20vTmlZSmtLQT09, Meeting ID: 929 2810 9097, Passcode: 374977, Dial-in: 929.205.6099.

Bodies in Motion w/Ola – Sun., 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Zoom meeting: https://zoom.us/j/98867100439?pwd=eVhjY3Jzb3FpNjdDOVRwbjYOUmFWdz09, Dial-in: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 988 6710 0439, Passcode: 252733.

Sick and Shut-in – Edna Trujillo had a stroke. Please keep her in your prayers. Mary Pilla (former Goose Island president), sends her love to all. Mary is in the Paramount at Somers Nursing Center in Somers, NY. She will love to hear from you. You may call her at (718) 753-1816.

Our club is at 135 Einstein Loop, rm. 39, Bronx, NY 10475, in the Section 5 Community Center. Phone number: (718) 379-9613 (suspended). Our office is presently closed.

We will reopen as soon as it is safe to do so. You may call or text Stephen’s cell at (347) 847-1941. Our email address is goose.island@optonline.net.

These are unusual times. All our lives are altered. On behalf of my officers and myself, stay safe.

–Stephen Roberts, Sr.

20

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City

Saturday morning services will start at 10:00 a.m. This change was made at the request of some of our members.

The requirement for wearing a mask and social distancing will be strictly enforced during all synagogue services.

Yizkor Passover Services will be held on Sunday, April 4, 2021. Regular services will start at 10 a.m. with Yizkor services at 11 a.m.

General Information The Traditional Synagogue is located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place in the rear lobby of 27B. It is on the ground floor of Building 27B; it is handicap accessible, no steps. Phone #: 718-379-6920. Office hours are Thursday and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. Please call the office before you attempt to come over. If no one is in the office, please leave a message.

The synagogue has Services on Saturday morning starting at 10:00 a.m. After Services, we always have a kiddush.

The synagogue has a Facebook page, Traditional Synagogue.

The synagogue needs donations. Whatever amount you can donate, big or small, would help. The synagogue needs men to help make a minyan. There are a lot of Jewish men who live in Co-op City who don’t come to services. Please come by 9:00 a.m. so we can take out the Torah.

The Traditional Synagogue is the only synagogue in Co-op City.

Sabbath ends on Saturday, March 27, 2021, at 8:07 p.m. Passover Candle Lighting is at 8:08.

Passover Candle Lighting on Sunday, March 28, 2021 is as 8:09.

Candle Lighting for Friday, April 2, 2021, at 7:02 p.m.

The 7th day of Passover Candle Lighting, Saturday April 3, 2021, is at 8:15 p.m.

Passover ends on Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 8:16 p.m.

Good and Welfare We sell tree certificates, in Honor or Memory, of a loved one. The cost is only $15.00 per tree. If you want to buy at tree, call (347) 449-5005. Mazel Tov to all having simchas. If you’re ill, wishing you good health. If you asked the Rabbi to say prayers for a sick person, you should make your donation to the synagogue.

To all members Happy Birthday to Sam Grynewize and all other members who will celebrate their birthday in March. For all those members celebrating their birthday/anniversary in March, please send me your names and I will add them to the list.

Fun and games After services and kiddush, members play games. Your support for the Traditional Synagogue, is greatly appreciated.

Wishing all our members and friends peace and good health.

–Bruce Gitelson

American Legion Post 1871

American Legion and Census data The Post had its general meeting on Saturday, March 20, where members had the opportunity to fellowship and learn of new information as per the organization.

At the meeting, United States Census, through one of its Partnership Specialists, Linda Berk, was the guest speaker. Ms. Berk, also president of Riverbay Board of Directors, addressed the veterans on the importance and the use of data gathered by the United States during the decennial census that ended in 2020. It was such a frenzy atmosphere to know how participating in Census shapes our everyday life.

Most government activities are planned around the data from Census both politically, economically, socially, infrastructurally, etc. Men and women of the American Legion, in turn, gave suggestions on what Census could do to make every tenyear exercise acceptable to the public.

Memorial Day This year’s Memorial Day Ceremony is set for Sunday, May 30. This is an annual event when American Legion recognizes those veterans who used to be with us but are no more. Commander Toba echoed that the details of the event would be deliberated by the executive board and made known at the next general meeting in May. Inasmuch as it is going to be an outside engagement, little will be the concern of the public health restrictions as regards the coronavirus pandemic. To this, we are requesting that if anyone knows any veteran or families who passed away last year until now, we would like to know about them latest by Sunday, May 15. Kindly help with their names, branch of service, year they served and date of transition.

Send this information to Post1871@optonline.net or call 718-320-8165 and leave a message.

Post operations American Legion of Co-op City will continue to operate remotely if the pandemic lasts. However, throughout the pandemic, we will be supporting our members by supplying PPEs and food boxes. More so, with the closure of the building’s office space, the administrative tasks would be conducted remotely with membership dues being processed and 2021 cards sent to members. Our meetings are conducted virtually through Zoom, and we thank God for how comrades had adjusted to all these changes. I am calling on all comrades to attend our meetings through this medium. Our Zoom information is the same; Meeting ID: 852 9376 7539, Passcode: 549673, and if anyone wants to join the meeting on telephone, dial: 1-929436-2866. Kindly use this meeting information to join the meeting today at 11 a.m.

Food distribution The Post will continue its food giveaway program throughout the month of March.

The boxes that are distributed these days contain fresh food, vegetables, meat/chicken, and dairy products. Our main distribution centers are Dreiser Loop Center, in front of the pharmacy by 12 p.m., and Section 5 location in front of the community center by 1 p.m. Anyone willing to benefit from the program is advised to come with shopping carts and possible bags, as the boxes are a bit heavy.

–Adeyemi LaCrown Toba

Open Door Ministries “Fear God”

(Full sermon at opendoorministries.net)

The fear of God is respecting Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe. A Biblical fear of God includes understanding how much He hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin even in the life of a believer. The fear of God is an awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God and that He will hold you accountable for your motives, thoughts, words, and actions. To fear God is to desire to live in harmony with His righteous standards and to honor Him in all that you do.

1 Peter 4:17 for it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

2 Corinthians 7:1 with promises like these made to us, dear brothers, let us wash off all that can soil either body or spirit, to reach perfection of holiness in the fear of God. 1 Peter1:17 And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile.

Hebrews 12:25-29 if they who refused to hear those who spoke to them on earth did not escape, how little chance of escape is there for us if we refuse to hear the One who speaks from Heaven. Then his voice shook the earth, but now he promises: Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also heaven. This means that in this final “shaking” all that is impermanent will be removed, that is, everything that is merely “made,” and only the unshakable things will remain. Since then, we have been given a kingdom that is “unshakable;” let us serve God with thankfulness in the ways which please him, but always with reverence and holy fear. For it is perfectly true that our God is a burning fire.

Mike Yaconelli: “I would like to suggest that the Church become a place of terror again; a place where God continually has to tell us, “Fear not;” a place where our relationship with God is not a simple belief or a doctrine or theology, it is God’s burning presence in our lives. I am suggesting that the tame God of relevance be replaced by the God whose very presence shatters our egos into dust, burns our sin into ashes, and strips us naked to reveal the real person within. The church needs to become a gloriously dangerous place where nothing is safe in God’s presence except us. Nothing—including our plans, our agendas, our priorities, our politics, our money, our security, our comfort, our possessions, our needs.

Contact Open Door Ministries by phone/text, 917-334-4407.

Blessings in Christ, –Pastor Luis Ramos

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Pentecostal Tabernacle Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

The Pentecostal Tabernacle, 100 Co-op City Blvd., Building 22A, Bronx, N.Y. 10475 Sunday morning service, 11 a.m. Wednesday Prayer and fasting service will be held at 11 a.m. Worship service on Friday, 7:30 p.m. To join, call 720-7409746, Access code: 8876631.

A word of encouragement to everyone in this time when fear has taken hold of many people because of the crisis throughout the entire world. Spend some quality time in prayer and reading your Bible with your family. Remember that God has promised us that he will never leave us nor forsake us, He is in charge and he knows how to take care of His children. Continue to pray and develop your faith in God. Let us develop the spirit of power, love, a sound mind, and walking love.

Galatians 5:16-23 This I say then, walk in the spirit, and he shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

But if ye be led by the spirit, ye are not under the Law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies. Envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like: of which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past that they which do such things The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much. During this dark season, Reverend Dr. Calvin E. Owens and the Community Protestant Church family continue to lift up in prayer our community, city, state, nation and the world, especially all those affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Our regular church schedule has been cancelled due to the outbreak of the virus. However, our members and friends are invited to join us via the Telephone Conference Call Line at (712) 432-3900; at the prompt, enter access code 343284, followed by the # sign.

Church Schedule Sunday School is now in session via conference call every Sunday at 9 a.m.

For Youth Sunday School, call (712) 452-3900, access code 953697, followed by the # sign.

For Adult Sunday School, call (712) 432-3900,

shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith. Meekness, temperance, against such there is no law.

The fruit of the spirit will develop to its full potential in a believer’s life only with careful and diligent cultivation. The Christian must work daily on each aspect of the fruit to see progress. One writer stated that it is significant that the works of the flesh are contrasted with the fruit of the spirit. Without cultivation and effort, the flesh just naturally produces negative traits.

As long as we allow the spirit of God to have full control of our life, the works of the flesh will not be able to manifest itself. Galatians 5:24 states: And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lust. The goal of each Christian should be to develop each aspect of the fruit to the highest possible potential in his life. A Christian should never be satisfied with his present states; he should press on to a fuller dimension. It is important that Christians maintain the fruit of the spirit, Goodness is one that speaks of basic character, Paul said, for I know that in me (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing (Romans 7:18). Goodness must be imparted to us from the character of Christ.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) For further information, call (718) 324-0334 or 718-320-4218.

–Rev. R. Sibblies

Community Protestant Church access code 343284, followed by the # sign Sunday Worship Service begins at 11 a.m. via Conference Call Line above.

Noon Day Prayer at CPC on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. You are cordially invited to call in for an hour of Power, Prayer, Praise and Testimony.

Bible Study on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

The topic for Pastor Owens’ Sermonette last Sunday was “Does Jesus Care?” His scripture text came from Mark 4:38-41. “And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awake him, and say unto him, ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish?’ And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. …” He asked, as Disciples of Christ, do you sometimes question does Jesus care? He stated that sometimes we feel as though no one cares. Satan does his best to con-

Church of New Vision

On behalf of the Church of New Vision, we want to take a moment to send a note to let you know we are praying and thinking about you as this new year begins. While many are focused on the pandemic and what might be the politically correct thing to say or do, we remain focused on Jesus Christ.

We know that it can be challenging to fellowship with one another without the opportunity to come out to services at the church. However, we want you to know that God is with you at all times. He will surely be your source of strength and comfort this year as He has in years past.

So, with that in mind, we want to take this opportunity to thank God and pray that you and your family have a blessed new year as we as a church family remain steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Our verse of focus this year is: 2 Corinthians 12:9: “And He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, be with you all. Amen. – Pastors Kenneth & Deborah Hodge.

We welcome you with the love of the Lord to join us on Sunday as we share the Word of God at 11 a.m. on YouTube, type in Kenneth Hodge. Wednesday prayer service, 7 p.m., via telephone conference line by calling 1-646-769-9900, then enter access number 3099388. The season of fasting, spiritual discipline and strengthening your prayer life began Wednesday, February 17, with 40 days of Lent & Fasting before Resurrection Sunday. Once prayer has begun, please mute your phone so all can hear with clarity.

Sunday, March 14, Worship Service theme: “Show Us You.” Scripture: Acts 1:3 “To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:” (Acts 1:1-15; John 15:5 needing God); Proverbs 3:5-6 trust in God; Luke 18:1 always pray; James 2:26 faith; Acts 1:14 constant praying on one accord) COVID vaccine available to Co-op City residents. Schedule in-person appointment at Dreiser Loop Auditorium Community Center, second floor, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. or call Co-op City only hotline at 718-879-5950.

Continue to practice social distancing, wash hands, wear a mask and stay safe! Thanks for your contributions, Malachi 3:10. Mailing address: Church of New Vision, P.O. Box 75-3037, Einstein Station, Bronx, NY 10475.

–Brenda Brown

vince us that no one cares. Even though we might become discouraged and frustrated, there is one who cares. His name is Jesus, the son of the Living God. Do not be alarmed by what is happening in the world.

He will work it out. We know that Jesus cares because He came to earth for us, He went to Calvary and died for us. Every soul is precious in His sight.

If it had not been for Jesus on our side, where would we be? He did not bring us this far to leave us now.

Reminder: COVID-19 vaccine is now available in our community. Be safe, practice social distancing and wear your mask when you go out.

Until we meet again, Pastor Owens and our church family pray that God will be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause His face to shine upon us; that His way may be known upon earth, and His saving health among all nations.

–Evan G. Mitchell

People First Democratic Club “The first, definitely not the last”

A generation of American children will grow up knowing that a woman became the United States Vice President. Kamala Devi Harris, a daughter of immigrants who came to the U.S. from India, and her father from Jamaica. They were activist parents who instilled a strong sense of social justice early in life. Growing up, Harris was surrounded by a diverse community and extended family.

On August 11, 2020, Vice President Harris accepted President Joe Biden’s invitation to become his running mate and unite the country. Harris became the first female vice president, the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history. The Vice President is a significant spotlight of the Biden administration as she navigates her role to become the free world leader. Biden, who is 78, may not likely seek a second term in 2024. It’s not too early to speculate Harris as the leading presidential candidate who is very popular now. During the 2021 Presidential Inauguration, Kamala Harris took her place in America’s history by breaking the glass ceiling for women. Today is a new day for every woman and young girl around the world. Women can affirm America is a land of limitless opportunities.

From International Women’s Day to Women’s History Month, we will continue to celebrate the contributions of history-making women to our society.

Get informed and get involved!! Join People First Democratic Club!

PFDC will be very active in our community, and our pledge to you is to keep you informed about what is going on within the city, state, and federal government. One way to stay informed is to join us; you can do so by emailing us at peope1stdc@gmail.com to request an application; the annual fees are $35 for individuals and $30 for a family. You must be registered or plan to register as a Democrat and be at least 16 years old.

“The generations of women who, throughout our nation’s history, have paved the way for this moment, I stand on their shoulders.” –Kamala Harris –Al Quattlebaum

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Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021 CLEANING SERVICE - WINDOWS

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LEGAL NOTICE 4/17

Uptown Riders LLC articles of organization filed with Department of State of New York Bronx under Section 205 on December 28th 2020. DOS shall mail a copy of process to David Deleon Harris. 140 Darrow Pl. Bronx NY 10475

3/27

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Will Pay Top $$ for JAZZ, JAZZ, JAZZ, Rock & Roll, Soul Music, Latin, 50s, 60s, & 70s.

LP, 78 or 45.

Call Joe 917-952-4408

LOCKSMITH

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3/27

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HIGH SECURITY LOCKS 20% Off Any Lock Job!

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3/27

PUBLIC SAFETY

Co-op City Department of Public Safety (718) 671-3050 www.ccpd.us If you SEE something, SAY something!

Co-op City Times weekly delivery To help prevent transmission of COVID-19 and protect both our workers and residents, the Co-op City Times is delivered to building lobbies. We ask that you keep the newspapers neat and tidy.

Delivery to townhouses continues as it has to each unit door. Please pick up your paper promptly after delivery to avoid it scattering in high winds or getting soiled in inclement weather.

If you are going to the lobby, please bring newspapers up for your neighbors, especially those who are among our vulnerable population.

Stay safe.

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

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24

Co-op City Times / March 27, 2021

Co-op Insurance The Wright Agency: Serving Co-op City for 40 Years!

Riverbay Requires Current Co-op Shareholders to Obtain Coverage!

Your Co-op is an Investment Worth Protecting!

P r o t e c t i o n T o C o v e r Yo u r B e l o n g i n g s A g a i n s t : • Fire & Smoke • Water damage from plumbing

We O f f e r :

• Low Premiums • Protective Device Discounts • Auto-Home Discounts

• Guest medical protection • Certain personal liabilities

• Theft Coverage • And so much more!

Other Li nes o f Insu rance: • Auto • Homeowners • Life

Lo w Ra te s Fo r T h e E n t i r e Ye a r !

Licensed Staff

Anthony Wright Agency Owner

WE ARE HIRING LIFE INSURANCE AGENTS! Nichola Ferguson Licensed Insurance Agent

Lawrence Newkirk Life Insurance Specialist

Albert Issifu Licensed Insurance Agent / Office Manager

America Borda Licensed Insurance Agent

Michael Garzilli Licensed Insurance Agent

PLEASE CALL FOR INFORMATION.

Not Pictured: Polly Heckstall Sr. Account Representative; Sandra Goldsmith Licensed Insurance Agent

The Wright Agency

COVID COMPLIANT

We Are Conveniently Located Only Blocks From Co-op City!

718-892-7798

CALL FOR APPOINTMENT

Courteous Staff!

Appointment Hours:

Mon. & Wed.: 8:45 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Tues. & Thurs.: 8:45 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Friday: 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

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F: 718-892-7919 FREE NOTARY Mon.-Sat. 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday - 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

1554 Paulding Ave., Bronx, NYALL 10462 FOR

1435 East Gun Hill Road

Open 7 Days a week CO-OP

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Call Us Today!

CITY RESIDENTS! NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS.

718-671-8000

PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.