Co-op City Times 04/09/16

Petition period ended Monday, April 4

Board decision on new management imminent

Co-op City’s official newspaper serving the world’s largest cooperative community.

Vol. 51 No. 15

© Copyright 2016 Co-op City Times

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Official candidates in 2016 Board election to be certified on Tuesday, April 12

Thirteen of the fourteen shareholders who picked up qualifying petitions during the election petition period which ended this Monday, April 4, returned their petitions to the Riverbay Legal Department by the 5 p.m. deadline.

The prospective candidates who turned in their petitions include 3 of the 5 incumbent directors who are running for re-election – Bernard Cylich, Andrea Leslie and Leslie Peterson.

Incumbent directors Helen Atkins and William “Bill” Gordon did not pick up qualifying petitions.

Incumbent Director Sonia Feliciano also turned in her petitions indicating her intention to run for a seat on the

BY ROZAAN BOONE

Riverbay Board as per the housing corporation’s bylaws. As the sixth place winner in last year’s election, she was seated on March 10, following the resignation of Rev. Calvin E. Owens, but has to be elected in this year’s election in order to remain seated on the board.

This year’s sixth place winner will complete the final year of Rev. Owen’s 3-year term.

In addition to Directors Cylich, Feliciano, Leslie and Peterson, 9 other shareholders returned their petitions, some of whom ran for the board in prior years, one of whom is a former Board director and some who are running for

Recounting many of the Riverbay Board of Directors’ and in-house management’s accomplishments over the past 18 months, Board President Cleve Taylor also pressed ahead with his agenda to strengthen the financial health of the company and get delayed legacy capital projects back on track at the Board’s Open Meeting for shareholders Wednesday night at the Einstein Center.

Pointing to the unrestricted cash balance of $15 million now in Riverbay’s bank account, up from less than $1 milBY JIM ROBERTS

25¢

lion two years ago, Taylor said, “This is a far cry from where this corporation was headed.

“These balances will be most important during the capitalization of the capital projects which were underfunded during the recapitalization with Wells Fargo bank. The projects slated here in Co-op City were underfunded by as much as $25 million to $35 million. We have a long way to go, but we’re going to get there on our own.”

Regarding a Board decision about (Continued on page 25)

(Continued on page 4)

EXPRESS BUS SERVICE TO LOWER MANHATTAN Do you want to have express bus service to lower Manhattan during morning rush hours?

We can get it with your help. Please take two minutes to complete the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/ccexpressbus.

Borough President honors Co-op City Patrol Officers

The Riverbay Board of Directors discussed a range of topics during the Open Board Meeting and Gallery Session held at the Einstein Community Center on April 6. A decision about who will manage Co-op City is expected from the Board soon.

Photo by Jim Roberts

Investigative work by CCPD detectives and patrol officers leads to quick arrest of robbery suspect

Detectives and patrol officers of the Co-op City Public Safety Department are being hailed for the major role they played in identifying and locating the suspect who robbed a 103 year old Co-op City woman in Building 21C last Friday, leading to a swift arrest by detectives from the NYPD’s 45th Precinct.

“The dedication and cooperative efforts displayed by both members of the CCPD detective squad and the NYPD detective squad resulted in the apprehension of the suspect not even 24 hours after the crime's occurrence," said Chief Frank Apollo of the CCPD. Ms. Louise Signore, who stands a mere 49 inches tall and weighs less than 100 lbs., was returning home from the Bartow Community Center where she

BY ROZAAN BOONE

Certificates of Recognition from Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. were presented this week to 3 Patrol officers of the Co-op City Public Safety Department who worked closely with CCPD detectives to assist in the investigation that led to the arrest of two individuals last Spring who were suspected of playing a role in a shooting just days prior in Section 5. That arrest led to the immediate recovery of two illegal handguns and provided information which was used in a larger investigation conducted by the Bronx District Attorney’s office and the NYPD and resulted in the felony arrests last summer of 17 suspected street gang members operating throughout the borough. Receiving their certificates this week, which were presented by Riverbay General Manager Noel Ellison (second, left), were ESU Officer Mitchell Romano (left), Sgt. Elizabeth DelValle (center) and ESU Officer Carie Wyatt (right). The officers were also congratulated by Captain James Keappock (second right). Previously, CCPD’s Lt. Anthony Warner and Detectives Joe Monahan, Antonio Sealy and Jacinto Cruz were also recognized by the Bronx borough president.

Photo by Rozaan Boone

regularly attends the JASA lunch program and participates in daily activities, including Bingo and line dancing, when she was followed into the elevator, thrown onto the ground on the 8th floor and robbed of her shopping cart and its contents which included two meals she had picked up from the senior center earlier, her purse containing $30 cash, and her bingo cards, among other personal items.

Riverbay’s General Manager Noel Ellison said: “We were all appalled having looked at the television and read the newspapers and listened to the radio about the robbery of an elderly person who is 103 years old. We saw interviews where people said that doesn’t normally happen in this neighborhood (Continued on page 24)

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

21 Absences by Board Director Sets Bad Precedent

come to regularly scheduled meetings. Please read the entire resolution.

The Corporation President BY–LAWS STATE...

Article III, Section 3 (o), states, that Dear Fellow Shareholders: by majority vote, the Board of Directors I ask you to think about this, “A Board may declare vacant the office of a Director that we voted for decides not to Director when he/she has been absent come to 21 scheduled Board meetings?” from three (3) consecutive, regularly For 18 of the 21 meetings, this absentee scheduled meetings or when he/she has Board Director did not follow the rea- been absent from four (4) out of five (5) sonable procedures (By-Laws) and submit consecutive regularly sche-duled an official excusal note to the Board of meetings over a period of at least (60) Directors. The Board of Directors is a days and such absences have not been serious responsibility and to casually walk duly excused. away is a disservice to the community that Precedence has now been set that a elected you. It has been done to us in the Riverbay Board Director can be absent past by other Directors and we must put a 70% of the time (21 out of 30) and not STOP to it! submit an excusal memo for 18 times, to To put it into perspective, if you had a then miraculously appear one year later part-time job/obligation and you missed and give every verbal excuse possible 21 out of 30 days, I think we can all from: my duties of being a Riverbay Board agree that you would be out of a job. Director is a conflict of interest, to I was Co-op City’s founding fathers put busy working at home, to the By-Laws of provisions in our By-Laws specifically the Riverbay Corporation are outdated, I to protect the shareholders of Co-op was in mourning for the loss of a loved City against absentee Board Directors. one, I was busy on business travel for my ATTENDANCE RECORD business, and I am on limited workers Please see Director Leah Graham’s comp. working from home, etc. etc. attendance record for a one year period The problem is that years from now, in chart on this page. absentee Board Directors will use this This Director has been absent 21 Resolution and the Approved Minutes to times and during that period, only sent 3 defend the non-action of the Board of written notes to the Board that she would Directors. be unavailable for a meeting. A Riverbay In my opinion, if this myriad of computer that was supplied to Director excuses can be given and recorded, it sets Graham in 2014 to provide her with a bad precedence. internet access to the Board of Directors President's Record to the could have been used. A one-liner Shareholders excuse would have shown some respect As President, I have all taken a solemn to fellow Board members. oath to uphold the laws of the State of It is my opinion that asking for 21 New York and the By-laws of the excuses would have been very difficult Riverbay Corporation. This is a serious for the said Director and for her to obligation and challenge that is not to be remain credible to her Board colleagues. taken lightly or with a cavalier attitude.

Therefore, "silent failure" became the The resident shareholders elected us to path of least resistance. Director do our jobs, conduct business, attend Graham’s decision not to show up while Board meetings, deliberate the issues at the other 14 Board Directors worked hand, debate and vote on resolutions at hard and long into the midnight hours to Board meetings that affect the financial help keep our cooperative financially and social well-being of Co-op City. solvent is a disservice to the Riverbay These standard operating procedures Board of Directors and the residents of apply not only for the Riverbay CorpCo-op City. oration Board of Directors, but for every CO-OP CITY TIMES substantial board in the United States and Please read today’s Co-op City Times around the world. This was the promise for Emergency Resolution #16-28. It and expectation we made to you when we clearly defines the reasonable action of were elected to represent the residents of removing a Board Director who does not Co-op City.

President’s Message

Cleve Taylor

Fraud Alert!

It has been reported that an inordinate number of Co-op City shareholders are receiving phone calls allegedly from the IRS telling them that their tax accounts are in arrears and they may face tax evasion charges. They are then advised to call a given phone number and speak to an attorney.

Shareholders, this is a scam. Do not return these phone calls.

They are most likely an attempt by unscrupulous individuals to gather your personal information.

No government agency, including the IRS, will contact you by phone. If you must, contact the IRS directly. Do not use the number provided in these unsolicited phone calls.

(Please see this week’s Public Safety Report on page 7)

All of the members of this Board of Directors have fulfilled that obligation over the past year except Director Leah Graham who has managed to be absent 21 times out of 30 scheduled meetings.

The majority of those absences (18 times), Director Graham did not extend to the Board and this community the courtesy of a written excusal note expressing the reason for her absence.

Of the 21 absences, many were on important dates that we were required to deliberate on complex issues and voted into the midnight hours on decisions that affected millions of dollars of shareholders’ money and the future direction of Co-op City. Director Leah Graham was absent on those nights thus giving her a 70% absentee rating.

This Director now has the distinction of having the highest absentee rating in recent history. It is my opinion that this is a disservice to the shareholders of Co-op City and the corporation.

The position of a Board member is not a position of convenience or privilege, but one of service to the community.

The corporate founding fathers knew about corporate governance and about elected Board of Directors and they knew about absenteeism.

Therefore, the language founded in our By-laws – Article 3 – is standard and specific regarding absentee board directors without excuses and is a fairly standard.

Missing meetings seriously diminishes the effectiveness of the entire

business board process. “Silent failure” to not ask for excusal is unacceptable.

21 absenteeism out of 30 within the year goes beyond reason and skirts the Board Directors’ responsibilities.

Simply, walking away from an elected responsibility is wrong.

In addition, the Director abandoned her office as Secretary of the Riverbay Fund without notifying the Riverbay Fund President and has been absent from the last five meetings without an excuse.

This is Riverbay’s charitable fund that benefits our children.

If Director Graham’s example were to be followed by other Board Directors, it would seriously jeopardize the functioning process of this corporation.

The Riverbay By-laws are a contract between the Board Directors and the shareholders of Co-op City.

It specifically references when a Director has been absent from three consecutive, regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Directors, or when a director is absent from 4 out of 5 consecutive, regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Directors.

Director Graham has largely not honored that volunteer contract and her seat, pursuant to the By-laws should be vacated and filled by the next shareholder who received the highest number of votes in the immediately preceding election of directors and is willing to serve our community.

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

2nd Combing Co-op City Find out what’s going on in Co-op City here...

Wholistic Health and Wellness Fair next Saturday The African-American Association of Co-op City is holding its 12th annual Wholistic Health and Wellness Fair today, Saturday April 9th from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in room 31 of the Bartow Community Center. The keynote speaker will be Brother Junior Jawara Blake, a therapeutic food counselor and human development advocate.

The day will feature demonstrations and discussion on a variety of natural health remedies and treatments, including chiropractic, acupuncture, various forms of beneficial dance and aerobic exercise, and the latest news on vaccines and the Zika virus. Admission is free.

Last day for JASA tax help is April 13 JASA’s AARP Tax Aide will be available until this Wednesday, April 13. FREE tax preparation & Free e-File are available in Einstein Center, room 35 on the 2nd floor on Tuesdays and Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. First come, first served.

Next CB #10 meeting, April 21 The next monthly meeting of Community Board #10 will be held on Thursday, April 21, 7:30 p.m. at the Greek School (Hellenic Orthodox School), 3575 Bruckner Blvd. South.

For more information, please contact CB #10 at (718) 892-1161.

PayLease log-in “glitches?”

If you are a shareholder and you have encountered any issues while attempting to set up your PayLease account or have concerns about your account information, please contact PayLease and/or Riverbay to have the sign-in concerns resolved and/or your account information addressed.

Riverbay and PayLease are working diligently to resolve the matters that have been brought to their attention during this registration period, but you must call with specifics of the issues you have encountered during the log-in process.

PayLease can be contacted 24/7 at their customer support center, 866729-5327.

The Riverbay Finance Department can be contacted by calling (718) 320-3300, and choose option 6.

FRONT PA G E

DHCR-approved $300 fines for smoking in interior public places goes into effect next Saturday, April 16

BY BILL STUTTIG

Cooperators who choose to smoke in any of the community’s interior public spaces – which include building stairwells, hallways, lobbies, elevators and all of the community centers – will be fined $300 as of April 16.

Last week, the New York State Division of Homes and Community Renewal (DHCR) sent official notice to Riverbay of its approval of Riverbay Board resolution 16-09B calling for the implementation of a new community complaint fee for people caught smoking in interior public places throughout Co-op City.

On March 3, by a vote of 10 to 3, the Riverbay Board of Directors passed the resolution setting the fee at $300 for people caught smoking in interior public places within Co-op City.

Riverbay Board President Cleve Taylor was one of the leading proponents of the smoking fine adminstration fee.

“Innocent people can and do lose their lives due to the irresponsible behavior of smokers in apartment buildings,” Mr. Taylor, a retired firefighter, said. “I have seen it. Many, many more

innocent people have suffered serious injury to themselves and their loved ones due to this irresponsible behavior and billions of dollars in property damage has been caused by illegal smoking in this city.”

Mr. Taylor pointed out: “It is a behavior that is dangerous and un-healthy for everyone, not just the smoker. It costs this corporation many thousands of dollars each month just to clean up our stairwells and hallways that are regularly used by smokers. If you smoke in an office building anywhere in New York City, you could likely lose your job for smoking in any of those buildings and for good reason. We have an obligation to enforce New York City’s antismoking laws in order to protect the general safety and health of everyone here, residents and visitors. CCPD will strictly enforce these regulations. If you have to smoke, go outside.”

The Riverbay Legal Department explained to the Co-op City Times that since the fine will take the form of a community complaint fee, in the case of a violation, it will be the shareholder of record who will be assessed

the fine regardless of whether he or she was the offending smoker. This means that shareholders are responsible for the behavior of other family members or visitors in regards to smoking in interior public areas. Since the ban on all smoking includes all areas of the community centers, then shareholders who host family parties or events in community center rooms will also be responsible for the behavior of their guests as far as having all guests adhere to the community-wide ban on interior public area smoking or else be subject to the hefty fine.

Chief Frank Apollo, commander of the Co-op City Department of Public Safety, which will be responsible for enforcing the regulation, said the congregation of smokers inside the community’s stairwells and hallways, like other associated activities, such as drinking in public spaces, leads to other, more serious quality of life problems which – as some instances in the past have shown – can escalate to criminal behavior. Chief Apollo said he was very pleased that the Board approved the interior smoking fine of $300.

Annual Income Affidavits

BY LOUIS SALEGNA, CONTROLLER

The annual income affidavit process for Co-op City residents is currently underway. The Income Affidavit and related instructions have been mailed out to all cooperators required to file (excluded are new residents who moved into Co-op City after March 31, 2016, and those cooperators on the Section 8 Program).

The due date for returning your completed Affidavit, which must be notarized, is April 30, 2016.

Currently, surcharges based upon 2014 Income Affidavit forms will expire June 30, 2016. New surcharges will be imposed for the period July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017 based upon data taken from your 2015 Income Affidavit form. Please note that it is essential that every cooperator submits their 2015 Income Affidavit in a timely manner. If you filed an application for extension in lieu of a 2015 NYS Tax Return, you are still required to submit your affidavit by April 30, 2016. Please estimate your income and identify as "Estimated Income." File an amended affidavit once you have filed your tax return or you will be subject to the maximum 50% surcharge. Also, please note that Riverbay must be notified in writing with a copy of the extension form.

In cases where there are two share-

holders of an apartment and one of the shareholders has permanently vacated the apartment, it is important that the remaining shareholder submits documentation to Riverbay Corporation as to where the vacating shareholder currently resides. Acceptable documentation could be (1) driver’s license with current address, (2) copy of the apartment lease, (3) utility bill with current address. If this documentation is not submitted with the Income Affidavit, the income affidavit will be returned as incomplete and a 50% surcharge will be assessed each month until the documentation is submitted. The shareholder will be liable for all surcharges assessed, no credits will be issued for surcharges already assessed.

Failure to complete and return the Income Affidavit form in a timely manner will result in the maximum surcharge of 50% of your basic carrying charges being levied on July 1, 2016.

You would then be required to pay the 50% surcharge for each month, through the end of the month you finally filed.

In no event will credit be given for excess surcharges already assessed as a result of failure, neglect or refusal of the cooperator to file the Income Affidavit on a timely basis. The instructions mailed with the Income Affidavit form include a cover letter and worksheet

which will assist the cooperator in determining whether they are subject to a carrying charge surcharge. Cooperators are advised to read the material very carefully.

As required by state law, copies of Income Affidavit forms will be submitted to the state for verification of income against filed tax return. Cooperators are cautioned, therefore, to make sure that the data provided come from their NY State tax return.

Riverbay staff will hold all day sessions to assist cooperators in filling out their Income Affidavit form on Tuesday, April 26th and Thursday, April 28th from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Dreiser Center, Room 9; Bartow Center, Room 28; and Einstein Center, Room 35.

Extra forms will be available at the sessions for those cooperators who do not receive their mailed copy. Notaries will also be present so cooperators can file their completed Income Affidavit form at the sessions.

Any cooperators wishing to have their Income Affidavit form notarized must present two (2) forms of identification, one of which must be a picture of the individual. The affidavit will not be notarized without proper identification.

Completed forms must be returned to Riverbay Corporation by April 30, 2016.

(Continued on page 20)

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Election update

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

the first time. They are Frank Belcher, Linda Drax-Werner, Josephine Ferguson, Stanley Frere, Tony Illis, Kevin Lambright, Holly Malone, Claudia Sampson and Marie Smith.

Throughout the week, the signatures on each candidate’s petitions were matched against the signatures of shareholders of record of each apartment on the petitions since only shareholder(s) of record for each apartment are allowed to sign candidates’ petitions.

The signature database is maintained by the Riverbay Residential Sales Department for every shareholder who lives in Co-op City. This process is overseen by the 2016 Election Committee and the Riverbay Legal Department.

Once the signatures are checked and certified, the list of eligible candidates who may run in the 2016 Board election will be compiled and announced at the Candidates’ Meeting which will take place this coming Tuesday, April 12, 8 p.m. in Room 31 of the Bartow Community Center. The official candidates will be listed in the Saturday, April 16th issue of the Co-op City Times.

On Wednesday, April 13, the day after the Candidates’ Meeting, the certified candidates and their supporters may begin campaigning as per Election Rule E 6 (a).

On Saturday, April 23rd, the first of three consecutive special election supplements will be published in the Co-op City Times, in which each of the candidates will place statements and advertisements outlining their qualifications for the position of Riverbay Board

Director and their views on issues facing the community.

Three official Candidates’ Forums are scheduled this year. The first will be held on Wednesday, April 20th at 7:30 p.m. in Dreiser Auditorium B. The second official Candidates’ Forum will take place on Monday, May 2nd, at 7:30 p.m. in room 31 of the Bartow Center, and the third and final forum has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 45 of the Einstein Community Center.

The annual meeting of shareholders to elect candidates to serve three-year terms on the 15-member Board, which sets policy for the Riverbay Corporation and the Co-op City community, will take place on Wednesday, May 18th.

There will be one vote per unit by residents who are shareholders of record as of April 4, 2016.

Voting will be conducted by voting machines in building lobbies from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 18th. After the polls close on May 18th, the tallies will be counted after 9 p.m. in room 31 of the Bartow Community Center.

A recount, if necessary, will be conducted on Thursday, May 26th.

The final results of the election will be posted in the three community centers the next day and published in the next issue of the Co-op City Times that Saturday, May 28th.

After the results are certified, the five top vote getters in this year’s election will be sworn in as new members of the Riverbay Board of Directors on Thursday, June 2nd and begin serving

(Continued from page 1)

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

accept most health insurance plans

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

Dr. Lewis Wolstein

Call:

“Se Habla Español”

718.671.7226 100 DeKruif Place

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

their three-year terms. The sixth place finisher will be sworn in for a 1-year term, the remainder of Rev. Owen’s three-year term.

The 2016 Election Committee is composed of its chair, Director Francine Reva Jones, and shareholders Cynthia Dixon, John Gale, Barry Lee, Rose Reyes, Harriet Silver, Jacqueline Smith and Augusta Terzol.

Once again this week, Director Jones emphasizes the importance of candidates reading and understanding the 2016 Election Rules 7 Regulations that were included in their petition packages in order to avoid being disqualified.

“The election rules are very important because they clearly lay out the do’s and don’t’s of what is expected of the official candidates and their supporters,” said Director Jones. “If any candidate is unsure about anything in the rules, it is important that they contact the Election Committee in writing for clarification as soon as possible and we will respond promptly.”

Correspondence to the 2016 Election Committee can be dropped off or mailed in care of the Riverbay Legal

Department, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475.

Director Jones also noted that pursuant to Sec. E (3) of the 2016 election rules, no candidate or community organization may use Riverbay’s facilities for campaign activities, except as provided in the 2016 Election rules and regulations, “unless applicable rates for the use of such facilities have been paid in advance to the Corporation, and unless all candidates can be provided with equal access to such facilities or services.”

The rules also state that campaign material, including flyers, should only be posted on personal property, not on Riverbay’s property or in the commercial establishments within Co-op City.

The use of outdoor space owned by Riverbay for campaign activities is also prohibited. In addition, no audio and/or video equipment may be used in Co-op City by candidates or their supporters in connection with the election.

“Fellow cooperators, Riverbay employees and all candidates and their supporters may remove any improperly posted material they come across as a service to Co-op City,” said Director Jones.

Congratulations on your retirement

Congratulations and best wishes to my son, Captain Clinton A. Myke, Jr., on his recent retirement after 25 years of service with the City of New York Department of Corrections on February 29th.

It’s a celebration! May God continue to bless!

Love, —Mom Paquita Myke, and sister Kizzy

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

5

It’s Happening in Co-op City Women represented phenomenally!

BY CAMILLE WORRELL

The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Co-op City Section, hosted Women Represent! Then and Now, on Saturday, April 2nd, in the Dreiser Community Center. The program was in honor of the founder of the organization, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, educator, author, statesperson and civil rights leader.

Chairperson for the event, Camille

Worrell, opened with remarks regarding the event's purpose: to recognize Dr. Mary Mcleod Bethune's vision and commitment to gain better lives for women and African-Americans.

Presentations reflected that vision.

Ms. Worrell went on to say that the program was also in celebration of the strength, perseverance, resilience, nurture, dedication, and the talent and wisdom women in all areas of life continue

In photos above, members of the audience listen attentively to the many presentations at the NCNW’s celebration of Women Represent! Then and Now, which was held in honor of the organization’s founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. At right in second row above is Rev. Lillian Holloway-Mills, Mistress of Ceremonies; at left, above, Camille Worrell, program chairperson, reciting an original poem entitled “Her Laugh;” and at left, saxophonist Tyrel Wright.

The celebrtion included poetry readings, skits and dramatic presentations.

to display over the years.

Audience members enjoyed poetry reading, skits, and dramatic presentations. The program began with a poetry segment, hosted by guest, Sharon King.

Certified fitness trainer, Fernando Vergara, offered healthy tips geared toward women and he demonstrated exercises to do at home.

A portion of the program was dedicated to "Momma Used to Say.”

Audience members were passionately brought to their feet as they were invited to reflect on words of advice from their mothers back in the day. NCNW member and Mistress of Ceremony, Reverend Lillian Holloway-Mills, engaged the audience with her free flowing style sprinkled with bits of humor.

This event was free and open to the public.

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016 ••••••••••••••••

Letters to the Editor

••••••••••••••••

Community concerns To the Editor: I am appalled at the advertising practices of some of the stores that operate in the Co-op City community. We are a community with more than 50,000 cooperators living here, families with young children and elderly cooperators.

I have noticed that too often a pharmacy that is part of a major national chain and a national discount store advertises items on sale. However, when

you get to the store, sometimes only 1-2 days into the sale, the items advertised are not on the shelves. When you ask the store clerk, you are told to come back within a couple of days at which time the items should be restocked. However, that restocking never happens. But if you were to travel to their other branches just outside of Co-op City, the shelves are stocked high with the very same items.

Why would stores that serve a com-

munity as large as Co-op City not make sure that they have enough items in stock to adequately serve their patrons?

I would also like to know what is the status of the Riverbay financial statements? By now, I believe they should have been published in the Co-op City Times, but I have not yet seen them and no news has been forthcoming about when cooperators can expect them.

—Tony Illis

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

Bill Stuttig Associate Editor

Jim Roberts Business Manager

Jennifer Piovanetti Operations Manager

Ralph Henriquez Production Manager

Board of Directors’ Meeting - April 6, 2016 First Reading - Resolution #16-19 SUBMITTED BY: Evelyn Turner SECONDED BY: Cleve Taylor BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: April 6th, 2016 WHEREAS, ECS, under Contract # 2343, has replaced the high voltage wiring and conduit in 12 buildings over the past 4 years; and WHEREAS, ECS is requesting Change Order #5, in the amount of $37,500, for extra work performed in Building 8 for the feeders serving

Shopping Center #1 which needed additional shut downs and repairs over several nights in order to not interfere with the store owners businesses; and WHEREAS, the additional shut downs over night were not included in the original cost estimate; and WHEREAS, the additional cost still keeps the project under budget by $329,000.00; and WHEREAS, the Project Manager is in agreement with the change order due to the circumstances as per the attached memorandum dated March

10, 2016.

NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED: that the proposed Change Order Five (5) with Electrical Contracting Solutions for the not to exceed cost of $37,250 be approved as submitted by Management in accordance with Board of Directors Resolution #85-16 and amended by Board of Directors Resolution #95-44 and the President is hereby authorized to execute the contract and Management is authorized to take all steps necessary to make this action effective.

First Reading - Resolution #16-24 SUBMITTED BY: Bernie Cylich SECONDED BY: Pastor Deborah Jenkins BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: April 6th, 2016

WHEREAS, Riverbay terminated the contract of TCS for unsatisfactory performance of exterior renovations of Shopping Center 1 &2; and WHEREAS the incomplete construction work by TCS has left Shopping Center #1 looking disorderly, has generated complaints from both

merchants and shareholders and impacts the Center’s marketability; and WHEREAS, the Contracts Department sent out twenty nine (29) requests for proposals for Bids #2861, Exterior Renovation for Shopping Centers #1; and WHEREAS, we received four (4) proposals which were reviewed in detail by the Project Manager; and WHEREAS, the Project Manager recommends Anjac Enterprises, Inc. as the lowest responsible bidder (Recommendation attached).

NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED: that the proposed contracts 2861 with Anjac Enterprises, Inc. for a total cost of $2,067,948.35 be approved as submitted by Management in accordance with Board of Directors Resolution #85-16 and amended by Board of Directors Resolution #95-44 and the President is hereby authorized to execute the contract and Management is authorized to take all steps necessary to make this action effective.

(See page 22 for more Resolutions)

Avoiding scams Shareholders are reminded that you are not individually responsible for maintaining or protecting the water main lines or the heating system in Co-op City, whether you live in a high rise building or a townhouse.

Some shareholders have reported receiving letters from various companies about purchasing insurance to protect against the exorbitant costs of repairing and maintaining the underground pipe lines or their buildings’ heating system.

These facilities are maintained by Riverbay Corporation, not by individual shareholders and it is therefore not necessary to purchase such insurance.

—Riverbay Management

Important Notice to Shareholders of Building 23 Article SIXTH of your Occupancy Agreement provides, in part, that your lease automatically renews for an additional three (3) year period. You need to do nothing if you want your lease to extend for another three (3) year period.

If you will be moving out at the end of your lease, notify Riverbay, in writing, Attention: Sales Support Office, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475, ninety (90) days prior to lease expiration.

Building 23 140 Benchley Place

Current Lease Expiration Date

New 3 yr.

Expiration Date

Building 23 140 Benchley Place

July 31, 2016

July 31, 2019

The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be 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. every Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Views and opinions expressed in letters and Directors’ Viewpoint are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp.

Advertisements and classified advertisements in the Co-op City Times do not necessarily reflect an endorsement from Riverbay Corporation of goods and services, but present greater options to cooperators of products and services available.

The Riverbay Corporation does not assume any responsibility nor is it a party to any contract or agreement between the cooperator and the vendor.

All matter published herein is copyrighted by the Co-op City Times.

Permission for reprints of advertising or editorial contents produced by the Co-op City Times must be obtained in writing from Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Ave., Bronx, New York 10475.

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

7

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Public Safety Report CCPD offers tips to prevent Identity Theft during income tax season

BY LIEUTENANT PAM APOLLO

Co-op City Department of Public Safety offers useful precautions residents should take to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. Unscrupulous criminals have even found a way to use Americans’ eagerness to receive their tax refund as a means to attempt identity theft. The following information will help to avoid becoming the victim of identity theft in all situations.

The government and police agencies are investigating different instances where another person’s Social Security number may be used to file fraudulent tax returns. There have been instances where an active tax filer’s Social Security number was used, a dependent child’s Social Security number was used and even a deceased person’s Social Security was utilized to file a fraudulent tax return. Thieves may buy and sell these Social Security numbers from individuals, employers, hospitals, nursing homes, schools or other sources. All of these instances are serious crimes and can result in severe penalties.

The Internal Revenue Service recommends filing your tax return early to beat the scammers to your refund. After filing, check the status of your refund at www.irs.gov/Refunds. Make sure you know and trust your tax preparer. Never give out personal information unless you are 100% sure of who you are speaking with. Always shred any documents or mail which contains personal information.

With many American households anxiously awaiting a Federal and State tax refund, criminals have attempted to gain access to people’s bank accounts. Emails and phone calls have been received requesting bank account information. The caller promises that payment will be deposited right into your bank account. We are receiving reports this year that scammers have found a way to have fraudulent information appear on the caller identification on your telephone.

This is a new technique, but it is the same old scam with a new face. The scam artist will not deposit money into your account, but rather, will make a hefty withdrawal. No United States government agency will call you to request your bank account number.

The Internal Revenue states that they make initial contact by mail in all cases.

It is very important for everyone to remember to never give out bank account numbers, Personal Identification Numbers (P.I.N. numbers), Social Security numbers or other confidential numbers which can provide access to financial records unless you initiate the contact. Legitimate bank employees should never call up customers requesting this information. Bank employees should be aware that customers know not to give out this type of information by telephone. Take down the employee’s name and phone number, make certain it matches the number you have on record for the financial institution. Only once you are sure that you are actually speaking with an employee from your bank should you even speak about your finances.

Always shred financial documents with personal information and account numbers before you discard them. Switch your accounts to electronic delivery to minimize paper clutter and lost statements. Never click on unsolicited e-mails, instead type a web address into your browser. Scam e-mails are often made to look like real bank e-mails. Misspelling and grammatical errors are often indicators that the e-mail is a fraud. Contact www.OnGuardOnline.gov if you suspect e-mail fraud.

Be wary if you receive a check from a financial institution that you are not expecting. Reports have been received of persons receiving an unsolicited

Public Safety Blotter • April 5, 2016 April 5 - 120 Bellamy Loop Two males were arrested for Trespass, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana and Criminal Possession of a Weapon. Both males were issued Universal Summonses and Community Complaints for Anti-Social Behavior. check in an express mail envelope. If this check is deposited into your account, the funds will not be available and you will be responsible for money.

Never wire money with the anticipation of receiving more money in the future. This scam pops up in a variety of different ways apartment rentals on Craigslist, merchandise being sold on eBay, winning a sweepstakes, long lost relative in another country, job as a Mystery Shopper, etc. When in doubt, contact the police.

We only hear about the high profile cases of breach of credit card information, such as the recent Target and Home Depot incidents. Anytime you swipe your credit card, it can be at risk. Carefully check your credit card statements to insure there are no unauthorized charges. If something about a merchant does not seem right, utilize a different form of payment. In most cases, credit card companies do not hold you accountable for unauthorized charges. Debit cards do not always carry the same level of protection.

AARP also offers informative information about fraud protection at www.aarp.org/money/scamsfraud/. The information is geared for persons 50 or older, but all ages can benefit from the information provided. There is also a quiz to see how knowledgeable you are in fraud prevention. You can even sign up for fraud alert newsletters.

Monitor your credit reports with all three credit bureaus at least once per year. Free credit reports are available at www.AnnualCreditReport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228. Place a “Fraud Alert” if identity theft is suspected: Equifax, 1-800-525-6285; Experian,

1-888-397-3742 and Trans Union, 1-800-680-7289.

Also, report any suspected identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft.com, by phone 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338) or by mail at Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580. Reporting identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission helps law enforcement officials across the country in their investigations.

Take steps to protect your identity and be a smart consumer. Call the authorities immediately if you suspect you may have become the victim of identity theft. Always remember, if you see something, say something. Call 9-1-1 and the Department of Public Safety at (718) 671-3050 or online at www.ccpd.us.

Callers may remain anonymous when giving information.

Co-op City is a diverse community with people of all ages, abilities and characteristics. All persons should remember to respect each other and embrace their differences. Don’t forget to say hello to your neighbors when you pass each other in the hallway or in the street. Co-op City strives to accommodate all persons. As Stevie Wonder said at the Grammys, “We need to make every single thing accessible to every person with a disability”.

April is known as National Autism Awareness Month, as well as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month. April 10th is known as National Youth HIV and AIDS Awareness Day. Take this opportunity to learn about these topics and see what you can do to help. Knowledge is power, the more you learn, the stronger you become.

OPPORTUNITIES AT CO-OP CITY Tell your friends, relatives and employers about: 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475 • 718-320-3300 Riverbay Corporation is an equal opportunity employer.

For information on CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ONLY, please contact: Lenya Garcia at Lgarcia@riverbay corp.com; AND Barbara Penn at Bpenn@riverbaycorp.com. Please note that emails should be sent to both parties.

Please DO NOT email resumes for EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to the aforementioned emails.

For EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, please see bottom of the employment listings for specific directions.

CONTRACT SUMMARY Contract 3051, Rehabilitation of Basketball Courts: Provide renovations of the basketball courts located at 150 Co-op City Blvd.

Pre-bid Meeting: April 5, 2016 at 11:00 a.m.

Bids Due: April 21, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.

Bonding is required. Insurance is required.

Contract P907, Daltile-Bathroom Wall Tiles: Purchase of Dal-Tile Ceramic Tiles for bathrooms

Bids Due: April 11, 2016 at 2 p.m.

Insurance is not required from the winning firm.

Contract 3061, Asphalt Paving for 1 (one) year as needed Pre-Bid Meeting: April 14, 2016 Bids Due: April 28, 2016 Insurance is required from the winning firm.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES There are no employment opportunities to list this week. Please check back again next week.

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

8

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Director’s Viewpoint

Linda Berk Vice President

This past week, the Board of Directors completed its second round of interviews for management. We interviewed three separate entities – Douglas Elliman, Avison Young and Metro Futures.

All three were capable, each having a different strength they would offer Co-op City. However, one, in my opinion, was outstanding.

Metro Futures, the company of Adolfo Carrion, was the most impressive presentation. Adolfo Carrion presented his experiences, Co-op City’s current situation and his vision for where he wanted to take this affordable housing development. He literally blew everyone away with his presentation. The night of his interview was the most cohesive night for this Board.

We left the meeting lifted, inspired and impressed.

Then came a conference call led by Holly Leicht, who has tried to ram down our throats what she, representing HUD, would accept for management of Riverbay Corporation. I say this because I sat at the table with all three entities last fall and after the other two entities spoke and were willing to listen to the vision of Riverbay and our desire to be able to choose the best candidate, Ms. Leicht cut into the conversation to tell us and her counterparts, the other lending agents, to stop thinking it would be any other way than her way. She literally cut off the HCR representative who said they would work with us on what we envisioned as best for Co-op City. Please understand, I believe the limits she is setting on our management choices is NOT based in law or our mortgage agreement. It is based on her opinion that only a third party management company is acceptable; it is the only answer that makes her feel comfortable. This comes from a federal employee, appointed to her position,

Management who has not even accepted our invitation to visit the property, speak with the shareholders and understand how Co-op City is different from any other MitchellLama she has provided oversight of.

The entities have been disingenuous and have contradicted their own directives. HUD says we can’t have a General Manager, yet all three entities approved an RFP for a General Manager. So why did we bother to pursue a search for General Managers?

When the first round of interviews did not produce an acceptable choice, the Board, in total, went back to the drawing board. We searched for general managers, additional companies and agreed to re-interview two of the first round companies. We are looking for the BEST solution for Riverbay Corp. As a matter of fact, we decided to re-interview the two companies as a last choice, it was not part of our original second search strategy. But in the end, I believe everyone on the Board agreed for us to interview the three candidates we interviewed last week.

We made an effort to reach out to city managers/urban planners because I suggested that we didn’t need someone to run the day-to-day property management task, we have that in our 1,000 plus staff and our senior management. We have done an exceptional job since MSI was suspended. What we need, in my opinion, is an executive who runs a city, as we are. What we need is someone who can effectively manage Co-op City as the large system that we are; someone who can come in and change the corporate culture of a mom and pop organization.

The clearest choice without a doubt, as far as I can see, would be Metro Futures, Adolfo Carrion’s led company. He understands Co-op City, our shareholders, property and our needs when the other two choices did not have a clue. His presentation was so thorough and so on-point for us that we only asked questions after his presentation because we couldn’t do an interview without asking questions! He gave

NAACP Co-op City Branch #2210 National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 75-3111, Einstein Station, Bronx, NY 10475. President: Jerome Rice. Office Telephone: (718) 320-3210.

Address: 135 Einstein Community Center, room 36.

Membership Campaign Continues: Membership is the lifeblood of the organization. Your membership dollars help lead the fight for freedom, justice and equality.

The community at large is invited to join the Co-op City Branch #2210. Become a new member, renew, recruit, gift or sponsor an annual membership for self or another. Adult regular membership is $30 and Youth membership is $10. We have some exciting and challenging projects planned and we need your help. We look forward to working with you to go forward and meet the mandates of the NAACP. Water Drive for Flint - Because of your generous contributions, we were able to send 283 cases of water to help the people of Flint, Michigan. The water was picked up on Monday, March 21st and will be transported by the NYC Department of Corrections. Thank you, community at large. Contribution letters will be mailed.

Calling all Community Residents: Voter Registration forms available in English & Spanish. VOTER REGISTRATION IS AN ONGOING ACTIVITY. Our goal is to register ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS 18-45 years+. FYI: Presidential Primary Election Day is April 19. Last day to register was March 25. Last day to request absentee ballot is April 12 and last day to return absentee ballot is April 18.

Federal Primary – June 28th; State & Local Primary – September 13th; General Election – November 8th. Every election is an important election. Be prepared to VOTE! If you don’t vote, don’t complain.

Attention: Building presidents, community organizations, churches and schools, to request speaker for civic engagement/ voter registration at your meeting, call the office to make appointment. Thanks to those who already scheduled.

Save the Dates April 7 – One Voice-One Vote Voters Education & Candidates’ Forum w/Riverbay at Dreiser B, 6-9 p.m.

Democrats, Republican & Independents ALL INVITED. April is Financial Literacy Month – Guest Speaker at Membership Meeting April 19 – Dinners April 24 – Membership Meeting at 3 p.m. Speaker & Refreshments.

May 14 – 2nd Quarterly Meeting HostMid-Hudson Region. TBA October 6-8 – 80th NY State Convention @ Sheraton Hotel.

REMEMBER! Our branch is here to address the five game changers in the community. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the oldest civil rights organization and its mission and goals are STILL RELEVANT! Ensuring the political, educational, economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate discrimination.

If you want to know more about the NAACP, invite us to your next meeting or bring your group (10-15) to us. For more information and appointment, call the office.

—Jerome L. Rice

the Board very specific ideas on how he would tackle the many issues we have here with his deep knowledge of how to run a large, complex community that is more than a group of building.

Mr. Carrion could hit the ground running with his management style of explicit expectations, knowledge of how we function as a city within a city, a rolodex no other management candidate could offer and the ability to move Co-op City forward as he did with the Bronx. We need a proven, successful executive who can manage the complexities of a city. We don’t need more property management; we have that. The help our general manager Noel Ellison needs is not another property manager. We need an executive manager; we are not a set of building; we are Co-op CITY. I was elected to the Board of Directors by my fellow shareholders to do the best job I could, to bring the most knowledge and experience I have to the table. I will continue to do that, even if it means challenging an entity that would force a lesser-than option on this community. I want the best for Co-op City, and I believe the shareholders do too. Sometimes in life we need to be able to stand for what’s right, what’s best.

In this case, I believe it is worth it!

As some Board Directors are willing to change their vote based on the bully pulpit of HUD, I believe the community needs to hear for themselves from the candidates. What is at stake is our community, our homes, our investment, our lives! This is a big decision that should not be politicized. We deserve better! We have not faulted on our mortgage. We have been able to run this corporation better than it has been run in decades, so why can’t we make the right choice for our community? Let’s not allow ourselves to miss out on this big opportunity to make a big change in how we move forward. Let’s not be forced to do the same old thing. I am tired of mediocrity. This is our opportunity to make Co-op City special and great again. Let’s take it, let’s take it now!

9

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Blood Bank Coming April 16th Please Donate, Blood is Urgently Needed The Riverbay Community Blood Bank will be holding its bi-annual blood drive in two weeks in the Bartow Community Center with the assistance of Riverbay Corporation.

The blood drive will be held Saturday, April 16, in the Bartow Community Center, room 31, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Anyone in good health between the ages of 17 and 75, a minimum of 110 lbs. and who has not donated within the last 56 days is eligible to donate. Those above the age of 75 may donate provided they have a note from their doctor stating that they may do so. Individuals 16 years of age may donate provided they have a consent form completed by a parent or legal guardian. Consent forms are available at the donation site, or online at www.nybloodcenter.org.

Also available will be the use of the Alyx System should you choose to use it. The Alyx System allows a donor to donate the same one (1) pint of blood; the difference being that as you donate, the Alyx System will separate your blood components into two, allowing two persons the opportunity to receive a complete blood transfusion from your one donation. The Alyx System only takes a few minutes longer when donating, and the collection syringe is smaller than that used in the conventional method. The choice is yours, you will be asked at the time of registration as to which type donation you wish to make, the conventional method or by using the Alyx System. The blood center staff will be glad to answer any questions you may have.

All donors must be able to show picture ID and provide their Social Security number. Donating blood is relatively quick and easy. Most persons who are in rea-

sonably good health are eligible to donate, even those on medications with few exceptions. Should you have any questions regarding medical eligibility, you may contact the Hudson Valley, NY Blood Center at 1-800688-0900. Please be sure to eat prior to donating. Light refreshments will be available upon completion of your donation.

Close to 2,000 men, women and children, including cancer, transplant and surgery patients, trauma victims, newborn babies and many more in our community need blood transfusions each day.

Please be a caring person and donate, the life you help to save may be that of a family member, friend or neighbor. For additional information, please contact Joe Boiko at 718-320-3300, Ext. 3409.

“Live and Let Live is Good – Live and Help Live is Better.”

—Joe Boiko

Co-op City Toastmasters Club Have you ever been asked to speak in front of a group of people, and declined out of fear? Do you hesitate to speak up at a meeting because you think you may sound silly? Do you shudder at the mere thought of having to make presentations at work? Most people have a fear of public speaking, but fear no more! For over 90 years, Toastmasters International has helped millions of people just like you and me to feel confident when speaking in front of anybody, from 1-on-1 interviews to gatherings of hundreds of people! Co-op City Toastmasters Club is a warm and friendly environment where we have a lot of fun while encouraging and nurturing members to conquer their fear of public speaking. Even if you have no fear of speaking in front of people and you just want practice to improve your skills, our club is the place for you! As a member, you will also have opportunities at every meeting for developing the leader within you. Membership is open to adults aged 18 and over.

DON’T MISS OUR NEXT MEETING – Co-op City Toastmasters meets every 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 2049 Bartow Avenue on the lower level in the Bartow Mall. For more information, contact Club President Kim Robinson at (646)996-0121 and Kim.Robinson.TM@gmail.com or contact us on our club website, http://3824.toastmastersclubs.org, and click the Contact Us link on the left.

You can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CoOpCityToastmastersClub and on Meetup at www.meetup.com/CoOpCity ToastmastersClub.

For more information about Toastmasters International, visit http://www.Toastmasters.com.

—Kim Robinson

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Conference call with HUD-HCR-HDC & Wells Fargo

Director’s Viewpoint

Evelyn Turner Second Vice President This Director was honored to be part of a conversation with all the entities responsible for Co-op City remaining “affordable” for the next 20 plus years.

HUD Regional Administrator for NY/NJ, Holly M. Leicht, extended the invitation and facilitated the conference call on April 1, 2016 at 11: 00 a.m.

Board Directors participating were: Evelyn M. Turner, Leah Graham, Leslie Peterson, William “Bill” Gordon and Sonia Feliciano. Also participating were Attorney Jeffrey Buss and a representative from Assemblyman Benedetto’s office.

All of Co-op City’s “Lending Participants” were on the line, along with their attorneys. Some of the important points for me were: Co-op City was granted the largest portfolio in the country in order for cooperators to enjoy the “affordable carrying charges” we now pay.

Over the tenure of the loan, this corporation will have saved $150 million dollars.

Under the extraordinary and capable leadership of former President HELEN ATKINS who spent many hours, along with the past Independent Managing Agent and Riverbay Board members, we were SUCCESSFUL in closing the deal! We were saved from a possible financial disaster and having to privatize. As history unfolds in the years to come, the name “Helen Atkins” will be found on the many documents that were signed to seal the deal.

To get approval for the loan, we presented the “Lending Partners” with a contract for an “Independent Managing Agent” that would work with the Riverbay Board of Directors to ensure that this multi-million dollar Mitchell-Lama cooperative remains affordable for housing “middle income Americans” and “seniors” who have been here since the beginning.

Fast forward, things did not work out with the “Independent Management Company” after the loan was awarded. The Management Company was suspended. However, as was pointed out, after the suspension, the Riverbay Corporation rehired four (4) of the staff from the suspended company. It’s like “cherry picking” by demonstrating that we didn’t want all the members of the former management team, just four.

Bottom line, cooperators: our “Lending Partners” are not going to accept anything but “An Independent Management Company.” The plan presented by the Board is not impressive, and unacceptable. Also, they did not appear impressed with our attempt to save the same amount we paid the suspended Independent Management Company.

Because of HUD, HCR, HDC and Wells Fargo, we are saving $150 million dollars over the term of the loan.

Interviews With Management Companies This director participated in interviews with the Avison Young and Douglas Elliman firms. I was unable to hear the presentation by Adolfo Carrion, Jr., former Bronx Borough President, who reportedly has his own company. As of to date, your Board has not voted.

Good job, Public Safety First of all, my heart was heavy to hear that one of our most senior cooperators (100+ years old) was traumatized by such a senseless robbery. I am sure we all shared the same stunned sentiments when watching

Let us know…

If you have news you’d like to share with your neighbors, please give us a call at (718) 3203300, Ext. 3375; email: cctimes@riverbaycorp.com or fax (718) 320-2595.

the news. However, when she said, “that person must be crazy,” I shared the same sentiment. As stated in a previous article, I am in the process of organizing a Mental Health Task Force.

Thank you, Public Safety Department, for replacing the items stolen from our valued senior cooperator.

What would we have done without you? Your help went beyond the call of duty.

UPS Access Point I will be presenting to the Board a project where UPS would be granted a space to deploy parcel deliver lockers on site in Co-op City. Reportedly, daily UPS has an average of 78 undeliverable packages to the residents of Co-op City because nobody is home to receive the package or the shipper requires a signature on delivery. The package will eventually go to their facility on Brush Avenue at the outskirt of the city.

Consumers want online shopping and delivery to be easy and convenient. They don’t want to wait around

the house all day waiting for a package to arrive. With a UPS locker onsite, this will be eliminated. I will keep you posted. Feedback is welcomed. This would be a FREE service to cooperators.

Resource for Women The “Turkey Land Cove Foundation” is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides need-based grants to women. The organization provides a working residency in Massachusetts for a motivated woman who needs a place to pursue their professional educational or artistic goals away from the distractions of daily life. While this Director has no first-hand knowledge of this organization, those interested can obtain more information at www.turkeylandcovefoundation .org.

I may be reached at: Evelyn M. Turner: 917-3241033 or evelyntinez@aol.com or write me at: Evelyn M. Turner, LCSW – 2nd Vice President – 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Building 21 Association Each One of Us Multiplied

By All of Us! We have received texts and emails asking “should we start a petition for around the clock Security/Lobby Attendants?”

This after the Bellamy Loop incident where our beloved “Miss Louise” was attacked on the elevator. The incident “won't keep me from going out,” she said.

Hello fellow cooperators, shareholders and 21’ers! If you live in Building 21, then you are a “21’er”! If you live in CO-OP City, you are part of the CO-OP City Community Family.

Petitions are NOT always the answer.

Action, passion and responsibility to this community should be our daily mantra.

Not just when something has been popularized by the media. We are moving swiftly through this year. Ask yourself, what YOU have done for your, community to help make it better from January until now. If the answer is “not enough,” it is never too late to change that. We offer these suggestions as to how WE ALL can help make this a better richer more caring safer CO-OP City.

“THINK TANK at Building 21” is in session every Friday, 8:30 - 10 p.m. except Christmas and New Year’s Day. We are located in the rear of 21B and ALL are always welcomed. This is where the self-development and empowerment of each CO-Operator is our intention. Your ideas are not only welcomed but needed, for the progression of this neighborhood project.

Our next 21 Association gathering will be Wednesday, April 27th at 7 p.m. Mark your calendars and everyone from all buildings, plan to attend. If you have any questions regarding The 21 Association, you have 3 ways of gaining information.

Email your building association at 21association@gmail.com. Call your association at 347.504.1821, and you can attend the monthly meetings which are held every 4th Wednesday in the meeting room in the rear of the B-section at 7 p.m.

Floor Captains are an ABSOLUTE NECESSITY IN EVERY BUILDING… Thanks to the cooperators of Building 21 who have stepped up to the plate and volunteered to be Floor Captain for their floor…You are truly appreciated…

All we ask of anyone kind enough to be a Floor Captain is as follows: 1. CONTACT NUMBERS (FOR YOUR FLOOR ONLY): LIST ALL EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS AND DISTRIBUTE TO EACH NEIGHBOR 2. CO-OP CITY TIMES: PLACE THEM AT EACH APARTMENT DOOR (DELIVERED ON SATURDAYS) 3. ELEVATOR NOTICE: READ THEM AND TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT THEM 4. PROMOTE MEETINGS, CLUBS AND GATHERINGS 5. ENCOURAGE YOUR NEIGHBORS TO: • VOTE – VOTE – VOTE! IN THE RIVERBAY ELECTION

• MAKE CALLS TO THE RIVERBAY OFFICES: SECURITY 718-671-3050 CSO OFFICES 718-320-3300 We are passionate about our community. Your inquiries after the recent Bellamy Loop incident show that you

share this positive energy and passion.

Come join us at Building 21 sometime.

Bring a friend. Each one of us, multiplied by all of us, equals A FORCE FOR GOOD. See you around the neighborhood!

—Michelle Marbury

Debs Place Townhouse Association The Debs Place Townhouse Association will hold its April meeting on Thursday, April 14th, in room 1 of the Dreiser Community Center. We will be discussing plans for the spring planting.

A representative from the Grounds Department, Michael Ambo, will be on hand to let us in on the department’s plans for the beautification of our court and the distribution of plants.

Our meeting will begin at 7 p.m. with an agenda of club business, including dues collection and a report by Nadine Thompson, our treasurer. We will also

take this time to raise issues of concern to our townhouse residents. Our guest speaker is scheduled to begin his presentation at 7:30. If you have any suggestions to bring up, this meeting would be the right time and place.

Our last two meetings have been well attended and we were able to learn about new initiatives being put into effect by Riverbay management. Our Executive Committee is looking forward to seeing a large turnout, especially now that the weather has improved.

—Nels Grumer

Building 30 A&B Association Building 30A and B Association thanks Noel Ellison for meeting with our association on March 22nd, and for the information stated at the meeting.

Friday, April 8th, we have Po-Keno in the association room. Friday, April 15th, we will have movie night in the association room.

Bingo night is Friday, April 29th in the association room. Our tentative building meeting will be on Wednesday,

April 13th. For all these events, the door of the association room will open at 7 p.m. with the events starting at 7:30.

Our Crochet classes are still on every Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the association room. The association room is located in the lobby of Building 30B. For all those celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, and new additions, congratulations; for those under the weather, get well soon.

—Linda Werner

12

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Our Public Safety force & NYPD apprehend robbery suspect Director’s Viewpoint

Daryl Johnson Wow, talk about great teamwork. Our Public Safety officers and the NYPD worked relentlessly to catch a suspect that allegedly robbed a cooperator.

Excellent Police Work On Friday, April 1, a female suspect, 53, gained access to a building at 140 Bellamy Loop during the afternoon and allegedly robbed a 103-year-old female cooperator.

According to reports, the suspect entered the building and followed the cooperator into an elevator. After the elevator ride, the suspect exited the elevator with the cooperator. Thereafter, the suspect allegedly pushed the cooperator to the floor, stole her shopping cart and purse, and then took off.

Our Public Safety force responded along with the NYPD. A video of the suspect was immediately broadcast online and over several news stations. Then, working all night, the two police forces were able to gather enough information to arrest the suspect the next day.

One news station reported that the suspect was taken to Jacobi Hospital. Thereafter, the reporter revealed that the suspect had an extensive arrest record.

Asked by a television reporter if she would forgive the robber, the legally blind victim stated: "Yes, I would."

Continuing, the victim said: "Are you [the robber] desperate? She must be desperate to get a 103-year-old woman to bother."

Riverbay's Chief Frank Apollo issued this statement: "I am extremely proud of the dedication and perseverance that the members of my detective squad displayed during this investigation. The detectives reviewed hours upon hours of video and they worked extremely close with the detectives from the 45th precinct squad. They acted on the information from the various phone tips, which brought this case to a successful closure."

I want to thank our Public Safety Department and the

NYPD for their outstanding work in apprehending this vicious suspect.

Why Let A Stranger Put Your Life in Danger?

It's nice to be kind and pleasant to people. But, we have to consider that not everyone is going to reciprocate and treat us in a similar way. For instance, strangers will sometimes wait near the front lobby door in anticipation that someone will let them into our buildings. However, once inside of our buildings, some strangers will lose all sense of civilized human behavior. Thereafter, they will viciously rob and beat you or some of our residents.

So, to avoid these problems, please consider using the rear door if someone is hanging out near the lobby door.

This way, there's no controversy at all. And, it's possible that you will prevent a crime from occurring in your building.

Fees For New Management Our former managers, Marion Scott R.E., brought 8 people to work here, in various capacities. And, we paid them $1.5 million a year for their services. Now, using these numbers as a base, how much do you think we should pay for new outside managers to work here? In other words, we have about 1,060 employees that work within 21 separate departments. And, our payroll is about $70 million a year. So, would you pay about $1.5 million for just two or three outside managers? What about half of that amount for just one or two outside managers?

Realistically, what do you think we should get from a management company for about $1.5 million a year?

My personal thoughts are that some of these expensive management firms are demanding too much money to work here in Co-op City. And, this might be a big problem because these same managers will probably think that we should get large increases every year, like some of their affluent tenants.

Nevertheless, with the excessive amount of employees that we have here, we should set a fee limit for outside managers. Now, yes, good managers are supposed to shape up and add value to a property. But, in my opinion, we can accomplish these same goals if our current management employees would enact some of the

Building 33 Association If you have any event ideas or something you would like to do during the summer, please let us know. We'd love to hear from you.

Plans are in the works for a Flea Market and Bake Sale…please stay tuned for more details.

Flea market: We are looking for items that are in good condition that you are willing to pass on.

Bake Sale - Calling all bakers: We have some excellent bakers in the building, and we are asking if you would be gracious enough to donate some of your delightful treats. If you aren't a baker, but would still like to help us, we will be accepting store-bought goods as well. We’ve started receiving baked goods and treats; volunteers needed, please contact us to help.

Upcoming events Bingo Night will be held on the following dates: Thursday, April 14th and Thursday, April 28th. Events will be from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. in the association room.

Please come down and have a great time at our Bingo and Pokeno nights. They are great games filled with lots of excitement. So, come down, have fun and meet your neighbors!

Thoughts and prayers for any other of our sick and shut-in neighbors. Get well soon.

We have a Facebook page: Building 33 Association.

We also have a website: www.building33.org and you can email us at: bldg33Assoc@gmail.com, you can also call or text our Building 33 hotline number, 347746-0608.

—Tobias Garcia

Building 9 Association Greetings: It is that time again. Tax season ends April 15th and Income Affidavits are due April 30th.

Notary service requires valid photo ID. Summer job applications can be obtained online by April 15th at NYC Summer Youth Employment Program 2016.

As promised, the Building 9 Association’s 2016 Membership Roster is posted on our lobby bulletin boards. Please check to ensure that your paid membership is properly recorded. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.

Be considerate of your fellow cooperators.

Please remove your laundry from the washers and dryers promptly after the cycle is complete. The laundry room is available for everyone's convenience.

Voter Education/Candidates' Forum will be held April 7th in Dreiser Auditorium B, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.

Attend. Be informed. Vote.

Please check our Bulletin Boards for updated information on our meetings and events.

Our next General Meeting will be Thursday, April 21st at 7 p.m.

Our next Social Event will be the Paint Party on Saturday, April 30th, 7 p.m.-10 p.m., $20 pp.

May 19th will be our Financial Literacy presentation by Amalgamated Bank.

DATE CHANGE: May's Social Event 'The Spoken Word' will be changed to Saturday, May 21st due to Memorial Day holiday weekend activities.

Our Summer Bake Sale will be Saturday, June 11th, from noon until 6 p.m. Calling all bakers!

Foxwoods Casino Bus Ride: Saturday, July 30th.

Cost $50 p.p. (2 payments of $25 each due by 5/15 then 6/15).

Newport Playhouse Dinner Theater & Cabaret Show: Saturday, August 13th. Cost $110 p.p. (3 payments: $30 due by 5/15, $40 due by 6/13 and $40 due by 7/13).

For more details, please look for our advertisements and flyers.

Please join us for one, some or all of the above events.

Until next time, be well.

—Linda Collins

ideas from our board and from our community.

Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) April 15 Deadline As mentioned before, the city is planning to hire thousands of youths for the summer to work in a variety of industries. Some of the industries include "government agencies, hospitals, summer camps, non-profits, small businesses, law firms, museums, sports enterprises, and retail organizations." Participants must be between the ages of 14 and 24 and they must be NYC residents. The deadline to apply for this program is April 15, 2016.

Applicants can go online and type in 'NYC Summer Youth Employment Program 2016.' Thereafter, they can get more information about this program and they can download an application. This big opportunity to work along with good people can possibly help a lot of youths in this community. So, please make sure that your children and the youths that you know sign up today for these summer jobs. Thank you.

Close Please do not let strangers walk into our buildings along with you. Confrontation? No! You should never get into a confrontation with strangers that are hanging out near the front door of your lobby. You can use the rear door to enter your building. Or, if something seems bad, then walk away and call Public Safety at 718-671-3050.

Finally, please do not buzz anyone into your building if you do not know them. Thank you.

Questions or comments? Please send a letter to: Daryl Johnson, Riverbay Board Director, c/o Riverbay Corporation, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475.

Or, please send a message to me at darylhjohnson@optonline.net (There are absolutely no problems with this email address. So, please double-check the spelling of this address if your message bounces back to you.) Also, please call me at 718-671-4544 if you don't receive a response from your message. You can also join me on Facebook by typing in: Daryl H. Johnson.

Okay, that’s it for now. So, please have a wonderful week. And, may God bless you and your family. Thank you.

Coalition to Save Affordable Housing Coalition adopts Platform for Board Campaign Members of the Coalition to Save Affordable Housing have adopted a platform for its candidates to run on in the coming Riverbay Board election.

Coalition candidates agree to work toward the following goals: 1 - Make self-management of Co-op City a permanent policy 2 - Promote a cooperative spirit in our community 3 - Maintain and protect our quality of life 4 - Keep Co-op City affordable 5 - Limit outsourcing of Riverbay projects and instead employ union labor 6 - Establish a community center 7 - Obtain a fair share of city, state, and federal funding for Co-op City 8 - Develop energy conservation programs “SPRING-FLING-SWING” Our Spring dance will be on Saturday, April 16 from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at the Dreiser Community Center, Auditorium C. There will be music by DJ Giovani. There will be door prizes, cash raffles, and set-ups will be available. The price of tickets is $30 in advance and $35 at the door. For tickets, contact: Yolanda, 347-837-3806; Stuart, 718-671-0142; Bruce, 718-869-6375.

For more information about the Coalition to Save Affordable Housing visit: WWW.CTSAH.NET. —Sebastian Ulanga

Make your vote count!

NY Presidential Primary Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Self-management or a managing company for Co-op City?

Director’s Viewpoint

Sonia Feliciano As a new member of the Board, I am grateful for the good wishes and suggestions I have received from kind and thoughtful cooperators. Among the many issues discussed on the Board in the short time – one month – I’ve been there, the major one is whether Co-op City should be self-managed or run by a managing company. As board members, we are expected to exercise reasonable care when making decisions on behalf of the Riverbay Corporation. If a management company is hired, we must be sure, first, that it has had wide experience applicable to our community, and second, that it can handle the types of problems that arise here, oversee employee performance, and make sensible, responsible decisions. Our community is our home, and we must protect it, for our sake and for future generations who choose to live here.

Let’s not forget the sins of the past. In 2014, for example, this massive housing complex was down to $900,000 in the red. We don’t want to travel that road again. Today, after more than a year of self-management and fiduciary responsibility, our available funds are up to $16 million. In deciding between self-management and a management company, we should look

at the big picture. We need to keep in mind our past experience and visualize what Co-op City will look like in 5, 10, or 20 years as we make decisions about management.

NCNW’s Afternoon Of Artistic Expression – A Moving Experience On Saturday, April 2, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), Co-op City Section, presented an afternoon of Artistic Expression. The event featured poetry, (including the Japanese form haiku), short stories, letters to our ancestors, scenes from several well-known plays, dramatic readings, musical entertainment, and a medley of songs. There was even a health and fitness presentation by a certified personal trainer that had us flexing our muscles. The well-attended event was a rousing celebration of women, and men, spotlighting the varied talents that flourish among us.

A special honor was accorded to NCNW founder Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator and activist who believed that education was the key to racial advancement. A special thanks to our local NCNW president, Dorcas Lay, and to committee members and organizers Lori Melton, Eleanor Donnley, Joyce Howard, Reverend Beverly Spruill, Camille Worrell, and the many other fine women who helped organize this important event. We look forward to seeing more events like it.

Building 27 Association Greetings, neighbors and happy spring.

We, as a community, are so blessed to be able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of nature that surrounds Co-op City, a special thanks to our groundskeepers.

We thank the cooperators who attended the association general meeting on Thursday, March 31. We have a young cooperator who has expressed interest in doing activities for our children, so we will look forward for this endeavor. The 50/50 raffle winner was Nelson Sweeting of Building 27A. Tax Season – Listen, please stay alert. If you receive a phone or cell call referring to the IRS, please hang up the phone. Do not return the phone call to any number given. If you receive mail from the IRS, to make sure it is legitimate, take it to the IRS office located at 1200 Waters Place right here in the Bronx. Email? Do not bother to open, go to the office, PLEASE. We are hearing about scams all on the TV and radio, so please take heed.

Gospel Cruise - Please join us on the SPIRIT OF NEW YORK in the New York Harbor on Saturday, June 11.

Departing at 10 a.m. SHARP - return at approximately 4 p.m. in front of the Einstein Loop community center. The cost is $110 per person. We will accept cash, check, and money orders. Payments - Wednesday, April 13, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Lobby 27A. The payments will RESERVE your seat on the bus. Final Payment in Full - April 29th. There will be a LUNCH STYLE BUFFET consisting of salads, roasted Salmon & Tilapia, maple & mustard glazed pork loin, herb roast chicken, baked ziti, roasted broccoli and desserts, sounds

good to me. For further information, please contact Margie at (718) 379-4629 or Sharon at (718) 671-1905 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Don't Miss It!!!

Presidential Primary Election will be Tuesday, April 19th. Please make sure to cast your vote.

Contact the Mayor's Office - the Section 5 Association president is encouraging Section 5 cooperators and those who also are affected by these hazardous POT HOLES to call 3-1-1 and report that the potholes has been reported to the Dept. of Transportation since the last snow storm of 2015.

The pot holes focus is beginning at Co-op Blvd. on Bartow Ave. going east around the Jersey barriers to Hutchinson River P’kway East. The Dept. of Transportation keeps delaying the repairs. So, we have to step up and get involved regarding our community. So, please let’s all do our part, place your calls to the Mayor’s Office via 3-1-1, because if we fail to get the repairs, another snow storm will certainly make those roads impassable.

Happy birthday to all in the month of April.

Please keep our sick and shut-in in prayer. Please share with the Sunshine Committee, Ms. Lydia Rondon, by calling her at (718) 583-3040 if a neighbor in our building is ill, home-bound, celebrating birthdays, undergoing bereavement. Ms. Rondon will respond on the behalf of the bldg. association.

Let’s hope for better things to come by keeping our board members and management in prayer for this is our home, building and community. Pray for leaders of the nations. —H. Overman

No Co-op City Times?

Call 347-439-5632 on Saturday from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Hispanic Support Organization To Make Awards The Hispanic Support Organization, a Verizon employee resource group, will be awarding scholarships to Hispanic students in the New York City/New Jersey area. The one-time award is in the amount of at least $2,500. Funding of these awards is made possible by a yearly golf outing managed by employees.

Over the years, more than $208,000 in scholarships has been given to a number of extraordinary students.

In 2015, scholars received a total of $18,000 in such awards. One of those recipients was from the Bronx, in the 47th Precinct area.

We encourage high school students or first-year college students to apply. The deadline for the application postmark is June 6, 2016. Three weeks later, on June 30th, winners will be notified, and on July 30, there will be a scholarship dinner. To request an application, please email: Willingboro@verizon.net.

45th Precinct Council Meeting Here On May 5th The May 5th meeting of the 45th Precinct Council will be held in Auditorium A of the Dreiser Center in Co-op City, 177 Dreiser Loop. Attending the event is a good way to meet your police personnel from the 45th and to share your ideas and concerns. Watch for notices that will be posted in all Co-op City buildings.

You can reach me at SFeliciano@Riverbay corp.com or 917-992-7311. Thank you.

Broun Place Townhouse Association From Broun Place Townhouse Association: This week, we cannot ignore Ms. Louise Signore of Co-op City and her story of being mugged. The perpetrator has been arrested, thank God. Ms. Signore is so strong, she will go on living her life, not being afraid. We can all take a lesson from that. Thank you too for the compassion of our Co-op City Public Safety Department for their gifts to her. The arrest of the perpetrator is attributed to the assistance of surveillance cameras. Yup, just what Broun Place needs too, to help us identify criminals. My point of comparison is that cameras help. We need eyes when there are no legs!

Our meeting was March 31st, Bartow Community Center…Thank you, neighbors, for great attendance. Unfortunately, Grounds was a “no-show.” We were very disappointed. We learned that many of our residents are dissatisfied with the current job Grounds is doing in Broun Place.

At our meeting, neighbors stated that certain neighbors are dumping their house garbage in nearby waste cans. Those cans do not get emptied daily and garbage collects. A “Community Complaint” will be issued if you are caught. Thank you to our CSO for sending out the warning flyer. “Grounds” has improved regarding maintenance of the dumpster pad. That is appreciated. Tuesday, March 29th, the Buildings and Grounds meeting was cancelled. I wasn’t notified! This is so rude.

However, we were able to join our Secretary, Rev. Grace Emanuel, and the President of Adler Townhouse Association and President of Building 25 at Building 23, Eric Diaz’s meeting, in the

hope of bringing Section 4 residents together.

This week, the carrying charge “PayLease System” was made accessible to our shareholders. Our family signed up and our Mr. Lazaar reported it was a piece of cake and seemed very operator-friendly and efficient.

Tuesday, April 19, is the Presidential Primary in New York…Only registered voters can participate in the Presdiential Primary Election. Please confirm your eligibility and register to vote. Regarding the Riverbay Board election, it is our responsibility to vote and evaluate candidates. The mission of the forefathers of Co-op City on governing the largest middle-income housing development in the world can be understood from the Rules and Regulations of the election. Participation in associations and resident boards is encouraged and it’s part of the makeup of Co-op City, a Mitchell-Lama middle income development.

Alert…Scam phone calls and mail scammers have increased. Report specifics to 3-1-1. Enroll in the “Do Not Call” list in order to protect yourself.

Donation bins for gently used household and clothing items are available by our garages. If you see items dropped next to the bins, give the vendor a call to come and pick up.

Please report road issues to #3-1-1 and Bronx Community Planning Board 10. It is at 3165 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461; Phone: 718-8921161, email: bx10@cb.nyc.gov.

Broun Place Association wishes everyone a great week.

—Eva Lazaar

If you SEE something, SAY SOMETHING!!!

718-671-3050 • Co-op City Public Safety

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

National Council of Negro Women The members of NCNW, last Saturday, April 2nd, hosted “Women Represent! Then and Now.” This program, the first of a kind for us, was about women – for everyone. This community event was open to all. Participants read poetry and presented dramatic readings and skits. There was a presentation on health and nutrition for women and a free raffle. We honored the founder of National Council of Negro Women, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and her Legacy.

With over 100 attendees and overwhelming positive response, I am sure that this is a program that will become a signature event in the Co-op City community.

All sections of National Council of

Negro Women, Inc. in the state of New York are preparing for our 42nd Annual Bethune/Height Recognition Program on Saturday, May 21, at the Astoria World Manor, 25-22 Astoria Blvd., Astoria, New York. It is a great opportunity for us to meet and greet “Sisters in Council” from all over the state. It is also an opportunity for us, as individual members, to support our national office in Washington, DC by becoming Achievers or Life Members or Legacy Life Members. It is a very moving candlelit ceremony when members who have made an extra contribution are honored.

We still have one spot available on our trip to Rome, Florence and Venice,

Italy this September 11-18. This perfect one-week vacation, seeing the Colosseum, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s David, private boat ride on the Venetian canals, St. Mark’s Square and Doges’ Palace and so much more is the chance of a lifetime to see places that you’ve only seen in movies or TV. For more information, call 718-320-2366, 718-655-9034 or 718-538-8606 for more information.

Our Theater Group, which, “just for fun,” enjoys the theater life in New York City, has a few more $69 tickets, for the Shuffle Along matinee performance on Saturday, May 7th. Also for Eclipsed matinee on Saturday, May 28th. If you

are interested, please call (718) 3202366.

At our Sunday, April 10th meeting in room 11, Dreiser Community Center, our Nominating Committee will be presenting the slate of officers for the next two years, 2016-2018. Voting for our officers will not take place until our May membership meeting. Additional nominations may be presented at our May meeting. Members, please come out to our April and May meetings so that by talking to our candidates, you can glimpse their vision of the future of the Co-op City section and perhaps decide to run for office yourself.

—Joyce Howard

Co-op City Working Families Party Chapter launches Campaign For Bernie Sanders A representative from the New York State Committee of the Working Families Party (WFP) made an informative presentation to the Co-op City Chapter at its meeting on Monday, March 28th. He reported that early last year, the WFP State Committee polled the entire membership which overwhelmingly approved endorsing Bernie

Sanders for President of the United States. Subsequently, the State Committee has hired three full-time organizers for this campaign.

A Sanders campaign representative also attended that meeting. She informed us that thirty full-time organizers have been enlisted for the upcoming New York State, April 19th, presidential primary. The Bernie Sanders campaign officially opened a New York

State headquarters in Brooklyn with a big street party on Saturday, March 26th. Then on Sunday, April 3rd, they opened a Bronx campaign office at 2704 Williamsbridge Road. That followed on the heels of a major, lively rally — organized on very short notice and held on Thursday, March 31st, in the South Bronx — that attracted a crowd of 20,000.

To distribute the candidate’s litera-

ture and enlist volunteers to continue door-to-door canvassing for Bernie, the Co-op City WFP Chapter will be setting up tables near each of our community centers on the following two Saturdays, April 9th and April 16th, at 11:00 a.m.

For more information and to volunteer, please contact Stuart Edwards at 718-671-0142.

Feel the Bern, Co-op City!

—Stuart Edwards

Building 13 Association We want to thank the Co-op City Police for the excellent job they did that concluded in an arrest of the person who robbed an elderly shareholder. The CCPD also provided groceries, replacing what was taken from the victim.

Kudos to our CCPD officers.

Last Saturday, we held Women Keeping It Real. We want to thank all who participated and especially Attorney Christopher Edwards who answered the many questions that were coming fast and furious. Women Keeping It Real is an inspiring, insightful and informative social gathering of women of all ages exchanging information, empowering and encouraging each other. We welcome new participants. You must be 18 and over to participate.

Please check the bulletin board for

dates and times of dues collection.

Annual affidavits will be notarized for free when you become a paid member of the Building 13 Association, Inc. Our monthly meeting scheduled for April 7, was cancelled to allow attendance at the State Assembly candidates’ forum.

Sands Casino and Outlet Shopping (Pa.) Fundraiser…Saturday, May 14, leaving Bldg. 13 at 9:00 a.m. and departing from the casino at 5:00 p.m.

Cost: $50. (Casino bonus - $30 slot play, $5 food voucher - subject to change).

Limited seats still available. Deadline: April 16.

Summer Fun Day is…Saturday, June 18 - FREE T-SHIRTS TO THE FIRST 50 YOUTH. Sponsored by Section 2 Bldgs. 9 (A, B), 10 (A,B,C), 11 (A,B,C), 12, 13, 14, from 12 p.m. to

6 p.m. between Carver Loop and Casals Place. There will be free popcorn, cotton candy, franks and other surprises.

Weather permitting, we will have a DUNK TANK and guess who has agreed to get dunked!!!!! Daryl Johnson, Riverbay Board Director; Warren Mitchell, Assistant GM, and Chief Frank Apollo, CCPD. We will also have “Dunk A Dad,” so come on dads, give the kids a thrill, they love it! DJ Val will also have the music going, “oldies and newbies.”

Play Name That Tune!!! In honor of Father’s Day, we are presenting “Dance with your Dad,” or that important person in your life, your mom, godparent, uncle, aunt or whomever. There will be basketball, races and loads of other fun activities, so come out and enjoy. Parents must sign a waiver form for youth under

Building 25 Association Hi, neighbors of Building 25. We would like our weekly news articles to reflect safety, peace of mind for all of us and community involvement.

The following is a to-do-list for the month of April: • THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY ELECTION: Please come out to vote in the Presidential Primary Election on April 19, 2016.

• ANNUAL INCOME AFFIDAVITS: Riverbay Corporation is in the process of sending us our Annual Income Affidavits, and as a reminder, the complete notarized Income Affidavit must be returned to Riverbay Corporation office

by April 30, 2016, with the exception of those residents who are excluded (residents who moved in after March 31, 2016 and those residents receiving Section 8).

Ms. Louise Signore, we are saddened that you were assaulted last Friday and pray for your speedy recovery. We also

would like to say “thank you” to the detectives who quickly apprehended the woman who assaulted you inside your building on Bellamy Loop.

Our mail carrier request cooperators to remove mail from their mail box at least every 2 days, especially the day before a holiday. After 2 days, mail in a full box will be returned to the Post Office. Post Office will hold mail for 10 days, after 10 days mail will be returned to the sender. Post Office will not send multiple notices any more requesting cooperators to pick up their mail.

Ms. Alisa McCluney from the Garage Department at Riverbay Corporation will be our guest speaker at our next Building 25 Association meeting on 04/19, 7:30 p.m. Please come out to meet/greet her and bring your questions and/or concerns.

Our building association meets every third Tuesday of the month generally from September through June at 7:30

p.m. Our next meeting is scheduled for April 19, at 7:30 p.m. If you cannot make it to meetings due to scheduling or other obstacles in your way, please log onto our building email address at building25ca@gmail.com and address your emails to any or all members of Building 25 Association. Friendly reminder, if you have not already done so, please pay your dues, $5 per household.

Building 25 Association is looking for a volunteer to fill the position as “Recording Secretary.”

I will close with the following quote: “A healthy attitude is contagious but don’t wait to catch it from others, be a carrier.” –Tom Stoppard —Wanda Bailey

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

18 years old to participate in the games.

YOGA classes are every Friday. Join us on Fridays from 7:15-8:15 p.m. in the association room. Cost $12 ($2 donated to the building). Do something for yourself that will bring you peace, comfort and relaxation.

Checks for Building 13 events should be made payable to Building 13 Assoc.

Inc. and mailed to Building 13 Assoc., 100 Casals Place #32K, Bronx, NY 10475. For information, contact Gail Sharbaan, Treasurer, at 718-671-3801 or Leslie Peterson at 718-320-1370. Our website is http://www.bldg13assoc.com or e-mail us at bthirteen.assoc@yahoo .com.

As always, thanks for making our team work. —Leslie Peterson

From the CSO Department: Noise at night

Every cooperator has the right to enjoy the sanctity of their apartment. We ask all cooperators to be kind and keep noise down during the late evening hours.

Those who do not are subject to a community complaint and possible fine.

Please be courteous to your fellow cooperators. Thank you for your cooperation.

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Ever Forward, Never Backwards Director’s Viewpoint

Deborah Jenkins Happy Spring, fellow cooperators! I try not to write every week because I want to make sure that what I share will add value. I am always available to you by phone or email if you need to reach me between my writings.

As a community, the only one of its kind in the nation, we are moving forward. There are so much that needs to get done and we are working collectively as a Board to get it done.

We are staying on top of the elevator situation making sure that they are properly inspected to ensure all our safety.

We are working diligently to identify the new managing agent. We've spent many hours interviewing

several qualified candidates and we should be able to make a selection and inform the community.

Committee Updates Security: Though the committee has gone through leadership transition, we are staying in close contact with Chief Apollo and Captain Keappock. I would like to commend the collaborative and expedient work done by the CCPD and NYPD to apprehend the attacker of our 103 year old neighbor! Great work, for which I plan to recommend formal recognition to the Board.

Youth: We continue to develop ideas to better serve our youth and would welcome any ideas that parents and children/youth would like to add to enhance planning.

Labor Relations: We are currently working with two collective bargaining unions to ensure fair and continued high-caliber services to our community.

Contracts and Compliance: Procurement Director

Mendez has been working with several other departments to streamline the process of developing RFPs so that we can become more efficient in submitting documents to HCR for approval. This will save the corporation a significant amount of money in both the short and long-term. The community should be proud of the very astute committee members who have diverse backgrounds and add so much to the discussions for which Mr. Mendez and his staff readily make themselves available to answer and/or research. Thanks, Procurement Department!

To Rev. Dr. Calvin Owens, please accept my condolences on the loss of your beloved mother. Our prayers are with you and your family.

I would like to end by wishing all the candidates for this year's Board of Directors election well. I look forward to the Candidates’ Forums and encourage all cooperators to attend. Please feel free to contact me at djenkins@riverbayboard.com.

African-American Association Come to our Annual Wholistic Health Fair today, April 9th. Doors open at 11 a.m., Bartow Center, room #31. Come early. It’s another amazing event you don’t want to miss. It’s free to attend and a great deal of information. Learn why “Diseases Don’t Just Happen.” Guest keynote speaker: Brother Junior Jawara Blake.

We are also asking that Co-op City individuals sign up for the African American Parade in Harlem through the African American Association. We marched last year and were recognized around the world through simulcast on major radio stations, and it was less than 40 of us. We want to represent Co-op City in massive numbers. We will have our own float. If you want to march in the parade, let us know. We are looking to represent with at least 500 residents strong. We want to be one of the largest in the parade. Are you excited?

Then let’s do it.

Our next general meeting will be held on Thursday, April 14th, at 7:00 p.m., in Dreiser Center, room #15. Our Special Guest will be Kimberly

Downer, a licensed Massage Therapist. She will give us a few demonstrations of how massage therapy is so much more than we really know.

The association sponsors the following ongoing programs and encourages your participation.

Computer Classes – Start Saturdays, 1-4 p.m., starting March 5th, rm. 15, Dreiser Center. Call 718379-5555 to RSVP. Children’s Programs – For information about the early morning school drop-off program and the after school programs, call 718-379-5555.

Yoga & Pilates Mat Classes – Classes have resumed, 7:15 p.m., Dreiser Center, rm. 2. Lose weight, tone and strengthen your muscles with exercises that reduce stress through breathing techniques.

For more information, call 718-671-8364.

Belly Dance Classes – Wednesdays, 7 p.m., Dreiser Center, room #2. For a nominal fee, you will have fun and stay in shape. For more information, call Xonia, 646-301-9438.

Evening Line Dance Classes – Dance to Soul,

Building 26 Association April greetings to all of our Co-op City families, friends, neighbors, merchants, and especially our new residents.

We send loving wishes to all of you celebrating birthdays, wedding anniversaries, new births, and other celebrated events during the month of April.

Well wishes for a speedy recovery to all home-bound, sick, and hospitalized persons. Our deepest condolences are sent to those families who have experienced the recent loss of a loved one.

May you be blessed during this difficult time of bereavement.

Our next scheduled building association meeting for Tuesday, April 12, is canceled.

The submission of Income Affidavit forms are due to Riverbay by April 30.

Pat Cippollaro, our building president, will be available to notarize your annual affidavit on Tuesday, April 12, from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., in the rear community room of 2420 Hunter Avenue. You must bring proof of your identity and all affidavits must be signed in front of Pat. Riverbay has set up an electronic payment of maintenance and any other rentals through PayLease for those resi-

dents who are interested in paying via the internet. You can access the website at www.riverbaycorp.com/newrb/PayLease to obtain additional information and to register. Please note that partial payments will not be accepted.

Please utilize the Riverbay suggestion box by submitting your ideas that create cost savings, improve operations, increase revenues, eliminate safety hazards, and or improve procedures at Riverbay. By participating in the shareholders’ incentive program, you can be rewarded with money and dinner participants must be a Co-op City resident. Suggestion forms are available at the reception area of the Administrative Office in the Bartow Center. All forms must be submitted by May 6, to Cooperators Award Program, Community Relations Department, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475.

Let’s all work to help keep Co-op City clean by properly disposing trash into the nearest garbage receptacle. If you see something, say something by calling 9-1-1 for emergencies and 3-1-1 for all non-emergency incidents.

—YuVonne Lewis

Latin, and Gospel music on Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. in Dreiser Center, room #2. Call Cynthia, 917-903-7073.

Music, Rhythm & Dance – Most Fridays, 7:30 p.m., Dreiser Center, rm. 15; most Saturdays, 10 a.m., Dreiser Center, room #2. Call Keith, 917-561-6211.

Adult Study Group – The Institute for Youth meets on the 2nd & 4th Mondays, 7 p.m. The Book Study Group meets every 3rd Sunday, 1 p.m., Dreiser Center, room 15. Please call to confirm, 718-379-5555.

General Membership Meeting – The next meeting will be on Thursday, April 14. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please read our weekly column for updates. Also, if you wish to join or update your membership, please send a check or money order (DO NOT MAIL CASH) of $15 for a single membership or $25 for families to: African-American Association of Co-op City, P.O. Box 702, Co-op City Station, Bronx, NY 10475. Donations are welcomed. Like us on Facebook: CoopcityAfricanamericanassoc/ Email us at: aaaccpower@gmail.com.

—Kevin Lambright

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Director’s Viewpoint

Andrea Leslie

Rumor of our demise are greatly exaggerated and premature. We have been in an interim management status for about eighteen months since the suspension of our management agent Marion Scott Inc. (MSI). They were suspended due to irregular activity on their part that was investigated and documented. Regulations stipulate Riverbay Corporation could not terminate their services.

To date, we await the decision on termination from our oversight body HCR/HUD. We Continue On We have continued on delivering services to cooperators and meeting our financial obligations with the enormous job being done by our management team lead

by Noel Ellison. We are grateful for the job the team

What Demise? does 24-7. We realize there is a need for a complement to our management team and we continue to do the work necessary to get that done.

To date, we still have 35 buildings and 7 townhouse clusters standing. We are meeting our financial and contractual agreements. There is no need to remind us of our financial obligations, we struggled for years to secure our current mortgage, even when MSI told us our current mortgage loan was dead. We do not intend to jeopardize our mortgage.

Racism?

Since we have been in our search, Compass Rock is dissolving as a company and WB Winn has been let go

by Concourse Village. These were the companies HCR/HUD were insisting we choose to manage our property. After our experience with MSI, what status would we be in now if we chose any of them? We don't have to subject ourselves to racism, bullying or disrespect. HUD points out that we have their largest mortgage guarantee, but has declined to come to Co-op

City, even though invited several times, to participate in any part of the process. Wouldn't you want to see what you've invested in? We have been respectful of all parties.

Even though this is 2016, unfortunately, racism is alive and well. We are a community that is mostly people of color. And other than racism right now, I just don't see another reason why we are being treated the way we are.

It’s my understanding that there is nowhere in our mortgage agreement that states we cannot self-manage; HCR or HUD regulation do not disallow self-management. Co-op City was self-managed for about 30 years.

Presently, a large predominantly white Manhattan Mitchell-Lama cooperative that is self-managed with a general manager is being approved by HUD for a 35 year guaranteed loan. Why are we being held to a different standard? Is it because of our racial composition?

Keep Your Eye On The Prize.

You may contact me at aleslie@riverbayboard.com.

Black Forum Next Defensive Driving class The next Black Forum defensive driving course will be Saturday, May 14, room 1, Dreiser Community Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lower your liability insurance cost by 10% and remove up to 4 points from your driver’s license. Please make your check in the amount of $35, payable to “the Black Forum of Co-op City,” and mail to P.O. Box 563, Bronx, N.Y. 10475 at least 1½ weeks before the class, or you can walk in on the day of the class but you must have $35 in cash to pay for the course.

Black Forum Aerobics and Zumba It’s time to get in shape, get healthy and feel healthy.

Body by Andrea’s aerobics classes are held Mondays and Wednesdays, and Zumba on Thursday. Classes are in the Dreiser Aud., 7:30 p.m. To register, please call (718) 320-8035. Nominal fee for each class.

Black Forum’s Lyons Mane Track Club Lyons Mane Track Club is now indoors in the Dreiser Auditorium. Register now by calling (718) 320-8035. Youth ages 8-18. Practice on Mondays & Wednesdays.

Sound Off, Co-op City, coming soon We will be starting Sound Off, Co-op City, for all cooperators to express themselves on the issues facing our community. Meetings will be held once or twice a month. More to follow. If interested, please call (718) 320-8035.

Volunteers needed We need male and female volunteers, 2 hours a day, preferably Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. 12:45 p.m., flexibly. Especially need men who live in close proximity.

Food distribution sites On Thursdays, residents of Buildings 27, 28, 29, 32 and 33 must pick up food at the New Vision Church, 115 Einstein Loop, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Likewise, residents of Building 26, 30, 31, 34 and 35 must go to the Evangelical Church, 2350 Palmer Avenue, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Thursdays to pick up food. For information, please call (718) 320-8035.

Emergency Food Program We are open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thurs-days and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Room 20 in the Dreiser Center. Also, due to budget constraints and shortage of available food, you must live within zip code 10475 to participate in this program. You must also have your card with you and bring two clean plastic shopping bags. Please also have your current photo ID, such as a non or driver’s license or any photo ID card with proof of address. You will then be issued a card in order to pick up food in the future.

We Need You - Join Us Today Membership is $5 per year/person. Call (718)

320-8035 or write to Black Forum, P.O. Box 563, Bronx, NY 10475; email: coopcityblackforum @gmail.com or tonyshome10475@gmail.com. Help us keep independent community organizations alive

Income Affidavits Special boxes have been set up in the CSO Offices at Dreiser and Einstein and the Administration Office Reception area at Bartow Avenue for this purpose.

The boxes will be open during regular business hours (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.). An additional box will be available after 5 p.m. during the week and all day on weekends at the Bartow Security Office.

Also for your convenience, there will be personnel available at the following locations to assist and/or notarize your income affidavit form: 1. Assemblyman Michael Benedetto’s Office, Dreiser Center, room 12.

2. Congressman Eliot Engel’s Office, Dreiser Center, room 3.

in Co-op City. Everyone is encouraged to join. Call or visit us, Room 20 in the Dreiser Community Center.

—Tony Illis (Continued from page 3)

3. Multi Service, 140 Carver Loop.

Enclosed with the annual income affidavit packet is a letter from the Riverbay Risk Management Department, regarding the submission of your co-op insurance declaration page or certified letter from your insurance broker or company showing that you have the required insurance coverage on your apartment.

Please note that the insurance documentation must be submitted along with your annual income affidavit no later than April 30, 2016 to avoid a $150 Community Complaint fine. Any questions regarding the insurance documentation should be addressed to the Risk Management Department at (718) 3203300, Ext. 3388.

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

21

Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club The 4/19/16 New York State Presidential Primary is 10 days away. Now is a good time to start thinking about the issues in this campaign year and how they affect you, your family, and your community.

1. Civil and Criminal Court Justice 2. Education 3. Elections and Political Campaigns • Campaign Finance • Election Administration • Election Initiatives and Referendums • State Vote Election Results 4. Energy 5. Environment and Natural Resources 6. Ethics

7. Financial Services and Commerce 8. Fiscal Policy 9. Health 10. Human Services 11. Infrastructure 12. Immigrants and Immigration 13. International Affairs 14. Labor and Employment 15. Military and Veteran Affairs 16. Redistricting 17. Telecommunications and Information Technology 18. Transportation Please give your vote to the candidate that supports your views on these issues or supports your desire for changes to be made on these issues.

This list of campaign issues is not the

only list nor is it a complete list of every issue. The Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club wants you to see how important it is to vote because your action will elect people who will make decisions on these issues.

Save These Dates April 9 - African-American Association will hold the 12th Annual Wholistic Health and Wellness Fair from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Bartow Community Center, room 31.

April 12 - Meeting of the Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club at Einstein Loop Community Center, room 35, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

April 15 - Deadline for Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)

applications. Go online and download an application April 30 - Deadline for Annual Income Affidavits for Riverbay.

The Harriet Tubman Independent Democratic Club is committed and dedicated to sharing information that may help cooperators and their families.

Please text us with your questions and suggestions at tel. # 917-693-6509. Let us know what issues are most important to you and your families in this election year.

We are looking for volunteers to register new voters in their building lobbies.

Please let us know if you are interested.

Membership dues are $20 per year.

—Alethea Cherebin

Building 32 Association Casino Trip Join us for our fundraiser trip to Foxwoods Casino on Saturday, May 14. We will be leaving at 8:30 a.m. Our bus will be parked opposite Garage 7 in Section 5 (Einstein Loop N.). On the return, we will be stopping at Dreiser Loop and Asch Loop prior to returning to our departure point. The charge for this trip is $30 and you will receive $10 in food credits and $10 for slot play. There is a branch of Tangers Outlets located onsite, with more than eighty stores to shop in. Upon payment, you will receive both a receipt

and a ticket. Please bring this ticket, along with government issued identification, with you. The I.D. is required by the casino to receive your bonus if you don't already have a Foxwoods card.

Checks and/or money orders, made payable to Building 32 Association, can be given or sent to the following ladies: Ms. Eleanor Bailey, 4180 Hutchinson River Pkwy., Apt. 10 A, Bronx, NY 10475, Tel. # (718) 379-7754; or Ms. Dolores Rankin, 4160 Hutchinson River Pkwy., Apt. 10 E, Bronx, NY 10475, Tel. # (718) 379-0910.

Dinner Theatre We will be going to the Westchester Dinner Theater on October 20 for a matinee performance of Saturday Night Fever. This is a marvelous show with music by the Bee Gees and outstanding choreography. We have great fourth row center seats. The Dinner Theatre has a new menu. The cost for this trip, including transportation, taxes, and gratuities, will be eighty ($80) dollars, a great value.

Payments can be made in two installments and further details will follow.

Bake Sale Our Bake Sale, which is a fundraiser,

will take place on Saturday, June 11. We are looking forward to contributions from our building's bakers, who always do such a marvelous job. For those who like to experiment, try the bake sale for your experiments. Whatever you do will be greatly appreciated. Store purchased goods are appreciated, as well as monetary contributions.

Dues Dues collection of $5 per family for 2016 is ongoing.

Please consider joining; the cost is minimal, but the rewards are great.

—Lorna Smith

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

First Reading - Resolution #16-22 SUBMITTED BY: Bill Gordon SECONDED BY: Junius Williams & Helen Atkins BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING DATED: April 6th, 2016 WHEREAS, DHCR regulations allow charges to be imposed for unusual administrative costs caused by repeated negligence or willful acts of tenants or cooperators and charged as additional rent, subject to prior approval of DHCR; and WHEREAS, The Cooperator Appeals Committee, which consists of three Board members, recommends the following revisions and additions to Co-op City’s community complaint fines: CODE (B) Improperly disposing of garbage, refuse or litter in compactor rooms, hallways, public areas outside of designated areas – Increase fee from $25 to $50 (E) Loitering - Increase from $25 to $100 (F) Noise causing disturbance to neighbors- Increase from $25 to $100

(I) Driving or parking a motor vehicle on property without authorization Increase from $50 to $100 (J) Throwing objects from windows, terraces or any portion of the building Increase from $125 to 200 (K) Anti-Social behavior - Increase from $125 to $300 (M) Unauthorized move-in/move-out (w/o RB permit) - Decrease $300 to $125 (O) Unauthorized posting or distributing advertising material - Increase $50 to $100 (T) Feeding pigeons, geese or any other stray animals - Increase $75 to $100 (X) Refusing inspection of an apartment as per occupancy agreement Increase $100 to $250 (Z) Keeping or harboring a dog or animals, without authorization. Increase $150 to $200 (AA) Vehicle alarms (garage) that sounds in excess of 5 minutes- Increase $25 to $50 (BB) Unauthorized access to roof Increase $25 to $200

(FF) Poor Housekeeping/Hoarding New fine of $250 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that subject to DHCR approval, the Board agrees to the following revisions and additions to Co-op City’s community complaint fines: CODE LETTER (B) Improperly disposing of garbage, refuse or litter in compactor rooms, hallways, public areas outside of designated areas – Increase fee from $25 to $50 (E) Loitering - Increase fee from $25 to $100 (F) Noise causing disturbance to neighbors - Increase from $25 to $100 (I) Driving or parking a motor vehicle on property without authorizationIncrease from $50 to $100 (J) Throwing objects from windows, terraces or any portion of the building Increase from $125 to 200 (K) Anti-Social behavior - Increase from $125 to $300 (M) Unauthorized move-in/move-out (without a RB permit) - Decrease $300 to $125

(O) Unauthorized posting or distributing advertising material Increase $50 to $100 (T) Feeding pigeons, geese or any other stray animals - Increase $75 to $100 (X) Refusing inspection of an apartment as per occupancy agreement Increase $100 to $250 (Z) Keeping or harboring a dog or animals, without authorization - Increase $150 to $200 (AA) Vehicle alarms (garage) that sounds in excess of 5 minutes - Increase $25 to $50 (BB) Unauthorized access to roof Increase $25 to $200 (FF) Poor Housekeeping/Hoarding New fine of $250 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That Management and the President are directed to take all necessary action to carry out this Resolution; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Resolution shall take effect within thirty (30) days of DHCR approval.

proposals which were reviewed in detail by the Project Manager; and WHEREAS, the Project Manager recommends Anjac Enterprises, Inc. as the lowest responsible bidder (Recommendation attached).

NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED: that the proposed contracts 2862 with Anjac Enterprises, Inc. for a total

cost of $769,372.00 be approved as submitted by Management in accordance with Board of Directors Resolution #85-16 and amended by Board of Directors Resolution #95-44 and the President is hereby authorized to execute the contract and Management is authorized to take all steps necessary to make this action effective.

(See page 23 for more Resolutions)

First Reading - Resolution #16-25 SUBMITTED BY: Bernie Cylich SECONDED BY: Pastor Deborah Jenkins BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: April 6th, 2016 WHEREAS, Riverbay terminated the contract of TCS for unsatisfactory renovations of Shopping Center 2; and

WHEREAS, the exterior renovations of Shopping Center 2 need to be resumed to maintain the appearance and increase the marketability of Shopping Center 2; and WHEREAS, the Contracts Department sent out twenty nine (29) requests for proposals for Bids #2862, Exterior Renovation for Shopping Centers #2; and WHEREAS, we received four (4)

Our next “meet and greet” session will be April 30th at 11 a.m. at the St. Michael’s Church.

A FEW CABINS STILL AVAILABLE! Trip requires deposit of $500.

ALTOUR 1270 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 TO CONTACT MONICA - PLEASE CALL 212-497-7674 or cell 646-515-8702 Joyce Hall - Group Coordinator - Tel: 914-736-3683

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

23

First Reading - Resolution #16-26 SUBMITTED BY: Bernie Cylich SECONDED BY: Pastor Deborah Jenkins BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: April 6th, 2016

WHEREAS, The Falcon Group is performing design and oversight work under contract 2936, Engineering Service for the Renovation of the Shopping Centers 1 & 2; and

WHEREAS, Change Order Three (3) is being requested for additional construction administration and construction observation, arising in part from the termination of TCS, for exterior repairs to shopping center 1 & 2; and WHEREAS, the Project Manager is in agreement with the requested Change Order as indicated in the attached email dated March 31, 2016.

NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED:

that the proposed Change Order Three (3) to Contract 2936 with The Falcon Group for the not to exceed cost of (waiting for proposal) be approved as submitted by Management in accordance with Board of Directors Resolution #85-16 and amended by Board of Directors Resolution #95-44 and the President is hereby authorized to execute the contract and Management is authorized to take all steps necessary to make this action effective.

First Reading - Resolution #16-27 SUBMITTED BY: Bernie Cylich SECONDED BY: Leslie Peterson & Linda Berk BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: April 6th, 2016 WHEREAS, the building electrical transformers are original equipment nearing fifty (50) years old and beyond their life expectancy; and WHEREAS, failure of a building’s electrical transformer will result in no electrical power to the building;

and WHEREAS, the Contracts Department sent out thirty six (36) requests for proposals for Bid #3023, Building Transformer Installation Project; and WHEREAS, we received three (3) proposals which were reviewed in detail by the Project Manager; and WHEREAS, the Project Manager has determined Electrical Contracting Solutions is the lowest responsible bidder (Recommendation attached); and WHEREAS, the total contract amount will be for the proposed cost of $287,796.00 plus a 15% contin-

gency amount of $43,169.40 for any unforeseen work that is needed for a grand total of $330,965.40.

NOW THEREFORE, LET IT BE RESOLVED: that the proposed contract with Electrical Contracting Solutions for a total cost of $330,965.40 be approved as submitted by Management in accordance with Board of Directors Resolution #85-16 and amended by Board of Directors Resolution #95-44 and the President is hereby authorized to execute the contract and Management is authorized to take all steps necessary to make this action effective.

Second Reading - Resolution #16-17 SUBMITTED BY: Francine Reva Jones SECONDED BY: Linda Berk BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: April 6th, 2016 WHEREAS, the original cooperators were equipped with heaters in the bathrooms with windows; and WHEREAS, Management has recently reported that since all cooperators have had new windows installed that bathroom heaters would no longer be

repaired or replaced; and WHEREAS, the Riverbay Corporation and Board Directors have received many calls from cooperators requesting that their bathroom heaters be repaired or replaced because they are cold; and WHEREAS, the Board Directors would like for cooperators to continue to be comfortable in their bathrooms, as they have in the past; and WHEREAS, Management should research the cost for bathroom heaters and report back to the Board within 30 days.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that

Management shall research the costs for bathroom heaters and report this to the Board in writing within 30 days; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President is hereby authorized to take all steps necessary to make this action effective.

quotes, and twelve companies were approached, with ten declining to quote, and two did quote – Travelers and Lexington Insurance Company; and WHEREAS, Stockbridge Risk Management Inc. advised that the quote from Lexington Insurance Company was lower cost than Travelers; and WHEREAS, Stockbridge Risk Management Inc. recommends renewing with the current carriers (Lexington Insurance Company) as detailed in the CBS Coverage proposal dated March 11, 2016 attached.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board accepts the broker’s pricing from CBS

Coverage in the amount of $1,701,319.50 for the period April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017 as presented in their proposal dated March 11, 2016, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President of the Corporation is authorized to purchase such insurance contracts on behalf of Riverbay Corporation.

at least 60 days (See attached memorandum); and WHEREAS, Additionally Director Graham has missed all six of the managing agent interviews that were scheduled and held on April 30, 2015, May 13, 2015, May 15, 2015, March 9, 2016, March 29, 2016 and March 31, 2016; and WHEREAS, the Riverbay Corporation By-Laws, Article III, Section 3 (o), states, that by majority vote, the Board of Directors may declare vacant the office of a director when he/she has been absent from three (3) consecutive, regularly scheduled meetings or when he/she has been absent from four (4) out of five (5) consecutive regularly scheduled meetings over a period of at least (60) days and such absences have not been duly excused.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, Pursuant to Riverbay Corporation By-Laws, Article III, Section 3(o) the office of Director Leah Graham is

declared vacant, effective immediately, due to her absence from four out of five consecutive regularly scheduled meeting over a period of at least sixty (60) days (See attached memorandum) and such absences have not been duly excused; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That Director Graham’s vacancy shall be filled in accordance with Riverbay Corporation’s By-Laws Article III, Section 4 (a) by the person who received the highest number of votes in the 2015 election of directors but who was not elected.

YES: Berk, Cylich, Feliciano, Jenkins, Leslie, Taylor NO: Atkins, Gordon, Graham, Johnson, Jones, Peterson ABSTAIN: Saunders, Turner ABSENT: Williams DEFEATED

YES: Berk, Cylich, Feliciano, Gordon, Graham, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Leslie, Peterson, Saunders, Taylor, Turner, Williams ABSENT: Atkins PASSED

Emergency Resolution #16-23 INTRODUCED BY: Linda Berk SECONDED BY: Deborah Jenkins BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, DATED: April 6th, 2016 WHEREAS, Riverbay’s annual Property Insurance policies, which includes Property, Boiler and Machinery, and excess coverages expire March 31, 2016 and need to be renewed prior to expiration; and WHEREAS, Riverbay’s consultant Stockbridge Risk Management Inc. recommended that CBS Coverage reach out to the market to obtain renewal

YES: Berk, Cylich, Feliciano, Gordon, Graham, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Leslie, Saunders, Taylor, Turner, Williams ABSTAIN: Peterson ABSENT: Atkins PASSED

Emergency Resolution #16-28 SUBMITTED BY: Cleve Taylor SECONDED BY: Bernard Cylich BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING, Dated: April 5th, 2016 WHEREAS, Members of the Board of Directors have a significant responsibility to support the operation of affordable housing and are entrusted with administrative control of expenditures representing millions of dollars; and WHEREAS, the Board generally meets each month and more frequently as required by the amount or nature of business to be transacted; and WHEREAS, Director Leah Graham, whose term expires in May 2017, has been absent from 62% of board meetings in the last twelve months including four out of five consecutive board meetings over a period of

24

Quick arrest and we are right to believe that that’s not the type of thing that happens in this community. There is a threshold that you don’t cross and this is one that crossed the line.

“Our Public Safety Department had that same feeling. By the next morning, we had that individual in custody because the Public Safety officers felt equally appalled as we did. The officers and particularly the detectives spent the whole night following leads and looking at cameras and found the individual so somebody who we don’t want in this community was taken off the streets in less than 24 hours.”

Mr. Ellison reported that the race to catch the criminal quickly became a community effort because the incident touched everyone who heard about it.

“It was just not the efforts of Public Safety – they got tips from individuals in this community who felt the need to let them know so they could make this arrest. It was a joint effort – we are all in this together and when we put our efforts together, we have miraculous results. We’re proud of the work our officers did over this weekend.”

The arrest of the perpetrator was affected by 45th Precinct detectives at about 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, after Co-op City’s Public Safety detectives worked throughout the night conducting an exhaustive search of surveillance videos as the entire CCPD team of officers pulled together to investigate, identify and locate the suspect, 52 year old Sharon McNeil, who was known to the department because of prior arrests within the Co-op City community.

"CCPD reviewed hours upon hours of video throughout the night and followed up on anonymous tips while exchanging information with NYPD detectives,” said Chief Apollo. “This is the reason for the successful closure on this particular case, law enforcement professionals from 2 separate departments working together to bring closure to a victim and to an entire community."

On Saturday evening, following the arrest of McNeil, NYPD Deputy Chief Jason Wilcox, DBBX, wrote to CCPD Chief Frank Apollo: “Thank you very much to you and your team for the great assistance with the 45 Squad that helped lead to the swift identification

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

and apprehension of the female suspect who robbed our 103 year old female victim yesterday. Great job by all!...”

CCPD Detective Joe Monahan said that as soon as the call came in, it struck a chord with the entire team given the age of the victim.

Det. Monahan said it looks like the suspect was in the rear lobby, saw the

and that’s how everything started. He called the 45th Precinct and they sent the anti-crime plainclothes guys over and we gave the picture to them.”

Detective Monahan said that when the 4-12 detectives came on shift, they continued researching and one of the CCPD officers recognized the suspect’s picture and placed her in Bldg. 31.

Public Safety’s Sgt. Elizabeth DelValle (right) and Officer Marcelo Ahmed delivered a new shopping cart and food to the 103 year old Co-op City centenarian who was attacked and robbed last Friday.

victim and rode the elevator with her and then robbed her at approximately 2:45 p.m. when she got off at her floor.

Surveillance footage shows McNeil going back home to Bldg. 31A at 2:58 p.m. where, although she’s not a shareholder of Co-op City, she has been staying with someone. McNeil’s legal address is elsewhere in the Bronx, NY. “The description came over as a male Hispanic,” said Det. Monahan.

“My partner, Det. [William] Pagan, was on the computer. He went straight to the building, and realized that it wasn’t a male, but a female we were looking for,

Assemblyman Benedetto to sponsor mammography van for Co-op City Assemblyman Michael R. Benedetto, in conjunction with Project Renewal, formerly operating as Women’s Outreach Network, will be sponsoring a free Mobile Mammography Screening Van on Saturday, April 23, 1:30 p.m. at the Baychester Library on Asch Loop North in Co-op City.

For those who require an earlier appointment, the mammography van will be situated in front of the assemblyman’s office at 3602 E. Tremont Avenue at 9:30 a.m. on April 23.

This program is for women 40 years of age and older who have not had a mammogram in the past year. All insurance plans are accepted, however, if you do not have insurance, you can still sign up for the program.

An appointment is necessary. Please call 1-800-564-6868 This program is funded by Bronx Cancer Services Program Partnership.

Screening coordination and Outreach/In-reach is funded by the Komen Greater NYC 2008 Community Breast Health Grant.

“Then everybody started to look at the cameras and they spotted her going into Building 31,” Det. Monahan said.

“We gave the information to the 45th Precinct detectives the next day. They went up there. She refused to open the door. Emergency services were called; they took the door and arrested her.”

Lt. Anthony Warner, supervisor of the CCPD Detectives Squad and Det. Monahan said that they had dealt with

this suspect numerous times in the past, and that she has a long history of arrests stemming back to 1984, including some for crimes committed within Co-op City.

“It was just an overall team effort by everybody in Public Safety,” said Det. Monahan. “Once again, just like everything else, once some major crime happens in Co-op City, it’s patrol, detectives, it’s a whole joint operation. We all got together and this one hit pretty hard being that the victim is 103 years old, so everyone worked on it; that is how it affected everybody.”

Chief Apollo added, "I also want to commend the community who provided information that enabled investigators to have a clearer path to travel upon."

On Sunday, April 3, Public Safety officers bought food, as well as a new shopping cart, and delivered it to the very appreciative Ms. Signore although officers had recovered her shopping cart in the apartment where McNeil was arrested.

"I also want to commend my patrol personnel who visited the victim and provided her with items that she needed in order to ease the trauma of the event she experienced,” said Chief Apollo. “Their humanistic efforts were truly heartfelt and displayed how much my department cares about the residents of Co-op City.

"Police and community working together, ultimately that is what it takes in an effort to create a safer community, and that is exactly what occurred in this case."

This week, Ms. Signore, who is taking a few days to recuperate and stay out of the limelight, said that she would like to thank the people who came to her aid. “They were wonderful,” she said. “The officers from Public Safety and the 45th Precinct, they were all very nice.”

Ms. Signore also extended a special thank you to the Project Director at the JASA Senior Center, Daniella Breton, whose has also been invaluable to her.

McNeil was charged with assault and robbery. Her bail was set at $100,000.

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

New management hiring outside management to comply with ongoing demands from Co-op City’s lenders – Wells Fargo, the federal Housing and Urban Development agency (HUD) and the state Division of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) - Taylor said a determination will be made soon. “We [the Board] are now in deliberations,” he said. “We didn’t rush to a decision. I told this Board last night we will select the best irrespective of where they work, or the color of their skin.

“We will select the best person to manage Co-op City and will ask our counsel, Jeff Buss, to defend our position on that issue. The Board is going to sit down in the next few days and deliberate those issues and whatever this Board decides is the very best we can do.” (See Viewpoint, page 8).

Taylor pointed to his proposed program to have shareholders who want to participate in an optional plan to prepay their carrying charges and fund a means for Riverbay to enter a New York City multi-family water payment program.

The program could save Riverbay up to

(Continued from page 1)

In January, HUD, HCR and Wells Fargo restated that they want a thirdparty manager now, to be recommended by the Riverbay Board from the existing list of candidates, but are not adverse to a path leading to some form of eventual self-management.

The third-party management company could be used by Riverbay to help develop a plan, with measurable benchmarks, leading to an alternative form of management.

That pathway would involve Riverbay working with the outside management firm selected to complete outstanding critical repairs, to file required financial statements and to avoid noncompliance issues for two years. HCR and HUD would require a well-documented management plan and approval by all the lending participants before agreeing to a self-management structure that would include participation of an outside management firm or some form of independent oversight acceptable to the loan guarantors.

Board President Taylor praised the work of Noel Ellison, a veteran man-

Riverbay Power Plant project manager Rene Hamilton updated the community regarding ongoing work at the plant during the Open Board meeting April 6 at Einstein.

Photo by Jim Roberts

$20 million over a 10-year period.

The Board of Directors has also taken the initiative to start a company-wide safety plan in Co-op City to bring all employees in conformity with OSHA requirements and best practices to avoid injury, Taylor said. The company spends $9.5 million in insurance annually, including $4.3 million in Workers’ Compensation insurance.

“These numbers have been skyrocketing and are almost out of control. We must do everything possible to bring down these costs. Safety initiatives will help do that,” Taylor said.

Following removal of Marion Scott, Inc., the previous managing agent, in November of 2014, an ad hoc committee of the Riverbay Board conducted an extensive search and recommended three candidates to the Board for its consideration. The full Board then conducted interviews of all three management firms, but did not select any of the candidates at an Emergency Open Board meeting held last May. In the interim, Riverbay has been operating without outside management.

25

ager at Riverbay and a former general manager, for leading the company during this period.

“The progress we have made in the past year and a half would not have been possible if it were not for our general manager Noel Ellison,” Taylor said. “We asked him to step up to the plate and he did. Mr. Ellison’s single act of loyalty to Co-op City and the Riverbay Corporation has saved us $2.5 million.

“He inherited 13 legacy contracts left over by our former managing agent that were just horrendous. Engineers were not showing up to work, going out of business, construction companies were operating unsafely on our property and lagging in doing the work. Mr. Ellison is taking the initiative to bring some of those projects to completion.”

Over the past six months, Riverbay has established a robust in-house management staff, including new directors of procurement, human resources and internal audit. At the Board meeting on Wednesday, Ellison introduced the latest

addition, Assistant General Manager for Construction, Mark Warren, the former Commissioner of Buildings in Mount Vernon from 2010 through February of this year.

Warren, a New York licensed architect since 1993, also headed his own architecture firm for ten years and has also worked as code enforcement officer. He taught as an adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design and has a master’s of urban design from the City University of New York.

“Because of my background in architecture owning my own business and practicing architecture for 12 years, dealing with small projects from someone needing to renovate a bathroom or a multi-million dollar project, I can see the vast difference between dealing with projects of all sizes,” Warren said. “In the last few days that I’ve been here, I feel like I’m home. Credentials don’t mean anything – I’m here Mark Warren, Riverbay’s new Assistant General for Construction, was introduced to the to prove myself and I’m going to Manager community at the Open Board meeting on April 6. make sure that the legacy projects that we have here get righted.

We’re going to put a rudder and sail on The Board also discussed the situathem and get them moving fast.” tion at the Power Plant regarding instalWednesday’s Board meeting also lation of the new 150-ton boiler. The included an extensive review of the work has been delayed due to problems dozen capital projects underway, inwith the concrete foundation that needs cluding modernization of shopping to be built to support the boiler. centers and Dreiser Auditorium, and a Taylor urged that the project be recap of the many projects being done expedited by seeking alternatives, at the Power Plant. including having the engineering work Rene Hamilton, a project manager done and then considering doing the with the Power Plant staff, and a actual construction in-house.

Co-op City resident, updated the staDuring the Gallery Session of the tus of the water main leak near the Open Board meeting, nearly a dozen Cooper Place Townhouses. This longshareholders spoke regarding problems standing leak is occurring in a “thrust they’ve encountered and suggestions. block,” a section of concrete set to Ellison and Taylor vowed to intercede stop the pipe from moving, so rather to resolve issues and several cooperathan just repair the leak, the entire tors urged all residents to become length of pipe must be replaced. involved in their community.

Riverbay went out to bid last May to “If we all work together and take replace the entire 200 feet of pipe, but care of our corners of the world, this the contract language with the contracwill make it better for all of us,” said tor couldn’t be resolved and the bidding shareholder Novella Thomas. “Please process had to start all over. A new come out at election time and vote. engineering contractor has been identiCome out to the meetings and if you fied, the hole where the pipe resides has have an issue, voice it. Just because been backfilled, and Riverbay is now you pay your maintenance fee doesn’t waiting for approval from HCR to promean you don’t need to do anything ceed, Hamilton said. else.”

MetroCard Bus to visit Co-op City in two weeks The MetroCard Bus will be visiting all three Co-op City locations in two weeks, enabling customers to sign up for or refill their Reduced-Fare MetroCard, purchase or add money to an existing Metrocard, and purchase E-Z Pass On the Go tags.

On Thursday, April 21, the MetroCard bus will be at the Bartow Mall on Coop City Blvd. (in front of the Bingo Hall and the eyecare center), from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; at Dreiser Loop (Park on Debs Place) from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and at Einstein Loop (Elgar Place) from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

For more MetroCard information, please visit the MTA’s website at www.mta.info and click on Fares and Tolls.

Mon., Apr. 11

26

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Bartow

Einstein

Dreiser

Activities in Room 31 unless otherwise noted

Activities in Room 49 unless otherwise noted Library 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Dominoes 10 a.m., Rm. 45 Line Dancing 10 - 11

Activities in Room 7 unless otherwise noted

Word Games 9:30 -11 a.m.

Bingo 12:30-2:00 p.m.

Arthritis Exercises

a.m., Rm 45

11 a.m. - noon Library 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Around The Lunch Table 11:30 a.m.

Word Search 11 a.m. -

Weight Management 10 11:30 a.m., Bartow Main Office

12 p.m.

Bingo 1:00 - 3:00 p.m., Rm. 35 Pokeno 3:00 - 4:00 p.m., Rm. 35

Bereavement Counseling Back of Bartow Main Office 2:00 p.m. 12:40 -1:40 p.m.

Card Games 2-4 p.m.

Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

Tues., Apr. 12

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

Stay Well Exercise

1:00 p.m. – Last Monday of the month Gentle Yoga 1:15 - 2 p.m., Rm. 2

Basic Cell Phone & iPad training 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Intermediate Yoga

2nd Monday - 1:00 p.m.

2 - 3 p.m.

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

9:30-11:30 a.m.

Dominoes 10 a.m.

Bingo 12:30-2 p.m.

Walking Club

Tai Chi 11 a.m., Rm. 45

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Matinee Movie

11:30 a.m., Aud. B

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

10 a.m.-noon, Rm. 45

Tues.

Karaoke by Steven

12-1 p.m., Rm. 4

Card Games 2-4 p.m.

Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

1 p.m. - 2 p.m., Rm. 45

Zumba 1-2 p.m., Aud. A Afternoon Movies

Wed., Apr. 13 Thurs., Apr. 14

Dominoes 10 a.m., Rm. 45 Spelling Bee 10 a.m.

Spanish Practice Class 10:30 a.m., Computer Lab

10-11 a.m.

Line Dancing 11 a.m. -

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

12 p.m.

Bingo 12:30 - 2:00 p.m.

Card Games 2-4 p.m.

Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

Rm. 45

9:30-10:30 a.m.

Sewing 9:30 -11:30 a.m.

Tai Chi 11 a.m.- 12 p.m.

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

African Brazilian Dance w/Leona Hull, Room 2, 1-2 p.m.

NEW Walk Group Starting April 6, 10 a.m.

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

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

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

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

9:30-10:30 a.m.

Word Games 9:30 a.m.-

Grandparent Connection 1st & 3rd Thurs. Computer lab,

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

Mind Teasers 12-1 p.m., Rm. 4 Drama Club 1:30-4 p.m.

Chat Session 9:30 a.m.1 p.m.

10:30 a.m.

Bingo 12:30- 2:00 p.m.

Arthritis Exercise Class

Card Games 2-4 p.m.

11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 45 Word search 11a.m.-12 p.m.

Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

Karaoke by Steven 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., Rm. 45

Blood Pressure

Men’s Line Dancing 9 10 a.m.

Dominoes 10 a.m., Rm. 45

Fri., Apr. 15

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

Women’s Line Dancing 10-11:30 a.m.

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

Bingo 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

9:30 a.m.- 10 a.m.: 11 a.m.

- 12 p.m.

Card Games 2-4 p.m.

Rm. 25

Blood Pressure 2nd & Sing-along 11

a.m.-12 p.m.

Card Games 2-4 p.m.

Dominoes 2:30 p.m.

Crochet & Knitting 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Art 10 a.m., Rm. 45

Chat Session 10 a.m.

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

Piano

Orange juice Chicken Francaise, Barley, California blend vegetables Whole wheat bread, Fresh fruit, Alt: Egg salad

Coconut curry Cod fish Brown rice w/mushrooms Broccoli w/teriyaki sauce

Wed., Apr. 13

Thurs., Apr. 14

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

Pokeno 2-4 p.m., Rm. 35

Fri., Apr. 15

Apple juice Beef and vegetable stew Yellow rice Zucchini w/onions and peppers Whole wheat bread, Fresh fruit Alt: Turkey salad Orange pineapple juice Breaded Sole fish fillet Morocccan fish sauce Cous cous, Mixed vegetable Whole wheat bread, Fresh fruit Alt: Chopped chicken liver Orange juice, Spanish style roast chicken, Brown rice w/beans, Broccoli soufflé, Challah bread, Unsweetened apple sauce Alt: Gefilte fish

Salisbury steak Baked potato in skin Sautéed spinach

Chicken scaloppini Whole wheat spaghetti Italian blend vegetables

Breaded fish filet Corn, black bean and pepper salad Garden salad

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

Art Class 1-3 p.m.

Yoga 2-3 p.m., Rm. 2

11:30 a.m.

Tues, Apr. 12

Mind Teasers

1-3 p.m. w/popcorn

Stay Well Exercise

Mango chutney pork roast Cauliflower soufflé Mashed sweet potatoes

9:30-10:30 a.m.

Cultural Dance 10:30 –

3rd Wed., Rm. 31, 9-10 a.m.

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

Orange/pineapple juice Turkey burger w/BBQ sauce Green beans, Roasted potatoes Whole wheat bread, Fruit cocktail Alt: Tuna Nicoise salad

Alert & Alive

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Blood Pressure 1st &

Mon., Apr. 11

10 - 11 a.m., Rm. 2 Mind Teasers 12 - 1 p.m., Rm. 4

Diabetes Support Group

Non-Kosher

Kosher

Alternate Kosher Meals are also available

Crochet & Knitting

Diabetes Support Group

Word Games

Date:

Meditative Moments 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., Rm. 8 Mind Teasers 12 p.m. 1:00 p.m., Rm. 4 NEW! Bingo – Rm. 7 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Card Games, Dominoes 2-4 p.m.

(Schedule subject to change without notice)

Fee for lunch is $2.00 & $5.00 for guest

ALL meals served w/margarine and fresh milk *Menu subject to change without notice.

Alternate Kosher Meals are also available

Bartow Center (718) 320-2066, Ext. 2010 Dreiser Center (718) 320-1345 • Einstein Center (718) 671-5161

For information, please call: (718) 320-2066 New Payment Schedule - Payments for trips @ the Bartow office can be made Monday – Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Only) Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, The NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation.

Upcoming Events/Trips JASA WELCOMES EVERYONE AGE 60 AND OLDER! Trip registration policy: Payments for trips can be made at all 3 centers.

There will be no refunds for all trips. All trips include roundtrip transportation! All trips must be paid in advance – No Exceptions! You can register for all trips starting the Monday after it has been published in the newspaper: JASA will not accept checks under $5.

AARP TAX Aide - FREE TAX Preparation & Free e-File, Einstein, rm.

35, 2nd floor – Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. LAST DAY - April 13.

First come, first served!

Mother’s Day Celebration – Friday, May 6, $5 in advance, $7 at the door, 177 Dreiser Loop, Audit. B. Live music, raffles and gifts. Menu and entertainment: TBA. (FREE) Application Assistance for SCRIE & SNAP (Food Stamps) – Fridays, April 22, May 13 and 27, June 10 and 24, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. First come, First served!

(FREE) Circle of Care - Free Services for Caregivers, at 2049 Bartow Ave., 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Fridays, May 13, June 10, July 8, and August 12, at 135 Einstein Loop, rm. 40, 1-3 p.m.

Tuesdays, April 19, May 24, June 21, July 19, and August 23.

Join us to learn more about Colorectal Cancer Screening: Fri., April 15, 11 a.m. at Einstein, rm. 49 & Tues., April 19, 11 a.m. at Bartow, rm. 31.

Seder – Monday, April 18, $4 in advance-$7 at door; tickets sold at ALL 3 centers, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 177 Dreiser Loop, Audit. B. Menu: Roast chicken, potato kugel and carrots tzimmes, honey cake, live entertainment.

All in the Family – Open house for relatives raising children. Saturday, April 23rd, 2049 Bartow Ave., rm. 31, 1-4 p.m.

Speakers on Kinship care, local resources, child development, legalities.

For information or to register, contact Rebecca Walsh Westall, 718-671-2090, ext. 2139.

Annual Co-op City Health and Wellness Community Fair! – 10 to 3 p.m., May 10th, Dreiser Community Center Auditorium. Local businesses and health providers will provide useful information. Raffles! Music by DJ Woody!

Dance and musical performances throughout the day!

ShopRite – Mon., April 11, $3. Pickups: Bartow-9:30 a.m., Einstein - 9:45 a.m. and Dreiser -10 a.m.

Central Avenue – Tues., April 12, $13. 2 hours Xmas Tree Store, 1 hour Trader Joe’s, and 2 hours Amazing Savings. Pick-ups: Bartow-9:30 a.m., Eisntein-9:45 a.m. and Dreiser-10 a.m.

Sea Food City, City Island – Wed., April 13, $3. Pick-ups: Bartow - 11:15 a.m., Einstein - 11:30 a.m., Dreiser 11:45 a.m.

Wal-Mart – Thurs., April 14, $15.

Pick-ups: Bartow - 8:30 a.m., Einstein 8:45 a.m., Dreiser – 9 a.m. Wait list only.

Empire Casino – Friday, April 15, $5. Pick-ups: Bartow-9:30 a.m., Einstein-9:45 a.m., Dreiser-10 a.m. Wait list only.

Fairway – Tues., April 19, $3. Pickups: Bartow -9:30 a.m., Einstein-9:45 and Dreiser-10 a.m.

Westchester Broadway Theatre – Man of La Mancha – Wed., April 20, $60, includes lunch. Pick-ups: Bartow9:45 a.m., Einstein-10 a.m. and Dreiser10:15 a.m. Wait list only.

Target – Thurs., April 21, $2. Pickups: Bartow, 9:30 a.m.; Einstein, 9:45 a.m. and Dreiser, 10 a.m.

Woodbury Commons – Wed., April 27, $15. Pick-ups: Bartow - 8:30 a.m., Einstein - 8:45 a.m. and Dreiser – 9 a.m.

Bronx Friendship House Annual Trip - RUMORS (A Comedy Show) June 1 - Hunterdon Hills Playhouse, $75.

Choice of: Pot roast, fried jumbo shrimp, Tilapia, lasagna rowlett, chicken parmesan, vegetable kebab, unlimited desserts.

Meet at 2705 Schley Ave. at 8:30 a.m.

Bus returns at around 5:30 p.m. Please contact Millie Nunez or Ronit Notkin, (718) 863-8833.

27

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

AARP Chapter #4997 FYI: Our next meeting is scheduled for MONDAY, APRIL 11, 1 p.m. in Dreiser Community Center, Auditorium “A.” Don’t forget, bring a friend/neighbor. We’d love to have you join us.

To our sick, on the mend and shut-in members, and those bereaved members, please know that you are in our prayers.

Contact Frances Wilson, Good & Welfare Coordinator, 718-671-5493.

2016 Tour Activities MAY 28 – JUNE 8 – SOLD OUT… Alaska Cruise Tour (aboard the ISLAND PRINCESS)…11 days/10 nights; Air—Land—Rail—Sea from Anchorage (Alaska) through Denali National Park; Sail 7 days; see Glacier Bay-Skagway; Juneau; Kelchikan; fly home from Vancouver, BC. Contact: Jean, 718-379-3742.

—Delores Debnam

Einstein Cancer Fund Happy birthday to everyone celebrating in the month of April.

Reminder—Wednesday, April 6th, going to Foxwood’s Casino. Cost per person is $33 and receive a casino bonus of $10 slot play, and $10 food credit. Time of pick-up is at 8:30 a.m., starting at Einstein Loop, followed by Asch Loop and Dreiser Loop. Please bring your casino card and valid photo I.D. For the above trips, please call Lydia at

718-671-3005 or Annie Eutsey at 718320-1874.

With regard to our 2-day trip (Samson), as soon as we receive the luggage tags, it will be mailed ASAP. As always, give a call to the homebound and those in nursing homes. These calls cheer them up because they are remembered in your thoughts and hearts always.

—Lydia Ruas

Goose Island Seniors

Baychester Library Events VISIT THE LIBRARY - A GREAT WEALTH OF INFORMATION EVENTS FOR APRIL MONDAYS: Kids Program — 4/18, 3:30 p.m., Roll and Tell Knitting — 4/18, 5 p.m.; 4/25, 11 a.m.

TUESDAYS: Adult Program — 10:30 a.m. 4/12 YouTube; 4/19 - Build a Better Body on a Budget Toddler Time — 11 a.m., 4/12, 4/19, 4/26 Teen Tech Time — 3:30 p.m., 4/12, 4/19, 4/26 WEDNESDAYS: Kids Program — 3:30 p.m., 4/13 & 4/20 Headbandz Wednesdayz Teen Program — 3:30 p.m., 4/13 Circuit Bugs; 4/20 Vision Boards Tech Connect — 5 p.m., 4/13, 4/20 & 4/27 Excel Adult Program — 10:30 a.m. 4/20 Geneology 101 Schools Out Matinee — 12:00 p.m. 4/27 - Hotel Transylvania 2 THURSDAYS: Tech Connect — 10 a.m., 4/14 - iPad

Basics; 4/21 How’d You Do That?; 4/28 App Vice Teen Program — 3:30 p.m., 4/14, Earthquake Day Teen Program — 10 a.m., 4/21, Etch Your Own Kids Program — 11 a.m., 4/21, Beginning Stages: Growing Letters Teen Knitting — 3:30 p.m., 4/28 FRIDAYS: Adult Coloring — 10:30 a.m. 4/15 Kids Program — 3:30 p.m., 4/15 JR Explorers: Sink or Float, Titanic Edition; 4/22, Stem Engineering Challenge: Recycle & Reuse Teen Program — 3:30 p.m., 4/15, Anime Club Kids Program — 3:30 p.m., 4/29, Build Story Tacos SATURDAYS: Kids Program — 11 a.m., 4/16 Raindrops and Umbrella Craft Kids Program — 2:30 p.m., 4/30 STEM: Baking Soda Bubbles

Our BINGO last week was so much fun. We gave out $7 winnings each game. That's like giving someone .25¢ and getting $7 change. Our next Bingo is Wednesday, April 13th, at 1:30 p.m. in our club room #39. Admission $1.25 for 3 cards and .25¢ each game. Win up to $7 or more each game and the full card is even more. Wednesdays are members only; Sundays, all are welcome. Refreshments will be served. So, come and play with Stephen, Jeanne, and Wendy.

Our new technology is working fine.

Makes you feel like you are in a Bingo Hall.

All members are welcome to play cards. Kaluki - Tuesdays & Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and Mahjong - Thursdays at noon.

We are having a 2-day GARAGE SALE – May 13th & 14th at 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in room 39.

Come and browse around, you might see something you like. We will appreciate any donations of clothing, jewelry, handbags, videotapes, CD's, any knickknacks, etc. in good condition for us to sell. See Mary or Ann. 3 TRIPS are planned for 2016 (I) Our 1st trip is next week, Tuesday, April 19th to the Mohegan Sun Casino, CT. Only a few seats left.

Price is $33. Rebate: $15 to play - $15 toward food. Come with Stephen Roberts. All are welcome. You must see this buffet they offer. It's so big you can eat all day.

Pick-up time is 8:30 a.m. at our 3 usual bus stops: Einstein Loop - Asch

Loop (by the library) and Dreiser Loop (by the hardware store). See Ann, or Mary.

(2) A trip to the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse, N.J. Tuesday, May 17th - A Neil Simon play, RUMORS. Price $79.

MENU: Yankee Pot Roast, fried jumbo shrimps, Tilapia DePhillip, chicken parmigiano, lasagna rollette, vegetable kabob. Pick-up: 9:00 a.m. at our usual bus stops. The bus is already half-full.

Tickets going fast. A VERY FUNNY PLAY. (3) Eat a nice LUNCH with us at CRAB SHANTY AT CITY ISLAND BX, NY, Thursday, July 21st, at 12:30 p.m. Price $28. Menu: whole lobster, shrimps (boiled or fried), filet of Sole (boiled or fried), BBQ chicken or ribs, chicken parmigiana, or snow crab legs.

All served with baked potato & vegetables, coffee, tea, cake or ice cream.

Everybody is welcome.

Happy birthday and happy anniversary to all who celebrate their day in the Month of April: Marlene Gantwarg, Benny Konikoff, Wendy Berch, Alfonse Gonzalez, Iona Foote, Helen Miller, Clinton McFarlane, and Milton Schlanger.

For more information, call Goose Island Seniors at 718-379-9613 or visit us Monday – Thursday, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at 135 Einstein Loop, rm. 39. You may also call Mary at 718-379-4899. If there is no answer, please leave a message and I will return your call.

Join our club for just $15 a year.

GOOD HEALTH TO ALL. —Mary Pilla

Co-op City Public Safety Department

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

718.379.6700 FREE ADMISSION TO ALL

Emergency: 718-651-3050 www.ccpd.us

Non-Emergency: 718-320-3330 @CCPDnyc

28

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Baychester Visual Arts Association If you would like to be more creative and enjoy drawing and painting, you could derive much pleasure from attending classes at BVA. Art classes are held every Tuesday, in room 5, in the Dreiser Community Center. Our next session starts on Tuesday, April 19th. You can choose from the 2 class schedules, which are 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. The fees are as follows: Annual membership is $35 a year and a session of 10 classes is $60.

This is the best bargain in the Bronx – maybe even the city – given the quality of instruction offered.

Mr. Moses Groves, BVA’s own art instructor, is the artistic guide for these classes. Mr. Groves is an accomplished artist who has studied at the Art

Students League and NYU. He has exhibited work in the New York and New Jersey area and has won awards for his artwork.

On Thursday, April 14 at 1:30 p.m., room 5 in the Dreiser Community Center, there will be a demonstration of abstract painting. Mr. Dmitriy Moshkovich will show you how to paint abstract art with multimedia paints. Mr. Moshkovich has a Masters degree in Fine Arts from Russia and is an award winning artist. You will enjoy this creative and informative demonstration. We hope you can attend.

In the month of June, we will have our paintings on display at the Baychester library in celebration of Bronx Month. Come and see the artwork and we

Rivers Run Community Garden We officially opened on April 1st with limited hours for the month. As of May 1, Rivers Run will be throttle beginning until November 2016. Please take advantage of the opportunities to get your hands dirty and your heart happy on the dates specified below.

Membership requirements: $20 per year fee and 20 hours of volunteer work.

If you are not paid up by April 30th, we will give away your bed to an active member on the waiting list unless you contact us to make arrangements for payment. We will be collecting this fee at the April 21st meeting. If you would like to pay by mail, please make your check payable to Rivers Run Community Garden and forward to Rivers Run, Attn: Gail Sharbaan, 100 Casals Pl #32K, Bronx, NY 10475.

Please note: There is a waiting list for beds.

Members who are actively fulfilling the 20 hours of volunteer work requirement are moved up on the list.

Important dates (All are welcome): • April 21st - Open Meeting at Dreiser Loop, rm. 9 beginning at 7 p.m.

know you will be impressed with the fine quality of paintings.

BVA is a non-profit, self-supporting organization that needs your support to continue offering high level art instruction at these bargain prices. So come join BVA on this fabulous artistic trek, take a class, make a donation (tax deductible), and feel the satisfaction of being a creator and/or patron of the arts.

All checks should be made out as indicated above.

If you would like more information about classes or members’ artwork, you can call Moses Groves at 201-862-0847.

Science is for the body and art is for the soul.

—Sylvia Lochansky

Building 15B Association

• April 22nd - Workday with The Osborne Group and Bronx Green Up, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• April 30th - Open from noon to 3 p.m.

• May - Tuesday is food scrap collection from members only, beginning 4 p.m. to dusk.

• May 7th - Plant sale • May 8th - Free Painting Workshop at the Garden/Mother’s Day plant sale beginning at 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Details to come • May 10th - PS 153 will be visiting again from 10 a.m. to noon.

Garden members are encouraged to take workshops sponsored by GreenThumb and the Botanical Garden, as well as working in other gardens. Knowledge is power and participation in some of the workshops qualifies Rivers Run to receive FREE stuff, like fruit trees, plants, seeds, dirt, compost, mulch and tools.

If you’d like to reach out to us, please email us at Rivers_run@yahoo.com or call Denise Shelley at 917-232-2982 or me at 718-671-3801.

—Gail Sharbaan

Our next building association meeting will be on Thursday, April 14th at 7 p.m. in our meeting room in the rear lobby of Building 15B. We will have a guest speaker, Mr. Warren Mitchell, Riverbay’s Assistant General Manager. It will be an informative meeting with time for questions. Please come down with your concerns and he will gladly answer questions.

We would like to welcome any new cooperators to the building and invite them to come join us at our meeting. Please make every effort to attend and bring a neighbor.

Refreshments will be served. We will also have a 50/50 raffle.

—Sandy Krasnove

Shareholders, Not Tenants!

Become Involved in YOUR Community!

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

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

Most Union and Insurance Plans Accepted.

HIP CMO (Montefiore) Health Plan Accepted.

We participate in Postal Workers, Mail Handlers, Letter Carriers, Verizon Workers, 1199, GHI, Blue Shield, Empire Plan, Medicare, Travelers, United Health Care and many other union and major medical plans.

Se Habla Español MEDICARE ACCEPTED • HOUSE CALLS BY APPOINTMENT

Diabetic Patients with Medicare may be eligible for shoes.

29

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

American Legion Post 1871 Home to all who served Greetings to all of our Post members who are homebound and recovering from various medical operations. We wish you a speedy recovery.

Happy birthday to all of our members who will be celebrating their birthday this month.

Our Post is always looking for new members to join, so if you are a VETERAN from any branch of the military, stop by and join. Bring your DD-214 with you. Post 1871 is located in Section # 5 in the Community Center in 135 Einstein Loop, room 41. Our office telephone number is (718) 320-8165, and our email address is post1871@optimum.net.

All of our veterans who have fought

in wars in WW1, Japan, Germany, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, when you were about to eat your K-Ration MRE one item that was there for 75 years that you ate was M&M'S. The first bar of candy tested was a D-Bar in 1930. The Military wanted a small, high calorie fuel for the troops, and the Army partnered with the head of the Hershey company as a single customer for the U.S. Military. M&M were packed in all Military field rations in 1948; they were also found in MRE'S in 1983 and now you know the story of M&M candy in the Military wars.

How many of our Post members understand certain of the American

Legion Preamble? FOR GOD AND COUNTRY, WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES TOGETHER, this is the introduction. It declares that the American Legion recognizes the influence of the Almighty God in all worthwhile endeavors and declares the allegiance of Legionnaires to both God and Nation.

First things have been put first. All that follows is in conformity.

The next GENERAL meeting will take place on Saturday, April 16, at 11:00 a.m. sharp. Upon your arrival, TURN OFF your CELL phones, sign in and take a seat. If you need more raffles and have money to turn in, please contact the Post finance officer, William Gordon. If you

know of a Post member who is sick, please contact our Post Chaplin Norman Thomas, so he can send a get-well card to the Post member to show our concern to our fellow member.

Quotes for the day: Fall in love with someone who deserves your heart, not someone who plays with it.

I do what I want, when I want, where I want, if my wife says it's OK. “The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” –Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

This information was provided to you by your post information officer.

—Richard I. Lawson, Jr,

Retirees of Dreiser Loop Reminder! The 2016 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS are due no later than Thursday, April 28th.

Travel Events: (Coach Bus, Dreiser Loop, opposite H&R Block) ● April 26-28 (Tues.-Thurs.).

BALLY’S HOTEL AND CASINO, Atlantic City. Rebate: $25 slot play + $25 food credit. Coach bus - Meet/depart: 9:30/10 a.m. SHARP! Contacts: Beverly James/Virginia Stewart, 718-379-0377.

• June 2&3 (Thurs. & Fri.). 2 days/ 1 night getaway. OVERNIGHT STAY AT AN ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL. ENJOY A CRUISE ON THE SPIRIT OF PHILADELPHIA. A tour of Philadelphia. Coach bus. Price: Double/triple $280 and single $330. Two monthly payments (double/triple, $90 and $115 single). FINAL PAYMENT due. Contacts: Serita G., 347-564-5722/Barbara W.,

718-320-0500.

• August 6th (Sat.). SENIOR DAY PICNIC at Holiday Hill, Ct. Price: $75.

A day filled with fun, disc jockey with music for dancing and games (Bingo games with prizes awarded), and endless food, ice cream treats from ice cream truck, cotton candy and popcorn.

Bring your bathing suit and towel.

Contacts: Serita G., 347-564-5722/ Barbara W., 718-320-0500.

• August 15-17 (Mon.-Wed.).

DOVER DOWNS HOTEL & CASINO, Dover, DE. Price: Double $400 pp/single $490. $100 deposit required now to hold seat. 2 monthly payments: $150 pp/double - $195/single. (Final payment due on or before Thursday, July 11th). Casino rebate: TBD. Package includes – Deluxe motor coach transportation, all You Can Eat

Crabs at Woody’s Crab House, shopping at Rehoboth Outlet Stores; on day of return, stopping at the Harrington Raceway & Casino, with bonus: free slot play and free buffet. Contacts: Serita G., 347-564-5722/ Barbara W, 718-320-0500.

THEATRE COMMITTEE: (price includes transportation): ● Wed., May 11th. Price: $135. SAMSON, Sight & Sound Theatre, PA. Price includes travel by coach bus, show followed by a smorgasbord meal at Miller’s restaurant. SOLD OUT! Contacts: Virginia Stewart/Delores Debnam, 718379-0377.

GOOD AND WELFARE Our deepest sympathy to Helen Mitchell whose daughter-in-law, Karen Mitchell, recently passed away in Georgia. Those of you still under the

Drammeh Center The documentary on the life of Nina Simone screened on Thursday, March 31 – to coincide with the last day of Women’s History Month. It was brought to our attention that the event was dated incorrectly. Those who are on our emailing list were made aware of the correct date. We apologize for this and have arranged for a FINAL SCREENING of the film next SATURDAY, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. for those who missed it. This event is free and refreshments will be served.

LUNCH AND LEARN Storytelling for Empowerment Workshop will be held Saturday, April 16 at 10 a.m. – noon.

This transformative storytelling workshop helps participants to develop the ambition to tell stories and recognize the opportunities to tell them in any situation. By charting the adventure of crafting personal stories, participants will strategically improve their ability to engage, influence and persuade others using their own natural voice and expressive style. RSVP is REQUIRED by April 11. Cost: $25.

Please consider joining us in support of our multimedia and cultural programs in Co-op City.

LIKE US on our Facebook page, facebook.com/DrammehInstitute.

You may also write to us and send your tax-deductible contribution by check/money order payable to: The Drammeh Institute, Inc. Send to: The Drammeh Institute, P.O. Box 558, Co-op City Station, Bronx, NY 10475; email: Drammehcenter@gmail.com.

—Elise Edwards

weather, know that you are thought of warmly and wished brighter days. Call Josephine Flowers, 718-320-0539, regarding illnesses and bereavements.

Members and friends, we require your telephone number, along with your name when signing up. First paid-confirmed seating. Committee members in clubroom 19 (718-379-0377) on Mondays and/or Thursdays, 2:30-5 p.m.

NOTE: There will be a MEET AND GREET get-together for newest members (May 2015-March 2016) on Wed., April 27th.

Welcome, dear Spring, we've been waiting for you! “If we had no winter, the Spring would not be so Pleasant: if we did not sometime taste of Adversity, Prosperity would not be so Welcome.”

—Ann Bradstreet.

—Claudette Davis

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR We welcome your letters to the editor, however, if you would like your letter to be considered for publication, it must be signed, and include your address and telephone number – which will be kept confidential – so the authenticity of the writer can be verified. The Coop City Times does not print anonymous or unsigned letters. See page 6 for submission instructions.

30

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Faith @ Work Christian Church 120 DeKruif Place (street level). Praise and Worship begins at 9:30 a.m. Church telephone: (347) 346-5790, email: fatwcc@aol.com.

Weekly Worship Experiences: Tuesday Prayer Service, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Bible Study, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday Morning Worship, 9:30 a.m. Teen Church, 10:00 a.m., 2nd Sundays; Children's Church, 3rd Sundays (K-3); Older Children's Church, 4th Sundays (4th-7th).

Church Motto: "We are Christ-centered, familyfocused with power and authority."

Church Mission: To empower, educate and moti-

vate men, women, boys and girls to reach their full potential and live abundant lives through preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Come worship with us – where we honor tradition, but are not bound by it! All are welcome to join us any and every Sunday because our goal is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in LOVE, through teaching and preaching the Word of God from the FAITH SUMMER CAMP, July 5 - August 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bible classes, cooking classes, arts, crafts, writing and math, science and technology, recreation and trips (cost of trips not

included in camp fees). Lunch and afternoon snack included. $750 for all 6 weeks!! Limited space, first come, first served. We are taking full summer registrations before single weeks. REGISTRATION IS JUNE 3RD FROM 5:30 P.M. TO 6:30 P.M. Late pick-up (5:00-6:00 p.m. is an additional $15 per week). We have 5 slots specifically for children of formerly incarcer-ated, ages 10-12. Totally confidential at a deep discount, please share.

Remember, it's never about us, but always about the goodness of the Lord.

—Pastor Deborah D. Jenkins

Church of God’s Children Pastors Nancy & Angelo Rosario and the membership invite you to worship and learn God’s Word for instructions in your life. You may visit us and possibly stay, but please visit and become a member at any of the many houses of worship in the Co-op City community that are teaching God’s Word. We are located at 127 Dreiser Loop (to the right of the Montefiore Health Clinic); 718-790-9120. You can call the office and leave your prayer request for our prayer group that meets every Monday & Wednesday.

Schedule: Sunday, 4/10 - Worship-Spanish, 9:30 a.m.; English Worship, 1:15 p.m.; Sunday School, 11:30 a.m. for men, women, youth & children.

Separate classes for each. Monday study/prayer:

9:30-11:30 a.m. with Brother Steve. Wed. Prayer, 78:30 p.m. Fri: Leadership Classes, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Mother’s Day service on Sunday, May 8th will be at 11 a.m. Office hours: Thurs., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Bronx Clergy Task Force Meeting – Wed., April 13, 11 a.m. at 2049 Bartow Avenue, rm. 28. Visit our Goodwill Ministry with Inez Bernard at 163 Dreiser for a free coat and other items. “Mold me, Shape me, Until I think like you Lord.” Romans 12:2. Come and receive the freedom in Christ. Our vision of God is dependent upon the condition of our character. Our character determines whether or not truth can be revealed to us. Before we can say like Isaiah 6:1, “I saw the Lord,” there must be something in our char-

Co-op City Democratic Club The next meeting of the CCDC will be held on Tuesday, April 2nd in Room #28 of the Bartow Ave. Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m.

In the upcoming Presidential Primary to be held on April 19th, the CCDC will be supporting and endorsing Hillary R. Clinton for President.

We have heard from all of the candidates and we have a good idea as to who has the most experience, resources, understanding and good sound judgment to lead these United States.

Please come to our next meeting and you will be hearing from two representatives from Hillary's Cam-paign.

We will have an old friend who is also a delegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention and an active member of Union 1199 for years, Ms. Neva Shillingford King and Ms. Robin Chappelle who is focused on African-American outreach for the Campaign.

This is an open meeting to the community and let's continue to educate ourselves in order to be "intelligent" voters.

We must vote in all elections: Congressional Primary June 28th, State and Local Primary on September 19 and the General Election on November 8th. Please be active and read.

Remember, you cannot complain about government if you do not vote to try and change it.

We will be planning our phone banking and street campaigns. So come out and get active with us.

—Shirley J. Saunders

acter that conforms to the likeness of God. Until we are born again and really begin to see the kingdom of God, we only see from the perspective of our own biases. What we need is God’s surgical procedures— how He uses external circumstances to bring out the internal purification. Our priorities must be God first, God second and God third, until our life is continually face-to-face with God and no one else is taken into account. Our prayers will then be, “In all the world there is no one but You, dear God; there is no one but You.” Keep paying the price. Let God see that you are willing to live up to the vision.

Be blessed.

—Bishop Nancy Rosario

Church of the New Vision Pastor Kenneth Hodge and the congregation of the Church of the New Vision extend a warm and friendly invitation to everyone to worship with us every Sunday at 8:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. We are a church where inspirational messages from the Word of God, the Bible, are delivered every Sunday morning.

The church is designed to meet the spiritual needs of our community by offering anointed singing and preaching, and a general atmosphere of Christian love and friendly hospitality.

We also invite the youth of our community to attend our Sunday morning services, which are designed to meet the special needs of our young people. Parents, please send your children to learn of the Lord Jesus.

Prayer Service takes place every Wednesday evening from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., followed by Bible

teaching from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. Be with us to learn the truth from the Word of God. List of Events Sight & Sound Theatre presentation: Saturday, April 9, Samson. Adults, $150; children 12 and under, $145. Each one day package includes round-trip transportation to show. All you can eat at Old Country Buffet, taxes & gratuities, also shopping. For tickets, call the church (718) 671 8746 or Sis. Brenda Brown at (718) 671-3748.

Church of the New Vision is located at 115 Einstein Loop, Bronx, NY 10475; telephone#: (718) 671-8746 or (718) 320-0409. Our mailing address is: Church of the New Vision, P.O. Box 753037, Bronx, NY 10475.

Please visit our website at www.churchofnewvision.com.

—Carole Haque

Family Owned and Operated • Large Chapel on premises

• Pre-need counseling

• Ample Parking on premises

• Out of town services

• Casket Showroom on premises

• Cremations

A dignified funeral every family can afford.

All areas are handicapped accessible

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

718-231-7647 Call 24 Hours

Fax: 718-231-7665 NOW WEBCASTING TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABROAD

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

Serving all cultures & faiths

31

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

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 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. for worship service. We invite you to worship, study, and pray with us.

The Co-op City Baptist Church is located at 135 Einstein Loop, Room 50.

Our telephone number is 718-320-3774.

Join us for a mid-week spiritual pickup at our mid-week worship service on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. Bible study is on Wednesdays at 1 and 7:30 p.m. Bible study will also be held on Wednesday, April 6 at 5 p.m. Prayer Service is held on Fridays at 12 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The Building Fund Ministry presents a Pre-Mother’s Day Jewelry Show on Saturday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Einstein Community Center, room 51. They will also be selling homemade cakes and pies. You’re invited to come to the Jewelry Show and get your favorite homemade cakes and pies.

On Sunday, April 17, the Youth and Young Adult Choir will celebrate their anniversary at the 11 a.m. service. All are invited to support and celebrate with the choir.

On April 24, we will celebrate Men’s & Women’s Day at our 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. service. The theme for the day will be “Men and Women working for the good of all, especially the household of faith, Galatians 6:10.

The guest speaker for 11 a.m. will be Minister Alonda Hassell, Associate Minster at The Kingdom Christian Cultural Center, Yonkers, NY and the 3:30 p.m. speaker will be Rev. Carl McCluster, Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, Bridgeport, CT. Please join us

for these celebratory services.

On Saturday, June 4, at 9:30 a.m., the First Lady’s Ministry will host their annual Gospel Breakfast in the Einstein Community Center, room 45. Enjoy a delicious breakfast and feast on good music featuring Rev. Tyron Williams and the High Place Singers. Adult ticket price is $25 and children 3-17, are $10. For tickets or additional information, call 718-862-9243, 646-842-2458 or 718320-3774.

You are invited to join the Scholarship Ministry on August 13 – 21, as they travel to Memphis, TN. This 9 day/8 night trip includes 14 meals, 8 breakfasts and 6 dinners. You will have admission to the National Civil Rights Museum, dedicated to Martin Luther Kings’ struggle for equality; admission to STAX Museum of American Soul Music and additionally admission to the Memphis Rock and Roll Soul Museum and much more. A $100 deposit and payment is due for those just signing up. If you are planning on purchasing travel insurance, it is suggested that you pay it along with your deposit. Full payment is due on or before May 8. The cost for doubles will be $835. For additional information and reservations, call 718-671-7507, 718379-0564 or 718- 320-3774.

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

Community Protestant Church On behalf of our Pastor, Reverend Dr. Calvin E. Owens, and our church family, welcome to Community Protestant Church, a church of love and understanding, located at 1659 East Gun Hill Road, Bronx, NY 10469; telephone: (718) 862-9172.

Church Schedule Sunday School - 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.

Communion Service - Every first and third Sundays Prayer Meeting and Bible Study – Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.

The following programs are at the Church’s Annex: 2053 Asch Loop North (Co-op City) Morning Prayer Services - Tuesday, 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.11:00 a.m.

Neighborhood Bible Study Thursday at 10:00 a.m.

Extension of Prayer and Worship Service – Every first, second and third Fridays at 7:00 p.m.

Sunday School at Community Protestant Church begins at 9:00 a.m. In Sunday School, in a nurturing Christian education environment, an opportunity is provided for children to learn about the Bible, to grow in grace, to show love and respect for one another and to live more abundant lives. Children attending Sunday School are served breakfast after classes are over. We encourage you to bring your child, children or grandchildren to Sunday School and we look forward to seeing you.

Worship Service begins at 11:00 a.m.

Everyone is invited to come and be a part of this special moment set aside each Sunday morning to be in the presence of God. We will be delighted to blend our spirits with yours as we bend both body and soul before our Heavenly Father. We encourage you to spend time with God, and if it be His will, with us at Community Protestant.

Other Scheduled Events Saturday, July 16th - Spring Fling 2016! Celebrate spring with the Willing Workers as they travel for a fun-filled day in New Jersey including a lunch cruise and other activities. Set sail aboard the River Lady Riverboat for a delicious lunch and historical sightseeing tour along Tom’s River and Barnegat Bay. Donation: $110. For reservation and/or additional information, call (718) 320-4278 or (718) 6718658.

Condolence We extend our deepest sympathy to our Pastor, Rev. Dr. Calvin E. Owens, on the passing of his beloved mother, Mother Antoinette Hadden. May her soul rest in everlasting peace and may Almighty God grant solace and consolation to him and the rest of the family.

The doors of Community Protestant Church are open to all to worship and fellowship with Christian believers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You are cordially invited to come in, join in and receive your blessing.

—Evan G. Mitchell

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140-1 Casals Place, Co-op City Building 14, Section 2 - Bronx, NY 10475 Visit our website G re go r yGan g DDS.co m or email us at: smileggdds@aol.com

(718) 671 - 6000

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Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City

Reflections

by Rabbi Solomon I. Berl Spiritual Leader of Young Israel Synagogue

The words we say most often are usually the words we think about the least. We constantly use words without being aware of their deeper meanings. For example, many a selfproclaimed atheist is not aware that every time he utters a goodbye, he is really saying, “G-d be with you.”

Or one who never drinks alcoholic liquor may use the phrase, “I prefer the real McCoy,” which means “bottled in bond liquor.” I was once told that the word “Oscar," which is used for motion picture awards, came about when somebody first saw the academy award statuette and said, “That looks like

my Uncle Oscar!”

The one word which is most commonly used throughout the world is truly the least known of all. It is the most popular word in the Christian, Jewish, and Mohammedan services: “Amen.” We use it so often in our services, but rarely stop to consider what it really means. Literally, “Amen” means “It is true” or “I believe” or “I affirm.” Its source is the Hebrew word “emunah,” which means faith. It is also close to the Hebrew word "ne'eman," which means firm and trusting. The uttering of this word is, therefore, in itself, an act of faith.

Young Israel of Co-op City Young Israel of Co-op City (lower level of Dreiser Loop shopping center) is a house of worship that opens its doors every morning from 6 until 7 a.m.

Anyone who wishes to start the daily routine with prayers, during which our spiritual leader, Rabbi Solomon I. Berl, offers a brief Bible teaching is welcome.

On Friday evening, Sabbath services begin at 10 minutes after candle-lighting time. Saturday morning services

start at 9 a.m. Rabbi Berl delivers his sermon at 10:30 a.m.

The Rabbi’s class on the Torah reading of the week begins one hour before sunset every Saturday afternoon.

For office hours or any information you may seek, feel free to call (718) 671-2300 and leave your name, phone number and a brief message on the synagogue’s answering machine and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

The Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City is located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place in the rear lobby, in Building 27B. Phone # 718-379-6920.

NOTE: Office hours are Thursday and Sunday from noon to 2 p.m.

SHABBAT ends today, April 9th, at 8:12 p.m. Candle Lighting for April 15th is 7:17 p.m.

The Men’s Club wants to thank everybody who attended our trip this past WINDY Sunday to Resorts Casino in Atlantic City. The wind was so POWERFUL, it blew the bus to the hotel. I want to thank Debbie, Edith and Karla for their help.

COMING EVENTS: The Synagogue will have BINGO on Sunday, April 10th at 1 p.m. The cost is only a $3 admission with refreshments. Also, there is a 3-part jackpot game for $2.

Have an afternoon of fun with your neighbors. This will be the only BINGO in April due to the Passover Holidays.

The Synagogue may have a Passover Sedar for a fee. If you have any interest, leave a message on the Synagogue phone, 718-379-6920.

Men’s Club will have another trip to Atlantic City, Resorts Casino on Sunday, May 29th. The cost, $35 per person. Receive $25 slot play. You need

a Resort Card, government ID, passport, Drivers or Non-Drivers license.

We pick-up in Einstein at 8 a.m.; Asch Loop, 8:15 a.m. by the library and Dreiser at 8:25 a.m. by the hardware store. Call Gary, 718-671-8424, or Bruce, 718-320-2234, for a reservation.

Everyone in the community can attend our trips and functions. Bring your friends and enjoy the boardwalk.

GOOD AND WELFARE: We sell TREE CERTIFICATES in Honor of or in Memory of a loved one. The cost is only $15 per tree.

Mazol Tov to all who are having Simchas. If your feeling under the weather, we wish you a speedy recovery.

The Synagogue has Services Friday night at Sundown, Saturday morning at 9 a.m. After Services, we always have a snack. We need all Jewish men over 13 years old, if you can give 2 hours Saturdays between 10 a.m. and noon, we need your help to make a minyon, it would be a blessing.

Wishing Mimi Berlofsky a speedy recovery. Wishing everybody peace, prosperity for our members and the community.

Your support of the Traditional Synagogue is greatly appreciated.

—Gary Schwartz

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St. Joseph’s Episcopal Anglican Church The congregation of St. Joseph’s cordially invites you and your family to worship in Co-op City at 155 Dreiser Loop, lower level. All are welcome.

Weekly Schedule: Sunday service with Holy Communion and Sunday School are both at 9 a.m.

Every 4th Sunday, our children participate in the reading of the lessons and every 5th Sunday, our young adults assist in the service.

Choir rehearsal is on Thursday at 7 p.m.

The (ECW) Episcopal Church Women meet immediately after service on the 1st Sunday of each month.

Membership is open to all women of the church and dues are $2 per month. The men hold their meeting after service on the 2nd Sunday of each month.

We look forward to welcoming everyone to service at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 10, when we will celebrate The Third Sunday of Easter. Our Supply Priest, Father Simeon Johnson, will be the preacher and celebrant.

Fundraising Events Saturday, April 30, the ECW will be sponsoring a day trip to Pindar Vineyards in North Fork, L.I. for wine tasting, a delicious sit-down luncheon at the Cooperage Inn Restaurant, and discount shopping at the famous Tanger Outlets. Donation: $105 per person.

Deposit of $50 will hold your seat and the balance of $55 payable as soon as possible. Deluxe MotorCoach leaves from Dreiser Loop at 9:00 a.m.

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

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

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

In celebration of St. Joseph’s Day, raffle tickets are now available. 1st Prize $300, 2nd Prize $150, and 3rd Prize $75. The tickets are $1 each and $5 for a book of 6. Drawing takes place on May 15.

Outreach Program: We continue to collect nonperishable food for the feeding program at Grace Episcopal Church in West Farms. Please remember to donate.

For additional information on all of the above, please call the church at 718-320-0844, or visit our website: http://www.stjosephsepcbronx.org.

“Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name.” —Psalm 30:4 —M. Chambers

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33

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

Pentecostal Tabernacle The Co-op City Pentecostal Tabernacle, 100 Co-op City Blvd., Bldg. 22A, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. You are invited to attend service every Sunday morning.

Sunday School for all age group begins at 10:30 a.m. Worship Service starts at 11:45 a.m.

Wednesday morning prayer and fasting service will be held at 11a.m.-1p.m Bible Study and prayer meeting will also be held Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m.

Friday evening Youth Service will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Focus Thought: The Power of Unity Genesis 11: 1-6 1. And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

2. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

3. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.

4. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower whose top may reach unto the heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

5. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

6. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they all have one language and this they began to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagine to do. (study Genesis11-9)

“When we all pull together” There is something spiritually nourishing about unity. Working together with godly unity produces a keen sense of satisfaction, and effective productivity skyrockets. We can accomplish so much more through the synergy of cooperative unity that we could ever hope to achieve alone.

The power of unity is incredible, but the lesson to be learned from our study today is that unity can achieve great evil or great good. It is insufficient only to possess unity; we must have godly unity –joined together with who are liked minded to do the holy will of God. Like Babel, ungodly unity always produces disharmony and confusion. Godly Unity, on the other hand, produces harmony. Like the unison of the joined, harmonic voices of a choir or the blending of the harmonized instruments of a symphony, godly unity produces the sweet strains of holy productivity.

“United In Purpose” Although pride is the wrong motivator, it does motivate. Over the centuries, evil people have been able to accomplish much only because their common pride united them in evil purpose. It seems that God would thwart all the evil purposes of mankind, but there are some fundamental principles involved that cause God to restrain Himself from prematurely intercepting evil. Just as the law of gravity works for both the godly and the godless, principles of industry work for anyone regardless of their purpose.

For further information, call 718-3204218 or 718-324-0334.

—Rev. R. Sibblies

Newsong Church Hey, Co-op City! Are you going through a season of loneliness? We all experience it. That feeling of emptiness and isolation, it can trap us. The truth is you don't have to be trapped by loneliness, God knows and understands how you feel, and He wants to set you free.

If you're struggling with loneliness, I want to encourage you to join us this Sunday as we learn how to deal with it God's way. God’s grace is available to help you cope with this feeling! Here's what you can expect when you come to our Worship Experience!

Newsong Church is a multi-cultural church that believes God has a purpose and a plan for your life. We exist to reach people who are far away from God, and teach them how to follow Jesus step-bystep. That's why you will find our Sunday Worship Experience to be so warm and friendly, we genuinely care about you! We're not concerned about where you've been, but where you're going. You see, we've all got a past, we've all made mistakes, and we still do.

When you step into our worship experience, you won't find a bunch of "Holierthan-thou" people pretending to have it all together. Instead, you'll find that we're all broken people, but we're allowing God to put us back together. We're not perfect, but God is! As God puts us back together, we're realizing that al-though our past has shaped us, it does not define us! We're finding out that not only does God love us with a radical and unconditional love, but that He loves us just as we are!

At Newsong Church, we believe that the Bible is the greatest book ever written,

containing the greatest story ever told, and that each of us is part of His-story! In fact, we have a saying at our church: "If you're not dead, God's not done with you!" We don't just believe this for the adults, but for our children as well! At Newsong Church, we're so passionate about our children learning about Jesus, that we created a church just for them called Kidsong! At Kidsong, our children learn about Jesus in a safe, fun, ageappropriate learning environment! We also have a fully staffed nursery!

We hope that you will join us this Sunday, as we continue our series Trapped.

Our Worship Experience is located at 177 Dreiser Loop in Auditorium B. Parking is available in the parking garage, just bring your ticket in for validation. Deaf interpretation is available during our adult worship experience. If you have any questions, you can contact us: Church Office: 140 Alcott Place, Bldg.19.

Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Phone: 718-708-8385 For more information, check out our website: www.newsongchurchnyc.org Email: info@newsongchurchnyc.org You can also interact with us on social media!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/newsongchurchbx Twitter: @newsongchurchBX Instagram: @newsongchurchBX. Our Newsong family is here for you, stop by this Sunday and experience the difference!

God bless you!

—Pastor Mike Tolone

34

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

35

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

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36

Co-op City Times / April 9, 2016

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