Co-op City Times 12/26/15

HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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

Mail woman assaulted by angry resident

© Copyright 2015 Co-op City Times

Vol. 50 No. 52

Public Safety officers arrested a resident of Building 31A early last Friday morning, December 18th, after he allegedly assaulted a female postal worker making deliveries of cards and packages in the lobby of the building shortly after 8 a.m. that day.

According to Captain James Keappock, commander of Public Safety’s Patrol Division, officers responded to the lobby of Building 31A shortly after an NYPD radio report was heard of an assault in

BY BILL STUTTIG

Saturday, December 26, 2015

progress at that location. Upon arriving at the scene, the Captain said that officers found a postal delivery person delivering mail to the lobby that morning who reported being punched and knocked to the ground by the suspect.

The victim was transported to Jacobi Medical Center and treated for multiple cuts and bruises to her face, according to Public Safety.

According to the report on the inci-

Section 5 hot water high temp leak repair (Continued on page 2)

25¢

First credits to offset portion of standby charges received from Con Ed Proving to Con Ed this past summer that Riverbay is a reliable source of electricity will be paying off for Co-op City shareholders monthly throughout most of 2016.

The Riverbay Power Plant’s proven reliability in 2015 earned the community a credit on the stand-by fees charged by Con Edison for the utility’s capacity to provide power to the development in case of a problem with Co-op City’s power plant.

The first credits for October and November, 2015 were awarded against the December standby charges of $219,999, reducing that bill to just

BY JIM ROBERTS

$49,206. The credits will continue through October, 2016.

“We would like to thank you … for the reliable performance of your onsite generation during the measurement period. Through your participation in this program, we were able to reduce peak demand, relieve stress on our local distribution system and ensure that the customers of New York City and Westchester County continue to receive reliable electric service,” Con Ed wrote in a letter to Riverbay this month.

This past summer’s two successful tests by Co-op City proved the comm(Continued on page 2)

Holiday discount parking available for New Year’s Eve. (See page 2.)

Starting at 7 p.m. last Friday, December 18, high temperature hot water was shut off to Section 5 in order to repair a leak in the pipe. Normal procedure for pipes to cool off is 4 hours before Power Plant staff can safely enter the area to be repaired.

After the insulation was removed, it was observed that the 12” pipe was leaking on both sides of a 12” butterfly valve (see above photo of rusted and damaged pipes that were removed). The only option was to replace the section of pipe and install a new 12” butterfly valve (photo at right).

2015 Year in Review: January - June The following is an account of the major events occurring in or affecting Co-op City during the first six months of 2015 as reported by the Co-op City Times. Next week’s issue will feature an account of the last six months of the year.

JANUARY Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc. (MSI) filed a lawsuit against Riverbay Corp. in late Dec. 2014 seeking payment for services rendered as managing agent during the months of November and December of 2014. MSI did not render any services to Riverbay since approximately Nov. 17 when it was suspended pending an investigation.

The 18th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration, organized by the Coalition of African American Churches & Community Organizations of Co-op City, Inc., was held on Dec. 27 in the Bartow Center.

Repairs to Co-op City’s high temperature hot water system for Zone 2 were completed as scheduled as Power Plant workers and contractors replaced a five-foot section of damaged pipe

BY JIM ROBERTS

(Continued on page 2)

Holiday closing for New Year and early Co-op City Times deadline notice

The Riverbay administrative offices will close at 4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, this Thursday, December 31. The offices will be closed on New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2016.

Because of the holiday-shortened work week, all material, including Directors’ viewpoints, for publication in the upcoming Saturday, January 2, 2016 issue of the Co-op City Times must be submitted before 9 a.m. this Monday, December 28.

The deadline will be strictly enforced to ensure we meet our production deadline, therefore, material received after this time will not be considered for publication in the Saturday, January 2, 2016 issue of the Co-op City Times.

Material may be emailed to cctimes@riverbaycorp.com; faxed to (718) 320-2595 or slipped under the office door at 2049 Bartow Avenue, Rm. 21.

The Co-op City Times will be delivered as usual on Saturday, January 2.

Although the administrative offices will be closed on Friday, January 1 for the New Year’s Day holiday, shareholders may contact the maintenance desk for emergency maintenance, and the Co-op City Public Safety Department at (718) 671-3050, and 9-1-1 with emergencies.

We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable New Year holiday weekend.

behind the Cooper Place townhouses.

The Department of Public Safety and the 45th Precinct announced the arrest of a 20-year-old resident of Section 4 for his involvement in a rash of knife-point robberies of fast-food delivery people.

City Harvest workers Cedric Doran and Arthur Robinson joined CCPD Sgt. Nathaniel Diaz in packing more than 3,200 lbs. of food donated

by Co-op City residents.

The NAACP Co-op City Branch #2210 commemorated “Jubilee Day,” when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln on Jan. 1, 1863.

The search for new management in Co-op City continued as the Riverbay Board of Directors Ad-Hoc Committee (Continued on page 3)

2

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Extended Bookkeeping window hours for December 31 January 4th is first business day of January, 2016

The Riverbay Finance Department will extend the hours of the Bookkeeping window on the last business day of this month, Thursday, December 31, 2015 so shareholders will be able to pay their carrying charges between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

This month, although the work day on Thursday, December 31 will be abbreviated and many Riverbay staff members will be dismissed a bit earlier on New Year’s eve, the Bookkeeping window will remain open until the normal close of business at 5 p.m., so shareholders will have the opportunity to pay their December carrying charges before legal action commences and a $200 legal fee is assessed to their accounts.

The Bookkeeping window is located in the Riverbay administrative reception area in the Bartow Community Center, 2049 Bartow Avenue. Several years ago, the Finance Department began offering extended hours at the Bookkeeping window to make it more convenient for shareholders who work outside of the community to be able to pay their carrying charges before leaving for their jobs.

Bookkeeping extended hours is offered on the 2 busiest days of the month for the Finance Department—the 10th, which is the last day for shareholders to pay their maintenance charges without the $50 late fee, and the last business day of the month when maintenance charges must be paid before legal action commences and a $200 legal fee is assessed.

Shareholders should also note that due to the New Year’s holiday on Friday, January 1, followed by the weekend, the first business day for the month of January, 2016, will be Monday, January 4, 2016. The drop boxes located in the community centers where shareholders can deposit their carrying charge envelopes will open on the morning of January 4.

Con Ed

unity’s ability to participate in the program which rewards Riverbay for its ability to export into the grid during power emergencies.

In Co-op City’s case, if needed, power will be exported to the Parkchester Network, one of 52 regional networks that fall under the jurisdiction and responsibility of Con Edison. No such exporting was required this summer due, in part, to the relatively mild summer the entire region enjoyed, but nevertheless, Co-op City is being paid for proving its ability to take strain off the grid during times of need.

Riverbay will receive a total of $905,914 in total credits paid out in installments each month during 2016.

The monthly standby fees charged by Con Ed are approximately $225,000 per month. The $76,000 monthly credit in 2016 represents an approximate 33% reduction in those monthly charges.

According to current state law, Con Ed is allowed to charge companies that

Pipes

(Continued from page 1)

generate their own electricity like Riverbay, high fees claimed to be needed to pay for connections from Co-op City’s power system to the Con Ed system. Con Ed is the Riverbay Power Plant’s backup in case of emergencies.

Riverbay was scheduled to pay roughly $2.4 million in standby charges to Con Ed over a 12-month period, but that bill will be reduced by nearly onethird due to the new credits.

Riverbay keeps paying these socalled “standby charges” each year for work that has already been done. “Co-op City at its own expense installed all interconnection facilities, including relay protection and communication subsystems to the existing high voltage Con Edison distribution system network feeders,” Riverbay wrote in its comments to the state Public Service Commission in a filing several years ago. The standby charges have already been eliminated in New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

(Continued from page 1)

At that point, the job became a bigger challenge to complete on time as much more welding had to be done. The Power Plant informed CSO and Maintenance that the repair would be completed at approximately 12-1 p.m. on Saturday, however, it took until 2:35 p.m. to finish the work.

Once the repair was completed, however, Power Plant personnel filled the system and hot water was felt in the buildings at around 3:19 p.m., but the water did not heat up to its normal level until 4:56 p.m.

Although it was a lengthy inconvenience, there was nothing that could be done to speed up the process. Our staff was dealing with components that were hot to the touch and which took time to cool off to ensure their safety while they worked diligently to complete the necessary repair and make sure hot water would be available to all affected households without further interruption in service, especially with the holidays approaching. The repair has saved a significant amount of water which also results in cost savings to the corporation and cooperators.

Discounted holiday parking available New Year’s Eve for visitors to community

Co-op City shareholders are reminded that discounted transient parking of $6 will be available in all 8 Co-op City garages on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31 between the hours of 12 p.m. and 6 a.m.

To make it more affordable for visitors to be able to enjoy the holidays with friends and family in Co-op City, transient parking will be significantly reduced to $6 starting at 12 a.m. on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31 and ending at 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day, Friday, January 1, 2016.

Vehicles parked in the community’s 8 garages prior to 12 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and after 6 a.m. on New Year’s day, are required to pay

Assault

dent, the suspect also grabbed a package scanning device from the postal worker and severely damaged it. The scanning device was said to have a value of $1,500.

The U.S. Postal Police also responded to the scene and filed a report on the assault.

The suspect now faces a number of

regular parking rates – $5 for up to 3 hours, $10 for up to 6 hours; $15 for up to 12 hours and $27 for up to 24 hours.

Visitors taking advantage of the reduced parking rate will pay the garage attendants in cash and receive the stub of a two-part, numbered transient parking ticket with the time, make, model and license plate number of their vehicle recorded.

The ticket will be marked with a sticker, and in the event the visitor loses their parking ticket and cannot produce it upon departure, the attendant will be able to trace their vehicle by the license plate number.

Visitors will be directed to park on serious charges, including robbery, assault, criminal mischief and obstruction of governmental administration.

Captain Keappock added that the suspect, upon questioning, reported that he was angry because the letter carrier told him that no deliveries can be made beyond the eighth floor.

(Continued from page 1)

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Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

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

Annual Kwanzaa

celebration tomorrow

The Coalition of African American Churches & Community Organizations invites the community to its 19th annual Kwanzaa Celebration tomorrow, Sunday, December 27, at 3 p.m. in Room 31 of the Bartow Center, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY. All are invited.

There will be entertainment, a Kwanzaa ceremony, African dancing, and the Karamu Feast. There will also be a variety of vendors, as well as games for everyone’s enjoyment.

Refreshments will be served.

Traditional African attire should be worn, although it is not mandatory.

This event is free and your participation is required to make this cultural, family festivity a success. Please attend.

BVA art exhibit at Baychester Library ends January 5

An exhibit of the artwork produced by the Baychester Visual Arts Association is currently on display at the Baychester Library in the Bartow Community Center.

Stop by and support local artists.

You will be impressed by the talents of some of your neighbors.

The exhibit will run until January 5, 2016.

We wish our readers a happy Kwanzaa (Dec. 26 - Jan. 1, 2016) and best wishes for a blessed and prosperous New Year.

Year in Review

prepared to recommend three candidates from the eight firms who submitted bids to the entire Board.

Riverbay officials, including Board President Cleve Taylor, met with Cablevision executives to reopen negotiations of a bulk cable agreement to Co-op City subscribers to save up to $50 a month on the cable portion of their Cablevision bill. The bulk cable agreement was approved by the Riverbay Board in late November, 2013 but not enough shareholders voted to achieve the 2/3 quorum needed.

Riverbay Board President Cleve Taylor laid out extraordinary, one-time expenses of $8 million facing Riverbay due to a pending legal labor settlement and costs related to treating the Co-op City Power Plant for possible legionella bacteria and presented Board members with a proposal to pay for them at the Board’s meeting held on Jan. 14.

Approximately 400 shareholders turned out for a public meeting in Dreiser Center to address the eight documented Legionnaires’ Disease cases within Co-op City since the beginning of December.

Riverbay Power Plant personnel and consultants continued with decontamination procedures at the cooling towers under the close supervision of the city’s DOH to ensure the health and safety of residents, employees and the community.

Sonja Maxwell, long-time president of Cooperators United, spoke out about the lack of traffic improvements made to the streets and roads surrounding the newly expanded Bay Plaza shopping center.

A Manhattan Supreme Court Justice denied an injunction filed by attorneys for Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc. requesting that the court immediately reinstate the management firm as Co-op City’s managing agent.

Two Public Safety officers wore body cameras as part of a trial run of the technology.

Rejecting a proposed one-time special assessment between $500 to $1,000 per shareholder as too burdensome, the Riverbay Board of Directors instead said it will propose a carrying charge increase to pay for extraordinary costs that Riverbay Corp. now faces.

Shelda Williams, who has served Co-op City as a member of the Public Safety Department since 1997, was promoted to Lieutenant and named the community’s new Director of Training.

Nearly six months after its mid-summer opening and one month since the end of its first crucial holiday shopping season, Sam Shalem, the CEO and Chairman of Prestige Properties, said the new mall performed better than expected during its first months of operation.

More than 300 donated coats and other winter garments were available for those in need at the Dreiser audito-

2nd

FRONT PA G E

(Continued from page 1)

rium.

More than 100 Riverbay workers from Buildings and Grounds, Janitorial, Restorations, Maintenance and Construction stayed overnight in the community centers so they could be on hand to dig the community out as the storm began to subside.

Cablevision representatives came before the Riverbay Board of Directors to possibly revive the bulk cable deal offered in 2013 to help cooperators save on their monthly cable bill.

The cooling tower at the Co-op City Power Plant was returned to service in time to provide redundancy at the plant as the blizzard of 2015 approached. The city’s Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene approved Riverbay’s request to restart the Power Plant and cooling tower.

An anonymous Co-op City resident donated money to Section 5 Pizza and Restaurant to provide food to 100 Riverbay employees who stayed over to help out with the snowstorm bearing down on the northeast coast.

FEBRUARY The Riverbay Board of Directors voted by consensus to appoint Director Leah Graham to the position of First Vice President and Director Khalil Abdul-Wahhab as Second Vice President.

Two separate investigations into who was responsible for two different crime patterns in Co-op City in January resulted in arrests of two young Co-op City residents, each for multiple counts of robbery.

A female Co-op City Public Safety officer was shot in the shoulder while trying to attend to a fellow officer who fractured his leg as he and other officers were trying to break up a series of altercations outside Building 4A after a number of Super Bowl parties were ending on Super Bowl Sunday.

Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc. (MSI) was “reckless, careless and negligent” in managing Co-op City’s finances and failed to ensure compliance with all labor laws and regulations, according to allegations filed by attorneys for Riverbay in response to the lawsuit originally filed by MSI against Riverbay in December, 2014. Riverbay is seeking millions of dollars in alleged damages from MSI. Police statistics revealed an approximate 60% increase this past year in traffic accidents at the intersection of Bartow Avenue and Co-op City Blvd., the main entrance to the Bay Plaza complex directly across from Section 4.

At a pair of televised town hall meetings, Co-op City shareholders were

brought up-to-date on the approximate $8 million shortfall the community faced.

Also at the town hall meetings, Riverbay Board President Cleve Taylor presented the proposed Cablevision bulk cable agreement as an option to help save shareholders money on the cable portion of their Cablevision bills.

More than 100 Riverbay employees of Local 32BJ began attending up to 10 hours of OSHA training on preventing safety and health hazards in the workplace under a directive from Riverbay President Cleve Taylor and the Board of Directors.

Carrying charge bills for March included a Cablevision ballot which shareholders are asked to complete and return to Riverbay.

A plan presented by Mayor de Blasio to expand ferry services into Manhattan will add routes in Astoria, Brooklyn, the Lower East Side and the Rockaways, along with a dock in Soundview in the Bronx, but not directly to Co-op City.

In the first of a series of informal sit-downs with leading elected officials about issues specifically affecting Co-op City, State Assemblyman Mike Benedetto met with Riverbay’s two cointerim General Managers Noel Ellison and Peter Merola.

The Riverbay Board of Directors, after more than two months of number crunching, passed a proposed two-year budget with a 4.5% carrying charge increase for the next fiscal year and no increase for the second, along with a 10% increase in monthly garage parking fees. The meeting was telecast to the community, the first live broadcast of a regular Board business meeting in Co-op City history.

A former worker at Rochdale Village, a Mitchell-Lama cooperative in Queens managed by Marion Scott Real Estate, Inc., filed a federal lawsuit alleging that she and possibly hundreds of other workers were cheated out of wages by their employer.

MARCH In his detailed, comprehensive eight-month progress report to the community, Board President Cleve Taylor explained that the “…

Riverbay Corporation/ Co-op City is well underway for a turn-around from the mistakes made in the past.”

One of the east coast’s leading independent energy engineering consultants, Bill May, was appointed as Riverbay’s new Principal Power Plant Executive.

City Comptroller Scott Stringer, accompanied by City Councilman Andy King, paid a visit to the seniors at JASA’s Bartow Senior Center.

Rev. Dr. Robert A. Smith, who, along with his wife, Theresa Smith, founded and operated Co-op City’s (Continued on page 4)

4

Year in Review

non-denominational Christian parish, Church of the Savior for the past 11½ years, retired as a pastor.

The National Council of Negro Women, Inc., (NCNW), Co-op City Section, held their 14th Annual Black History Month Youth Celebration, cosponsored by the Riverbay Fund, Inc. As part of a renewed series of regular meetings, City Councilman Andy King and State Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson met separately with Riverbay’s co-interim General Managers Noel Ellison and Peter Merola.

Board President Cleve Taylor appointed Director Andrea Leslie to chair the 2015 Riverbay Election Committee.

Co-interim General Managers Noel Ellison and Peter Merola, Riverbay Board President Cleve Taylor and Board Director Leslie Peterson sat down with executives from Prestige Properties, the owners and developers of Bay Plaza, to agree to work together to solve some of their shared challenges In a preliminary report made to members of Community Board 10, New York City’s Dept. of Transporation proposed ideas for reducing congestion on the streets surrounding the Bay Plaza shopping complex, including a plan to reduce the number of lanes on Bartow Avenue from three to two in both directions.

Ballots on the proposed Cablevision bulk cable agreement that have been returned and counted to this point showed 5,075 “yes” votes, 4,206 “no” votes and 206 had neither “yes or “no” selected, or both “yes” and “no” checked on the ballot. Two-thirds of shareholders must respond to the referendum and 2/3 of those responding must agree for the bulk cable deal to move ahead.

The dearth of pharmacies serving the Dreiser Shopping Center area came to an end as King Community Pharmacy opened to the public.

Fundraising by Co-op City parents Rigo and Brenda Toro of Building 10C enabled the award-winning Truman High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) to attend this year’s Air Force JROTC National Drill Championship Series.

Dozens of vendors were on hand at the Dreiser Center to accept resumes and help veterans get the support they need to get over their battlefield scars and get back on their feet at a Veterans Job Fair hosted by Riverbay and City Council Member Andy King.

Nine shareholders picked up qualifying petition packages for the annual election of the Riverbay Board of Directors that will take place on May 20.

Public Safety Chief Frank Apollo recognized CCPD detectives Joe Monahan and Edward Rodriguez for breaking two recent crime sprees which were threatening the safety of residents and visitors earlier this winter.

Riverbay employees and Board members completed a seven-week training course in best practices in residential management under the RAM (Resident in Apartment Management) program.

The African American Association of Co-op City and the Riverbay Fund held the 2nd Annual Spelling Bee in the Bartow Community Center.

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015 (Continued from page 3)

APRIL For the first time in its history, the Riverbay Board of Directors, under President Cleve Taylor, adopted a Mission Statement: “The Board will endeavor to always utilize responsible financial management that is transparent, of the highest standards of integrity, and is dedicated to providing effective business handling,” it reads in part.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reported that a recent autopsy performed on a carcass of a goose found on Co-op City grounds revealed the animal died of starvation, possibly related to extreme icy and snowy conditions.

Negotiators for Riverbay Corporation and the Co-op City PBA reached a tentative contract agreement to ensure the community’s Public Safety Department would protect shareholders without interruption.

The Riverbay Board of Directors unanimously approved two resolutions providing long-term leases to two separate restaurant owners to greatly increase and improve the community’s dining options in the Bartow Shopping Center.

The Riverbay Fund’s Spring Celebration featured fun-filled Easter activities in Dreiser Auditorium because of windy conditions outdoors.

Families enjoyed an outdoor Easter Egg Hunt in the Debs Place Townhouse cluster, and then went back inside for sack races, and hula-hoop contests, as well as a visit from the Easter Bunny and Leonardo, the Ninja Turtle.

The 2015 Election Committee officially certified 9 of the 11 candidates who turned in their qualifying petitions to compete in the 2015 Riverbay Board of Directors election. They were: Rod Saunders, Deborah Jenkins, Sonia Feliciano, Katrina Asanta, Junius Williams, Evelyn M. Turner, Francine Reva Jones, Peggy S. Diaz and Gail Sharbaan.

In a message to the community, Riverbay General Counsel Jeffrey Buss explained the Board of Directors’ decision to opt for a maintenance increase rather than a special assessment: “ … a special assessment would impose an unacceptable financial burden on those shareholders most at risk since they would be ineligible for assistance under SCRIE or DRIE,” Buss wrote.

Eighteen buildings, or approximately half of Co-op City, lost power briefly during the overnight hours early on April 17 when the circuit breakers serving all of Section 5 and Buildings 15 through 22 tripped. The exact reason was still under investigation.

Co-op City’s Public Safety Department promoted two of its most experienced and well-regarded female patrol officers, Collette Mills and Elizabeth Del Valle, to Sergeant following an extensive testing and evaluation procedure.

A pilot program in two buildings that will mount a monitor in the building lobby so attendants can see all the camera shots without leaving their post was launched to improve security in high-rise buildings.

The African American Association of Co-op City held its annual Wholistic

Health Fair in the Bartow Community Center. The program was highlighted with a tribute to the late Dr. Yosef A.A. ben-Johannan.

The Riverbay Board of Directors approved new one-year contracts with the PBA units that represent Co-op City’s Public Safety and Lobby Attendants.

The Board unanimously approved a program calling for the placement of body cameras on Co-op City’s Public Safety officers. Public Safety has been researching and lobbying for use of body cameras since 2013.

The Riverbay Community Blood Bank, which operates with the assistance of Riverbay Corporation, was honored for the 4th consecutive year. The Blood Bank collected 262 units of blood in 2014 and is spearheaded by Riverbay Director of Special Projects Joe Boiko.

MAY Interviews with three management firms vying to become the next management company to oversee operations at Co-op City were conducted by the entire Riverbay Board of Directors.

Riverbay Board President Cleve Taylor raised questions about the candidates’ qualifications due to the unique size and complexity of Co-op City.

Roughly 100 shareholders, many of

them seniors, took part in the city’s Department of Transportation forum designed to update Co-op City residents on proposals to help calm traffic on the roads surrounding the recently expanded Bay Plaza shopping complex.

A steady flow of shareholders attended the Home Improvement Fair in the Dreiser Auditorium. Riverbay Corp. exhibited complete, new kitchens in a choice of white, cherry, chocolate and maple and full height (ceiling to floor) closet doors.

The state Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) agency approved the 4.5% carrying charge increase requested by Riverbay, as well as a 10% increase in all parking charges. There will be no carrying charge or parking increase in the following year, The Ebola Virus Campaign was a success, thanks to members of the African American Association and cooperators who donated some of everything that was requested, including food, clothing, medical supplies and funds.

Candidates’ forums leading up to this year’s Riverbay Board of Directors election raised numerous community (Continued on page 26)

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

accept most health insurance plans

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

Dr. Lewis Wolstein

Call:

“Se Habla Español”

718.671.7226 100 DeKruif Place

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

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

5

It’s Happening in Co-op City The Gift of Caring

Broun Place donations to CCPD toy drive Broun Place Townhouse Association President Eva Lazaar dropping off toy donations from her Broun Place neighbors to Public Safety headquarters in the Bartow Center for the department’s annual toy drive. In the spirit of holiday giving, the association also donated to Councilman Andy King’s toy drive.

Photo by Lt. Pam Apollo

Let us know…

More than 700 new toys were donated by the residents and workers of Co-op City this holiday season as part of the annual Toy Drive organized by the Department of Public Safety each December. Sgt. E. DelValle and Officer M. Ahmed spearhead the annual drive. In the days leading up to Christmas, the toys were distributed to children living in homes for battered women in the Bronx and to children in pediatric wards at area hospitals. This year, the drive was helped out by a $500 donation from the Co-op City PBA, the union representing Co-op City’s Public Safety officers. Getting ready to pack up the huge assortment of toys on Wednesday morning were Officer M. Ahmed, Officer M. Garcia as McGruff, Sgt. E. DelValle and Captain James Keappock. On behalf of the entire Public Safety Department, Captain Keappock thanks the people of Co-op City for donating to the drive and, in true holiday spirit, remembering those going through difficult times during the holiday season.

Photo by Bill Stuttig

Holiday Cheer

The Building 6 Association invited building residents to help decorate their lobby last week and they did not disappoint as neighbors young and old came down and did whatever they could to help bring holiday cheer and smiles to the faces of everyone as they walk into their building.

Afterwards, everyone enjoyed caroling in the lobby. Happy Holidays to the entire Co-op City community.

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

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Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Letter to the Editor To the Editor: Thanks to Mark P. Bruh for a powerful letter, “A Stench of Fear and Hatred” (Co-op City Times, 12/19/15).

His condemnation of the rhetoric of Republican Party presidential candidates as “vile, despicable and hatefilled” is accurate. Bruh reserves his sharpest arrows for Donald Trump, who is not simply a carnival barker, as characterized by Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley. Bruh is right: Trump’s anti-Muslim rantings follow his earlier xenophobic targets: Mexicans, people with disabilities, and women—and they have had ominous consequences. Bruh notes that attacks

Instigators of hate against innocent “American-Muslim” men, women, and children, some of who have even been victims of ISIS terrorism, “have increased immensely.”

Trump reminds me of Hitler. In 1932, Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany by the newly elected president, although Hindenburg had just topped Hitler by an almost two to one vote. At the time, Hitler was a laughing stock in Germany, one who looked and strutted like a clown, but he soon usurped the presidential authority, made himself dictator of Germany, and the rest is history.

Ostensibly to solve Germany’s financial woes, Hitler launched a murderous campaign against non-Aryans. Millions

Disposal of electronics

Shareholders disposing of most large electronics must bring them down to the basement area designated for bulk garage as required by state law which makes it illegal for these items to be discarded with regular trash.

As a result of the e-waste ban, Sanitation workers will no longer collect electronics left at curbside.

Here in Co-op City, even though garbage is picked up from the residential buildings and the dumpster pads throughout the community by Riverbay workers and taken to the Peartree garbage facility and then from there, Sanitation picks up and carts away the community’s garbage, the e-waste law makes it illegal for most electronics to be discarded along with regular trash, so these items have to be separated out.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, electronics are the fastest growing category of solid waste in the United States and they contain both valuable and harmful material in which case it is very important that they are recycled responsibly.

Co-op City residents of hi-rise residential buildings disposing of large electronics must bring them down to the basement and place them in the designated bulk garbage areas, not on the dumpster pads.

Residents in the townhouses, however, will continue to place their e-waste (electronic waste) at their respective dumpster pads for pick up by Riverbay.

According to the city’s Department of Sanitation website, electronics covered under the e-waste ban are: • Computers, including items such as tablets and ereaders.

• Televisions, as well as cathode ray tubes.

• Small Scale Servers.

• Computer peripheral, which include monitors, electronic keyboards, electronic mice or similar pointing devices, facsimile machines; document scanners and printers.

• TV peripherals, such as VCR’s, Digital Video Recorders, DVD players, Digital Converter boxes, Cable or Satellite Receivers and electronic or video game consoles • Portable devices, including Portable Digital Music Players, tablets and e-readers (considered computers).

of Jews were rounded up. Later, his scapegoating of alleged “enemies” extended to Communists, labor leaders, Slavs, Catholics, Roma (Gypsies), homosexuals and people with disabilities.

Fourteen million men, women, and children were murdered. Among them were my grandfather, my uncles, aunts, and their children.

History has been known to repeat itself. Yesterday, it was a strutting clown.

Might the authoritarian figure of our time be a performer from reality TV? We have laws forbidding crying “fire” in a crowded theater. What about laws against instigators of hate?

—Bernard Cylich

Distribution of unsolicited advertisements in Co-op City

Co-op City is private property and therefore prohibits distribution of unsolicited advertising material to shareholders’ homes and/or property, including cars parked in the development’s eight (8) garages.

If you witness anyone depositing or distributing advertising material on Co-op City’s property, please call Public Safety at (718) 671-3050. Be prepared to give the location and description of the person(s) leaving the material.

All unwanted, unsolicited advertising material should be disposed of properly and not thrown on the ground causing litter.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Reminder to Shareholders:

The lock boxes in the community centers will be open on the morning of Monday, January 4th, the first business day of the month, so shareholders can deposit their maintenance envelopes.

Happy Kwanzaa to our readers

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

Building 19

Current Lease Expiration Date

New 3 yr.

Expiration Date

Building 19 140 Alcott Place

Mar. 31, 2016

Mar. 31, 2019

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

The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be handsigned by the writers and include their addresses and phone numbers, which will be kept confidential, so that the editor can verify the authenticity of the authors.

Writers will be limited to one letter per topic.

Anonymous or unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication.

Letters cannot exceed 350 words.

Ideally, they should be typed. All letters must be in the Co-op City Times office in Room 21, Bartow Community Center, by 3 p.m. every Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Views and opinions expressed in letters and Directors’ Viewpoint are solely the writer’s, and not necessarily shared by the Co-op City Times or Riverbay Corp.

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

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

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

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

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

7

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Public Safety Report

CCPD welcomes a safe New Year 2016

BY LIEUTENANT PAM APOLLO As we welcome the New Year 2016, the Co-op City Department of Public Safety (CCPD) would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone and safe and healthy New Year. It is also a good opportunity to make readers aware of the goals this “Public Safety Report” within the Co-op City Times strives to achieve. The Public Safety Report has been written by Lieutenant Pam (Ruiz) Apollo since April of 2007.

Many of my avid fans have taken time to send a letter, an e-mail or let us know in person or by phone that they like the articles. Continued feedback on what you would like to see in future articles is always welcomed. As the Co-op City Department of Public Safety encourages residents to call if they see something suspicious, an open dialog for relevant topics is also welcomed. Many of the topics have been suggested by readers who feel their neighbors can benefit by being made aware of a potential problem. The articles address potential hazards and give information about how to recognize a threat and how to take steps to protect themselves against that threat.

The “Public Safety Report” tries to focus on the safety and well-being of the residents of Co-op City. Articles attempt to focus on events that have occurred, information relative to the time of year or incidents in the media.

Certain topics are repeated with an updated focus.

Criminals may think they are getting smarter, but the public has become even smarter and more observant. Any criminal that repeatedly commits similar crimes in the community will get caught. The many windows of Co-op City serve as the eyes and ears of the community.

The readership of the Public Safety Report article in the Co-op City Times is as diverse as the population of Co-op City itself. The ages of many of my avid readers range from elementary school students, friends I attended school with in Co-op City, to parents and grandparents of my friends. A special shout-out to my mom and her friends who attend the Senior Nutrition Program, dancing and other activities, I would also like to wish all retired members of our Riverbay family good health for the coming year. A special hello to my youngest reader, a young man who is very knowledgeable in all areas of law enforcement; he plans to pursue a career in law enforcement.

The articles are written to appeal to persons of all ages.

The articles try to take into account the diverse population of the community. By recognizing, respecting and celebrating our differences, we become even better than the sum of our parts. Co-op City strives to be a community where neighbors care about one another. Looking out for your neighbor or just smiling and saying “hello” creates a neighborhood with a strong sense of community. A strong sense of community deters crime and creates a positive environment.

Have a safe, healthy and HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016.

Also be sure to buckle your seatbelt and avoid distractions when driving. If you plan to consume alcoholic beverages, be sure to designate a driver who will not drink or call a taxi. “Drunk Driving” and “Buzzed Driving” enforcement is heightened December and January every year. Penalties for Drunk Driving are very high and can affect your insurance premiums and ability to obtain insurance for years.

Leave your car at home and utilize public transportation, cab service or a designated driver for parties or celebrations where you plan to drink even one alcoholic drink. There is no amount of alcohol which is safe or legal when you are operating a motor vehicle.

This year, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is using the phrases “DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER,” “THEY’LL SEE YOU BEFORE YOU SEE THEM” and “YOU CAN’T HIDE IT, IF YOU DRIVE DRUNK, THEY WILL CATCH YOU” and “BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING.” To learn more, go to www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober. On this website, you can learn how you can help to eliminate drunk driving and prevent unnecessary deaths.

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. The Co-op City Department of Public Safety would like to thank all persons who have called in suspicious activity. It is by your actions that the crime rate remains low and a high quality of life is maintained.

OPPORTUNITIES AT CO-OP CITY

Tell your friends, relatives and employers about:

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

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

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

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

CONTRACT SUMMARY

Contract 2861, 2862 & 2863 (REBID), Exterior Renovation for Shopping Centers: Exterior restoration of the three (3) shopping centers located in Co-op City Bids Due: December 29 at 2:00 p.m.

Bonding: Bonding is required Insurance: Insurance is required Contract 3023, Installation Transformers in the buildings

of

Building

Bids Due: January 5, 2015 at 2:00 p.m.

Bonding: Bonding is required Insurance: Insurance is required

Contract 3043, Installation of hollow doors and frames Pre-Bid Meeting: January 7, 2016 Bids Due: January 21, 2015 at 2 p.m.

Insurance: Insurance is required

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Open to: All candidates in Local 94 & 94A; Dec. 21 – Dec. 29, 2015 & Open to: All Internal Riverbay Employees, Dec. 30, 2015 – January 7, 2016 Job Reference #: 15-67

Request for transfer/promotion must be received by the Human Resources department by Jan. 5th, 2016.

Employees are responsible for submitting the transfer forms in person to the Human Resources Department.

Employees who are promoted will receive the applicable rate scale for this position.

Power Plant Helper Ideal candidate will be responsible for the day-to-day duties of assisting Mechanics, Electricians and Instrument Technicians with electrical, mechanical, or instrumentation tasks as they are assigned. Assist in the maintenance of power plant vehicles and report any vehicle malfunctions. Assist the plant staff in maintaining the cleanliness of the plant and pump rooms. Selected candidate will responsible for reviewing and observing all safety rules, regulations and instructions.

Job Description: Ideal candidate will:

• Transfer tools, parts, equipment, and supplies to and from work stations and other areas.

• Disassemble broken or defective equipment to facilitate repair and reassemble equipment when repairs are complete.

• Assist in installing or replacing of machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools.

• Assist in examining and testing machinery, equipment, components, and parts for defects to ensure proper functioning.

• Hold or supply tools, parts, equipment, and supplies for other workers.

• Position vehicles, machinery, equipment, physical structures, and other objects for assembly or installation, using hand tools, power tools, and moving equipment.

• Adjust, maintain, and repair tools, equipment, and

machines, and assist more skilled workers with similar tasks.

• Assist in the adjustment, connecting, or disconnect wiring, piping, tubing, and other parts, using hand or power tools.

• Clean or lubricate vehicles, machinery, equipment, instruments, tools, work areas, and other objects, using hand tools, power tools, and cleaning equipment.

• Assemble and maintain physical structures, using hand or power tools.

• Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation.

• Apply protective materials to equipment, components, and parts to prevent defects and corrosion.

• Prepare work stations for use by mechanics and repairers.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements: High School Diploma or equivalent Required; Valid Driver License (NY, NJ, CT, PA) required at time of appointment; Degree is a plus; Some experience with the operation of equipment used in a Power Plant is a plus; Must be able to read and write in English; Bi-Lingual is a plus; Candidate must be capable of operating various hand and power tools.

Testing Requirements: Drug Test; Background check

Physical Requirements: Applicant must have ability to walk for long periods of time, twist, kneel, push, stoop, climb ladders/stairs and lift heavy objects up to 75 lbs. pounds.

Position Details: Days and Hours: Days and hours of operation may vary on a flexible schedule FLSA: Non - Exempt

How to Apply: All applicants are advised to submit a resume along with the application.

Applications are given out at the below address from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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 / December 26, 2015

Eat, Drink and be Merry

Evelyn Turner

In all probability in 2016, next to the The Riverbay Fund has former Bingo Hall for the first time Director’s Viewpoint located a smaller space to ever, Co-op City will have an upscale offer creative enrichment Spanish/American Restaurant. Cooperators activities for our youth and and the wider community will not only seniors.

Additionally, our Second Vice President enjoy fine cuisine, but also your favorite churches and organizations glass of wine, liquor, beer or champagne. will continue to provide an In the plan is outdoor seating. The locaarray of youth activities. We will also continue to tion is ideal due to the bus stops near the use the space we have for activities. proposed restaurant. It is anticipated that We are also blessed to live in a city that offers this type of venue will bring more busiaccess to the best museums and cultural instituness to our Bartow Mall. tions in the state. Parents and guardians in Co-op What came before?

City are to be commended for attempting to preIt was very interesting to learn that 14 vent the many ways in which social toxins in our years ago, there was a goal in mind to use community may cause high risk behavior by your the former Bingo Hall as a place of worchild. ship, “The Community Protestant Church.” This initiaIn the meantime, our “Interim General Managers” tive was denied by the Riverbay Board of Directors. have been hiring key personnel in order to keep the Fast forward 14 years, a more elevated goal, “A STATE corporation moving forward. We have NOT missed a OF THE ART CENTER FOR YOUTH & COMMUpayment on our mortgage and are working diligently NITY” is denied by HUD’s (Housing & Urban to get pipes and elevators, etc. repaired. Department Development) Regional office staff. Why? First and Heads are being held more accountable and our Public foremost during the past 14 years, the corporation borSafety Department is visible and dependable. We have rowed over $600 Million to remain affordable and also hired outside “consultants” to assist with getting repair our crumbling infrastructure. Things fall apart leases signed and upgraded at vacant commercial over time. Reportedly, the former Bingo Hall’s rent will spaces. not lower carrying charges and is reportedly less than Would I do it again?

1% of the $200 million plus budget.

If a stand-alone building would become available Additionally, the Riverbay Corporation is without an again, YES, I would be the first to advocate for an “on approved General Manager or Management Company. site” Co-op City Youth and Community Center. Children Hence, not only was the former Bingo Hall denied to be don’t vote in Co-op City and in my opinion, we don’t used as a Not-For-Profit, the Board’s plan submitted for have the political support at this time to “build” anything “Self-Management” has not been approved. for our youth in Co-op City. We don’t have “HedgeDid we all work very hard at BOTH initiatives? Most Fund” millionaires or billionaires on our Not-for-Profit certainly! Was thousands of dollars invested in BOTH Board. However, we do have cooperators, who, in my initiatives? YES! Did your VOLUNTEER Board and opinion would support a “facility” if asked.

Legal Counsel spend numerous hours preparing, interI am an African-American woman with a son, three viewing, making site visits, etc.? YES? grandsons and one great grandson. I cannot, as Michelle Both initiatives continue to move forward. The Alexander writes, “be willfully blind to the emergence of Board has re-activated the Ad Hoc Committee to cona new caste system – a system of social ex-communicatinue the search for a “General Manager” or a “Managetion that has denied millions of African Americans basic ment Company.” human dignity.” After marching unarmed past white

mobs who threaten to kill me, I will forever be part of the change we all hope to create for all young people in my beloved community.

Did you know that?

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among American teens, and for each completed suicide, there are one to two hundred attempts.

According to FBI statistics, youth under the age of 21 account for nearly one-third of the overall homicide rate.

Within the past decade, juveniles under 18 have been involved in serious violent victimization including sexual assaults, bullying, harassment, cyberbullying, robbery and weapon- related offenses.

Racism exists in 2015 on college campuses.

Depression is the #1 mental health issue in the world.

We are losing young people every day to “overdose” of illegal drugs.

Cooperators, we have ongoing work to do to support our families and children in Co-op City. Your involvement and creativity is needed.

Special thanks to all the clubs, organizations, faithbased institutions and Baychester Library for all that you did in 2015. A special thanks to the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged, which provides for our seniors.

Thanks to our elected officials for the grants provided for different programs in Co-op City.

As an “Angle Tree” participant, I wish all Angel Tree cooperators a Happy Holidays. You are invited to join me and other Board members in moving youth initiatives forward, regardless of smaller space, in 2016! We need all hands on deck!

Kudos to our “Family Fitness Center” in Section 5 for a wonderful Saturday of free fitness and fun. What a surprise to receive a “free facial” and a 10 minutes free Vibra Therapy message. We were all invited to join a Sunday “walking” initiative to Orchard Beach! Awe-Inspiring!

Our health is our wealth!

Thanks for choosing me to represent YOU on the Board. “We need you…you need us!”

May 2016 be filled with wonder and delight!

Contact me: Evelyn M. Turner – 917-324-1033 – eturner@riverbayboard.com.

Happy Holidays to all and may the New Year harvest fruitful beginnings. Whatever seeds you planted, the results are your result. If you did not plant, then how can you expect a harvest of any kind?

You now have another opportunity to discover your true potential. With a new year ahead of us, there are no limitations to your potential growth. It’s never too late to do what you might’ve done and never too late to become what you might’ve been. Join the African-American Association of Co-op City, we did !!!

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

Children’s Programs – For information about the early morning school drop-off program and the after school programs, call 718-379-5555.

Yoga & Pilates Mat Classes – Classes resumed on Tuesday, 9/15, 7:15 p.m., Dreiser Center, Rm. 2. Lose weight, tone and strengthen your muscles with exercises that reduce stress through breathing techniques. For more information, call 718-671-8364.

Belly Dance Classes – Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m., Dreiser Center, Room #2. For a nominal fee, you will have fun and stay in shape. For more information, call Xonia, 646-301-9438.

Evening Line Dance Classes – Dance to Soul, Latin, and Gospel music on Thursdays, 7:00 p.m. in Dreiser Center, Room #2. Call Cynthia, 917-903-7073.

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

Adult Study Group – The Institute for Youth meets on the 2nd & 4th Mondays, 7:00 p.m. The Book Study Group meets every 3rd Sunday, 1:00 p.m., Dreiser Center, Room 15. Please call to confirm, 718-379-5555.

General Membership Meeting – The next meeting will be on Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please read our weekly column for updates. Also, if you wish to join or update your membership, please send a check or money order (DO NOT MAIL CASH) of $15 for a single membership or $25 for families to: African-American Association of Co-op City, P.O. Box 702, Co-op City Station, Bronx, NY 10475. Donations are welcomed. Like us on Facebook: CoopcityAfricanamericanassoc/ Email us at aaaccpower@gmail.com.

—Kevin Lambright

Next Defensive Driving class The next Black Forum defensive driving course will be Saturday, January 16, Room 1, Dreiser Community Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Lower your liability insurance cost by 10% and remove up to 4 points from your 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.

Cooking classes starting soon If you enjoy cooking or would like to learn how to prepare healthy meals for yourself and your/or your family, please call (718) 320-8035.

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.

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.

African-American Association

Black Forum

Emergency Food Program We are open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., Room 20 in the Dreiser Center. Also, due to budget constraints and shortage of available food, you must live within zip code 10475 to participate in this program. You must also have your card with you and bring two clean plastic shopping bags. Please also have your current photo ID, such as a non or 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) 3208035 or write to Black Forum, P.O. Box 563, Bronx, NY 10475; email: coopcityblackforum@gmail.com or tonyshome10475@gmail.com. Help us keep independent community organizations alive in Co-op City.

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

—Tony Illis

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Coalition of African American Churches & Community Organizations

The Coalition of African-American Churches & Community Organizations of Co-op City, Inc.’s next general membership meeting will be on Tuesday, January 5, 2016, at 12 p.m., 177 Dreiser Community Center, Room 15. We will be hosting our 19th annual Kwanzaa Celebration tomorrow, Sunday, December 27, at 3 p.m. in Rm. 31, 2049 Bartow Community Center, Bronx, NY. All are invited. The celebration will feature Keynote Speaker “Brother Bernard White,” Program Director & Host of Community Progressive RadioMetro, and former Program Director at WBAI. There will be entertainment, Kuumba Dancers & Drummers, Kwanzaa ceremony, African Dancing, and the Karamu Feast, vendors, games, and refreshments will be served. This event is free.

Kwanzaa is the seven-day (December 26—January 1) African Celebration of family, community and culture as personified in African “First Fruits” or harvest celebrations. Kwanzaa incorporates the spirit, value and practice of Ingathering, Reverence, Commemoration, Recommitment and Celebration and evolves around seven principles, one for each day of Kwanzaa, called Nguzo Saba. The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-determination),

Ujima (Collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity) and Imani (Faith).

The Coalition members attending the Kwanzaa Celebration are requested to bring an offering of a large, main dish of food (no pork, please) or dessert, etc. to share with others. Please contact the President or Ms. Francine R. Jones (718-671-5957) to advise her of what your food offering will be.

Also, traditional African attire should be worn, although it is not mandatory. Your attendance and participation are required to make this family cultural festivity a success.

Please inform the coalition of any suggestions that you may have. Ms. Virginia Stewart is the President of the Coalition. Phone number, (718) 671-4506.

The coalition is a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and improving the quality of life of cooperators while providing educational and culturally enriching programs for the community. We also act as one voice for all Coalition members where there are issues of common concern and human rights. We also sponsor Friends & Family Day Celebrations, and

Donizetti Building 4 Association

Season Greetings to all!!!

Let’s start our New Year off by supporting our building association and its activities. Our first meeting of the year will be held on Thursday, January 14, 2016 at 7 p.m. We will NOT have a guest speaker at this meeting, but we will be introducing our NEW Donizetti Building 4 Association Executive Board members. So come down, greet and welcome them. We will also be planning some of this year’s activities. Anything, in particular, you would like to do, come down and put your idea on the table to be discussed. We will also be discussing our Post-holiday social and all deci-

sions will be posted in the lobby’s bulletin boards.

Fun Day for Building 1-7 and townhouses is scheduled for September, 2015. Volunteers are still needed for the different committees.

Game Day is still EVERY Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. If there are any new games, you would like to play come down suggest it and teach us.

The Donizetti Building 4 Association wants to wish all HAPPY HOLIDAY’S. Congratulations to all celebrating a special day, well wishes to all those sick and shut-in and finally, condolences to all those who have lost a loved one.

—Yvonne Burrus

9

Kwanzaa free for the community.

Members of the Coalition include the following: African-American Association; Co-op City Baptist Church; Retirees of Dreiser Loop; Harriet Tubman Indepen-dent Democratic Club; NAACP, Co-op City Branch; St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church and Zodiacs Track Club.

Please support our efforts by sending us a tax deductible contribution made payable to Coalition of African-American Churches and Community Organization of Co-op City, Inc., P.O. Box 619, Bronx, NY 10475. Churches and organizations that desire to join the coalition may apply for membership by either writing or calling (718) 671-4506 or (718) 671-5957 for a membership application, which should be returned with a letter on your church/organization’s letterhead and signed by the Minister/President.

Read the coalition’s weekly column for information about events and issues. Remember, the coalition’s motto is, “Coming together is the Beginning, Keeping together is Progress and Working together is Success.”

The Coalition wishes everyone Happy Holidays.

—Harman T. Leacock

Adler Place Townhouse Association

Season’s Greetings from the Adler Place Townhouse Association. We held a holiday meeting on Wednesday, December 16 and enjoyed a variety of potluck refreshments. We had a pretty good turnout and a very productive meeting and we continue to look forward to more cooperators attending in future.

Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at Bartow Community Center, Room 31. A representative from Riverbay Corporation will be in attendance to address our concerns.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.

—Anne Culler

10

Cleaning Up MSI’s Mess Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Bernard Cylich

Just over a year ago, our property manto hire consultants to check ager, MSI, was suspended, to protect the Director’s Viewpoint the work and lawyers to financial integrity of our corporation enforce the various con(Homes and Community Renewal has yet tracts. Management is now to terminate MSI officially). The managstruggling to deal with those Treasurer ing agent cost Riverbay $1.6 million a MSI contracts. year. When MSI was hired in 1999, its No Liquidating Clauses services cost the community ten times Our new Procurement Director, Jose Mendez, diswhat the replaced general manager, Amit covered that many MSI capital project contracts had Sikdar, was paid (he was 6 months into no liquidation damage clause, or late penalty fees. his 3-year contract). Fortunately, Noel Mendez has redrafted contracts to include such terms, Ellison, Director of Cooperator Services to minimize change orders, which are, essentially, Office, and Peter Merola, Director of approved cost overruns.

Finance, accepted the awesome responsiHCR Approval Requirements Delay Contracts bility of co-interim property managers.

According to HCR regulations, Riverbay must The interim managers, who replaced submit to the state housing agency, for its approval, three full-time managers, need an imspecification for bids (RFP) of engineering/architecmense broom to clean out the mess MSI left. Some probture contracts valued over $25,000 and capital projects lems have been corrected, at a great savings to the corpoover $100,000. (A correction: in a previous viewpoint, I ration. Work is in progress to correct others. incorrectly reported that HCR approved increasing the Correcting FLSA Violations threshold for review of consultants’ contracts valued 1. After Riverbay settled the $6.5 million labor lawsuit from $25,000 to $100,000. In fact, our Procurement resulting from MSI’s incompetence, the interim manDirector, who met with the HCR, asked the agency to agers conducted a full review to ensure Riverbay was in do so. HCR is considering the request; we await its full compliance with all Fair Labor Standards Act response.)

(FLSA). With the help of an outside firm, our corporation Handling HCR Requirements was assured that payroll practices were in full compliance Complications with the pilot upgrade of Building with all FLSA thus avoiding costly fines and lawsuits.

15A lobby doors to comply with the Americans with Lowest Bidder Not Always Best Disabilities Act: Just as the architect/engineering firm 2. In my opinion, too often, MSI recommended that Wasa was preparing drawings for the installer, it went the Board approve the lowest-bid contracts, without out of business. Former Wasa employees formed their evaluating the contractor’s past performance. Such an own firm and took over Wasa’s work. Since the fee was approach frequently ended up costing us more—in dolunder $25,000, Riverbay was not required to rebid. The lars, poor service, and delays—than what we might have new firm has submitted shop drawings. But because of saved. (I am legally barred from naming contractors.) failure to meet contract requirements, the lowest Turn Key Could Have Been Best Choice approved bidder to install the doors was terminated. The 3. Some major capital projects, in my opinion, should next lowest bid, Acevedo, agreed to perform the work have been contracted as a turn-key operation—the conand even lowered its price. Riverbay did not need to tractor would be responsible for architecture/engineering resubmit an RFP for bids from other contractors. and for procurement of equipment and installation. Once New Solutions for Costly Leaks: The task of engagcompleted, the project would be turned over to Riverbay ing architecture/engineering consultants for replacement for approval and final payment. Instead, MSI calculated of the Hi-Temp Hot-Water underground pipe near that outsourcing to several contractors—one for archiCooper townhouses was not so easy. After the contractecture/engineering, another for equipment—would be tor, STV, refused to sign a $37,000 contract, Riverbay cheaper. Again, I believe the approach backfired, not had to resubmit bids, because there were no qualified only in delays and cost overruns, but because of the need bidders on the original list. Riverbay could not expedite

the process, as a Board member suggested, by searching for another company in the telephone directory (or on the Internet) because the contract was valued over $25,000.

The delay may prove fortunate for Riverbay.

Management has located a company that offers to spray epoxy/resin inside the pipe, repairing the leak at great saving. So a costly pipe replacement may be unnecessary after all.

Unreasonable Requirements: Recently, management approved the hiring of an architecture/construction company to be our capital project manager as needed.

However, after the paperwork was signed, HCR insisted we prepare an RFP and put the contract to bid because it was over $25,000. This will delay hiring a project manager by several months. Unreasonable?

Lobbying the HCR I believe that the Board must send a delegation to HCR, accompanied by our elected state officials, strongly requesting the agency to increase the submission requirement for its approval and bidding for consultants, architecture, and engineering contracts costing over $100,000 from $25,000 and capital projects over $150,000 from $100,000.

Overcoming Legionella Crisis Late last year, New York City Department of Health informed us that our cooling towers had tested positive for Legionella Disease. With the help of an expert in the disease and a specialized cleaning company, followed by retrofitting of the cooling towers, the DOH has given us a clean bill of health. Co-op City has now become a model for dealing with outbreaks of legionella related bacteria in a/c cooling towers.

New Directors Turning Our Ship Around In the few months since management hired Directors of Procurement and of Human Resources, as well as a Communications Manager, and the Board hired an Internal Auditor, we have seen significant improvements in the operation of Co-op City.

Are there shortcomings? Our interim managers have been the first to acknowledge them. Two departments, in particular, need strengthening: IT and Construction.

Management anticipates that by early next year, those two departments will receive major reinforcements.

Happy, Healthy, and Peaceful New Year.

Feliz Navidad.

Spanish-American Community Club

Please join us on the 2nd Thursday of every month at 8:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome! Our next general membership meeting is January 14th, 2016.

Our President, Lourdes Suarez, and the Board of Directors, wish all of our members a very happy and healthy holiday season!

The club’s Christmas Party: The Cultural and Social Committee hosted the annual party on Saturday, December 12th. It was an incredible success, thanks to the overwhelming participation of our members and guests. Our heartfelt gratitude goes to all those who contributed to this wonderful event that raised much needed funds for the Scholarship Fund.

New Year’s Eve Party: The ‘Social Friday’

Committee will be hosting the festivities, beginning at 8:00 p.m., in Dreiser Auditorium C. Admission will be $20 for adults, $10 for children under 12 years of age.

Please contact Jose Lopez at (347) 202-7930. Bring your noise-makers, hats and party gear!

The Youth Committee will not be hosting their annual ‘Los Tres Reyes Magos’ (The Feast of the 3 Kings/Epiphany) party this year. Instead, the club will be sponsoring a get-together for the adults to commemorate this cultural event on Saturday, January 9th.

Please bring a small gift suitable for someone the same gender as yourself (ladies, bring gifts for ladies; gentlemen, bring gifts for gentlemen). Join us in Room 16 at 7 p.m.

Visitation Committee: The monthly visit to Bay Park is planned for January 17th at 1:00 p.m.

January ‘Social Friday’ will take place on Friday, the 29th at 7:00 p.m.

Annual membership dues must be submitted by the end of January. $30 per household and $15 for out-ofstate membership.

Additional information for all of our upcoming club events, as well as details concerning the club in general, can be found on our website: http://spanamcccc.synthasite.com. You may also contact the club at (718) 379-7017 or email us at SpanAmCCCC@ gmail.com.

—Carmen Rodriguez

Broun Place Townhouse Association

From Broun Place Townhouse Association: ‘Twas the day after Christmas and all through Broun Place, lots of families did stir and have wonderful, holiday times. Many lights were hung on windows, terraces, and trees, so that when folks walked by they smiled and were pleased.

This week, Broun Place completed its gift collection for our groundskeeper. Thank you to all the families who donated and actually took the trouble to submit their gift to our association. The holiday spirit has really taken over Broun Place and neighbors are greeting each other with smiles and holiday greetings. It is great to say, “Good Morning” and “Happy Holiday.” It is free, but pays off big time in the end. Speaking of free, how about the many things to see and do in NYC that are low cost and free.

In the tradition of the holiday, Broun Place Townhouse Association donated to two trusted local toy drives. Please be alert for scammers and shopping deals that are hoaxes! Cooperators are known for their

compassion, but do not donate or provide personal information over the phone.

How are you tolerating traffic? Please keep your road rage safety belted. Yeah, they are sneaking up on merge lanes, but ease over and get to your destination.

There is an increase in illegal dumping especially around Stillwell Avenue. We spoke to the CPB10 and will follow up.

We will attend all open meetings on the plans for the traffic project announced November 28th.

Thank you again to all who joined the association by using the tear-off flyer. Your membership and ideas for Broun Place are welcomed. The next meeting is Thursday, January 21 and will celebrate the New Year as last January’s meeting celebrated 2015. Please keep in touch with your Executive Committee and discuss and/or refer your problems regarding sustaining Broun Place and Co-op City. Be on the lookout for people who are breaking our community rules, but please don’t “YOU” intervene. Report your observations to Public

Safety, 718-671-3050 or drop a note to an executive committee member. Give specifics in your report and get names.

Winter weather has started to show its ugly head.

We hope your patios and terraces are prepared for the eventuality of snow and winter extremes. Cover your tables, chairs and grills. Almost every corner of our neighborhood has a garbage can, use them for your litter. Please follow garbage recycling rules. For our use, there are huge, conveniently placed dumpster bins and garbage cans throughout Co-op City. Discarded appliances belong in closed bags placed in back of the dumpster pad or in the green bin.

Kwanzaa begins today and continues for a week celebrating, seven principles with a candlelight ceremony and honoring African culture and solidarity. Although Kwanzaa began being broadly accepted in 1966, it is really honoring ancient traditions. We hope everyone enjoys and learns from Kwanzaa. Happy Holidays.

—Eva Lazaar

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

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

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Management Needs to Be Held Accountable Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Daryl Johnson

It looks like the push for bringing in new management has caught on with the major- Director’s ity of our board members. And, now, it seems like negative emotions are overshadowing the current state of our self-management team.

Breaking up This year could have been a very successful year for Co-op City. With a new selfmanagement team and other new employees, we could have turned this place around.

But, as they say, life happened. And, the Riverbay way of doing things prevailed.

However, the situation between our board and our self-management team is not looking good.

One of the chief things that I had hoped for was that our self-management team and our board could have worked together in a more harmonious way. But, unfortunately, some directors have felt that management should just be able to run this place without direction from anyone.

"The board should not interfere with management," has been a consistent theme here with our board. Do I believe in this concept? Somewhat. Our board is supposed to carry out the best interests of this community.

Additionally, our board is supposed to bring in a management team. But, do you honestly think the board would be acting in a responsible manner if management could do whatever they wanted to do? My answer is no.

And, the reason behind this response is that things will never turn out right for this community if the board let's management do their own thing.

And, you can see the fulfillment of this rationale right now with this self-management team. Additionally, look at the backlash that's going on now with several members of this board and our cooperators against this self-management team.

A better approach would have been for this board to have given this self-management team a list of things to carry out, like an agenda. And, this agenda could have been time-sensitive, with accountability as the first item.

Could the board then make some changes? Absolutely! Then, based on the results, the composition of the self-management team could change. But, this is the same concept that I said we should use for an outside management firm.

In other words, hold everyone accountable for their results. But, we have managers and board members that are making excuses for everything.

However, as you look around Co-op City, you'll see that those excuses are not serving this community.

Bottom line: We need a new management company to come in and do a complete reorganization here. Thereafter, we need to make a lot of changes with our personnel and with the way that we do business here.

This is the only way, in my opinion, that we can really move this community forward.

Board Election We're going to need for some of you to run for this board next year. But, first, let me clear up one big misconception about this board. And, that is that we fight a lot. In actuality, that's not necessarily the truth. Now, did we have tremendous confrontations before? Absolutely, yes! But, for the most part, those confrontations have waned away. So, yes, you might see some strong viewpoints, when needed. And, yes, I will vote no when if I feel that a resolution is not good for this community. But, overall, we're on speaking terms. The main thing is that we need you, your intelligence, and your experience to help us move this community forward. So, I'm going to write a series of articles to hopefully inspire some of you to run for the board.

Lobby Doors It is a disgrace that we have not upgraded our lobby doors to serve everyone that lives or visits here.

However, how is it that we can think of spending over $2 million on an auditorium and lots of money on other questionable projects, but we can't come to terms on helping individuals that need assistance with opening the

front doors to their homes?

Part of living and enjoying life is to be free to do things without assistance. In other words, everyone should be able to open their lobby doors, at any time, without hoping and praying for someone to come downstairs to help them.

So, we need to immediately address this matter.

But, as mentioned before, excuses are made for everything. So, that's another reason why we need a no-nonsense management team to take care of business here.

One good idea would be to have a group of vendors showcase their lobby doors to everyone here in some of our centers. This way, the community can choose a system that can work for everyone.

Speed Cameras People are getting tickets for speeding here. So, please follow all traffic regulations and reduce your speed accordingly. Thank you.

Drinking and Driving Are you going to a New Year's Eve party? If yes, then, I would like to encourage you and everyone to please do not drink and drive. Please get a designated driver to drive your vehicle. Or, please make arrangements with a taxi service. This way, you will not have to worry about parking or having a drink at your party.

Close The new year is right around the corner. So, I hope that everyone will have a safe, successful, and a Happy New Year! 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.

Viewpoint

Building 21 Association

Guess this year’s Holiday Theme: Win a prize!

Hello, friends and cooperators! WOW! The buildings are all dressed up for the holidays. Kudos to all of the cooperators from Sections 1-5 who have contributed their time, talent, money, etc. in keeping the spirit of “The Season of Giving” alive in Co-op City.

The B-Section of Building 21 does a different Holiday Theme every year. In past years, we’ve done Christmas cards, Christmas stockings, etc. If you can guess the theme we did this year, and you show up for our Egg Nog Toast to the New Year (every year after the decorations come down), we’ll have a special prize for you. “Everyone” will be allowed to guess one time.

Write down your guess on a piece of paper and we will read them all and award the winner at that time. This means you must be present to win.

Special recognition goes to the following “troop decorators” and loyal team players every year! It was a real family affair in 21B. We welcomed 3 new comers,

Big Brother and all who helped them; the lobby is stunning. We would like to recognize all of the people of Building 21 for whatever part they played in making our decorating celebration a success. Maybe you brought something for our “pot luck snack table” or maybe you stopped by and paid your annual building dues. Maybe you just came by with a smile and offered

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 a.m., 2nd Sundays; Children's Church, 3rd Sundays (K3); Older Children's Church, 4th Sundays (4th-7th).

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

Church Mission: To empower, educate and motivate men, women, boys and girls to reach their full potential and live abundant lives through preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Come worship with us—where we honor tradition but are not bound by it! All are welcome to join us any and every Sunday because our goal is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in LOVE, through teaching and

preaching the Word of God from the Bible.

Saturday, December 19 was our last Victory Over Depression Workshop for the year. Please join us at 10:30 a.m. to be blessed by the testimony of Brother Bob Bennett who suffered with the spirit of depression for 18 years and through Jesus Christ received victory.

December 20th is our 4th Week of Advent Litany and Communion Worship followed by the Faith Café and Pantry ministry in Dreiser, Room 4.

Join us on December 31, from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. for our New Year's Eve Worship Service.

DvineExpressions Book Club: The Faith Family Life Center will host a monthly gathering of avid book lovers and those who want the fellowship of a book club. The club will read books of NYC-Tri-State area authors, national authors and have light refreshments during fellowship. As the author of two books, I know how important it is to meet the audience who reads and purchase

a compliment or positive thought. Whatever the contribution, we appreciate YOU… FYI, all monies collected are turned in to our treasurer and installed in the association’s bank account. If you have any questions regarding the 21 Association, you have 3 ways of gaining information. Email your building association at 21association@gmail.com or 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 Bsection at 7 p.m. Next meeting will be January 27th.

Please note: The decorations will remain in place through the Epiphany, January 6th, also known as “3 Kings Day.” They will be removed on Thursday, January 7th at 1 p.m.

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Kwanzaa!

Healthy, happy, safe, joyous Holiday Season to all!

We’ll see you around the neighborhood.

—Michelle Marbury

Faith @ Work Christian Church

your book and how important it is hear feedback. Our first book will be "Destiny" by Bishop T.D. Jakes. Register with the club and we can get bulk discount pricing. Our first meeting will be in December, 2015. If you're interested, please email Pastor Jenkins at fatwcc@aol.com 2nd Worship Service: FREE TO WORSHIP!!!

February 28, 2016, 12 p.m., we will be adding an additional worship service!! It will be a non-traditional Free 2 Worship Hour of Power!! We are so excited!! Like our current worship service, this will be for everyone!!!

If you love Jesus and for whatever reason have felt marginalized and kept from him, this is for you!! If you are raising a family and want the guidance of the Holy Spirit, this is for you!! Prepare to join us!! God will be praised!!

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

—Pastor Deborah D. Jenkins

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Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015 HAPPY-HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE. Thanks for attending our meetings and events. In the New Year, we will introduce exciting activities and continue to keep you informed.

TODAY: COME ON DOWN to the adult “After and Before” Party this evening, December 26, beginning 7:00 p.m. Join us! Bring a friend and chill, chat or dance to the beats of DJ Val. Pot Luck dishes should be brought down an hour before the scheduled time of the event. We always have a ball and so will you…bring a dish, but more importantly, bring yourself.

We appreciate all who took time out of their busy schedule, sitting in the lobby collecting donations. The building staff wish to extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to all shareholders for their gen-

The Building 10 Association hopes everyone had an enjoyable Christmas and we wish you a healthy and prosperous New Year!

We thank everyone who donated toys during our toy drive. Thanks to you, it was very successful and brought smiles to the faces of many children living in

Building 13 Association

erosity.

YOGA class has been exceptionally rewarding. During the holiday season the next date for class is Tuesday, December 29. Classes will resume at the regularly scheduled day on Friday, January 8, 2016. What a way to start the New Year.

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

Building 10 Association

shelters here in the Bronx.

Thanks to all the Building 10 cooperators who made donations for our Building and Grounds personnel. This contribution is your holiday gift to say thank you to the people who take care of our building and grounds.

Here are the events planned for the

Building 6 Association

I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas. I want to thank everyone who helped make our lobby feel like Christmas and put smiles on everyone who walks into our lobby. Andy, our lobby attendant, did an outstanding job taking photos of people who live in our building and putting them up in the lobby for everyone to see.

Kids in the building get a big smile on their faces seeing their photos put up in the lobby. I hope everyone enjoyed singing Christmas songs in our lobby this past Wednesday. I know all the kids in our building love seeing and taking photos with Santa in our lobby.

There will be more photos to come too. Thank you all for making this Christmas special and enjoyable. It’s been great getting to know people in our building better.

I want to thank everyone who helped collect donations for the porters and lobby attendant in our building and for everyone who donated, too.

I wish everyone a healthy and happy New Year.

—Jeffrey Schwartz

Our Children’s Holiday Party, held last Saturday in the association room, was a great success. We were fortunate to have Santa visit our event. Santa said our youth were all nice, and not naughty, so he posed for pictures and gave them an early Christmas gift. They had a contest making the gingerbread houses, played musical chairs and joyfully danced to the music. Thanks, Santa and elves, Aubry and Shawn.

New Year. The Youth Committee Youth Movie Night has been postponed. Our General Membership meeting will occur on Tuesday, January 12, at 7 p.m. sharp, in the association room, in the rear lobby of Building 10B. The same week, following the Open Meeting, we will have a Building 10 Association New Year cele-

bration on Saturday, January 16, at 7 p.m.

Children can accompany their parents.

We look forward to seeing you at our events and meetings. You are our strength and inspiration!

Have a happy and safe New Year’s eve from your Building 10 Association!

—Ron Campbell

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

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.

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Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

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Time to negotiate contract with management firm Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But Director’s let us never fear to negotiate.” – John F. Kennedy Management: What does HUD and the other governing agents want? A managing company. What did the Ad Hoc Committee previously recommend? Three companies they felt were capable. What company came closest to being selected?

Compass Rock. Was this company an approved company for HUD, et al? Yes. Do most agree we need a managing entity? Yes. Have we considered all of our options? You be the judge.

During the recent Ad Hoc Committee meeting, we were told several of the companies that previously submitted a bid and were selected as one of the three have suggested re-negotiating their offer to meet some of our needs. Since we have filled a couple of key positions and do not need a full complement of staffing, instead of going through the legal cost and arduous task of interviewing, amounting to essentially starting over, perhaps we should vote to reconvene a conversation with those that bid. The desired result would be terms that are a viable, acceptable solution for us and satisfy the governing agents (HUD, HCR, and Wells Fargo).

We would get the additional managerial et al entities

Leslie Peterson

we are seeking and be in compliance with our contractual obligation thus expeditiously ending what appears to be a stalemate.

Dogs: Riverbay continues to receive service and comfort dog requests. Public Safety, Management and Directors continue to receive complaints about the actions of dog owners specifically in and around the area of the greenway. As cooperators, we must do what we can to maintain the quality of life in our community. When the garages were reopened, we insisted the greenway be replaced because we love to walk, sit, exercise and enjoy the various activities held on the greenway.

It is becoming less desirable to do this because dog owners are failing to pick up after their animals.

In last week’s Co-op City Times, I saw crime statistics listed for certain categories and I appreciate that, but would like to also see a breakdown of the quality of life complaint statistics to see if they have gone up.

With the increase in dogs and complaints we have received and hear about during various committee meetings, the numbers in this area should have increased. Remember, if you see or hear something involving dogs, you should say something (excessive barking, unleashed dog and failure to curb). Most dog

Viewpoint

Building 27 Association

Happy holidays and greetings to all.

The Building Association wishes all a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year 2016.

We had our Holiday Party on Friday, the 18th, and it was a fun time had by all.

It was our neighbors from Building 27 A, B and C, so there were cooperators representing each building, which is a wonderful thing. Kudos to the 3 raffle winners: 1st prize - $50 Thalia Roach of Bldg. 27B; 2nd prize - $25, Victoria Loveless of 27A and 3rd prize - $15 Hattie Overman of 27B. We also thank all who chipped in to help serve and clean up.

We thank Margie and Nelson and all who participated to make this holiday party a great time. It was good to chat with our neighbors. Now it is time again to look forward to a new year already.

On that note, keep June 11, 2016

open on your calendar to join Building 27 on a Gospel Cruise, just getting our bid in, will tell you more about it later.

Our Building 27 Cooperators - Our neighbors are some wonderful people.

They are giving people, for the most part, they are not able to make the association meetings, or even events that the association may provide, yet the cooperators always support the association with paying their annual dues of $5 per apartment and giving generously at Christmas time for our building staffing. For without their support, we could not have a holiday party to give back to them, or be able to give to the staffing. So for that, we again say thank you for all you do for your building and your support.

Happy birthday to all in the month of December. We will continue to pray for the sick and shut in for a speedy recovery. To those who have lost a loved one,

New Year's greetings to all of our Co-op City families, friends, neighbors, merchants, and especially our new residents. May everyone have a healthy, safe, and prosperous New Year. Winter is here so while weather permitting, get out and enjoy our beautiful community with a leisurely stroll throughout Co-op City.

We send loving wishes to all of you celebrating birthdays, wedding anniversaries, new births, and other celebrated events during the end of December and the beginning of January.

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 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

I want to thank everyone for your generous donations to the lobby attendant and maintenance staff. Our next meeting is January 25, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the association room on the “B” side.

Don’t forget the Pokeno game night is January 16, 2016 at 6 p.m. in the association room.

Have a Healthy and Happy Holiday.

—Betty Leak

Building 26 Association

Building 22 A&B Association

owners do the right thing, but there are a few that make it bad for others. Curb and leash your dog. Keep our quality of life intact.

Repairs: “Reduction as an Indicator” should be the mantra for how we are doing when reviewing work tickets. Of primary interest in reviewing these tickets should also be repetitive requests for repairs.

Cooperators have been sending e-mails to Directors about repairs that were previously reported and repaired on several occasions, but not resolved. As this location ages, its infrastructure also ages so efforts to repair and not abate will become more important.

Compliment: I asked for a railing to be placed in an area near Building 14 that is very slippery during inclement weather conditions. This was done last year.

Adding to that situation was the lack of lighting enabling a person to see the pathway. After receiving many complaints and, in the interest of safety, I requested additional lighting to illuminate the area. I would like to thank Joe Boiko and Lou Loscalzo for their assistance in fulfilling and ultimately resolving this situation.

I am always interested in hearing your thoughts on various issues. I can be reached by mail at: Leslie Peterson, Riverbay Board Director, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475, telephone @ 718-3201370, or e-mail at daddpeterson@aol.com.

we extend our condolences. There is trouble everywhere, but we must keep vigilant, prayerful and hopeful for better things to come.

Remember our Board and Management in prayer for this is our home. Pray for the leaders and nations.

—H. Overman

Co-op Insurance

17

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

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Other Lines of Insurance: • Auto

• Homeowners • Life

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Rates as low as $72 for the entire year!

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Conveniently located only blocks from Co-op City! (near Eastchester Road) Hours:

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718-671-8000 Contact Us Today!

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Courteous Staff!

Convenient Hours!

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Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Thank you and Kudos

Junius Williams

I would personally like to thank all of Director’s the members of the Board of Directors who this time around, decided to put the corporation and the cooperators first instead of just going along to get along.

The majority members of this Board decided to stand up for the people and for their fiscal responsibilities and not their social and personal agendas.

I want to thank Board members Helen Atkins, Bill Gordon, Leah Graham, Pastor Deborah Jenkins, Daryl Johnson, Francine Jones, Leslie Peterson and Rod Saunders.

We were all elected to do the bidding on behalf of the people of this community, not ourselves.

Anything less should not be tolerated. The people of this community can't afford it, don't deserve it and should not accept it.

We weren't sent here to vote as robots because of a slate or any group, we weren't sent here to look out

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 our members who will be celebrating 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. 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; our email address is post1871@optimum.net.

I hope all of our Post members had a great time at our Christmas party which took place on December 19th.

Social Security numbers will no longer be engraved on soldiers’ dog tags. The Pentagon's massive campaign to phase out Social Security numbers that have been used with dog tags for a number of reasons including personnel records, finance records and official documents since 1969. They replaced service numbers that came in use during WWII. The government’s effort to reduce the use of SSN's began in 2008. It was not until 2011 that the military started using randomly generated numbers for military dependents.

Army Veterans and Retirees who served on active duty or in the Reserves and their family members can get a variety of service-related documents for free. It's just a matter of knowing how. If you have a computer, you will have to log on to www.archives.gov/ reserch/order/standard-form-180.pdf. Any request has to be done on a standard form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records).

The form can be downloaded for printing.

Did you know that retired members of the uniform services are authorized to the free issue of one pair of eyeglasses every 12 months?

Q: Is it proper to use more than two guards in a Color Guard? A: Yes, many Color Guards drill in threes. This formation uses two guards to flag of the United States and two guards to the organization or banner.

All Post members should have paid their dues for 2016 and if you haven’t paid your dues yet, "PLEASE" make an effort to pay as soon as you can.

Remember, we take checks, cash and money orders too.

The only time presidential candidates tell the truth during debates is when they call each other liars.

Q: How does a man demonstrate he knows how to plan for the future? A: He buys two cases of beer instead of one.

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

—Richard I. Lawson, Jr.

for our own interests and personal agendas, while dropping the ball on the corporation's and cooperators’ interest and we also weren't sent here for the people who run on slates or any groups to be able to do everything and anything they want.

It seems that most people running on slates are afraid to run on their own because they know that you guys (the people) have a very bad habit of voting for slates (past and present), instead of individuals.

My wish for the New Year is that this way of voting as individuals and not slates can become a common occurrence, but time will tell.

The money that will be generated from the Bingo Hall will help with the much-needed revenue for our future expenditures and hopefully, should mitigate to some degree, any future carry charge increase.

There should not be any “us” against “them” men-

tality on this Board. No slates, no groups...just 15 individuals coming together who were elected by the people of this community to work on their behalf.

Coming together for two purposes and two purposes only...to defend and protect the corporation and the cooperators.

Defend…

Our rights for the best quality-of-life for ourselves, our community and our children/grandchildren, who deserve it and should have it.

Defend from those who seek and are trying to destroy it, but, only if we let them. So, remember this...Psalm 12, Verse 8...The wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted.

Protect…

Our financial interest from wasteful spending, which will allow us to financially heal and make our corporation healthy and prosperous.

Again, thank you and my hat off to you all.

Please feel free to contact me at: phone: 347-9646135 or by e-mail: jwilliams@riverbayboard.com.

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 Voter Registration forms available in English & Spanish. VOTER REGISTRATION IS AN ONGING ACTIVITY. Our goal is to register ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS, 18-45 years.

FYI: Presidential Primary – April 19, 2016; Federal Primary – June 28th; State & Local Primary – September 13th; General Election – November 8th. Every election is an important election. Be prepared to VOTE! Save The Dates December 27th – Kwanzaa Celebration with Coalition at Bartow at 3 p.m.

January 9, 2016 – NAACP NYSC 1st Quarterly

Meeting.

January 16, 2016 – Jubilee Day Celebration hosted by Walt Disney PS 160 and the PTA at 2 p.m.

January 24th – Membership Meeting at 3 p.m.

January 30th – Kevin Shaw Jr. Memorial Scholarship event – tickets available.

February 10, 2016 – Black History Month Essay & Art Contest with prizes at PS 160 Wednesday evening – 6-7 p.m.

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.

—Jerome L. Rice

Viewpoint

NAACP Co-op City Branch #2210

Baychester Visual Arts Association

BVA is currently exhibiting artwork at the Baychester Library in the Bartow Community Center and will be there until Jan. 5, 2016. Come and see the artwork done by BVA members. We know you will be impressed and maybe you may want to take art lessons at BVA. BVA’s current session of art classes began on Tuesday, November 24 in Room 5, Dreiser Community Center. 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, will be 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.

If you are interested in taking these classes, you can call M. Groves at 201-862-0847 or come to Room 5 in the Dreiser Community Center on Tuesdays between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

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

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

—Sylvia Lochansky

Proud coach … John Shepherd, head coach of the

Truman Mustangs varsity football team stands proudly in his office with the NYC Bowl Division Championship Trophy that his team won earlier this month. The Mustangs completed their Cinderella season on December 5th with a decisive 42 to 14 victory of FDR High School of Brooklyn in the championship game played in Coney’s Island MCU Park. The Mustangs, who won only two games last year, finished their season with a total of 12 wins, counting the playoffs, against only one loss. He credited the team’s great success this year to the outstanding preparation by the players and assistant coaches who worked hard each week at studying reports on their opponents’ tendencies and then putting that knowledge to good use in each game.

19

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Co-op City Sports Velocity Track Club

The indoor season is off and running!

Velocity Track Club New York had a busy weekend, especially the coaches.

There were 4 meets this past weekend, the Colgate Women’s Games was on Friday, Saturday & Sunday, plus on Sunday, the Armory Youth Holiday Classic. It is a blessing to have coaches to volunteer their time and give up their entire weekend to coach our athletes.

Most people don’t realize how much work, time & funds it takes to run an elite track & field program.

On Friday, December 18th, our high school division competed in the Colgate Women’s Games meet at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. The Colgate Women’s Games is the nation's largest amateur track series open to all girls from elementary school through college and beyond.

Competitors participate in preliminary meets and a semi-final to determine finalists who will compete for trophies and educational grants-in-aid from ColgatePalmolive Company. In the high school division, Dominique Jackson earned points in the 200 and 400 meters dash.

On Saturday, December 19th, our middle school athletes: Nariah Mathis earned points in the 55 and the 200 meter dash. Danielle Jackson earned points in

the 200 meter dash. On Sunday, December 20th, our Elementary A & B athletes: Olivia Burrell earned points in the 55 meters hurdles and Jada Clark in the 55 meter dash. Great job, ladies and hopefully more will join you in the point count at week 2.

Also on Sunday, at the Armory Youth Holiday Classic. Our boys and the girls who weren’t at the Colgate Women’s Games showed their talents. Medals were given out to the top 3 athletes in the division, event/gender. Teams from throughout the Tri-State were in attendance. VTC athletes stood up with the best of them. We were able to muscle up 10 medals (3 gold, 4 silver & 2 bronzes).

The following athletes’ medal: In the boys 9 & 10 division, Dontae Lindo took 1st in the 1 mile run. Jordan Ingram took 2nd in the high jump. In the girls 13 & 14 division, Nariah Mathis took 1st in the 55 meter dash and Shantae Leach took 3rd in the long jump. In the boys 11 & 12 age division, Kaseam Shand took 2nd in the shot put. In the boys 13 & 14 age division, Adrian Swift-Henry took 2nd in the triple jump and 3rd in the 55 meter hurdles. In the boys 15 & 16 division, Darius Gordon took 1st in the 800 meters run. In the boys 17 & 18 division, Tyron Ingram

took 2nd in the long jump and 3rd in the 55 meter dash. Great job to all who competed.

Velocity Track Club New York is a 501(C)3 not-for-profit. One hundred percent your donation will go to help our

children. For additional information, you can go to our website, Velocitytrack.org, or contact me, Coach Winston Dinkins, at 914-441-6196 or email me at watclt @aol.com.

—Winston Dinkins

As 2015 comes to a close, the We Are 23 Building Association would like to wish everyone a happy holiday and a happy new year. I hope that this New Year will bring about positive change not only for my building or section, but all of Co-op City. We had a very successful year as an association. We distributed over 75 packets of school supplies for all age ranges from Pre-K to high school. We had a very successful Halloween party. Many families came down in costume and participated in games, activities and contests. We also had a Christmas party through generous donations from our members. We were able to provide presents, activities and refreshments for all children that

attended.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank Dunkin Donuts at 4090 Boston Rd. for their generous donation to the Christmas party which was more than we expected or even asked for. I would also like to give thanks to my team members for their tireless efforts to make the association and building stronger. Mr. and Mrs. Machin, as always, you do an outstanding job decorating the lobby and association room, as well as maintaining it. Their attention to detail is exemplary.

Leah Graham, whose dedication to the community through her work on the Board and my team, is demonstrated on a daily basis. Mrs. Anderson, who takes the time to collect and manage our funds

and keep us aware of the ins and outs of the building. Mrs. Pepsi Ingram is the newest member on our board. However, her tireless fundraising efforts and participation have been critical in moving things forward for us. I would also like to thank former association board members, Eleanor Gibson and Andrea Kennedy, as well as association members Khadya Kraft and Micah Perry.

Their participation in the association embodies what I would like to see from all of our building association members.

Lastly, I have to thank my wife who has supported my efforts from the beginning. Nothing I have done within the association would be possible without her support.

As the New Year begins, I ask the other Section 4 building presidents to reach out to me and/or my team members so we can plan for the Section 4 association and block party. This must be a coordinated effort that cannot be accomplished by one association. When there were shootings in our section, we came together in time of crisis to work with local politicians, as well as various community organizations in addition to Riverbay to unify our section. Let us not just come together in crisis, but in good times as well to bring about the great visions and changes we need in our community.

Have a wonderful Holiday and New Year!

—Ericc Diaz

The Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club will hold its Regular Monthly Meeting on Thursday, January 21, 2016 in the Bartow Center, Room #28 at 7:30 p.m. It is requested that all members attend this very important meeting. This will be our first meeting for the New Year. Several issues of importance will be discussed. So, please attend.

The Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club cordially invites you to attend the 13th Annual St. Valentine's Day Dance on

Saturday, February 13, 2016 in the Dreiser Loop Auditorium B. The time of this event will be from 4 p.m. thru 9 p.m. Music will be provided by Ty & Tye (affiliates of DJ Carol Productions). The cost is $30 per person ($3 per set-up). For ticket information, please contact Mrs. Gloria Clarke at (718) 379-5430, Ms. Sylvia Polite at (718) 320-2837, or Ms. Barbara Irby at (718) 379-9294. There will be no tickets sold at the door. Come out and have an enjoyable time while actually celebrating the obser-

vance of Valentine's Day. The club continues to extend get well wishes to those members who are recovering from injuries, illnesses, surgeries, and various medical procedures. We are also sending condolences to those members who have experienced family tragedies during the Holiday period.

Please notify our Good & Welfare Chairperson, Ms. Gertie Brown, of any incidents of hospitalizations, surgeries, home-bound status or death in the fam-

ily. She can be contacted at (347) 2752995. She will handle all acknowledgements from the club regarding these matters. Best wishes are also extended to those members who are celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or special event during the month of December.

The club extends a happy New Year to all our membership and members of the Co-op City community.

Thank you for your continued support.

—George T. Clarke

Velocity Track Club New York at the Armory Youth Holiday Classic.

We are Building 23 Association

Eleanor Roosevelt Democratic Club

This holiday season, be responsible.

DESIGNATE A DRIVER. PLEASE DO NOT DRINK & DRIVE!

20

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Retirees of Dreiser Loop

Travel Events (2016) ● January 13 & 14 (Wed. & Thurs.) FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO, CT. Price: double $130/single $175. FINAL PAYMENT DUE now. Lorants Coach bus, Dreiser Loop opposite H&R Block. Depart: 11:00 a.m. Contacts: Serita G., 347-564-5722/Barbara W, 718-320-0500. ● March 24 (Thurs.) SANDS CASINO RESORT, BETHELEM, PA. SOLD OUT! Lorants Coach bus. Depart: 8:45 a.m. Contacts: Serita G., 347-564-5722/Barbara W., 718-320-0500. ● April 26-28 (Tues.-Thurs.) BALLY’S HOTEL AND CASINO, Atlantic City. Rebate: $25 slot play + $25 food credit. A Meet & Greet upon arrival. 3 days/ 2 nights charming hotel accommodations. Close to

boardwalk and outlets shopping. Price: double $190/single $250. Final payment due Wednesday, March 2nd. Contacts: Beverly James/Virginia Stewart, 718-379-0377.

Theatre Committee (2016): (*price includes transportation) ● Fri., Jan. 22nd. “DOO WOP” show. Price: $55.

Lehman College. Contact: Paisley Harvey, 718-6718637. ● Thurs., March 10th, 7:00 p.m. show. Price: $117.

COLOR PURPLE, Jacob Theatre. Final payment due.

Contact: Eleanor Barlow, 718-324-7847.

Good and Welfare Those of you still under the weather, know that you are thought of warmly and wished brighter days. Call

Josephine Flowers, 718-320-0539, regarding illnesses and bereavements.

Remember – Your DEPOSIT, along with your name and telephone number, is required to reserve your trip &/or theatre seat. Check/money order addressed to RETIREES OF DREISER LOOP. Committee members will be available in Dreiser clubroom 19 (718-379-0377) on Mondays and/or Thursdays, 2:30-5:00 p.m.

“Whatever is beautiful, Whatever is meaningful, Whatever brings you happiness...May it be yours this Holiday Season and throughout the coming year.” “A new year is like a blank book, and the pen is in your hands. It is your chance to write a beautiful story for yourself. Happy New Year.”

—Claudette Davis

Looking forward into 2016, we are making plans for our annual Black History Month Celebration.

Our program will be on Saturday, February 27th. If you know of talented youth or youth groups in your church, school or other organizations, contact NCNW Co-op City Section and let us know. You can contact us at Facebook.com/ncnwco-op or ncnw co.opcity@gmail.com or at P.O. Box 93, Bronx, NY 10475.

In early April, we will be celebrating Women’s History with a special program that will be free to the public. The cultural emphasis will make it very different from other programs we have had in the past.

There are still a few seats available on our trip to Italy from September 11-18, 2016. Wouldn’t that be a

wonderful vacation to look forward to in 2016?

In 1971, Dr. Dorothy I. Height came to Co-op City to charter Co-op City Section of National Council of Negro Women, Inc. Since that time, we have followed the legacy of our founder, Mary McLeod Bethune with many service programs in our community. Our first program was the establishment of the Retirees of Dreiser Loop (which went on to become an independent organization) in support of the seniors in our community. Since 1972, we have had a tutorial/educational program for the youngsters in our community. This program has at one time served as many as 75 elementary school children for four hours each Saturday morning during the school year. Our health committee has brought speakers, vendors and free medical testing

(including HIV/AIDS tests, mammograms and hearing tests) to our community. Our February Black History Program spotlights the talents of the youth in the North-East Bronx. We are always astounded at how talented our children are whether showcasing their step dancing, praise dancing, oratory skills or choral singing.

How far we have come will be observed in October of 2016 as we celebrate our 45th Anniversary. Stay tuned.

As the New Year approaches, let us pray that it will be a year with new peace, new happiness, and an abundance of new friends. God bless you throughout the New Year. Happy New Year, 2016.

—Joyce Howard

National Council of Negro Women

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

Come & Visit Us – We welcome you to God’s House – Your House – One Family in Christ. We are a congregation with spirit-filled worship, offering a variety of opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship and service to God and our community. We are a multi-ethnic, multicultural and bilingual congregation and all are welcome.

Services are at the church at 2350 Palmer Avenue, across the street from Building 30. Parking is available. Our phone number is (718) 320-3795, and leave a message if there is no answer. Pastor Magaly Beltre is at the church on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Sunday Services – The first Sunday of the month is a bilingual service with communion at 11:30 a.m.

Each Sunday, the English Service is at 11:30 a.m. and the Spanish Service is at 1:30 p.m.

Children: Sunday School will be at 10 a.m. for all children ages 4 to 12 years. Bring your children so they may learn what the Bible says and have fun with all the other activities.

Prayer Night (English) & Prayer Morning (Spanish): The Lord said, “Whenever two or more are gathered in my name, I am in the midst of them.”

Matthew 18:20. Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday mornings at 11:00 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Come and bring your prayer needs so we can pray together. Remember that prayer brings many blessings, which God has promised to all his children that have a personal relationship with Him. Friday Family Night: No Family Night for New Year’s Day. Family night will be back on January 8, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

Women’s Fellowship: is the first Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. – 12 noon.

Men’s Fellowship: is the last Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. – 12 noon.

Crescendo Christian Music School: Are you interested in learning how to play an instrument or sin?

Come join the music school. Piano, guitar, drums, violin, voice and other instruments. Registration for the fall season is here and cost is very reasonable.

Registration is free. Call Maestro Frank Colon (917)

753-3644 to set up a time to come and register.

Students range in age from 5 to 100 years.

Trip to see Samson at Sight & Sound: We are going to Lancaster, Pa. to see the new show of Samson on Friday, June 3, 2016. Cost will be $146/person, children 12 & under are $106/child. Please get your $50/person deposit(s) in quickly since we expect to have seats go fast. Call Barbara at (347) 603-7473 to

let her know that you are interested.

New Year’s Eve Service: We will be having a service to bring in the New Year from 10 p.m. – to midnight on Thursday, December 31. Come and join us, we will be having a great time in worship and song.

We wish all our friends and families a blessed and safe New Year’s. God blessings to all.

—Barbara Penn

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 • 49 Years Serving Our Community Worldwide Shipping including Caribbean, Africa & South America

718-231-7647 Call 24 Hours

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

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

Serving all cultures & faiths

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Co-op City Baptist Church

21

Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams and the Co-op City Baptist Church family invite you to join us tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 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 718320-3774. Visit us on the web at www.coopcitybaptistchurch.org.

Mid-week worship service and Wednesday Bible classes will resume on Wednesday, January 6. Friday Prayer Service will resume on Friday, January 8.

The First Lady’s Ministry will be cel-

ebrating 20 years of service on Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at the Seashore Restaurant and Marina on City Island. The cost of the adult ticket is $55 and children’s tickets (ages 6-17) are $30. The theme for the day will be “Through It All” Philippians 4:13. Their guest speaker will be Rev. Dr. Lois Giles. For additional information or to purchase tickets, call 718-862-9243 or 646-842-2458.

On Thursday, December 31, we will hold Watch Night service at 10:30 p.m. We invite you to come out and celebrate the coming New Year with the Lord.

You are invited to join the Scholar-

ship Ministry on August 13 – 21, 20l6 as they travel to Memphis, TN. This 9day/8-night trip includes 14 meals, 8 breakfasts and 6 dinners. You will have admission to the National Civil Rights Museum, dedicated to Martin Luther King’s struggle for equality; admission to STAX Museum of American Soul Music and additionally admission to the Memphis Rock and Roll Soul Museum and much more. A $100 deposit is required on or before January 10, 2016. 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, 2016. 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 Baptist Church extends wishes for a Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, and a Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year to the Co-op City community.

The Co-op City Baptist Church exists to glorify God and to establish a living community of people who follow the teachings of Jesus the Christ through worship, prayer, Bible study and fellowship. We seek to meet the spiritual and physical needs of the church through ministry.

—Hattie L. Lucas

Hey, Co-op City! Merry Christmas!

Yesterday, we celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! The Scriptures tell us that God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life! What an amazing gift we have in Jesus! He brings hope to the hopeless...Join us this Sunday as we continue our teaching series "A Thrill of Hope" because hope is what we all need! 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 by step. 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 "Holier-than-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 although 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 are part of Hisstory! 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, age-appropriate learning environment!

We also have a fully staffed nursery!

We hope that you will join us this Sunday! 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

Season greetings to all Building 19 cooperators.

This has been a great year – 2015 – for 140 Alcott Place and the Building 19 Association. We experienced some stressful times and situations and some wonderful and joyful times this past year. This is life and we are better for the experience.

I believe our association is stronger; I believe we are friendlier to each other; recognize and acknowledge

each other as we pass back and forth in the elevators and in the laundry room.

I believe we have come to realize that as neighbors we can accomplish more together than one person alone can do.

I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every cooperator of Building 19 for your continued support of our association. Our goal is to assist our cooperators in gaining information on pertinent issues involving the Co-op City community and to help

promote an environment of friendship, pride and pro-active movement at 140 Alcott Place – our home.

2015 has been an extremely active year. I want to thank every one for their participation in our events. We had a Thanksgiving Basket raffle, which was won by the Coleman family in November. And in December, I want to say thank you to each one who contributed to the Building 19 staff Christmas gifts. Our building

staff works very hard to ensure that our building is clean, well maintained and safe and your donations show that we recognize and appreciate their work and efforts. Thank you again for all those families who participated.

The Building 19 Association wishes each and every family a joyous Holiday season and we look forward to a prosperous and healthy new year in 2016.

—Lillie Hall

Newsong Church

Building 19 Association

Studio Jewelers Bay Plaza Mall

Next to Modell’s

2240 Bartow Ave., Bronx • 718-320-0388

BUY SELL PAWN

GOLD

WE

Open 7 Days

$

Highest Price Paid

$

Repairs

We Sell $ We Buy $ Cash Loans

Buy and Get 24 Months Interest Free

Coins $ Silver $ Gold $ Diamonds $ Antiques $ Watches

Tues., Dec. 29

Mon., Dec. 28

22

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Bartow

Einstein

Dreiser

Activities in Room 31 unless otherwise noted

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

Activities in Room 7 unless otherwise noted

Word Games 9:30-11am Bingo 12:30-2:00pm Arthritis Exercises 11am-noon Library 9:30am-1pm

Weight Management

Rm. 45

Around The Lunch Table 11:30am Word Search

10am-12pm

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

Stay Well Exercise 12-1pm, Rm. 4

Diabetes Support Group

Bereavement Counseling

1:00-3:00pm, Rm .35

Room 25 – 2:00pm Card Games 2-4pm Dominoes 2:30 pm

3:00-4:00pm, Rm. 35

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

Diabetes Support Group

Basic Cell Phone & iPad training 1:30-2:30pm Intermediate Yoga

2nd Monday - 1:00pm

2-3pm, Rm. 2

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session Dominoes 10am

Walking Club

Tai Chi 11am, Rm. 45

Caregiver Support Group 1:00pm 1st & 3rd Card Games 2-4pm Dominoes 2:30pm

Mind Teasers

Pokeno 1-3pm, Rm. 35

12-1pm, Rm. 4 Zumba 1-2pm, Aud. A

Afternoon Movies

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

Wed., Dec. 30 Thurs., Dec. 31

Spelling Bee 10am

9:30-11:30am

Stay Well Exercise 10-11am

Spanish Practice Class

Line Dancing 11am-

10:30am, Computer Lab

12pm

Bingo 12:30-2:00pm Card Games 2-4pm Dominoes 2:30pm

Zumba 11am-12pm,

9:30-10:30am Sewing 9:30 -11:30am Tai Chi 11am- 12pm Mind Teasers 12-1pm, Rm. 4

African Brazilian Dance w/Leona Hull, Room 2

Rm. 45

1:00-2:00pm Art Class 1-3pm Yoga 2pm-3pm, Rm. 2

Library 9am-1pm

Dominoes 10am, Rm. 45 Stay Well Exercise

Library, Exercise Bike, Chat Session

Word Games 9:30am11:30am

10-11am, Rm. 45 Spelling Bee 11am

Blood Pressure

Chat Session 9:30am-

Grandparent Connection 1st & 3rd

9:30-10:30am

Computer lab, 10:30am

10 -11:30am 1st & 3rd Thurs., Rm. 8 Line Dancing, 10-11am, Aud. A

Bingo 12:30- 2:00pm

Arthritis Exercise Class

Piano Sing Along 11am-12pm

Card Games 2-4pm

11am-12pm, Rm. 45 Word search 11am12pm Pokeno 1-3pm, Rm. 35

1pm

Dominoes 2:30pm

Fri., Jan. 1

Dominoes 10am, Rm. 45

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit

Wed., Dec. 30

Apple juice, Beef moussaka, Penne pasta w/ garlic sauce, Roasted eggplant, Alt: Baked Ocean Perch fish

Chicken parmesan Pasta Broccoli and red peppers

Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit

Pork spare ribs Mixed vegetables Sweet baked yams

Whole wheat bread Fresh fruit

JASA CLOSED HAPPY NEW YEAR!

JASA CLOSED HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Orange pineapple juice

10:30 – 11:30am, Aud. B

Word Games

Salmon fetuccine alfredo Kale in garlic sauce

Thurs., Lemon Salmon Zucchini rice pilaf Dec. Winter blend vegetables 31

1:00-3:00pm w/popcorn

1st & 3rd Wed Rm 31

Orange pineapple juice Barbecue chicken breasts, Baked brown rice pilaf, Kale w/garlic sauce, Alt: Egg salad

10:30-11:30am

10am-noon, Rm. 45

Blood Pressure

Tues, Dec. 29

Alert & Alive Matinee Movie

Tues

Alt: Veggie burger patty

9:30-10:30am

Cultural Dance

10:30-11:30am

Whole wheat bread Garlic breadsticks Canned apricots

Mind Teasers

Bingo

9:30-11:30am Bingo 12:30-2:00pm

Soups, Breads and Desserts

Apple juice

Mon., Southwest turkey Loaf Manicotti/tomato sauce Dec. Garlic mashed potatoes Italian blend vegetables Mixed vegetables 28

10-11am, Rm. 2

11am-12pm

Word Games

Non-Kosher Alternate Kosher Meals are also available

Crochet & Knitting

10:00-11:30 in the Bartow Main Office

Pokeno

Date:

Kosher

Mind Teasers 12-1pm, Rm. 4

Drama Club 1:304:00pm

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

(Schedule subject to change without notice)

Fee for lunch is $2.00 & $5.00 for guest *Menu subject to change without notice.

Alternate Kosher Meals are also available

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

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

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

Alt: Turkey salad

Fri., Jan. 1

JASA CLOSED HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Upcoming Events/Trips

Trip registration policy: There will be no refunds for all trips. All trips include roundtrip transportation! All trips must be paid in advance – No exceptions! You can register for all trips starting the Monday after it has been published in the newspaper: JASA will not accept checks under $5.00.

JASA OFFICES CLOSED FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

(FREE) LiveOn NY - SCRIE Application Assistance/SNAP (Food Stamps) – Friday, January 8th & 22nd, 2016 - 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. First come, first served!

NY CARES 27th Annual Coat Drive – November 12th - December 31s . Drop off at 177 Dreiser Loop, Rm. 7. We accept gently-used and freshly laundered coats for men, Women & children.

NEW: Intergenerational Dance class in Rm. 31 at 1 p.m., Jan. 4, 6, 13, 27 – Feb. 3, 24 and Mar. 2, 2016.

New: Women’s Empowerment Self Defense Academy - Self Defense class, Fri., 1 p.m. at 177 Dreiser Loop (Room: TBA) – six weekly sessions beginning January 8, 2016.

Stew Leonard’s – Friday, January 22, 2016 - $5. Pick-ups: Bartow – 9:30 a.m., Einstein – 9:45 a.m. & Dreiser – 10 a.m.

Sands Castle Winery & Sands Casino – Wednesday, January 20, $56. Tour includes: 45 seat Deluxe Motorcoach Bus, wine tastings, guided tour of the vineyard & winery, free souvenir glass, 4 hours at Sands Casino stay w/casino bonus, and $5 food voucher – Pick-ups: Dreiser, 8:15 a.m.; Bartow, 8:30 a.m.; Einstein, 8:45 a.m.

“Songs of Legends” Total Praise

Gospel Concert at Melba’s 125 in the Harlem State Building – Thurs., Jan. 21, 2016, $35. Pick-ups: Bartow-10 a.m., Dreiser – 10:15 a.m. and Einstein - 10:30 a.m. Doors open at 12 p.m.

Lunch served: 12:45 -1:25. Showtime: 1:30 p.m.

Empire Casino – Mon., Jan. 25, 2016, $5. Bartow - 9:30 a.m., Einstein 9:45 a.m. & Dreiser – 10 a.m.

Broadway Show “On Your Feet” The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Story – Wed., Jan. 27, 2016 (matinee), $129.

Deluxe Motorcoach Bus 45 seats, orchestra seating – Pick-ups: TBA. Foxwoods Casino and Tanger Outlet – Wed., Feb. 3, 2016, $29.

Motor coach. Lunch and Bonus TBA. Pick-ups: Dreiser - 8:15 a.m., Bartow – 8:30 a.m. and Einstein - 8:45 a.m.

Tribute to Smokey Robinson – The Royal Manor – Tues., Feb. 16, 2016. $85. Motorcoach. Menu: salad, soup, BBQ chicken, stuffed loin of pork, vegetables, dessert, coffee, tea. Pick-ups: Dreiser – 8:15 a.m., Bartow – 8:30 a.m. and Einstein - 8:45 a.m.

NEW DATE for Cabaret LuLu – Thurs., Feb. 25, 2016, $50, Alhambra Ballroom in Harlem, “Rockin’ Rhythm & Down Home Blues!” Saluting the “R&B” Pioneers: Ruth Brown, Ray Charles & Louis Jordan. Seating for the show starts at 11:30 a.m. & event ends at approximately 2:45 p.m. Pick-ups: Dreiser – 9:30 a.m., Bartow – 9:45 a.m. & Einstein Loop – 10 a.m. Menu: Green garden salad, choice of Alhambra baked chicken w/gravy, collard greens and candied yams or baked fish of the day, macaroni and cheese, vegetables southern style, cake/coffee/ hot tea, iced tea, complimentary glass of wine or beer. WAIT LIST ONLY.

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

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

AARP Chapter #4997

23

Peace, Love and Joy to all members and friends of AARP Chapter #4997 during this Holiday Season. May your days be merry and bright and “2016” bring you happiness and good health.

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.

2015 Tour Activities December 30 – January 1, 2016 – Royal New Year’s Eve Gala at the Desmond – Stopping at the Sands Casino w/shopping in Bethlehem, PA; then to the hotel w/dinner and a show; next day choice of Sightseeing, shopping at King of Prussia Mall or activities at the hotel; New Year’s Eve cocktail party w/5 hour Open Bar; a show and a Surf & Turf Dinner; midnight Royal Champaign Toast; before leaving next day, a Mimosa Brunch w/a show and dancing…$559/double; $669/single and $549/triple…Trip insurance available.

DEPARTURE INFO…Arrive at Asch Loop (in front of the library) at 8 a.m. to get Luggage Tags and Boarding Info.— departing PROMPTLY at 8:45 a.m.

Contact: Jean, 718-379-3742.

2016 Tour Activities March 28 - 29, 2016 – Sampson: the Strongest Man who ever lived...at the Sight & Sound Theater; w/a stop at the Sands Casino – 2 days/1 night; $293/ double; $341/single; $277/triple. FINAL PAYMENT DUE AT JANUARY, 2016 MEETING. Contact: Jean, 718-3793742.

May 28 – June 8, 2016 – Alaska Cruise Tour (Island Princess)…11 days/10 nights; Air—Land—Rail—Sea from Anchorage (Alaska) through Denali National Park; Sail 7 days; see Glacier Bay-Skagway; Juneau; Kelchikan; fly home from Vancouver, BC. Book before September 30, 2015 - $100/deposit required (price increase after that date).

Contact: Jean, 718-379-3742.

—Delores Debnam

Christmas is over. I hope you received all that you were hoping for.

On January 6th, we will resume playing Bingo in Room 39 at 1:30 p.m.

Remember friends and neighbors

who may not have any family. Drop in and see if they may need anything.

Our heartfelt wishes go out to those of you under the weather for a healthier New Year.

—Ann Schlanger

Goose Island Seniors

Einstein Cancer Fund

Baychester Library Events VISIT THE LIBRARY - A GREAT WEALTH OF INFORMATION

Christmas Eve & New Year’s Eve: CLOSING @ 3 p.m.

EVENTS FOR DECEMBER

Knitting - Mondays, (All Levels); Dec. 28th, 5 p.m.

Teen Program - 3:30 p.m.: Wednesdays, Dec. 30th (Art Afternoon) Kids Program - Thursday, Dec. 31st, 11 a.m. (Noon Year’s Eve Party!!)

Film - Saturdays, 2 p.m. Dec. 26th (Christmas w/the Kranks) Schools out Matinee - Wednesday, Dec. 30., 12 p.m., Disney’s Inside Out

The New York Public Library Baychester Branch • 2049 Asch Loop • Bronx, NY 10475 (Fully Wheelchair Accessible) HOURS: Monday & Wednesday, 10-7; Tuesday & Thursday, 10-6; Friday & Saturday, 10-5. Libros En Español (Books in Spanish).

HORARIO DE LA BIBLIOTECA: Lunes 10-7, Martes 10-6, Miércoles 107, Jueves 10-6, Viernes 10-5, Sábado 10-5, Domingo Cerrado.

718.379.6700 FREE ADMISSION TO ALL

Tuesday, January 12th, 2016: Resort Casino. Cost per person is $33.

Casino slot play $25. Time of pick-up 8:00 a.m., starting at Einstein Loop, followed by Asch Loop and Dreiser Loop. Remember to bring your casino card and a valid photo I.D. Tuesday, May 10th and Wednesday, May 11th, 2016: A two-day trip to the Sight and Sound Theatre for the performance of Samson in Lancaster, PA. Day one: Leave for Lancaster, PA. – 1. Lunch on our own at the Hershey Farm Restaurant. 2. Sight and Sound for the performance of Sampson. 3.

Check into the Hawthorn Inn. 4.

Dinner at Miller’s Smorgasbord.

Day two: After breakfast, depart to the Sands Casino and bonus of the day.

Room Rates per person: double $245; triple $235; single $287. Please send in your deposits for your reservations, balances can be paid off. All balances or full payments must be paid by March 20th, 2016.

For all the above trips, please call Loretta at (718) 671-2958, Annie Eutsey at (718) 320-1874, or Lydia at (718) 671-3005. For memorial cards, please call Loretta.

Please phone the home-bounds and in nursing homes to brighten up their day.

Good health to all.

—Lydia Ruas

Williamsbridge Club

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

Greetings, dear friends, we have been busy since our last event. We have attended events at the National Black Theatre, “Dead and Breathing” and a Ntozake Shange Play reading “Brotherhood” both plays were funny, expressed current themes, thought provoking and enjoyable.

Our next event is an Orientation for prospective new members on January 30, 2016 from 12 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., at Dreiser Loop Community Center. If you wish to become a member, please RSVP to Sandra Hall, 917.972.7732 or Joetta

Brown, 718.328.2302.

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy and a Prosperous New Year to all of our friends.

If you are interested in serving an Internship or Community Service Project, please contact the club at the address listed. We are looking for young people who want to increase their skills.

If you know of a youth age 13 – 18 who would be interested in joining our youth club, please forward the information to us. Please check this column for ongoing information.

Information concerning the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (NANBPWC) may be found at www. nanbpwc.org or Facebook: Thewilliams bridgeBPWC or our mailing address: Williamsbridge Club, P.O. Box 6, Co-op City Station; Bronx, New York 10475.

Our phone contacts are 718.328.2302, Joetta Brown or 917.972.7732, Sandra Hall.

—Joetta Brown

24

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Reflections

by Rabbi Solomon I. Berl Spiritual Leader of Young Israel Synagogue Take a large business, those who run it need different personalities.

Some people are bettor in decision-making, others do well in purchasing, selling or production. But all are needed.

A good society, too, is a balance of many forces. Some people should be liberals, to think of new ideas.

Others should be conservatives, cautious and careful. Even a little bit of the revolutionary and the reactionary help stimulate us. Society has to be made of many components or it will go too far and fast or be too backward.

This thought is found in two quo-

tations from sources as different as day and night. Maimonides in the 12th century, said: “All creation, with its multitude of diversities comprises a unity similar to that of an individual human being. It has differentiated parts, but those parts, are merely distinctive organs complementing one another in the larger life of the whole.”

And Theodore Roosevelt said.

“All of us in our present civilization are dependent upon one another to a degree never before known in the history of mankind, and in the long run we are going to go up or down together.”

Young Israel of Co-op City

Young Israel of Co-op City (lower level of the 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 the candlelighting time. Saturday morning ser-

vices 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.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hi, neighbors of Building 25. As stated in previous articles, I would like our weekly news articles to reflect safety, peace of mind for all of us and community involvement.

I hope each and every one of you living in Co-op City and around the world enjoyed your Christmas holiday with family, friends, neighbors and even strangers.

To the residents of Building 25, thank you for your gracious donations this year, especially during the holidays.

This article will be a quote from the late Maya Angelou who would have been 87 years old this year 2015: “My wish for you is that you continue.

Continue to be who and how you are, to astonish a mean world with your acts of kindness. Continue to allow humor to lighten the burden of your tender heart.”

Our building association meets every third Tuesday of the month generally from September through June at 7:30 p.m. If you cannot make it to meetings due to scheduling or other obstacles in your way, please log onto our building email address at building25ca@gmail. com and address your emails to any or all members of Building 25 Association.

Our next meeting will be scheduled January 19, 2016, notices will be posted near elevators to confirm this date or of changes.

—Wanda Bailey

Building 25 Association

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

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City, Young Israel of Baychester, Section 5 at 120 Erdman Place (behind the lobby 27B), welcomes you to pray with them. Tel. for the Synagogue, 1718-379-6920.

Note: Office hours are on Thursday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

Shabbat ends today, Saturday, December 26th at 5:20 p.m. Candle Lighting on Friday, January 1, 2016 is at 4:22 p.m.

Coming Events: Saturday, December 26th at 9:00 a.m., please join Rabbi Daniel Kronengold and the congregation in prayer and be a part of the Minyon.

Good and Welfare: We have tree certificates “in Honor of” or “in Memory

of” a special occasion or a condolence.

You can give a living gift for the cost of $15 per tree. For more information, call the office at 1-718-379-6920. We can accommodate you.

Mazol Tov to Bruce and Edith Gitelson on the Bat Mitzvah of their granddaughter, Chaya Miriam. Welcome home to Faye Breitbart. To Mimi, get well wishes. Calls are welcome at 646-554-8718. If you are feeling under the weather, we wish you all a speedy recovery.

To all our friends, seasons greetings and a very happy holiday.

Health, happiness, peace and prosperity for our members and for Israel.

Your support is always appreciated.

Shalom.

—Miriam Berlofsky

The Pentecostal Tabernacle invites everyone to worship service at 100 Co-op City Blvd. (Building 22A) Bronx, N.Y. 10475. Tel. 718-324-0334 or 718-320-4218.

Sunday School for all age groups begins at 10:30 a.m. Mid-day worship service starts at 11:45 a.m.

Wednesdays: Prayer and fasting service will be held every Wednesday morning starting at 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Regular prayer meeting and Bible Study will also be held Wednesday evening starting at 7:30 p.m..

Watch night service will be held on Thursday, 12/31, starting at 9 p.m.

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year.

Focus: In the end times, a flood of catastrophes and carnage will sweep the earth however, the child of God lives in hope and peace in Jesus Christ.

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

(Titus 2:13) (St. Luke 21:9-11) But when he shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass, but the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences: and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

The ultimate hope of all believers is that one day they will reach heaven as their eternal destination. Having the Holy Spirit within now gives us hope of being with Christ during eternity.

This living hope enables us to make it

through each day as we anticipate eternity. It is somewhat like the working person who is able to make it through the work week because a weekend is promise to him where he can spend quality time with family members.

During this time of stress in our world, hope gives believers assurance and peace when the world is confused and bewildered by the plethora of problems, the Christian is calmly awaiting for the Rapture and eternity.

Hope creates an attitude of confidence. When a person anticipates something good happening, it establishes a certain boldness and gives that individual the ability to face the future.

Without hope for the future, the person is affected negatively.

Hope also purifies believers. There is something about eternal hope that refuses to associate with sin. Anyone who surrenders to God and lives in His will is inoculated with purifying hope.

(1 John 3:3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure. Hope allows us to be steadfast in our daily walk with God, and to Endure the trials of life. Hope is not the beginning exhilaration of a new adventure.

It is the enduring attitude of one who understands the necessity of holding out unto the end. It is the solid determination that keeps the runner in the Christian race knowing that the prize is not awarded to a participant but to a finisher.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize? So run, that he may obtain. (1 Corinthians 9:24)

Pentecostal Tabernacle

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• FREE CONSULTATION • FLEXIBLE PAYMENT PLANS

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DAVID BRODMAN,Esq.

718.239.7110

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

Community Protestant Church

25

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.

Other Scheduled Events Instead of watch night service, Community Protestant will have “a year-end celebration service” on Thursday, December 31st at 6:00 p.m.

All are welcome to join in this special service of prayers and thanksgiving for the past year and looking forward with prayerful anticipation to the com-

ing New Year 2016.

Sunday, January 10, 2016 at the 11 a.m. Service – Observance of Official Boards Day. Theme: “Brokenness is God’s Requirement for Maximum Usefulness.” Our Guest Preacher will be Rev. Dr. Thomas Johnson, Pastor, Canaan Baptist Church, Harlem, New York.

Sunday, January 17, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. – Ordination of Deacons Service.

Happy New Year In this brand new year, as we go about our Father’s Business, remember we are: “Walking by faith, not by sight, our eyes on the prize we scale the height

Of Christian commitment in a troubled world, holding our ground as some among us fall.

Earnestly helping wherever we can, saying to the Master, yes, here I am.

Helping each other along the way, about our Father’s business every day.”

We wish you a Happy and Blessed New Year.

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

Pastor Anne L. Palmore and the congregation of the Church of the New Vision extend a warm and friendly invitation to everyone to worship with us every Sunday at 8:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m.

We are a church where inspirational messages from the Word of God, the Bible, are delivered every Sunday morning.

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

We also invite the youth of our community to attend our Sunday Morning services, which are designed to meet the special needs of our young people.

Parents, please send your children to learn of the Lord Jesus.

Prayer Service takes place every

Wednesday evening from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., followed by Bible Teaching from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Be with us to learn the truth from the Word of God. Please join us on December 31st at 10 p.m. for our Watch Night Service, as we bring in the New Year with songs and praises unto our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

List of Events Please join us as we celebrate our beloved Pastor Rev. Anne L. Palmore’s retirement on Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 12:30 p.m. at Juliano's in New Rochelle. A donation of $65 for adults and $30 for children (12 years old & under) which is due by January 24, 2016.

To make your reservation, please contact Sis. Sadie James at 718.652.8943, Sis. Loretta Scott at 718.671.2623 or Deacon

Ella Samuel Roy at 646.488.9446.

April 9, 2016 – Sight and Sound Theatre presenting Samson. Adults, $150 and Youth 12 and under, $145. One-day package includes round-trip transportation, all you can eat at Old Country Buffet, all taxes and gratuities, show and outlet shopping. For tickets, call church at (718) 671-8746.

Come Cruise with us in 2016, leaving from NYC on the Fun Ship, Carnival Sunshine, Aug. 1-9. Itinerary: Amber Cove, Dominican Rep., Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. Cost per person: Interior $1,340; Ocean View, $1,420; Balcony $1,710 (tax and port charges

included). A $50 non-refundable deposit is due now; monthly payment accepted; 50% due Feb. 2, 2016; full balance due May 11, 2016. For payment or information, contact Sadie James, (718) 6528943 or Hermena Smith, (718) 708-5035.

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

Please visit our website at www. churchofnewvision.com.

—Carol Haque

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 first Sunday of each month.

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

We look forward to welcoming everyone to service at 9 a.m. on Sunday, December 27, when we will celebrate

the First Sunday after Christmas.

• The Sunday School Children will co-lead this service and also give their Christmas presentation • The new officers elected on December 20 will be installed • After service, refreshments will be served in honor of Father Taylor’s time with us.

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

For additional information on all of the above, please call the church at 718320-0844, or visit our website: http:// www.stjosephsepcbronx.org.

“Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! *how pleasant it is to honor him with praise.” —(Psalm 147:1) —M. Chambers

Greetings from Buildings 30 A and B Association.

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our holiday party and a special thanks to those who brought food and goodies.

We will start Crochet classes again on Wednesday, January 6th at 1 p.m.

The first Pokeno game will be on Friday, the 8th, and the first general building

meeting Thursday, the 14th. The first movie night will be on Friday, the 22nd.

Except for Crochet all monthly evens start at 7:30 p.m. sharp with the door opening at 7 p.m. in the association room, lobby of Building 30B. For all those having a birthday, anniversary, or a new addition, congratulations. For those under the weather, get well soon.

—Linda Werner

Church of the New Vision

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Anglican Church

Buildings 30 A and B Association

26

Year in Review

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015 (Continued from page 4)

issues in a respectful, intelligent dialogue at three separate events held on April 27, May 6 and May 11 in the community centers.

Rev. Deborah Jenkins, a 16-year resident of Co-op City running for a seat on the Board for the first time, emerged as the top vote getter in the Riverbay Board of Directors election, garnering 3,325 votes. The Cooperators with Vision slate, of which Jenkins was a teammate, clinched 4 of the 5 seats. The other winners were: Evelyn M. Turner, 3,099 votes; Rod Saunders, 2,994 votes; Francine Reva Jones, 2,811 and Junius Williams with 2,619 votes.

Riverbay is projected to save nearly $800,000 for shareholders over a 12month period by having Riverbayemployed union workers do all the painting and plastering work in apartments, according to figures released by the Finance Department.

A Co-op City couple was arrested and charged with numerous counts of forgery after 45th Precinct detectives working with Stamford, Ct. and Co-op City Public Safety investigators executed a search warrant for the couple’s Building 8 apartment.

The May 17th Hutchinson River Greenway Clean-Up was a huge success, thanks to the many volunteers who pitched in to help.

In a series of consensus votes at an emergency Open Board meeting in the Bartow Center, the Riverbay Board of Directors did not recommend any of the final three management companies vying for a contract to become Co-op City’s managing agent.

Public Safety officers assigned to the department’s auto crime plainclothes unit detained an individual believed responsible for a rash of auto break-ins in the Co-op City vicinity.

After an investigation that took several months and produced a detailed, 200page report, Riverbay General Counsel Jeffrey Buss called for New York State to legally end Marion Scott, Inc.’s role as managing agent in Co-op City at the Riverbay Board of Directors’ Emergency Meeting held in the Bartow Center.

Jamie Rubin was appointed as the Commissioner of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, succeeding Commissioner Darryl C. Towns.

JUNE The new Riverbay Board of Directors swore in five newly-elected members at the Bartow Center and selected its officers for the 2015-16 year, re-appointing current Board President Cleve Taylor to his

second term.

Riverbay Corp. agreed to institute new policies regarding emotional support animals, calling the changes a positive step forward to accommodating the special needs of residents. Riverbay agreed as part of a consent decree to pay a civil fine of up to $50,000 and to dedicate up to $600,000 in compensation funds for those harmed by the old policies The first of three workshops to assist Co-op City seniors with SCRIE applications was held by NYC-HPD in the Bartow Center.

NYPD, the FBI and the Secret Service, assisted by the Co-op City Public Safety Department Detective Squad, executed a warrant at 140 Elgar Place and arrested a 43-year-old male Co-op City resident without incident and recovered two firearms and a load of different caliber ammunition.

Othelia Jones, a former president of the Riverbay Corp. and one of Co-op City’s most recognizable names on its Board of Directors, retired after more than two decades of service on the board. In 1988, once she retired from AT&T after a distinguished 35 year career, Jones fully immersed herself in the affairs of the community.

Also retiring from service from the Board after two decades was Al Shapiro, who played a leading role during two turbulent periods in Co-op City’s history – from 1987 to 1993 as community leaders were battling with New York State over the needed reconstruction of the development’s crucial Ric-Will system and again beginning in 2000 when Co-op City’s shoddy original construction began crumbling to the point of crisis and the need for immediate capital repairs was essential.

Change was coming from within at Riverbay Corp., led by the new interim management team that has met the daily challenges presented by a community of 55,000 residents while creating a new work culture among the staff of more than 1,000 workers.

Warren Mitchell, Riverbay’s Parking Facilities Director and a licensed real estate broker, had his duties expanded to Assistant General Manager to include oversight of all Riverbay departments involving the leasing of space to shareholders or the general

public.

Public Safety investigators responding to reports of gunshots heard in the vicinity of Section 2 recovered a fullyloaded .45 caliber firearm from a trash can behind Building 11. A complete canvass of the area turned up no suspects or witnesses.

The Co-op City community lost a most beloved and respected religious leader when Rev. Dr. Milca Celeste Plaud succumbed to her battle with breast cancer.

Serving for more than 20 years, Rev. Dr. Plaud was instrumental in the building of the Evangelical Church of Co-op City, United Methodist Church, (UMC).

The Disabilities Expo held in Dreiser Auditorium was presented by the Special Needs Advisory Committee for the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Co-op City, working with the Riverbay Disabilities and Accommodations Committee, chaired by Director Linda Berk, and the Riverbay Community Relations Department.

Acting on alarms raised by an alert lobby attendant, Public Safety officers questioned and eventually arrested a 35year-old Oklahoma man who was suspected of trying to lure young people into his vehicle outside of Building 11.

Many came out to the Greenway to enjoy the annual Co-op City Community Fair and Caribbean Heritage Celebration. Congressman Elliot Engel and the district office of Councilman Andy King were among the attendees.

U.S. Representative Elliot Engel met with Riverbay officials and members of the Riverbay Board of Directors for an update on important matters under discussion by the Board. Board President Cleve Taylor led a review of several topics, including the future management of Co-op City that the Board is now addressing.

Significant progress was made on two long-stalled capital projects at Co-op City’s Power Plant - plans to install the new massive high pressure boiler and the installation of a new permanent water treatment plant to replace the existing leased water treatment equipment currently in use at the plant.

A break in a water main within the

Rev. Dr. Gladys R. Little, Apostle, and Pastor & Evangelist Vernon Little greet everyone in the name of Jesus, that name which is above every name. We want you to know that you are welcome in this house of the Lord! It is His house by ownership: it is our house by stewardship: and it can be your house by membership; so come on in and join with us.

May God bless you in this house!

The best place for God's Word is our hearts. This comes from reading, meditating on, and memorizing it. Let's look at Scripture to support this. Psalms 119:9-16 says: 9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to

your word.

10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.

11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Invitations Sweet Hour of Prayer is today at 3

p.m. Sunday School is tomorrow at 10 a.m. Our Sunday Morning Worship Service is at 11 a.m. Every 3rd Sunday following the morning worship, we serve Holy Communion.

If you’re into gospel rap/holy hiphop, go to www.soundcloud.com and download music from Vernon Little free of charge. He also has videos on YouTube. You will be blessed, encouraged, and inspired.

We are located at 171 Dreiser Loop in Section 1. Our phone # is (347) 2764925. Jesus loves you, and so do we.

He's the reason for the season! Merry Christmas!

—Apostle Gladys R. Little

Faith In God Church & Bible Institute

walls of Building 7 forced Maintenance staff to shut down water service to Building 6, 7 and 8 overnight until repairs were completed the next morning. Flooding was contained to the basement in Building 7.

Thirteen-year-old Matthew Miller of Building 22 was nominated for a spot in the U.S.A. International Black Belt Hall of Fame in the youth division.

Riverbay Buildings and Grounds Department hired 11 temporary workers to help supplement full-time staff with maintaining the grounds through the summer and fall months.

The African-American Association’s Scholarship Committee announced the 2015 Scholarship Award recipients, Simone Brown and Wesley Moore.

Each received $400, a Hidden Colors dvd and a Certificate for Academic Excellence and Community Service.

The process of equipping Co-op City Public Safety officers on patrol with body cameras began in earnest as more than a dozen supervisors, including Lieutenants and Patrol Sergeants, received training on the use of the cameras and related equipment.

Rather than wait for a new outside contractor to complete major repairs still needed at the Dreiser and Bartow shopping centers, workers from the Riverbay Construction Department pitched in to repair concrete steps and other projects.

While temperatures peaked at about 90 degrees in New York City, Co-op City participated in an electrical load shedding event called by Con Edison.

Houses of worship within or on the border of Co-op City received extra protection from Public Safety officers in the aftermath of the tragic church shooting and murders in South Carolina.

The Retirees of Dreiser Loop, Inc. held their 43nd Annual Luncheon at Marina Del Rey in Throggs Neck.

Distinguished Service Awards were presented to Jo Ann Daniels-Harris and Elinor Gordon (posthumously).

Weather did not dampen the spirit of the youth and families who came out and had a fantastic time at the 4th Annual Summer Fun Day hosted by Section 2 -Buildings 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.

The Retirees of Dreiser Loop’s Humanitarian Committee held their first Juneteenth celebration in Dreiser Auditorium, recounting some of the struggles and many of the achievements of African-Americans through Fashion and Dance.

27

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015

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28

Co-op City Times / December 26, 2015