Eastchester REVIEW THE
October 13, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 39 | www.eastchesterreview.com
Students take part in anti-opioid summit
SCORE! Three teams from Rye Racquet Club made up of women 40 years and over will be going to the United States Tennis Association’s national championship this month. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy Corinna Ausfahl
Lil Chameleon hosts ribbon cutting ceremony The public is invited to a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony hosted by Lil Chameleon on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 at 11 a.m. at 29 Elm Street in Tuckahoe. Mayor Steve Ecklond will be welcoming and performing the ribbon cutting ceremony. Immediately following the ceremony, guests will enjoy light refreshments, free face painting from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45p.m., and a free beading class for kids from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Lil Chameleon opened its doors to the public on Oct. 4, 2017. Not only is it a premier kid’s resale boutique, but also has a self-serve cashless cafe, party space rental with party packages available and enrichment opportunities for the whole family. Lil Chameleon sells gently used clothes, toys and books for children ages newborn to 12 years old. The store also accepts donations for cash or in-store
credit. The store’s café sells locally sourced, organic snacks, refreshing beverages and family-friendly activity areas. For more information about Lil Chameleon visit LilChameleon.com. Since moving from Brooklyn three and a half years ago, CC Benitez, founder of Lil Chameleon, longed for a fair and transparent place to sell her sons outgrown clothes, toys, and gear in Westchester. She also wanted a space where she could meet oth-
er moms and grab a cup of coffee where her son could play. She founded Lil Chameleon to take the hard work out of buying and selling kids items, provide a safe space for families, offer healthy snacks and give back to the community by partnering with local social service organizations. Benitez embraces style-wise, quality-conscious, earth-considerate, family-centric and community-minded values in all she does. (Submitted)
On Oct. 16, Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino urged more than 400 students from across Westchester to become part of the solution in the lifeand-death fight against opioid addiction. Joined by BMX Olympic coach and recovering addict Tony Hoffman, Astorino led a Youth Summit at the Westchester County Center aimed at fighting a drug epidemic that has caused a 200 percent increase in fatalities in the county from 2010-2015. Students from 37 schools took part in the day-long summit that was part of the county’s Project WORTHY (Westchester County Opioid Response Teams Helping You) program launched earlier this year. The program mobilizes a full array of available resources and expertise to combat the growing opioid and heroin epidemic that affects all communities and people of all ages. “Young people are dying,” Astorino said in his remarks. “This is not a show; this is not just a day-long assembly. This is serious business, and we need your help. Young people are on the front lines of this epidemic. You are eyewitnesses to what’s happening in schools, at parties, at the mall and on the bus. You come from all walks of life, and all kinds of neighborhoods. That’s the kind of real-life experience we need if we are ever going to wrap our arms around this deadly situation.” The goal of the Youth Summit was to bring together students and have them come up with ideas on how to fight the epidemic in their own schools and neighborhoods. Hoffman, the keynote speaker, spoke of his personal experiences, notably how poor choices and a bad attitude led to his addiction. Hoffman’s drug addiction caused him to lose friends
and family and he eventually became homeless. He was so desperate for drugs at one point in his life that he committed an armed robbery and other drug related crimes that landed him in prison for several years. “When I was 18, I had no idea I was about to become a heroin addict,” Hoffman said. “I had every single thing that you would need to be successful in life … There are no short-cuts in life; every short cut you take will end up being the long road.” While in prison, Hoffman had a “spiritual awakening” and started to turn his life around. He set goals and embarked on a path that resulted in him becoming a BMX Elite pro who placed second in the 2016 World Championships and coached in the Rio Olympic Games that same year. He is currently the founder and director of The Freewheel Project, a not-for-profit that mentors young people through sports and teaches them leadership skills and to make healthy life choices. He is currently writing his first book, titled “Coming Clean.” But even now and sober for more than 10 years, Hoffman said there are reminders of his past all around him. “Every single day, the doorway wants to tempt me,” he said. “If you don’t walk through that door, you don’t have to worry about this.” Monday’s Youth Summit was part of ongoing events that operate from Project WORTHY’s four foundational blocks – education, integration, prevention and action – all of which bring together the resources necessary for each of those areas. In addition to the keynote speaker at the Youth Summit, there was a panel of young adults who have been affected by opioid and heroin addiction, and two interactive workshops where students discussed ways they can stop or prevent abuse, and take back their schools. (Submitted)