Eastchester REVIEW THE
February 16, 2018 | Vol. 6, Number 7 | www.eastchesterreview.com
Killian gets GOP nomination for Senate By JAMES PERO Staff Writer
Boundless Adventures, an aerial outdoor park with several obstacle courses, will open its first New York state location in Harrison this month. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy Lorrie Funtleyder
Latimer approves gun show ban on county property By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer Westchester County Executive George Latimer, a Democrat, has signed a bill into law that would prevent gun shows from being held on county-owned property. The approval comes just after the Westchester County Board of Legislators, BOL, passed the bill in a 12-5 party line vote on Feb. 5. With his signature, county officials have officially codified an existing executive order to ban gun shows on county property that Latimer made earlier this year just days into taking office as county executive. “There is quite a debate in society at large about the roles of
guns and the role that guns have played in the violent deaths of individuals,” Latimer said during a press conference. “So to me, it’s very logical to say, as was said by [former County Executive] Andy Spano almost 20 years ago, that this type of show is not appropriate in this type of facility.” Gun shows on county-owned property were previously banned after the shooting that took place at Colorado’s Columbine High School in 1999, in which 13 people were killed by two students. After the incident, Spano, a Democrat, issued an executive order banning gun shows. In 2010, former County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, lifted Spano’s executive or-
Westchester County Executive George Latimer, a Democrat, has signed a bill into law that was approved by the county Board of Legislators on Feb. 5, banning gun shows on county-owned property. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.org
der, which allowed for gun shows to be held on Westchester public properties once again. A show
was scheduled to occur at the county center in 2013, but was cancelled after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in 2012. Last year, the BOL passed legislation in a 9-8 vote banning gun shows on county-owned property; however, the bill failed to capture a supermajority approval and was vetoed by Astorino. The vote was sparked by a gun show that occurred at the county center in January 2017. With the Legislature’s bill becoming law, current and future county executives can no longer lift the ban without the Legislature’s vote of approval. CONTACT; franco@hometwn.com
With the Republican nomination in the rearview, former Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian will prepare to take on Democratic candidate and state Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer in an upcoming special election for a crucial state Senate seat. On Feb. 7, Killian won the nomination in a vote by Republican district leaders over candidate Dan Schorr, a former inspector general in Yonkers and previous candidate for Westchester district attorney. Both Schorr and Sarmad Khojasteh, who stepped aside just days prior to the nomination process, have pledged their support for Killian. The nomination will kickstart Killian’s second attempt to win the 37th District state Senate seat after a failed bid to unseat current Westchester County Executive George Latimer, a Democrat, in 2016. Because of a special election, there will be no primary following the nomination process. Similar to her bid in 2016, Killian—who served on the Rye City Council between 2012 and 2017—will run on a platform of reform and bucking an Albany establishment through term limits and a redistribution of school aid. Both Democrats and Republicans consider the open seat— which was vacated by Latimer, who assumed his role as county executive in January—to be a critical one as Republicans currently maintain just a one-seat majority in the state Senate. In New York, Democrats currently control the Assembly and governorship. While Killian will position herself as an alternative to establishment politicians, Mayer will look to capitalize on a reinvigorated Democratic voting base, fueled in large part by opposition to President Donald Trump, that prompted an influx of Democrat-
Former Rye City Councilwoman Julie Killian, a Republican, will go head-to-head against state Assemblywoman Shelley Mayer, a Democrat, for the vacant District 37 state Senate seat after receiving the nomination from her party this week. File photo
ic votes across the county in November. The resurgence catapulted Latimer and local Democrats across the county to a convincing win over seven-year incumbent County Executive Rob Astorino, a Republican, and established a new super majority of Democrats in the county’s Board of Legislators. Both candidates will look to establish a quick presence in an expedited race that will be decided in a special election on April 24th, a date decided by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, earlier this year. The seat is one of two open seats in the state Senate and the winners will face a quick re-election turn around in November when state legislators will run for a new two-year term. The 37th Senate District encompasses the cities of Yonkers, White Plains, New Rochelle and Rye; the towns of Eastchester, Harrison, Mamaroneck, Rye, Bedford and North Castle; and the villages of Harrison, Bronxville, Tuckahoe, Mamaroneck, Larchmont, Rye Brook and Port Chester. Killian could not be reached for comment as of press time. CONTACT: james@hometwn.com
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Fox sentenced in M’ville student’s death By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer Rye resident Emma Fox has been sentenced to six months in jail, followed by five years of probation, for the death of Manhattanville College student Robby Schartner in 2016. According to Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Fox, 26, has been sentenced on second-degree vehicular manslaughter and a charge of DWI for striking and killing Schartner, who was 21 years old at the time of his death. In October 2016, Schartner was returning from a night out in downtown White Plains around 5 a.m. when he was run over on Westchester Avenue by Fox, whose blood alcohol content was 0.21 at the time of her arrest; the legal limit in New York is 0.08. After striking the college student, who was found along the shoulder of Westchester Avenue near the entrance to eastbound Interstate 287, Fox drove approximately half a mile before stopping her car, a 2012 Nissan Sentra, near Meadowbrook Road.
Fox sentenced in M’ville student’s death. Contributed photo
According to the district attorney’s office, a passing motorist called 911 after noticing damage to Fox’s car. As part of her sentence, Fox’s license has been revoked and she will be required to wear an alcohol-monitoring device and an ignition interlock device must be installed on any vehicle in her household. Originally, Fox was facing up to seven years in Westchester County jail. However, in November, Judge Helen Blackwood promised to sentence Fox to
“shock probation,” a split sentence that still included time in jail. In the U.S., a split sentence is a term in which a defendant serves up to half of a term of imprisonment outside of jail or prison. On Feb. 7, Fox told the court, “There’s not a day since Oct. 9, 2016, that I don’t think about what happened and the pain I have caused the Schartner family.” Schartner’s mother, Donna Juliette Ann Hall, was not present for the sentencing, but his stepfather, Scott Hall, read a statement to the court on her behalf. After describing Schartner as “caring, thoughtful, smart and charismatic,” he said of Fox, “People say she’s made a mistake. There was no mistake. You made a decision to drink and drive.” Last August, the Schartner family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Fox and The Pub, the Rye bar where the defendant drank for hours before killing the college student. As of press time, the suit is still pending. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
Hommocks hosts talk on teenagers and social media
The Hommocks Roaring Robots and their coaches accept the first-place trophy for their innovative project design at a First Lego League robotics qualifying event. Photo courtesy Jill Bock
“Please turn off your smartphones and notice your discomfort.” That’s how a recent information-packed panel discussion organized by the Hommocks Middle School PTA began. Moderated by Dr. Alan Dienstag, Psy.D., clinical director at the Larchmont Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center, “Social Media- Our Children’s Secret World,” addressed parents’ concerns about teenagers’ use of social media, smartphones, and the internet. At a time when many teens depend on “likes” to boost self-esteem, and apps are taking the place of face-to-face interaction, it is critical that parents pay attention to the use and misuse of technology. Panelists brought a wide range of expertise to help parents navigate the many ways in which social media affects their children. Tim Nelson, Hommocks guidance counselor, discussed the impact at school, which can range from distraction to students becoming less adept at managing
social situations. Michael Delohery, assistant District Attorney and chief of the High Technology Crime Bureau, highlighted the potential illegal uses of the internet and how to keep children safe. Dr. Juna Bobby, practicing physician and creator of MindBodySpace, addressed concerns about sleep deprivation that can result from overexposure to technology. Dr. Colleen Jacobson, clinical psychologist and professor at Iona College, presented important research about the correlation between rising rates of depression and increased screen time. Laurie Wolk, parent educator and author of “Girls Just Want to Have Likes: How to Raise Confident Girls in the Face of Social Media Madness,” encouraged parents to monitor use and to mentor their kids on how to use tools in a positive way. Dienstag cited surveys about middle school age children and the prevalence of “sexting” and exposure to pornography. He
urged parents to provide a perspective for their children that reflects healthy and realistic relationships. A common theme throughout the evening was the benefit of creating non-screen family time. Parents may underestimate how much influence they have in setting boundaries for their children’s use of social media and smartphones. As Dienstag emphasized, devoting time and attention to becoming role models for our children can help them build stronger relationships at home and with their peers. Additional information about this talk and valuable resources for parents can be found on the Larchmont Mamaroneck Community Counseling Center’s website at communitycounselingcenter.org. (Submitted) The Community Counseling Center is a non-profit agency providing individual, family and group counseling, crisis intervention and school-based prevention programs to adolescents and families.(Submitted)
Eastchester Union Free School District’s
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What’s going on... Eastchester Public Library
attended at least three meetings. Interested? Email newsletterwccc@gmail.com to subscribe to WCCC’s monthly newsletter. Have questions? Contact the club’s president, Joe, at jjt2821@aol.com, or secretary, Scott, at slkconv@aol.com.
Annual Library Tech Day
For more information on hours and programs, visit eastchesterlibrary.org.
‘W.E.B. Du Bois, A Man for All Times’ On Sunday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. Join the library for a one-man play, “W.E.B. Du Bois, A Man for All Times.” This play entertains and enthralls, as it compels the views to travel on this near-100 year journey. Free tickets will be available to all at the Reference Desk. Limit is four tickets per person. Brian Richardson portrays W.E.B. Du Bois, a black American born just after the Civil War, and five years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Du Bois broke many barriers: he graduated from Harvard, studied in Europe, ran for senator, co-founded the NAACP, participated in the founding of the United Nations, and saw segregation declared unconstitutional. He fought tirelessly for anti-lynching laws and civil rights for all people. He died in 1963 on the eve of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington.
Free AARP Tax Help On Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get free AARP tax help every Tuesday through April 17. No appointments necessary; first come, first served. For more information, call the library at 793-5055.
Westchester County Coin Club On Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Westchester County Coin Club, WCCC, holds its monthly meetings here at the Eastchester Public Library. The club, which has been around since 1934, is for numismatists, or collectors of U.S. and foreign coins, paper money, tokens, and medals. Meetings are typically the third Wednesday of each month. The meetings run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There is a “trading table” from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Light refreshments are served at each meeting. Meetings are open to the public. WCCC membership is open to those who have
On Saturday, Feb. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Learn about Kanopy, RB Digital and Mergent, three new e-resources offered at the library. Library staff will be on hand to answer any tech questions you may have. Interested in attending a class or one-on-one instruction? Tech Day is the perfect event to find out what best suits your technology needs. Please bring your own devices and staff will help you download the applications needed to take advantage of all the library has to offer. No registration required.
Bronxville Public Library For more information on hours and programs, visit bronxvillelibrary.org. The library will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19 in observance of Presidents Day.
Online Introductions: The New Blind Date On Saturday, Feb. 17 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. In the old days, single people often relied on friends and family to introduce them to potential partners. As we well recall, this introduction was greeted with a variety of emotions, from downright fear to in-theclouds excitement. It was known as the “blind date.” Today, the blind date is often replaced by online dating and what our friends and family often did for us in the past; the computer now does. Whether you have been online for years, in the “Should I really do this?” phase, or somewhere in between, this seminar provides you with information, caveats, step-by-step instruction and encouragement. Topics include the five top-rated online dating sites, photos, profiles and profile headers, winking versus emailing, phone conversations, the first meeting, conversation starters, online dating scams, and online dating safety tips.
Yoga On Tuesday, Feb. 20 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 24 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Join the library for a one-hour session of yoga. Damien Germino will guide participants through a basic yoga session, which will demonstrate how yoga can have profound positive effect, both physically and mentally, when practiced regularly. Registration is required for either session by calling 337-7680 ext. 24 or emailing bronxvillelibrary@gmail.com.
Social Needlers On Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to noon. Join the library for a knitting and crochet hour every Monday and Wednesday. Participants can chat and socialize while making beautiful items which will be donated to the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.
Musical Adventures at the Library On Thursday, Feb. 22 from 2 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Join the library for a musical storytime by Concordia Conservatory. Participants will celebrate African folktales with the following books: “Who’s in Rabbit’s House?” by Verna Aardema; “Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain” by Verna Aardema; and “Why Mosquitos Buzz in People’s Ears” by Verna Aardema. This performance is sponsored by The Community Fund.
Imagination Station On Thursday, Feb. 22 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Drop by the Children’s Room during the school break to make a craft using materials provided and your imagination. For all ages.
Tuckahoe Public Library For more information on hours and programs, visit tuckahoe.com/library. The library will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19 in observance of Presidents Day.
Healthy Dishes with Chef Annette Zito On Tuesday, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. Join the library where Annette Zito will share healthy recipes. She’ll share how to make delicious quiche cups for easy, healthy breakfasts and nutty, sweet protein bites without processed sugar or preservatives for an energy boost. Registration is required by calling the library at 961-2121.
Play Chess On Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 7 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Every third Wednesday of the month. Have fun learning the basics. Get a chance to play with a partner. Open to all ages. Registration is required by calling the library at 961-2121.
Musical Adventures at the Library with Concordia Conservatory On Thursday, Feb. 22 at 4 p.m. This is a performance program of music and literature by the Concordia Conservatory. Sponsored by The Community Fund. Listen to African folktales “Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain,” “Who’s in Rabbit’s House?” and “Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears,” all by Verna Aardema. Open to ages 6 to 11. Registration is required by calling the library at 961-2121.
AARP Tax Aide Program On Fridays through April 13 from noon to 2 p.m. The Tuckahoe Public Library presents the AARP Tax Aide Program. No appointment necessary; first come, first served. For more information, call the library at 961-2121.
Community news Eastchester Lacrosse K-2 registration Registration for Eastchester Blue Devils lacrosse is open for children in grades K–2. The program will run on Tuesdays and Saturdays starting April 17 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Haindl Field. Boys: full equipment is required including a helmet, shoulder pads, gloves, arm pads, stick, and mouth guard. Girls: required equipment are goggles, a stick, and mouth guard. Every registration will include a free
stick. Please email cklef02@yahoo.com with questions. Register at bluedevilslax.com.
Eastchester schools news Stockings for Soldiers The Eastchester Teachers Association, ETA, is running its annual drive to send filled stockings to soldiers. The ETA is partnering with Homes for Heroes, the Never Forget Foundation, and the Pearl River American Legion, which will ship and deliver the stockings to soldiers overseas, returning veterans, and to the Montrose VA Hospital. Parents are invited to send in items to help fill almost 200 stockings purchased by the ETA. Donated items can be given to homeroom teachers in a bag, envelope or box to the attention of Clare Delongchamp, Eastchester Middle School, or they can be dropped off at the Easchester High School Security Desk. Items which can be included in stockings: tuna packs; breakfast bars/power bars; trail mix/dried fruits/nuts/sunflower seeds; microwaveable food; cereal in single packs; snacks/candy/gum; Q-tips; powdered drinks: iced tea, lemonade, fruit punch; toilet paper/baby wipes; toothbrushes/toothpaste/dental floss; Vaseline; foot powder; eye drops/nose drops; sunscreen; socks/gloves; playing cards/crossword puzzles; magazines/books; DVDs/new CDs; iTunes gift cards; AT&T phone cards; Best Buy gift cards; Christmas candy and decorations; room fresheners. Do not put in anything that can crumble, break or spill. Please do not include any pork products. It is also nice to add a cheerful holiday card.
ArtsWestchester ArtsWestchester is located at 31 Mamaroneck Ave. in White Plains. For more information, including gallery hours, call ArtsWestchester at 428-4220 or visit artsw.org.
Sip & Shop On Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the ArtsWestchester Gallery. Join this happy hour pop-up shopping experience, on every third Wednesday of the month, to grab a drink, meet other art lovers, and shop unique designer products on display. For more information, call ArtsWestchester at 428-4220 or visit artsw.org/ shopsip. RSVP encouraged. Email kmckoy@artswestchester.org if you will attend. Participating designers include Andrea Ross Design & Illustration, Creative Souls Art by Christa Forrest, DAFCO’s African Art Gallery, Galaxy Bijoux, Mateo Mattia, Tupawa, and Unique Beaded Jewelry by Nancy. Proceeds benefit ArtsWestchester’s vibrant exhibition programming.
County news Golf course closings The six county-owned golf courses closed for the season after play on Sunday, Dec. 31. The courses are Dunwoodie, 231-3490, and Sprain Lake, 2313481, both in Yonkers; Maple Moor, 995-9200, in White Plains; Mohansic, 862-5283, in Yorktown Heights; Saxon Woods, 231-3461, in Scarsdale; and Hudson Hills, 864-3000, in Ossining. The courses are expected to reopen in March, weather and conditions permitting. The exact date will be announced. Deadline for our What’s Going On section is every Thursday at noon. Though space is not guaranteed, we will do our best to accommodate your listing. Please send all items to news@hometwn.com.
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Rye creates committee to oversee tunnel project American Cancer Society seeks drivers in Westchester
The Rye City Council created the Long Island Tunnel Advisory Committee on Feb. 8 to oversee the stateproposed construction of a tunnel linking Westchester County to Long Island. Photo courtesy NYSDOT
By FRANCO FINO Staff Writer The Rye City Council unanimously approved establishing a committee to collect information on Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed construction of a tunnel linking Long Island to Westchester County, which recently picked up steam after the state began soliciting ideas from private investors. Known as the Long Island Tunnel Advisory Committee, the council created the ad hoc board on Feb. 8 to oversee the proposal, which suggests connecting either the city of Rye or the village of Port Chester to the town of Oyster Bay on Long Island, among other locations. “This project is still a long way away, but of course Rye’s concern is great,” said Rye City Mayor Josh Cohn, a Democrat, who added that a tunnel would promote congestion around the 95 and 287 interstates. “We’re all familiar with how difficult it sometimes is to get on either of those roads during lengthy traffic times.” The advisory committee will be made up of two members from the city Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee, three residents from neighborhoods near the pro-
posed location of the tunnel at the Rye-Port Chester border, and two others which haven’t been specified as of yet. In late January, the state Department of Transportation, DOT, issued a request for expressions of interest, REOI, seeking input from private investors on engineering, environmental, operations and financial considerations for a future proposal. An REOI is used to assess interest in a project and to solicit ideas and information from interested parties. “It seems like that is a concrete action towards furthering this project, and it is very important to have a group oversee the development and stay on top of it,” said Rye City Councilwoman Emily Hurd, a Democrat, of Cuomo’s REOI. The state’s REOI was sent out just after the release of an 87-page document last month underlining how much it would cost to construct the bridge or tunnel and how much revenue it would generate in tolls per year. The DOT’s study indicates that an 18-mile tunnel connecting Westchester County and Long Island could cost approximately between $31.5 billion and $55.4 billion, and could potentially produce
$500 million in tolls per year. In 2016, the governor secured $5 million for the DOT to test the plan’s usefulness. Cuomo described the construction of a tunnel as “feasible” last month and said it would help alleviate a great amount of traffic pouring out of Long Island. With the creation of the ad hoc committee, the new city administration will echo sentiments expressed by previous administrations. In 2016, former Rye City Mayor Joe Sack, a Republican, promised to “topple” any proposal that would connect Long Island to the Rye area via a tunnel. City officials and residents have always opposed plans to build a tunnel to Rye as the idea has materialized on numerous occasions since the 1930s. Master builder Robert Moses and former Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, a Republican, pursued building a Rye-Oyster Bay bridge in the 1960s; however, it failed to come to fruition after facing opposition from local and state-elected officials in Westchester and Long Island. As of press time, Cuomo’s office has said REOIs are due no later than April 2. CONTACT: franco@hometwn.com
The American Cancer Society needs more volunteer drivers to support the Road to Recovery program, which provides cancer patients with free rides to receive treatment in Yonkers and lower Westchester. This year, an estimated 110,800 New Yorkers will be diagnosed with cancer, and for some getting to treatments can be their biggest roadblock. A successful transportation assistance program can be a tremendous, potentially life-saving asset to the community. That’s why volunteering for the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program is so important. “Every day, we have cancer patients in need of a ride to and from their treatments across Westchester County,” said Maribel Palacios-Perez, program manager at the American Cancer Society. “Even the best treatment can’t work if a cancer patient can’t get there.” Locally, the greatest need is for drivers who can pick up patients at their home and take them to Memorial Sloan Kettering in Harrison, Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, New York-Pres-
The American Cancer Society is seeking volunteer drivers in Westchester for its Road to Recovery program. Contributed photo
byterian/Lawrence in Bronxville, St. John’s Riverside Hospital in Yonkers, Westmed Medical Group in Rye, White Plains Hospital in White Plains, Phelps Hospital-Northwell Health in Sleepy Hollow, New York-Presbyterian/ Hudson Valley Hospital in Croton, and Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco. Nationally, the American Cancer Society currently has nearly 10,000 Road to Recovery drivers but the need for drivers is greater than the number of volunteers. More than 40 percent of transportation requests are unmet. Volunteer drivers are needed to help give cancer patients a much-needed ride. The organization screens and trains all volunteer driver and coordinates the rides for patients. Volunteer drivers donate their time and can pro-
vide as many rides as they want. Agreeing to drive a patient to and from treatment once every six or eight weeks would be tremendously helpful, according to Palacios-Perez. • All drivers must have: • A current, valid driver’s license • A good driving record • Access to a safe and reliable vehicle • Regular desktop, laptop, or tablet computer access • Proof of car insurance The American Cancer Society stands shoulder to shoulder with cancer patients and those supporting them, focused on improving patient access to quality care, including transportation. To learn more about volunteering for the Road to Recovery program, visit cancer.org/road. (Submitted)
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Eastchester REVIEW THE
P.O. Box 485 White Plains, N.Y. 10602 Tel: (914) 653-1000 Fax: (914) 653-5000
Publisher | Howard Sturman ext. 21, publisher@hometwn.com Christian Falcone Associate Publisher | Editor-in-Chief ext. 19, chris@hometwn.com Sports Editor | Mike Smith ext. 22, sports@hometwn.com Assistant Editor | Sibylla Chipaziwa ext. 25, sibylla@hometwn.com General Assignment | Taylor Brown ext. 30, taylor@hometwn.com Graphic Designer | Arthur Gedin Graphic Designer | Jim Grasso Advertising | Lindsay Sturman ext. 14, lsturman@hometwn.com Advertising Coordinator | Nancy Kaplan ext. 27, ads@hometwn.com Staff Writers James Pero, Franco Fino Staff Photographer Jen Parente Columnists Mary Marvin, Richard Forliano
Letters The community’s opinion matters. If you have a view to express, write a letter to the editor by email to chris@hometwn.com. Please include a phone number and name for verification purposes. Community Events If you have an event you would like to share with the community, send it to news@hometwn.com. Delivery For home delivery or to subsribe, call (914) 653-1000 x27.
Taylor Brown General Assignment Reporter Boundless Adventures, an outdoor aerial obstacle course, will open its first New York state location in Harrison next month. With nine different eco-friendly, treetop courses, participants are given the choice of four different skill levels with 14 different courses. The first skill level, yellow, starts at 10 feet off the ground, and the most difficult level, black, is 45 feet in the air. Although Boundless Adventures isn’t affiliated with SUNY Purchase College, the park will be located on the campus at 735 Anderson Hill Road. “The park will give students the opportunity to partake in new challenging and exciting physical education classes,” said Chris Bisignano, athletic director at SUNY Purchase. “The park will also provide additional on-campus jobs and generate funds for the college.” Lorrie Funtleyder, who owns and operates the business with her husband, Brian, said they first got the idea for the obstacle course after visiting a similar style of park in 2012 on a family vacation. “[We] just didn’t look back from there,” she said. Funtleyder said that what attracted her family to the outdoor obstacle courses was how it helps families step away from technology to focus on a common goal. “I think that with all the phones and electronics, it’s sometimes hard to communicate with your
children at this point,” she said. The courses include zip lines, rolling elements, ladders, and bridges. Safety is encouraged on the obstacle courses, and participants wear fullbody harnesses on a belay system, which is a series of ropes secured to a safety line at all times. Prior to beginning Boundless Adventures has 14 different courses of varying skill levels. the courses, customers are asked to sign a waiver, and given a 30-minute park will be open on a seasonal instructional lesson on the course rotation. “We look forward to welcomthey will be going on. Participants are then given ing Boundless Adventures to our campus,” Bisignano said. “We three hours to enjoy the course. “The reason we named the hope that, once the park is up and company Boundless Adven- running, community members will tures is because you don’t have take advantage of this unique exto have boundaries in your life if perience and enjoy a new treetop you don’t want them,” said Funt- view of our beautiful campus.” Tickets begin at $54 for ages 7 leyder, of Rye Brook. “It’s all about testing your boundaries and to 11 and $59 for ages 12 and up. For more information, visit being the best you [can] be.” Boundless Adventures hosts boundlessadventures.com. individual customers, as well as groups of campers, parties, and CONTACT: taylor@hometwn.com nonprofit organizations. Funtleyder said the park is made for anyone “ages 7 to 97.” According to Funtleyder, members of the community have already began responding positively. “People are excited because it’s something that’s good for everybody,” Funtleyder said. The grand opening of the park is on March 31. Thereafter, the
Each course has one to two zip lines.
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Boundless Adventures offers special deals from summer camps, corporate retreats, and groups of friends. Photos courtesy Lorrie Funtleyder
For younger children, Boundless Adventures recommends the Exploration or Motivation courses.
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RECORD NUMBER OF BREWERIES IN NEW YORK Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently announced that New York state is now home to 400 breweries, surpassing the previous record of 393 breweries set in 1876. The number of breweries has skyrocketed in New York since Cuomo hosted the state’s first Wine, Beer and Spirits Summit in 2012, with 243 new breweries obtaining licenses, and beer being brewed in 57 of the state’s 62 counties. Additionally, 202 new farm brewery licenses have been issued since the Governor’s farm brewery law went into effect on Jan. 1, 2013. “Once one of the largest producers of beer in the country, New York continues to lower the costs of business by modernizing laws and rolling back red tape to restore the Empire State as the standing leader in the craft beer manufacturing industry,” Cuomo said. “The enormous growth New York’s craft beverage sector has experienced in recent years is a testament to the innovation, entrepreneurship and hard work of our brewers, who are creating jobs, driving tourism, helping our local farms, and instilling pride in every corner of this great state.” “Existence of craft breweries telegraphs that downtowns are vibrant places to gather and socialize,” said state Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul. “The upstate resurgence is visible in brewing rooms across the state— young entrepreneurs living their dreams, new production jobs in formerly abandoned buildings, and farms that have new markets for their products. The hundreds
of brewers across the state are boosting our economy with an increase in jobs and visitors. I look forward to celebrating their continued success for years to come.” On Jan. 1, 2013, Cuomo’s farm brewery law went into effect, mirroring the highly successful 1976 Farm Winery Act that lead to the tremendous growth of wineries and grape production throughout New York state. The new farm brewery license allows craft breweries that use ingredients grown in New York to conduct onsite tastings, open restaurants, engage in self-distribution, and open up to five no-fee off-site branch stores anywhere in the state. In just five years, 202 licenses have been issued, in addition to 29 farm brewery branch stores with tasting rooms now operating throughout New York. The farm brewery law has also led to a resurgence in New York’s hop and barley production.
Diner Brew Co., based in Mount Vernon, is one of the newest kids on the block. Photo/Taylor Brown
According to Cornell University, in response to a rising demand for locally sourced agriculture, the acreage of hops grown in New York state nearly doubled from 2014 to 2016, while the acreage of malting barley increased by 374 percent over the same twoyear period. New York is also now home to 13 malt houses, all of which have opened following the demand generated by the new farm brewery license. These have also generated employment and
Broken Bow Brewery in Tuckahoe features a taproom where one can sample beers and bring their own food if hungry. Photo courtesy Broken Bow Brewery
economic development for supporting industries, including bottling, construction, freight, printing and advertising, as well as growing agri-tourism in the state, augmenting New York state’s $100 billion tourism industry. The first commercial brewery in colonial America opened in Manhattan in 1632, after settlers quickly realized the state’s climate was ideal for growing hops and barley. New York state’s agriculture sector expanded throughout the 18th century and received a significant boost when the Erie Canal opened in 1825, helping promote the use of locally grown ingredients in beer production—a strong suit of New York’s craft beverage industry today. Later in the 19th century, the state benefited from an influx of English, German and Irish immigrants who brought with them brewing skills that propelled New York into a thriving beverage boom. Between 1840 and 1900, New York grew more hops and brewed more beer than anywhere else in the country, with the number of breweries peaking in 1876 at 393. By the close of the 19th century,
developments in pasteurization, refrigeration, rail transport and bottling shifted the brewing industry from small-scale production for local consumption to an industry dominated by enormous breweries. By 1910, the number of brewers in the state fell to 194, while an epidemic of downy mildew devastated the state’s hop production, followed by the Prohibition in 1920, which finally killed off the industry. When beer production was legalized following the 21st Amendment in 1933, only a small handful of breweries in the state reopened. Today, a new generation of entrepreneurs are reviving New York state’s position as a leader in craft brewing. In October 2012, Cuomo hosted the state’s first Wine, Beer and Spirits Summit, bringing together dozens of beer, wine, cider, and spirits producers, as well as farmers, researchers, industry officials, and tourism experts, who discussed with state officials, specific legislative and regulatory issues facing the beverage industry. Immediately following the summit, the governor implemented a host of regulatory
changes to spur growth in the craft beverage industry, in addition to launching an aggressive marketing campaign to capitalize on the “buy local” movement. Additionally, institutions including Cornell University, SUNY Morrisville, the Geneva Experiment Station and Hartwick College’s Center for Craft Food and Beverage are now engaged in research and offering testing of barely, malt and beer quality, while colleges including Erie Community College, Niagara Community College, the Culinary Institute of America, Schenectady Community College, Morrisville and Hartwick now have programs to train New York state’s next generation of brewers. Cuomo’s reforms have led to a nearly 290 percent increase in the number of breweries since the governor’s first Wine, Beer and Spirits Summit in 2012, growing from 103 in 2012 to 400 today. This includes 10 large breweries, 44 restaurant breweries, 151 farm breweries, 144 microbreweries, and 51 breweries that hold both farm and micro brewing licenses. (Submitted)
12 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • February 16, 2018
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February 16, 2018 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 13
14 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • February 16, 2018
Cards on the table LIVE MIKE Mike Smith
At its absolute best, sports fandom allows even the most grizzled and jaded onlooker to shed that cynicism for a short time and remember what made him or her fall in love with the entire spectacle in the first place. Among baseball fans in particular, there are few things that possess the ability to kick the nostalgia into overdrive quite like the prospect of seeing oneself on a card. And I found out firsthand just how strong that pull is this weekend. As many of my readers may know, I’ve spent the last 12 summers of my life playing in men’s baseball leagues around New York City and working with the various leagues to increase their visibility on social media. From taking photos at the games to maintaining comprehensive stats and even recording podcasts about the goings-on around the adult baseball scene, I’ve got-
ten a lot of positive feedback from players—ranging from 18 to 45—who appreciate the fact that my efforts lend some level of legitimacy to what basically amount to weekend beer league ballplayers whose best years have passed them by. But my latest endeavor—actually printing honest-to-goodness baseball cards—has ramped that enthusiasm up to a fever pitch. I got the idea last season, when one of the league’s longtime players lost his 10-month-old daughter to pediatric cancer. His teammates held various fundraisers to raise money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Fund in her honor, and it seemed only natural to me that our league, the MABL NYC, should pitch in and continue the fight. But in a league full of players who think nothing of spending $200 on a Marucci bat for themselves— yet balk at chipping in an extra $15 to pay the umpires each week—what would be the best way to get them to commit their energy and money to a good cause?
SPORTS
By selling them their own baseball cards. I spent the offseason tinkering with Photoshop, calling printing companies around the country, and perfecting a design which I thought would appeal to most of the players. I crunched the numbers, wrote some short bios and had a few samples made up. On Feb. 11, I took them to our league meeting in Queens, and the response, quite frankly, was more than I could have hoped for. Since the meeting, I’ve been fielding calls from the organization’s 300-plus players, the majority of whom I’ve never met, asking me when they can get their hands on a card of their own. But the more I thought about it, I realized that I shouldn’t have been surprised by the flood of phone calls and emails. Almost every young baseball fan growing up who got his hands on a baseball card wondered what it would be like to see himself in one of those packs, sandwiched between a perennial all-star, some journeyman catcher like Mike
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Sports Editor Mike Smith recently created baseball cards for the members of his adult baseball league as part of a fundraising effort. He is beginning to realize that demand for the cards may be even greater than he previously thought. Photo/Mike Smith
LaValliere, or if he was truly lucky, a piece of stale chewing gum covered in powdered sugar. When we were kids, the thought of a card of our own meant that one day, a new generation of youngsters might look
up to us as heroes, the same way we looked up to guys like Ken Griffey Jr. and Frank Thomas. For guys my age right now, these cards represent something different. Those hopes of playing in the MLB might have
long since passed us by. But even though the dream might be dead, the kid behind the dream lives on.
Follow Mike on Twitter @LiveMike_Sports
SPORTS
Fullteron, Logan claim section crowns By MIKE SMITH Sports Editor On Feb. 10-11, the area’s top wrestlers took to the mat at Sleepy Hollow and Clarkstown South high schools to compete in the annual D-I Section I Tournament. When the dust had settled, some familiar local faces took their spot atop the podium earning well-deserved championship honors. Among grapplers in The Review’s coverage areas, New Rochelle 182-pounder Jake Logan and Mamaroneck’s 145-pounder Crew Fullerton both won titles and cemented their spots as two of the best wrestlers in Section I. Logan, a junior, entered the 201718 as one of the most promising wrestlers in the area and was the topranked 182-pounder all season. In the finals on Sunday, he put a stamp on his terrific season, pinning Horace Greeley’s Jacob Ferreira with 10 seconds left in the first period. Logan had previously topped Ferreira twice, earning a 5-4 win at Eastern States and a 3-1 decision at the Westchester County Championships on Jan. 20, but Sunday’s match— which served as the show-closing finale—lacked the drama that made their first two matches so compelling. “It was definitely nice for Jake to get that moment because coming into the tournament, there was a lot of chatter that [Ferreira] was going to beat him,” said New Rochelle coach Eddie Ortiz. “But I don’t think Jake did anything different; he just saw an opportunity, finished a takedown and got him on his back.” Mamaroneck senior Fullerton also put together a strong finish to his Section I season, pinning Ossining’s Farouk Capalbo in the semis before earning a 6-2 decision over Yorktown’s Pat Patierno in the 145-pound finals to earn his first-ever Section I crown. According to Tigers’ head coach Femi Wheeler, Sunday’s victories were simply a case of the standout putting everything together. “He always had the potential to do this,” Wheeler said. “It was just a question of him continuing to improve to get to where he needed to be.” Both the Tigers and Huguenots fared well overall, as New Rochelle earned a second-place team finish—scoring 115 points to eventual champ Fox Lane’s 145—while Mamaroneck tallied 85 points, which was good enough for a 10th-place showing. The Huguenots had a second-place finisher in 220-pounder Aidan Lilly and the Tigers had one in Trent Wechsler, who fell to Greeley’s
February 16, 2018 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 15
Mamaroneck’s Crew Fullerton walks to the center of the mat following a quarterfinal win at Sleepy Hollow High School. Fullerton won the 145-pound title.
Eastchester’s Steven Bilali competes at Sleepy Hollow High School. Bilali placed second in the 170-pound division.
Harrison’s Tyler Joseph competes at the Section I championships on Feb. 10. Joseph placed second in the 113-pound bracket.
Jake Logan wraps up a Fox Lane opponent on Feb. 10. Logan won the 182-pound final the following day, pinning Jacob Ferreira in the first period. Photos/Mike Smith
Aaron Wolk in the 160-pound finals. “We probably set our goals a little bit higher, but I think it’s important to set lofty goals,” Wheeler said. “And I think for the guys who made it, it’s a little bittersweet for the guys watching them, but it’s just going to light a fire under them for next year.” The Section I titlists—and a few, as of yet unannounced at-large bids—will now set their sights on the state championships, which will be decided on Feb. 23-24 at the Times Union Center in Syracuse. According to Ortiz, success in the state tourney comes down to natural talent and the ability to treat the state’s biggest stage as though it was just another tournament. “I think the biggest thing for the wrestlers is really just managing those emotions,” Ortiz said. “A guy like Jake has wrestled in tougher tournaments, but the scope and the magnitude of this one – the finality of the season – a lot of times guys just feel more pressure.” CONTACT: sports@hometwn.com
16 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • February 16, 2018
INSIDE
February 16, 2018 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 17
Lifestyles of Westchester County/FEBRUARY 2018 VOL. 6 NO.1
INSIDE WESTCHESTER COUNTY
camp PROGRAMS The natural gifts of camp Top ten things you never knew about camps
Summer camp at the Brunswick School Being away from home builds self-esteem, independence
18 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • February 16, 2018
The Natural Gifts of Camp By Richard Louv Every summer, when I was in junior high and high school, my buddy Pete Sebring would disappear for a few weeks to a camp in the mountains west of Colorado Springs. I resented it. For me, those humid July weeks back in Kansas dragged, and then Pete would come home telling tales of adventure — as if he had been to some alpine Oz. As it turns out, that camp shaped Pete in ways neither of us realized at the time. He credits his summers in Colorado with giving him a foundation for success and longevity — more than three decades — as a teacher. “The camp encouraged me to invent activities, such as pioneering, survival hikes and overnights, and identifying native plants of central Colorado,” he says. “Once while picking ground plums, which tasted like raw green beans, we uncovered an ancient hunting site full of arrowheads, charcoal, and flint chips. I also encountered brown bears, coyotes, pumas, and wolves — one white and one black. Only the kids with
me believed me.” I was one of those who didn’t believe that Pete had encountered wolves. This morning, I checked the history: The Colorado Department of Resources reports that, while wolves were, by official measure, eradicated in the 1930s, “there have been sporadic reports of wolves in Colorado over the decades” — none confirmed. They may have been wolf-hybrids or dogs or, just maybe, wolves. “Their night howls were long, sonorous, and unnerving,” Pete recalls. One more reason I wished I could have gone to summer camp with him. Still, during those years, I had my own adventures — a freerange childhood spent fishing and chasing snakes and building forts in the woods. Those experiences shaped my life every bit as much as Pete’s time at camp shaped his. Today, too few children and young people have either experience — free-range or camp. In my book, Last Child in the Woods, I describe how young
people can likely tell you about the Amazon rain forest, but they’ll likely be hard pressed to describe the last time they explored the woods in solitude or lay in a field listening to the wind and watching the clouds move. Nature is becoming an abstraction, something to watch on the flip-down TV screen from the back seat of a minivan. In 2005, “Generation M: Media in the Lives of Eight- to Eighteen-Year-Olds,” conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, revealed that children are plugged into some kind of electronic medium an average of five-and-a-half hours a day, “the equivalent of a full-time job, and more time than they spend doing anything else besides sleeping.” One reason kids aren’t going outside as much is parental fear. News and entertainment media have conditioned us to believe that life outside the front door is far more dangerous than it actually is, at least from stranger-danger. Nonetheless, this fear is unlikely to go away, which is one of the reasons parents are likely to value camps even more
in the future than they do today. Risk is always a part of life, but camps can offer parents the reassurance that their children will be safe as they receive the gifts of nature. The physical benefits are obvious; others are more subtle but no less important. For example, research shows that nature experiences significantly reduce children’s stress. Free play in natural areas enhances children’s cognitive flexibility, problem-solving ability, creativity, self-esteem, and self-discipline. Effects of Attention Deficit Disorder are
reduced when children have regular access to the out-of-doors. Studies of outdoor-education programs geared toward troubled youth — especially those diagnosed with mental-health problems — show a clear therapeutic value. Children are simply happier and healthier when they have frequent and varied opportunities for experiences in the out-of-doors. Nature-oriented camps also help care for the health of the earth; many studies show that nature play in childhood is the chief determining factor in the
environmental consciousness of adults. Clearly there’s more to camp than s’mores. Pete could have told us that. In fact, he did. Richard Louv is the author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder and chairman of the Children & Nature Network (www.cnaturenet.org). Originally published in the March 2014 Camp e-News. Reprinted by permission of the American Camp Association.©2014 American Camping Association, Inc.
February 16, 2018 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • 19
TOP TEN THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT CAMP Camp has become a staple of the summer season. Each year, millions of children, youth, and adults head to the hills, lakes, valleys, and parks to participate in the time-honored tradition of camp. And, while most people easily conjure up images of campfires and canoes, there is a lot more to the camp experience. Here are ten things you may not have known about the camp experience. 10. Camp is older than dirt, almost literally. Started in 1861, the camp experience turned an impressive 150 years young in 2011. The secret behind the longevity? “Camps are adapting to meet the needs of today’s campers,” says Tom Rosenberg, president/CEO of the American Camp Association. “At the same time, the impact camp has on campers, the life-changing experience, has remained after all these years.” 9. Camp is worth its weight in gold, and then some! The camp experience is life-changing – developing friendships and memories that last well beyond the final campfire. And, there is a camp for literally every budget. Often camps offer special pricing or financial assistance, and some camp experiences qualify for tax credits or for payment with pre-tax dollars. Visit ACA’s Affording Camp page for more information. 8. Green is “zen.” Research shows that first-hand experience with nature, like those at camp, reduce stress in children and help them better handle stress in the future. In addition to teaching children how to be good stewards of the environment, camps are teaching children how to enjoy the world around them and take a minute to breathe deep and feel the nature, which ultimately teaches them how to de-stress the natural way. 7. Mommies and Daddies do it too. Camp is not just for children and youth. There are family camp experiences, and camps for single adults, senior adults, and any adult that wants to relax and enjoy all camp has to offer. Adults benefit from the same sense of community, authentic relationships, and self-discovery that children do. Camp is an excellent vacation option, allowing adults to try a variety of new activities in a safe and fun environment. 6. Try this on for size! Camp is a great place to try new activities and hobbies. Afraid of rock walls? According to ACA research, 74 percent of campers reported that they tried new activities at camp that they were afraid to do at first. And, those activities often leave lasting impressions. In the same survey, 63 percent of parents reported that
Summer Camp at The Brunswick School
their child continued new activities from camp after returning home. 5. Manners matter, and often linger. The camp experience teaches more than just archery or lanyard making. The entire experience is made of teachable moments, perhaps one of the biggest is how to live with a group of people. Campers learn to pick up after themselves, respect each other’s property, and to say “Please” and “Thank You.” 4. Veggies taste better with friends. Hollywood and fictional novels may have given camp food a bad reputation, but in truth, camps are constantly exploring healthy food options, and often are at the forefront of things like allergy specific diets, healthy snack options, and vegetarian meals. According to ACA’s 2011 Emerging Issues survey, 90.7 percent of responding camps indicated that healthy eating and physical activity was an important or very important issue. 3. If everyone else went to camp, maybe there’s something to it! Camp has played an important role in the lives of some of the most talented people in history. ACA’s family resource site offers a list of notable campers – including business professionals, celebrities, artists, and great thinkers. 2. Camp gets those neurons pumping! Education reform debate and concern over summer learning loss have pushed academic achievement into the spotlight. Research shows that participation in intentional programs, like camp, during summer months helps stem summer learning loss. In addition, camp provides ample opportunity for developmental growth, which is a precursor to academic achievement. And, because of the “hands-on” nature of camp, often children who struggle in traditional education settings do well at camp. 1. Camp builds leaders for the 21st century and beyond! Independence, resiliency, teamwork, problem-solving skills, and the ability to relate to other people — these are the skills that tomorrow’s leaders will need, and the skills camp has been adept at building for 150 years. For more information on preparing your child for an independent, fun-filled summer, visit ACAcamps.org. Or, follow ACA on Facebook and Twitter for helpful hints and camp information. Contact Public Relations at 765.346.3391 or pr@ACAcamps.org to interview an ACA spokesperson or for more information about preparing for camp. For customizable public service announcements or article reprints, visit our Press Room.
SPORTS CAMP The Brunswick Sports Camp, now in its 75th, year will continue to develop and improve athletic skills of children ages 5 – 14. This camp is designed for the travel athlete as well as the first timer; we will meet your campers’ needs. Our awesome curriculum gives campers core and recreational sports. With over 10 hours of athletic instruction, designed and implemented by varsity coaches, and 15 hours of participation in games, your camper will have the greatest summer ever. Additionally, each camper will have a chance to win fun, daily competitions in baseball, squash (taught by Varsity Squash Coach Ryan Abraham), basketball, football, tennis, or lacrosse, and campers will have opportunities to participate in games like
badminton, speedball, handball, flag football, four-square and so much more. Your camper will get all of this while learning the importance of good sportsmanship and the fundamentals of each sport. Brunswick School’s facilities boast 600 yards of playing fields, nine swimming lanes with an adjustable-depth platform, two hitting tunnels, a bullpen and dugouts, and plenty of indoor space for use during rainy days or exceptionally hot weather. DAY CAMP WELCOME TO CAMP BEARLOCK! Brunswick School’s Day Camp is designed to provide fun and engaging activities for boys and girls entering grades K-4. This two-week full-day program will feature swimming, athletics, STEM, artistic expression, and daily
Camp Adventures. Schedules vary, however, all campers will receive daily swim time and lessons in the Brunswick Natatorium, and experience Bearlock athletics designed to expose campers to a variety of skills and games through a physical education lens. Artistic Expression includes traditional camp art as well as dramatic play designed to instill confidence and the “willingness to try,” and Camp Adventure includes various activities such as karaoke, science and expeditions to local nature centers, campfire stories, orienteering, scavenger hunts, and team-building exercises. Last but not least, our STEM component exposes campers to activities in which they build, create, and problem-solve using a variety of engineering tools and media.
20 • THE EASTCHESTER REVIEW • February 16, 2018
Being Away from Home Builds Self-esteem, Independence
separations, such as sleepovers at a friend’s house, can simulate the camp environment. Involve children in the process of preparing for camp. The more they own the decision, the more comfortable they will feel being at camp. Make sure to understand the camp’s philosophy on how issues, such as homesickness, are addressed. Talk candidly with the camp director to understand his/ her perspective on the adjustment to camp life. Discuss what to expect at camp before leaving for camp. Consider role-playing anticipated situations, such as using a flashlight to find the bathroom. Reach an agreement ahead of time on calling each other, but make sure to honor the camp’s policy on phone calls. Send a note or care package ahead of time to arrive the first day of camp. Acknowledge missing One of the many joys of parenthood is helping children navigate new waters. And, while often these situations are met with hesitation, slight anxiety — or in the case of some first-time campers, homesickness — it is these moments that develop the twenty-first century skills needed in adulthood. New situations, such as going away to camp, serve as teachers in life’s classroom — developing leadership, self-esteem, teamwork, independence, and problem-solving. It’s important, even critical,
for parents to help children overcome any feelings of hesitation in order to help them grow. Take camp, for example. From a child’s perspective, camp is fun, fun, fun! Parents know that camp provides immeasurable growth opportunities, and is a vital part of childhood. As the day approaches, even the most excited campers sometimes get nervous about being away from home. “Homesickness is completely normal,” said Michael Thompson, consultant, author, and psychologist in a recent PBS
Parents article*. “If a child loves his or her parents and has a good home, why wouldn’t he or she feel some longing for mom, for dad, for the dog, or for home cooking?” It is up to parents, then, to help ease the transition to camp, and help their children grow from the experience. The American Camp Association® (ACA) suggests the following advice to help alleviate anxiety and get a jump start on life’s lessons. Encourage independence throughout the year. Practice
the child, in a positive way. For example, saying “I am going to miss you, but I know that you will have a good time at camp,” lets the camper know that families are thinking about them, but confident in their ability to adapt to camp. Pack a personal item or two from home, such as a stuffed animal. Avoid bribing behaviors. Families send the wrong message when they link a successful stay at camp to a material object. Families should focus on the real rewards — like new found confidence and independence. Don’t plan an exit strategy. If a “rescue call” comes from the child, offer calm reassurance and put the time frame into perspective. While most incidents of homesickness pass quickly, parents know their child best. If parents have concerns (for example, the child is not eating or sleep-
ing, or appears overly anxious), they should immediately talk to their camp director. Camp staff are trained to identify and ease homesickness, and are a valuable resource for parents as well as campers. For more information on preparing your child for an independent, fun-filled summer, visit www.ACAcamps.org. Or, follow ACA on Facebook and Twitter for helpful hints and camp information. Contact Public Relations at 765.349.3317 or pr@ACAcamps. org to interview an ACA spokesperson, or for more information about preparing for camp. For customizable public service announcements or article reprints, visit our Press Room at www. ACAcamps.org/press-room. *Michael Thompson, Ph.D., “Helping Kids Beat Homesickness at Sleep-Away Camp,” PBS Parents, May 2011.