RyeCity REVIEW THE
June 14, 2019 | Vol. 7, Number 24 | www.ryecityreview.com
County 9/11 Related Illnesses Memorial Committee selects leadership The Westchester County 9/11 Related Illnesses Memorial Committee has selected leaders who will work to create the memorial, which will be located adjacent to “The Rising” at the Kensico Dam. Matt McCauley and Peter Woods were elected by the committee, which includes family members of the victims, to serve as co-chairs. Patti Mallison and Ellen Peifer will be working on the request for proposal for the project, review artists’ submissions for the memorial and work with the committee to select the final design. Anne Byrnes and Veronica Sullivan will work on fundraising for the project. “These newly selected leaders of the 9/11 Related Illnesses Committee are dedicated individuals who will undoubtedly memorialize those we have lost, and unfortunately will continue to
lose, in a way that brings peace to their families, friends and neighbors,” County Executive George Latimer said. McCauley is a retired New York Police Department officer and paramedic, who worked as a first responder on 9/11 at Ground Zero. He is a lifelong resident of Westchester, who currently works as an attorney on 9/11 related issues and is active member of the Feel Good Foundation. Woods is retired New York Police Department sergeant, who worked as a first responder on 9/11 and at Ground Zero for five months. He resides in Hartsdale with his wife and two daughters, and is a fire commissioner in the Hartsdale Fire District. “County Executive George Latimer has been a longtime supporter of first responders and the 9/11 community throughout his entire career. It is great to see that
he understands the importance of having a memorial,” McCauley said. “In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks our first responders were present at Ground Zero. Now as many of them are becoming sick and dying, it is important for our county to recognize the sacrifice.” Woods said: “It’s a special honor to be co-chair of the 9/11 Related Illness Memorial. We owe a great deal to our first responders who have passed due to 9/11 illnesses. They gave the ultimate sacrifice. We must keep their memory alive.” Mallinson is a resident of Harrison who lost her husband, Harrison Police Officer Walter Mallinson in 2017. She currently works as a teacher in Harrison. Peifer is a resident of Hartsdale who lost her husband, NYPD Capt. Ronald G. Peifer, in 2014. She is a retired teaching assistant
and active volunteer at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Elmsford. Byrnes is a resident of Pleasantville who lost her husband, FDNY Battalion Chief Kevin Byrnes, in 2004. She is an active volunteer at Holy Innocents Church, facilitating bereavement groups. Sullivan is a resident of Pleasantville who lost her father, James Patrick Sullivan—a Transit Authority employee who assisted in the recovery effort, in 2015. She currently works as a teacher in Rye. If you know someone who has died due to 9/11 related illnesses or are interested in joining the committee please contact Matt McCauley at MMcCauley@ turkenheath.com or 343-5251. The next meeting of the Westchester County 9/11 Related Illnesses Memorial Committee will be held at the Kensico Dam on June 19, at 5:30 p.m. (Submitted)
Summer ready With the summer season about to kick into high gear, Playland is rolling out four new entertainment options as well as an exciting laser show that will make every trip to the park this season memorable. For more, see page 6.
Corrections staff and inmates bring comfort to children On June 6, correction officers, inmates and administrators from the Westchester Department of Correction kicked-off a new and unique partnership with their “next door neighbor”—the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. With both the hospital and the correctional facility calling the Grasslands Reservation home, corrections staff and offenders have committed to supporting the compassionate care provided to these young patients and their families. One phase of the partnership, spearheaded by the correction officers’ union, provides ‘comfort kits’ for patients’ families that contain toiletries, travel pillows, gum, mints and other items. Mary Delaney, director of the hospital’s Family Resource Center explained that families may find themselves at the hospital under various circumstances. “Moms and dads often arrive at Maria Fareri in an ambulance following a trauma-related event or due to a sudden illness,” Delaney said. “They may have forgotten their wallet or purse. Additionally, we have families who may be at the Hospital for months at a time, perhaps when their child is undergoing extensive medical treatment. While it may seem like a small thing, being able to provide the family with the gift of a fresh toothbrush, deodorant or a travel pillow lessens the financial burden on families and provides them with comfort which, in turn, allows them to focus on supporting their child in their journey of
healing.” The second phase of the partnership involves ‘giving-back’ by female offenders housed at the county jail. Over the course of the past several months, volunteer Carol Berton taught them to crochet baby blankets, hats and booties, which were donated Thursday to the hospital for use by newborns and toddlers. “The crochet give-back program aligns with our mission of ‘restorative justice,’ in which offenders focus on repairing broken communities and being accountable for past acts,” said Joseph Spano, Department of Corrections commissioner. “In learning to crochet, our female offenders—many of who are moms themselves—learn a lifelong skill. Using their time in custody to provide comfort to a child that they may never meet can have a tremendous impact on personal growth and reflection.” The revitalized crochet and comfort kit program harkens back to the 1970s, when correction officers conducted toy drives for disadvantaged children and offenders knitted blankets for what was then Grasslands Hospital. “I first learned to knit from Captain Marva Brown in the early nineties,” said Tracy T., 55, of Port Chester. “When I am sitting and making a blanket it gives me a sense of peace and helps take my mind off other things. I like to keep my hands busy, and [it] is nice to know that I am giving something back.” (Submitted)
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