Co-op City Times 05-03-25 by Co-op City Times

2025 Riverbay Board of Directors Election! Your Voice, Your Vote, Your Questions!

Thirteen Certified Candidates in 2025 Board Election to Outline Platforms in First Election Supplement

By ROZAAN BOONE

Thirteen of the 14 candidates certified last week by the 2025 Election Committee will present their first campaign statements in the Saturday, May 10th Co-op City Times as they compete for one of five open seats on the Riverbay Board of Directors.

Earlier this week, Ronald Hartridge informed the Election Committee of his decision to withdraw his candidacy.

On Monday, April 28, during the Candidates’ Orientation meeting held in Room 28 at the Bartow Center, a virtual drawing was held to determine the order in which the candidates’ names will appear on the ballot. The results were:

1. Kevin Lambright

2. Tanya Clark-Ingram

3. Bishop Angelo Rosario

4. Leslie Peterson

5. Anika Green-Watson

6. Keith Logan

7. Daryl Johnson

8. Sonia Feliciano

9. Shacara Gibbs

10. Idalia Reyes

11. Grace Solomon

2025 Board Election Candidates’ Forum #1

Saturday, May 10, 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. Dreiser Loop Auditorium

Submit forum questions for candidates no later than Monday, May 5th to: riverbay2025election @riverbaycorp.com

BY DANIELLE CRUZ

Names will be automatically rotated on the ballot. This same order will be used for speakers at the three scheduled Candidates’ Forums and in the first Election Supplement published on Saturday, May 10. In the May 17 and May 24th Election Supplements, the order of candidates’ statements will be rotated to give each candidate the chance to be among the first five published in at least one of the three election issues of the newspaper.

Certified candidates are reminded that this coming Monday, May 5, at noon, is their first deadline for submission of their headshot, ¼ page ad and 300-word statement for the May 10th Election Supplement.

In the three election supplements, the candidates will outline their qualifications for the position of Riverbay Board director and their views on issues facing the community in their statements. Although Riverbay provides each candidate with a free ¼ page ad, which remains constant in the election supplements, candidates may also purchase additional advertising in the newspaper.

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Governor Shares

Update on Efforts to Address Fare Evasion

By BRANDON ORTIZ

Governor Hochul shared an update on April 28 about the MTA’s recent efforts to address fare evasion across buses and subways.

Overall, data shared by the Governor and MTA suggest that the work to improve paid ridership numbers has been effective. Compared to 2021, MTA fare revenue is up 67%. From 2023 to 2024, fare revenue grew by $322 million and surpassed $5 billion in 2024.

Current ongoing efforts by the MTA to curb subway fare evasion include

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Attention Shareholders of Building 4A, 4B and 4C Gas Line Shut Down

On Monday, April 28, a leak in the main gas line was discovered and Con Edison shut off service to the main gas line that supplies gas to the apartments. This will affect everyone in Building 4A, 4B and 4C.

To facilitate the restoration of gas service to the buildings, shareholders will be asked to provide access to their apartments on multiple occasions until the repair process is completed and the gas line is deemed safe by both the Department of Buildings and Con Ed.

Throughout the process, Riverbay will advise shareholders of our progress and provide updates as the conditions evolve. Shareholders are also encouraged to fill out a phone tree form and submit it to CSO to receive updates via phone tree.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

—Riverbay Management

Local Officials Tour Yellow Schoolhouse and Discuss Potential Youth Center

By DANIELLE CRUZ

On Thursday, May 1, Riverbay Board President Rod Saunders, Riverbay Management and representatives for Assembly Member Michael Benedetto, Senator Jamaal T. Bailey and Council Member Kevin C. Riley, toured the Yellow Schoolhouse located along

2024 Income Affidavits Due Now

The 2024 Income Affidavit was due on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Co-op City shareholders who have not yet filed are encouraged to submit the form as soon as possible.

Shareholders have two options to file their 2024 Income Affidavits, either by filing out the traditional paper form, which was mailed to all cooperators required to file, or by filing an electronic form which is available on the Riverbay website at https://www. coopcity.com/income-affidavit

For shareholders opting to file the paper form, the completed income affidavit, along with support-

ing documents, can be deposited into the carrying charge boxes located in the community centers or emailed to RiverbayFinance@riverbaycorp.com

Completed income affidavits can also be mailed to the following address: Riverbay Corporation, Finance Department, Attention: 2024 Income Affidavit, 2049 Bartow Avenue, Bronx, NY 10475. All paper income affidavits must be notarized

A fillable pdf of the 2024 Income Affidavit form is also available on the Riverbay website. To access it, visit https://coopcity.com, click on the “Resources” tab and then select “Finance” from the dropdown menu. Instructions on how to complete the

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form can also be found there.

A Frequently Asked Questions guide is also available at www.coopcity.com/income-affidavit. For any additional questions/concerns about filing the 2024 Income Affidavit, shareholders can call 718-320-3300.

Questions about the electronic filing process can be sent to incomeaffidavit@riverbaycorp.com and questions about the paper filling process can be sent to RiverbayFinance@riverbaycorp.com. Any questions regarding the insurance documentation should be addressed to the Risk Management department at 718-320-3300, Ext. 3388.

12. Leah Richardson

13. Darnell Lopez

The deadline for the second election supplement, to be published on Saturday, May 17, is Monday, May 12, at noon. At that time, candidates are only required to submit a 300-word statement. The third and ﬁnal deadline is at noon on Monday, May 19, for the ﬁnal 300-word statement to be published on Saturday, May 24.

Physical copies of the Co-op City Times are delivered on Saturday mornings to the newspaper bins in the high-rise building lobbies, the three community centers and to every townhouse door. The newspaper can also be read online at issuu. com/cctimes, on the Home page of the Riverbay website at coopcity.com, and on X, Threads and Bluesky, @coopcitytimes. You can also use your phone camera to scan the QR code afﬁxed to the newspaper bins in your lobby or on the top of page 3 in this issue of the Co-op City Times.

In addition to the three Election Supplements, shareholders will have the opportunity to see and hear the candidates debate their positions at three ofﬁcial Candidates’ Forums. The ﬁrst Candidates’ Forum is scheduled for Saturday, May 10, Dreiser Auditorium, 1 p.m. (In-person & broadcast live on the Riverbay Crawler).

The Riverbay Crawler can be accessed on channel 12 (MATV subscribers) and channel 591 (Altice subscribers).

The Election Committee invites shareholders to submit questions to be presented to the candidates at the forums in the following categories: Safety and Quality of Life, Budgeting, Leadership, Future of Co-op City and miscellaneous topics of relevance to the candidates’ role as members of the Board of Directors, the policy-making body of the Riverbay Corporation. Questions should be submitted to Riverbay2025Election@riverbaycorp. com no later than Monday, May 5.

This year, 5,041 certiﬁed ballots are needed for a quorum to validate the Board election.

The election process is monitored by the 2025 Election Committee to ensure all candidates and their supporters abide by the Election Rules and Regulations and the process is fair to all candidates. Board Directors Monique Colemand and Leah Graham are co-chairs of the Committee. The Committee is also made up of shareholder-volunteers.

Posting of campaign signs, literature and other material in Co-op City is prohibited except on personal property, or within a shareholder’s premises, with the owner’s permission. The election rules allow any candidate, their supporter or Riverbay employee to remove illegally posted campaign material.

Candidates and their supporters are reminded that campaign literature can be handed out at any time, or slipped under apartment doors between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. only. All campaign literature used, whether handed out, posted or transmitted/distributed electronically, must include the name, address or post ofﬁce box of the person or organization issuing the campaign material or sending such email, and, in the case of an organization, the name of the chair or treasurer of that organization.

Election Rule D 2(d) states: “Candidates shall not (i) use social media or email anonymously or under an assumed name, (ii) engage in personal attacks on fellow candidates or shareholders, or (iii) make defamatory statements. Any such conduct shall be a violation of these rules and the candidate may be subject to sanction by the Committee.”

Rule D 2(e) also advises candidates and/or their supporters that the use of Robo-calling or similar systems to contact shareholders for campaigning or election-related purposes is prohibited.

Election Rule B (1) states that candidates must continue to reside in Co-op City for the entire term

of office in order to serve as a Board director. Further, Rule B (3) states: “No candidate may be indebted to Riverbay on the date candidates are certified or on the date votes are counted,” as this is grounds for disqualification. Rule B (3) also states that “all candidates must remain current throughout the election period for unpaid carrying charges or other debts to Riverbay until the candidate is sworn in, if elected. A candidate shall not be indebted to Riverbay for purposes of this rule if their monthly carrying charges and maintenance are fully paid by the 10th of the month in which it is due, or if they are current on a payment plan issued in the ordinary course of business on terms available to all shareholders…”

Candidates should also be mindful that accepting campaign contributions or offers to pay for campaign expenses from any person or entity doing business, or soliciting business with Riverbay, including present or prospective managing agents, contactors, vendors, professionals, unions, their employees, commercial tenants, or persons having a direct or indirect interest in such companies, is prohibited by Election Rule D (8). And, any candidate who knowingly accepts campaign contributions or payment of campaign expenses, direct or indirect, in cash or in-kind, from any of the above mentioned person or entity doing business or soliciting business from Riverbay, will be disqualiﬁed.

The use of outdoor space owned by Riverbay for campaign rallies or organized campaign activities related to the 2025 Board election is also prohibited, and candidates or organizations may not use “the facilities or public meeting areas, community rooms, lobbies, hallways, mail rooms, building association rooms, or similar areas of the Riverbay Corporation for campaign rallies or activities, …,” according to Election Rule E (2, 3).

The Election Committee advises candidates who require clariﬁcation on any of the election rules to reach out to the Committee by sending an email to Riverbay2025Election@riverbaycorp. com

This year, shareholders will cast their election ballot in-person or by absentee mail-in ballot, in accordance with Private Housing Finance law 13-c, as interpreted by NYS Homes and Community renewal Housing management memo #2023-B-11, dated Sept. 24, 2023. Ballots cannot be returned to Riverbay or given to a Riverbay employee.

There will be one vote per unit by shareholders of record as of April 1, 2025. Shareholders are voting to ﬁll ﬁve seats on the Riverbay Board.

Idalia Reyes

Leah Richardson

Darnell Lopez

Please keep reading the Co-op City Times and stay tuned to the Riverbay inhouse channels (channel 12 for MATV subscribers and channel 591 for Altice subscribers) for more news and updates from the Riverbay Board of Directors Election Committee.

COMBING

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

BP Gospel Concert

Today, Saturday, May 3, come out and enjoy a time of worship and praise. The office of Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson will be hosting their annual Gospel Concert from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., featuring special performances by Pastor Lindsey Williams with “Divine Connection” and Pastor Eric and Brittney Bias.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Larcenia Walton at 718-590-3354 or lwalton@bronxbp. nyc.gov.

Mother’s Day Roller Skating

Roll into the Mother’s Day weekend with a Pre-Mother’s Day skate night celebration. The Riverbay Fund along with Riverbay Corporation will host a skate night next Friday, May 9, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Come out to show off your moves and enjoy some community fun. Bring your own skates or borrow a pair (size 5-12 will be available). Skating lessons will also be offered. For more information, contact commuity@riverbaycorp.com

Co-op City Annual Community Fair

Calling all vendors! The Co-op City Community Fair is on Saturday, June 14, 140 Benchley Place (Greenway). For more information and to reserve your spot, email community@riverbaycorp.com.

Givan Avenue Clean-Up

Volunteer to help clean up Givans Avenue, Saturday, June 21, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. This event is sponsored by Council Member Kevin Riley, ConEdison, NYCH2O and Riverbay Corporation.

Make a Plan & Plan to Vote!...

... in the 2025 Riverbay Board of Directors election this May. Keep reading the Co-op City Times and vote to help make the quorum to avoid extending the election.

CO - OP CITY TIMES 2ND FRONT PAGE

2025 Co-op City Scholarship Honors

Rev. Dr. Robert A. Smith Jr.

Application Deadline: May 26, 2025

Assembly Member Michael R. Benedetto announces the kick-off of the 2025 Co-op City Scholarship, which begins May 3, 2025.

This year's scholarship, honoring the memory of longtime Co-op City shareholder, the late Rev. Dr. Robert A. Smith, Jr., is sponsored by New York State Assembly Member Michael R. Benedetto and United States Congressman George Latimer. This initiative will help students who live in Co-op City achieve their dreams of attending college.

“I don't need to tell parents that the cost of attending college has become increasingly more expensive,” said Assembly Member Michael R. Benedetto, chair of the New York State Assembly Committee on Education.

Qualiﬁcations for the scholarship are as follows:

* Applicants must reside in Co-op City

* Be in their senior year of high school

* Currently serving, or have served, their community in

Turnstiles –––

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“turnstile modiﬁcations, installations of delayed egress on emergency exits and the deployment of gate guards,” as outlined by the MTA. One popular tactic individuals used in order to avoid paying for the subway was called “backcocking,” where the individual pulls the turnstile back just enough to be able to squeeze through the opening. To that end, the MTA has upgraded 90% of all the subway turnstiles to prevent backcocking and will upgrade all remaining turnstiles by the end of this summer.

More than 200 subway stations also have assigned gate guards, which the MTA believes led to a 36% drop in fare evasion at those respective stations. The MTA has also modified the emergency exit gates with a 15-second delayed egress to further deter a common method of fare evaders. Recently, the MTA modified turnstiles at select stations with sleeves and fins to deter individuals from hopping over. Data collected by the MTA showed that the turnstile fins and sleeves led to a 60% decrease in turnstile jumping at the stations where modifications were implemented. While paid subway ridership is trending in the right direction, efforts to improve paid bus ridership have not been as swift. MTA’s EAGLE Team, which handles bus fare enforcement, are deployed across 140 locations each week at “times of day with the highest concentration of fare evaders,” as explained by the MTA. At the bus stops with EAGLE Team enforcement, the MTA recorded a 7% increase in paid bus ridership.

a volunteer capacity, and

* Have a C+ or better grade average.

This year, the Co-op City Scholarship Fund will award three scholarships of $1,000 each to high school students to use for school-related expenses like books or tuition.

The Co-op City Scholarship Fund has awarded approximately 50 scholarships since its inception in 2011.

Applications for the scholarship are available via the QR code at right and on ﬂyers located on community bulletin boards, via email at coopcityscholarship@gmail.com, or aapplications can be picked up at the Assembly Member Benedetto’s ofﬁce located at 177 Dreiser Loop, Room 12.

The scholarship application period will end on Monday, May 26, 2025.

For more information, please contact Linda Collins at 718-320-2220 or by email at collinsl@nyassembly.gov.

Governor Hochul praised the work the MTA has been doing to address fare evasion when she delivered the update on April 28. “These numbers show that our comprehensive strategy to combat fare and toll evasion is working and system users and taxpayers are beneﬁtting. We will continue to use all the tools at our disposal — including increased enforcement efforts and new infrastructure — to prevent fare evasion, hold perpetrators accountable and keep these numbers trending in the right direction,” the Governor said.

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber echoed the Governor’s sentiments during the same announcement. “For the last two years, we’ve been attacking fare and toll evasion from all angles –hardening the system against fare beaters, simplifying fare payment, raising awareness about discounted fares and, yes, doing more enforcement. Now those efforts are yielding positive results that will grow even more with the new modern fare gates that are coming” Lieber said.

Looking ahead, the MTA has several other answers to addressing fare evasion. From a legal standpoint, “the MTA’s ﬁrst ever Criminal Justice Advocate is working with District Attorneys to prosecute theft of service, which is critical for effective fare collection enforcement, and other transit crimes,” as detailed by the MTA. For buses, the MTA plans on piloting a “proof of payment system” in 2026.

Riders can also expect to see new fare gates being tested out across 20 subway stations later this fall. Speciﬁcally, the MTA is testing four variations from four vendors and will use the pilot window to determine which gate types will ultimately be used. Each vendor will have their gate model installed at ﬁve stations. Some of the stations that will pilot the new fare gates include 14 Street Union Square, Atlantic Avenue Barclays Center, 42 Street Port Authority Bus Terminal and Crown Heights Utica Avenue.

SchoolHouse ––– (Continued from page 1) Baychester Avenue.

While touring, the group discussed transforming the vacant schoolhouse into a community youth center and evaluated its potential as a safe and welcoming space for local youths.

Riverbay Board President Rod Saunders said that this is just one of the many steps that the Riverbay Board of Directors has taken, as they continue to look into potential sites that would provide Co-op City youths with after-school programs, recreational activities, and educational resources. The aim is to provide youths with a space that would keep them engaged and supported once they leave school.

While no formal plans have been approved yet, President Saunders said that they are looking into the school and talking with local officials about funding for the renovations and programs.

Board President Saunders also said that as the conversations continue, the Board will meet with the Co-op City community to get feedback and discuss the youth center.

“I would just like to thank Assembly Member Benedetto’s office, Councilman Riley’s office, and Senator Bailey’s office for reaching out to us about the development of the Yellow Schoolhouse,” said Board President Rod Saunders. “And then having their office show even greater interest by taking a tour, so that they would know what they’re up against and see the entire property site and what’s possible. Now usually you say, ‘well, this is possible and this is not,’ with that property nothing was not possible. The question is what will we choose to do, what can we afford to do, and what can they would afford to do.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to transform the Yellow Schoolhouse into a vibrant youth center for Co-op City,” said Matthew McKay Jr., Deputy Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Michael Benedetto. “With support from government, community leaders, and nonprofits, we aim to create a space where youth can thrive through programs, mentorship, and sports.”

“We’re always interested in doing anything we can to maximize the space we have in furtherance of the community, especially for our youth, who deserve a place where they can grow beyond their wildest dreams,” said Senator Jamaal T. Bailey. “The Yellow Schoolhouse has enormous potential, but it is important to have conversations with all stakeholders, including but not limited to members of the community, colleagues in government, Riverbay board members and more to see how precious spaces should be developed.”

“Management looks forward to partnering with the shareholders, Board Directors, and the elected officials to determine the best use of the former site of the Garvey School located at 950 Baychester Avenue,” said Riverbay Executive General Manager Marvin L. Walton. “This could be a great opportunity to create a space for the youth in the community and design programming that will enable them to achieve and excel in different ways.”

“Today was a beautiful reminder of what’s possible,” said Riverbay Assistant Executive General Manager Cary Smith III. “We had the privilege of visiting a space rich with history, once serving as a school and Daycare. Together with like-minded individuals, we came to explore its future. What we saw was more than a location— it was potential waiting to be realized. I truly believe this place is poised for something meaningful, and the journey ahead will be one of vision, collaboration, and lasting impact.”

Riverbay Directors’ Corner

Michael Sanders, Director, Maintenance Department

The Riverbay Maintenance department handles all routine and emergency calls Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Emergency calls, depending on the nature of the call, are supported by the entire Maintenance department, such as our Plumbers, Electricians, Locksmiths, Carpenters as well as support from other departments. We have a robust emergency response team during these hours when all hands are available.

Appointments are also performed for repairs in cooperators’ apartments ranging from full kitchen cabinet replacement to minor repairs, such as a leaky faucet, to name a few. The specialty Shops, Electric/ Intercom, Repair/PM and the Lockshop, also handle appointments.

Requests for repair work are taken by the Call Center during normal business hours and the Call Center representatives when the Emergency Desk is operating. The Call Center issues work orders for Maintenance to perform the job and creates an historical record of the work performed. The Emergency Desk operates from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. and all day on weekends and holidays, prioritizing and handling all emergency calls. The Maintenance department works 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Within the Maintenance department, there are specialty shops based on trade.

The Lockshop – handles all door replacements and repairs as well as the replacement of all locks and hardware. They are also called on when a forced entry is required due to an emergency during normal working hours.

The Electric Shop responds to electrical and intercom repairs and emergencies, master antenna repair and installation, lighting, lobby door repairs and other miscellaneous jobs in all locations throughout the development.

The Repair/PM Shop repairs and replaces kitchen cabinets and countertops, repairs and replaces roof ventilation fans, installs grab bars in bathrooms, replaces bathroom and bedroom doors and other miscellaneous tasks.

Thank you.

(Pictured

above, from top left to top right: Salvattore Morello, Chief of Staff to NYS Senator Jamaal T. Bailey; Aaron Carnegie, Council Member Kevin Riley’s office; Matthew McKay Jr., Deputy Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Michael Benedetto; Jeffrey Buss, Riverbay General Counsel; Rod Saunders, Riverbay Board President, Kimberly Engrassia, Riverbay Commercial Leasing Administrator; Cary Smith III, Riverbay Assistant Executive General Manager; Marvin Walton, Riverbay Executive General Manager).

Photos by Danielle Cruz and Brandi Simpson

Co-op City Times

To the Editor:

– • Letters to the Editor • –

DOT Slaps Disabled Drivers in Face

I read with interest in the Co-op City Times recently an article concerning the placement of 20 e-scooter “corrals” in Co-op City in an effort to control the irresponsible littering of our streets with these vehicles. While I commend the concept, the execution is another story. NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) has already begun the project and I saw a corral erected in Broun Place, where I live. The problem I have with this is that they took up two parking spots in the cul-de-sac, which is more than necessary. Worse, they removed two precious parking spaces where car owners who have legitimate disability permits are allowed to park. For those who don’t know, an ofﬁ-

Co-op City Times

Photo Submissions

When submitting club articles with pictures to the Co-op City Times, please DO NOT EMBED picture/s in your Word document or your email. Rather, send the picture/s as an attachment along with the Word document for proper print reproduction.

The images should be 300 DPI. All submissions must be emailed to: cctimes@riverbaycorp com. Thank you.

Clip and Save!

MetroCard Bus Schedule 2025

Einstein Loop: 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Dreiser Loop: 1 p.m.-3 p.m. on the following dates:

March 31

April 30

May 30

June 30

July 30

August 29

September 30

October 30

December 30

Bartow Center: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on the rst and third ursday of each month, Bartow Avenue, near the eye care store.

e MTA advises that if there is a vehicle parked in the designated Bus space, the MetroCard Bus may be a few spaces away from its original location. For information on the exact location of the Bus, please call 511.

cial disability placard allows you to park in “No Parking” areas, which is a wonderful beneﬁt for those who can’t easily walk around the neighborhood, including back and forth to the garage.

The problem is there’s not enough of these spaces to always accommodate permit holders. Now, DOT has effectively slapped the permit holders in the face by removing two badly needed parking spaces. Why not limit the size of the corral? You don’t need that much space! And why not place the corrals in “No Standing” zones, where no one is permitted to park anyway? Scooter drivers, one; disabled drivers, zero!

Dave Lazaar

Important Notice to clubs,

and religious & community organizations

The articles of recognized organizations are published weekly at no cost to your organization, but at considerable cost to Riverbay, in order to inform your members and the community at-large about your organization’s programs, services and events, not as editorial space for personal comment, opinions, or to promote businesses, products and services or make political endorsements or critical comment during the annual Board and/or local and national elections.

To better accommodate everyone, weekly submissions to the Co-op City Times MUST NOT exceed 500 words. Articles that do not conform will be edited for content and space availability. At the same time, articles that signiﬁcantly stray from their purpose of informing the community of the respective organization’s programs, services and events will also be edited or omitted altogether.

The deadline for submission of articles from clubs, religious institutions, community organizations and building associations is 3 p.m. each Monday. Articles that are received after this deadline will be considered on a ﬁrst-come, ﬁrstserved basis, and as space allows.

The deadline for Directors’ viewpoints is 5 p.m. on Mondays. Submissions must be emailed to cctimes@riverbaycorp.com or hand-delivered to Room 21 in the Bartow Center.

Remember to pick up the Co-op City Times on Saturday morning from the newspaper bin in your building lobby and read it for important news affecting your homes and community. When removing newspapers from the bins, please take from the top of the bin and leave the rest of the newspapers neatly stacked in the bin. Pulling a newspaper from the middle or bottom of the stack results in an untidy mess.

It has also been brought to our attention that individuals are removing stacks of newspapers from the bins for personal use. Please be considerate to your neighbors who look forward to reading the newspaper. If you are identiﬁed, you will be issued a Community Complaint.

You may also read and follow the Co-op City Times online at http://issuu/com/cctimes, or by scanning the QR Code here to be connected; and on X, @coopcitytimes; on Threads @coopcitytimes, and on Instagram, @coopcitytimes.

Important Notice to Shareholders of Building 35

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.

Elgar Place

2025

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

Danielle Cruz Managing Editor

Brandi Simpson Junior Associate Editor

Ralph Henriquez Production Manager

Jennifer Piovanetti

Operations Manager

John Crow New Media Producer

Sheldon Green

Multi-Media Advertising Manager

Brandon Ortiz Media Assistant

P.M. Campbell

Media Assistant

Send Us Your Letters: The Co-op City Times welcomes issue-oriented letters to the editor to be considered for publication. All letters, in prose, not poetry, must be addressed to the editor, not to third parties. All letters must be signed by the writer and include their address and phone number, which will be kept conﬁdential, so that the editor can verify the authenticity of the author.

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 submitted to the Co-op City Times by 3 p.m. Monday to be considered for publication in that week’s edition. Email cctimes@riverbaycorp.com or mail to 2049 Bartow Ave., Room 21, Bronx, NY 10475. 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 Corp. 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, NY 10475.

Public Safety Report

By SGT. JOSEPH VARGAS

Parking Enforcement

It is the beginning of the warm season and everyone is out enjoying the weather. School will soon be out and Co-op City will begin to host many outdoor events. The nice weather and events will also likely cause higher volumes of traffic and parking conditions. Co-op City Public Safety wishes to remind all of our community members and visitors to be mindful of parking conditions and avoid the increase in parking enforcement that has begun throughout Co-op City. While New York City Traffic Enforcement continues to enforce all parking rules throughout Co-op City, CCPD will continue to prioritize specific parking violations which impact quality of life.

Pedestrian and Driveway Obstruction Parking Enforcement

Riverbay has maintained its pedestrian walkways and crosswalks to accommodate all members of our community, including those with physical challenges, by maintaining pedestrian ramps and clearly marked crosswalks throughout the neighborhood. Parking, standing or stopping at these locations causes pedestrians to cross the streets with children, strollers and elders, at locations where there are no Stop signs or lights to control traffic and keep people safe from accidents. Vehicles parked at slopes and pedestrian ramps are a major inconvenience to those using wheelchairs, for whom the ramps are designed. NYC parking rules declare that no person may stop, stand or park a vehicle at crosswalks. Doing so may result in a citation incurring a $115 fine. Vehicles should not park alongside or in any manner that obstructs pedestrian ramps, or those areas which are lowered or altered to provide access for persons with disabilities. Likewise, such a violation would incur a fine of $165. Keep in mind that many locations throughout Co-op City have crosswalks that are attached to pedestrian ramps, making violators subject to several citations at a time.

Co-op City driveways and driveway ramps are designed for specialized vehicles, allowing the Grounds and Maintenance departments, cleaning crews, and ﬁrst responders access to our greenways, garages and dumpster pads. The storage yards along Co-op City Boulevard, which may appear abandoned, and the parking spaces surrounding our local schools and malls all have “slopped or lowered” driveways that must remain unobstructed. Even driveways that may appear out of use may be active and obstructing access to it is likely to incur a parking ﬁne of $95 and the vehicle will be towed immediately. There are no hourly limits to driveways: parking overnight at such locations are likely to result in the vehicle being relocated to a tow lot.

Public Safety Blotter

April 20, 2025 – April 26, 2025

April 20, 2025

2055 Bartow Avenue – Ofﬁcers were dispatched to the location in response to a report of an individual refusing to pay a bill. Upon arrival, the individual was issued a criminal court summons for their failure to pay.

100 Elgar Place – A resident reported the theft of a package from the lobby area. The incident is under investigation.

100 Erskine Place – Ofﬁcers responded to a motor vehicle accident (MVA) at this location. The driver involved was transported to the hospital by family members. The vehicle was subsequently towed by the NYPD.

April 21, 2025

175 Dreiser Loop – A report was ﬁled regarding the theft of a catalytic converter from a parked vehicle.

140 DeKruif Place – Ofﬁcers responded to reports of gunﬁre. Several shell casings were recovered at the scene. No injuries were reported, and an investigation is ongoing.

April 22, 2025

119 Einstein Loop – The property manager reported that an unidentiﬁed individual was observed placing food items into a backpack and ﬂeeing the premises without making payment.

Co-op City Department of Public Safety: (718) 671-3050

Tips/Concerns/Comments: info@ccpd.us

Follow on X: @CCPDnyc

Visit us at: www.ccpd.us

Hazardous Parking Enforcement

Riverbay is serious about fire safety. Near every residential building are fire hydrants to ensure immediate rescue in the event of fire. A vehicle parked near or directly at a fire hydrant may cause extra moments of maneuvering through or around the vehicle. Each second is critical during a fire emergency and such moments could cost lives. Co-op City Public Safety takes a precautionary stance by prioritizing the enforcement of fire hydrant parking regulations. Any vehicle parked without an operator in the operator’s seat ready for immediate operation of the vehicle is likely to receive a $115 parking citation.

Parking tickets received for double-parking in Co-op City cul-de-sacs or “circles” such as Alcott, DeKruif, Debs, Casals and Elgar Place continue to be one of the most contested parking summonses and yet are regarded as one of the most dangerous locations for parking conditions and public safety. Cul-de-sacs are narrow circles in Co-op City, providing direct vehicular access to towers and townhouse clusters which house large numbers of families. In the event of any emergency, larger emergency vehicles such as ambulances, ﬁre trucks and multiple police vehicles, are unable to reach buildings and maneuver with ease when there are a string of double-parked vehicles around the circles. As personal cars and livery vehicles double park for daily activities, emergency vehicles often must park outside the circles, causing emergency personnel to take extra time approaching the scene of a medical emergency, ﬁre, or criminal activity. Double-parking within Co-op City circles delays emergency response.

Co-op City’s Department of Public Safety will continue to monitor and improve vehicle and pedestrian traffic flow throughout the Riverbay community. In consideration of New York City’s notorious parking shortage, Riverbay has installed eight large garages to accommodate both the community and visitors. CCPD will continue to recognize New York City and New York State Parking Permits for People with Disabilities (PPPD) in appropriate locations. As the department begins to grow, additional enforcement personnel will be assigned to monitor traffic flow and continue traffic enforcement along with other quality of life issues. CCPD encourages community members to adhere to NYC Traffic Rules to maintain our outdoor quality of life experience and our safety.

OPPORTUNITIES AT CO-OP CITY

April 23, 2025

600 Baychester Avenue – Ofﬁcers responded to a report of a missing elderly individual. Further details regarding their status have not been disclosed.

140 Donizetti Place – A resident reported the theft of a package from the building’s lobby area.

April 24, 2025

100 Casals Place – A cooperator reported that a scheduled grocery delivery was missing upon expected arrival.

April 25, 2025

1930 Bartow Avenue – Ofﬁcers responded to a motor vehicle accident at this location. No further information was provided.

2099 Asch Loop – A catalytic converter theft was reported. Ofﬁcers took a report and are conducting follow-up investigation.

April 26, 2025

140 Carver Loop – Ofﬁcers responded to a ﬂood condition affecting the basement of the building. The situation was assessed and appropriate actions were initiated.

140 Asch Loop – A cooperator reported a missing package from the lobby. The matter is under review.

620 Baychester Avenue – Ofﬁcers responded after an individual who was observed sitting inside the complainant’s vehicle and riﬂing through the glove compartment. The investigation is ongoing.

For information on CONTRACT OPPORTUNITIES ONLY, please contact: Lenya Garcia at Lgarcia@riverbaycorp.com; and Anatoliy Budnitskiy at abudnitskiy@riverbaycorp.com. Please note: emails should be sent to both parties. Please DO NOT email resumes for EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES to the aforementioned emails. For EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, please see below for instructions.

There are no contract opportunities to list this week. Please check back.

For employment opportunities, please visit the following sites:

www.Indeed.com https://indeedhi.re/

www.Glassdoor.com https://bit.ly/3SgI9Go

www.ZipRecruiter.com https://bit.ly/3Se8bdw

Candidates may review full position descriptions and apply at any site Current Riverbay employees should submit a transfer request and resumé directly to the HR department.

Thank you for your interest in working for Riverbay Corporation.

One of my greatest joys is hearing or reading somebody else complain about one or more of my pet peeves.

My longest running complaint is... how the bleep can we ﬁx the problems imposed on us by our public services and our public servants.

Through the years, I've groused endlessly about the DOT (Department of Transportation), the MTA (Metropolitan Transit Authority) and the BOE (Board of Education). I have my reasons (no end of them actually) for being miffed with their performances.

Today it’s all about the DOT and the MTA. They joined forces during the good-intentioned but unsuccessful bus overhaul efforts of 2018 and they’re back together again, bringing the speed-up-thebuses-reunion-tour to our doorstep.

In the 4/19/25 Co-op City Times edition (issuu. com/cctimes) article, page four: Comptroller Report Highlights Ailing Bus System, you’ll ﬁnd Brad Lander singing my song.

From the start, the 2018 bus redesign’s intention was to make the world's slowest bus system faster. But instead of making the buses run on time, Mussolini-style, the MTA has made Alice in Wonderland/Jay-Z progress: “That’s called the Red Queen’s Race/You run this hard just to stay in place.”

According to the NYC comptroller’s April 10th MTA report, buses have miserably failed every benchmark: average bus speeds, wait times, and quality of service

The bus-bunching continues, caused by starting routes prematurely. Passengers are unnecessarily left to deal with longer wait times because Quick Draw McGraw drivers made them miss the last one.

On the micro scale, the drivers don't keep to their schedules and on the macro scale, the MTA doesn't either.

The Comptroller’s list includes some very, very familiar suggestions: expand reduced fare hours on express buses for seniors and people with disabilities (something I’ve referred to, over and over again as Senior Fair Fare); create and regulate loading zones to prevent bus lane blocking (promoted by the Curb Management Action Plan program, aka Smart Curbs, and enforced by ABLE and ACE ticketing); and train drivers to operate express bus equipment designed to help the disabled get on and off the bus (another Smart Curbs initiative).

Yes!

Co-op City really could use the ﬁnancial and logistical support of Smart Curbs – once we come

Crusading Loves Company

together as a community to describe exactly what that would look like. Might we add Comptroller Lander to the list of city ofﬁcial matchmakers who could help us make it so?

Thanks all around. The Disability and Accommodations Access and Accessibility report, presented at the 4/23 open meeting in Einstein, was enthusiastically received by the Board, Management, and attending cooperators alike. I believe we've collectively agreed that we want what Smart Curbs is pushing, which is akin to the planets aligning. All we need now is buy-in from the remaining 43,000 residents.

Now’s the time to open our eyes – and our neighbors’ eyes – to the fact that our beautifully and uniquely laid out community could use a few tweaks in some places. Access to the curb for loading and unloading people and things is far from perfect.

Paying attention to the Universal Design aspect of the Smart Curbs philosophy could make Co-op City’s curbs accessible for our most vulnerable and for us all.

A place for everything and everything in its place. Fire hydrants have their reserved places; the local and express buses have their lollipops and stops (though you wouldn't know it by the BXM7 drivers’ persistent route deviation when it comes to Einstein Loop! Yes, I know. Harp, harp, harp.)

Have you noticed the new bicycle/scooter racks under the porticos of some of our buildings? Food deliverers are getting or have already gotten a place to safely lock up their scooters. We need more of those.

Even the controversial (horrendously placed) old and (more logically placed) new corrals have their special areas – at least for now.

I'm having second thoughts about scrapping the new, newly stenciled e-Scooter corrals. We’ve uncomfortably lived with e-Scooters for four years, but this is a new rollout. I say we attempt to lay down the law before banishing the project altogether.

Of course, if we even have a say in the matter, and we do allow the e-Scooter companies to continue

Press 1 if you have a Public Safety emergency

Press 2 to to reach the Call Center – (which still handles Maintenance, Restorations and Inspections)

Press 3 to schedule Extermination Services

Press 4 to reach Cooperator Services Ofﬁce

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Press 8 to reach Co-op City Times

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To repeat these options press 0. Stay on the line to speak to an Operator.

These are other numbers that may be of use for shareholders: MATV (Master Antenna) – Ext: 3529

Coinmach Laundry – (800) 734-8851

Cablevision – (718) 617-3500

to have a presence in our community, they have got to ﬁnd a sane way to rein in the riders. The way the riders get away with inconsiderately scattering the scooters wherever they choose is a scourge.

The e-Scooter companies have got to ﬁnd a sane way to rein in their workers, as well.

An order must have prematurely gone out to the e-Scooter company workers this week to gather abandoned scooters and place them in the newly finished, and more carefully placed, corrals. But, at least in Section 5, too few corrals have been completed. Two of the five Section 5 corrals have yet to be done beyond the sketching-out stage, leaving space severely short. The completed corral on the corner of Einstein and Erdman was so filled beyond capacity that three seated Veos were left blocking a pedestrian street crossing.

Why do I know this? I’d been scouting out the corrals, old and new, to snap before and after photos, but somehow I’d missed one, according to the newly circulated map of the new placements. I was heading to the Erdman corral to ride a seated Veo over to the back of Garage 8 for its photo op. I never got that far, though.

After hauling the offensively strewn-about scooters into the conﬁnes of their corral, I got half a block into my ﬁrst-time-in-50-year’s ride before changing my mind. I decided to walk instead. E-scooters are not for me.

Yet in the scheme of better-managed smart curbs, rideshare e-Scooters and corrals could serve their actual demographic, better serving the new greater good order of things on the horizon.

Have a good week, everybody; MPearson@ RiverbayBoard.com/718-219-2211.

BY DANIELLE CRUZ

The MTA is now issuing ﬁnes to drivers that are caught blocking or obstructing a bus lane as part of their Automated Camera Enforcement (ACE) program.

The ACE program uses cameras mounted onto MTA buses to capture the license plate numbers of cars that are stopped, parked, or double-parked in bus routes and bus stops.

Drivers that are caught on camera will receive a $50 fine for their first offense and fines will increase to $250 for repeat violators.

The program, which was expanded in September of 2024, is enforced along 34 bus routes throughout the ﬁve boroughs and 1,000 buses are equipped with cameras.

MTA Bus Lane Cameras

The bus routes that are equipped with cameras are: Bx28, Bx35, Bx38, Bx6 SBS, Bx12 SBS, Bx19, Bx41 SBS, Bx36, B82 SBS, M14 SBS, M15 SBS, M23 SBS, M34 SBS, M101, M86 SBS, M79 SBS, M60 SBS, B25, Q54, Q58, Q5, Q44 SBS, Q69, Q43, Q53 SBS, B26, B44 SBS, B46 SBS, B62, B35, S46, B41, B42, and S-79 SBS. Two of the routes directly serve Co-op City.

According to MTA ofﬁcials, the enforcement cameras have helped to increase bus lane speeds by 5% and reduced collisions by 20%. Additionally, only 9% of drivers have committed another bus lane violation after being ﬁned.

ACE also builds on the Automated Bus Lane Enforcement (ABLE) camera system, a system announced in November of 2022 that was designed to catch drivers who are violating the busway and bus lane rules. While ABLE cameras focused on bus lane violations, ACE cameras expanded that enforcement to include bus stop violations.

However, since the enforcement, there have been some concerns about the ﬁnes being handed out to drivers, especially parents/guardians that are dropping off or picking up their kids from school.

In a statement, Senator Jamaal T. Bailey, Assembly Member Michael Benedetto and Council Member Kevin C. Riley said that they are aware of the concerns raised, especially around schools in Co-op City, and are actively working

with the MTA, the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), and school leadership.

The community ofﬁcials also shared that they had recently visited P.S. 153 with MTA and DOT ofﬁcials to get a better understanding of the program's impacts and identify potential solutions.

In their statement, the ofﬁcials also noted that all bus routes and bus stops within the ACE program are clearly marked and that there is a ﬁve-minute grace period for drivers to relocate their vehicles before a ticket is issued.

“While we encourage everyone to adhere to these regulations, we are committed to ongoing dialogue and collaboration to ensure community concerns are addressed,” the statement said. “As we continue to work with the MTA and NYCDOT to find solutions, we encourage residents to familiarize themselves with the ACE program and comply with the regulations that not only avoids fines but also contributes to the safety, accessibility, and efficiency of our streets.”

Co-op City Safety News Alert

Clothes Dryer Safety Tips

• Don’t overload the dryer.

• Don’t dry anything containing foam, rubber or plastic. An example of an item not to place in a dryer is a bathroom rug with a rubber backing.

• Don’t dry any item for which manufacturer’s instructions state “dry away from heat.”

• Don’t dry glass ﬁber materials (unless manufacturer’s instructions allow).

• Don’t dry items that have come in contact with anything ﬂammable like alcohol, cooking oils or gasoline. Dry them outdoors or in a wellventilated room, away from heat.

• Do not spray or wipe the inside of the dryer with Lysol or any such products.

BY P.M. CAMPBELL

Co-op City Creatives: Christen James

Audience members at March’s broadway debut of “Othello” would likely agree that the play’s opening night was magical. With Denzel Washington in the titular role—following the legendary portrayals of the character by James Earl Jones and Paul Robeson—the audience included the likes of Angela Bassett, Martha Stewart, and former US President Joe Biden. Also sitting in the audience was co-producer Christen James who knew that it takes a small miracle for any play to make it to those opening curtains. To understand her enchantment with this 17th century Shakespearean play, however, one must reﬂect on her upbringing in Co-op City.

“For the last year I’ve been pinching myself,” Christen said. “I hope my 12-year-old self is proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

She was not yet born when “Othello” was last on Broadway in 1982, but she joined lead producer Brian Anthony Moreland one year ago to release a contemporary telling of the narrative. They embody the advice of writer Toni Morrison, who released her own retelling of “Othello” titled “Desdemona” in 2012. She once said, “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”

James traces much of her story to her grandmother Alice Walker—no relation to “The Color Purple” author—who was a Bronx community activist, high ranking member of the Army Corps of Engineers, and original Co-op City resident. As a Juilliard trained organist, she was why Christen learned to sing before she could speak.

Another signiﬁcant source of inﬂuence in Co-op was MS 180, also known as the Dr. Daniel Hale Williams school of the arts. James credits the school with her formal introduction to musical theater and the stage more broadly. Ms. Natalie Veyvoda, her classically trained music teacher, played a foundational role in her career by introducing her class to international music and plays like “Anne” and “Rent.”

When informed about her former student’s accomplishment, Ms. Veyvoda recalled that James was a student with a “lovely voice” who “wasn’t gonna give up, had long ranged plans,” and was a “go-getter.” She said, “After hundreds and thousands of students over the years, I do remember her, I’m glad

P.O. Box 318, Bronx, NY 10469

Join Us for a Day of Enjoyment on One of Our Upcoming Trips!

• Sat., Aug. 9 CLUE the Musical - Hunderton Hills Playhouse “Can You Solve The Mystery?” Hampton, NJ

• Sat., Aug. 6 SPIRIT OF PHILADELPHIA Gospel Cruise Philadelphia, PA

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• Fri., Oct. 17 NOAH - Sight & Sound Theater Ronk, PA

• Fri., Dec. 12 GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN Brownstone Patterson, NJ

TWO PICK-UP/DROP-OFF LOCATIONS: Masks Suggested

169 Dreiser Loop (Front of H&R Block)

The Park @ 161st Street (Btwn. Grand Concourse & Walton Ave., Opposite Bronx Courthouse)

For More Info., Lessie Harris, 347-866-4625; maetravels73@gmail.com

she went into the performing arts.”

At the age of 12, Christen’s mother gifted her “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.” She fell in love with the collection and felt particularly drawn to the character of Othello. To her, the trials and name calling he received for his skin color, made the play’s “themes relevant to a Black girl in the U.S.” The inﬂuences of her grandmother, mother, and teachers remained strong as she sang professionally at Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and abroad, and extended her career in new directions.

She emphasized how thankful she was to be invited on as a co-producer on Othello. To her, the job of a producer is a unique experience of being accountable to not only the audience, but to the creative team, lighting, costume, stage hands, and investors.

She wants to continue producing the stories which she considers important both on and beyond Broadway. This puts her in the intellectual community of the playwrights who she considers genius, such as August Wilson, for example. However, since the play will be on stage until June 8, she wants to live in the moment.

“We’ve made history with this show which is incredible and we don't want that to be lost,” said James.

The advice which she takes from her grandmother is to recognize the value in everyone to understand the value of oneself. James’s multiple sources of inﬂuence resulted in her being a proud “multi hyphenate,” a “producer-singer-writer-coordinator-fundraiser” who does it all well. Her refusal to dismiss others or to place limitations on herself is key to this work.

“There is a whole world of people that will tell you what you can't do,” she says. “Don't tell yourself no.”

The lessons of her community allow Christen James to humbly take her seat in the audience and watch the show she helped produce.

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Painting 1-2PM KIDS Snacks ‘n’Stories 3:30-4:15PM KIDS MudKitchen 11:15-12:15PM Closed For Memorial Day ADULTOfficeHr.Tech

Spring greetings to all!

The Building 2 Association held its monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 23, welcoming a full house of engaged residents and two special guest speakers. The evening offered insightful discussions on community issues and updates.

The meeting opened with remarks from the Honorable Jamaal T. Bailey, New York State Senator for the 36th District, accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Salvattore Morello. Residents participated in a lively Q&A session addressing quality-of-life matters and broader community-building efforts. Their candid discussion highlighted the ongoing challenges and opportunities in

Building 2 Association

shaping policies that support working class families, seniors and youth in the community.

Following the senator’s presentation, Alberto Velazquez, Grounds Supervisor for Riverbay Corporation, delivered an engaging talk on maintaining the development’s outdoor spaces. Mr. Velazquez shared detailed information about the seasonal preparations underway to ensure the community’s landscaping remains vibrant and inviting throughout the warmer months. His dedication to creating beautiful, well-kept grounds was evident and much appreciated by those in attendance.

The Building 2 Association extends its heartfelt thanks to Senator Bailey, Mr. Morello and Mr.

Velazquez for their time, expertise and unwavering support of our community’s mission to educate, elevate and unify.

Neighbor Watch – Floor Captains are needed to support the safety of all residents, especially the elderly and disabled. Interested volunteers should contact Building2assoc@gmail. com

Upcoming Events

Food Pantry Distribution – Saturday, May 3 and 17 from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Checkmate Society’s Chess Club – Wednesday, May 14 and 28, from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend!

Community Shout-Outs – A special thank you for Anna Rivera, second vice president, and her team, for beautifully decorating the Building 2 lobbies for the Easter holiday. Your efforts brought festive cheer and brightened our shared spaces.

Birthday Wishes: Warm birthday greetings to all our neighbors celebrating in May. Wishing you a year filled with good health, joy, love and laughter.

––Adelina Martinez

Building 6 Association

Sunday, May 11th, 12 noon to 5pm

Happy Saturday, neighbors. I hope when you read this it finds you in good standing. May is the month of expectations, wishes and hope. This past week, we had an election for the entire Building 6 Association E-Board. President Lauren K. Lassiter was reelected. The newly elected members were vice president Maria Centeno, treasurer Toni Smith and secretary Michael Medina. Room 4 in Dreiser was full to

$85 $35

capacity. The newly elected E-Board was sworn in by Riverbay Corporation’s own CSO director, Ms. Vanessa Aldea, after the CSO for Section 5, Ms. Farley, tabulated all of the votes. Building 6 shareholders, we are at your service. Stay tuned to the association bulletin board for dates and times for a Meet and Greet and general association meetings, since we have not had a meeting since January. Building 6 Association also has new committees to be filled: social, finance, grievances, youth, health and wellness, scholarship, buildings and grounds, as well as floor captains. Please save the date: Saturday, May 17, for the Mother’s Month Soirée from 2 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Listen to jazz while nibbling on hors d’oeuvres, sharing great stories about mothers. Participants must RSVP by May 7 via President Lassiter, 347-366-7690. Remember that every first and third weekend fresh produce is distributed, weather permitting. Always look out for flyers in the lobbies. Neighbors, please keep up the good laundry room etiquette. Please remove your clothing within 15 minutes after the cycle is completed, pick up all used dryer sheets, and dispose all detergent containers by placing them into the proper recycling containers. Never place soiled clothing into the baskets, as doing so is unsanitary and disrespectful to your neighbors. As the saying goes: if you see something, you say something. Call CCPD at 718-671-3050 or 911. If you or anyone in your household is experiencing a mental health crisis, please dial 988; the hotline is open 24/7. As always, I pray for safety over all. God speed.

“This world of ours…must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.” –Dwight D. Eisenhower

––Lauren K. Lassiter

Shell Steak, Stuffed Chicken, or Salmon

Federal Gov’t May Terminate Direct File

By BRANDON ORTIZ

President Donald Trump may axe the free Direct File program, sources close to the situation said on April 17.

AP News was the first to report the potential termination of Direct File. While the Trump Administration has not officially confirmed the cancellation of Direct File, signs point to the program not being available for the 2026 tax filing cycle.

The first sign came in February when Elon Musk responded to a post on X regarding 18F, a government agency that oversees Direct File, saying that 18F “has been deleted,” as part of the work the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) was doing at the time.

“Two people familiar with the decision to end Direct File said its future became clear when the IRS staff assigned to the program were told in midMarch to stop working on its development for the 2026 tax filing season,” according to AP News

First launched in 2024 in select states, Direct File was a free service that allowed individuals to file their taxes electronically through the IRS. Data collected by the IRS showed over 140,000 people used Direct File in 2024.

Direct File availability in New York began as a pilot program in 2024 for 14,000 people, with 96% of those participants reporting a positive experience. Participants were able to use Direct File to complete both their federal and state taxes.

Last April, former IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel touted the relatively positive feedback the agency received in regards to Direct File.

“From the very beginning of the Direct File pilot, we wanted to test new ways to give taxpayers an easy, accurate and free way to file their taxes online directly with the IRS. We saw a strong response from the pilot, and Direct File’s users generally found it fast and easy to use. This is an important part of our effort to meet taxpayers where they are, give them options to interact with the IRS in ways that work for them and help them meet their tax obligations as easily and quickly as possible,” Werfel said at that time.

On average, New Yorkers spend about $260 on tax preparation services, according to Governor Kathy Hochul’s Office.

Blocking Fire Hydrants

Shareholders and other Co-op City drivers are reminded that it is illegal to park within 15 feet on either side of a fire hydrant. This rule is always in effect, no matter the time of day or day of the week.

The 15-feet rule is in place to protect public safety. Firefighters must be able to access fire hydrants in case of an emergency. Any delay can be catastrophic and result in life and death outcomes.

The standard fine for parking too close or blocking a fire hydrant in all five boroughs of New York City is $115. Additional penalties can include towing and impoundment fees, increased insurance rates and additional legal consequences for repeat offenders.

Earlier this year, as a result of firefighters’ efforts being impeded in two cases in the city, one of which occurred in the Tremont section of the Bronx and resulted in the death of at least two people, Queens City Council Member Joann Ariola is proposing stricter penalties for parking at hydrants. Council Member Ariola has put in two bills, the first to raise the fine for parking or blocking a fire hydrant from $115 to $1,000. The second bill would make reporting and ticketing offenders easier by allowing the public to send videos of vehicles blocking hydrants to 311. This would result in automatic summonses issued to the vehicle’s owner.

The two bills are currently being drafted by the City Council’s legislative division. They will be introduced to the City Council when they are finalized.

Building 12 Association

On Thursday, April 24, Building 12 held our monthly meeting, and it was very well attended as well as extremely informative. Besides our regular building business, such as affidavit notary service, annual dues collection, activities updates and announcements, we had two very engaging guest speakers that presented some valuable information.

First, Diane Cooper, a seasoned geriatric nurse practitioner and founder of Caregivers Outreach Mentorship Empowerment, Inc. (COME), shared how she had been inspired by her personal journey caring for her father, to establish COME. The organization’s purpose is to support and uplift family caregivers through education, resources and community programs.

Our second speaker presented a house calls program.

The attending shareholders of Building 12 are appreciative and thankful to our speakers for do-

ing such an excellent job bringing Building 12 this essential information.

On April 26, we had our sixth Bingo Night, and what a blast we have been having! We have been able to crown a king or queen for a day if you win three or more rounds in a game. This week, our reigning Bingo Queen, Dee, was dethroned by Sheila Russell, who is new to the winner’s circle. In our second game of the day, Sheila passed her crown to the Queen, Angie Dinkins. Congrats again, to all the winners!

We will be having our Mother’s Day raffle ticket giveaway on May 7 and May 8, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in our building lobby. We will also be doing our final dues collection at that time. There will be a drawing for three Mother’s Day prizes on May 10 at 3 p.m., in our activity room.

Building 12 encourages you all to please let your voices be heard by voting in the upcoming Riverbay Board of Directors election.

Broun Place Townhouse Association

Spring has arrived in Broun Place. We have beautiful Tulips and blooming trees. Monday, April 21, Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson held a lovely reception. Association President Eva Lazaar with Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson appeared in the Co-op City Times last week. Along with one of Building 9 President Linda Collins.

We are having problems with CCPD, disability parking spaces, and battery bikes. Under DOT direction, two were cut and reassigned to corral bikes. This is a slap in the face for cooperators who truly need the parking spaces. Yet, we came home, saw two cars without placards parked in the cul-de-sac. CCPD was called, they came but went in the opposite direction; we called back, gave the speciﬁc location. They never came back. Two parking spaces were lost and the spaces are now dedicated for bikes. Please report to CCPD, 718-671-3050, or the 45th Precinct, if you see a car without a placard. Tickets will be issued to those without placards. This is not over. Please write letters and protest this action.

Income Affidavit season and Riverbay Board election season are upon us. As the deliverer of all things that need explaining and teaching, our community teacher, the Co-op City Times, is always carrying the responsibility to deliver what and how we need to fulfill our responsibility to get these two cooperator responsibilities done correctly. The Income Affidavit is a requirement, study the ways and means. Use the tools offered. Regarding the annual Board election, save the corporation the expense, study the candidates and vote.

Neighbor Thea Lowe (Colombo) celebrated her birthday on April 30 but remains in a local rehabilitation facility as she recovers from injuries incurred from a fall. Her condition is improving and hopefully she will be discharged soon. Happy Birthday Thea!

April winds emphasize the necessity of securing terrace belongings. Our umbrella took ﬂight because it wasn’t screwed tight enough. Secure balcony items tightly.

Our Broun Place Townhouse Association accepts new members any time. The membership fee is $12 a year. Dues go to supplies and support of emergency efforts, for example, in case a neighbor or family member dies.

Who is responsible to clean the Stillwell Avenue and De Reimer Avenue local streets? Attention must be paid to this area. It is being used like a dump. The Police Athletic League and City Harvest are receiving a donation from Broun Place Townhouse Association in lieu of our usual donation to CCPD’s collection. Read the information on our election for the Board of Directors.

Call the following number to report on the non-delivery of the Co-op City Times, Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., 1-407-666-8317. We urge you to read your Co-op City Times.

—Eva Kindaichi Lazaar

Friday, May 9

8:00pm

Building 13 Association

Earth Day at Rivers Run Community Garden: Due to the prediction of inclement weather last Saturday, the RRCG Earth Day events were rescheduled for Saturday, May 3.

Save the Date: Our Section 2 Summer Fun Day will be on Saturday, June 21 (rain date: June 22). All are welcome to join us. Shirts for the event are on sale, so look for the ﬂyer on your bulletin board and in Co-op City Times articles. There will be free shirts to the ﬁrst 50 youth. Music and free goodies and, of course, “Name that Tune” and salsa contest. Summer Fun Day shirts: adults, $20 (4x and above $22); youth, $15. By the way, get your boots on the ground, as ours will be! We have our fans! Practice makes perfect!

Funding for SFD was made possible by Councilman Kevin Riley, NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, Attorney Stephen B. Kaufman PC, the Co-op City Tire Co., BobCares Charitable Organization, McCall’s Bronxwood Funeral Home, Riverbay Corporation, CCPD, NYPD and FDNY.

E-Scooters: Conversations were held for more than a year about the various scooter companies that, in the not-too-distant past, descended upon Co-op City. From the onset, the scooters were disruptive to the community. They were left all over the sidewalks, in pathways and roadways in the middle of the street. We were informed per the rules of usage; they were not to be used on the sidewalk or by youth.

Recently, in a local newspaper, comments were made stating the e-Scooter company numbers do not tell the whole story, and the program is a “complete failure.” In determining whether their goal was accomplished, most of the companies measure the success of the scooters solely by the number of rides, rather than the safety of the program, or demographics of the actual ridership. In a community that struggles to ﬁnd parking, spaces were taken. Parking spaces in locations utilized by those with handicap plaques were arbitrarily claimed without shareholders being considered. Hopefully, continued follow-up conversation will ensue to see if we can resolve this issue once and for all.

“A united people, striving to achieve a common good for all members of the society, will always emerge victorious.” ––Samuel Nujoma, Former President of Namibia

Visit our Facebook page at: Building 13 Association Inc.–Co-op City or e-mail us at building13assoc@yahoo.com. Contact: Wendell Mattison, V.P., at 917-3301380.

Thank you for supporting our team.

––Wendell Mattison

Greetings, fellow cooperators.

New Cooperators – Welcome all new cooperators. We look forward to seeing you at the next general membership meeting.

General Membership Meeting – The Building 10 Association would like to thank Lt. Milton Gregory, CCPD, for attending our general membership meeting on April 24. We thank him for the very informative presentation regarding scams.

Building 10 Association

Building 10 Association Dues – The collection of building association dues for 2025 has begun. Building association dues are $10 per apartment. We will be collecting dues in the association room (rear of Building 10B) on May 7 and May 21 from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. You can also bring your dues to the building association meeting or give them to any executive board member. Please note, the money collected is used for association-related expenses, i.e. ﬂyers, meeting and party supplies, holiday lobby decorations and refreshments, etc.

Summer Fun Day T-Shirt – Pre-order your Summer Fun Day T-Shirt from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. on May 7 and May 21 in the Building 10 Association Room, located in the rear of Building 10B. Youth t-shirts, XS-XL, will cost $15, adult t-shirts, S-3XL, will cost $20, and adult sizes, 4X and 5X, will cost $22. Payment is due at the time of the order. Please see the ﬂyer in the lobby for more information.

Pentecostal Tabernacle invites everyone to worship service, 100 Co-op City Blvd., Building 22A, Bronx, NY 10475. Tel. 718-324-0334 or 718-320-4218. Worship service will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday morning. Fasting service will be held every Wednesday morning 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Bible study and prayer service will be held every Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Worship service every Friday night starting at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

All night services will be held on Zoom, Call 6469313860; Meeting ID: 85748454513 [Code 850684#].

Focus: The ministry of teaching.

Romans 12:7 “Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering, or he that teaches, on teaching.”

God gave the church the responsibility to disciple all nations through the ministry of teaching.

Acts 8:26-40 “26And the Angle of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying arise, and go towards the south, unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of the treasure, and come to Jerusalem for to worship. 28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaiah the prophet. Then the spirit said unto Philip, go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaiah, and spoke understands thou what thou deadest? And he spoke. How can I except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip to come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, 32 He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened not his mouth.in his humiliation his judgement was taken away and who should declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I prayed thee, of whom speaketh, this? Of himself or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus.40 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the eunuch said, See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized.”

There is a great need for teachers in the church today. God’s command to the church that we make disciples is often called the great commission. To fulfill the mission, God calls individuals to the spiritual leadership role of teacher. Others he endows with the spiritual gift of teaching. God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, and thirdly teachers. To fulfill this general calling requires spiritual maturity, specialized skills, and a good grasp of the word. The teacher does not impart information but stands as the conduit for God’s own character being poured into the disciples. Teachers are heroes – they can change the world.

—Rev. R. Sibblies

Section 2 Summer Fun Day – Save the date: Section 2 Summer Fun Day will be held on Saturday, June 21. Rain date Sunday, June 22. More details to follow.

Tip of the Week: Laundry room etiquette – Please refrain from using the carts, benches, and tables for dirty laundry. Remove your laundry from the washers and dryers promptly at the completion of the cycle. Keep our laundry clean. You can report broken machines at www.cscsw.com or call 877-264-6622.

If You See Something, Say Something – For emergencies, call Co-op City Public Safety at 718-671-3050 and NYPD at 911. For non-emergencies, call 311. You can also contact CCPD at their anonymous tips hotline: 718-879-6311.

Suicide Prevention – If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or in emotional distress, the number to call for help is 988; you can call or text. Someone is available 24 hours a day.

Questions, Comments and Suggestions – You can contact the Building 10 Association via email at Building10Assoc@gmail.com or drop a note in the suggestion box in the laundry. We are also on Facebook, “Building 10 ABC Association.” Like our page and get notiﬁed of all the happenings in and around Building 10.

We would like to wish all who are born this month an incredibly happy birthday.

Celebrating an anniversary this month? Happy anniversary!

To the homebound and sick, we wish you a speedy recovery.

To all who have lost a loved one recently, we offer our deepest condolences. “It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop.” —Confucius

Have a great week.

—Jewel Crawford-Duncan

Rivers Run Community Garden

Due to the rain, we have cancelled the Earth Day Celebration. Please stay tuned for future moments at our wonderful local garden that is open to everyone.

Please tell your friends and family about this amazing place where we not only grow fruits and vegetables but also grow knowledge and friendships. Rivers Run Community Garden, located on Co-op City Blvd., next to the baseball ﬁeld, is a movement towards improved mental and physical health. We provide all types of workshops, including nutrition, meditation, edible and medicinal wilds identiﬁcation, planting, construction, and crafting. We are the outdoor classroom for local schools, daycares, residents, and neighbors. We are a place of beauty and peace. Visit. Stay. Experience us.

Event Dates at Garden (Weather permitting.

All are welcome):

• May 10 – New York Cares Family Day – Planting

• May 11 – Mother’s Day Paint and Chat

• May 30 – PS 153 to visit

Membership requirements: $20 per year fee and 20 hours of work. There is a waiting list for beds. Members who are actively fulﬁlling the 20 hours of volunteer work requirement are moved up on the waiting list. Volunteers are welcome.

Email: Rivers_run@yahoo.com

Physical Address: Co-op City Blvd. (Between Bellamy Loop and Peartree Ave)

Mailing address: 100 Casals Pl #32K, Bronx, NY 10475

Phone: 917-232-2982 or 718-671-3801.

—Gail Sharbaan

Lt. Milton Gregory

Pentecostal Tabernacle

Building 22A & B Association Retirees

Our world lost a very spiritual person, the Pope. Our prayers for the world. Morning will take place for 10 day. Bless the Conclave until we have a New Pope.

Please pick up your copy of Co-op City Times.

Our Game Night is May 3, from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. in the association room. Please come and enjoy all the fun, bring small change. Chips, dips, and refreshments. All are welcome.

Our next meeting is Monday, May 19, at 7 p.m. in the association room. Please bring ideas about what you think we need to accomplish as an association and a community.

Mother's Day is this month. Start thinking about how to celebrate her big day.

Greetings.

Compactor room: Our main accomplishments is to have a healthy environment. So follow the instructions by folding small boxes, bring larger ones to the basement, and raw garbage in chute. Be helpful.

Laundry room etiquette: Please read the etiquette board. Return on time for your clothes. Clean out the lint tray, and pick up fabric softener sheets.

Happy Birthday to all celebrating. Our prayers to all who lost loved ones. Please check on the sick and shut-ins.

If you see, something say something. Blessings to all.

Betty Leak

Building 20 Association

The Building 20 Association did not have a guest speaker at the April 17 general membership meeting. Therefore, it allowed us time for open discussion about issues that concern the residents. Everyone had the natural gas detector installed and everyone was aware that the Income Afﬁdavit was due on April 30. All of the shareholders were invited to a meeting on April 21 to run for a seat on the Riverbay Board of Directors or to join the Election Committee. The NY State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) required that we vote in-person this year.

The Building 20 Association would like to recognize the children in Building 20 who are graduating this year. A ﬂyer has been posted in the lobbies and in the laundry room. Please contact the Building 20 Association president, Francine Jones, at 718-671-5957 as soon as possible.

Residents were concerned about what is happening in the executive branch of our government today, where people are being deported without regard for their American citizenship. Most of the Building 20 Association members are seniors and are very concerned as to whether their Social Security, Medicare or

Medicaid will continue. They were informed about the demonstration that took place on April 19 in Foley Square to protest these government actions.

Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Sylvia and Yvonne. Maria baked a tasty banana nut bread and she was the winner of our 50-50 rafﬂe drawing. Everyone wished Sylvia and Daisy a very happy birthday, which was followed by an adjournment of the meeting.

April 22 was Earth Day. It is everyone’s responsibility to take care of the only earth that we have. Likewise, it is our responsibility to take care of our apartment, our building, and the Co-op City property because we are all joint owners and, for most of us, it is the only home that we have. If we can make it better, we should do so. Show that you care by getting involved and attending the monthly gatherings in order to obtain pertinent information and following through.

The next meeting of the Building 20 Association is scheduled for Thursday, May 15, at 7 p.m., in 120 Asch Loop, Building 20B. I look forward to seeing you. Until then, please stay safe and be a good neighbor.

—Francine Jones

Bronx County Chorus

I hear America Singing

Bronx County Chorus presents “I Hear America Singing,” Spring 2025. It is the theme of Bronx County Chorus’s spring concert. Please plan to attend. There is no charge for this upcoming spring concert. It is being held on May 10th at 4 p.m. at the First Lutheran Church of Throggs Neck, 3075 Baisley Avenue, Bronx, 10461. Donations are gladly accepted. The program will take you on a trip through the USA highlighting historical events and locations. Soloists, specialty numbers and guitar accompaniment are also featured.

Miles Fellenberg, director of the Bronx County Chorus for almost ten years, has led the chorus with his special talent to take on new music as well as well-known traditional pieces like Battle Hymn of the Republic. With the support of Assistant Director, Ava Nazar, Bronx County Chorus, at 86 years old, is celebrating being the oldest ecumenical chorus in the Bronx. Bronx County Chorus prides itself on its diversity in selecting a diverse group of music, styles and origins.

Look for the fall press release which will give all the membership recruitment information for fall 2025. Bronx County Chorus performs two outreach concerts and one formal concert each semester. Bronx County Chorus is supported by public funds from the Bronx Council on the Arts, through the New York State Council on the Arts Decentralization Program, and members.

For more information, please visit Facebook or our website, http://www.Bronx countychorus.org/, or email bronxcountychorus@gmail.com for more information.

—Eva Kindaichi-Lazaar

of Dreiser Loop

Greetings, retirees and friends.

Welcome to May, the month of beautiful spring flowers. June Luncheon – Our June luncheon will be held at the Marina del Rey on Wednesday, June 18, from 11:30 a.m.3:30 p.m. The price of tickets is $110 (transportation included on a first paid/first seated basis). Tickets are now available for purchase. Questions may be addressed to Daisy Young at 917-292-7010 or Ted Byrd at 917-797-9230. Daisy will be available, in Rm. 19, for the purchase and payment of tickets, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-3 p.m.

Atlantic City – Wednesday, July 9, a day trip to the Tropicana Casino. Tickets are $70 with a $15 slot-play giveback. The bus will pick up at Dreiser Loop, in front of H&R Block and will depart at 8 a.m. sharp. On our return, the bus will drop off at Einstein, Asch, and Dreiser Loop. Contact Serita for additional information at 347-564-5722.

Hunterdon Hills Playhouse – Hampton, NJ on Tuesday, September 16. Tickets are $160 and includes lunch and a show “Never Too Late.” A $50 deposit is required ASAP to hold a seat. The bus will pick up at Dreiser Loop in front of H&R Block and depart promptly at 9 a.m. Contact Serita for additional information at 347-564-5722.

Scholarship Committee – Scholarship applications are available in Rm. 19. Completed applications must be submitted by May 16. The Scholarship Committee welcomes donations to the scholarship fund. Donations can be mailed to the Retirees of Dreiser Loop, 177 Dreiser Loop, Rm. 19, Bronx, NY 10475. Questions may be addressed to JoAnn at 718-710-9082.

Nominating Committee – All executive board positions will be up for election in June. Members who wish to be considered for a position on the executive board can pick up an application in Room 19. Completed applications must be submitted by May 19. Contact Daisy Young at (917) 292-7010 for additional information.

Happy Birthday – We wish all our May celebrants an incredibly happy birthday and continued peace and happiness throughout the year.

Condolences – We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ida Edward, wife of Stuart Edwards. Please keep Stuart and his family in your thoughts and prayers. We continue to pray for all who have recently suffered a loss.

Good and Welfare – We are sending our best wishes to those who are ill and/or shut-in. You are in our healing thoughts and prayers. Please notify Lorraine Parker at 718671-6403 of any member illnesses or deaths.

Membership Committee –Annual membership dues are $25. Personal checks payable to the “Retirees of Dreiser Loop” can be mailed to Retirees of Dreiser Loop, 177 Dreiser Loop, Rm. 19, Bronx, NY 10475. Questions may be addressed to Mary at 718-655-9170.

General Meeting – Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 7, at 1 p.m., in the Dreiser Center, Auditorium C. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you there.

—Georgianna Rodriguez

AUGUST 30TH-SEPTEMBER 7TH, 2025 POOCHIESPICKS GRAND CANYON TRAIN GETAWAY! OCTOBER 14TH-21ST, 2025

Caregivers Outreach Mentorship Empowerment

Do you know someone with a mental illness? Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions that affect mood, thinking and behavior. Common disorders include depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. These conditions can impact daily life functioning, relationships and overall well-being. Mental illnesses are caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors. They can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or background. Early diagnosis, treatment, and support can signiﬁcantly improve outcomes. Despite growing awareness, stigma around mental illness remains a barrier to seeking help. Promoting understanding and compassion is essential in creating a supportive environment for those affected by mental health challenges. If you are living with a mental health condition—or think you might be—it is important to remember you are not alone.

Statistics show the widespread nature of mental health struggles. In the U.S., one in ﬁve adults experience mental illness each year. More seriously, one in 20 adults live with a severe mental illness annually. Among youth aged 6–17, one in six face a mental health disorder every year. Mental illnesses often begin early in life—50% start by age 14, and 75% by age 24.

Mental illness does not stem from a single cause. Rather, it arises from genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. Stressful home or work environments, trauma, and even brain chemistry and structure can contribute. However, having a mental health condition does not mean you are broken or that anyone is to blame. It is not a personal failure or a reﬂection on your family. Recovery is possible, especially with early treatment and active involvement in the process.

There are many types of mental health conditions. Anxiety disorders involve constant, overwhelming worry that affects daily functioning. ADHD is marked by inattention, disorganization and impulsivity. Bipolar disorder causes intense mood swings between mania and depression. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) features unstable emotions and self-image, often with impulsive behavior.

Depression brings persistent sadness and negative thoughts, impacting energy, sleep and appetite. Dissociative disorders, often linked to trauma, affect memory and sense of self. Eating disorders involve unhealthy relationships with food that harm health and social life. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) causes recurring intrusive thoughts and ritualistic behaviors.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) follows exposure to traumatic events and includes both emotional and physical reactions. Psychosis, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia involve disruptions in thinking and perception, often causing hallucinations, delusions and emotional difﬁculty. Each condition has its own set of challenges, but support and treatment options exist. With the right help, many individuals lead fulﬁlling, productive lives.

Join us on May 15 for our upcoming, “Let’s Talk,” 45-minute, 7 p.m. Zoom

Think you need a nursing home? Think again. Think Pace. The PACE Program is an all-inclusive care program for older adults. Presenter: Cheryl Sanchez, director of Growth Partnership, Archcare.

––Diane Cooper

Goose Island Seniors

During our time of sorrow, we, the family of Clarese Roberts, would like to thank everyone for your presence at the memorial on Friday. Thank you so much for your words of comfort, a card, a gift or your prayers.

Goose Island Seniors Indoor Picnic Party – Fri., May 16, 1 p.m. in our club, Rm. 39. Members only. Covered dish. Bring something or $20 at door. Members with birthdays in May enter for free.

Wind Creek Casino – Bethlehem, PA; Sat., May 31; Price: $65; bonus: $25 slot play. Call: 646-579-1701.

Wind Creek Casino – Bethlehem, PA; Tues., June. 10; Price: $70; bonus, $25 slot play. Balance due. Bus arriving Einstein Loop at 7:45 a.m. and Dreiser Loop at 8:15 a.m.

Resorts Casino – Atlantic City, NJ; Tues., July 15; Price: $70, bonus: $10 slot play. Balance due: Wed., Jun. 25.

Nordic Lodge Seafood Feast and Foxwoods Tanger Outlets – Charlestown, RI. Sat., Aug. 2. Price: $225. Call: 646-579-1701.

Myrtle Beach Show Trip – Mon., Aug. 25–Aug. 30. Call: 646-579-1701.

Holiday Hills Senior Day Picnic – In Prospect, CT., Tues., Aug. 19; Price: $150; $50 deposit to hold seat on bus. Balance due Wed., Jul. 2.

Portrait of Aretha Franklin Show – Resort World Monticello, NY. Wed., Sept. 10; Price: $150; $50 deposit to hold seat on bus. Bonus $25 slot play. Private buffet lunch in casino. Balance due Wed., Aug. 20.

Wind Creek Casino – Bethlehem, PA. Thurs., Oct. 9; Price: $70; bonus $25 slot play. Balance due Wed., Sep. 10.

Foxwoods Casino and Tanger Outlet – Thurs., Nov. 6 in Mashantucket, CT. No bonus and no meal voucher. Price: $70. Balance due Wed., Oct. 15.

Brownstone Holiday Party – Mon., Dec. 8 in Patterson, NJ; Price: $165. $50 deposit to hold seat. Delicious luncheon, dancing, DJ and band. Balance due Wed., Nov. 12.

2026 Norwegian Greek Isle Cruise – May 18-27, 2026. Price: $3293-3945. Call: 646-579-1701

Notary – With Yvonne Menefee, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Bingo – Mon., Wed., and Fri., 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Members only. Admission: $5 for three cards; $0.25 each additional card; 12 games and jackpot. Refreshments. Game day – Tues. and Thurs. between 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Dominoes, movies, socializing and more. Members only. Refreshments.

To all members: Happy birthday to our members who celebrate their birthday in the month of April: Niles Flanders, Guinette Romaine, Octavio Cruz, Dolores Wynn, Isilda Modeste, Alfonso Gonzalez, Ione Foote and Valerie Francis-Williams.

Sick and Shut-in – Mary Roach, Iraida (Greta) Feliciano and Yvonne Menefee are recuperating. Mary Pilla, our former president, sends her love to everyone. Call her at (718) 753-1816.

Our club is at 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 39, Bronx, NY 10475, the Section 5 Community Center, (718) 379-9613, Stephen cell (347) 847-1941. Our email address is goose.island@optonline.net; Cash App: $StephenCarlSr. Good health to all.

––Stephen Roberts Sr.

Shareholders, if you read the Co-op City Times online at issuu.com or on social media, be sure to follow and like the newspaper to help grow our online readership.

National Council of Negro Women

NCNW Co-op City Section – Our May General Membership meeting will be on Wednesday, May 21st, via Zoom, at 6:30 p.m. This change is of course because of our usual conﬂict with Mother’ Day. Members will receive the Zoom link as an email link closer to the date. This early warning is just so that you can mark your May calendar while this change is on your mind.

Health Committee – Our ofﬁcial GirlTrek walking season will continue today, Saturday, May 3. We will be meeting by the entrance to the Dreiser Auditoriums at 9 a.m. then walking over to the Greenway. For further information, contact Farah Martin at 917-806-2534 or Keisha Keelen at 917-697-4854. We will be walking together for a shared mission of health, unity, and Black girl power.

Bethune-Height Recognition Program – Our 51st annual BHRP Program will be held on Saturday, May 17th, from 12 to 4 p.m., at Leonard’s Palazzo, 555 Northern Boulevard, Great Neck, NY. 11021. Reservations are $150 per person. The theme of this year’s program is “Speak Truth to Power: Silence is Not an Option.” At this program each year, all 18 of the NCNW sections from New York State and New York State Afﬁliates gather to honor outstanding women in our communities and welcome new Life Members, Legacy Life Members and Achievers, all to raise funds for the maintenance of our national headquarters that is located at 633 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. This program that is presented by sections all over the United States is named after our founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and our National President for

forty years, Dr. Dorothy I. Height. This year, our keynote speaker will be our National President & CEO, Shavon Arline-Bradley MPH, M.Div. After 89 years, the organization has changed its governance structure to work more efﬁciently. Rev. Arline-Bradley is an extraordinary communicator and her expertise in the areas of public health and social justice is impressive. These are areas in which NCNW would like to continue, as we bridge the generational gap. Dr. Thelma T. Daley, NCNW immediate past president and chair, said, “This is an exciting time for NCNW. Shavon is a person of vision, with tremendous ideas, a broad outreach, and a ﬂawless work record that will be recognized for years to come.”

NCNW National – We salute you, the Honorable Alexis M. Herman! NCNW deeply mourns the passing of the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Labor. As the ﬁrst African American to serve as secretary of labor, appointed by President Bill Clinton, and a proud member of NCNW and NCNW Afﬁliate organization, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Herman’s legacy is etched into the fabric of our mission. From her mentorship under Dr. Dorothy I. Height to her service as a national leader, we honor her life, leadership and lasting impact. Rest in Power!

Social Media – Remember you can ﬁnd us on our website: www.ncnwcoopcitysection.com; on Instagram: NCNW Co-op City and email: ncnwco. opcity@gmail.com.

—Joyce Howard

Black Forum

Emergency Food Pantry: 920 Baychester Ave., Bldg. 1A (opposite basketball court). The pantry is open on Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m.-12:45 p.m., for grocery distribution. Guests are eligible to pick up food once a month. All guests must present a pantry card, at least four to six clean shopping bags with handles and a shopping cart to receive food. We will not place food in black bags because they pose a safety hazard. Section 5 guests should visit the Co-op City United Methodist Church at 2350 Palmer Avenue to pick up groceries. This distribution site is open Thursdays, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The groceries are supplied by and distributed by Black Forum. Religious affiliation is not required. For the safety of our staff and other guests, mask wearing is required when picking up food.

Our priority at Black Forum Emergency Food Pantry is to provide a safe and respectful environment for everyone accessing our services. To ensure the well-being of our staff, volunteers, and all guests, we have established guidelines for appropriate conduct. While we are committed to serving our community, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone who engages in disruptive or aggressive behavior. We will also cease service if an individual poses a risk to the safety of our staff or other guests. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in maintaining a positive and supportive atmosphere for everyone.

New Client Registration & Re-Certification for Returners: New client registration and returning client re-certification for 2025 are now closed. Thank you for your patience during the registration process.

Events

A huge shout-out to everyone who joined us for a weekend of fun at Wind Creek Casino! What a blast we had! A hearty congratulations to all our lucky winners on the bus and those who hit it big at the casino – you were a fantastic group to travel with! Your support of this trip directly fuels our initiatives to feed the community, and for that, we extend our sincere thanks. The good times do not stop here! Take a peek at our exciting upcoming events below. We would love to see you there: Saturday, June 28 – Get ready for a day of fun at Caesars Atlantic City Casino, NJ. The trip fee is $65. Casino Slot Play is $10. Payments are due by May 16. Saturday, August 16 – Join us for a visually stunning show at Sight & Sound “NOAH!” Then, enjoy lunch at the award-winning Shady Maple Smorgasbord, the largest buffet in the U.S. Cost is $225. First payment to hold a seat: $75 was due by April 25; second payment of $75 due by May 23; last payment of $75 due by June 20. Note: No refunds will be issued.

For trip information only, please call (917) 209-5334 or (929) 464-5520. All proceeds go to the Black Forum to support Co-op City through our Emergency Food Pantry.

—D. Illis

NAACP

The NAACP marches to defend democracy and combat racism and discrimination in communities across the country. Located in the Einstein Community Center, Rm. 36, we meet on the fourth Sunday of the month at 3 p.m. The NAACP Co-op City Branch Office hours are: 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays. Notary available on Monday and Wednesday during office hours.

The NAACP Co-op City Branch would like to thank Shekera Algarin, Esq. for the fantastic presentation and education we received at our General Membership meeting last Saturday about the Constitution and its 22nd Amendment. It was an interesting conversation about whether a President can run for more than two terms.

A preparatory discussion on reparations was held to request members send in a brief statement whether they are in favor of lineage reparations. Additionally, we are asking you to submit not less than three but not more than 10 ways you would like to see reparation handled.

Care Without Barriers: Student Led – Youth group to be held at Einstein Loop Community Center on Saturday, May 31, Rm. 36 from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. This non-profit is dedicated to education, prevention and community support, offering educational workshops, counseling resources, school outreach programs, volunteer recruitment drives and community engagement events. Support our youth. –B. Brown and A. Medina

“Calling All Men” – Our Health Committee Chair Joyce Dixon, RN, has been successful in obtaining a facilitator to meet with the community in-person. It is scheduled to be held Saturday, June 7 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dreiser Center, Auditorium C. This could save your life. RSVP information and flyer is in your bulletin board.

The John Lewis Act is what we need: “Americans have come to rely on the promise that every citizen has the right to have their voice heard. But the U.S. House of Representatives largely erased that promise last week when, in 220-208 vote, it passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. Don’t be fooled by its heroic-sounding name. This legislation aims to disenfranchise millions of voters, many of them people of color and women, and further concentrate power among those who are already powerful.” By Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP

Watch & Listen: Our Culture, Our Stories on the NAACP+ YouTube channel.

To purchase your NAACP Co-op City Branch T-Shirt, place your order now! Visit the office or send your money to the office. Adults cost $25 and youth cost $20. Make checks payable to NAACP Co-op City Branch. Sale ends on May 15. Follow us on Facebook: “Co-op City NAACP.” Looking to make an even greater impact? Become a champion for change and join us to keep advancing Annual membership: Adult $30, Youth $10, Silver Life $750. Make checks/mon-

Newsong Church

Take Your Next Step

“And Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel.” 2 Kings 2:2 (ESV)

Our walk with Jesus is full of next steps. Salvation is just the beginning. The Holy Spirit desires to move you forward, never backwards. We need to have the mindset of Elisha who was determined to follow Elijah wherever he went. At Newsong we believe that everyone can know God, find freedom, discover their purpose, and make a difference. It’s time to step forward in your walk with Jesus…are you ready?

About Us

Newsong Church is a life-giving church right here in Co-op City! We believe that every person can know God, find freedom, discover their purpose, and make a difference in this world! No matter what you’ve been through or where you come from, you are welcome here. Join us for Sunday worship and see why God’s family is no ordinary family. Check us out, we’re located at 135 Einstein Loop!

Sunday Worship Experience – Every Sunday at 11 a.m. Our Sunday worship experience starts with celebration. We make music to please God and to build others up. Colossians 3:16 says, “Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” We sing to bring glory and honor to God and celebrate who He is and what He’s doing in our church!

Newsong Deaf Church, Rm. 35 – Our deaf worship experience is in ASL so that our deaf and hearing impaired can worship and fellowship in their own language!

Kidsong, Rm. 49 – We’ve created a place where children can have fun and learn about Jesus on their own level!

Against The Flow – Every Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Rm. 42. ATF is Newsong’s student ministry. Today’s middle and high school students will lead the next generation of the church and change the world. At ATF, our goal is to graduate students into a lifetime of following Jesus.

So, what are you waiting for? There’s a God in heaven who loves you and has a purpose and plan for your life! Do you live outside of Section 5? Remember, a church alive is worth the drive! Come and find hope. Come and find healing. Come and find freedom.

Mailing Address: 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 42

Phone: 917-342-2559

Email: CentralTeam@newsongchurchnyc.org

Prayer Request Line: Text “Prayer” to 877-899-7323

Website: www.newsongchurchnyc.org

Social Media: Facebook/IG/X: @newsongchurchbx; YouTube: Newsong Church NYC

—Pastor Mike Tolone

African-American Association of Co-op City

Today! Open mic! Open call! Singers, comedians, dancers, poets, novelists and painters. Jack-of-all of these trades! If you are an artist of any kind, this platform is for you! Come and have some fun and hone your talents. Adults only please and language must be kept respectable. Sign up on time before the list closes.

Time to register your child for the 12th Annual Co-op City Spelling Bee. Volunteers are needed. Registration is simple: Call 718-671-5957 or email: Franreva@aol.com All attendees must wear masks and practice social distancing. Do not wait, register to participate and volunteer now. Coming Events!

Today, May 3 – Open Mic/Fundraiser, 4 p.m.-8 p.m., Dreiser, Rm. 15

May 17 – 12th Annual Co-op City Spelling Bee, 1 p.m., Dreiser, Rm. 4

May 18 – General Meeting, 3 p.m., on Zoom

June 7 – Visit our table at the Co-op City Fair, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

June 8 – Pre-Juneteenth Celebration, 3 p.m., AAACC Elections, Dreiser, Rm. 15

August 17 – Marcus Garvey Drum Circle Celebration, Section 1 Greenway or Dreiser, Rm. 15 (in case of rain)

September 6 – Visit us at the Co-op City Fair, 12 p.m.-6 p.m.

September 13 – Open Mic Fundraiser, 4 p.m.-8 p.m., Dreiser, Rm. 15

September 21 – General Meeting, 3 p.m., Dreiser, Rm. 15

October 11 – Open Mic Fundraiser, Saturday, 4 p.m.-8 p.m.

October 19 – General Meeting, 3 p.m., Dreiser, Rm. 15

November 16 – General Meeting, Sunday, 3 p.m. on Zoom

December 6 – Open Mic Fundraiser, Saturday, 4 p.m.-8 p.m., Dreiser, Rm. 15

December 20 – Pre-Kwanzaa Event, Saturday, 3 p.m., Bartow, Rm. 31

AAACC Membership

$25/year for single membership and $35/year for family/ household. Zelle your payment using our email address. Email: aaaccpower@gmail.com. Call: 646-883-9095. The African-American Association of Co-op City, P.O. Box 702, Co-op City Station, Bronx, NY 10475.

AAACC Programs

Belly Dance Classes – Contact Xonia Wilson at 646-301-9438.

Evening Line Dance Classes – Contact Cynthia Dixon at 917-903-7073. Co-op City Baptist Church “Gospel Line Dancers” – Contact Joyce Smith at 718-320-0714.

––Michelle Marbury

ey orders payable to: NAACP Co-op City. Mailing address: NAACP Co-op City, 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 36, Bronx, N.Y. 10475. To become a member online, go to: www.naacp.org. Select Co-op City (2210) and join. To leave a message, call the office phone at: 718-320-3210 or email: naacpccity2210@gmail.com

––Brenda Brown

Co-op City NORC Program Invites You for These In-Person & Virtual Activities

Bartow OAC May Shopping Trips – BJ’s/LIDDL, 5/16; IKEA, 5/20; Stew Leonard’s, 5/21; Ridgehill Mall, 5/22; Amazing Savings & Shoprite, 5/27; Walmart, 5/28; Trader Joe’s, 5/29; Costco, 5/30. All trips are $6, with the exception of IKEA &Walmart, which are $12.

Bartow OAC 8 Weeks’ Program: “Write Your Own Story,” – creative Writing class w/artist & playwright Linda Manning, Thurs., 1-3 p.m., starting May 1.

Bartow OAC Apple Picking trip to OCHS Apple Orchard, Aug. 28; price: $45, includes lunch.

Su Casa – Programming is back at Dreiser OAC. Please join us every Wednesday at 1 p.m. until June 25,

BARTOW CENTER CLOSED

NORC Visual Arts Painting Class (Only), 10:30 a.m.12 p.m., Rm. 31, every Mon. until May 5

Walk w/Odessa, 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Blood Pressure, 12-1 p.m. (1st & 3rd Tues.)

Health & Wellness w/Ann

11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Smart/phone & Tablet Class w/Julesa 1:45 p.m.-2:45 p.m.

Common Pantry, Tues., April 22, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

NORC Office Only: New Zumba class in the JASA NORC Office every Tues., at 11 a.m., until June 10. Dinner Hour: 3-4:30 p.m.

Stay Well Exercise w/Odessa

10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Line Dancing w/Cynthia, Wed. & Fri., 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m. (NORC) Office ONLY

Norc Office Only: Acupuncture 2049 Bartow Avenue w/ Dr. Flora Luyando, Wed., May 14 & June 4, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Dinner Hour: 3-4:30 p.m.

Arthritis Exercise w/Damion, 10-11:15 a.m.

Visual Arts w/Laura (Zoom) 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Knitting/Crocheting w/Lynne & Betty, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Card Games w/Frankie, 1-2 p.m.

Dinner Hour: 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Massage Therapy, 10 a.m.-12

p.m.

Manicure, 10:30 a.m-12 p.m.

Line Dance with Cynthia 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.

Drama Club w/Dazee, 2-4:30 p.m., JASA NORC office Dinner Hour: 3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Intergenerational Arts & Crafts w/Denise, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Salsa with Rasheem 10 a.m.-11 a.m., will meet in Dreiser, 2nd floor.

Word Games

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

Bingo on Saturdays 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m., in the back of JASA NORC of fice.

for a Caribbean & Dance workshop in Rm. 2.

“Soul Train” – At the Brownstone, NJ, September 11; $160 (two payments).

Dreiser OAC – Spirit of New York “White Party” Cruise on Wed., July 16. Tickets are $140 and can be made in three installments in Rm. 7 only. P/U’s are available at all three centers.”:

Caringkind: The Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving Rep. will be in the Bartow main office. every third Monday of the month, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. for Alzheimer & Dementia Consultation/Health Care Proxy & Power of Attorney Consultation & other services. Please call 646-

Macys Flower Show, 9:30

a.m.-2 p.m.

Mindful Mornings Tai Chi, 9 a.m.-10 a.m.

Line Dance w/Sassy,10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Book Club, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Ageless Facials & Self Care, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. (Appt. Only)

Movies w/ Dennis: “Gladiator 2” 1-3 p.m.

Spanish, 10-11 a.m., Rm. 35

Health & Wellness 2.0-

Stress Management, 11 a.m12 p.m., Rm. 45

Bridge to Care Arthritis Exercise w/Damion 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 45

Technology Lab w/Steve 1-2 p.m.

Museum of Natural History 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Stretch & Tone w/Ola 10 a.m.-11 a.m.

Bodies in Motion w/Ola 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Tech with KJ, 1-2 p.m.

Board Games, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Visual Arts, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Salsa Dance w/George, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Chit & Chat, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Fit for Life Exercise w/Gail 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Coloring for Calmness

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

Su Casa Art w/ Tijay, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Chess Club, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Blood Pressure Screening

10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

Health & Wellness 2.0: Loneliness vs.

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

Let’s Get It On Zumba 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

744-2921 for an appointment.

Technology Class – Thurs., 6:30-7:30 p.m. Dial in number: 929-205-6099, Meeting ID: 862 5043 9695, Passcode: 896989.

Steel Drum Classes – Wed., 1-3 p.m., NORC office. Notary – JASA NORC Office – Weds. & Thurs., 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 718-320-2066 for an appointment. Notary – Dreiser OAC – Weds., 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Rm. 7. Call 718-320-1345 for an appointment. Please call Einstein OAC for: Hair Styling, 1st & 3rd Wed. of the month, 9 -11 a.m.: Braids, Haircuts, Shape-Up, Twist, Pony Tails, Curls and more.

LUNCH & DINNER MENUS

Alternate Kosher Meals are available

Weekend Recap Discussion, 9 a.m.-10

a.m.

Stay Well Exercise w/ Denise, 10-11

a.m., Rm. 2

Chair Yoga w/ Charles, 10 a.m.-11 a.m. (Twice a month) (Virtual)

Blood Pressure Check w/ Linda, Rm. 4

Piano Sing Along, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm.2 (Twice a month)

Tubcut Presentation, 1 p.m.-2 p.m., Rm. 4

Yoga Class w/ Adira, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Rm.2

Walmart (Monroe), 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Current Events,10-11 a.m., Rm. 7 Art w/Gerry, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 6 Leisure Games w/Clara,1 p.m.3:30 p.m.

Zumba w/Ola, 1 p.m.-2 p.m., Aud. A Crafts w/Roselen, 1 p.m.-2 p.m.

Tai Chi w/Jimmy, 2-3 p.m., Aud. A Computer & Tablet class w/ Ralph (Virtual), 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Massage Therapy w/ Diana, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Rm. 2 (Twice a month) (appointment only)

Blood Pressure Check w/ Liu Nursing Students, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Arthritis Exercise w/Damion, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Bead & Jewelry w/ Brenda 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Caribbean Music & Dance Workshop w/ Juan, 1 p.m.-2:15 p.m., Rm. 2 Technology Class w/ Steve, 1:15- 2:15 p.m.

Trip to Golden Corral, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sewing Class w/Joy, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., Rm. 2

Manicure Services, 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. (Twice a month)

Cardio Exercise w/Gail, 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Aud. A Body in Motion w/Ola, 1 p.m.-2 p.m., Aud. A HIICAP Medicare Consultant w/Dr. Gil, Rm. 4

Leisure TV, 2-4 p.m.

Sewing Class w/Joy, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., Rm. 2

Alert & Alive w/Cathy & Essie, 10 a.m.-11 a.m., Rm. 4

Knitting & Crocheting w/Loretta,10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Mother’s Day Luncheon, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Aud. B

Menu fee for lunch is $2 & $5 for guests. All meals served w/margarine and fresh milk. Menu subject to change without notice.

For information, please call: (718) 320-2066. Schedule subject to change without notice.

Payments for trips can be made where noted, Mon.–Fri., 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and 2-4 p.m. only. Funded by: The NYC Department for the Aging, the NYS Office for the Aging and Riverbay Corporation. Must be 60 or older to become a JASA participant.

Menu Fee for lunch is $2 & $5 for guest. All meals served with margarine & fresh milk. Menu subject to change without notice.

LUNCH: KOSHER: Vegan Stuffed Peppers, Brown Rice, Roasted Eggplant; NON KOSHER: Spanish Style Catfish, Chinese Style Spaghetti, Oriental Vegetables

NO DINNER SERVED

LUNCH: KOSHER: Turkey Burger, Baked Red Potato, Steamed Zucchini; NONKOSHER: Aromatic Lentil Stew w/ Carrots & Turnips, Steamed Cauliflower

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Turkey Burger w/ Hamburger Bun, Baked Potato Wedges, Cole Slaw, Apple; NON-KOSHER: Spanish Style Catfish, Chinese Style Spaghetti, Oriental Blend Vegetables, Apple

LUNCH: KOSHER: Beef Stew, Yellow Rice, California Blend Vegetables; NON-KOSHER: Spanish Style Beef Stew, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetable Mix

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Beef Stew, Yellow Rice, California Blend Vegetables, Banana; NON-KOSHER: Lentil Stew w/ Carrots & Turnips w/ White Rice, Steamed Cauliflower, Orange

LUNCH: KOSHER: Apricot Glazed Salmon, Baked Sweet Potato, Prince Edward Blend Vegetables; NON-KOSHER: Jerk Chicken, Black Beans & Rice, Steamed Broccoli

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: NON-KOSHER:

KOSHER: Apricot Glazed Salmon, Baked Sweet Potato, Prince Edward Blend Vegetables, Orange; NON KOSHER: Spanish Style Beef Stew, Homemade Mashed Potatoes, Mixed Vegetables

LUNCH: KOSHER: Chicken Leg w/ Steamed Tomatoes, Bowtie Pasta w/ Kasha, Sauteed Green Beans w/ Onions; NON-KOSHER: Turkey Baked Ziti, Fried Plantain, String Beans & Carrots

DINNER: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: NON-KOSHER:

KOSHER: 10 Grab & Go; NONKOSHER: Momma Rose 102nd Birthday Party

Saturday: Lunch served at 12:30 p.m. until finished: BARTOW ONLY

KOSHER: Vegetarian Stuffed Cabbage, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Beet Salad; NON-KOSHER: Coconut Breaded Fish, Brown Rice w/ Quinoa, Sauteed Spinach

Rev. Dr. Calvin E. Owens and the Community Protestant Church family welcome you to worship with us. We are located at 2053 Asch Loop, Bronx, NY 10475. You may contact us by phone: 718-8629172, fax: 718-671-4416 or email: Administration@ thecpcchurch.org.

Worship Schedule

In-person Sunday Morning Worship at 11 a.m.; Adult Sunday School at 9:15 a.m.

Every Wednesday: “Hour of Power Noon Day Prayer” at 12 p.m. on the conference call line (712) 432-3900, Access code: 343284#.

Every Wednesday: 7 p.m. Bible Study Online via Zoom. Log in on Zoom.com or dial One Tap Mobile (646) 931-3860 or (929) 205-6099; Meeting ID: 813 089 803 39.

Upcoming Services

Sunday, May 4: Pastor’s Birthday Celebration with guest preacher, Father Franklin Reid at 11 a.m. Shepherd’s Ministry Anniversary with guest prea-

The Traditional Synagogue is located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place in the rear lobby of 27B. The synagogue would appreciate donations to keep our shul open. If you would like to help, go to www. Gofundme.com/Traditional-Synagogue-of-Co-op-City to donate, or mail to the Traditional Synagogue.

The synagogue has services on Saturday morning starting at 10 a.m. After service, we serve a hot/cold kiddush meal. Entrance to our synagogue for Saturday services is on the side door of Building 27B.

General information: The Traditional Synagogue located in Section 5, 120 Erdman Place in the rear lobby of 27B. It is on the ground floor and is handicap accessible, no steps. Phone #: 718-379-6920. Office hours are Thursday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Please call the office before you attempt to come over. If no one is in the office, please leave a message. The synagogue has a Facebook page, “Traditional Synagogue.”

The synagogue needs donations.

Community Protestant Church

cher Rev. Frank Hawkins, pastor for Greater Central Baptist Church, Harlem, NY at 3 p.m.

Sunday, June 1st: Church Anniversary at 11a.m.

Last Sunday, the Praise Team readied the congregation for worship with singing. Deacon Kyhro Dawkins prayed and read 1 Peter 1:13-21. Pastor Owens preached his topic,“Supplicating Saints,” please read Acts 1:13-14. He sermonized that supplication is a powerful and intense state of emotion. It is a prayer of desperation that fosters a deeper relationship with God. Pastor said it’s never too late, believing in prayer will regenerate your soul, reduce your fears and reestablish priorities. He asked Rev. Richardson to play and sing that old time hymn, “Sweet Hour of Prayer,” a hymn that truly celebrates the joys of genuine prayer. We shared in a moment of silent, private prayer before gathering together for Altar Call. Rev. Vernell Cooper gave the benediction. She reminded us to keep our eyes and ears on Jesus, to empty ourselves and give it all to the Lord. Glory,

Whatever amount you can donate, big or small, would help. The synagogue needs men to help make a minyan. There are a lot of Jewish men who live in Co-op City who do not come to services. Please come by 10 a.m. so we can take out the Torah.

The Traditional Synagogue is the only synagogue in Co-op City.

Sabbath ends on Saturday, May 3, at 7:40 p.m.

Candle lighting for Friday, May 9, at 8:25 p.m.

Sabbath ends on Saturday, May 10, at 8:53 p.m.

To All Members: Happy birthday to Karla Klaus and all other members who will be celebrating their birthday in May. Please send me your name and I will add it to the list.

Fun and Games: After services and Kiddush, members play games. Your support for the Traditional Synagogue is greatly appreciated. Wishing all our members and friends peace and good health.

—Bruce Gitelson

glory! Thank you for your fellowship and for celebrating God’s love with us. We begin mornings with Adult Sunday School, which allows us the opportunity to enhance and deepen our personal relationship with God through biblical teachings. Are you looking for a church home? We invite you to worship, explore and experience all the new possibilities at Community Protestant, a church of love and understanding. We extend our sincere and heartfelt condolences to all who are in a season of mourning. To our sick and shut-in members, please know that we are praying mightily for you and for your speedy recovery. Our best happy birthday wishes to our Pastor, Rev. Dr. Calvin E. Owens, and to everyone celebrating their special day this month.

“They gathered frequently to pray as a group, together with the women and with Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.” Acts 1:14

—Lexa M. Mingo

Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Church of the New Vision and Pastors Kenneth and Deborah Hodge welcome you to worship with us at 115 Einstein Loop North, Bronx, NY 10475. Church phone: 718-671-8746 and Pastor’s phone: 914-522-5039.

Our scripture verse for 2025 is: (2 Corinthians 2:14 KJV) “Now thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savior of his knowledge by us in every place ” Sunday School Adult and Youth begins at 9:30 a.m. Sunday service at 11a.m. All are welcome. Masks are required.

Daily Noon Day Prayer Line from 12-12:30 p.m.. Monday–Friday. Join us for Wednesday Night Bible study and prayer, the Conference Line Number is 646-769-9900; Access Code: 3099388# Please mute your phone. Worship Service Message: “Don’t Doubt Only Believe” Service Scripture: (John 20:24-29 NLT) “One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he replied, ‘I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wound in his hands, put my ﬁngers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.’ Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said. Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your ﬁnger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!’ ‘My Lord and my God!’ Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, ‘You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.’”

Save the Dates

May 18 – Please join us for our Women’s Day program. To demonstrate our oneness in Christ, women are encouraged to wear white. The theme is “Walking in the Light” (1 John 1:6-7)

June 7 – Meet and greet luncheon for the Celebrity Beyond Cruise traveler’s only at 1 p.m.

June 8 – Senior, Family and Friends Sunday Service at 11 a.m. All invited. Each one, bring one.

June 28 – Section Five Summer Fun Day sponsored by Councilman Kevin Riley.

August 9 – Family and Friends Picnic at Glenn Island Park. Information to follow.

August 12 – “Noah” at theSight and Sound Theatre in Lancaster, PA. Lunch buffet at Miller’s. Adults $230. Youth $175 (age 3-12). Non-refundable depositof $50 per person due now; second payment due April 30; ﬁnal payment due by July 6. Contacts: Loretta Scott at 718-671-2623 or Sadie James, 917-667-4229.

We continue to pray for speedy recovery for the sick and shut-in, and condolences to families who lost loved ones.

Good health and wellness for all. Please mail contributions, tithes and offerings to: Church of New Vision, P.O. Box 75-3037, Einstein Station, Bronx, New York, 10475.

––Brenda Brown

For up-to-date communication from Riverbay Corporation, read the Co-op City Times, delivered to your building lobby and the community centers on Saturdays, tune in to the Crawler on your home TVs and lobby monitors, and register for Phone Tree notiﬁcations.

Traditional Synagogue of Co-op City

Church of the New Vision

Co-op City United Methodist Church/IEMU de Co-op City

Open Doors, Open Hearts, and Open Minds.

Come and visit us. We are a multi-ethnic and bilingual, Bible-centered congregation with spirit-ﬁlled worship. Services are held in person at 2350 Palmer Avenue, across from Building 30. Parking is available. You can also participate with us via Zoom (904 4685745) or FacebookLive (UMC Coop City). —Pastor, Rev. Sara Girón-Ortiz.

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justiﬁed, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10

Our world has changed drastically, and many people have become disillusioned with religion. Many Christians are weary and, like “Doubting Thomas,” live with their own skepticism and uncertainty. However, the resurrection has opened the way for belief. To our struggling hearts, the resurrected Christ responds with His wounds and offers us His peace—peace, that calms our anxieties and replaces fear with hope.

The verse above is a call to reawaken our hearts to the truth: by the power of God, Jesus rose victorious over death. He is the fulﬁllment of the Law, bringing righteousness and the promise of eternal life to all who believe.

However, this passage should not lead us to believe that salvation comes from a mere audible confession. At the time this letter was written, embracing Christianity and confessing Christ as Lord often led to persecution, torture, and even death. Paul was speaking speciﬁcally to the Jewish people of his day, urging them to stop seeking

Rev. Dr. Sheldon E. Williams and the Co-op City Baptist Church family invite you to join us for Worship Service tomorrow at 8 a.m., in-person only, and at 11 a.m., in-person and on Zoom. Sunday School classes for all ages will be held at 9:30 a.m. We are located at 135 Einstein Loop, Rm. 50 (lower level), Bronx, NY 10475. Telephone: 718-320-3774. Email: ccbc135@ optimum.net or coopcitybc@gmail.com. Website: www.coopcitybaptistchurch.org. Masks are optional.

The 11 a.m. service is also available on Zoom at https://us04web.zoom.us/j/9623430102 or Zoom Telephone Conference Line 646-568-7788, Meeting ID: 962 343 0102#, Password: 788175#. You can also go to YouTube, search for “Co-op City Baptist Church” and watch us there.

The church’s free conference call line dial in number is 857-357-0254; Access Code is 660065#.

Rev. Williams asks everyone who calls into the Sunday Worship service to use Zoom through their computer or dial-in using the Zoom information shown above.

The Gospel Line Dance Class will meet this morn-

righteousness through the Law and instead to believe in their hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead and to confess Him as Lord.

Confessing Jesus’ death and resurrection is a declaration of our trust in His work on the cross for our salvation. Belief and confession together are evidence that our faith is in Christ. For the Christians of Paul’s time, publicly professing their faith—even at the risk of their lives—was a powerful sign of genuine salvation.

May the Holy Spirit rekindle the ﬁre in our hearts, that we may place our trust fully in the resurrected Christ. Help us in our unbelief and lead us to sincerely confess with our mouths that the Lord Jesus is our one and only Savior.

Come and Receive a Blessing: All are Welcome!

Theme for 2025: “God’s Love in Action with Joy and Thanksgiving”

Tuesday: Prayer Meeting in the Einstein Center, Rm. 43, at 1 p.m. (new) English Bible Study at 6 p.m. via Zoom (904 4685745).

Thursdays: Pantry and Prayer Meeting at 11a.m. Upcoming Events – Save the Dates

Sunday, May 4: Escuela Dominical at 10:15 a.m. Bilingual Service at 11:15 a.m. Communion/Birthday

Saturday, May 3: Flea Market. Come join us for a day of shopping, eating, and fun from 11a.m. to 5 p.m. Interested vendors, contact Pauline Taylor at 718-320-1552 or Jackie Dove at 361-249-7073.

—Grace Abadia

Co-op City Baptist Church

ing, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., in the Einstein Community Center, Rm. 35. There is no fee for this class. Come pray, dance and worship the Lord. Everyone is welcome!

Today, the Youth and Young Adult Ministry invite you to join them at the Co-op City Baptist Church, Rm. 51, for the “Operation Fuel-up: Mission Meals for Momentum” fundraiser, starting at 12 p.m. until sold out. You can purchase agent burgers, hotshot hot dogs, popcorn “pop bombs,” spy cakes and more. All are welcome to stop by and support our youth.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday: Bible Study Classes at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. are on Zoom.

Thursday: Prayer Warriors Prayer Service at 12 p.m. on the church conference call line.

On Thursday at 2 p.m., the Circle of Grace Knit and Crochet Group will meet in-person in Rm. 51.

Friday: thre Mid-Morning Prayer Service is at 10 a.m. and the evening prayer service is at 7:30 p.m., both are on the church conference call line.

Mateo 11:28: “Venid a mí todos los que estáis cansados... y te daré descanso.

Paz de Dios sea con ustedes.”

Iglesia Cristiana Marcos 16:15 les hace una cordial invitación a la comunidad hispana a congregarse con nosotros.

Si buscas una iglesia para adorar a nuestro Señor y Salvador, si te sientes solo, herido, deprimido, si necesitas liberación, nuestras puertas están abiertas para recibirte. Jesús está dispuesto y puede liberarte y sanarte. Al seguir a Jesús, nos liberamos del control del pecado y nos volvemos verdaderamente libres para vivir una vida de rectitud.

Isaías 41:10: “No temas, porque yo estoy contigo; no desmayes, porque yo soy tu Dios que te fortalezco; siempre te ayudaré; siempre te sustentaré con la diestra de mi justicia.”

Esperamos verlos los domingos. Nuestra iglesia está ubicada en el Centro Comunitario Einstein Loop 135, segundo piso, salon 33. Servicios Ofrecidos

Lunes: Estudios Bíblicos Español/telefónico, 9 p.m. (564-888-5521; Código: 696248)

Martes /Viernes: Estudios Bíblicos Zoom, 8 p.m. (ID 3447367643; Código: 3jEJ2W)

Jueves: Estudios Bíblicos telefónico: Ingles/7 p.m. y en Español/9 p.m. (564888-5521; Código: 696248)

Domingos: Culto de Adoración, 11:30 a.m.

La Santa Cena es el 1er Domingo del mes.

Que Dios le bendiga y recuerda que Cristo te ama. Iglesia Cristiana Marcos 16:15

Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who are weary... and I will give you rest. May the peace of the Lord be with you all.”

Iglesia Cristiana Marcos 16:15 cordially invites the Hispanic community to come gather and worship with us.

If you are looking for a church to worship our Lord and Savior, if you feel alone, wounded, depressed, if you need liberation, our doors are open to receive you. Jesus is willing and able to free you and heal you. By becoming a follower of Jesus, one is freed from the control of sin and becomes truly free to live a life of righteousness.

Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right

hand of my righteousness.”

The next CCBC Food Giveaway will be distributed on Friday, May 9, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., in front of the Einstein Community Center. Please remember to bring your own bag and perhaps a cart. Some products can be heavy. Everyone is welcome.

On Sunday, May 18, the Pastor’s Aide Ministry will celebrate their 46th Anniversary at the 11a.m. service. The guest preacher will be the Rev. Reginald E. Paris, Pastor of United Christian Baptist Church, Bronx, NY. All are invited to this special occasion.

The church has a free app available on your app store by putting in “Co Op CBC.” This app is open to all.

“GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

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.

—Marilyn C. Williams

We hope to see you on Sundays. Our church is located at 135 Einstein Loop Community Center, second ﬂoor, Rm. 33. Services Offered

Monday: Spanish Bible Studies/phone, 9 p.m. (564-888-5521; Code: 696248)

Tuesday /Friday: Zoom Bible Studies, 8 p.m. (ID 3447367643; Code: 3jEJ2W) Thursday: Telephone Bible Studies: English at 7 p.m. and in Spanish at 9 p.m. (564-888-5521; Code: 696248)

Sundays: Worship Service, 11:30 a.m. Holy Communion is the 1st Sunday of the month. God bless you and remember, Jesus loves you.

—Blanca Santana

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Anglican Church

St. Joseph’s is located at 155 Dreiser Loop, lower level, Co-op City, Bronx, NY 10475.

Email: stjosephsepc@aol.com. Church phone number: 718-320-0844. Priest-in-charge: Fr. Simeon Johnson; cell phone: 917-227-4303.

In-person worship service for the third Sunday of Easter will be conducted by Father Simeon Johnson at the church on Sunday, May 4, at 9 a.m., as well as via teleconference.

Please remember to tune in for the daily noonday prayer service. To participate by teleconference, dial 1-425-436-6344; Access Code: 509-898, followed by the # sign.

Pledge Cards for 2025 are still available. Please collect, complete and return yours to the church as soon as possible. We know that you want to help your church, so it is on these cards that you tell us about your areas of interest and expertise.

Upcoming Events and Fundraising Activities

May 11: Just a reminder that it is Mother’s Day and you know what is expected of you in appreciating your mother and/or mother ﬁgure, which could be any relative or non-relative that plays the role.

May 24: Celebration of St. Joseph’s Day: potluck, karaoke and raffle drawing. Please note the change in date due to a conflict of interest. Raffle tickets

are $5 for a book of six tickets. Tickets are available from Valrie and some members of St. Joseph’s.

June 28: Winery Trip to Pindar Vineyards in Long Island, sit-down luncheon at the Cooperage Inn and discount shopping at the Tanger Outlets; $160 per person; $50 to hold your seat. The balance of $110 is due by June 15, after which there will be no refunds. For more information, please contact Sheila at 718-320-0844 or 718-320-2654.

Condolences: Our thoughts and prayers go out to all our bereaved members, families and friends who have recently lost loved ones. Please remember to keep them in your prayers.

Sick and Shut-in: We extend our well wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery. If possible, please visit them, call them on the phone or send them a card.

Birthday Greetings: Best wishes and blessings to everyone celebrating a birthday this month.

We continue to collect food (cans and dry goods) for the pantry at Grace Episcopal Church, West Farms. If you can, please contribute to those in need.

Grace and Peace!

—Merville Chambers

Circle of Christ Church Iglesia Circulo de Cristo

Nothing Lost

If we are not careful, and rely on our expertise and desire, we get out of the will of God. This will inevitably lead to disaster and ruin. However, God by his love can redeem our failures.

(1 Samuel 22:5) “But the prophet Gad said to David, ‘Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah.’ So David left and went to the forest of Hereth.”

God through the prophet told David to stay in Judah. But throughout the text we see David sometimes seeking God’s will and other times doing his own thing. David was ministering out of context!

(1 Samuel 30:1) “Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and took captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by ﬁre and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.”

God gets our attention by allowing our plans to fail. Those with David suffered as a result of his disobedience. They became unaligned with him just as he was unaligned with God.

(1 Samuel 30:6) “David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.”

David repented and sought God. He recognized that he should have been

trusting in God and strengthened himself with renewed faith.

(1 Samuel 30: 7-8) “David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, ‘Bring me the ephod.’ Abiathar brought it to him, David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?’ ‘Pursue them,’ he answered. ‘You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.’”

Now David followed proper covenantal protocol. He went to God ﬁrst and waited for a response. Getting ahead of God is a recipe for failure.

(1 Samuel 30: 18-19) “David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back.” Everything was captured, yet David recovered everything. God returned all plus much more. Even our sin, foolishness, and bad decisions can be overturned when we repent.

Schedule (147 Dreiser Loop)

First Sunday of the month Bilingual Communion Service at 10:30 a.m.

Sunday – Spanish Service at 9 a.m. and English Service at 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday – Prayer at 10 a.m.

Wednesday – Nonperishable food distribution, 12-2 p.m.

Thursday – Prayer/Bible Study, 6:30-8 p.m.

Friday – Spanish Bible Study at 12 p.m. and Youth Service, 6:30-9 p.m

Saturday – Women’s Fellowship, second Saturday, 12-3 p.m.

Young Adults, third Saturday, 12-3 p.m.

Men’s Fellowship, fourth Saturday, 12-3 p.m.

Blessings in Christ, ––Pastor Luis F. Ramos Jr.

The Church of St. Thomas The Apostle

177 Dreiser Loop, second ﬂoor, Rm. 2.

Greetings, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The congregation and clergy of St. Thomas invite you to worship with us. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) In today’s Gospel lesson we read about an appearance of Jesus to his disciples following his resurrection. Knowing that the disciples were in fear and sadness, the ﬁrst words he said to them were “Peace be unto you” (John 20:19). This greeting to his disciples illustrates how he desires to bring peace into the lives of those who are in need and accepting of his presence. Are you in need of peace in your life? I invite you to accept Jesus and his peace into your life today with this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen.”

The Second Sunday after Easter, May 4, 2025

● 11 a.m., Communion Service.

● Fellowship with light refreshments following the service.

Bible Lessons:

● 1 John 5:4-8, 11, 12

● John 20:19-23

Prayer: O LORD Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, who as at holy Eastertide didst rise from the darkness of death to shine with exceeding glory upon Thy people, grant unto Thy Church so to prepare and make ready Thy way that the earth may be ﬁlled with Thy glory even as the waters cover the sea; Thou who livest and reignest ever in the unity of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, God throughout all ages of ages. Amen.

—Rev. Dorian Miceli