Eastchester REVIEW THE
December 1, 2017 | Vol. 5, Number 48 | www.eastchesterreview.com
Leadership council celebrates women in philanthropy
LIFE IS A MARATHON Hema Nambiar, founder of 13-one and an active runner, created jackets inspired by NASA technology to mimic the effects of Heatsheets that runners wear to regulate their body temperatures after a marathon. For story, see page 6. Photo courtesy https://13-one.com
Toys for Tots donation drive hosted at Westy centers Westy Self Storage continues its support of the Toys for Tots donation drive for the 19th year. This drive will run until Dec. 19. The Westy centers in Westchester are hosting this drive as designated drop off locations for donations. In addition to collection, Westy will also provide storage for the donations as well as assist with final delivery. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, USMCR, Toys for Tots Program collects new, unwrapped toys for less fortunate children in the local communities. A shiny new toy delivers the message of hope to needy youngsters. This act of kindness will help
motivate the children to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. Please help make Christmas special by dropping off a donation at Westy Self Storage in White Plains, located at 179 Westmoreland Ave.; in Elmsford, located at 395 Saw Mill River Road; in Tuckahoe, located at 65 Marbledale Road, or in Port Chester, located at 351 N. Main St. and 299 Boston Post Road. Toys for Tots began in 1947 when the wife of Major Bill Hendricks, USMCR, handcrafted a Raggedy Ann doll and asked her husband to deliver the doll to an organization which would give it to a needy child at Christmas.
When they realized that no such organization existed, they decided to start one. That Christmas a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The pilot program was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign and since then has distributed more than 370 million toys to more than 173 million children. “Toys for Tots Westchester County is proud to once again partner with Westy Self Storage. For many years Westy has supported the Toys for Tots cam-
paign and has been instrumental in our success of collecting and redistributing toys to the disadvantaged children of our community,” said Steve Topilnycky, Westchester Coordinator, Toys for Tots. Westy is open for drop off seven days a week. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Call 997-7771 or visit Westy. com for directions. “We are proud to again be part of the Toys for Tots program,” said Tim Mincin, district director of Westy Self Storage, White Plains. “Every child deserves a special gift at Christmas.” (Submitted)
Women of influence will come together on Dec. 5 for the United Way Women’s Leadership Council’s 5th Annual Celebration of Women in Philanthropy, a day that recognizes and reinforces the work of women who are helping to lift up women and children living on the edge of poverty in Westchester and Putnam counties. Business women and community leaders will be honored for their work and inspired by stories of those who have overcome the odds to reach self-sufficiency and are thriving in their new lives. The breakfast event will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill in Tarrytown. “This event is about women taking a stand for other women and their families,” said Alana Sweeny, president and CEO of the United Way of Westchester and Putnam. “We are thrilled to welcome Dyllan McGee, a two-time Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, and Michelle Brown of News 12 as emcee. These women are role models who have set an example of compassion and action. I’m truly looking forward to this inspirational morning with the women of our community.” McGee is founder and executive producer of MAKERS, a women’s media brand for trailblazing women, as well as the founder and executive producer of McGee Media, a documentary film company dedicated to producing content that inspires a more fair and equitable world. In addition, she has executive produced the MAKERS Conference since it launched in 2014 to gather some of the most game-changing women in the public and private sectors. The Women’s Leadership Council will also present its “Women of Distinction” awards at the breakfast, to Bracken-Thompson, partner at
Thompson & Bender and Honorable Regent Judith Johnson, New York State Board of Regents. Bracken-Thompson is a partner of Thompson & Bender. Founded in 1987, the agency is the region’s premier advertising and public relations firm. As a partner in the firm, Bracken-Thompson is responsible for a wide variety of clients representing a broad spectrum of business sectors including Fortune 500 firms; banks and financial institutions, educational institutions; not-for-profits; hospitals and health care organizations and business organizations among others. Bracken-Thompson is active in numerous community and professional organizations and serves on the boards of many organizations, including the Business Council of Westchester, the Hudson River Museum and the Westchester Parks Foundation. Johnson, of the New York State Board of Regents, was appointed to the Board of Regents for a five-year term effective April 1, 2015. Johnson has devoted her professional life to public education. Whether working to transform national and local education, leading school districts to give all children the same opportunity to succeed or building partnerships with the business community, civic organizations, government leaders and the arts community, she has built an extensive network of partners to help schools raise student achievement. Individual tickets are at $125, with tables and sponsorships also available. To learn more and reserve your seat today, please visit UWWP.org/wlcbreakfast. For more information on sponsorship opportunities and program journal ads, please contact Margaret Tramontine at MTramontine@ uwwp.org or 997-6700 ext. 737. (Submitted)