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COMMUNITY NEWS

A LOOK AT WHAT’S NEW AND EXCITING AT THE STATEN ISLAND YMCA

IN THIS ISSUE

YMCA Honors Unsung Heroes of Hurricane Sandy

Lending A Helping Hand After Sandy

Community Support Is Key To Our Success

Welcome Aboard!

From Hoop Dreams to Addiction Recovery

Spring Into Fitness at the Staten Island YMCA

Scenes from the Staten Island YMCA

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QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, IDEAS?

Contact Andrea Ganzman, editor, at aganzman@ymcanyc.org.

STATEN ISLAND YMCA

3939 RICHMOND AVE., SI, NY 10312

Spring 2013

ymcanyc.org/statenisland

KNITTING FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Members of the Broadway YMCA’s Knitting Club are creating one-of-a-kind blankets, sweaters and other knitted items, with all proceeds from their sales going to the Y’s Strong Kids Campaign. Learn more about the Campaign on Page 4.

YMCA HONORS UNSUNG HEROES OF HURRICANE SANDY

In March, the Staten Island YMCA held its third annual Dine ‘N Dance at the Hilton Garden Inn and paid tribute to the “unsung heroes of Hurricane Sandy,” a group of 20 men and women who went above and beyond to help their neighbors in need following the storm.

Honored at the event were: Lisa Bova-Hiatt, Nannette D’Agostino, Massimo DiDonna, Lucille Defilippo, Frank DiMattina, Celia Iervasi, Farid Kader, Gary Malandro, Laura Gotlin Mayes, Michael McVey, Laura Morreale,

Guido Passarelli, Leticia Remauro, Ken Richardson, Sister Catherine Shanahan, Tom Sullivan, Derek Tabacco, John Tapinis, James Thomson

and Chris Williams.

All proceeds from the event will be used to help YMCA families affected by Hurricane Sandy by offering them scholarships for a variety of programs such as summer day camp, as well as family memberships. Through its

Strong Kids Campaign, the Y ensures that no one is turned away from our services due to an inability to pay.

Close to 450 people attended the Dine ‘N Dance, which was chaired by Samir Farag and Dr. Larry Arann. It began with a personalized introduction from Dr. Oz and included a live painting by local artist Scott LoBaido, which was then auctioned off at the event.

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When Hurricane Sandy hit Staten Island, staff at the Staten Island YMCA knew they had to step up to help community members. From opening the Broadway and South Shore branches to all borough residents so they could shower and

charge cell phones to handing out food in the community and collecting gift cards, clothing and food, the staff has not stopped their efforts since the Oct. 29 storm.

On several occasions, John Semerad, executive director of the South Shore YMCA, teamed up with the Raritan Bay Area YMCA and a Pennsylvania Firehouse Subs franchise to distribute thousands of boxed lunches to those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Semerad, who grew up in New Dorp Beach, also got the chance to give New York Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson a tour of his old neighborhood, along with the South Shore YMCA’s Youth and Family Coordinator Christopher Ostrow, who was affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Granderson was on Staten Island with his Grand Kids Foundation. After the tour, he headed to PS 39 in Arrochar, a Y After School site, and handed out backpacks filled with

school supplies to students. The Staten Island YMCA also participated in the Y Kids & Schools Recovery Project, which was created in response to the overwhelming needs left in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Through the program, the Y of Greater New York distributed backpacks and school supplies to thousands of students across the city.

Other YMCAs also stepped up to do their part following the storm. The week before Christmas, several Staten Island YMCA families received presents and gift cards from the Bronx YMCA as part of their Operation Kathy’s Kids initiative. Sharlene Brown, executive director of the Bronx YMCA, and Eliezer Rodriguez, the chair of its Board of Managers, were on hand to give out the presents to excited kids and parents.

LENDING A HELPING HAND AFTER SANDY

COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS KEY TO OUR SUCCESS

A number of local and national foundations have offered their support in the last year to help ensure that the Staten Island YMCA continues to offer quality programming in the borough. Our donors are key to our success and allow us to offer fun, exciting and educational programs, along with scholarships to

those in the community who otherwise are unable to afford the Y’s services.

Here’s a look at just a few of our supporters:

The Staten Island Foundation provided the YMCA Counseling Service with a $50,000 grant to enhance adolescent and teen treatment services. The Counseling Service is dedicated to helping all people affected by substance abuse, including those facing the addiction, their children and other family members.

To help better serve cancer survivors, the Richmond County Savings Foundation provided the Staten Island Y with a $25,000 grant for the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA Program. The program helps survivors build muscle mass and strength, increase flexibility and endurance and improve functional ability.

The Coca-Cola Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company, presented the Y with a $20,000 grant for Active Healthy Living programs. The grant is part of an initiative to aid local organizations in their quest to

promote health and wellness, advance education and spark environmental stewardship.

A $15,000 grant from The Northfield Bank Foundation is helping fund the Staten Island YMCA’s Teen Center program. The goal of the Teen Center is to provide a safe and secure place for teens to go on Friday nights within their community to meet with friends, engage in positive activities and become involved in the culture of the YMCA under the direction of caring adults.

TOP: Khaled Elhamalawy of Coca-Cola presents Joe Verhey, executive director of the Broadway YMCA, with a check for $20,000. With them are City Councilwoman Debi Rose, and Judy Ouziel of the YMCA of Greater New York. BOTTOM: Diane Senerchia, executive director of the Northfield Bank Foundation, presents a grant for $15,000 to Gregory Coil, senior executive director of the Staten Island YMCA and Cynthia Bayiokos, Youth and Family Director at the South Shore YMCA.

LEFT: Steve Jobin, CEO of the Raritan Bay Area YMCA, John Semerad, executive director

of the Staten Island South Shore YMCA, and Bob and Renee Lowe, owners of Firehouse

Subs in Frazer, Penn., hand out boxed lunches to Hurricane Sandy victims.

RIGHT: Semerad and Christopher Ostrow, Youth and Family Coordinator at the South

Shore YMCA, show New York Yankee Curtis Granderson the devastation Hurricane

Sandy caused on Staten Island.

Sharlene Brown and Eliezer Rodriguez

of the Bronx YMCA delivered gifts to

families affected by Hurricane Sandy as

part of their Operation Kathy’s Kids

initiative. Chrisanne and Kelsey Galyas

and Dorota, Matthew and Thomas

Kucharczyk were among the recipients.

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FROM HOOP DREAMS TO

ADDICTION RECOVERY

Chris Herren, a former NBA player, will be the keynote speaker and honoree at the

YMCA Counseling Service 33rd Anniversary Brunch on Sunday, June 2, 2013 at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Herren was a high school basketball legend from Fall

River, Massachusetts, who realized his lifelong dream of playing for the Boston Celtics only to lose it all to alcohol and drug addiction. Sober since August 1,

2008, he has refocused his

life to put his sobriety and family above all else.

Chris shares his story with audiences in the hopes of reaching just one person and making a difference in his or her life. To support

this vision, he founded The Herren Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing assistance to families affected by addiction.

The event begins at 10am

with a coffee reception, followed by the brunch at 10:30. Co-chairs of the event are Loren Matarazzo and Connie Thanasoulis-Cerrachio.

Tickets are $60 each and can be purchased by contacting Marie Howard at 718-948-3232 or mhoward@ymcanyc.org. Sponsorships and journal ads are also available.

The Staten Island YMCA has elected five new members to its Board of Managers and selected

new officers for 2013. The new members are: Donald J. Banks, Philip A. Guarnieri, Dr. Abdul Rehman, Robert J. Scamardella and Victor E. Vientos. The new officers are: Frank Scarangello, chair; Witt G. Halle, vice chair, and Serena Stonick, secretary.

The Board of Managers provides governance, policy, direction and fundraising support to the Staten Island YMCA. The visionary leadership of these volunteers is invaluable to the success of our organization.

WELCOME ABOARD!

Stonick is an attorney with the law firm Lahr Dillon Manzulli Kelley & Penett, PC, and serves as chair of the YMCA Counseling Service’s Committee of Management. She is active in a

number of local organizations, and provides pro-bono legal services to those in need.

Vientos is the manager of Community Relations for

National Grid and chair of the company’s

Cinderella Committee, a community development program. He also is active

with the Staten Island Zoo

and SIEDC, among other organizations.

Scamardella is the managing partner in the law firm of Russo,

Scamardella and D’Amato, and a partner in the

consulting firm, the Molinari

Group, LLC. He is active in other community organizations and sits on the

Board of Directors for the YMCA of Greater New York.

Dr. Rehman is a physician with practices in Brooklyn and

Staten Island. He is also a clinical assistant

professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and is on staff at Staten Island University Hospital and The

Brooklyn Hospital Center.

Halle is a retired New York City school principal who has served

the community in various capacities during

his retirement years. A long-time member of the

YMCA, Halle is currently the chair of the Broadway YMCA

Committee of Management.

Scarangello, president of Scaran Heating & Air

Conditioning, has volunteered with the Staten Island

YMCA’s Board of Managers

for 12 years. He also is a member of the Rotary Club of Staten Island and

volunteer for the American Cancer Society.

Guarnieri is the president and

co-CEO of Empire State Bank. He is active in other community organizations, including the

Empire State Bank

Foundation, Grace Foundation of New York, SIEDC and the Staten Island Children’s Museum.

SPRING INTO FITNESS AT THE STATEN ISLAND YMCA

Get fit and ready for summer with one of our amazing exercise programs.

From aqua exercise programs and step

classes to Zumba and yoga, we have

something for everything.

Not sure what you need to get in shape

for summer?

Try our Y Personal Fitness program, a

free 12-week initiative that pairs you

with a personal coach to realize your

fitness goals and help you achieve them.

Inquire with your fitness center today!

Banks is the partner/owner of Bedford Construction. He

previously served on the YMCA Board of Managers

and has been active with the

organization since 2000.

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SCENES FROM THE STATEN ISLAND YMCA

So much is happening at the Staten Island YMCA! From a kickoff for our Strong Kids Campaign to Healthy Kids Day at our branches, the Staten Island YMCA is full of fun for everyone.

BUILDING STRONG KIDS & FAMILIES

The Strong Kids Campaign allows the Staten Island YMCA to provide

membership assistance and scholarships to programs like

summer camp, early childhood programs and teen activities, so that no one is turned away from our services due to an inability to

pay. Please join us in helping local children and families learn, grow

and thrive. For more information, visit the Member Service Desk or

online at ymcastrongkids.org/nyc.

The Staten Island YMCA Golf

Outing helped raise money for our

Strong Kids Campaign and will be

taking place again on Oct. 7, 2013. YMCA Counseling Service

Executive Director

Jacqueline Fiore was

awarded with the 20

Under 40 Leadership

Award by the Staten

Island Economic

Development Corporation.

Families at the Broadway

and South Shore YMCA

enjoyed Healthy Kids Day in

April with fun activities

and tasty, healthy treats.

Y After School students from

PS 22 helped kick off our 2013

Strong Kids Campaign with a

Dr. Suess and 80s tribute.

YMCA members Austin Diaz

and James Scarangello are

presented with the Rene I.

Montalvo “Take it to the

Limit” Scholarship for

athletic pursuit.

Staten Island YMCA Summer Camp 2013

WHERE KIDS GO TO GROW Summer camp registration is open and the Staten Island YMCA has

several options to fit your child’s needs.

Early Childhood

Camps

Camp Rainbow and Camp

Broadway located at the

South Shore and Broadway

YMCAs, focus on providing

a safe, nurturing

environment where kids

ages 3-6 can thrive.

Traditional Camp

Located at Pouch Camp,

this camp offers a

variety of fun,

supervised activities,

including swimming, arts

and crafts, health and

fitness, group games and

more for kids ages 5-13.

Broadway Summer Fun

and South Shore Stars

These in-house camps, located at

the Broadway and South Shore

YMCAs, are the perfect place for

kids ages 7-12 to meet new

friends, participate in sports and

creative arts, explore science

and technology and swim.

Open houses for Summer Day Camp at Pouch Camp will be held May 18 from

10am to 4pm, and June 1 and June 15 from 10am to 1pm. For more

information, visit ymcanyc.org/camp.

Non-Profit

Organization US Postage

PAID Permit No. 24

Staten Island YMCA 3939 Richmond Ave. Staten Island, NY 10312

ymcanyc.org/statenisland