Manhattanville names Franisco Leija Trustee
Manhattanville University has announced the appointment of Francisco J. Leija of Rye as a new trustee.
Leija “has decades of executive leadership experience and he has volunteered extensively and cares deeply about issues such as the Latino community and education,” said Manhattanville Board of Trustees Chairman Michael Dunn.
Leija is a 27-year veteran of the U. S. Army who retired with the rank of colonel. He is currently an international business and education consultant, advising companies in the emerging technology, education and other fields.
During his military career, Leija was assigned to NATO and was an assistant professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he restructured the military program. He advised Taiwan on its military academy, restructured portions of the Department of Homeland Security to create inaugural task forces, and was a founding member of the U.S. Army’s Army Futures Command.
His military awards include the Ranger tab, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars, and the Purple Heart. Fluent in Spanish, he does volunteer work on Latino, veteran, disability and education issues. He is a member of the Latino Corporate Directors Association and a graduate of the White House Fellows and Norwich University. He lives in Rye with his wife Ashika and their four children.
Also named a trustee was Karen Burris Lennon.
Bird Conservancy Holds Bird Walk
The Bird Homestead & Meeting House Conservancy celebrated the start of 2025 with an Early Bird Walk, which it plans on making an annual event. The walk was led by longtime volunteer and new board member Chris Mignone. Mignone spent many years with the Central Westchester Audubon Society, where he built his expertise on the plants and animals of the Northeast.
Wind and rain put a damper on the bird turnout, but participants still spotted a belted kingfisher, spotted buffleheads, white-throated sparrows and a Carolina wren as they walked the property. On a pre-walk of the trails, Mignone came across American crows, a sharp-shinned hawk and a great blue heron, one of the more spectacular feathered residents of the Bird property.
The conservancy is planning another Bird Walk in early Spring to honor long-time friend and volunteer Jon Pattengill.
Little Garden Club of Rye Hosts Fundraiser
Little Garden Club of Rye hosted its annual fundraiser, WinterGarden 24, at the Westchester Country Club.
The theme of the event was La Gioia della Tavola; “The Joy of the Table.”
The evening was a celebration of friends gathering around the table, with plenty of holiday shopping. Garden Club members created floral centerpieces, delicate washi eggs, and wooden reindeer. There was a choral performance by The School of Holy Child culminating with group sing-along of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
Families Celebrate Noon Year’s at the Library
Young revelers who couldn’t stay up until midnight joined their families at the Rye Free Reading Room’s popular Noon Year’s Eve Party on Dec. 31.
The annual event featured festive crafts, tasty snacks, and a jubilant countdown to noon.
The celebration tailored for children under 12 and their families was the perfect way to ring in the new year during the daylight hours.
Gingerbread Scavenger Hunt a Hit
The Rye Free Reading Room’s Annual Gingerbread Man Scavenger Hunt brought some seasonal fun for the little ones over the holidays.
The children were tasked with a festive mission to track down a batch of gingerbread men who had “escaped” and were hiding out in the Children’s Room.
The search exposed the participating children to different parts of the room and let them earn prizes for finding the gingerbread figures
