Births
JJ and Jessi Culyer announce the birth of a daughter, Faith Catherine Culyer, March 23 at White Plains Hospital Center. She weighed 8 pounds, 7 ounces. Faith joins sister Riley, 2½.
Her grandparents are Jim and Cathy Culyer of Rye and Vern and Petra Combs of Frederick, Maryland.
Everything Panned Out Nicely
No one can flip pancakes quite like the Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson Rye Troop 2820. Just ask the families who enjoyed the delicious Saturday brunch they and Hailey’s Hope Foundation volunteers served up at the Ronald McDonald House on the grounds of the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital March 24.
By 9 a.m., they were hard at work making pancakes, cooking turkey bacon, washing and cutting up fruit, preparing platters of bagels, and baking brownies. The girls, members of Rye Middle School’s Eighth Grade Girl Scout Troop, also made lovely tissue paper flowers for each of the families to share with their children.
“The Girl Scouts did a fantastic job with brunch,” said Donna Zion, vice president of Hailey’s Hope Foundation, a local charity that supports families with preemies and critically ill babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the hospital. “They were pros. It was inspiring to see all the care they took making the best meal possible for families whose children are undergoing treatment for serious illnesses at the hospital.”
Rye Firemen Celebrated for Their Fighting Fundraising
Representatives from Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center paid a visit to Rye Fire Department Headquarters March 16 to recognize a very special group.
For more than a decade, the Rye Professional Firefighters have been one of the strongest and most consistent supporters of the Children’s Hospital, which treats the region’s most seriously ill and injured children. Through golf tournaments, “boot drives”, and other initiatives, “Rye’s Bravest” have raised more than $65,000 for the hospital that saves children’s lives each and every day. The firefighters’ fundraising efforts for the Children’s Hospital netted $9,000 in 2011.
The group from Maria Fareri thanked the Rye firefighters for their continuing dedication to children’s health, and presented the team with a commemorative star icon that both resembles the hospital logo and symbolizes the firefighters shining efforts.
“The Rye Professional Firefighters have been one of the staunchest supporters of the advanced pediatric services at Westchester Medical Center, even before the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital cared for its first child,” remarked Greg Alcock, Senior Director of Fund Development and Leadership Gifts, Westchester Medical Center. “Their efforts have helped children undergoing burn care, enabled the hospital to provide services that make the hospitalization process easier for children, and they’ve even chipped in at the hospital’s annual Go the Distance walk and family fun day event. The Rye Professional Firefighter’s impact on the health of the region’s children is significant.”
Rye Professional Firefighter Jim Groglio, who has been at the forefront of the group’s effort, said, “It’s all for the kids. Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital is the place that cares for local children with serious medical conditions. We’ve seen their great work firsthand.” He added: “Our efforts are only as successful as the generosity of Rye residents.
Over the years, the community has really responded to our request for help.”
When Irish Tales Are Lilting
It was standing-room-only at the Rye library last month for the Rye Storytellers Guild program. Listeners enjoyed tender, delightful stories from Northern Ireland by way of the lilting voice of Marianne McShane, and fiddle and tin whistle melodies from Dennis Winter.
He also shared his adventures with Miko Russell, the All Ireland Pennywhistle champion and his mentor and friend. Patrick Ahearn was unable to be there that night, but he sent a poem in his place.
Guests were also treated to an elegant tea served by storyteller and librarian Neva Winter in her collection of fine bone
china. Soda bread, strawberries, and Irish cheese filled out the evening’s delights.