Local Civic Groups Help Residents in Need

By Nina Recio Cuddy

Residents of the Larchmont-Mamaroneck area often cite the benefits of living in a beautiful shoreline community with good schools, a short rail commute to New York and wonderful local natural and recreational amenities. In addition, the community is supported by local civic groups determined to make life in the Sound Shore area even better for its residents and neighbors, as well as the global community. The leaders of some of the various civic, not-for-profit and volunteer groups (the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Larchmont Lions Club, the Mamaroneck Rotary Club, At-Home-on-the-Sound, and the Woman’s Club of Larchmont) explained their missions and goals at the most recent breakfast presentation of the Local Summit of Larchmont-Mamaroneck held on November 15.

With the motto, “we serve” and inspired by Helen Keller, one of the defining causes of the Lions Club “is to improve eye care and eye health and assist the visually impaired,” explained Larchmont Lions Club president, Phil Oldham. (There is also a Lions Club chapter in Mamaroneck.) The organization is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and supports the Guiding Eyes for the Blind. The program raises and trains service dogs for individuals who are blind and also for autistic children. Along with other Lions Club chapters, the organization also supports the Visions Center on Blindness in Spring Valley, a 35 acre residential family camp for the blind and visually impaired.

Oldham also described the Mamaroneck Lions program, “Apple of Your Eyes,” which provides free eye exams and collects and distributes eyeglasses to those in need. Eyeglasses are collected at eyeglass recycling bins that are located throughout the community, including at the Larchmont Library, the Mamaroneck Town Center, Raymond Opticians on Palmer Ave., Larchmont Vision Care on Chatsworth Ave., Mamaroneck High School, Wells Fargo Bank and the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce Office on Center Ave., among other places. More recycling bins are to be added shortly in the community. According to Oldham, from January through May of this year, over two thousand pairs of eyeglasses were collected from the community for distribution to those in need, including international distribution.

Oldham invited new members from the community to become members, stating that the Lions are “a turnkey group that provides opportunities for people interested in serving the community” and volunteers can select how, when and how often they help.

At-Home-on-the-Sound, an organization that has been in the community for only seven years, addresses the needs of a different segment of the local population - - senior adults wanting to stay in the community as they grow older. The organization can trace its roots to a Local Summit program hosted several years ago that addressed the needs of seniors in the community. (The aging-in-place movement originated in Boston.)

The organization now has 200 members and 100 volunteers, according to Executive Director Elaine Weingarten, and “provides social, cultural and educational programs for senior residents.” But, explained Weingarten, the most important service that it provides is transportation. Each week volunteers transport seniors to their medical and physical therapy appointments, food shopping, and to their recreational activities. On a weekly basis, an average of 50 seniors receive transportation assistance from community volunteers.

The organization also provides regular check-in phone calls or home visits, upon request, and will coordinate with existing community agencies to help address the particular needs of any member. Recognizing the concern that some seniors may suffer from depression or feelings of isolation, Weingarten stressed the importance of the contact and personal relationships that develop between members and volunteers, and noted that the relationship formed between volunteers and seniors often proves to be mutually beneficial.

Rotary Club president, Jack Geoghegan, also attended the Local Summit breakfast and, as with the other represented groups, emphasized the Rotary’s focus on community service. The local Rotary Club covers both Mamaroneck and Harrison. There are over 1.2 million “Rotarians” internationally. Geoghegan described how the Rotary Club was originally a luncheon club intended to promote fellowship, but evolved to a service organization with the motto, “Service above self.” The local Rotary meets monthly at Emilio’s Restaurant in Harrison.

Among its charitable projects, “the Rotary is known for its support of a program for the universal eradication of polio,” said Geoghegan, which has been totally successful in all but three countries. On a more local level, the Rotary sponsors scholarships to local high school students. In determining the scholarship recipients, Geoghegan stated that the overriding question about a scholarship candidate, which reflects the focus of the Rotary Club, is “What do they do to make their communities better?”

The Elks Club was represented at the Local Summit breakfast by its Exalted Leader, Steve Cossa, who has led the local Elks for 12 years. During his tenure as Exalted Leader, the Elks raised $30,000 for charitable causes. The Elks, like both the Rotary Club and the Lions Club, also distributes scholarship money to local students.

In addition to funding student scholarships, the Elks provides financial support to community organizations and institutions, including, to name a few, the Mamaroneck Library, the O’Rourke Irish Step Dancers, the Trumbull High School Band and the Sons of the American Legion. Locally, the Elks also provides meals for vets. On a national level, the Elks national charity is to support the fight against cerebral palsy and it is a big supporter of the Ronald McDonald House charities.

Cossa also presented an interesting bit of Elks history to the attendees. The organization, he explained, was founded in 1867 in New York City by entertainers to provide a place to socialize. The group was originally called “the Jolly Corks”. The name Benevolent Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) was adopted in 1868, and, along with the name change, particular rituals and rules, as well as charitable goals, were also adopted.

The Woman’s Club of Larchmont, represented at the breakfast by past president, Lorraine Stratis, was founded in 1925 with the stated objective “to engage actively in assisting any movement which has for its object the civic philanthropic betterment of the community.” According to Stratis, its other objectives include “promoting interest in fine arts” and “providing opportunities to study and discuss topics of public interest.” The organization traces its roots to the early suffrage movement.

Like the other organizations represented at the breakfast, the Woman’s Club actively engages in fund raising for local causes. Last year, at its annual luncheon held in March, the group raised $9,475 which it distributed to local organizations including the Hunger Task Force, the Cancer Support Team, the Community Resource Center and the Larchmont Friends of the Family, among others. More recently, it has raised funds for local Larchmont residents whose apartments were destroyed by the recent fire on Palmer Ave. Its monthly meetings are held at the Larchmont Avenue Church, with which it has no affiliation. It has approximately 200 members.

Local Summit board member Janet Demasi is the current president and board member Mary Lee Berridge serves as Director of Philanthropy. Demasi stated that “the organization is out to help, but is social as well as philanthropic. We enjoy being part of the community and are happy to welcome new members.”

This breakfast forum was hosted by the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Local Summit, an informal community council that seeks to make life better for all in the tri-municipal area. Its monthly meetings are held at the Nautilus Diner in Mamaroneck Diner at 7:45 a.m., usually on the third Tuesday of the month. The next meeting will take place on December 13 when the Summit will host County Executive Rob Astorino who will address questions of concern to the local community.