Civic News:

-- Joe Benefico says excitement is building for the Civics' annual Golf Outing to Benefit the Needy at the Pelham Country Club on July 8.  It's a major fund raiser for the organization and Joe has sent out a mailer to solicit golfers, sponsors and volunteers.

-- Pat Smith is circulating flyers to Pelham kids, who probably need no encouragement to show up for another fun day of events at the Civics' 24th annual Summer Olympics at Glover Field on June 7. Pat is also looking for volunteers to help run the games and shepherd the participants from station to station.

-- Ursla Huff has been selected as the Pelham Civic Association's 2008 Person of the Year for her extraordinary and ongoing volunteer efforts on behalf of the community. She will be honored at the association’s annual dinner dance Friday, November 7 at the Fountainhead in New Rochelle. Phil Carfora is dinner dance chairman.

-- Bill Ioris, WWII aviator,  was the grand marshal of Pelham's Memorial Day Parade. Joe Hall, Vietnam-era Signal Corps stalwart, was, as usual, the parade's master planner

-- The Pelham Civic Association and the PHMS Guidance Department co-sponsored another highly successful Sophomore Career Awareness Day on May 22 -- the 18th consecutive year that the program on ``life after high school'' has been presented. More than 200 students participated in breakout sessions in which they were introduced to a wide range of potential jobs and careers by more than 50 Pelham Civic members and other community volunteers. Congratulations and thanks to Josh Galiani, Career Day Chairman.

-- Nice crowd showed up Tuesday, May 20, for the second ``Afternoon at the Movies'' presented by impresario Jack McCormack at the Pelham Picture House. ``Top Hat,'' a 1935 classic, was shown on the big screen along with free popcorn and soda, courtesy of Jack's Senior Citizens Committee.

-- Tai chi resumes Thursday, June 5 at the Daronco Town House, sponsored by the Pelham Civic Association. The free classes begin at 1 o'clock and will continue for eight weeks.

-- Jack McCormack announces that the Civics is joining the Pelham Picture House in presenting a free ``Afternoon at the Movies'' on Tuesday, April 15 at 1:00 p.m.  It's the first in a series of vintage movies that will be served up with free popcorn and soda.  All credit to Eric Salmeron, a member of the Picture House board, for making the arrangements on behalf of the senior citizens committee. The first offering is a blockbuster musical that made quite a splash in 1952.

-- On Good Friday, March 21, three members of the Pelham Civics and a prospective member distributed pizza, salad and garlic bread to some 50 to 60 people gathered at the Mount Vernon Soup Kitchen at Sacred Heart Church.  Frank Mondrone Jr., Michael Mondrone, Eric Salmeron and Dominic Drago dished out 25 large pies.  Frank said Pizza Night would be repeated in the Fall as part of the Civics' ongoing commitment to the soup kitchen.

-- The Civics-sponsored tai chi classes at the Daronco Town House have drawn enthusiastic groups of senior citizens through the month of March and will continue through April.  A former president of the Civics (1949-1950), 95-year-old Carmine Cardillo, attended one of the Thursday classes.  Jack McCormack, Chairman of the senior citizens committee, is talking with instructor Norma Castle and the Arthritis Foundation about holding more tai chi classes in the future.

-- The Civics welcomed a new president, Robert J. Tracy, at its general membership meeting at the Daronco Town House on January 16. He succeeds Daniel W. McLaughlin, who served for the last four years. Tracy lauded McLaughlin's service and cited the organization's continued impressive growth under McLaughlin's stewardship. The new president also outlined the Civics' goals for the upcoming year, which include efforts to identify needs of the community, expand new programs to serve the community, and to actively seek friends and neighbors as new members. McLaughlin congratulated Tracy and thanked the membership for their strong support during his two two-year terms of office. He will assume the role of chairman of the organization's Board of Directors. Attorney Stephen F. Ruffino conducted the swearing-in of officers and board members. Tracy offered a special thanks to long-time board members Dr. Anthony Galiani, Patrick Grosso, Jack McCormack, Frank Mondrone, Sr.and Joseph Lifrieri, who were retiring from the board. ``These men were instrumental in building the organization and we look forward to their staying involved,'' Tracy said.

-- The Father's Forum presented a panel discussion on youth sports Saturday, Jan.12, at PMHS. The event was co-sponsored by the Pelham Civics and PACT. The Forum, ``Youth Athletics: How Much Is Too Much,'' offered coaches' and trainers' perspectives on a wide range of topics related to the physical and emotional effects of athletics on children, with emphasis on the role that fathers can play.

Archived Civic News:

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