Spring 2022 Newsletter

The SPRYE Sentinel

SPRING 2022 Edition

SPRYE is a member-based organization for adults 55-years and older who want to live confidently at home and stay connected to their community in meaningful ways.

From the Director's Desk

Spring is Time to

Assess Your Home

Chances are the home you are living in wasn't built and furnished with the needs of older residents in mind.

This Spring, take time to assess your home and surroundings and determine if even a few small changes will make your living environment safer.

The number one item in the home that causes falls is rugs.

This includes area rugs and wall-to-wall carpets.

If you enjoy rugs, make sure to include proper backing to prevent slipping.

Try to not lean on furniture or doors for balance.

They are not stable objects and can move.

Grab bars are useful and inexpensive. They are available at local hardware stores for around $23, and they are easy to install.

And, keep all important phone numbers in a conspicuous spot, such as the refrigerator, so emergency staff can locate them easily.

With age, the number of incidences resulting in a disability increases.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of older adults' medical treatment. Half of these falls occur at home.

The CDC's research also shows that home modifications and repairs may prevent 30% to 50% of all home accidents among aging adults, including falls in older homes.

Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall. Every 19 minutes, an adult dies from a fall.

Falls result in more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths.

The financial cost for falls in the U.S. is expected to increase as the population ages, and is estimated to reach upwards of $70 billion in the near future.

Did you know?

All SPRYE members are eligible for a free home safety evaluation provided by the Executive Director.

The assessment will offer recommendations to reduce falls and add minor equipment where it's necessary.

Call SPRYE for more information at 914-481-5706.

SPRYE Board

of Directors

President

Lauren Miscimarra

Chair,

Executive Committee

Dan O'Day

Vice President

Dale Mintz

Treasurer

Hilary Garland

Secretary

Maria Hargraves

James Alban-Davis

Ellen Cacciapaglia

Meg Cameron

Kathy Carley-Spanier

Ron Cohen

Dolores Eyler

Richard Flahive

Svend Hansen

Peter Rolland

Tom Wynne

Tilly Young

Advisory Council

Co-Chairs

Barbara Brunner

Joan Feinstein

Nancy Haneman

Paul Hicks

Isobel Perry

Tom Saunders

Arthur Stampleman

Wendy Weinreb

Gil Weinstein

Executive Director

Marie Johnson

Executive

Administrative Assistant/Tech Assistant

Kathy Barefoot

One Gateway Plaza

55 S. Main St.

Third Floor

Port Chester, NY

10573

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 748

Rye, N.Y. 10580

914-481-5706

director@sprye.org

www.sprye.org

SPRYE urgently needs volunteer drivers.

If you are interested in driving members to medical appointments or other essential errands, please call:

914-481-5706.

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SPRYE's Annual Appeal Campaign

Going on Now!

SPRYE's Annual Appeal is well underway. We are very grateful for the incredible generosity of so many. This allows us to continue providing services and engaging programs for older adults in the four communities we serve.

SPRYE is a not-for-profit organization that does not receive any city, state, or federal funding to meet its mission. It depends on two annual fundraising events: our annual appeal and our benefit in the fall.

Now in its 11th year, SPRYE offers residents an opportunity to meet and engage once again with in-person programs, including a lively Jazz in June performance on Flag Day, June 14th.

To learn more about SPRYE and how you can donate,please go to our new website at www.sprye.org.

SPRYE Launches New Website

Thanks to incredibly talented (and patient) individuals, SPRYE now has a refreshed and contemporary-looking website.

Graphic Designer Drew Dallet, owner of the Ohio-based Boom Creative, and Executive Administrative Assistant Kathy Barefoot worked with members of the SPRYE Marketing and Executive Committee and the Executive Director to create the new site.

The website offers easy-to-navigate tabs to learn about membership levels, how to join or rejoin, a calendar of events, how to volunteer, and how to Donate to SPRYE.

Next month, the website will include information on SPRYE's 11th Annual Benefit that will be held Thursday, October 13th,

at Shenorock Shore Club from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

New York Times and Author Paula Span Visits Rye Brook

To have and to keep a sense of purpose as you age was one of the many messages writer Paula Span discussed during her recent appearance in Rye Brook.

Ms. Span, pictured in the middle, discussed the challenges older adults face as they age and try to remain engaged and useful. She reported that ageism and discrimination exist in advertising and news articles, and can not only lead to distress but also potential lawsuits.

The writer of the column "The New Old Age" brought an extra copy of the book Breaking the Aging Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live, and Rye Resident Robin Henschel, pictured on the left, won a copy. Ms. Span said she quoted from the book for one of her columns. "The New Old Age" can be found in Tuesday's New York Times Science section.

SPRYE Executive Director Marie Johnson thanked the attendees and noted that a return engagement would lead to even more topics of interest for residents.

SPRYE Online and In Person Programs

Fordham University Professor Brian Rose presented a series of three engaging online programs that looked at the history of television and movies.

"And That's The Way it Was: 70 Years of Television News," "And Now a Word From Our Sponsor," and "The Films of Alfred Hitchcock," Brian took listeners from the early days of NBC News to cable and Fox News.

Other online programs included "Hearing and Health"

by ENT & Allergy Associates' Audiologist Megan Mass who discussed the link between hearing loss and memory impairment.

Local historian, SPRYE founder and Board member Paul Hicks, enlightened a group at the Wainwright House in March. Paul discussed the influence of the Wainwright family in Rye.

A future "History of Rye" program is in the works with other noted Rye residents.

SPRYE Attends

"Play With Your Food"

SPRYE members were treated to an afternoon of a play and lunch in April at the Greenwich Senior Center.

Attendees included Board member Ron Cohen, Ann Burger, Vice President Dale Mintz, Joan Scarlata, President Lauren Miscimarra, and Bella Biegelman.

SPRYE has six tickets for the May 19th performance

They are $60 each and are available first-come, first-serve.

Please call the office at 914-481-5706.

SPRYE Book Club, Chair Yoga and

Current Events Keep Members Engaged

These FREE SPRYE programs helped keep members active and engaged this Spring.

SPRYE President Lauren Miscimarra schedules a Zoom Book Club meets every Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. She said the voracious readers look forward to meeting with each other to discuss the week's short story and monthly novel.

Arthur Stampleman schedules the Current Events program on either the second or third Friday of every month. The group has been meeting via Zoom; however, meeting at a local restaurant is under consideration.

Joan Gibbons leads the Gentle Chair Yoga outside at Crawford Park in Rye Brook every Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

SPRYE Announces New Program

The Walking Club on Wednesdays!

This new program drew Joan Scarlata, Laura

Linehan and Linda Heilman to the Rye Town

Park for its inaugural walk on a brisk

Spring morning.

Please join us on Wednesdays,

and call the office for details

(914) 481-5706

Jason Hellerstein Has

a Week to Remember!

It isn't every day a young man gets married and wins an Oscar in the same week.

But that's exactly what Jason Hellerstein did.

Jason, pictured speaking with his grandmother Isobel Perry, won an Oscar on March 27th as part of the team that produced the Japanese film "Drive My Car." The film won Best International Feature at the award show, and it was nominated for Best Picture along with nine other films.

The celebratory week continued when he married writer Mattie Kahn in Brooklyn on March 31st.

Jason helped start a new company called Sideshow, whose first release - in partnership with Janus Films - was a foreign film, called "Drive My Car." Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi and based on a short story by Haruki Murakami the movie won Best International Feature at the Academy Awards.

It was also nominated for three other awards, including Best Picture.

The movie can be found streaming on HBO Max.

On June 9th, Isobel will be recognized for her 50 years serving as a board member for Human Development Services of Westchester.

The cocktail/dinner party will be held at Coveleigh Club, 459 Stuyvesant Road in Rye and starts at 6:00 p.m.

For more information contact Brenda Wilken at BWilken@HDSW.org or call (914) 939-2005.

Click here for Gala information

New Volunteers

Denise DeSimone, Port Chester

Jan Rosenberg, Port Chester

Ninfa Fiocco, Rye

Upcoming Programs

JIB Productions, Inc. Presents:

"Play With Your Food"

Thursday, May 19th at Noon

An afternoon of engaging community theatre performed by area actors. The ticket price comes with a delicious lunch to stay or go.

Supported by the Greenwich Arts Council

299 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, CT

Greenwich Senior Center

Tickets are $60

Transportation will be provided for those that make reservations.

Tickets are limited so PLEASE make a reservation now!!

Please call 914-481-5706 or email director@sprye.org.

***************************************************************************

These three programs below are FREE and

courtesy of SPRYE and the Fanny and Svante

Knistrom Foundation.

Seating is limited so please call the

office to make your reservation!

M & M Productions presents:

"The Divas"

Sunday, June 5th

3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

The play, written by Jack Neary, is a funny and quirky show about the dysfunctional relationship of two veteran actresses for whom the show must go on even if it's over the dead body of the other.

14 Hidden Pond Drive, Rye Brook (Club House with red doors).

The cast will stay and enjoy wine and light snacks after the performance to answer questions.

***************************************************************

An Evening with

Barry Doherty

Thursday, June 23rd

7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Enjoy a rollicking evening with Barry Doherty, author of How To Do It Standing Up and One Hundred Years, A Million Laughs as he shares stories during his career working at the Friars Club.

The nationally recognized author will share the stage with Peggy Boyce, producer of "Ladies of Laughter," as he shares memories of working with such greats as Betty White, Joy Behar, and more.

14 Hidden Pond Drive, Rye Brook (Club House with red doors).

“Barry Dougherty is a gifted writer who has fostered comedy history with his insightful books. He doesn’t just showcase the people who make the laughs, he also writes the laughs. And he’s also a great lumberjack.” The late Gilbert Gottfried

Jazz in June

Tuesday, June 14th

Noon to 2:00 p.m.

Crawford Park, Rye Brook

Enjoy the dulcet tones of Arcadia jazz and have lunch on a summer afternoon as SPRYE offers an outdoor program where residents can mix and mingle and connect with each other.

Sandwiches and picnic salads will be offered along with refreshments to the first 50 people who call and RSVP to the office (914-481-5706).

As part of our membership drive, members can receive a FREE SPRYE membership for one year if they bring a friend and the friend signs up for any SPRYE level.

om members!

Welcome New SPRYE Members

Kathy and Tim Doherty, Port Chester

Patrick Koechlin, Rye

Joan Scarlata, Rye

Virginia Rivera, Port Chester

Sheila Dean, Port Chester

SPRYE welcomes gifts of stock and distributions from IRAs and donor-advised funds. Please remember SPRYE in your estate planning.

Great News!

SPRYE accepts donations year-round

and they are tax-deductible

SPRYE is a charitable corporation organized under New York State Law. Its tax-exempt status as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) has been approved by the Internal Revenue Service, which has also determined that donations to SPRYE are deductible under applicable sections of the Internal Revenue Code.

You can donate directly to SPRYE by going to our website

www.sprye.org

Call or email at:

914-481-5706 or email director@sprye.org

We love mail!

Send to

Director,

P.O. Box 748

Rye, NY 10580

and look for a new and improved website soon!