Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy (ACGT) will celebrate its anniversary with a special ACGT Awards Luncheon being held on Thursday, March 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Riverpark restaurant at the Alexandria Center for Life Science, located at 450 E. 29th St., New York, New York.

Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy, founded by Edward and Barbara Netter of Greenwich, Connecticut, in 2001, is the only nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to funding cancer cell and gene therapy research. ACGT funds innovative scientists and biotechnology companies working to harness the power of cell and gene therapy to transform how cancer is treated and to drive momentum toward a cure. One hundred percent of all public donations directly support research and programs.

“ACGT is a leader in the advancement of cancer cell and gene therapy and has helped lead a paradigm shift in how some cancers are treated,” said Barbara Netter, co-founder of ACGT and honorary chair of the board. “The ACGT Awards Luncheon is an opportunity to bring thought-leaders together and recognize some of the groundbreaking work that our alliance has accomplished.”

The ACGT Awards Luncheon will feature pioneering physician, oncologist and New York Times best-selling author Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, as the keynote speaker, and honor Crystal Mackall, MD, of Stanford University, with the Edward Netter Leadership Award.

Dr. Mukherjee has redefined the public discourse on human health, medicine and science. His innovative research signals a paradigm shift in cancer pathology and has enabled the development of treatments that reach beyond current pharmaceutical models toward new biological and cellular therapies.

Dr. Mackall has been a leader in the advancement of cell and gene therapies for the treatment of solid tumors, with a major focus on children’s cancers. Along with being an ACGT Research Fellow as well as a member of ACGT’s Scientific Advisory Council, Dr. Mackall is the Ernest and Amelia Gallo Family professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Stanford University, the founding director of the Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, associate director of the Stanford Cancer Institute, leader of the Cancer Immunotherapy Program and director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. She has led numerous groundbreaking clinical trials to treat children with sarcomas and brain cancers.

The Edward Netter Leadership Award will be presented to Dr. Mackall by Carl June, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, who received the honor at ACGT’s 2019 Awards Gala. ACGT grant funding enabled Dr. June to research and develop cell and gene therapies that led to the first FDA approvals of CAR T-cell therapies for cancer. Named for ACGT co-founder, Edward Netter (1933-2011), the award recognizes a researcher who has made unparalleled and groundbreaking contributions to the field of cell and gene therapy for cancer. The award symbolizes those qualities Edward held with highest regard – perseverance, profound curiosity, skillful risk-taking, and a life-long pursuit towards the greater good.

For information about purchasing a ticket to the ACGT Awards Luncheon, visit the ACGT Awards Luncheon website acgtfoundation.org/awards, call Keri Eisenberg at (475) 400-4373, or email keisenberg@acgtfoundation.org. 

For more than 20 years, Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy has funded research that is bringing innovative treatment options to people living with deadly cancers – treatments that save lives and offer new hope to all cancer patients. Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy funds researchers who are pioneering the potential of cancer cell and gene therapy – talented visionaries whose scientific advancements are driving the development of groundbreaking treatments for ovarian, prostate, sarcoma, glioblastoma, melanoma and pancreatic cancers.

One hundred percent of all public funds raised by Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy directly support research and programs. For more information, visit acgtfoundation.org, call (203) 358-5055, or join the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy community on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube @acgtfoundation.

Gearing Up for the 2023 Summer Season, Playland in Rye to Host Local Job Fair on Saturday, March 25, 2023  

Playland will host a job fair at the Cambria Hotel in Downtown White Plains, located at 250 Main Street, on Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for their upcoming summer season. Open May 20 to September 10, 2023, the iconic amusement park is the largest summer youth employer in Westchester County with nearly 700 seasonal job openings, ranging from ride operators, lifeguards, beach and pool hosts, admission hosts, retail managers, guest services, IT Support, Group Sales assistants, and much more. All applicants must be at least 16 years old to apply. Visit playland.com/employment for more to apply in advance. 

“At Playland, we are dedicated to providing memorable experiences for all our guests, so that begins with our local team members,” said Jeffrey Davis, General Manager of Playland. “We are proud to be Westchester County’s largest summer youth employer and look forward to bringing back the best talent for the season. Our goal is to be the County’s number one choice for summer youth.”

“One of the Business Council’s top priorities this year is helping our employers find the talent they need to grow their businesses and nonprofits.  Playland has aways been a great seasonal economic driver in the county and now with Standard Amusements as the new management company we expect Playland’s value to Westchester to grow to a new level,” said Marsha Gordon, CEO & President of the Business Council of Westchester.

Job benefits include competitive wages; unlimited play at Playland with a FREE season pass and FREE admission for friends and family; ability to earn rewards through the Reward & Recognition Programs; FREE roundtrip bus transportation available throughout Westchester County for team members; the ability to work flexible schedules including day, nights, weekends and holidays; employee discounts in park and with other businesses; and more.

Applicants are encouraged to complete a form in advance of the job fair, which can be found online, and be prepared to be interviewed onsite.

In addition, Playland will provide lifeguard training and FREE certification for qualified swimmers who apply to Playland beach & pool as a lifeguard. Lifeguard rate begins at $18 per hour.

For more information, visit playland.com.

Greenwich Hospital welcomes first baby of 2023

Lily Rae Morrissey entered the world at 12:25 am on Sunday becoming the first baby to be born at Greenwich Hospital in 2023.

This is the first child for Bridget McGowan and David Morrissey of Rye, NY. The baby girl weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces.

A destination for maternity services, Greenwich Hospital delivered more than 3,000 babies in 2022.

Please join the Katonah Museum of Art for Jerry Pinkney and The Power of Change Through Children’s Literature, a panel discussion and reception to commemorate Jerry Pinkney’s legacy in conjunction with the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. 

The discussion, moderated by Andrea Pinkney, New York Times bestselling and award-winning author and publisher, will celebrate Jerry Pinkney’s progressive oeuvre, including the beloved A Place to Land: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Speech That Inspired a Nation. Among the topics of discussion will be Pinkney’s long-reaching impact in the field of children's literature, the power of books to shape civil societies, and themes of social justice and civil rights more broadly. Participating in the discussion will be Andrew Jackson, Executive Director of the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center and Jesse Bourdon, Director of the Croton Free Library. 

More details to follow. Please contact Lorena Liñero Lopez at events@katonahmuseum.org for any questions.

Annual competition has 61 writing, editing and visual art categories and is open to all Connecticut-based media professionals. 

Would you like to add “award-winning” to your resume? 

If you wrote a news article or personal essay, published a book, started a blog, created a social media campaign, or snapped a photograph you're particularly proud of, enter your work in the Connecticut Press Club’s popular Communications Contest, which rewards excellence in a wide range of categories. 

Entries in 63 categories will be judged by professionals with corresponding expertise. Categories include:

• online and print news articles and columns

• personal essay

• social media campaigns

• nonfiction, fiction, poetry, young adult and children's books

• specialty articles in the arts, food, business, education, travel and more...

• page design, editing, photography and graphics

• radio and TV

• podcasts and blogs

• advertising and PR

In addition to the professional competition, the Connecticut Press Club is holding a High School Communications Contest. Entries must be produced by a current high school student or a recently graduated student who produced the work in their senior year after February 1, 2022. Entries must have been professionally published/produced or published/produced by a school or professional publication in a recognized medium for the category. i.e., a school, local, or national newspaper, website, etc. 

CLICK HERE to download instructions on how to enter your work in the contest. If you have questions, email CTPressClub@gmail.com. 

Here is a complete list of categories. 

A few requirements to keep in mind: 

• Eligibility: Communicators who live and work in Connecticut is eligible to enter. Work published from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, is eligible. 

• Contest Fees: The fee is $25 for the first entry and $15 for Connecticut Press Club members (click here to join); non-members pay $30 for the first entry and $20 for each additional entry. High school entry fees are $10 per entry. 

• You can apply to join the CT Press Club HERE.  

• Deadlines: January 18th  at noon is the regular contest deadline. After this date, a $25 late fee will be charged for the first entry you submit. The final deadline is noon on February 8th. The final book deadline is February 1.

• We will celebrate the winners with a cocktail party and awards ceremony in late spring or early summer.

• Anyone who receives a first-place award in the Connecticut Contest will be eligible to enter the National Federation of Press Women National Communications Contest, provided annual NFPW membership dues have been paid. (Membership dues can be paid when you register for the contest.) 

The Connecticut Press Club is an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW), and includes both male and female members. The club welcomes all types of communicators: writers, editors, bloggers, authors, educators, public relations professionals, media photographers, students and more. Plans for the coming year include lectures by sought-after speakers, professional development workshops, networking and social outings. For more information, e-mail ctpressclub@gmail.com.

Dress up in your silliest or spookiest costume and celebrate Halloween with a (not spooky) day of arts & crafts, STEM workshops, stories, songs, and lots of surprises!

Storytime and Author Signing! Hear "Buddy's New Buddy" with author Christina Geist on Saturday, November 19, 2022, from 11:00 am to noon.

Buddy is feeling sad and lonely after his best friend moves. Who will be his field trip partner to the museum?

Join NYT bestselling author Christina Geist for a special story time and learn how Buddy finds ways to navigate making new friends.

We are delighted to welcome Scattered Books, based in Chappaqua, NY, as our exclusive bookselling partner for this event! Reserve your copy of Buddy’s New Buddy and Christina’s other titles for her to sign at the event! Books will also be sold at the Museum.

United Way of Westchester and Putnam's 2023 Nonprofit Leadership Summit will be held on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College. The sessions will also be live-streamed. 

Carla Harris will be one of the keynote speakers. She is an internationally renowned public speaker and the author of the books, Strategize to Win (2014) and Expect to Win (2009) and the newly released, Lead To Win (2022). She is a Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley.

Carla most recently was a Vice Chairman responsible for increasing client connectivity and penetration to enhance revenue generation across the firm. She formerly headed the Emerging Manager Platform, the equity capital markets effort for the consumer and retail industries, and was responsible for Equity Private Placements. In her 30+ year career, Ms. Harris has had extensive industry experiences in the technology, media, retail, telecommunications, transportation, industrial, and healthcare sectors. In August 2013, Carla Harris was appointed by President Barack Obama to chair the National Women’s Business Council.

A full lineup of the 2023 Nonprofit Leadership Summit will be unveiled by February 1, 2023. Tickets will then be available for purchase.

Learn more uwwp.org/summit-2023

Westchester Joint Water Works (WJWW), a nonprofit public benefit corporation responsible for maintaining a drinking water system for up to 100,000 Westchester County residents, has completed the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for a proposed $138 million drinking water filtration plant to be built in the Town/Village of Harrison. At its Sept. 28 board meeting, WJWW, as lead agency, deemed the Final EIS to be complete.

The Final EIS was prepared in accordance with the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). The document incorporates the Draft EIS for the Rye Lake Filtration Plant and responds to comments received following issuance of the Draft EIS in April. Both documents were prepared by WJWW in collaboration with an expert team of environmental engineers, scientists, planners, architects, government agencies and legal specialists.

The Final EIS includes a summary of the project, a timeline of the environmental review process, all substantive comments regarding the project received at the Draft EIS public hearing and during the comment period, and a response to each comment. The document also contains public hearing transcripts, copies of all written comments received regarding the Draft EIS, as well as technical reports and data referenced in the responses. The documents are available at www.wjwwfiltration.org.

The Draft EIS identified and examined all potential environmental impacts of the proposed project, both positive and negative, and considered project alternatives and potential measures to mitigate any identified negative impacts. The Draft EIS concluded that the proposed project would comply with the land-use regulations of existing zoning, and that no significant adverse environmental impacts were anticipated.

The proposed project calls for the construction and operation of a 30-million-gallon per day Dissolved Air Flotation/Filtration (DAFF) plant in the Town of Harrison on 13.4 acres of land with access to Purchase Street and directly adjacent to existing water transmission facilities located beneath the Purchase Street right of way. The land, currently owned by Westchester County, is planned to be apportioned from the Westchester County Airport property in exchange for a deed from WJWW for an equivalent 13.4-acre parcel it owns nearby. The exchange will result in no net loss or gain to Westchester County or WJWW.

Completion of the Final EIS is an important step forward in the process aimed at meeting legal obligations for filtration of WJWW’s raw water source at Rye Lake. In accordance with orders issued by New York State Supreme Court and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the plant is mandatory for WJWW’s system to meet surface water treatment requirements including control of harmful levels of disinfection by-products, including haloacetic acids, or HAA5. The filtration plant would have the capacity to filter the maximum day water supply demand of WJWW’s entire water distribution system.

Traces of HAA5 have been detected in the Rye Lake water supply system. HAA5 compounds are a common by-product of the water disinfection process, as they form when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in untreated surface water from the Rye Lake source. Chlorine is the most commonly used disinfectant among public water suppliers to kill bacteria and viruses that could cause serious illnesses. Filtering the water is a proven treatment to remove organic matter and thereby reduce the formation of HAA5 compounds. Long-term exposure to high levels of HAA5 has been linked to an increased risk for cancer.

“Westchester Joint Water Works has been working closely with our team of professionals to ensure a transparent and effective process to complete the assessments and provide responsive analyses now included in these documents, which stand as evidence of our commitment to a thorough environmental review of this crucial project,” said Paul Kutzy, WJWW Manager. “Our priority is the health and safety of the residents in our member municipalities of Harrison, the Town of Mamaroneck and the Village of Mamaroneck, and we understand the urgency to move this project forward to provide safe drinking water to our community.”

Following completion of the Final EIS, there is a statutory 10-day waiting period to allow agencies and the public to review the document. WJWW is then expected to issue its Findings Statement, which is the final step in the SEQRA review. The WJWW Board has a scheduled meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

ABOUT WJWW

Westchester Joint Water Works (WJWW) is a nonprofit public benefit corporation formed in 1927 by its three member municipalities: the Village of Mamaroneck, the Town of Mamaroneck, and the Town/Village of Harrison pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 654, Laws of 1927, State of New York to acquire, construct and provide a joint water works. WJWW supplies water to its member municipalities and to portions of the cities of Rye and New Rochelle, serving 59,629 consumers through 14,682 service connections. WJWW also supplies water on a wholesale basis to the Village of Larchmont and Veolia (formerly Suez Water Westchester), which sells water to the City of Rye, Village of Rye Brook and Village of Port Chester. In all, WJWW provides drinking water to up to 100,000 residents and other consumers in Westchester County.

The Armonk Outdoor Art Show will celebrate six decades of fine art and fine crafts this fall on Saturday, October 1 through Sunday, October 2. It’s an incredible milestone for this nonprofit, annual show, marking sixty years of raising funds for the Friends of the North Castle Public Library, Inc.

As visitors enjoy the exceptional artists, large selection of food and drink, and complimentary children’s activities, they are helping to support the library’s vibrant educational and entertainmentprograms at the same time.

When art show volunteers set up for that first show on the lawn of Armonk’s Methodist Church in 1961, they could not have envisioned the 9,000 visitors that would one day flock to Community Park’s field each year. Sixty years later the Armonk Outdoor Art Show remains almost entirely volunteer-run and offers the perfect community activity to enjoy on a fall day!

Consistently ranked among the top fine art and fine crafts show in the nation, our jury carefully selects approximately 140 artists each year from close to 600 applicants. The show’s chosen exhibitors are innovators in their fields, representing twelve different mediums including: oils/acrylics/watercolors, mixed media, printmaking/drawing/pastels, sculpture, photography/digital art, wearable art, and fine crafts. This extensive variety of mediums, styles, and price points ensures that all visitors can discover a piece that they just can’t live without.

New for this year’s 60th anniversary show is a specially commissioned exhibition entitled “The Art of Storytelling,” featuring work that utilizes a book as the artist’s “canvas.” This exhibition celebrates the connection between our art show and our local North Castle Public Library, highlighting the library’s vital role within our community. Just as art can elicit powerful emotions and transport the viewer to a world of
imagination, so too do the stories that are found in our favorite books. These compelling pieces will be auctioned to benefit the Friends of the North Castle Public Library, Inc.

Key Details:
• Saturday & Sunday, October 1 and 2 from 10:00am to 5:00pm, Rain or Shine
• Community Park, 205 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504
• ArmonkOutdoorArtShow.org showcases each artist exhibiting this fall
• Tickets go on sale in August and can be purchased through our website
• Follow us @ArmonkOutdoorArtShow for inspiration, announcements, and previews of our artists.

White Plains Hospital Screenings Under the Stars presented by Westchester County Parks and Sharc Creative continues with the family comedy, Spider-man: No Way Home (2021-PG13) on Saturday, Sept. 17, at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle.

County Executive George Latimer said, “What better way to end a week back in school then with an outdoor movie with your closest friends and family. Join us for a crisp Saturday night under the stars filled with fantasy, action and adventure!”

Parks Commissioner, Kathleen O’Connor said, “Even though summer is coming to an end, we still have fun-filled fall events planned! Take this opportunity to spend another lovely evening in our parks.”

The gates open at 5:30 p.m. and movies begin at sundown. Event is rain or shine. Admission and parking are free. Moviegoers should bring blankets, folding chairs, and a picnic. Refreshments will be available for sale.

The final movie in the series is The Addams Family 2 (2021-PG) on Friday, Oct. 21, at Croton Point Park, Croton-on-Hudson.

The White Plains Hospital Screenings Under the Stars is presented by Westchester County Parks and Sharc Creative Inc with Westchester Parks Foundation, and support from Westchester Talk Radio, 100.7 WHUD, 107.1 The Peak, Palisades Mazda, The Premier Collection, Look Cinemas, Valley Bank, HamletHub, Robison Oil, Inspiria Outdoor, and Westchester Magazine.   

Movies may be cancelled due to inclement weather conditions.

Tickets are on sale for the popular Dancing Stars of Greenwich event, hosted by The Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Greenwich, as a charity dance off for the nonprofit Abilis. This is the fourth annual event and will be bigger and better than ever with celebrity judges and a terrific line-up of dancers! So grab your dancing shoes and get ready to see amazing waltzes, rumba’s, tangoes, twirls, some cha, cha, cha, and maybe even some moonwalking, and purchase your tickets to this fun annual event, held Saturday, September 17, 2022, at the Tamarack Country Club in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Tickets sell out quickly every year, so reserve yours today at greenwichdancingstars.com. 

This year’s event features celebrity judges Brendan Fraser, eight-time award winning actor; Lara Spencer, co-anchor for ABC’s Good Morning America; and Billy Blanks, Jr., creator and host of Dance It Out TV on Lifetime Television, choreographer and dancer. Master of Ceremonies is Ali Wentworth, co-creator, star and co-executive producer of the “Head Case” series, former correspondent with the “The Oprah Winfrey Show. 

“The Dancing Stars of Greenwich charity dance-off is one of our favorite events of the year,” said Amy Montimurro, CEO and president of Abilis. “We’ve had such a great partnership with The Fred Astaire Studio of Greenwich for the past several years, along with the dancers and partners. The Dancing Stars of Greenwich event is such a special evening that brings everyone together for a fun dance-filled night! The funds raised support all of Abilis programs and services, which serve more than 800 individuals with disabilities and their families in Fairfield County.”

This fun event features local celebrities and community leaders performing choreographed dance routines, mirroring the hit TV show. Dancing pairs are sponsored by donations to Abilis, with the top fundraising team awarded the “People’s Choice Award.” A panel of celebrity judges and the audience decides who will win the coveted Mirrorball trophy. Guests will enjoy an evening of live entertainment, music, dancing, a champagne reception, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. 

Brendan and Afton Fraser, who act as a judge and dancer, have been big supporters of Dancing Stars of Greenwich and Abilis over the years. They are parents to a son with special needs and know personally how crucial programs and supports like Abilis offers are to families with children and adults with disabilities. 

“We are proud to support Dancing Stars of Greenwich and Abilis to help raise funds for Abilis’ programs and services,” said Afton Fraser. “We know how much it means to a family to have an organization like Abilis that can help provide training, educational, social and employment opportunities for those with special needs. It can mean the difference between living an isolated life and one full of friends and with meaning. They are really a great organization, and we are happy to help in any way." 

Dancers at the event include: Brad and Erica Walker, of Greenwich - the first amateur couple to participate; Trevor Crow of Greenwich; Lindsay Darrell of Stamford; Afton Fraser of Greenwich, who has participated in every Dancing Stars of Greenwich event; Melissa Levin of Greenwich; Elaine Madonna of Greenwich, who won the People's Choice Trophy last year; Greg Masone of Greenwich, Makeda Mays-Green of Stamford, Chris McCormack of Greenwich and Carly Samalin of Greenwich, who is the youngest dancer and an incoming Greenwich High School freshman on the Abilis Youth Board.

Each dancer is paired with a professional partner from The Fred Astaire Studio. Those dancers are:  Matthew Ames,  Clemens Lengenfelder, Santa Pavlovic, Christian Perry and Elmar Schmidt.

“Dancing Stars of Greenwich is full of all the fun, glitz and glamour of the hit TV show Dancing with the Stars!” noted Elmar Schmidt, owner and ballroom dance instructor of the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Greenwich. “Local stars and leaders in the community have been training to compete just like on television. And, just like on the hit TV show, a panel of celebrity judges along with the audience, selects the winner who will win the coveted Mirrorball trophy.”

To reserve tickets or make a donation by supporting the dancers, please visit greenwichdancingstars.com.