Tuckahoe Village Departments

TUCKAHOE TALK
With Mayor John Fitzpatrick

Timeless Values

October 19th, 2008

One recent Saturday afternoon in our town, costumed characters roamed around as if it was the turn of the twentieth century. A living Historical Tour sponsored by the Eastchester – Tuckahoe Chamber of Commerce was ongoing. Since bus tours to anywhere aren’t my thing, I decided to walk down to Depot Square for the stop in Tuckahoe. I listened to reenactments of several of the past’s prominent town citizens but was particularly struck by two: Virginia Lawrence (played by Tuckahoe Trustee Clare Gorman), and Amy Dusenberry (played by Eastchester Councilwoman Vicki Ford). Both families’ philanthropy was instrumental in assisting town people during the Great Depression. The Lawrence Family not only gave the area an educational facility with Sarah Lawrence College, more importantly they built Lawrence hospital to serve our residents. Ms. Dusenberry used her Depot Square offices to aid the one out three families that were unemployed during this time. This was apparently the best place for her office because during the 1930’s several Hunger Marches took place right in Depot Square. Ms. Dusenberry realized not only the necessity of providing assistance, but that a facility was needed to accomplish this task.

When the tour moved to the front of Wachovia Bank, they stopped to discuss the old Lyric Theater. I witnessed the crowd of fifty persons, amusingly or scarily (I cannot decide which), cause not one but two passersby to question if there was “a run on the bank”. How odd that a time from our past could be so topical. As I took in the whole experience, I realized things don’t change that much. In fact, there is still an organization and facility in our town and, more specifically, in our Village of Tuckahoe that deals with some issues that were prevalent during the Great Depression. This organization is the Eastchester Community Action Program (ECAP). One of the many sponsored programs is to give out food and bread weekly to supplement those on fixed incomes or struggling to make ends meet. It seems that even during times of great prosperity in our country they still did a brisk business, because for some it is never good times.

For those that don’t know ECAP: it is housed in a deteriorating building on the corner of Main Street and Washington. The fact that this building exists at all in modern times shows that all Eastchester, Bronxville and Tuckahoe have remained a socially conscious and diverse community. However, as I pointed out, the building is deteriorating. Lovely Billups, Chair of ECAP’s Board of Directors, is actively pursuing funding to restore this building and infrastructure that quietly gives back so much to the community. Returning this building to a place Eastchester can be proud of has gotten the attention of a few private foundations, including The Raffiani Foundation, The Edward L. Hutton Foundation and The OSilas Foundation. Assemblywoman Amy Paulin has also secured a NYS Grant for this worthwhile endeavor. Even with their generosity, and that of many private citizens, this Restoration Project still needs more.

Hopefully, our country and town will never again experience hungry families on the scale of the Great Depression but with current stock market instability, the question is raised whether people will have money to donate. Wealthy foundations and the average person losing value of investments could ultimately hinder charity. Unfortunately, times of economic crisis are most often when charity is needed. It is my hope that instances of generosity like those exhibited during our exceptional past continue.

Some may not realize that the strong example of philanthropy from founding families likes the Lawrence’s and Dusenberry’s is still alive and well. The spirit of this kind of socially responsible activism is now embodied in the Community Fund. This organization donated an unbelievable $670,000 last year to causes in and around our town. This funded everything from a new state of the art ambulance for EVAC, emergency funds for last year’s Tuckahoe Fire Victims and even many ECAP programs. The Community Fund ‘s low overhead enables donations to go directly to those in need. Additionally their oversight, and scrutiny of organizations that apply for funds is unmatched.

Those who are wealthy have always had the difficult responsibility of choosing when to donate money to causes or organizations. Now those without much money may be saying, “ Yeah, I wish I had that problem!” Nevertheless, the world watches those that have a lot of money very closely. Bill Gates’ donations have been the subject of many articles, even questioning whether he is doing it for the right reasons. A documentary was even made smashing the Wal-Mart Walton’s for giving so little of their fortune to charity.

Philanthropy may be a word reserved for the wealthy, while the rest of us make charitable contributions. What ever you call it, I believe it can be contagious. Even while I was writing this I realized I don’t give enough. Sure I go to a few charity events annually, but I’m am far from a philanthropist, I am not even much of a contributor. The cost of my ticket to most events probably just about covers me being there. I certainly can come up with excuses, as can we all.

Regrettably, philanthropy can sometimes be used as a business ploy. Corporations have learned that philanthropy can increase patronage. They’ve discovered that people feel better buying a five-dollar latte if two cents goes to saving the rainforest. Regardless of any corporate manipulation, I think it shows people want to contribute to the betterment of society. Sometimes they just don’t know where to start. Leaving residents with the advice of starting in one’s own back yard doesn’t seem applicable, since I see many people in this backyard have already figured that out.