Thursday, May 07, 2009

LANZA FOUNDATION FUNDS POLICE SUMMER YOUTH CAMP 100% PRIVATE FUNDING

Thanks to a generous grant from the Lanza Foundation of $65,000 the Greenburgh Police Department will be reinstituting its Summer Youth Camp Program for 2009. The camp is a free, seven-week day camp, which will begin on Monday, July 6th and end with a graduation ceremony and barbecue on Saturday, August 22nd, 2009 Daily camp hours will normally be 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. although these hours may be altered somewhat on days when field trips or other special activities are planned. Parents will be notified at least seven days in advance of any change in the daily schedule. Unless otherwise advised, campers should bring their own lunch.

This camp started in 1997. However, last year it was discontinued because of budget restraints. Thanks to the Lanza Foundation – 100% of the costs associated with the camp will be paid for without taxpayer dollars.

This year’s program is expected to accommodate 20 to 24 children between the ages of 12 and 17. The camp will, in essence, be a junior police academy where youngsters will be placed in a setting similar to that experienced by a police recruit. The seven-week course will consist of physical training and classroom instruction in law and other related topics. Guest lecturers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, District Attorney’s Office, United States Secret Service and other areas within the Criminal Justice System will present an overview of their agency’s operation. Demonstrations by specialized police units and field trips to courts and other criminal justice institutions are also planned. Contemporary issues such as alcohol and drug abuse shall also be addressed and students will participate in various role-play scenarios, which illustrate the practical everyday problems faced by law enforcement officers. Campers will also receive instruction and certification in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), First Aid and Water Rescue by police instructors.

Persons taking part in the program will be provided uniforms, law books and other materials necessary for participation in camp activities. A graduation ceremony for campers, their parents and siblings is planned for Saturday, August 22nd.

The goal of this program is to expose your son or daughter to various law enforcement careers while developing academic ability and self-esteem. Campers will come away from the program with meaningful skills and a better understanding of the criminal justice system and its potential as a career.

Applications and Medical Clearance Forms should be returned Police Headquarters for processing no later than Monday, June 8th. Notification to parents and guardians as to whether their child has been selected will be forwarded no later than Wednesday, June 17th. Applications may be obtained at the following locations:

Greenburgh Police Department Greenburgh Housing Authority
188 Tarrytown Road 9 Maple Street
White Plains, New York 10607 White Plains, New York 10603

Theodore D. Young Community Center Office of the Town Clerk
32 Manhattan Avenue Greenburgh Town Hall
White Plains, New York 10607 177 Hillside Avenue
Greenburgh, New York 10607

Greenburgh Parks and Recreation Union Baptist Church
11 Olympic Lane 31 Manhattan Avenue
Ardsley, New York 10502 White Plains, New York 10607

First Baptist Church of Elmsford Greenville Community Reformed Church
N. Lawn Avenue & Payne Street 270 Ardsley Road
Elmsford, New York 10523 Scarsdale, New York 10583

Please call 682-5340 should you have any questions concerning the program or about completion of this application. If you would like the town to place camp applications at other locations – we will do so.

The programs held in previous years were tremendous successes. This year we look to build on that success to provide an even better program for your youngsters. I would like to thank Police Chief John Kapica for starting the program way back in 1997 and for his hard work making the camp a success. One of the first graduates of the camp, Herman Killiebrew is now a police officer. Officer Killiebrew was hired in 2006.
PAUL FEINER
Greenburgh Town Supervisor







Greenburgh: Named by MONEY MAGAZINE in 2008 as “ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE” IN AMERICA (#80)

JOB E MAIL LIST---I am trying to help unemployed Greenburgh residents find work. If your company/business has any job openings please e mail me at pfeiner@greenburghny.com. If you are out of work and want to be advised of job openings please advise.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

hahahaha! What? No Lanza money to replace the defunct DARE program that served all of the children in Greenburgh?

Why aren't these application available at Parks & Rec?

If it walks like a duck......

Anonymous said...

No KEEDING!
Page 56 of the budget, Police, line 409.0 "Program Act-Youth"
2008-$15,126
2009-$18,075

An approved increase no less when ALL programs were cut.

Other expenses are intermingled into the police budget like extra man hours, yadda, yadda.



This camp program was NEVER cut(as Paul said it was) and just like the DARE program, actual costs are a moving target.

Chief Kapica" The elimination of our Drug Abuse, Resistance Education Program (D.A.R.E.) would result in a savings of $10,090. If you intend to do this, you will need to advise me very soon as the schools will need to find an alternative curriculum to address the drug and alcohol issue in next year's school year and we will need to advise Ardsley that we cannot assist them with their DARE program. The elimination of the Summer Youth Camp will save about $32,050 and elimination of all other Community Affairs Programs ( 3 on 3 basketball; our Police Explorer Post and the Youth Court) will realize $7,430 more in savings for a total of $49,570. I think we would need to refund a contribution made by Pat Lanza that was specifically for the Youth Camp in the amount of $5,000, which would reduce these savings to $44,570. All these programs continue to be well attended and have been enormously successful."

Anonymous said...

If the town won the Nobel Peace Prize anonymous would find some objections.

Anonymous said...

How about simply telling the truth and abiding by the law?
The Town, as personified by its leaders, does neither.
What message does this send to our young people?
Shame on you.

Anonymous said...

Lies Lies over and over again.
Paul why can't you tell the truth one time . Dosen't it bother you that you have to lie to stay alive.
Do you think that we believe you and your blog information.
Show us the true amount in the budget for each child .
You seem to hide too many facts but coverup will do you in.
We should get an investgation going for every department in this town.
Something smells and it is not perfume.

Anonymous said...

Paul are you telling us that a town camp charges close to $3000.00 dollars for each child.
Who are you kidding.

Anonymous said...

I appreciate the grant.

Anonymous said...

Why is it costing the taxpayers so much more money with all the funds given to the town by the Lanza Foundation.

I do think that they could put their money to good use rather than to give to failing town programs.

There are people in need all over the world .They should check into who really needs their help.
It seems the more they give the more the town asks for.

Greed and more greed is taking over this town.
The children that used the summer camp never paid so why are they contributing to those that have and will be having a good time at taxpayers expense.
Whatever they donate does not come off the top but it may go elsewhere like everything else.

I do thank them but I do think that they really could help those in need if they only look arround the globe.

Anonymous said...

What's all the fuss about? The Lanza grant was included in the budget B.27.2705.12 on page 86.

Earlier comments are right on about no cuts. Too bad the internal controls over these grants are so poor that no one can accurately and independently verify any of the various statements made by government officials.

Anonymous said...

This is who to contact at the State:

Contact

Office of the Attorney General
Public Integrity Bureau

Phone: (212) 416-8090

Email: public.integrity@oag.state.ny.us

PIB Hotline:
If you wish to report allegations of government wrongdoing, please call the New York State Public Integrity Hotline: 1-800-428-9072. Calls will be kept confidential.

Anonymous said...

I feel sorry for people who only find fault with everything.

Anonymous said...

People who always find fault with others are insecure about themselves.

ed krauss said...

People who philosophize about those who find fault all the time, anonymously, don't have the courage of their conviction, so why should anyone heed anything they say?

Terry Williams said...

Amen to that Ed.

Anonymous said...

Delete, delete, delete - Feiner must spend his entire day reading and deleting messages from this blog. Let's see, he's on Facebook, MySpace and now Twitter - when does he actually work?

ed krauss said...

Who is there to fund those, who pay full freight to send their kids to the town's day camp, some of whom are out of work, or have had their salaries reduced?

With regard to all of these "privately" funded programs, is there income verification, or is that an "invasion of privacy?"

These are tough times, and the "tent/safety net" has to be expanded to include those who have and continue to contribute tax dollars despite the fact they are worse off today than a year ago.

The Lanza Foundation appears to be an endless source of funding. Maybe a case can be made for helping the middle class families who are hurting.

Prevailing upon the Lanzas would be a feather in the cap(s) ofthe successful fund raiser.Although helping supplement camp costs for middle class children would not be unique, it sure would make headlines AND be yet another "FIRST" for Greenburgh.

Think outside the "lockbox."