Manhattan Beach
Thank you, thank you very much! King of Rock and Roll, also known as Bob McArthur, swiveled his hips — Elvis style — and wished his adoring fans at the Menorah Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Care skilled nursing home a Merry Christmas with a seasonal performance that was a big hit.
The heart-throb look-alike brought dance, song, and ho-ho-ho to the residents, thanks to the staff of the therapeutic recreation program that incorporates movement into daily living.
The American Therapeutic Recreation Association describes therapeutic recreation as “a form of treatment that is designed to restore, remediate, and rehabilitate a person’s level of functioning and independence in life activities and promote health and wellness.” Therapists at the center also use dynamic programs, such as horticulture therapy, the Kaffeeklatsch club, and music therapy to help meet residents’ physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and leisure needs.
Menorah Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing Care [1516 Oriental Blvd. in Manhattan Beach, (718) 646–4441].
Brooklyn Heights
Welcome, bien venue
Put your hands together for Peter Ebright — the incoming board member of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy — whose Dec. 15 election was a gift, according to chairwoman Nancy Bowe.
“With 2015 coming to an end, we are grateful to welcome Peter Ebright,” she said. “He is an incredible addition to our dedicated board.”
Ebright brings a wealth of experience to his new post — he is executive veep of the New York Water Taxi, a former counsel for government and regulatory practice at Manatt Phelps and Phillips LLP, and ex-deputy director of special enforcement at the New York Department of Buildings. He has also held several positions in the public and private sectors analyzing affordable housing development, rezoning proposals, and the effect of construction on transportation patterns.
The Standing O pal is excited to be on board.
“I am thrilled to join the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s board of directors,” Ebright said. “I share this group’s dedication to the thoughtful activation of the Brooklyn waterfront for use by all New Yorkers, and to providing unique and meaningful programming.” Bowe anticipated a bright future.
“Peter’s support will help us continue making Brooklyn Bridge Park a vibrant, thriving community for all to enjoy,” she said.
Standing O wishes the new member a long and happy tenure.
The Brooklyn Bridge Conservancy [334 Furman St. at Joralemon Street in Brooklyn Heights, (718) 802–0603].
Brooklyn heights
Worthy of an ‘A plus’
It was a challenge and an assignment that put Brooklyn’s sensational scholars in a class of their own!
St. Francis College students from the Psychology seminar “Persuasion and Propaganda” put their studies to good use and raised $1,050 in just two days — with a generous matching grant — for their Dollar for a Scholar–Terriers for Terriers fund-raiser.“We put the persuasion techniques we learned in class into application, but most important, we learned how to put these techniques into application to help others,” said Anida Sangkala.
The main challenge was getting the word out and getting people to care about their cause, so students teased the benefit online and in flyers, held bake sales, played and games with prizes for big-hearted donors to raise the loot in record time.
“We tried our best to spread the word,” said Ramon Perez.
Team spirit also played an integral role in the stunning results.
“So much of the school community helped us reach our goals, and it feels great to have been able to be a part of that,” said Gisbel Acosta.
The fund-raising showcased the school’s spiritual teachings and on-point curriculum, added Professor Michele Hirsh.
“We are proud to have been able to use a class project that spoke to our Franciscan heritage while employing the persuasion techniques covered in the course,” she said.
The benefit had other boons, too.
“Doing this project has opened my eyes to see how generous my fellow Terriers are,” said Brutny F. Placide.
The proceeds will be used to help send a student on a weekend pilgrimage to Italy, and a portion will be donated to the Robert J. McGuire Scholarship.
Standing O is impressed, and gives the students an “A” in fund-raising!
St. Francis College [180 Remsen St. at Court Street in Brooklyn Heights, (718) 489–5200].
