Kendal Library News

Many residents may not be familiar with our Faith Collection, located in the elevator lobby on the third floor of Alida.

We have recently added donated Teaching Company booklets and discs on “Exploring the Roots of Religion” and three of the Great World Religions: Buddhism, Christianity and Islam.

As with all our satellite collections except Art, you are welcome to borrow items, but please don’t forget to return them! N.B. Although this collection has some books on Quakerism, most are in the main library.

Warner Library

You should also know that Kendal has a close working relationship with the Warner Library in Tarrytown. They offer our residents many services.

E-Notary Services

It is now possible to have documents notarized virtually at Warner Library. In response to COVID- 19, the Governor has issued Executive Order 202.7 authorizing notary services via audio-video technology. Call the library Monday through Friday between 10 am and 3 pm at 914.631.7734 to schedule an appointment to have a document virtually notarized. Access to a fax or a personal computer is necessary to complete the process.

Warner Seed Library

The seed library is back! Hopefully, the weather will cooperate a bit as well. A few warm sunny days in a row would be quite nice right now. Starting May 18, Warner Library patrons who would like seed packets can choose a total of four vegetables or herbs.

Email your selections to: warnerlibrary@wlsmail.org. Each group of seeds ordered will come with a flower seed surprise! Arrange to get your seeds at Warner weekdays using curbside pick-up. Please call the library Monday through Friday from 10 am to 3 pm at 914.631.7734 to arrange pick-up or if you need additional information. The following seeds have been made available by local farmer Deb Taft of Mobius Fields: Beans, Beets, Broccoli/Cauliflower, Cabbage, Carrots, Corn, Gourds, Herbs, Lettuce, Melons, Onions, other greens (Collards, Kale, Bok Choy, Spinach), Peas, Peppers, Pumpkins, Radishes, Squash - summer, Squash - winter, Tomatoes, Turnips.

Virtual Meet and Greet

In days past when we were not practicing social distancing and were having wine and cheese on Wednesdays and Fridays in the Lounge, we had a monthly Meet and Greet to give our newest residents a chance to meet some of us and for us to get to know them.

Although the wine and cheese evenings have been discontinued for now, four new residents arrived in March. The Welcoming Committee had its first Virtual Meet and Greet using Zoom last week and found it worked well enough to try it again.

The next Virtual Meet and Greet will be on Friday, June 5. Unlike regular Meet and Greet where lots of residents can participate, we are limiting this to a smaller group until we get more experience using Zoom.

The new residents who will appreciate getting to know a few of us this way are: Sara Cook, Lillian Hess, Betsey Nathan, and Hope Cooke. Please contact Mary Lou Wells if you would be interested in participating. Just to be clear, this is using Zoom, and everyone has to provide their own beverages and snacks.

Flowers, Flowers, Flowers

 Last Friday the Mary Powell garage floor was transformed into a blooming garden. An arrangement was made by Bob Michael with BrightView, our landscape gardening company, to bring plants to Kendal for purchase by residents who gardened on their balconies and terraces but were unable to venture out to purchase them on their own.

An assortment of basic plants was listed on an order form and sent out to all residents. Amazingly 68 residents replied, and an order for 72 flats totaling 638 plants was placed.

A big thank you to all the residents who helped process the orders and get them delivered.  A special thanks to Bob and Melvin who transported all the orders to Robert Fulton and Alida by truck.

Anna Mae O’Leary, Peter Limburg, and Marilyn Bottjer.

Callers Needed for Adirondack

Have you been thinking about getting more involved in helping others during this trying time? Here is something important you can do.

Telephone callers are needed for Adirondack. 

The current Buddy Calling system was set up to provide daily calls for Independent Living Residents. Now it is being expanded to make calls to those in Adirondack, so additional and different callers are needed. The approach will be the same: making daily calls or scheduled as desired by the person being called. It is expected that each caller will contact 3 – 5 Adirondack residents. If you are willing to make calls or help set this up, please contact Mary Lou Wells.

Helping others will help you feel good about yourself.

Kendal Fitness Zooms

The KoH Fitness Department has provided YouTube videos of residents’ favorite classes since late March but has recently added Zoom classes which allow residents to exercise along with the instructor, and not just watch the instructor do it.

Cathy DiSomma has announced the following classes, although the schedule is still being adjusted and is subject to change: 

Stretch and Balance with David: Monday and Wednesday at 9:30 (no class 5/25)

Pilates with Regina: Tuesday at 10:00

Yoga with Rochelle: Thursday at 10:30

Zumba Gold with Amy: Friday at 11:45

Anyone who has an email address on the resident list will get the Zoom invite from the Kendal on Hudson news account (Sherry Persaud). The link for a particular class can be used for future classes. Please save the links.

If you lose or can’t find the link, you can call Cathy Disomma and she will send you a new one.

League of Women Voters Holds Virtual Forum May 21 of Primary Candidates for 17th Congressional District

The League of Women Voters (LWV) announces links for live viewing of the CD-17 Democratic Candidates’ Forum. The non-partisan League had also scheduled a Republican primary debate for the CD-17 race.  There are two candidates who were contacted multiple times. One candidate declined and the other never responded to the invitation.  Therefore, the LWV canceled that forum.

To register for the Candidate Forum click this link [bit.ly/lwvcd17demlive]. 

The League also invites the public to submit questions for the candidates to answer during the Forum. If you wish to submit a question for the candidates, you may do so via this link [bit.ly/lwvcd17demques].

The LWV Democratic Candidates Forum is scheduled for Thursday, May 21, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (Registrants may sign in beginning at 6:30 p.m.) 

For more information email LWVW.CF@GMAIL.COM

Vote—Every Election Matters

The League of Women Voters and all its local Leagues take no position on candidates for public office or on political parties. The League works to encourage the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to all 16 years and older.

Zoom News at KoH

Zoom is asking everyone to upgrade to Version 5.0.2 of Zoom. If Zoom offers you a free download, take it. If they don’t offer you one, you may already have version 5.

Anthony Bradford, our Pace IT Intern, has written a series of guides to using Zoom on a computer. They are available for you to download and use by clicking on any of the blue links below. The last file is very large because it contains all of the above files. The files are:

How to Download Zoom.pdf

How to Join a Zoom Meeting.pdf

How to Set up a Zoom Account.pdf

How to Use Audio and Video in a Zoom Meeting.pdf

How to Use Chat While on a Zoom Meeting.pdf

Full User Guide to Zoom.pdf

More on the Congressional Primary Election

The Current State of the Democratic Primary Scheduled for June 23, 2020 

According to the latest information available, the presidential primary is being reinstated on the ballot after a judicial decision and barring an appeal. 

The candidates listed below are vying for Nita Lowey’s seat in the House of Representatives. Ms. Lowey has represented the 17th Congressional District for 31 years and is retiring at the end of her current term. She is the first woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee. 

The Candidates 

David Buchwald, 40, White Plains; currently New York State Assemblyman, he unseated Republican Robert Castelli in 2012. 

David Carlucci, 38, New City; currently New York State Senator. 

Asha Castleberry Hernandez, Elmsford; U.S. Army veteran and national security expert; currently teaches at Baruch College. 

Evelyn Farkas, 51, Chappaqua; former deputy assistant secretary of defense during Obama administration. 

Alison Fine, 55, Sleepy Hollow; former chair of the national board of NARAL Pro Choice American Foundation. 

Mondaire Jones, 32, South Nyack; worked at Department of Justice during Obama administration and at Westchester County Law Department. 

Catherine Parker, Rye; elected to Westchester County Board of Legislators in 2013. 

Adam Schleifer, 38, New Castle; former Assistant U.S. Attorney and New York State Consumer Protection Regulator. 

To date, only Adam Schleifer has distributed campaign literature. If you want information on the other candidates, please go to their respective online websites. 

• As far as we know, there is no Republican primary. 

• The Westchester Board of Elections is expected to mail absentee ballots to all registered voters for the primary scheduled for June 23. 

• Nevertheless, in the meantime you may wish to fill out an application for an absentee ballot good for life, if that is your choice. Forms can be found in the left corner of the long mail box shelf. You can enter “old age” as reason and “for life” as duration, and check “applicable to all elections.” 

• And, finally, there may be other changes between now and June 23! We will try to keep you informed. 

Questions? Please contact Annette Leyden, or Martin Smolin.

Thanks Buddy Callers!

Thank You Kendal Buddy Callers!

Since mid March, when KoH’s Infection Control Committee put into place various operational changes to control the pandemic’s impact and limit the residents’ interactions, there was a concern about the effect of isolation on Independent Living (IL) residents, especially those who do not have partners sharing an apartment.

A Buddy calling system was created to contact IL residents daily or as frequently as they wanted to receive calls. The system depends on 26 callers, who have made these calls, many of them daily, for two months (and counting). It gives both callers and those being called personal interactions during a time when face-to-face interactions are not possible.

We wish to recognize the wonderful job the callers have done as Kendal’s personalized communications network, by sharing common issues and concerns so they can be addressed by either the Residents Council or the staff.

Mary Lou Wells and Jo-Ann Rapaport

Staff Appreciation Fund: A Reminder

Our Fund Appeal is heading into its final few weeks. Residents who have forgotten or put off their contribution are encouraged to take pen in hand and make out a check to thank the staff who have served us so well.

Please make your check payable to the KOH Residents Association and write “Staff Appreciation Fund” on the memo line.

The check should be put in an envelope marked “Staff Appreciation Fund,” and left at the front desk.

Co-chairs Jacky Cummings and Gene DuBow thank you in advance for your generosity.