This newsletter is dedicated to Lynne Hansen, retired volunteer

Jan-Feb 2014
Now IN COLOR online at http://www.phelpshospital.org/auxiliary/
EDITED
EDITED by
by JIM
JIM REIDY
REIDY
This newsletter is dedicated to Lynne Hansen, retired volunteer.
A TRIBUTE TO LYNNE HANSEN
Lynne Hansen’s first day of
volunteering was December 15, 1978.
What a lucky day for Phelps!
Now, 35 years later - almost to the
day - Lynne has retired to start a new
life for herself close to her son in
Denver, Colorado.
Lynne grew up in New Jersey and
attended Douglass College, the
women’s division of Rutgers. Later,
she obtained a Master’s degree in
Education from Indiana University.
After college, Lynne moved to Montrose, New York. She
worked for BOCES, IBM, Pace University and NY Medical
College and played the organ in various churches.
She moved to Pleasantville and became affiliated with
Emanuel Lutheran Church, her new spiritual home, where she
met a Phelps volunteer named Carl Hansen. She married Carl in
1978 and with his encouragement, joined the Phelps volunteer
team as a Friday afternoon Information Desk volunteer. Carl also
volunteered on Fridays in “RUN” (Run Up Now) – now called
Transport – and they would meet for lunch in the old coffee shop.
Lynne became interested in chaplaincy, and took classes with
The Rev. Hilary Bercovici and several others, including Chaplain
Carole Johannsen.
In 2000, she joined Hospice, working with Steve Bayer, and
added the spiritual aspect to compassionate visitation of Hospice
patients.
Lynne’s volunteer career spanned many hospital services,
including Pastoral Care, Cherry Door Thrift Shop, Hospice,
Information Desk and Patient Representative.
In addition, Lynne served as a very efficient Auxiliary
Secretary for a number of years.
Her “home hobbies” include gardening and music, especially
singing in groups. Her “world hobby” is traveling. Her itchy feet
have taken her to numerous countries and, in the past two years
alone, to the Dalmation Coast and Italy.
Lynne will has moved to Erickson Retirement Community,
located just south of Denver, and is happy that she will be close to
her son, Woody, and his family. There, Lynne will embrace new
social, volunteer and travel opportunities. We wish Lynne all the
best as she begins this new chapter of her life.
Thank you, Lynne, for 35 years of caring service as a Phelps
Hospital Volunteer and Auxiliary member and officer. You will
always be remembered fondly by your friends at Phelps.
New Year Message from
Keith Safian, President
and CEO of Phelps
Hospital
2013 was an enlightening year for
Phelps. The turmoil related to health
reform was more turbulent than
expected. But Phelps continues to
thrive and grow. The groundbreaking for the SurgiCenter was a
major step towards our future.
At Phelps, the Auxiliary and Volunteers remain a constant
force – raising funds for medical equipment and directly helping
patients and families. In a sea of uncertainty, the Auxiliary is
Phelps’ Rock of Gibraltar.
Your fundraising successes and generosity permitted Phelps
to implement improvements and acquisitions that directly benefit
our patients. This must be a great source of pride for every
member of the Auxiliary.
Our Volunteers continue to add an important dimension to
patient care – comfort and personal services that would not
otherwise be available. Our Volunteers are instrumental in
making Phelps the best hospital – one of which we are all proud.
And our record-breaking patient satisfaction scores are an
independent measure of the value that our Volunteers add to the
patient care experience.
Please accept my sincere thanks and appreciation for all of
your tremendous efforts in 2013. We will continue to depend on
you in the future as the hospital moves forward. Happy New
Year to all of you!
Another Successful Bake Sale
Contributed by Jim Goldsmith
On Thursday, November 21, the Auxiliary held its best
revenue-producing bake sale in a very long time, grossing
over $1000.
Let by 1st Vice President Rose Marie Parisi and a multitude
of bakers, and the donation of superb pies by Grandma’s Pies,
we succeeded in raising the amount of funds collected that we
hadn’t seen in five or more years.
Congratulations to Rose Marie and her ability to make the
bake sale such a success.
(Photos can be viewed in the on-line newsletter)
A Little Local History
by Dennis Corcoran
The Saw Mill and Henry Hudson
Parkways
Note that some photos and underlined
words in this paper are links to more info in
the electronic version of this issue.
Now that we have written about the centennial of Grand Central Terminal let us return to the
Westchester County Parkway System by focusing first on the Saw Mill River Parkway.
Construction of the parkway began in 1926. As the north-south roadway was being built to handle
traffic on the western side of the county, the Bronx River and Hutchinson River Parkways were taking
care of traffic on the eastern side of the county.
The first section covered Yonkers up through Tuckahoe Road and was completed in 1929. The
parkway was extended to Route 119 in Elmsford by 1930. It would take another 10 years before the
parkway reached Chappaqua.
Construction was delayed because of World War II but by 1954 the Saw Mill River Parkway went as
far north as Katonah. Finally, in 1970, the 28.93 mile-long parkway was extended to the newly
constructed I-684 and New York State Route 35.
Dennis Corcoran
A major landmark for all Westchester County parkway drivers during the 1950s and 1960s was the
Hawthorne Circle. The Bronx River, Taconic State and Saw Mill River Parkways all converged on “The Hawthorne Circle”, Over
67,000 cars would pass through it on a daily basis. This made for a very dangerous traffic situation so The Circle was replaced
with a three level interchange in 1972. (Click here on line for more on traffic circles)
The 25-cent toll booths on the Saw Mill, formerly between Exits 3 and 4, were removed in 1994 as were the ones on the
Hutchinson River which were located between Exits 6 and 7 in Pelham.
Recently many of us have experienced, or have been detoured by, the flooding on the Bronx River, Sprain Brook and the
lower parts of the Saw Mill River Parkways, but by far the worst area is between Marble Avenue in Thornwood and Manville
Road in Pleasantville. I live two blocks from the Manville Road entrance and I have experienced this closure many times,
including when I try to make my way as a volunteer to feed patients (as a Silver Spooner) at Phelps Memorial Hospital. The
traffic becomes so bad after the closure of the parkway at this exit that some residents can’t even leave their own driveways!
The latest temporary fix was done by the NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) this past October. Crews added
another 3 inches of asphalt along 900 feet of the southbound section of the parkway. This was not the first time that this section
had been resurfaced. Mayor Peter Scherer has appealed to Albany but they don’t have the funds at present. Scherer states the real
solution is to build a low bridge above this stretch of pavement that would allow the excess water to run under it.
The next road to be discussed in this column will be the Henry Hudson Parkway, which is 11.05 miles long and was
constructed between 1934 through 1937.
Here’s a fact that many of us don’t know - The Henry Hudson Parkway begins at 72nd Street, which most people believe is a
part of the West Side Highway. The West Side Highway, in fact, begins south of 72nd Street and goes all the way to the tip of
Lower Manhattan. The Henry Hudson Parkway takes drivers north from 72nd Street across the Henry Hudson Bridge as it enters
the Bronx and continues north until it reaches Yonkers where it becomes the Saw Mill River Parkway.
Editor’s Note: Dennis has been writing these fascinating articles for the “News and Notes” for several years. He is a Volunteer and
Auxilian and co-chairs the Auxiliary History Committee with Joyce Moes. Dennis, most notably, is the author of “Induction Day
at Cooperstown: A History of the Baseball Hall of Fame Ceremony” available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other fine
booksellers. We thank him for his hard work bringing these wonderful articles to our paper.
Auxiliary Holiday Party
Photos and article by Jim Goldsmith
Over eighty Auxilians and guests attended our annual Holiday Party
at the James House, which was both a tribute to getting the word out to
all the Auxilians that the party was honoring Lynne Hansen, and the fact
that Eva Marie Dahling, once again, came back to show us how a party
should be run. The James House was decorated beautifully, and with
Jojo providing not only the music, but also a Christmas light display, it
was truly a wonderful event.
There was excellent food supplied by Phelps Executive Chef Jen
Angel and her staff, wine supplied by Bob Lane and the Development
department, and by Auxiliary president Mark Frederich, with presents
donated by Barbara Epstein’s gift shop.
Mark opened the speeches, followed by Director of Volunteers, Pam
(See more photos in the on-line edition)
Cardozo, who presented Lynne with a clock. Lynne then made a short
thank you speech. V.P. of Development, Bob Lane presented Eva Marie with flowers provided by the Auxiliary, and V.P.
Kerry Pisano gave a short presentation on the Future of Phelps. The party ended a little after six PM.
We can’t wait till next year!
New “Room Service” Program at Phelps
Article from Phelps Notebook - photo by Jim Goldsmith
Early in 2014, Phelps Food and Nutrition Services, in
conjunction with Hospitality Services, will be implementing
a new, state-of-the-art food service program to provide
patients with greater control over their food selections and
meal delivery time. The system, called “Room Service,” will
enable patients to directly order their meals anytime between
6:30 am and 6:30 pm by calling a Call Center.
G I FT S H O P L OBBY S ALES
Schedule courtesy of Christina Wong
JANUARY
Fri
Fri
Thu
Fri
Wed
Fri
Mon
Thu
Fri
01-03
01-10
01-16
01-17
01-22
01-24
01-27
01-30
01-31
Ana Cosmetics
A Creative Touch (soaps and lotions)
The Glove Lady
Your Nutz (nuts, fruits, healthy snacks)
The Sheets Spot
Monavar Jewelry
Barefoot Books (children's books)
The Knot Muse (handmade scarves)
Angielyn's Scrubs
FEBRUARY
Tue
Thu
Fri
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Within 45 minutes of the order’s placement, kitchen staff will
prepare the requested meal and a Hospitality representative
will deliver it to the caller's room. Certain items, such as
breakfast foods, will be available all day long, while lunch
and dinner menu items will be available from 11 am to 7 pm.
To manage a patient’s food restrictions, a computerized
software program will calculate the caller's dietary
compliance and identify problematic selections. If there is a
dietary issue, Call Center associates will provide patients
with suggestions for alternative foods choices or portion
sizes.
“During this transition, the entire Food and Nutrition staff
has had to work under conditions that were difficult at times
due to major renovations,” says Food and Nutrition Director
Rich Schmidt. “Even so, all meals have been provided in a
timely and attractive manner. The staff are to be commended
for their commitment to their positions and to those they
serve.”
*** Dates To Remember ***
Mon, April 14 ................ Auxiliary Annual Meeting
Mon, May 19 ...... Volunteer Luncheon at Tappan Hill
In Memoriam
GUNTER DAHLING
Gunter, a Phelps volunteer and Auxilian, passed away on
Nov 7, 2013 after a long illness. Gunter volunteered his
services at the Cherry Door in Tarrytown and was a longtime supporter of Phelps. He leaves his wife of 55 years, Eva
Marie, also a Phelps volunteer and Auxilian, his son Marc,
Marc’s wife, Kathy, and three grandchildren. Gunter was 82
years old.
02-04
02-06
02-07
02-11
02-12
02-13
02-14
Katya's Jewelry
Tupperware
Jags Creations (exotic air plants)
Silver Dreams Jewelry
Unique Concepts in Jewelry
As Seen on TV
Classy Karat Jewelry
Welcome to our Newest Auxilians
Submitted by Nancy Eichorn
Barbara LaSala, Bonnie LeVar, James Burns Patterson
Ruth Riordan, Robert Somma, Judy Taussik
Welcome to our Newest Volunteers
by Maria Somma
James Cascio
Terry Edwards
Arkar Ye Hlaing
Barbara LaSala
Burns Patterson
Siobhan Sullivan
James Wehr
Purdys
OT/PT
White Plains
Information Desk
Woodside
Medical Services
Ossining
Gift Shop
Sleepy Hollow
Administrative
Ossining
OT/PT
Middletown
Transport
Upcoming Auxiliary Board Meetings
Jan 15th and Feb 19th - Meetings will be held in the Board
Room and will start at 9:00 AM unless otherwise posted.
All Auxiliary Members are invited
and strongly encouraged to attend.
News and Notes Jan-Feb 2014 Vol. XVI No. 1
Editorial Staff, Contributors and Proofreaders
Jim Goldsmith Nancy Eichorn Jim Reidy
Pam Cardozo Dennis Corcoran Maria Somma
Fran Kelly Mark Frederich Christina Wong
News and Notes is published by the Phelps Memorial
Hospital Auxiliary, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591.
Contributions, comments and suggestions are welcome.
Please call the Auxiliary Office at (914) 366-3170.
FIRST CLASS
MAIL
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PHELPS MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AUXILIARY
SLEEPY HOLLOW, NY 10591
Pam’s Corner
by Pam Cardozo
In reflecting on 2013, we shared another remarkable and challenging year. Here are some highlights:
 In March, we gratefully accepted the recognition of the Sleepy Hollow St. Patrick’s Day Parade planners who dedicated the
2013 parade to Phelps Volunteers for their 50-plus years of service to Phelps.
 Also in March, we tragically lost our beloved Joan Hartney, an unselfish and caring volunteer Patient Representative. The
beautiful memorial service planned by Volunteer Services and held in the Auditorium enabled her family, friends and,
indeed, the entire hospital, to share their grief and recall the life of a special woman who touched so many lives.
 In May, our second Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon was held at Tappan Hill Mansion. It was so well received that we are
returning to Tappan Hill on May 19, 2014 – be sure to mark your calendar.
 In June and October, 111 volunteers attended seminars which emphasized the importance of using “Words That Work” with
“every patient, every family, every time.” We presented “Oscars” to volunteer actors who so ably demonstrated in a skit the
crux of the message we wanted to convey. Thanks to all who participated in this important aspect of Phelps’ Journey to
Excellence.
 On June 2, with assistance from our office, a Spring Concert was held at The James House Mansion to thank those who
generously supported the Steinway Piano Restoration Project. Piano prodigy Alice Burla stunned the audience with her
amazing virtuosity.
 Also in June, we bade fond farewell to 15 high school seniors and welcomed a new class of enthusiastic student volunteers
who were given a special orientation to their new role as patient transporters.
 In August, student volunteers interested in medical careers had the opportunity to discuss the ins and outs of becoming a
doctor with faculty and doctors from the Family Medicine Residency Program.
 In December, Lynne Hansen was recognized for her 35 years of outstanding service as a Phelps volunteer. As Lynne moves
to Denver to be close to her family, we wish her well and know she will continue to find opportunities to volunteer and
travel.
 In 2013, we continued our partnership with New York Life Insurance Company whose employees keep the pediatric book
bin filled in the Emergency Department. We also received donations of numerous hand-knitted comfort shawls, blankets and
baby clothes from generous individuals and groups such as Project Linus and Springvale Knitters.
 During the year, we welcomed many wonderful new volunteers and, sadly, said good-bye and thank-you to those who can no
longer serve Phelps.
Yes, 2013 was a productive year. On behalf of Volunteer Services, our sincere thanks for being such an important part of Phelps.
We extend best wishes to one and all for a Happy and Healthy New Year.
**** Choose Your Newsletter Delivery Method****
Now the News and Notes is published in TWO versions available to all Auxilians—one in print and the other online. The
electronic version will be in color and will often contain more pictures and articles than the print version. It also saves trees and
$$$. All who sign up for our paperless publication will get all the extras, so sign up now. Contact us at phelpsaux@optonline.net.
November Bake Sale
Photos from the Holiday Party
THANK YOU, LYNNE HANSEN
FOR 35 YEARS
OF CARING SERVICE TO
PHELPS HOSPITAL AND THE PHELPS
HOSPITAL AUXILIARY
Phelps Volunteer 1978 - 2013
More than 10,400 volunteer hours:
Cherry Door Thrift Shop, Hospice, Information Desk,
Pastoral Visitor, Patient Representative
Auxiliary Secretary/Assistant Secretary
SUPPORT THE JAMES HOUSE PIANO RESTORATION FUND
Looking for a gift for that special person?
Purchase a piano key in their name for
$100 PER KEY
DONOR’S NAME LISTED ON A PLAQUE IN THE JAMES HOUSE MANSION
A Great Valentine’s Day, Birthday
or Anniversary Gift
and a Unique Way to Honor a Loved One
Enclosed is my check for the following:
____
$100 One Piano Key
____
$_________ for _____ keys ($100/key)
Name: ______________________________________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________________________________
Phone No.: _________________________ E-mail: ________________________________________
Please complete below if applicable
In Honor of: __________________________________________________________________________
Please make check payable to PMHC Auxiliary. Send form and check to:
Volunteer Services, Phelps Hospital, 701 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591
A Project of the Phelps Hospital Auxiliary