The following blog post was written by Dr. Ginny Mantello, Director of Health and Wellness.

June is Men’s Health Month, and it’s a good time to remind men to get a checkup. ​Men are often reluctant to go to the doctor, even when they are sick, unless it is an emergency, and even then it can be a struggle. The reality is that annual checkups play an important role in a man’s long-term health. Here are some facts about men’s health that you should know and share with the men in your life:

• Statistically, men have shorter lifespans than women.
• Men are also less likely to have visited a doctor in the past year.
• This does not mean that men must accept declining health as a certainty. Lifestyle changes and regular doctor visits can vastly improve men’s quality of life and increase their lifespans.
• Starting at age 30, men should begin visiting their primary care physicians regularly. This is also a good age to begin assessing personal risk, based on family history, and start doing certain health screenings.
• The leading cause of death in men is heart disease. However, heart disease can often be controlled through lifestyle changes and medical care. Men should ask their doctor about their risks for cardiac issues.
• The top cancers affecting men are prostate, lung, colon, and skin cancer. There are also other cancers specific to men, such as testicular cancer, that can be fatal.
• Screenings for these and other cancers can catch them at an earlier stage, which make them easier to treat and increase the chances of survival.
  
  

Learn more about health and screening guidelines for men here.

The following blog post was written by Lexey Chandler, Communications Coordinator.

So how did a Northern California girl end up on the North Shore of Staten Island? I field this question on an almost weekly basis, so one would think I’d have a quick answer by now.

I always planned on college in Southern California. I never planned on college in Staten Island. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the way my life has panned out thus far, it’s that even if I think I have a plan, it will always without a doubt change.

I grew up a “classic” Californian, spending summers at the beach with a tan all year long. My childhood was spent playing every sport from softball to track and field to basketball, but my heart always resided in swimming. It wasn’t until 8th grade that I discovered water polo. I played my way through high school and was lucky enough to be offered an athletic scholarship that would bring me all the way out to New York City to attend the school up on the hill—Wagner College.

When I was presented with the opportunity to attend Wagner, my whole thought process changed. Could I really move so far from home? Could I really be an athlete who would perform at a Division I level? Could I really take such a large leap of faith with no guaranteed success?

My plans were up in the air, and everything I imagined for my future seemed wrong. I knew if I didn’t take a chance on the little liberal arts college in Staten Island, I would forever regret it. So, I finished my senior year of high school and moved all the way across the country. Unfortunately, I had to hang up my cap after two years of playing due to health issues, but I am forever grateful to water polo because it got me out to New York City.

Since my water polo career ended, I have never looked back. My whole world opened up after that point. I was able to meet people and have experiences I never could have had if I had still been on the team.

As I just started my position as the Communications Coordinator with the Office of the Borough President a mere two weeks post-graduation, I can whole-heartedly say that making that leap of faith was worth every minute of homesick phone calls and late night study sessions.
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Being almost 3,000 miles from my family can be rough at times, but I know this is the right path for me. Watching the sun set across the New York City skyline, whether on the Staten Island Ferry or while on the roof deck of my apartment in St. George, puts everything in perspective. I am so lucky to call one of the greatest cities in the world my home. I’m excited for the opportunity to further explore Staten Island and to understand what it is that makes this island tick. 

The following blog post was written by Renee Sarno, Community Events Coordinator.

What do you want to be when you grow up? That’s the question everyone asks you from the time you’re born until you graduate. Starting in 2nd grade, I thought I wanted to be a teacher, but once I got older, I started to consider other options. There are so many jobs out there, and as a student, I didn’t even know what some of them were!

The students at I.S. 61 are starting to think what they want to be when they grow up, beginning in 6th grade. I was recently asked to speak at the school’s Career Day as a young professional and alumna. Walking through the doors, ready to speak to the students, it brought me back to my 7th grade year. One of my teachers, Mr. Kantrowitz, asked my parents at my parent-teacher conference where I was thinking of going to college. My parents just looked at him, confused, because I was only in 7th grade. He told them that I should already start thinking about it. When it came time to apply to college several years later, my parents and I thought back on how he was right.

About 40 career professionals spoke to the 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes individually. The goal of Career Day was to get the children thinking beyond school and have them learn about different occupations they may never have even heard of. I spoke alongside firefighters, engineers, bakers, exercise professionals, bankers and a flight attendant. I spoke to five 8th grade classes and two 6th grade classes.

After introducing myself, and noting that I too attended I.S. 61, I was bombarded with questions from the students. They wanted to know everything from what education path I took to what I do for the Borough President. I brought up different programs our office has worked on, including Pave Baby Pave and Too Good for Drugs, and many of the students were familiar with these initiatives.  
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Then to my surprise, they started asking me about other projects happening on the Island. They wanted to know more about the NY Wheel, Empire Outlets, the mall expansion and even the Fast Ferry! Not only were these students learning about the Borough President’s office, they were fascinated about what is going on in their community.

It was a great experience for both the students and me. The students were engaged, and I believe that they are on the right track in their preparations for high school and beyond. This was a great way for the students to learn about different industries and occupations. I look forward to speaking to the kids again next year.

To celebrate Flag Day 2017, we are reprinting the proclamation issued by President Woodrow Wilson 101 years ago first establishing the holiday.
 
Proclamation 1335 – Flag Day
May 30, 2016

My Fellow Countrymen:
Many circumstances have recently conspired to turn our thoughts to a critical examination of the conditions of our national life, of the influences which have seemed to threaten to divide us in interest and sympathy, of forces within and forces without that seemed likely to draw us away from the happy traditions of united purpose and action of which we have been so proud, It has therefore seemed to me fitting that I should call your attention to the approach of the anniversary of the day upon which the flag of the United States was adopted by the Congress as the emblem of the Union, and to suggest to you that it should this year and in the years to come be given special significance as a day of renewal and reminder, a day upon which we should direct our minds with a special desire of renewal to thoughts of the ideals and principles of which we have sought to make our great Government the embodiment.
I therefore suggest and request that throughout the nation and if possible in every community the fourteenth day of June be observed as FLAG DAY with special patriotic exercises, at which means shall be taken to give significant expression to our thoughtful love of America, our comprehension of the great mission of liberty and justice to which we have devoted ourselves as a people, our pride in the history and our enthusiasm for the political programme of the nation, our determination to make it greater and purer with each generation, and our resolution to demonstrate to all the world its, vital union in sentiment and purpose, accepting only those as true compatriots who feel as we do the compulsion of this supreme allegiance. Let us on that day rededicate ourselves to the nation, "one and inseparable" from which every thought that is not worthy of our fathers' first vows in independence, liberty, and right shall be excluded and in which we shall stand with united hearts, for an America which no man can corrupt, no influence draw away from its ideals, no force divide against itself,-a nation signally distinguished among all the nations of mankind for its clear, individual conception alike of its duties and its privileges, its obligations and its rights.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington this thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and sixteen, and of the independence of the United States of America the one hundred and fortieth.

The following blog post was written by Allison Cohen, Director of Communications and External Affairs. 

When I first started working at Borough Hall, I was told that one of my responsibilities was to help run the Sunset Summer Concert Series. In addition to helping with pre-show planning, I’d have to attend them as well, which meant giving up nearly all of my summer Thursday nights.

Even though I love live music, I was not super excited about this prospect. I had visions of the local shows I had gone to in high school, where the bands were, at best, really loud. (Apologies to my friends who played in those bands.) 

“Musicians who will play for free?” I scoffed. “How good could they be?”

I’m happy to admit that I was 100% wrong. From the very first concert I attended, I realized that these bands and singers were actually good—in some cases even terrific. 

I stopped dreading Thursdays nights and started looking forward to them. Every Thursday after we’ve set up the show, I unfurl my picnic blanket, lie down in the grass, and relax to some great tunes. It’s the perfect outlet for me to unwind from the stresses of work and life in general.

The music itself ranges from classic rock to jazz to big band to punk. And of course, we have our special doo wop show featuring Vito Picone and the Elegants, so there’s truly something for every music lover.

I’ve become a big fan of some of our recurring acts and have gone out of my way to see several of them perform at other venues. I recently paid a lot of money to see Charlie Romo and the Barry Levitt Trio perform at Lorenzo’s (you can catch them for free on June 29th at Fort Wadsworth). Whenever Cause and the Effects plays a local bar, you can usually find me dancing right up front (they are closing our series at Wolfe’s Pond Park on August 24th).

We are lucky to have so much talent on Staten Island—and even luckier that these artists are willing to donate their talents to entertain us. So this summer, grab a blanket or chair, join us at the park, and enjoy great music performed by some of your talented neighbors. And if you’re really nice and friendly, I might even consider letting you share my blanket! 

Check out the full schedule here: statenislandusa.com/sunset