​On Tuesday, March 27th, BP Oddo and District Attorney Michael McMahon hosted a Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Breakfast at the Excelsior Grand. The second annual ceremony, which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the conflict, honored those who served in the U.S. Armed Forced during the Vietnam War era.
 
The event was hosted by local celebrity Brian “Q.” Quinn of the Impractical Jokers. In addition to the BP Oddo and DA McMahon, speakers included General Loree Sutton, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Veterans Services, and Shannon Daly, a former U.S. Marine who graduated from the Richmond County Veterans Court.
 
At the event, Dennis and Mary McCloone presented the White Table, a POW/MIA recognition ceremony.
 
"We hope you know that we honor and acknowledge your service and respect you. Welcome home,” said BP Oddo. “Moments like this give this job meaning for me.”
 
“When America’s Vietnam War veterans returned home, many were not treated with the respect and appreciation they deserved for their service and bravery. Nevertheless, Staten Island’s Vietnam Veterans continued to serve their nation in the decades to come by playing an active role in fighting to make our community stronger and better for all. I am honored to once again join Borough President Oddo in giving these American heroes the heartfelt thanks they have so rightfully earned,” said DA McMahon.
 
Following the event, all of the Veterans were presented with lapel pins as a symbol of recognition of their service. Over 125 Vietnam Veterans attended the breakfast.

On Monday, March 26th, BP Oddo held a press conference at Borough Hall to discuss the importance of sleep and the dangers of drowsy driving. This discussion is part of the next phase of his “Sleep Well, Staten Island” initiative. He was joined by Alec Slatky of AAA, who discussed the group’s recent studies on the connection between drowsy driving and crashes.

“In the last 20 or 30 years, we as a society have done great work on educating the public about the dangers of drunk driving. I think a similar campaign needs to happen, certainly here on Staten Island considering the amount of driving commuters we have on a daily basis, promoting an awareness on how many of us are sleep deprived and what that means in terms of our driving, our driving habits, and the dangers that poses to society,” BP Oddo said.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has recently completed two traffic studies on the large percentage of crashes that involve drowsiness and how driving drowsy produces a crash risk equivalent to driving drunk. Their study has found that 3 in 10 people have admitted to driving when they were so tired they could not keep their eyes open. They found that drivers who have gotten less than five hours of sleep are at four times the crash rate of someone who has had at least seven hours of sleep. They also found that approximately 9-10% of all crashes are caused by drowsy driving.

Drowsy driving is preventable by getting the recommended amount of sleep every night and pulling over to rest when you feel too tired to drive. 

“We know drunk driving is socially unacceptable, and we need to make drowsy driving just as socially unacceptable,” Alec Slatky stated. “There are so many factors to watch out for on the road, and drivers need to be able to function at maximum capacity at all times. We need to make sure drivers are taking their safety and the safety of others seriously, and a big factor in that is sleep.”

In support of Borough President Oddo’s initiative, DMV Executive Deputy Commissioner and Acting GTSC Chair Terri Egan said, “We should always remember to take precautions to avoid drowsy driving. A few seconds of inattention can lead to tragic results. Getting enough sleep is one of the key ways to prevent drowsy driving, especially when you’re going on a long trip.”

For more information on “Sleep Well, Staten Island,” click here.

​The Staten Island Borough President’s Office is pleased to announce the continuation of BP Oddo’s free Sunset Summer Concert Series, which will begin in late June and will take place every Thursday evening through August.
 
The office has begun accepting applications from musicians, singers, and bands who wish to volunteer their time and abilities performing the concert series. Those performers who wish to be considered for the opportunity can submit any recordings, social media (Facebook, Instagram), and YouTube pages that showcase their talent.
 
Any submissions from groups who wish to perform can be emailed to Renee Sarno at RSarno@statenislandusa.com. Submissions will be accepted through April 6th.
 
“We are so grateful to our homegrown musicians who are willing to volunteer their time and talent to entertain Staten Islanders,” said BP Oddo. “Hundreds of Staten Islanders come out to our summer concerts, and we want to give the opportunity to some new singers and bands to play in front of our local crowds.”
 
The concerts, which take at different parks throughout the borough, are sponsored by BP Oddo and Council Members Debi Rose, Steven Matteo, and Joe Borelli.

The Borough President’s Office is sponsoring a volunteer program to welcome tourists at the Ferry Terminal. The St. George Ferry Terminal Kiosk volunteer program will provide exposure to hundreds of tourists each day from May through September.
 
The ideal candidate has excellent communication skills, a willingness to learn, and enthusiasm about marketing Staten Island and New York City as a destination. Volunteers will be responsible for fostering interest in Staten Island by providing information regarding local attractions, bus routes, nearby eateries, and thoughtfully answering other tourist inquiries. Training will be provided that covers the aforementioned topics. 
 
The booth will be open from Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am to 6pm, with three 2-hour shifts daily and at least three volunteers for each shift. Scheduling is flexible. Volunteers will be responsible for addressing queries in a friendly manner and must have a presentable and professional appearance while operating the booth. Volunteers will also be responsible for opening and setting up the kiosk each morning and securely closing it in the evening, as well as keeping all the materials stocked.
 
Volunteers will be given the opportunity to expand interpersonal skills by interacting with a diverse and curious audience and be awarded a Certificate of Completion—a great addition to a resume—for their work.
 
Tourism is a $46 billion industry in New York City. The Staten Island Ferry is one of the most visited attractions in New York City, with over 1.5 million tourists riding the Ferry each year.
 
“Staten Island is open for business in every way possible,” said BP Oddo. “Tourism is yet another way for the Island to grow its economy, and we are excited to be able to assist in that effort with this kiosk that helps direct tourists to our attractions. Our goal is to connect tourists to the things of interest to them on Staten Island. We are particularly interested in helping them discover the wonderful cultural attractions Staten Island has to offer, providing directions, information on where they can eat, shop, and stay.”
 
Applications for the volunteer positions are currently being accepted. All inquiries should be made by April 1. For more information, contact Colleen Siuzdak at the Staten Island Borough President’s Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs at csiuzdak@statenislandusa.com or 718-816-2057.