​Borough President James S. Oddo is pleased to announce his office will be instituting a “Thank A Veteran” initiative during November. As part of his office’s effort to acknowledge and thank Veterans for their service and sacrifice, BP Oddo is inviting Veterans and family members of Veterans to participate in this campaign where they will be recognized on Staten Island USA’s webpage and social media accounts.
 
Those who wish to participate can send the following information to the Borough President’s office: a photo of the Veteran in uniform, their name, rank, branch of service and/or any other info they might want to share (limited to a sentence or two). The office will then post the information during the month of November.
 
“I want to encourage the community to participate in this program to ensure the service and memories of those who served are not forgotten. I am extremely thankful to all those who have dedicated their lives in service to protecting this country,” said BP Oddo.
 
Any information that the public wishes to share can be sent to Stephanie Slepian at SSlepian@statenislandusa.com. Submissions will be accepted through November 28.  

Borough President James S. Oddo will host “Trick or Treat Around SI,” a free Halloween event for children and their families, on Thursday, October 31st from 3 to 5 PM.  In partnership with 5 Staten Island business districts, Trick-or-Treat Around Staten Island will allow costumed children and their families across Staten Island the opportunity to trick-or-treat throughout each district at participating businesses.

In years prior, Borough President Oddo has hosted the annual “Halloween Hoopla” at Bloomingdale Park. The event has been changed this year due to the park’s closure for renovations and reconstruction.

“I am happy to once again host a special celebration that kids of all ages can enjoy,” said BP Oddo. “This year, I am looking forward to celebrating a Halloween in a new way with ‘Trick or Treat Around SI’ and welcome Staten Island families to join us for a great afternoon of Halloween fun.”

The following business development district will be participating. Each district will receive 100 trick-or-treat bags that can be picked up the locations listed below, bags will be given out on a first come, first served basis:

- Castleton Avenue Merchants Organization: Wicked Stitches (840 Castleton Avenue)
- Downtown Staten Island: Kiara's Beauty Salon (696 Bay Street)
- Forest Avenue Business Improvement District: Forest Avenue BID Office (686 Forest Avenue)
- South Shore Business Improvement District: Giovanni’s Trattoria (3800 Richmond Avenue)
- Victory Boulevard Merchants Association: Alfonso Pastry Shoppe (1899 Victory Boulevard)

Participating businesses will have a special Trick-or-Treat sign in their store window indicating that they are a sweet stop along the way. Children will receive allergy free candy (no nuts, no chocolate) so everyone can safely trick-or-treat in their neighborhood.

Click here for more information.

​On Wednesday, October 2nd, Borough President James S. Oddo joined with Dan Messina, President and CEO of Richmond University Medical Center, and Joe Verhey, Executive Director of the Broadway YMCA, at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church to announce Healthy Weight Your Child (HWYC), a new pilot program beginning today that will address childhood obesity on Staten Island.
 
The YMCA of the United States awarded only twenty grants to different YMCAs nationwide to implement the HWYC program. HWYC is a holistic evidence-based lifestyle-change intervention that addresses childhood obesity by empowering children and their caregivers/families through education, healthy eating, physical activity and group support.
 
According to the NYC Department of Education, 19.2% of Staten Island public school children in grades K – 8th are clinically obese. According to the Staten Island Child Wellness Initiative, 38.9% of K – 8 students across Staten Island fit the definition of being overweight or clinically obese.
 
“I want to thank our good friends and RUMC, as well as our good friends at the YMCA for allowing us to be a part of this program. When we got to Borough Hall in 2014, one of the fundamental changes we made was to put an emphasis on education and on health and wellness,” noted Borough President Oddo. “I’m so appreciative of what you all do every day, to be so passionate about healthy food and to take the platform you have to talk about the need to educate and inspire. Our audience is those who want to be inspired and those who want to know how to live a healthier life. This is going to help families on Staten Island, and this is a good thing.”
 
This pilot program is a partnership between RUMC and the Broadway YMCA facilitated by the Borough President’s Office. It consists of 25 sessions over 15 weeks that will take place at Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church. Studies have shown that this program is cost-efficient and effective in reducing a child's body mass index and waist circumference, reducing sedentary behaviors, increasing physical activity and improving self-esteem.
 
“The Broadway YMCA is proud to partner with the Office of the Staten Island Borough President, RUMC and St. Mary’s Church to implement this program,” said Joe Verhey, Executive Director of the Staten Island Broadway YMCA. “Our mission is to empower youth, improve health and strengthen community, so we are thrilled to be involved in yet another program that supports families and young people in our community as they improve their health and create better habits for life.”
 
RUMC identified patients aged 7-13 years old with a 95% BMI in the clinical practice who qualified and were offered a spot in the HWYC program. One caregiver from each family will also be required to participate in these sessions. Physicians will continue to stay connected during the program and regularly perform comprehensive tests on the enrolled children, such as BMI, blood pressure, and the presence of lipids. At the same time, they will conduct a mental health assessment at the beginning and conclusion of the successful completion of the program.
 
“The number of children across Staten Island considered to be obese continues to grow at an alarming rate,” Richmond University Medical Center President and CEO, Daniel J. Messina, PhD, FACHE, said. “No matter how young a child is, obesity can cause a number of chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and liver damage. Obesity can also affect a child’s self-esteem, causing anxiety and depression. We are proud to stand with Borough President James Oddo and the YMCA as partners in the fight against childhood obesity and the encouragement of healthy lifestyles for not just the children of Staten Island, but entire families as well.”
 
While Borough President Oddo’s Director of Health and Wellness, Dr. Ginny Mantello, was working with the Broadway YMCA to identify funding sources that would help link clinical to community interventions, one of the YMCAs awarded a grants dropped out of the program. This gave an opportunity for the opportunity for the Broadway YMCA.  However, they first needed to identify a strong clinical partner. Dr. Mantello was able to identify the Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) Pediatric Clinic, which had high obesity rates. With the backing of Borough Hall, Dr. Mantello connected these two strong partners, and was able to solidify the application of the Broadway YMCA for the HWYC program.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month! It couldn’t be easier to get your free NYPL The New York Public Library library card and take advantage of all the resources they have to offer.

You can go in at any time to your local NYPL branch to renew your card, all it takes is a photo ID and 5 minutes of your time! You can even renew online at nypl.org/librarycard.

What can you do with an NYPL library card? Browse, borrow, and read more than 300,000 e-books instantly on your phone, learn 71 different languages with Mango Languages, get ready for the TASC, GRE, and SAT exams with prep materials and practice tests, or learn something new with over 3,000 online classes and over 130,000 streaming videos.

Go get your library card. Read a book.

On Friday, September 20th, Borough President Oddo joined with DOE, SCA, and members of the New Dorp High School community to officially cut the ribbon on the new Football Field and Sports Complex.

The refurbished turf field was already in the works under the Department of Education’s five-year plan when New Dorp students attended the Borough Student Advisory Council back in April 2017. Their request to us: New lights. The students who came to us in 2017 have since graduated, but their hard work is now a reality.

Borough President Oddo listened to their request and allocated $1.5 million in tax dollars for new stadium lights. Additionally, allocated tax dollars for new bleachers in Fiscal Year 2019 and re-sodding for the baseball and softball fields in Fiscal Year 2020’s budget.

“To those students who came two years ago, we told you that you wouldn’t benefit from your request but you would pay it forward” said BP Oddo on the BSAC student representatives from New Dorp HS who requested lights for their new sports complex. “Thank you New Dorp. Congratulations!”

The complex has a new sound system; eight-lane track; aluminum bleachers; a press box with an air conditioner and a refurbished scoreboard. In addition to the football team, the field will also be used by the boys’ and girls’ soccer and lacrosse teams.

“Today starts a new chapter in our already rich history,” New Dorp HS Principal Deirdre DeAngelis on the ribbon cutting. “We often refer to ourselves as the New Dorp Family and that’s because we all work together.”

At the ceremony, BP Oddo was presented with an honorary New Dorp Football Jersey from Varsity Football Captain Jared Kerman and Head Coach Brian Murphy.

“On behalf of the New Dorp Community, the legacy you leave behind is something we should all try to emulate” said Vincenza Gallassio, Superintendent District 31, speaking on New Dorp HS Principal Deirdre DeAngelis’ dedication.

Following the ribbon cutting, BP Oddo tested out the new field with a running catch from QB Abdiel Gonzalez before the Varsity Football team played their first game under the lights vs. Lehman. Congratulations, New Dorp! 

Borough President James Oddo is pleased to announce that he will be sponsoring another round of FREE health screenings for Staten Islanders this fall.

“I am grateful to have the ability to offer Staten Islanders these health screenings,” said Borough President Oddo. “I understand the importance of engaging in preventative measures and taking charge of your health, which is why I encourage all Staten Islanders to take advantage of these free screenings.”

On Thursday, October 10th from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, Project Renewal will be giving Breast Cancer Screenings at the Forest Avenue Shoppers Town (1553 Forest Avenue). An appointment must be made to get screened. To make an appointment, call Project Renewal at (800) 564-6868.

The screenings will be available to eligible women ages 40 and older who have not had a mammogram in the past year. All insurance plans will be accepted, and co-pays and deductibles will be waived. The mammograms will be free to uninsured women.

On Wednesday, November 6th from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, Heart Scan Services will be giving Thyroid Screenings at Staten Island Borough Hall in Conference Room 125. An appointment must be made to be screened. Contact Irene Maiello at 718-816-2239 to reserve your appointment or click here. 

The rate of diagnosis of thyroid cancer has increased in recent years due to improvements to technology. In many cases, physicians cannot feel a nodule, but cancer can be detected through ultrasound screenings. The survival rate of thyroid cancer is very high when found in early stages.

On Thursday, November 7th from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm a nurse from NYC Health and Hospitals will be giving out Flu Shots at Staten Island Borough Hall in Conference Room 125. No appointment is necessary to receive a flu shot. Those presenting for a flu shot need to sign a consent form and show photo ID.

Seasonal influenza, commonly called “flu,” is a contagious illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the respiratory tract (the nose, throat, and lungs) and can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications. Those at high risk for serious flu complications include pregnant women, children under five years of age, adults over 65, nursing home residents and people with other serious health conditions.
​
Some of the complications caused by flu include bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, and worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma, or diabetes. Children may get sinus problems and ear infections. The flu can cause mild to severe illness for days, and in some cases can lead to more serious health problems and even death. It is estimated that every year in the United States, about 5% to 20% of the population gets flu, and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications. Each year, more than 2,000 New Yorkers die from flu-related illness.

​On Tuesday, September 17th, Borough President James S. Oddo hosted the Commodore Barry Day Ceremony and Wreath Laying to celebrate the life of Commodore John Barry.
 
The Commodore Barry Club of Brooklyn joined at Borough Hall with Deputy Borough President Ed Burke, Assemblyman Michael Cusick, and members of the community to parade down Hyatt Street and lay the ceremonial wreath on Staten Island Borough Hall.
 
Deputy Borough President Ed Burke presented the Commodore Barry Club of Brooklyn with a proclamation declaring the day 'Commodore John Barry Day' saying: “Staten Islanders honor John Barry as a hero of the Revolution – the Father of the American Navy, a symbol of Irish-American pride and an inspiration to today’s citizens of all backgrounds. We are grateful to those famous patriots who, throughout history, have protected our shores, upheld freedom and defended liberty.”
 
Commodore John Barry, an Irish immigrant who left his homeland of Wexford, Ireland as a young child to embark on a maritime journey, settled in Philadelphia in 1776 and became a renowned and much admired sea captain. During the American Revolution, John Barry fought valiantly to defend the Colonies’ cause of liberty. In 1793, he was named Senior and First Commissioned Officer in the Navy with the title of Commodore by President George Washington. With that, he is known as the father of the American Navy. 

​On Friday, September 13th, Borough President Oddo joined at Borough Hall with the College of Staten Island to celebrate the college athletic program’s recent milestone move to Division II Athletics, from the Division III CUNYAC conference to the Division II East Coast Conference.
 
Athletic Administrators, as well as Cross-Country/Track & Field, Baseball, and Women’s Basketball coaches joined with a select group of their athletes to talk on the importance of this move and what it means for their respective sports.
 
Assemblyman Michael Cusick and Assemblyman Charles Fall attended, and joined with Borough President Oddo in being named Honorary Division II Athletes by CSI.
 
“This is wonderful news for the College of Staten Island. The hard work and dedication of the students, staff, and administrators is evident. I look forward to seeing the success of their programs,” said Borough President Oddo. “I also wanted the record to reflect that I still have all of my NCAA eligibility available. Even at 53, I have game.”
 
CSI’s mascot, Danny the Dolphin, was also be present to celebrate CSI being one-of-two CUNY schools in Division II Athletics, the other being Queens College.
 
Congratulations College of Staten Island!