Summer 2023
- Sep 25, 2023
- 16 min read
SUMMER NEWSLETTER OF THE PARK HILL RACQUET CLUB
September 25, 2023
A Vibrant Summer at the Racquet Club
It has been another wonderful summer at Yonkers’ historic Racquet Club on Park Hill, as many new members connued to join, the prey pool and tennis courts buzzed with acvity as in pre-pandemic days, and the food never tasted beer at the Friday evening barbecues, thanks especially to twin chefs Angelo and Antonio Orilia of Bistro House in Hasngs. Sincere appreciation, as always, to Directors Justine Henry, Pay Gamba and Robert Moment for their leadership of the Board of Governors and for their oversight of all club acvies and programs, especially the social calendar.
Although the Park Hill Racquet Club is one of the smallest clubs in Westchester County, it has been celebrang the remarkable form this summer of its men’s Smooth Division team and its Gunst Division team in the Westchester County Tennis League (WCTL). Meanwhile, the Pool Commiee worked hard every day to monitor water condions and staff the lifeguard posions, while arranging with Andrea to bring back the aquac fitness exercises so popular with members in previous summers. And in May, the Park Hill Players (PHP) delighted audiences with the ever-popular “Steel Magnolias,” and now they prepare for their next producon, “Drinking Habits,” scheduled for December.
The club’s members were parcularly gladdened last month by the two-week “sighng” of former member (and Board Director) Steve Spiegler, back for a visit aer his first year down in Florida, as he stepped right back into the club’s social and athlec whirl. Steve got plied with a lot of free drinks for promising to roll the tennis courts during his brief stay, med to coincide with the annual vacaon in Mexico of our peerless houseman, Roger, and his family. It was a deal the club couldn’t pass up. Another great piece of news was that our tennis pro, Ola Proca White, received her United States citizenship last month.
A Delightful End of the Summer Party Season
On Sunday, September 3rd, the club’s annual Labor Day week end events witnessed the usual large turnout of members and guests who enjoyed both good weather, fortunately, and the usual holiday trifecta of a fun tennis tournament, a delicious pot-luck barbecue and an aernoon karaoke party on the porch. Like last year, the both adults and kids took part in the four hours of singing. But it was also the last week end of the summer to use our beauful swimming pool, even amid the connuing early-September heat wave. Thanks to Pay Gamba for hosng the Labor Day party, to Claire Miko for running the fun tennis tournament, and to Tom Westmoreland for running the karaoke event.
Sixteen club members took part in the Labor Day fun tournament. Congratulaons to the top two in the final rankings at the end of the tournament: Michael Frisch and Bobby Tolli! [All photos in this newsleer courtesy of Claire Miko.]
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Upcoming Social Events of the Fall Season
Oktoberfest 2023. The club’s annual Oktoberfest celebraon will be held this year on Sunday, October 22st. It will feature authentic German fare, including wieners, wursts, pretzels, brats, seasonal brews, familiar German music and more!
The End-October 2023 “Haunt”: Ma and Chrissy Gervais are once again gearing up for their ever-popular “haunt”-fest, entled this year: “Mister Tilly’s Carnival of Nightmares.” They are now recruing this year’s volunteers to populate their corridors with the ghoulish inhabitants that can fill their environs with blood- curdling screams and terror. Haunt dates are October 27th, 28th and 29th. Construcon of the haunt in the ballroom starts October 8th. Actor safety training will be provided for both novices and veterans of past haunts. Inquiries may be sent to: info@theywhoarenohere.com.
The 2023-24 Winter Bowling League: The winter 2023-24 bowling league is fast approaching in late October. Members who are interested in taking part – or who have any questions on the subject – should get in touch with both league president John Wallen (at jwall41@aol.com) and club treasurer Pay Gamba (at pgamba67@gmail.com).
Welcome to New Members
Here are the new members who have joined the club since publicaon of our spring newsleer:
Mary Ellen DeMarzo and William Sanchez
Tedd Anthony Fiato
Kate Greener
Robin and Daniel Muskin
Corazon Pineda and Jonathan Isaac
Rohan Pius
Benjamin Zilnicki
Beth Jordan
Alicia Cintron
Pat Coomaraswamy
Mariella DeGennaro & Chrisan Murillo
Ann-Sophie Dehau & Amine Moumni
Stella Yi-Burke
Chrisne Hammond
David Nimowitz & Eva Jerome
Elliot and Erika Silberstein
Please welcome them when you meet them!
Many thanks to Claire Miko and Steve Ross – who are both leaders of the Membership Commiee and members of the club’s Board of Governors – who always promptly follow up on all the inquiries about membership at the club that come in regularly by phone and email. Claire and Steve send out details about the club’s aributes, programs and fees, and then they schedule comprehensive tours of the club for the visitors. Club members who would like to join the committee can reach out to Claire and Steve for informaon.
Pool Commiee
Many thanks to the Pool Commiee – Pam Opdyke, Karin White, Casey Quinn and Jason McConnell – who worked extremely hard in May with Roger on patching, repairing, painng and in all ways preparing to get the pool ready by Memorial Day week end. The committee remained busy every day of the warm season, supervising the lifeguards, overseeing safety conditions governed by the Yonkers city government codes, and regularly checking the cleanliness and chlorine content of the pool.
Once again, Andrea Velasquez was recruited to run her popular aquac fitness classes, offered for cash payments only: (1) the hydro-revolution classes held on Saturday mornings between 10 and 11 am, for which no reservations were needed; and (2) the floating fitness classes, which were generally held on Thursdays from 7 unl 8 pm, and which did require reservations , due to a limited number of spots.
In mid-August, the club announced a new regulaon passed by the Westchester County Board of Health that, henceforth, “children less than 14 years of age must at all mes be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian or similar adult responsible for their safety and behavior while in the pool area.” This rule took effect on 16 August 2023 for all pools in Westchester County.
Finally, thanks to our very good lifeguards this summer for their diligent service to the club: Eavan and Pierce Coffey, Nate Dwyer, Casey Ennis and Emme Tucker. All are the children of our members, and we feel lucky and grateful to have had them help us out this summer.
Bar Commiee
Thanks for the hard work of the Bar Commiee – Pay Schumann and Pay Gamba -- for all the detailed work of supervising bar acvies and buying and keeping track of inventory, with the help of our super bartender, Vinny D’Alessio. Thankfully, the point of sale (POS) system seems at last to be funconing smoothly.
Pre-Summer Parties
Cinco de Mayo Party: Thanks to Pay Gamba for organizing the Cinco de Mayo party on Friday, May 5th, aended by 50 members and guests. All the delicious meats – brisket, hamburgers and hot dogs, along with veggie burger chicken -- were prepared and grilled by the Orilia twins, Angelo and Antonio, from Bistro House in Hastings, along with roasted corn and watermelon. Members brought many wonderful side dishes, including pasta salads, quiches and desserts.
The “Bring a Friend” Open House: On Sunday, May 21st, the club held its annual spring “Bring a Friend Open House,” which is a free event and pot-luck party. Each member or member family contributed an appetizer or a dessert sufficient to feed 10 or more people.
The goal always is to introduce the club to friends you think might be interested in joining when they are familiarized with the year-long programs and acvies of the club for adults and kids – and with the very affordable annual dues charged for the privilege of belonging to this modest social club and its very pleasant, outgoing, and welcoming membership.
Friday, May 26th, “Italian Night”: Around 35 adults and kids showed up for the delicious “Italian Night” supper organized by Pay Gamba and catered from old favorite, Zuppa restaurant.
May 28th Pot-Luck Barbecue and Karaoke Party: On Sunday, May 28th, Todd Geremia and Tami Vu hosted the first barbecue pot-luck party of the season, with Todd doing the grilling for the large number of members and guests who aended. That followed the morning Fun Tennis Tournament and coincided with the 2-6 pm first karaoke party of the year for adults and kids out on the porch.
And a warm, heartfelt thank-you to Tami Vu for running the wonderfully efficient Evite system for this and every one of our PHRC barbecue pares and other major social events.
Winter 2022-23 Bowling League Results
End-of-Season Team Final Standings: Here are the team point totals at the end of the six-month season In the five-team league announced last spring: Green Acres (captain: Robert Klein), 91 points; Bowl-A- Rama (captain: Deane Prouty), 74 points; Strikers (captain: Bill Dennison), 72 points; Brown (captain: Jon Wallen), 60 points; and Rolling Stones (captain: Paul Meissner), 53 points.
End-of-Season Personal High Games: Robert Klein, 259 (the highest game bowled in the league in 13 years); Deane Prouty, 237; Ed Mullen, 222; Bill Dennison, 210; Ed Schmid, 206; Paul Meissner, 202; Steve Savard, 199; Bowlerina (Karen Lorence) and Lynn Meissner, 198; Jon Wallen, 191; Bill Coffey and John Maggioo, 189; Casey Quinn, 187; Pay Gamba, 184; Jennifer Ringstad and Pam Opdyke, 181; Vic Mason, 179; Annmarie Ennis and Joe Garcia, 175; and Pat O’Hanlon, 174.
Personal High Series, Scratch: Bill Dennison, 581; Paul Meissner, 566; Robert Klein, 564; Deane Prouty, 523; Jon Wallen, 515; Ed Mullen, 511; Ed Schmid, 509; Steve Savard, 498; Jennifer Ringstad, 496; Vic Mason, 494; Jason McConnell, 491; Bill Coffey, 488; Pat O’Hanlon, 481; John Maggioo, 471; Pay Gamba, 470; Joe Garcia, 468; Bowlerina, 463; Annmarie Ennis, 459; Casey Quinn, 445; and Cathy Mulhern, 429.
Bowling Awards Dinner: On Friday, June 16th, the Winter Bowling League held its annual end-of-season Bowling Awards Dinner in the lounge. League president Jon Wallen distributed the prizes to league members. The post-season tournament champs were again the perennial winning team, Ed Schmid and Steve Savard.
Thanks to Jon for leading the league as president again; to Steve Savard for calculang the weekly and end-of-season stats; and to the team captains: Bill, Deane, Jon, Paul and Robert, for taking on the captains’ responsibilies. Gratude is also expressed to those league members who every week helped to oil the lanes before matches begin.
Summer 2023 Barbecues
First Friday Summer Pot-Luck Barbecue Party of the Season: Jusne organized the first pot-luck party of the summer on Friday, June 23rd, for 22 sign-ups, but those showing up were far more than that because the occasion coincided with the last Vinyl Night of June, run by Joe Harbeson, Taylor Pierce and Jusne. The meal was catered by the Orilia twins and featured their mouthwatering beef brisket, just one of the speciales for which their Bistro House in Hasngs is well-known. They also provided the hot dogs and hamburgers beloved by the younger set.
New Member Cocktail Party: On Friday, June 30th, Jusne organized the annual New-Member Cocktail Party in the beaufully decorated big hall. Each member of the Board, as usual, brought a tasty snack, appezer, hors d’oeuvres or dessert that was enough to feed 10 or more people. Stars of the table included Adrienne D’Alessio’s superb archoke quiche and Kathryn Buckley’s delicious grilled asparagus.
The Fourth of July BBQ Party: Some 66 adults and kids swarmed the grounds on Tuesday, July 4th, for the Fourth of July pot-luck barbecue, co-hosted by Jusne Henry and Vic Mason. Angelo Orilia performed heroically, preparing and grilling all the delicious meats and corn, and unexpectedly even made several large plaers of wonderful pasta salad. He did all of that with a shoulder injured in a car accident just days earlier. As ever, members made a lot of wonderful side dishes and salads and brought many tasty desserts.
Unfortunately, the annual Fourth of July fun tennis tournament got rained out. Wendy Bodner and Claire Miko planned to run the tourney for the 24 members who had signed up.
July 21st Potluck Barbecue: Pay Gamba hosted the Friday, July 21st, Pot-Luck BBQ for around 25 members and guests. Todd Geremia kindly did the grilling of the sausages, hotdogs and hamburgers, accompanied by great sides from the kitchen pantries of members.
August 4th Pot-Luck Barbecue: This pot-luck barbecue on Friday, August 4th, featured the excellent pulled pork of Antonio Orilia as the specialty protein on the menu. Some 45 members and guests enjoyed both the grilled meats and the many fine side dishes and desserts on the heavily-laden table. Angelo and Antonio were delighted with the new grill the club had goen them.
August 11th Pot-Luck Barbecue: The Friday, August 11th, pot-luck BBQ welcomed back Steve Spiegler and featured delicious grilled chicken, falafel gyros, and the bratwurst which was always one of Steve’s own favorites, as the main proteins. Some 40 adults and kids enjoyed the twins’ cooking, and Steve fortunately didn’t try to accept all the free beers that friends tried to foist on him.
Steve Ross was the evening’s host for the “come-together” party, which was enjoyed in perfect weather. Members again brought a host of delicious side dishes and desserts from their kitchens.
August 18th Pot-Luck Barbecue: On Friday, August 18th, the club held a potluck party hosted by Ma and Chrissy Gervais and featuring Louisiana-style pork ribs as the main protein of the barbecue. Around 65 members and guests aended the event and gave Steve Spiegler a boisterous send-off, following his two- week stay in New York, thanking him for his care of the club courts in Roger’s absence.
A Terrific Tennis Season
Results of the MITL Season. The ladies of the PHRC team in the Metropolitan Interclub Tennis League (MITL) for women players again had a very successful season. Captains were Pay Gamba (for the regular season) and Susie Moscou (for the Over 50 season). Both teams had very successful seasons, each finishing the season in second place. Well done, team!
Results of the WCTL Season. Team captain, Tom (“Westy”) Westmoreland, thanked the 36 different men and women members of the club who played for our WCTL “Smooth” (mid-level) and “Glossy” (lower-level) teams this year. Their parcipaon ensured that the Park Hill club “never defaulted” on a single individual match throughout the enre season, even though fully 22 members were needed each week to fill lineup slots during the Glossy/Smooth season this spring and summer. Our “Glossy” (lower-division) team in the Open League ended up in a respectable fih place among nine teams.
The club’s upper-division “Smooth” team ended in second place for the second straight season – and nearly took the championship! Going into the final week end, Park Hill and Ardsley Country Club not only were ed for first place but were playing each other. And they split the first six (of seven) matches. It all came down to the one final match, with Ardsley prevailing and ending up with four of the seven individual matches. It was a very excing finish to a great season.
Promoon from Gunst Division to Kaminer. “Westy” reported in mid-August, with the conclusion of the Over 50 League (the Gunst Division), that Park Hill’s team went 6-0 in the division, making our team the Gunst Division champions for 2023, by winning 27 out of 30 singles and doubles matches. This means the club’s team will move up to the Kaminer Division next year.
A Terrific WCTL Captain. Every year, Westy gets well-deserved praise in the newsleers for his role as the hard-working team captain. Here are some compliments team members sent him this month, as the 2023 WCTL season wound down. Art Liberatore said: “Thanks again to Westy for his leadership. Organizing one team is a daunng task, but scheduling two teams each week is a huge undertaking. Throw in rainouts and rescheduling, and the job difficulty is compounded.” Jim Beirne wrote Westy: “Thank you for your connued leadership in men’s tennis and your commitment to the Racquet Club.” Frank Petrilli nominated
Westy as a “first ballot Hall of Fame Tennis Team Captain.” And Donna and Evan Kalin added: “Awesome job, Westy. You are the best.”
Some useful history was learned in the exchange of emails, when Westy praised Jim Beirne for geng Park Hill back into the county tennis league aer the financial crisis of 2007-2011, “aer a lengthy absence. Many thanks to Jim for making this possible.”
The Role of the Tennis Commiee. Thanks to Pay Gamba, long-me head of the club’s Tennis Commiee, and to the other commiee members: Claire Miko, Pay Cecere, Paul Meissner, Robyn Liberatore, Todd Geremia, Tom Westmoreland, and Wendy Bodner for running the club’s demanding tennis program each year. That includes geng the beauful red-clay courts ready in spring and maintaining them throughout the seven-month outdoor playing season.
They also run the club’s three annual summer fun tournaments on holidays (Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day) and the compeve tournaments: men’s and women’s singles; the men’s and women’s doubles; and mixed doubles. Every Sunday aernoon, beginning on June 11th, one member has been there to oversee the enjoyable Round-Robins at 4 pm for everyone eager to take part. There is no need for members to RSVP – they can just show up and play.
Special thanks to Todd and Ingrid Krawiec for all their work in helping Roger with court maintenance this summer. That involves spreading calcium and the replacement “red clay” when necessary and making sure all parts of the system work correctly, including the functioning of the med sprinklers every night.
One of the most important parts of the system is Roger’s close season-long aenon to digging out – and keeping dug out – all the drains near Court 1, both the several small ones and the one very large city drain, especially aer heavy rains. That has been crucial to helping make the courts playable much sooner aer overnight rains.
Results of the Memorial Day Week End Fun Tennis Tournament. On Sunday, May 28th, 14 players forming seven teams took part in the annual Memorial Day week-end fun tournament. Winners were the brand-new members, Robin Muskin and Bill Sanchez, while the runners-up were Jennifer Ringstad and Kevin Morrison. Unfortunately, the Fourth of July fun tournament was rained out this year.
This Summer’s Compeve Tennis Tournaments. This summer, the Tennis Commiee decided to try a new approach to the compeve tennis tournaments. Instead of trying to schedule most play within a short me (like a single week end) for a tournament, play was spread out over the course of the summer. In that way, the players could schedule the preliminary rounds on their own, “within certain dates and me constraints.”
In that way, all rounds were best of three sets instead of eight-game pro sets. Only the semi-finals and the champion rounds had full third sets. All other rounds, through the quarterfinals, involved a third- set 10-point super ebreaker, if necessary.
In the compeve men’s singles tournament, 18 men parcipated. William Schmid defeated Peter Golfman in the final, 6-3, 6-4. In the compeve men’s doubles tournament, eight teams of men took part. William Schmid and Peter Golfman defeated Peter Scher and Guy Leeser, 6-1, 7-5, in the championship match. [Photo of the champs, courtesy of Claire Miko.]
In the mixed doubles tournament, 8 teams of players took part. That tournament remains ongoing.
The New Round-Robin Tennis Mixers. This summer, another very enjoyable new “wrinkle” was added to the intramural tennis program: three “Round-Robin Tennis Mixers” organized by Claire Miko, Pay Gamba and Wendy Bodner. These events, scheduled for Tuesday evenings in August, were designed to let 16 players take part in each, with everyone playing with and against as many others in the group as possible. The men’s event was called the “Beer and Ball Mixer”.
The ladies’ event was called the “Racquets and Rose” mixer. And the “Scks and Mixed” mixer was a Round-Robin in which all the men partnered with all the women during the event. These three mixers were all very much enjoyed by all the participants.
Appreciation to Ola and Mike, Our Excellent Tennis Pros. This year, members have again been able to avail themselves of the fine coaching services of two tennis pros, Ola Proca White and Mike Portanova, either to participate in clinics or just to take individual hitting practice. Our pros can schedule workouts either with club members, who have priority on the courts, or at other mes with non-members.
Gardening Commiee
The club thanks the members of the Gardening committee – Claire Miko, Lyrica Leon, and Cynthia Jacob – for their volunteer efforts to beaufy the club and help Roger with this task. Members might noce the aracve flowers in the planters and the other nice touches around the grounds, which are signs of the ladies’ contribuons each year to make the club preer.
The ladies have also spent quite a bit of me pulling weeds from around the pao area in front of the porch, as well as along the fences surrounding the tennis courts. That weeding is generally a thankless task, because the weeds grow back so quickly, especially when there is a lot of rain, as has been the case this summer.
Vinyl Nights
In June, DJs Paul Cecere, Jusne Henry, Joe Harbeson and Taylor Pierce took turns hosng their popular Vinyl Nights on the Fridays of each week: June 2nd, 9th, 16th and 23rd. They picked up from where they had le off early in the year.
Summer Pickleball
There has been some pickleball play this summer in the big hall. Thanks to Steve Ross, Lyrica Leon and Jim Beirne for keeping the pickleball flame alive at the club, especially when it was cool enough to play and rain drove the tennis players inside.
Park Hill Players
Congratulaons to the Park Hill Players on their well-received sixth producon in May, “Steel Magnolias,” by playwright Robert Harling, and to the Players’ guiding spirit and driving force, Jim Beirne. Kudos to the cast: Gabriella Voigt-Cinquemani, Casey Quinn, Karin White, Loren McConnell, Katharine Kelly, Laureta Kahn, Mary Kay Moment, and the voices of KPPD Radio, Vinny D’Alessio and Joe Garcia.
The Park Hill Players are now preparing for their next producon: “Drinking Habits,” a zany comedy by playwright Tom Smith. The story is said to be “a wonderful romp in a convent...where things and people are not what they seem.”
Special gratude is due to Chris Gallin, for his ever-generous financial support to the Park Hill Players and to the club. Chris is not only a skilled actor and director extraordinaire; he is generous, humble and gentlemanly to a fault. Thanks, Nancy and Chris!
Members interested in taking part in the Players in any capacity – cast or supporng role – should contact Jim Beirne, co-director for the producon. Jim says that members who can’t readily find him are encouraged to avail themselves of the good offices of the Sisters of Perpetual Sewing (who can).
The Players hosted a special Steel Magnolias viewing party on September 16th. The cast and friends watched a video of their performance. “Parkie” Awards were distributed to the cast by director, Chris Gallin. A great me was had by all!
Member News
The club was saddened to learn that the mother of our member, Marco Rene, passed away in late July in Hai aer a lingering illness. The Board and members of the club express their sincere condolences to Marco and his family on their loss.
The club membership also expressed their deepest sympathy to Patty and Paul Cecere on the passing in late August of Patty's mother, Alicia Jackson in Raleigh, North Carolina. Alicia, who passed away peacefully in her sleep at age 88, was a warm and caring woman who loved her family and loved working as a Family Nurse Praconer for many years. She is survived by her three children and three grandchildren.
The club also sent its deepest sympathy to Janet and Tom Westmoreland on the passing on September 1st of Janet’s beloved mother, Jean Cestaro, at 89 in Yonkers aer a long illness. Jean is survived by her two children, Janet and Alexander Cestaro, and three grandchildren, Alex Cestaro, Samantha Westmoreland and Victoria Westmoreland.
The club also expressed their condolences to Greg Nolen and Jusne Henry on the passing on September 19th of Greg’s mother, Rose Marie Monbello. Rose is survived by her husband, Tom, children Greg, Chris and Jessica, and grandchildren Rose, Louis and Charlotte.
Award to the Hudson River Museum: Congratulations to club member Masha Turchinsky, Director and CEO of the Hudson River Museum, and to her staff, following the museum’s recent reaccreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), “the highest national recognition” given to the country’s museums. First accredited in 1974, HRM every ten years undergoes a review of its status, “a rigorous but highly rewarding process that examines all aspects of a museum’s operaons.” Of America’s roughly 33,000 museums, just 1100 currently can boast this presgious accreditaon status. AAM President and CEO Laura L. Lo states: “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement, of which both the institutions and the communities they serve can be extremely proud.”
Yonkers Film Fesval (YoFi). On Sunday, 24 September 2023, Club members Pay Schumann and Dave Steck, who run the famous Yonkers Film Fesval (YoFiFest) every fall, held a “YoFi Havana Noche!” at their studios in downtown Yonkers. The event will feature “all things Cuban,” especially a mouth-watering Cuban- style menu and fantasc Cuban music documentary. The 11th Annual YoFiFest begins Friday, November 10th, with an excing opening night red-carpet event, and connues through November 19th. Look for information on discounted tickets for PHRC members.
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