On Monday, October 22nd, 2007, The Rotary Club of Ossining, with grants from Howard Penn Realty and Mahopac National Bank, was greeted with “oohs” and grins from the children today when they distributed dictionaries to every third grader at Brookside School. Said Howard Penn to the children: "These dictionaries are yours to keep forever!"
Each child immediately put her name in her book as teachers explained that the children would be using these dictionaries throughout the school year. Rotary President, Irene Herz, stated that "Seeing the excitement on the children’s faces is one of the high points of my year."
On subsequent days, dictionaries were given to the childrenin third grade at St. Ann's and St. Augustine's.
Pictured left to right are Asst. Principal at Brookside School Ferzen Bhana, Ossining Rotary President Irene Herz, Brookside Principal Felix Flores, Ossining Rotary Vice President Bill Kress, Rotarian Howard Penn of Howard Penn Realty, Rotarian and Village Trustee Sue Donnelly and Mahopac National Bank Vice President Charles Hellmich.
To see the reactions of some of the children, click on the photos to the left.