Good News, Roosevelt Island F Train Service To And From Manhattan This Weekend - That's 4 In A Row

According to the MTA Weekender, there will be Roosevelt Island F train service

 to and from Manhattan this weekend.

That's 4 weekends in a row of Roosevelt Island F Train service to and from Manhattan. 

Interview With Charlene Indelicato As She Recaps Time As President Of Roosevelt Island Operating Corp - Today Is Her Last Day

Charlene Indelicato was appointed to her "dream job" as President of the Roosevelt Island Operating  Corp (RIOC) in April 2013.  Today is Ms. Indelicato's last day as RIOC President.  Ms Indelicato has accepted the position of Dobbs Ferry NY Village Administrator.

I spoke with Ms Indelicato on February 28 about her time as RIOC President.

In part 1 of our conversation Ms Indelicato speaks about:

• The reason for her leaving Roosevelt Island (primarily long commuting time),
• Major challenges she faced as RIOC President,
• Building trust between Public Safety Department and community, 
• Cornell Tech negotiations, 
• Island infrastructure, 
• Blackout and Blizzard, 
• Free Red Bus, 
• Sportspark renovations, 
• Tram Station Elevators, 
• Cultural Center, 
• Lighthouse Park Footbridges, 
• Blackwell House,
• Gristedes Sinkhole
• Reasons projects take a long time to complete and
• Appreciation for residents who contribute and are concerned about the community.

In part 2, Ms Indelicato speaks about:

• Dedication of Resident Board Of Directors,
• How she got the RIOC President's job,
• Relationship with the Governor's Office,
• Status of Roosevelt Island democracy and services as governed by NY State Public Benefit Corp compared to jurisdiction under NYC,
• Main Street Retail Master Leasehold Agreement (government should not be in the commercial retail business),
• Local Law 11 building facade work,
• Construction Permits,
• Cornell Tech payments not received yet but will be when needed before 2018,
• Sea Wall and Sea railings repairs,
• Ferry Dock Agreement almost done,
• Improved relationship between RIOC employees and residents 
• and enjoying her time on Roosevelt Island

As I said before, in my view, Ms. Indelicato

Image Of Ms. Berdy & RIOC President Charlene Indelicato With Asylum For Insane Mug

has been an excellent RIOC President.

RIOC President Charlene Indelicato and Canine Friend at Roosevelt Island 2013 Halloween Parade

Her leaving is a big loss for Roosevelt Island.

NYC 2016 Participatory Budget Voting Starts Saturday March 26, Absentee Ballot Request Deadline Friday March 18 - Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Green Roof & Computer Carts On Ballot

Saturday March 26th begins the 2016 NYC Participatory Budget (PB) voting process which runs through Sunday, April 3rd.  Of the fourteen projects on the ballot in our District 5 this year, two would fund Roosevelt Island projects, including PS/IS 217 computer carts and the balance of funding needed to finish the PS/IS 217 Green Roof.

You can vote on or near the Island on Saturday, March 26 from 11am-2pm (during the RIRA Easter Egg Hunt) at Manhattan Park; Tuesday, March 29 from 4-7pm at the Island F subway station; Wednesday, March 30 from 4-7pm at Tramway Plaza (Manhattan side); or Thursday, March 31 from 7:30-10:30am at PS/IS 217.

Absentee Ballot deadline tomorrow March 18.

Order an absentee Participatory Budget ballot today or call 212 860-1950, deadline tomorrow, then vote by April 2nd.

Roosevelt Island's NYC Council Member Ben Kallos adds:

Tomorrow, Friday, March 18 is the deadline to register to vote by mail at BenKallos.com/PB/Absentee

You decide on how to spend $1 million in our community starting March 26th through April 3rd as part of Participatory Budgeting

Anyone 14 or over can vote by mail or in person at our district office for the entirety of vote week.

March 26^th – April 3^rd:
Monday – Friday: 9:00AM – 6:00PM
Saturday – Sunday: 11:00AM – 5:00PM

We will also make voting more convenient by bringing the ballots closer to you at mobile voting sites throughout the district with help from this cycle’s budget delegates who will be sponsoring even more vote sites as they continue to shepherd the process. Let us know when and where you'll be voting with your reservation below:

Saturday, 3/26/2016:
10:00AM – 2:00PM, East 82nd Street Greenmarket, RSVP
11:00AM – 2:00PM, 20 River Road, Manhattan Park, Roosevelt Island, RSVP

Sunday, 3/27/2016:
10:00AM – 2:00PM, Carl Schurz Park, RSVP

Monday, 3/28/2016:  
7:00AM – 9:00AM, M79 Bus at York Avenue, RSVP
8:00AM – 11:00AM, 311 East 82nd Street, P.S. 290, RSVP
4:00PM – 7:00PM, East 86th between Lexington and Third Avenue, RSVP

Tuesday, 3/29/2016:
7:00AM – 9:00AM, M86 Bus at York Avenue, RSVP
7:30AM – 10:30AM, 1700 Third Avenue, P.S. 198/77, RSVP
4:00PM – 7:00PM, F Train Subway at Roosevelt Island, RSVP

Wednesday, 3/30/2016:  
7:00AM – 9:00AM, M67 Bus at First Avenue, RSVP
10:00AM – 1:00PM, 411 East 76th Street, Eleanor Roosevelt High School, RSVP
4:00PM – 7:00PM, Tramway Plaza at E59th Street, RSVP

Thursday, 3/31/2016:
7:30AM – 10:30AM, 645 Main Street, P.S. /I.S. 217, Roosevelt Island, RSVP
4:00PM – 7:00PM, East 96th Street Subway Station, RSVP

Friday, 4/1/2016:       
7:00AM – 9:00AM, M72 Bus at First Avenue, RSVP

Saturday, 4/2/2016:  
10:00AM – 2:00PM, East 67th Street Greenmarket, RSVP

Please consider volunteering to help run a pollsite and if none of the dates and locations work for you or if it is just more convenient remember to register to vote by mail by tomorrow, Friday, March 18 at BenKallos.com/PB/Absentee

Happy St Patrick's Day From Roosevelt Island, Celebrate With A Little History, Songs From The Pogues, Dubliners, Clancy Brothers, Dropkick Murphy's & Great Big Sea- A RI Moms Exercise Workout Too

 Image From History Channel Video

Here's a little St Patricks Day history.



Let's celebrate St Patrick's Day with great songs from the Pogues and Dubliners,



Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem,



and the Dropkick Murphy's.



The Roosevelt Island Parents' Network celebrated with an exercise workout and send their best wishes for St Patrick's Day:

Dear RI Parents,

Happy St. Patrick's Day from RI Moms on the Move (RI MoM) workout this morning!

You can join us again next week on Monday and Thursday.

Contact us for more info.

Have a great, sunny day! :)

Renate, Lisa, Darleen, Sajuri and Eva

Happy St Patricks Day Roosevelt Island!

Just follow the advice of Great Big Sea and be careful



of the Old Black Rum.

You're Invited To Book Reading And Signing By Roosevelt Island Resident Gianna Pontecorboli Author Of Americordo - Italian Jewish Exiles In America At Gallery RIVAA Friday March 18

Join Roosevelt Island resident Gianna Pontecorboli as she reads and signs her book Americordo - Italian Jewish Exiles In America at Gallery RIVAA  on Friday March 18. According to Gallery RIVAA:

Dear All,

You are cordially invited to the book reading and signing of "Americordo - Italian Jewish Exiles in America" - A book by Gianna Pontecorboli, on Friday March 18th at 7PM at Gallery RIVAA.

Image From Gallery RIVAA

Date: March 18th, 2016 at 7PM
Venue: Gallery RIVAA, 527 Main Street, Roosevelt Island

Warmly,
RIVAA

According to the Primo Levi Center:

Pontecorboli's book is a long overdue account of a lesser-known aspect of the Italian anti-Jewish persecution: the exile of Italian Jews to America.

Forced to the US by the Fascist persecutions during the 1930’s and 1940’s, roughly one thousand Italian Jews with their families continued their work in a wide range of fields, from mathematics and biology to medicine, music, banking, textile manufacturing, art and antiques. Pontecorboli retraces the threads of their stories, personal recollections and historical background, their strategies to exit Italy and those to find a visa to the US. She reconstructs their first steps in the new world, their networks of solidarity, their successes and drawbacks, their encounters with fascism and antifascism in America, their different and at times conflicting choices of adaptation and survival....

You can purchase Americordo - Italian Jewish Exiles In America by Roosevelt Island resident Gianna Pontecorboli at Amazon.

Roosevelt Island Operating Corp Board Of Directors Approve Appointment Of New RIOC Chief Financial Officer And VP Of Operations Despite Objections To Being Left Out Of Interview Process

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) approved the appointment of Kimberly L. Quinones as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Shelton J. Haynes as the new Vice President Of Operations during the March 10 RIOC Board of Directors meeting (video web cast of the RIOC Board Meeting here.)

Image Of Mr. Haynes and Ms. Quinones Following 3/10 RIOC Board Meeting

RIOC provided their biographies below.

Chief Financial Officer Kimberly L. Quinones

Ms. Quinones is a Public Finance banker with over thirty years of experience meeting the infrastructure and general fund financing needs of state and local governments. Her expertise includes the general fund, infrastructure and transportation sectors, serving as the lead banker for some of the largest states and cities nationwide. Most recently, she managed the Western Region banking effort for Ramirez & Co., Inc., a privately-held securities firm based in New York. Prior to 2002, Ms. Quinones was with Citigroup, Raymond James Financial and Prudential-Bache Capital Funding in New York, working with the City of New York, and state agencies in the tri-state area and Puerto Rico.

Ms. Quinones also served in the public sector, working with the New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Development and Planning in 1996-1997. She represented the Mayor’s office on the boards of the New York City Economic Development Corporation and the New York City Industrial Development Authority.

Ms. Quinones holds a BA in Economics from Princeton University. She was the 2000-2001 President of the Financial Women’s Association of New York and served on the Boards of Governors of the Municipal Forum and the Vanderbilt YMCA. Governor Mario Cuomo appointed Ms. Quinones to the Committee on Fiscal and Economic Priorities in 1994.

Shelton J. Haynes is the Vice President of Operations of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC). He is responsible for the oversight of the Island's day-to-day functions as well as management of the Corporation's various administrative and operational departments.

In addition, his role is to ensure that the corporation's operations and core functions effectively serve the needs of Roosevelt Island residents and other stakeholders, while complying with applicable laws and regulations.

Mr. Haynes previously served as Chief Operating Officer at the Housing Authority of DeKalb County in Georgia, where he oversaw all agency operations, strategic and operational initiatives as well as the executive management team. Under his leadership he was able to transform under performing departments into high performing based on measurable key performance indicators and compliance audits.

But the approval was not unanimous. During the March 10 RIOC Board meeting, Directors Margie Smith, Michael Shinozaki and Kathy Grimm objected to the process by which the new RIOC CFO and VP of Operations were selected, not the qualifications of the individual candidates themselves. Ms. Smith voted not to approve the candidates. Mr. Shinozaki and Ms. Grimm voted to abstain.

Ms Smith noted that although multiple candidates were interviewed for each position by "various people", including RIOC staff, only Ms Quinones and Mr. Shelton were presented to be interviewed by the RIOC Board Directors. According to Ms. Smith, this same hiring process of excluding the RIOC Board Directors from the interview process has happened before in the selection of candidates for RIOC President, Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel.

Ms. Smith said that Andrew Kennedy of the NY Governor's Office had previously promised the RIOC Board they would be involved in interviewing future multiple candidates for senior staff positions and that Mr. Kennedy:

... made a commitment to us that we would be part of the interviewing process, not just the approval. We would get 3 candidates for any position to interview before we had to vote. I don't think it's right that we didn't do that this time.... That why I am going to be voting no....

RIOC Director Fay Christian agreed with the comments of Ms. Smith but voted to approve because in her view it is necessary to fill these vacant positions immediately.

Here's an excerpt of the March 10 RIOC Board discussion on hiring of new CFO.



The RIOC Board approved hiring of the new CFO and Vice President Of Operations with a vote of 5 approving, 2 abstentions and 1 no.

Roosevelt Island resident Board Directors Howard Polivy and David Kraut joined Ms Christian in voting to approve the hiring of the new CFO and VP Of Operations as did RIOC Chair Jamie Rubin and the NY State Budget Office representative.

Here's the full March 10 RIOC Board discussion regarding hiring the new CFO, VP Of Operations and current General Counsel Susan Rosenthal to be Acting RIOC President.



Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Vice President Sherie Helstien said it was "cowardly" not to allow the RIOC Board to do its job by interviewing candidates for the CFO and VP Operations positions (at the 9 minute mark of video).

RIRA Government Relations Chair Joyce M. Short adds:

The State of NY routinely disregards their own laws and the US Constitution by how it runs the Island. It is required to submit at least 3 choices to the RIOC Board. It did not. And what's more, the board itself is not consistent with the structure of government provided for by the US Constitution.

Government is supposed to serve the people, and government bodies, including RIOC, are supposed to be comprised of elected members, not political appointments, and not even when they are our neighbors. If they actually had to stand for election, RIOC board members would never allow themselves to be bulldozed this way.

It's unfortunate that NY State's way of doing business detracts from the appointment of people who could otherwise be viewed as highly competent to handle the job. While we wish our new RIOC staffers well, we also wish that Roosevelt Island enjoyed the same right to representative government that the rest of the country enjoys.

Welcome to Roosevelt Island Ms Quinones and Mr. Haynes.

Roosevelt Island Constituent & Immigration Services Support 11 AM Wednesday March 16 At Seniors Center - Presented By NY State Senator Jose Serrano, NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright, NYC Council Member Ben Kallos & NY County District Attorney

Tomorrow: RISA @ 11am @Rooseveltisland mobile hours with a focus on immigrant services. Join us! pic.twitter.com/mEQsic1hKD

— Rebecca Seawright (@SeawrightForNY) March 15, 2016

Roosevelt Island's NY State Assembly Member Rebecca Seawright reports:

Please join our office tomorrow at 11am at the Roosevelt Island Senior Association for mobile constituent hours focusing on immigrant services with the offices of New York State Senator Jose M. Serrano, District Attorney Cy Vance and New York City Council Member Ben Kallos.

Roosevelt Island's NY State Senator Jose Serrano adds:

Are there issues you would like to discuss with your elected officials but are unable to visit their district offices? Come meet with our offices to share your problems or situation. We are here to assist.

During this session, a Community Coordinator from the New York County District Attorney's Office will be sharing information about how immigrant communities are often victimized through fraudulent schemes and what individuals can do to protect themselves from these scams. In addition, they will share information about identity theft, internet safety and elder abuse among many other topics.

We will also be joined by a representative from the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) who will create appointments for those who need FREE immigration legal support through the Mayor's Action NYC initiative and for those who would like to sign up for IDNYC (NYC Municipal ID)

For more information, please contact Senator Serrano's Office. Phone (212) 828 -5829. Email: Serrano@nysenate.gov

RIRA Vice President Asks RIOC Board Public Session About Roosevelt Island Public Purpose Funds, Tram Station Elevator Replacement & Selecting New President - Receives Answers Too

Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) Vice President Sherie Helstien addressed the Public Session of the March 10 Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Board of Directors Meeting (web cast of full March 10 RIOC Board meeting here) .

Ms Helstien asked the RIOC Board members questions about:

• Distribution of 2015 RIOC Public Purpose Funds (PPF),
• Status of Tram Station Elevators replacement and
• Whether an independent executive search process will be undertaken to select new RIOC President

Fortunately, Ms Helstien questions were answered. Usually, at RIOC Board Meeting Public Sessions, residents would ask questions but receive no answers back.

RIOC Board Chair Jamie Rubin replied there would be an independent outside search for RIOC President which has not yet started.

RIOC President Charlene Indelicato said some of the PPF funds have been distributed to approved organizations and advised to call RIOC for specifics.

RIOC General Counsel and soon to be Acting President Susan Rosenthal reviewed the current status of Tram Station Elevator replacement project. RIOC Director of Engineering John Bost added that the new Tram Station elevators are still scheduled to be completed by the Autumn of 2016.

We also learned that RIOC Director Of Operations Cy Opperman is very well liked.

Here's the full discussion.



RIOC Chair Jamie Rubin may have started a new policy for the RIOC Board meeting Pubic Session - Questions and answers. Wouldn't that be great!!!

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Easter Bonnet Making Crafts For Kids Saturday March 19 At The Seniors Center - Please RSVP By March 17

Roosevelt Island Parents' Network Coordinator Eva Bosbach reports:

Dear RI parents,

We would like to invite you to another event in the "Crafts with Kids" series by the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network.

Join us for "Easter Craft" next Saturday, March 19, 10-11 AM at the Senior Center, 546 Main Street! Children of all ages are invited to participate in the making of Easter bonnets

which will include gluing, coloring, cutting, listening to a story and more.

Special thank you goes to Lynne Strong-Shinozaki and the Roosevelt Island Residents Association (RIRA) for providing the supplies, as well as to Dolores Green, Barbara Parker, Wendy Hersh and Marylin Atkins from the Senior Center for letting us use their space for the event.

Please RSVP by Thursday, March 17, and let us know if you can bring theme related books for the story time or for our little kids book shelf during the event.

We are looking forward to seeing you!

Neha and Eva

"Crafts with Kids" is a free workshop series for children organized by the Roosevelt Island Parents' Network. The monthly events included "Tram art and necklaces", "Matisse for Kids", "Valentine's Craft", "St Patrick's Craft", "Earth Day Craft", "Easter Craft", "Mothers Day Craft", "Fathers Day Craft", "Summer craft - a lady bug", a "Back to school craft", a "Halloween craft", a "Lantern making workshop", a "Thanksgiving Craft" and a "Holiday Craft".

For more info on RIPN, contact here.

New Roosevelt Island Youth Baseball League Being Formed For Kids 6-8 and 9-11 Years Old By Roosevelt Island Center Of Community Development - More Youth Sports Planned Too

Reported last December of a new Roosevelt Island organization being formed - the Roosevelt Island Center of Community Development (RICCD). According to the RICCD web site:

Formed by its adverse history and now facing some of its most significant changes to date, the Roosevelt Island community and the people who call it home enter an important season which is sure to shape the future of this city island. It is within this context that the Roosevelt Island Center of Community Development exists to equip and empower high capacity, high character leaders for the physical, social, and cultural flourishing of Roosevelt Island....

 Image From RICCD

The RICCD report that they are starting a new Roosevelt Island youth baseball league:

This spring, the Roosevelt Island Center of Community Development launches a brand new co-ed, island-wide little league. The league will include 2 different age groups; minors (6-8yrs old) and majors (9-11yrs old), with the intent of expanding to other age groups in the coming years. Children and their parents can expect a well-planned, 10 game season. In addition, the RICCD little league will include a pre-season kick-off event (pitch, hit, and run), a pre-season parent’s gathering, an all-star game, and the league will finish strong with a playoff and little league championship game. In addition, the league has focused on recruiting high character parents, young professionals, and others leaders from the community who are ready to invest much of their spring into launching this new neighborhood little-league. Cost is $50 per child with the ability to receive a full scholarship for free play if needed, based on need.

Registration info here.

The RICCD plans to organize more Roosevelt Island youth sports activities including soccer, basketball and softball. More information here.

As previously reported, the Roosevelt Island Youth Program (RIYP)) begins in April its 38th year of free Little League baseball for kids 6-13 years of age as well as a Soccer League too.

Here's registration info for RIYP Baseball and Soccer.

Get Your Blackwell's Island Penitentiary Warden And Inmate Mugs At Roosevelt Island Historical Society Visitors Kiosk - New Roosevelt Island Tram Lapel Pins Too

The Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) has some new merchandise for sale at the Visitors Center Kiosk.

Check out the Blackwell's Island Penitentiary Mugs for $12. Are you a warden or inmate at heart?

Also available are Roosevelt Island Tram lapel pins for $10.

More RIHS merchandise available. including the Asylum For The Insane Mug.

Image Of Ms. Berdy & RIOC President Charlene Indelicato With Asylum For Insane Mug

The RIHS Visitors Center Kiosk is open Wed-Sun. 12 Noon to 5 pm

  Image of RIHS Visitors Kiosk By Richard Bachman From Friend Of The UES Historic District

 next to the Roosevelt Island Tram station.

RIOC Meeting In Executive Session To Review Pending Roosevelt Island Real Estate Transactions Today - Octagon, Manhattan Park, Southtown Riverwalk Buidlings 8, 9 & Westview Could Be Discussed

The Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) Real Estate Advisory Committee is meeting later today in Executive Session closed to the public. According to RIOC:

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a meeting of the Real Estate Development Advisory Committee of the RIOC Board of Directors will be held on Monday, March 14, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation Administrative Offices, Conference Room, 591 Main Street, Roosevelt Island, New York.

Agenda:

1. Chair's motion for an executive session to review pending transactions subject to negotiation.

2. Other Committee businesses that may be brought before the Committee.

RIOC Director Howard Polivy may have provided a hint of what was to be discussed at today's meeting during the March 7 Real Estate Advisory Committee meeting (audio web cast here) which was open to the public.

Mr. Polivy advised that there was to be an upcoming meeting to discuss real estate issues involving Octagon, Manhattan Park, Riverwalk Southtown Buildings 8&9 as well as possibly Westview.

Here's what Mr. Polivy had to say.



Stay tuned.

Happy 50ish Musical Comedy Theater Show Co-Writer/Star Lynn Shore A New Roosevelt Island Resident - Loves Living Here

Welcome new resident Lynn Shore to Roosevelt Island. Mr. Shore reports:

Last summer we moved from Southern California to Roosevelt Island. We bought an apartment in Island House. During our time waiting for our renovations to complete, we lived in Octagon. Last month, we moved into our new place and it’s beautiful. I snapped this picture

a couple days ago as I got up early. Just enough light in the sky to say good morning, with a few lights still on the buildings. I love the reflections on the water and the beauty of our view.

Just wanted to share…we love it here.

Mr. Shore is the co-writer of Happy 50ish musical comedy theater show.

Image From Happy 50ish

Mr. Shore adds:

For Happy 50ish, I co-wrote it and starred in it. We ran last summer off Broadway and it's now setting up for a US and Canadian tour. 

Some scenes from Happy 50ish musical comedy





and more information available at their web site and Facebook Page.

Roosevelt Island's Gallery RIVAA Celebrates 15th Anniversary With Opening Reception For Vernissage XV Exhibition - You Can Be A Member Too

Roosevelt Island's Gallery RIVAA held an opening reception Saturday March 5 for it's current exhibition, Vernissage XV, to celebrate 15 years serving the Roosevelt Island community.

Friends and neighbors

gathered together at Gallery RIVAA

to view

the art

and enjoy

each other's company.

I spoke with Roosevelt Island resident Jan Fund at the Vernissage XV exhibit. Ms Fund says the art exhibit is fabulous and encourages everyone to support Gallery RIVAA.



According to Gallery RIVAA:

The Roosevelt Island Visual Art Assoc.is a non-profit organization comprised of an internationally diverse group of artists. RIVAA opened the first gallery on Roosevelt Island in March 2002 and is dedicated to elevating the quality of life in the community through art, music, poetry, dance, events and workshops.

Gallery RIVAA explains how you can become a member:

Membership is open to Roosevelt Island residents. Anyone interested is welcome to bring a representative sampling of their work (or computer images or photos) to one of our bimonthly meetings. Meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month at 8 PM at Gallery RIVAA 527 Main Street.

After talking to the potential new member about their work and background the current membership will vote at the meeting on whether to admit that person as a member.

Once admitted the new member pays a one time admission fee plus yearly dues of $220. This enables them to participate in all members group exhibitions held at Gallery RIVAA. After one year the new members are eligible for a solo exhibition based on availability in the schedule.

For non resident artists and non artists wishing to join RIVAA in order to help the gallery there is an Associate Member category. There is no fee to become an Associate Member and there are no yearly dues. Associate Member artists pay a donation to RIVAA for work they choose to exhibit each time they participate in an exhibition.

For Roosevelt Island residents between the ages of 13 and 18 there is the Junior Membership category. This is open to young artists living on the Island who would like to exhibit their artwork at Gallery RIVAA. There are membership dues in this category but they are lower than those dues paid by adult members.

RIVAA aims for diversity in its membership and welcomes people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

The exhibitions are free and the gallery is accessible to the elderly and it is also wheelchair accessible.

Gallery RIVAA's Tad Sudol, Consul General of Poland Urszula Gacek, Cornell Tech's Jane Swanson and  Elisabeth Stapen spoke to those attending the Vernissage XV reception. Here's what they said.



Take a walk around the Vernissage XV opening reception



celebrating 15 years of Gallery RIVAA on Roosevelt Island.

More information about Gallery RIVAA at their web site.