Happy Birthday, Upstanders!
your name, building, apartment
number and email or phone with
your reservation and leave with
your concierge addressed to:
Building 1: Virginia Malmstrom
Building 2: Adele Birnbaum
Building 3: June Stelboum
Have questions? Contact
Vernetta Nelson at 917-855-8485.
We look forward to seeing you
there!
NST Knit & Crochet Club
BY JUDITH SCHWAGER
The Upstanders of NST is now
one year old and has had a busy
first year, partnering with a variety
of local community organizations to
help them achieve their goals.
In our “infancy,” we held a tribute
to the late Ruth Bader Ginsberg
and held a clothing drive for people
served by The INN at Hempstead
Kitchens throughout Long Island.
Later, we connected with the Sid
Jacobson JCC for two successful
food drives to help Long Island’s
food insecure people.
Next, we learned about
Commonpoint Queens, a resource
for several organizations offering
programs for men, women and
children. Upstanders supported their
Women’s Shelter with carloads of
bags filled with donations of new toiletries
for women who arrive at the
Shelter with none of these personal
items. Recently, we helped another
Commonpoint Queens program
with a special clothing drive for
youth entering the workforce for
the first time.
In addition to supporting
local community not-for-profits,
Upstanders offers a diverse range
of educational programs focusing
on current issues. We have had
speakers discuss criminal justice,
including the bail system, qualified
immunity and the concept of implicit
bias; a pharmaceutical representative
from Regeneron who explained
treatments for Covid-19; as well as
State Senator John Liu and Michael
Brovner, Bureau Chief of the Queens
District Attorney’s Office, examining
Asian American discrimination.
We want to hear from you! Please
let us know about the organizations
and topics you would like to see
Upstanders support in the future.
SAVE THE DATE!
Tuesday, August 10, 3pm –
5pm, Buffy’s Tent
Upstanders Meet-and-Greet
Celebrate our birthday with
us! Enjoy some refreshments as
you mix and mingle with NST
Upstanders and neighbors.
$10 per person, payable by cash
only. Seating is limited, so please
RSVP by August 3. Please include
BY KAREN PERRY It is said that “All things come to
those who wait.” For both their
patience and their fortitude, the
NST Knit & Crochet Club has been
especially noteworthy.
The fortitude of the club was
demonstrated when they refused to
be stopped by the Covid pandemic.
Unable to meet in their usual large
group, they carried on their charitable
work individually in a sort of
cottage industry. Working in this
single-handed manner they still
handed Northwell Health over 200
blankets while other providers were
shut down. They are truly “Knits
Indomitable.”
As for patience, they waited with
all of the NST clubs for fifteen
months for their activities to return
to normal. Now that the end is upon
us, the Club members are jubilant.
Every Thursday night from 7:00 pm
until 8:30 pm, the large card room
is once again abuzz with activity.
Knitting needles fly, and around a
large table, camaraderie is back. As
a matter of fact, membership has
increased 20% since they’ve reconvened
in person.
It is ironic, however, that some
of the Club’s longtime recipients
are still not receiving hand-knitted
garments. Club members hope to
soon have Jacobi Hospital, St.
Mary’s Hospital for Children and the
Northport Veteran’s Administration
return. Charity recipients may be
slow to return, however, the Club’s
core activities are going full-speed
ahead. First and foremost, they are
producing a large number of scarves,
blankets and children’s hats.
Two exciting novelty activities
have also returned. First, for almost
a dozen years, the Club has been
responsible for creating memorable
displays in the window adjacent
to NST Valet. Produced by member
Carol Klinger, each successive
display brings whimsy and a smile
to North Shore Towers’ residents.
The current series of displays will
definitely make you hungry. In four
successive window displays, a different
meal and its foods are highlighted.
The first display, “Breakfast,”
tempted your palate with complex,
hand-made foods like eggs and
bacon. The second display profiles
“Lunch.” It has hamburgers, French
fries and cokes – each looking good
enough to eat. Are you a true “foodie”?
Try to imagine what the contents
will be of the next two windows.
Their names are “Tea Time” and
“Dinner.”
Another unique club activity could
be called “the bear facts.” Shelley
Kossover raises funds for the Club
through the sale of handmade bears.
These are not your run-of-the-mill
bears. They are smiling, cuddly,
handmade bears in every conceivable
costume, with personalities to
match. A sampling of her custom
bear dolls includes a ballerina bear
complete with tutu; cartoon characters
like Spiderman or Superman;
sports figures; and movie characters.
By purchasing one of these creations
for a reasonable $25 ($30 for a custom
bear), you have a unique gift for
someone and are also supporting
the Club’s philanthropic activities.
In many cases, the Covid pandemic
brought out the best in people. From
the lauded first responders to the
man on the street, acts of compassion
were numerous. There was a
perfect example at our own NST.
The Knit and Crochet Club had an
anonymous donor. Every month, an
envelope with a contribution to the
Club was left with Club President
Judi Ross’s concierge. The donor
wishes to remain anonymous and
they certainly respect his wishes.
First, they want to sincerely thank
him for his generosity. Second, they
hope that the performance of such
humanitarian gestures spreads to
other members of our community.
As always, the Club appreciates
your labor, monetary contributions
or the donation of yarn and knitting
needles. You can reach out to
the North Shore Towers Knit and
Crochet Club by contacting Judi
Ross at (347) 235-4509.
Patience Was a Virtue!
Clothing Drive, May 2021
Women’s Shelter Drive, April 2021
Food Drive, January 2021
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Tribute,
October 2020
July 2021 ¢ NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER 13