Yonkers Downtown Waterfront Business Improvement District
May is National Family Wellness Month, an important reminder that wellness is
something that impacts everyone of us. The basic idea is the importance of
communities to stress healthy family lifestyles and habits. If each individual family
member is healthier, the healthier we can all be as a whole. Here in the Yonkers
Downtown, we’re reminded of the valuable year-round programs and services of
organizations and businesses that promote health and wellness in our
community.
As an example, Saint Joseph’s Medical Center, one of Westchester’s leading
community hospitals, is a vital resource for health care in the Yonkers
Downtown. Among its numerous community-based programs, it conducts free
screenings and provides speakers on diabetes, heart disease, obesity, nutrition,
smoking cession and other health care topics.
For 130 years, the Yonkers Family YMCA has served our community, providing
not only childcare, but swim lessons, fitness and educational programs for all
ages in keeping with the YMCA’s mission to develop the whole person—spirit,
mind and body. As the largest not-for-profit organization in the U.S., the YMCA
meets the health and social service needs of almost 20 million men, women and
children. It’s also not commonly known that the YMCA was responsible for the
invention of such popular sports as basketball, volleyball and racquetball.
The YWCA of Yonkers is also committed to providing health and wellness
information, resources, and to help individuals learn how to be healthier by taking
necessary actions such as exercising and eating right.
Yonkers Downtown residents also have the good fortune of having access to a
number of businesses specializing in health and fitness including the Ren-Dao
Wellness Center and Retrofitness, the franchise fitness center at 66 Main Street.
The Yonkers Downtown BID will be joining in celebrating Retrofitness’ first
anniversary on May 20 in a program featuring fitness demonstrations and tips
and samples of good nutrition. Coincidentally, the Yonkers Downtown BID will
welcome another new business focused on healthy food in a ribbon cutting
ceremony on May 13 which is also located at 66 Main Street— Wholesome
Goodness.
Finally, there is an even bigger health story unfolding here in Yonkers Downtown
as we prepare to welcome another new bio-tech company, ContraFect
Corporation, which is moving from Manhattan to i.park Hudson. At its new
location, the company will expand its research to develop antibodies to treat
infectious diseases and is expected to have a skilled work force composed of
200 in two years. ContraFect will joins another bio-tech company at i.park,
Aureon Biosciences. Now in its ninth year, Aureon researchers are undertaking
pioneering work in developing advanced cancer treatment options.
The hope is that the investments that companies like ContraFect and Aureon are
making today will benefit the health and wellness of our families and future
generations. Battling cancer and infectious diseases like influenza and bacterial
infections will no doubt prolong life. But, ultimately each of us has it in our power
to remain healthy by following basic health and wellness tips: eating right,
exercising, not smoking and avoiding excess weight. That’s a formula for
lowering the risks for heart attack, diabetes, cancer and other chronic, lifethreatening
illnesses. National Family Wellness Month is a reminder that staying
healthy is a daily task we owe to ourselves to our loved ones.
I wish you a wonderful spring and summer and look forward to seeing you during
the many free, outdoor signature events the Yonkers Downtown BID will be
presenting for your enjoyment. To learn more, visit www.YonkersDowntown.com.