As the sun shone brightly on Arbor Day, 2024, White Plains Beautification honored the many contributions to our community of longtime residents Rebecca and Harry Bright by dedicating a red maple tree on the campus of Eastview Middle School. Both passed away last year.
Their impact on so many in our community was clearly evident at the ceremony attended by Westchester County and White Plains public officials including Westchester County Executive George Latimer, County Legislator Ben Boykin, and White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach, all members of the Common Council, and New York state Assembly and Senate representatives.
Nancy Giges, a Beautification director and Arbor Day chair, opened the hour-long program that included remarks by Beautification President Terry Hanson; DPW Commissioner Stefania Mignone; Commissioner of Recreation & Parks Wayne Bass; Eastview Principal Leroy Dixon; Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph Ricca; and Beautification Director Nick Wolff, most of whom had personal stories about one or both of the Brights during the 60 years they lived here.
Participation by Eastview students included a musical performance by The Eastview Chorus, and an original pixelated art display of trees illustrating the role of pixels in graphics and video games.
The maple tree was a gift to Beautification by the friends and family of the Brights. Mike McGowan, certified arborist at Bartlett Tree Service, supervised the planting pro bono. Both Bartlett and Consolidated Edison provided red maple seedlings for attendees and students.
You may see a video of the ceremony here.
Next year’s Arbor Day celebration will take place on Friday, April 25, 2025, at Mamaroneck Avenue School. The public is welcome.
ABOUT THE BRIGHTS Rebecca and Harry Bright left a lasting legacy community to our community. Beckie, as she was known, was a beloved music teacher at Eastview for over 30 years. She believed that music education provided the opportunity for young people to share the experience of working together to achieve a specific result in addition to appreciating the art of music. Beckie also contributed to many other organizations including the Chatterton Hill Church, White Plains Women’s Club and Beautification.
Harry served as the Director of the White Plains Commission on Human Rights and was involved with the Slater Center, the Rotary Club of White Plains, United Way of Westchester and Putnam and received Community Service Awards from the Salvation Army and the White Plains Historical Society.