By Margaret Fuller Hayden     

May 10, 2017:  About a dozen wallets and watches had been stolen by the end of the evening, but everyone could rest assured that there was no black magic at play. If anything, the seventh annual Gramatan Village May Magic reception at Siwanoy Country Club reflected an enchanting amount of kindness, respect, giving, and community, mixed with the mesmerizingly supernatural entertainment of mentalist Ken Salaz, who could read minds, bend quarters, and snatch various accouterments without one's knowing.

More than 200 people attended the event, which was co-chaired by Wright Elliott and Patty Warble, with a working committee composed of Anne Bernstein, Pippa Colvin, Ridgely Donohue, Lynda Stewart, and Kathryn Urbina, member and volunteer services coordinator. Calling the committee and Executive Director Julie Dalton the driving force behind the party and praising the terrific staff, Gramatan Village president Kerry Walsh mused, "They juggle so many balls at one time they may compete for the entertainment award next year."

Kerry introduced the three honorees of the evening as "people known by their first names, like Cher, Madonna, and Sting." In presenting longtime Bronxvillians and Gramatan Village board members Schatze and Peter Thorp with the J. Rockhill Gray Memorial Award, Kerry proclaimed, "I can think of nobody more deserving to receive this award." She cited their long list of contributions to Gramatan Village and the community at large, ranging from giving car rides to Gramatan Village members to tutoring in a Yonkers public school. "These are the quiet gifts the Thorps give to our community," Kerry stated.

Calling it "a family occasion," Kerry asked Schatze and Peter's three daughters, Ridgely, Victoria, and Lindsay, to join in presenting the award. Upon receiving the large glass bowl inscribed with their names, Peter and Schatze took to the microphone, the former putting his well-known humor on display: "We only paid Kerry five dollars to say what she did. Imagine if we had given her ten?"

"We are all--I repeat--we are all getting older, so it is time to start helping others," urged Peter. He encouraged everyone to "be sure you are giving and getting the most out of this crazy world," and offered several concrete ideas, including smiling and saying hello to a mature person on the sidewalk, volunteering for the Gramatan Village car service (he recently drove a blind person and recounted that the "range of our conversation was extraordinary and very special to me"), and sharing something new with friends, family, and colleagues every day (daughter Lindsay recently gave him David McCullough's book The American Spirit, which he in turn recommended).

"Peter and I are both very dedicated to serving Gramatan Village and its members. I hope those of you who are not familiar with its mission will get a better sense of its role, and I hope you will become a member, or even more importantly, a volunteer," said Schatze, whose name--as Kerry had mentioned in her introduction--aptly means "sweetheart" in German.

The first-ever John Corry Award for Excellence, which commemorates beloved former board member John Corry, who passed away on December 26, 2016, was presented to José Ramirez ("Tony"), of the Siwanoy waitstaff. "John appreciated good service, and Tony gives it seamlessly," said Kerry, as everyone applauded fervently and Tony--clearly very well-liked and affable--beamed. "John's legacy will live on for generations," Kerry voiced with confidence.

In her closing remarks, Julie Dalton stressed the invaluableness of the people who make up the organization: "It's not what is Gramatan Village, but who is Gramatan Village," she said. Julie shared some heartwarming anecdotes about Gramatan Village members, including those who delighted in reading poetry they had never before shared, and a woman who memorably said, "I never thought I could make new friends at my age, but now I realize I can."

As Julie spoke, the windows behind her revealed the emergence of sun and a golf course showcasing a more vivid hue of green. She pointed out the noticeably brighter landscape after a day of dreariness: "Now the sun's out, and that's because of the wonderful shining example of Schatze and Peter." Whether due to magic or meteorology, it was the perfect close to the evening.

To see photos, click here.

Pictured here:  Peter and Schatze Thorp, honorees at the May Magic benefit.

Photos above and in the link by Lisa Sorensen