Cindy and Bob Courtien and Joe Benefico were honored by the Village of Pelham Manor Board of Trustees during its Oct. 23 meeting for being named People of the Year for 2023 by the Pelham Civic Association. 

“The Courtiens are a team,” said Mayor Jennifer Monachino Lapey. “They are prime examples of people who love life and each other, putting forth an outstanding work product and love to give back. They have demonstrated the best kind of leadership and altruism, served the Town of Pelham and supported the initiatives of volunteer organizations and charitable churches.”

Monachino Lapey said Benefico is a “person who is a pleasure to work with and has been someone who champions the civics notion of giving back to the community and being selfless.” 

“These proclamations are very meaningful,” said Monachino Lapey. “These three people have grown up locally. Have become successful in the monetary sense but in the sense of fostering beautiful families and contributing to the communities. They are being recognized as meaningful by the Pelham Civic Association. I cannot think of three people who have done more for the community than Cindy and Bob Courtien and Joseph Benefico.”

Luke Reische was congratulated by the village board for his work as an Eagle Scout with a project at Christ Church, where he restored a recreational wooded clearing. He helped rehabilitate one of the last undeveloped pieces of land in Pelham Manor and restore it to usable condition, working with volunteers. 

“We are very proud to support our scouts,” said Monachino Lapey. “Luke Reische has done additional work that in my opinion and in the board’s agreement dovetailed beautifully.”

The board voted to approve an amended site plan for the playground at ACDS, the school located in the old Our Lady of Perpetual Help school building at 575 Fowler Lane.

“We would like to thank the planning board for having many meetings about this and continuing to focus on getting this done,” said Village Manager Lindsey Luft. “There was a deviation, which triggered this process to occur again. We confirmed that there was one gate of entry and it would always be locked.”

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