PUTNAM COUNTY PRESS/TIMES
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026
Mahopac Schools Play ‘Cupid’
For the fifth year in a row, Assemblyman Matt Slater joined students, teachers, and local of- ficials to take part in Operation Cupid, an annual initiative orga- nized in partnership with United For the Troops that sends care packages and handwritten cards to active-duty service members stationed around the world. On Jan. 16, Slater participat- ed in donation pickups at schools in the Mahopac and Yorktown school districts, where students contributed letters and supplies to show their appreciation for the men and women serving overseas. “Our community knows how to support others, especially our service members who are far from home,” said Slater. “We look forward to this initiative every year because the students truly enjoy participating, and our servicemen and women appreci- ate the care and creativity that go into these projects.” Jim Rathschmidt, co-found- er of United for the Troops,
Mahopac sixth-graders create and race their balloon cars. Provided photo. Creativity & Science Collide With Balloon Car Project
Youngsters at Austin Road Elementary School recently made and collected care packages and cards to send to troops serving overseas as part of “Operation Cupid.”
seas,” he said. “The cards and care package items collected will go a long way in lifting the spirits of the men and women who are currently stationed abroad pro- tecting our nation. We are truly grateful for this partnership and the impact it continues to have on those who serve.”
extended his sincere thanks to Slater, the school districts, and the community for joining together in support of UFT’s mission. “Because of your generosity and commitment, we are able to bring comfort and a reminder of home to our troops serving over-
Mahopac Middle School sixth-graders put physics into motion during an engaging bal- loon car project led by technology teacher Victoria Mealey. The hands-on activity intro- duced students to Isaac Newton’s laws of motion. Using that knowl - edge, they designed, decorated, and constructed their own bal- loon-powered race cars, choosing between two different car patterns as the foundation for their builds. Throughout the project, stu- dents applied both engineering and math skills. They calculated the mass of their completed cars, raced them down a track, mea - sured the distance traveled, and determined each car’s speed in
miles per hour.
“My favorite part of this project is watching the students design and construct their cars,” said Mealey. “They start with a blank canvas and take great care in assembling their vehicles, all while applying real scientific concepts like force, mass, and motion.” Once construction was com- plete, Mealey attached a balloon to each car, which provided the thrust needed to send the vehicles racing forward as each balloon deflated. On race day, students eagerly watched their designs in action, with the longest distance recorded traveling more than 30 feet.
Brewster Youth ‘Lend a Paw’ to Cancer Patients
CV Starr Intermediate School’s Lend-A-Paw Club spent the afternoon Jan. 21 spreading kindness by partnering with Me - lissa Johnson, whose family has been creating “chemo comfort bags” for patients who are under- going chemotherapy. What began as a labor of love has grown into a nonprofit organization, providing comfort
Fourth-graders assemble comfort bags for people undergoing chemotherapy.
bags.
bags year-round to local infusion centers. Johnson joined the Lend- A-Paw Club with heartwarming items for children undergoing treatment, like blankets, candy, water, journals, toys, games, hats, pop-its, and a Brewster Bear, which students assembled into bags for patients in the community. Students then wrote messages and drew pictures to put into the
This collaboration was es- pecially meaningful because Johnson’s daughter, Bailey, is a fourth-grader at Brewster and a member of Lend-A-Paw. The club is one of 12 af- ter-school club options for C.V. Starr students. Advisors are teach- ers Elissa Apar and Stephanie Farrell.
572 Route 6, Suite 103 Mahopac, NY 10541
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