Meet Peekskill's Newest Rotarians
 
Don was born in North Tarrytown, grew up in Elmsford, and graduated from Sleepy Hollow High School. He was on the basketball and track teams, and earned all county honors in shot putt. He also swam competitively for various non school teams. One of Don’s regrets was not playing football.
Don has worked since the age of 13, including full-time summer jobs such as working in a warehouse, as a laborer shoveling dirt, as a lifeguard, and for a midtown commercial real estate leasing company knocking on doors.
He graduated from SUNY Oswego with a BS in Applied Mathematical Economics and a minor in psychology. His first job out of college was in mortgage banking, where he continued to progress at various firms. In 1996, he formed his own company, Sun Mortgage, which he manages efficiently from his home through the use of technology. He has successfully helped finance thousands of loans for homeowners.
Don met his wife Diane at SUNY Oswego. They married at West Point’s Hotel Thayer almost 18 years ago. They now live in Cortlandt Manor with their 3 children: Jimmy 16, Craig 12, and Anna 9 – all in the Hen Hud School System. (Jimmy and Craig are active in lacrosse and track & field. Anna loves soccer and dance and will be participating in lacrosse this season for the first time.)
Don’s hobbies include:
- Swimming. He has competed in the Masters Nationals where he placed in the top 10 in his age group. This past August, Don competed and won 1 gold, and 2 silver medals at the Empire State Games
- Triathlons. He has completed about 10 triathlons including 2 Olympic distance events and a half Ironman in July of 2007 in Geneva, NY
- Fishing, alpine skiing, boating, cycling, skeet, autocross & kart racing, scuba diving.
Don’s civic involvement includes:
- Being on the Hudson Valley Hospital Foundation Board for 3 years.
- Donating 40 pints of whole blood which puts him in the 5 gallon blood donor club.
- coaching several of Cortlandt’s rec soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams
- Working numerous school events.
Don is looking forward to becoming an active member of the Peekskill Rotary and developing genuine friendships while helping others.
Pat Braja has worked in the Westchester/Putnam nonprofit community for more than 15 years, as director of development, senior campaign manager, consultant and board member, both in the arts and in social services.
She is currently the Director of Development at the Paramount Center for the Arts here in Peekskill. Prior to her present position, Pat was the a founding member and first executive director of the New York Multi-Arts Center Consortium, a member services and professional development organization for more than 50 community based multi-arts centers in New York State.
In 2004 Pat founded her own company, Arts Alchemy, a consulting business focusing on arts management infrastructure, fundraising, board development, building community awareness and developing effective partnerships.
She has served on the board of the Paramount Center for the Arts and the Peekskill Arts Council. Pat participated in the Volunteer Center of United Way's Leadership Westchester Program 2005 and is an active member of the Leadership Westchester Alumni Committee. Pat is also the founder of the Kent Library Friends Association, and is a past president of Westchester Association of Development Officers.
She has taught arts management and fundraising at Purchase College, Westchester Community College, and Concordia College. Pat has a BA in Fine Arts from Rider University and a certificate of arts Administration from Purchase College.
A Peekskill resident, Pat is a tireless advocate for the arts. She is especially skilled in building effective partnerships and collaborations, multi-tasking and working in diverse, challenging environments.
Mary grew up in Yonkers, and is one of eleven children. She worked her way through college and obtained a Masters in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Pace University. She’s lived in Peekskill since marrying her husband Donald in 1978, a lifelong resident and local businessman. Together they have raised their two children. Her son is a graduate of Peekskill High School and Pace University. Her daughter is a graduate of Peekskill Middle School and a junior at Kennedy Catholic High School. Over the years her family has been involved in city beautification projects, the Peekskill Chamber of Commerce, school fundraising and sports programs, Little League, and Holy Spirit Parish.
Mary received her BBA/MBA from Pace University 1975/1976 and
has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1977. She worked for Deloitte & Touche LLP (Accounting and Consulting firm) 1975 – 2007. She retired in January 2007 after 31 years. (20 as a partner)
Mary has taken an active role in her community, serving on the Peekskill Common Council, since being elected in November 2005. Among the many outstanding roles she has played in the community, is the job she now performs as recently elected Mayor of Peekskill.
She has served in many capacities for the Mental Health Association of Westchester, including being their President from October 2005 to October 2007.
She is a board Member & works with the Audit Committee of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Southern NY.
She serves on the Citizens’ Advisory Committee for Long-term Financial Planning for the Peekskill City School District and she has been a religious educator and fundraiser for the Church of the Holy Spirit.
She was on the board of the Visiting Nurses Association of Westchester and worked with American Heart Association and the United Way of America.
Decatur grew up in Yonkers where his mother still resides, but his extended family originally hails from North Carolina.
He graduated from Saunders Trades and Technical High School, and in 2000 graduated with honors from Monroe College with a B.S. degree in computer information systems with a CPA of 3.5. While a student at Monroe, Decatur was a technical support volunteer, assembling, maintaining and testing hardware and software.
He worked for the Board of Education in Yonkers, and at the Yonkers Eugene de Maria DeHostos Middle School.
In 1995, he moved with his wife Joanne, to Dyckman St. in Peekskill. Joanne is a registered geriatric nurse at St. John’s Riverside Hospital. For the past several years, Decatur has worked for the City of Peekskill as head custodian of the Peekskill Neighborhood Center building.
Decatur is a parishioner at the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Yonkers, and is an avid gardener and great chef. He always participates in the Peekskill Youth Bureau’s annual event, “Men Who Cook,” and he enjoys traveling, fishing, sports and writing poetry.
Even before becoming a member, Decatur brought in a new ad for the Horse Show Journal, volunteered both days at the Horse Show, and went on Suzane Sadofsky’s Inner Wheel installation cruise, bringing his wife and mother.
Decatur has really caught our club’s Rotary spirit!
 William V. Foster
Bill Foster has been married over 29 years to Mary Keenan-Foster who is the principal at Woodside Elementary School in Peekskill. He has three children, Kathy, Brian & Kevin and currently one grandson, William. In his leisure time, Bill enjoys music, plays some guitar, and enjoys both sports and travel.
Bill originally joined the Peekskill Rotary Club in 1984 and served through the chairs including Club President in 1988-1989. He was also recognized by the Club by being named a Paul Harris fellow.
Due to new responsibilties for Wachovia Bank, he had to leave the club for a while. After recently been given an opportunity to work once again in the Peekskill area, he was quick to return to the Peekskill Rotary.
With over 28 years in retail banking, gaining a varity of job experiences with the same company, his role in coaching and teaching others the business and customer service interaction continues to invigorate him. Working for a company that constantly looks to improve itself and help provide the products and services necessary for customers to be successful on both the personal and small business side, continues to keep me focused and very satisfied.
Part of the work of Rotary, that of applying the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business and community life, is also more impactful because we are all a member of a Team who does so with fun, enthusiasm and focus. Rotary provides an opportunity to meet new and interesting people, who have had a wide variety of personal experiences to share on a local, national and international level.
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