Our show, "NEIGHBORS," is a reality/documentary public access show produced by a group of volunteers, who are mostly Byram residents. Since 2010, we’ve videotaped boys and girls playing Chess and inging the Chess song every February for 4 Saturdays - working to make what was once just my dream, but has become a shared dream, come true.
We dream of saving the lives of teens and tweens through the game of Chess because it teaches them about positioning in life, consequences and action and the game reminds them that they are presented with choices every day. We made the basics of learning Chess fun and easy, once I put the movements of the Chess pieces to Aretha Franklin’s rendition of the song "RESPECT". The song and movement of the Chess pieces fit perfectly, in more ways than I can write.
I’ve spent years contacting Boys and Girls Clubs, community centers, libraries and recreational departments in the tri-state area asking the directors to allow me to come in as a volunteer with the Chess song and Chessboards, all to no avail. So just as I was gonna file away the whole Chess program, I was introduced to Public Access, Channel 88 on Cablevision. I asked my wonderful Byram/Greenwich Neighbors’ for their artistic help and as they say, the rest is history.
The first two season focused on gangs with the slogan of, “Don’t be not Pawn, be your own King”, however this, our 3rd season is focusing on the persons being bullied, and again we are saying be your own King in addition to “Use your support pieces to protect yourself”, i.e. peers, parents, state laws, and religious institution.
"NEIGHBORS" the 3rd season, first episode premiers on the 4th of July at 6 pm. Please set you DVRs’.
