White Plains native Kristen Greto (left) is in her third season as a Westchester Knicks Dancer. Greto, 22-years-old, is presently the Captain of the local Knicks Dance Team. She graduated from WPHS in 2012 and grew up dancing at City Center Dance in White Plains. On Thursday, Jan. 12, Greto and the Westchester Knicks Dancers guided Julianna Vano (right) through dance routines as an Honorary Westchester Knicks Dancer, as part of Garden of Dreams Night at the Westchester County Center. “I love tonight; I think it is so great! I just like giving back to the young children that aspire to dance as well,” said Greto. Albert Coqueran Photos
Thursday, Jan. 12, was a special evening at the Westchester County Center. The Westchester Knicks teamed with the Garden of Dreams Foundation to host Garden of Dreams Night, as 28 children from the Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley, Children’s Village and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital had dreams come true while participating in special experiences surrounding game-time at the Westchester Knicks versus Fort Wayne Mad Ants game.
Nicholas Alholm, 12 years old from Yorktown, signed a One-Day Contract to play for the Westchester Knicks, Tyler Mejorado experienced being an Honorary General Manager, Julianna Vano, an 11 year-old girl from Yorktown Heights, was an Honorary Westchester Knicks Dancer and Matthew Welling, an 11 year-old, who attends the Music Conservatory of Westchester thrilled fans by signing two songs at halftime.
“I think it is great. Being part of the Westchester Knicks we always wanted to be a great representative of Madison Square Garden and extension of the NY Knicks. When the Knicks do things like this in partnership with The Garden of Dreams it is an incredible way to extend the whole Knicks Family’s energy, the love,” stated Westchester Knicks General Manager Allan Houston.
Westchester Knicks General Manager Allan Houston (center) with Honorary General Manager Tyler Mejorado (left) signed Nicholas Alholm (right) to a One-Day contract to play for the Westchester Knicks, on Thursday, Jan. 12. Alholm holds his number eight jersey that he wore that night. Both Mejorado and Alholm were participants in Garden of Dreams Night. “It feels awesome,” thrilled Mejorado, who battled a liver disease since he was six years old and had a liver transplant in 2012. “Getting to meet Allan and seeing his day-to-day work as a GM is really nice,” acknowledged Mejorado, who spent much of his younger life at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital.
Westchester Knicks General Manager Allan Houston (left) watches sixth grader Nicholas Alholm from Yorktown put his signature on a One-Day Contract to play for the Westchester Knicks. Alholm is an avid basketball player and was granted a dream come true as Player for the Day for the Westchester Knicks through the Garden of Dreams Foundation, on Garden of Dreams Night at the Westchester County Center.
Matthew Welling, (center) is joined by [l-r] his grandmother Michele Schoenfeld, the Clerk of the White Plains Board of Education, his friend Kaelyn Lalla-Cappa and Westchester Knicks Mascot Hudson in the stands at the County Center before he performed at halftime of the Westchester Knicks versus Fort Wayne Mad Ants game, as part of Garden of Dreams Night. “It is wonderful to have him here in Westchester, I told all my friends they do not have to travel to see him,” said Schoenfeld. Welling has also performed at Madison Square Garden during halftime of a New York Knicks game and at Radio City Music Hall.Westchester Knicks Public Address Announcer Mark Fratto (right) let’s everyone know who the feature attraction is at the announcer table at the Westchester Knicks vs. Fort Wayne Mad Ants game, as Honorary Public Address Announcer Jeremy Dickinson (left) grabs the microphone to say a few words. Dickinson through the Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley participated in Garden of Dreams Night, at the Westchester County Center, on Jan. 12.After signing a One-Day Contract to play for the Westchester Knicks, as part of Garden of Dreams Night, Nicholas Alholm (right) joins the pre-game warm-ups with the team, as local Knicks guard Courtney Fells (left) evaluates his shooting form.: Matthew Welling, a fifth grade student at Mamaroneck Avenue School, who also attends the Music Conservatory of Westchester, sang two songs at halftime of the Westchester Knicks vs. Fort Wayne Mad Ants game, as part of Garden of Dreams Night, at the Westchester County Center. “It feels great, it is my hometown and I get to perform in front of my people! I sang ‘Cold Water’ by Justin Bieber and ‘Music and Me’ that I wrote,” proclaimed Welling.Eddie Kam, a 14-year-old boy from Larchmont, sang the National Anthem as part of Garden of Dreams Night to kickoff the Westchester Knicks vs. Fort Wayne Mad Ants game.Julianna Vano (center), an 11-year-old girl from Yorktown Heights, had her “Wish” granted in March 2016 to travel to Hawaii through the Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley. Vano had another dream come true as she danced with the Westchester Knicks Dancers, during the local Knicks game against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, as part of Garden of Dreams Night.Legendary Ossining High School Girls Basketball Coach Dan Ricci (right) escorted five members of his Ossining Girls Basketball Team to the Westchester Knicks vs. Fort Wayne Mad Ants game and they took in all the festivities encompassing Garden of Dreams Night, at the Westchester County Center, on Jan. 12.
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