Traci Garff of Scarsdale, New York

By Dick Brown

Eleven-year-old Traci Garff lives just a thirty-minute train ride north of the “Big Apple”—New York City. Her home is located in beautiful, quiet, wooded Westchester County. On warm summer evenings or lazy autumn days, she loves to take walks with her family or friends through the beautiful and historic town of Scarsdale. They can walk along wooded lanes, past charming old English-style homes (many houses are over 150 years old), and across bridges that span gentle streams.

Traci is always eager, too, to go to New York City to see a play, a ballet, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Empire State Building, the World Trade Towers, the United Nations Building, and other places there. And it’s great fun to take a ferry ride with her friends or go window shopping there.

Most of Traci’s growing-up years have been in Scarsdale and the Westchester Ward that she loves so dearly. She did, however, have the opportunity of living in La Canada, a suburb of Los Angeles, California, for two exciting years. She found the ward there a welcome reminder that the gospel is the same wherever you travel in the world. When she returned to Scarsdale from California, she was given a wonderful homecoming from all her friends. She still has many great friends in California too.

Traci loves to dance. She and her sister, Elizabeth (13), have been successful in many dance competitions and exhibitions in California and in New York. Playing the piano is also an important part of Traci’s life. She plays at home for her family, in school, and in her Merrie Miss Primary class.

English is Traci’s favorite subject in school. She loves to write stories, and her favorite book is Matilda. There are at least thirty different nationalities represented in her school, and Traci has many friends among them. One of her very best friends is her dog, Skokie, whom she adores. She always enjoys taking care of him.

Traci likes doing many things with her parents, sister, and four brothers—David, Brian, Adam, and Cris. She loves to water-ski and snow ski with them, especially when they visit their grandparents in Utah.

One summer she and her family traveled to Guatemala to see that beautiful country and visit the temple there. Her brother Brian, who recently returned from a mission there, was their guide. Her brother David served a mission in Madrid, Spain.

Traci is a lucky girl who has the best of two worlds. She can take a trip to the “Big Apple” with family or friends or stay home and enjoy her historic town.

Photos by Dick Brown and Amy Brown

Traci Garff

1. By historic Wayside Cottage

2. Holding her favorite dolls

3. Traci, Elizabeth, and Jody at the Scarsdale train station

4. In her Merrie Miss class

5. New York City skyline

6. The Garff children in Guatemala

7. Mom, Dad, and Traci entering the Westchester Ward meetinghouse

8. Traci and Elizabeth in their dance costumes

9. With her friend Jody on a Scarsdale lane