Here’s a post from staff writer Leah Rae on our Beyond Borders blog. It’s about a Thursday fundraiser for Haitian earthquake relief.

Elmsford Animal Shelter, one of the largest “no kill” shelters in the country, is seeking funding to keep its doors open.

Home to more than 500 dogs and  500 cats, the shelter often houses animals that were abandoned by their owners. If the shelter does not receive funding in the next few months, they may be forced to close its doors and all but a few animals would be euthanized.

Animal lovers who can offer their time, fundraising expertise or donations can contact the Elmsford Animal Shelter at 100 Warehouse Lane, Elmsford, or call 914-592-7362.

( Photo: Seth Harrison / The Journal News )

The Hudson River Patriots Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution is celebrating African American History Month with a talk on race relations in the Antebellum South today at the Greenburgh Public Library at 7 p.m.

The presentation will be led by Edna Bolling Jacques, an 11th generation descendant of Pocahontas and 6th generation descendant of Mary Hemings, Sally Hemings’ oldest sibling. She is the great great granddaughter of Betsy Hemings (Sally’s niece) and John Wayles Eppes, a Senator from Virginia and the son-in-law of Thomas Jefferson.

The library is located at 300 Tarrytown Road, Elmsford.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. today for the 89th Assembly District special election.

The district encompasses eight municipalities: Bedford, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Kisco, New Castle, North Castle, Pound Ridge and most of White Plains.

Voters looking for their polling places can call the Westchester County Board of Elections at 914-995-5700.

Two candidates are running for the seat, which was vacated in January by Adam Bradley when he became the mayor of White Plains. Whoever wins the seat would have to run again in the statewide general election this November.

Peter Harckham, 50, of Katonah, is running on the Democratic and Working Families party lines. Harckham was just voted into his second term as a Westchester County legislator and is president and founder of Harckham Media Group, an advertising firm.

Robert Castelli, 60, of Lewisboro, is running on the Republican, Conservative and Independence party lines. He was a Lewisboro councilman for four years, until 2003. After working 21 years for the state police, he is currently a criminal justice professor at John Jay College and a security and media consultant.

Unofficial results for the race will be posted on the Board of Elections Web site after polls close, at westchestergov.com/boe.

Fans like Charlie Carway, 47, of Pleasantville, right, and Kevin Garvelli, 40, of Yonkers got a chance to see and pose for photos with the New York Yankees World Series trophy today at Westchester County Center in White Plains.

Click here to check out more photos.

Henri LeGendre, 85, talks to Valhalla Middle School students Feb. 5, 2010 about being a Buffalo Soldier who served in the Army’s 9th Cavalry during World War II.

The Valhalla Middle/ High School was one of several local stops the trooper is making this weekend for Black History Month. Learn more about LeGendre by reading Dwight Worley’s story at Lohud.com and in tomorrow’s Journal News. ( Joe Larese / The Journal News )

Henri LeGendre, 85, visited Valhalla Middle School this morning to tell the story he said is missing from the history books. LeGendre joined the U.S. Army in 1942 and served as a soldier in the 9th Cavalry during World War II. Soldiers in his unit, as were many others, were known as “Buffalo Soldiers,” a name given to the all-black regiments by Native Americans. The term became synonymous for all black soldiers at the time, beginning with the first units formed in 1866.

LeGendre, wearing the traditional yellow and blue uniform with a wide-brim hat and scarf, told the seventh and eighth graders that history books gloss over the contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers. He shared stories of the varied missions of the all-black regiments, including patrolling the southern U.S. border during the war, protecting railroads and water supplies, and guarding settlers as they moved into the western parts of the U.S. and did battle with Native Americans.

“A lot of things I can tell you is not written in the history books,” said LeGendre, who moved to New York after his service, became an architect and served for 12 years on the Valhalla Board of Education. “It’s important to show the contributions we made.”

LeGendre, who now lives in North Carolina and is one of a couple hundred Buffalo soldiers still living, also told of the racism faced by the units, being segregated from other officers and mistreated by officers and civilians.

“Those were the days of segregation, that’s the way it was,” LeGendre said.

LeGendre will give talks tonight and through the weekend as part of Black History Month celebrations. His itinerary is below:

Whitney M. Young Jr. Society Scholarship Dinner, tonight at 7 p.m. at Valhalla Middle/High School, 300 Columbus Avenue, 914-683-5000.

Theodore D. Young Community Center, 32 Manhattan Ave. in Greenburgh, Saturday at 2:30 p.m., 914-682-3648.

St. Francis/St. Martha’s Episcopal Church, 575  Tarrytown Rd. in White Plains, Sunday at 10 a.m., 914-946-8846.

Photos: Above, Henri LeGendre prepares to sign autographs during a talk with students at Valhalla Middle School. (Photo by Dwight R. Worley). Left, a photograph of LeGendre during his service as a “Buffalo Soldier” in the U.S. Army’s 9th Cavalry. (Photo courtesy of LeGendre).

Nate Knight of Woodlands, left, shoots under pressure from Justin Best of Sleepy Hollow during their game at Woodlands. Woodlands won 72-56.

See more photos from the game

Check out the game LIVE on LoHud.com. Click on the image below to see today’s boys basketball game

Trooper Henri A. LeGendre, 85, will share his memories of serving in the 9th Cavalry of the famed “Buffalo Soldiers” Friday and Saturday in Valhalla, Greenburgh and White Plains as part of Black History Month.

LeGendre is historian for the Greater North Carolina Chapter, 9th and 10th Horse Cavalry Association. The Buffalo Soldiers were all-black regiments of the U.S. Army who helped settle the West and later served at West Point until they were de-activated in 1946.

LeGendre will appear at the Whitney M. Young Jr. Society Scholarship Dinner scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Valhalla Middle/High School, 300 Columbus Ave., Valhalla. Call 914-683-5000 for more information.

On Saturday, he’ll be at the Theodore Young Community Center, 32 Manhattan Ave. at 2:30 p.m. Call 682-3648 for moree information.

LeGendre will be at St. Francis/St. Martha’s Episcopal Church, 575 Tarrytown Road, White Plains for Sunday’s 10 a.m. service. For more information call 914-946-8846.