The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Inside Press

Teatown Wildflower Wetland Restoration Reveal

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Ossining, NY – Teatown was proud to “reveal” and celebrate the completion of their Wildflower Woods Wetland Restoration Project on July 15, 2021. This multi-year project was the result of a successful collaboration between Teatown stewardship staff, environmental engineering and landscaping professionals, and funders, including the Land Trust Alliance and a generous anonymous donor from the larger Teatown community.

Joined by Town of Ossining Supervisor Dana Levenberg, Town of Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater, and Mike Weinberg from State Senator Pete Harckham’s staff, Teatown Executive Director Kevin Carter and Director of Science and Stewardship Dr. Danielle Begley-Miller spoke about the importance of the project, and what it meant for Teatown moving forward.

“This was a significant effort that took many years. I love it because it checks a lot of the boxes – it’s a habitat restoration project, but it also elevates the visitors’ experience, the hikers’ experience at Teatown,” Carter said in his remarks.

Town of Ossining Supervisor Dana Levenberg echoed Carter’s sentiment, and spoke about the project’s benefit to the surrounding area.

“The bottom line is, all of our communities benefit from Teatown and the continuation of learning about environmental stewardship” Levenberg said.

The Wildflower Woods demonstration area was created to show the effects of white-tailed deer browsing on local forests. The location of the project allows for increased public visibility, but also increased impacts from its proximity to the road. The project reduces the amount of sediment entering Teatown Lake from the main parking lot, restores the sedimented area back into a wetland, and creates a space for educational opportunities. This type of information is important for the public to understand, and educating them about the restoration was something Town of Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater commented on.

“Teatown is a wonderful asset for our community here at Yorktown and regionally as well,” Slater said during the event. “The educational components are so important for our children to understand the importance of maintaining this type of environment.”

A sediment catch basin was also installed to collect runoff from the parking lot and filter out dirt and debris. Over 7,000 native plants were planted during the project by Teatown stewardship staff and many wonderful volunteers, who gave their time and energy into seeing this project completed professionally and on-schedule. Teatown is also grateful to Barbara Restaino of Restaino Design Landscape Architecture PC, for helping conceptualize and organize the project. Restaino also attended the reveal event, and said that she looks forward to visiting Teatown often to check on the progress of the plantings and the success of the restoration.

The Wildflower Woods Restoration Project was made possible by a grant from the Land Trust Alliance and a very generous donation from an anonymous donor within the Teatown community.

About Teatown

Teatown is an environmental education organization offering programs to 20,000 adults and children each year. We manage over 15 miles of hiking trails on our 1,000-acre preserve and hold public and education programs for families and schools as well as special events.

Teatown Lake Reservation is located at 1600 Spring Valley Road, Ossining, NY 10562. Visit our website at www.teatown.org or call 914-762-2912 for more information.

Story via News courtesy of Teatown

A New Dance Work by Skyla Schreter on August 1 in Beacon

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[loculamentum]
August 1st, 7:30 p.m. on the Elks Lodge Lawn
900 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon NY
Presented by LotusWorks and A-Y/dancers
With Dancers of New York City Ballet

[loculamentum] is the first work by choreographer Skyla Schreter for Hudson Valley repertory dance company A-Y/dancers. Presented in collaboration with Beacon’s own LotusWorks Gallery & Workshop, this full-evening length dance work will feature a cast of nine dancers including A-Y/dancers guest artists, and dancers from New York City Ballet and Kansas City Ballet. With an original set designed by Aaron Loray, and original costumes by Lauren Carmen, the piece will use music by Claude Debussy and Miles Davis to explore the process of coping with and ‘compartmentalizing’ personal trauma.

The performance will take place outdoors, on an open-air stage, in two acts. The total running time will be 95 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission. Free parking is available on-site. Ticket prices are on a sliding scale. Higher priced tickets include a donation to the artists. All ticket sales go directly toward supporting the artists and production expenses involved.
Tickets are on sale now at: https://loculamentum.bpt.me

[loculamentum] will be performed by Preston Chamblee, Claire Deane, Kristina Diaz, Skyla Schreter, Jessica Smith, Mimi, Staker, Hannah Straney, Emma Von Enck and Craig Wasserman.

Skyla Schreter is a New York based independent choreographer, formerly a dancer with San Francisco Ballet. Originally from New York City, she received her formal dance training at the School of American Ballet in Manhattan, and went on to dance professionally with Boston Ballet, and for six seasons with San Francisco Ballet. She has created live and filmed dance works with dancers from San Francisco Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Los Angeles Ballet and Pennsylvania Ballet, among others.

Schreter’s dance works have been presented on both coasts, as well as internationally. Her 2019 dance film “A Flower” was chosen as an Official Selection for the 2019 San Francisco Dance Festival and the 2020 Virtual Pathways Dance Festival, and won the ‘Audience Choice Award’ at the 2020 Utah Dance Film Festival. As a dancer with San Francisco Ballet, Schreter created featured roles in new works by William Forysthe, David Dawson and Cathy Marston, in addition to performing an extensive array of classical and contemporary ballet repertory, including works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Justin Peck, Alexei Ratmansky and Christopher Wheeldon. Following her retirement from San Francisco Ballet in Spring 2020, Skyla relocated back to her New York roots to continue developing her body of choreographic work. She has since been creating dance in New York City as well as from her creative headquarters in Beacon, NY; newly founded art space LotusWorks Gallery & Workshop.

LotusWorks is a multi-disciplinary gallery and creative workshop in Beacon, NY, founded by Visual Artist Aaron Loray and Choreographer Skyla Schreter. Originally conceived as a space dedicated to cross-pollination of diverse mediums, its focus is to offer the community a space to connect, learn, and grow. Through innovative gallery exhibitions, workshop offerings and event
programming that facilitate communication and connection within the community, LotusWorks encourages the individual to gain deeper insight into both personal and collective creative experiences.

A-Y/dancers was founded in 2017 by Claire Deane, Sienna Blaw, and Erin Landers, graduates of SUNY Purchase’s prestigious Conservatory of Dance. During their first season, A-Y performed repertory by Merce Cunningham, Doug Varone, and Hannah Garner. A-Y has been presented by Central Park’s SummerStage (as part of the Cunningham Centennial Celebration); Judson Memorial Church; Ethan Cohen’s KUBE Gallery in Beacon, NY; the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon, NY; the Newburgh Illuminated Festival in Newburgh, NY; and the Trust Performing Arts Center in Lancaster, PA, among others. Current and past company members have danced for the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Limon Dance Company, Pam Tanowitz, Sleep No More, and many others. A-Y/dancers was awarded NYSCA’s Decentralization Grant in 2018 and 2020, and the Dutchess Partners in the Arts Grant in 2020.

Story via news courtesy of Skyla Schreter. For more information, visit
https://www.lotusworksgallery.com/events-loculamentum

A Memorial Garden Dedication

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Mid-Westchester Elks Lodge #535 and Cerebral Palsy of Westchester dedicate a Memorial Garden at the Bridge School at Cerebral Palsy of Westchester

July 16, 2021, Rye Brook, NY–The BRIDGE School at Cerebral Palsy of Westchester (CPW) and The Mid-Westchester Elks Lodge # 535 celebrated the grand opening of the Memorial Garden at The BRIDGE School today with a dedication ceremony followed by a BBQ for students, administrators, Lodge members, families and friends. CPW’s adaptive Scouts opened the ceremony by leading the Pledge of Allegiance. Speakers included President Jay Singer and past-president Bob Sollazzo of the Mid-Westchester Elks Lodge #535 along with CPW Executive Director Linda Kuck and BRIDGE School Principal Barry Wasser.

The Mid-Westchester Elks Lodge #535 created the Memorial Garden to remember those BRIDGE School students who passed away before they could graduate from the program. Past president Bob Sollazzo, who initiated the garden project said, “After seeing similar memorial gardens in Florida, I wanted to create a “Living Memorial” to those students attending The BRIDGE School. Our Boy and Girl Scout Troops at CPW will plant, water and maintain the Garden as a living tribute to all the students here who passed away much too soon. In this way, their friends and loved ones will know that they are not forgotten but live on as part of our community.”

Mid-Westchester Elks President Jay Singer, CPW Executive Director Linda Kuck, and Bob Solazzo, Mid-Westchester Elks past president. Photos by Amelia Kligman.

Elks Lodge Members built four planter boxes, filled them with top-soil, and installed the Memorial Garden sign. Together with the students and staff, Elks members helped with the selection of plants, and the preparation and planting of the boxes. They planted one garden box of perennials, two boxes of annuals, and one large vegetable garden. Since late spring, the students have been watering and weeding the gardens and looking forward to harvesting the vegetables and enjoying gardening for years to come.

The Mid-Westchester Elks Lodge #535 was organized in 2009 and meets at the American Legion Post No. 1097 in Armonk, NY. For over a decade, Lodge #535 has adopted CPW as their major community project. This includes playing a formative and leadership role in CPW’s Adaptive Scouts: Cub Scout Pack 535 and Girl Scout Troop 1902. Since 1966, the NYS Elks have embraced the Cerebral Palsy Associations of NYS as their Major Project. Throughout the world, Elks’ lodges promote neighbors coming together, families sharing meals, and helping children grow. Their motto is: Elks Care, Elks Share.

The BRIDGE SCHOOL at Rye Brook, a division of Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, is a special education center serving students with multiple disabilities. It offers a comprehensive program that connects families, students, and educational professionals to help each student reach their academic potential and discover what the possibilities are for them beyond the school setting.

About Cerebral Palsy of Westchester: With a main campus located in Rye Brook and now in its 72nd year, CPW’s mission is to advance the independence, productivity, and full citizenship of people with all developmental disabilities including autism, neurological impairments, intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. Through a comprehensive network of educational programs, day services, residential sites, therapeutic services, employment training, recreation programs and advocacy, the agency helps thousands of children and adults in Westchester and Fairfield Counties live more productive and satisfying lives. The organization’s motto is: Realizing Tomorrow’s Potential . . . Today!

For information about the Mid-Westchester Elks, contact Jay Singer at jaysinger@pgaimpress.com.

News courtesy of Mid-Westchester Elks and Cerebral Palsy of Westchester.

Photos of the planting in early spring by Jay Singer and Angela Licht

Northern Westchester Hospital Reaccredited as Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by Surgical Review Corporation

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Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) has been reaccredited as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an independent, internationally recognized patient safety organization. The Robotics Program at NWH has held the designation since 2017. This year, several surgeons from various specialties were also designated as Surgeons of Excellence. 

P Surgeons in Northern Westchester Hospital’s Robotics Program (L-R): Warren D. Bromberg, MD, FACS, urology, director of the Institute of Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery; Michael Shaw, MD, obstetrics and gynecology; Maud Lemercier, MD, general surgery; Amanda Messina, MD, general surgery; Darren I. Rohan, MD, thoracic surgery; Doreen Sicotte, FNP, Supervisor, Advanced Clinical Providers; Bruce Molinelli, MD, general surgery; Sue Zhou, MD, urogynecology; Navid Mootabar, MD, obstetrics and gynecology.                Photo By: John Vecchiolla

To qualify for accreditation, the NWH robotics program and its physicians underwent a rigorous, top-to-bottom review by SRC, which evaluated all aspects of care, from pre-op evaluation, surgery, post-anesthesia, discharge, post-operative care and patient outcomes. The review looked at surgical floors, intensive care units, and emergency rooms, as well as robotics education for staff and patients. According to SRC, its requirements for accreditation have been shown to improve outcomes and reduce the time patients spend in the hospital.

            “Research indicates that there are better outcomes for patients when physicians perform more surgeries, and these designations reflect Northern Westchester Hospital’s excellence as a high-volume center,” says Dr. Bromberg.  “Our COERS designation would not exist without our multidisciplinary team of surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and surgical technicians.  The leadership within our robotics program creates a systemic culture of excellence that is committed to improving the safety and quality of patient care.” He added, “NWH’s robotic surgery capabilities enable our surgeons to perform less invasive surgery with a greater level of precision. Our patients benefit from: lower risk of infection, decreased blood loss, earlier discharge from hospital, faster recovery times, less postoperative pain and minimal scarring.”

            “We’re proud to recognize Northern Westchester Hospital for its commitment to advancing and providing quality care for all patients,” said Gary M. Pratt, CEO of SRC. “This accreditation signals that this hospital is among the best in this specialty and is dedicated to delivering the highest level of care possible.”

Northwell Health was the first health system to receive the Network of Excellence in Robotic Surgery designation from Surgical Review Corporation (SRC). Northwell’s designation came on the heels of SRC recognizing four of its hospitals for their robotic surgery expertise: Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center in New Hyde Park, Huntington Hospital, Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco, and South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore. Currently, Northwell Health’s accredited hospitals include: Lenox Hill Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Long Island Jewish Valley Stream, Marzano Center at Huntington Hospital/Northwell, North Shore University Hospital, Northern Westchester Hospital and South Shore University Hospital.

For more information on the NWH Robotics Program, visit https://nwh.northwell.edu/robotic-surgery. To learn more about SRC and the accreditation process, visit www.surgicalreview.org.

News courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital and Northwell Health.

Remembering Doug Hunter

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Doug Hunter. Photo by Ronni Diamondstein
Chappaqua Volunteer Firefighters honoring Doug Hunter     Photo by Grace Bennett
 
 
 
 
 
Chappaqua and Millwood’s Volunteer Fire Departments, joined by many of New Castle’s First Responders, turned up in full dress uniform today to participate in a parade and to attend a Memorial Service to honor the life and service of Doug Hunter, the longest serving member of Westchester County’s District 1 Fire Department.
Chappaqua Fire Dept. Commissioner Brian Murphy and L-R: Former Commissioners Jerry Curran, Tony Olivieri and John Russell

Hunter, a lifelong Chappaqua resident, devoted 70 years at the Chappaqua Fire Department serving the community at different junctures as Fire Chief, Fire Commissioner and as a life-long member. Hunter passed away at age 92 in February. A Memorial Service took place following the ceremony at The Church of St. Mary the Virgin. According to Chappaqua Fire Chief Russell Maitland, a reception at the firehouse was planned for after the service “as Doug wanted a party for his final farewell.”

Shortly before the procession, which lit up King Street and Greeley Avenue, Chappaqua Fire Commissioner Brian Murphy relayed: “Doug would have given the shirt off his back for anyone. He was the nicest person.” In a 2012 cover story by Ronni Diamondstein for Inside Chappaqua Magazine about the Chappaqua Fire Department, Hunter had described his strong camaraderie with his fellow firefighters. “We’re like a family. They help you out when you need help.”