The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

WYNDYHYL – “ Chappaqua’s Find of a Century”

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wyndhylThis Queen Anne Victorian homestead has had only two owners in all of its 100+ years!  Samuel Thompson built the house in 1897 and his grandson, Al Hutin, who grew up in the house, lives next door.  The Hutin family sold the home to the Barnes family in 1985, who have mindfully maintained the historic Victorian appearance while adding two bathrooms as there was only one and making some renovations and restorations.

The two-car garage, originally the barn for Mr. Thompson’s horse and buggy, was later converted to hold his Model T Ford, the first in Chappaqua!!!

The house was originally called Fairview because of the view of the Hudson River but Samuel’s daughter christened the house WYNDYHYL in the early 1900’s and it has retained that name to date. This homestead was named an Historical Landmark in 2000, along with our town’s founder, Horace Greeley’s house on King Street. Wyndyhyl was featured in an exhibit at the New Castle Historical Society Headquarters in 1998.  It will also be on the Society’s house tour this May. A New Castle Land marked home has no building restrictions; it is just a historical and prestigious designation.

samuelthompsonEmie Barnes, the owner and listing agent says, “It was love at first sight.  The 9’ ceilings, the wide plank flooring and the wrap around porch just had to be ours!”

Inside Silver Hill Hospital

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The 2012 Silver Hill Gala, held in November at Cipriani 42nd Street, raised funds for scholarship support for their residential treatment programs. Some Chappaqua residents who attended (l-r): Larry Haynes, Janine Haynes, Maria Larramendi, Dr. Fred Feiner, Vicki Feiner and Laura Hamburg. Photo by Patrick McMullan
The 2012 Silver Hill Gala, held in November at Cipriani 42nd Street, raised funds for scholarship support for their residential treatment programs. Some Chappaqua residents who attended (l-r): Larry Haynes, Janine Haynes, Maria Larramendi, Dr. Fred Feiner, Vicki Feiner and Laura Hamburg.
Photo by Patrick McMullan

Offering Hope and Help in Treating Opioid Addictions

By Grace Bennett

Inside Chappaqua’s “connection” to Silver Hill Hospital, a not for profit, full service psychiatric hospital situated on a bucolic campus of New Canaan, CT, is really a connection to a wonderful Chappaqua resident and friend, Janine Crowley Haynes. Janine has sought help at Silver Hill to help manage her bipolar disorder. A few years ago, we featured her book, My Kind of Crazy. In it, Janine chronicles her story with fortitude and good humor.

Most recently, Janine–a volunteer on Silver Hill’s Development Committee–was eager to acquaint me with Silver Hill directly; she has told me that it is a special place of healing and new beginnings.  On our ride to Silver Hill, I asked Janine to help me choose a focus for my interview with Sigurd Ackerman, M.D., president and medical director. She suggested the newest program, the Chronic Pain and Recovery Center, because there are few like it in the country and there is a pressing need for the treatments it offers.

According to Dr. Ackerman, the Chronic Pain and Recovery Center is designed for individuals with chronic pain and some additional, co-occurring problem. The co-occurring problem may include chemical dependence or abuse, depression or anxiety, social isolation, de-conditioning of muscles, weight fluctuation and sleep disturbance–all in addition to physical pain.  “Our pain center programming has evolved to address chronic pain as well as these additional problems patients with chronic pain experience. Often, the co-occurring problem is an overuse or misuse of pain medication.  For many, their lives have become ruled by their use of pain medication,” said Dr. Ackerman.

“Many commonly used pain medications, called opioids, are synthetic narcotics that have opiate-like qualities,” Dr. Ackerman explained. “Like opiates, they are very effective in relieving pain. However, for many, they provide a “high” and the user finds him/herself driven to repeat the experience over and over apart from the need for pain relief. The real problem is that medication tolerance develops which means to obtain the same pain relief or the same high, it requires more of the medication. So, while these medications can do great good when used properly, they can lead to great harm when misused, creating serious problems within families, at work or even problems with the law.”

Some people take initiative to help themselves…they contact Silver Hill because they want to get off the pain medication and have failed on their own. Others are urged to do so by sometimes very frustrated, frightened family members. “It’s not always a physician referral,” stated Dr. Ackerman.  Others end up in an emergency room with an overdose…and find their way to Silver Hill for focused treatment.  Whatever the route, a patient at Silver Hill, emphasizes Dr. Ackerman, receives services with a first-rate staff.  “The clinicians on our staff who treat these problems are true experts.”

The first treatment goal is to target the reason for the chronic pain. “You need to begin with a thorough evaluation of the pain itself.”  A next step is helping patients detox from the pain medication by working toward a dose that’s the minimum amount possible to continue to address pain symptoms.

What follows is a reconditioning of the patient’s approach to pain management…one that doesn’t necessarily involve a medication. “From working with a physical therapist to teaching lifestyle changes, there are many ways to learn to manage pain besides grabbing a pill.”  The goal may not necessarily be a complete elimination of the drug either.  “If the patient needs pain medication, we teach how to administer it safely.  In a family situation, we might advise that one responsible person be in charge of medication administration,” said Dr. Ackerman. “Our overall objective is to separate the person from medication being misused, to improve function in valued activities and engage in a life full of meaning and purpose.”

Finally, and perhaps most critically, at Silver Hill, there are treatment teams and adjunct programs to address what are very often underlying psychiatric reasons for opioid addictions. “Some chronic pain sufferers may be depressed and stay depressed or develop fears and those fears rule their day,” he said.  “So a patient coming to us often doesn’t just come seeing us about their pain and their medication problems but also about the depression and anxiety in their lives too.”

To learn more about Silver Hill and its variety of residential treatment programs, visit silverhillhospital.org. 

Grace Bennett is the publisher and editor of Inside Chappaqua Magazine.

Jodi’s Story

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Photo by Bill Bramswig
Photo by Bill Bramswig

How Her Talent and Passion for Gymnastics Turned into a Lifelong Career

By Vicki de Vries

“Do what you love, and you will never work a day in your life!” Most people nod in agreement and then walk away.

Not Jodi Levine, who started Jodi’s Gym 32 years ago and has proven that love and work can be a perfect 10, an old gymnastic term for the highest possible score. How did she do it, and how does she manage to continue running a successful business?

Jodi took what she loved and excelled in–gymnastics–and turned that passion into a new business idea—Jodi’s Gym, a gymnastics company catering to young children in New York City. The concept proved to be so successful that she eventually opened a Jodi’s Gym center in Mount Kisco. Over the years, Jodi and her staff, many of whom have been working with Jodi for over 15 years, have developed numerous offerings that range from “Teeny Tumblers” (ages 9 months to walking) to Girls Advanced Gymnastics (1st to 8th grade), attracting thousands upon thousands of children.

What accounts for the tremendous success Jodi’s Gym has enjoyed during the past 32 years? Is it the great business concept or the fact that all of the instructors are USA Gymnastics certified? Or maybe it’s the rich variety of offerings in a kid-friendly, pleasant, safe environment? Certainly, all of those factors have played, and continue to play, a key role in the Jodi’s Gym phenomenon.

But what has really made the difference is Jodi Levine herself.

Jodi’s Dance…to Gymnastics

One of Jodi’s earliest memories is about her wanting to be a ballet teacher. At around five years of age, she started taking dance lessons and acrobatic tumbling. “I really enjoyed being upside down,“ Jodi said. (Could that be when she began acquiring her remarkably perceptive slant on things?)

At age 12, Jodi began her first gymnastics class and by age 13, began competitive gymnastics. Entering her senior year of high school, she received a scholarship to attend the Walnut Hill School for Performing Arts in Boston. That honor required that she leave her hometown of Spring Valley in Rockland County, NY, for the year in order to pursue gymnastics training along with other scholarship recipients from around the country.

Jodi had such a successful senior year at the Walnut Hill School that after competing at the national level, she was awarded an athletic scholarship to Indiana State University’s nationally ranked women’s gymnastics team. She graduated with a BA in psychology and a certification coaching of gymnastics/physical education minor.

At that point, Jodi believed her gymnastics days were over: “After ISU, I truly did believe that I had completed my ‘gymnastics piece.’”

Next on her list was attending New York University to complete a master’s degree in psychology/organizational behavior. With graduation approaching, Jodi decided to take a break prior to pursuing a doctorate in child psychology. At the same time, she experienced what she described as a “gut moment pulling me back into the world of kids’ health, fitness and movement education.”

During her break from graduate studies, Jodi returned to coaching competitive gymnastics, something she had always loved. Here is where her story really takes off… “I really wanted to reach out to all kids, not just the ones who were inclined to be competitive gymnasts,” Jodi said. “I saw there was a great need for all kids to reap the psychological, as well as the physical, benefits of the sport that had given me so much. This was back in 1980, when ‘mommy and me’ gymnastics really did not exist. I saw a niche that was missing.” That niche was “gymnastics for the pure enjoyment, fun, education and benefit, where kids could work toward their personal best without having to compete for a score or how they compared to other kids.”

“In the sport of gymnastics, every fiber of a young person’s mind and body is fully engaged. I felt that so many children were missing out on the benefits gymnastics gave me, and I felt I just had to give it back to as many who would like to have the chance.”

The idea became a cause celebre for Jodi: “I felt as if this was what I was meant to do. There really was no stopping me. The energy was endless, the passion was so strong. Although the work was hard and those early days were very long, it never really felt like ‘work.’” Her athletic father was her main cheerleader early on: “If you love it, go for it!” In fact, “Dad always encouraged my sister and me to get back up, dust off the dirt and try again,” said Jodi. “He always wanted me to believe there was nothing I could not do because of my gender.”

Valuable words that would come in handy because in those early days, Jodi had no banker, no credit, no equipment, no staff, and no experience running a business. Surely the odds were against her, but Jodi was armed with a dream, boundless energy, and a strong passion for gymnastics and helping children.

Once Jodi’s Gym opened in New York City, it became an immediate success–the game in town for young children and their mothers. However, the business soon outgrew its space, and Jodi realized she would need to hire and train her first employee, who turned out to be a former student of hers. Her second employee was her mother, Carole, who came to “help out” with some administrative duties on a temporary basis. (To this day, Carole continues to assist her daughter’s business in New York City.)

Today, at any given time, Jodi’s Gym NYC and Mount Kisco between them will have from 25 to 40 employees—full and part time.

A Matter of Balance

Operating a business requires finding the right balance and constantly fine-tuning. Over the years, Jodi has developed a successful philosophy of business that is based on personal experience, common-sense, and a deep love for children and gymnastics.

Keeping a business on course includes “staying true to core values and goals while constantly innovating” and “keeping pricing fair while compensating staff well,” not to mention “maintaining the highest quality programs, high teacher/student ratios, and an extremely competent, well-trained, long-term, experienced staff.”

If that list sounds like too much somersaulting, Jodi would disagree because it’s what she has been doing for over 30 years. Her key advice to any business owner: “Listen to your customers, treat them as you want to be treated, be caring and sincere and accessible, and constantly innovate, always keeping in mind what is in the kids’ best interest.”

But, perhaps most importantly, Jodi is genuinely “in sync” with the kids themselves; she and her staff support and root them on because they’ve seen the positive results over and again, “knowing that children in our programs are feeling more confident and are developing a love for fitness and movement,” she stated.

Ultimately, “if this early positive exposure to movement keeps kids wanting to move and engage in active pursuits as they grow, we will have added to a healthier world. To me, that is success.”

Straddling Two Worlds

In the middle of her career, Jodi’s own two children became her students, and she and her husband, Hal, became, in effect, customers. Wearing the customer chapeau, she was able to see things from a mother’s perspective and learned to listen to the mothers who brought their children to her gymnastic classes.

In fact, Jodi felt better prepared to tackle perhaps the biggest challenge of all–being a parent: “Seeing so many different children and parenting styles over the years really helped prepare me to some extent for becoming a mom myself. I had so many role models.”

In a refreshingly candid way, Jodi added, “They helped me to be a better mom and got me to thinking, ‘What does a mom want? What does she deserve?’ That’s when I really started listening to what parents want for their children.”

Now that those mothers are grandparents, Jodi loves the fact that their children are bringing their kids to learn gymnastics: “When our ‘legacies,’ or second-generation kids, come through the door and the mom tells me of her great memories as a child at the gym and that she is now bringing her own child, I have been brought to tears on many occasions.”

Being sensitive to the needs and interests of families with children with all types of special needs, allergies, likes and dislikes further accounts for the variety of programs at Jodi’s Gym.

That sensitivity came close to home, shaping the parenting style of Jodi and her husband, Hal, who made physical activity and music a big part of their children’s lives. It also served as the inspiration for some innovative classes at Jodi’s Gym. For example, Jodi introduced gym and music classes after noticing how much her then two-year-old son, Will, enjoyed music. Later, when her daughter, Marly turned two, she enjoyed the musician Bobby Doowah so much that Jodi began featuring him in Jodi’s Gym birthday parties.

Now that Will and Marly are young adults and Jodi and her husband, Hal, are empty nesters, Jodi is thrilled that both children love working with kids. Will is a medical student, plays guitar and enjoys a lot of sports, including running, hiking, and skiing, while Marly, who is a junior in college, sings a capella, enjoys working out, yoga and dance. “And she recently became a Zumba instructor!” said Jodi.

Given all the successes, does Jodi have any regrets about her business? To her credit, Jodi freely admits a few: delegating more earlier on, asking for more help, taking less to heart, and being able to see more of the big picture. Would she do it all over again? A resounding definitely: “I have learned so much about people, relationships and myself. The bottom line is I feel I am really making a difference, and that makes it all worthwhile!”

Jodi’s Gym has plans to add more fitness and wellness-based classes to its offerings as well as expanding the “Jodi’s To Go” side of the business, which brings the Jodi’s Gym brand to schools, daycares, camps, and other locations in New York City and Westchester.

Nearest and perhaps dearest to Jodi’s heart is her plan to start programs for underserved populations in New York City and Westchester: “I would love to fill the gap for kids who come from homes where an active, healthy lifestyle is not so easy.”

That expresses not merely Jodi Levine’s business acumen, but more importantly, her warm and caring heart. Jodi is truly an “all-around” winner. Gymnastic aficionados will know that means “a strong competitor on all events.”

Vicki de Vries is a freelance writer/editor and educator living in Westchester “country.”

Sweet Rene – The Good Enough Mother’s Next Chapter

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Rene Syler living dreams she never imagined. Photo by Craig Salmon
Rene Syler living dreams she never imagined.
Photo by Craig Salmon

When Rene Syler first graced the cover of Inside Chappaqua magazine in May 2007 she was embarking on a new chapter in her life. She had just lost her job at CBS’s The Early Show and published her book Good Enough Mother, a humorous look at modern motherhood.  Syler was on course to reinvent herself and did just that via the internet. Fast forward to May 2013 and Syler, who celebrated her 50th birthday in February, has given new meaning to the saying, “there is beauty in imperfection.” Her career proves that great new beginnings are possible at any stage of life. “I’m almost another person,” says Syler about the changes in her life since 2007. She has shown that dreams you may never have imagined can come true. A social-media dynamo as well, these days Syler is busier than ever.

Since she was fired from CBS in 2006, Syler has been through difficult times. “It was like a tornado ripped through my life. I lost a job, lost my breasts ( a preventive measure) and lost my hair.  All that loss shaped me to find myself and who I am.” Syler says she was down to the studs, but her foundation was the same: “I had to be true to myself.” Syler’s website, www.goodenoughmother.com, like Syler herself, has grown and transformed in the past six years. Serving up tips on parenting, home and family life, health and fitness, the site has migrated to Social Media: Facebook and Twitter where Syler’s audience has increased and her fans span the world.   Good Enough Mother’s mission is to improve lives through the shared parenting experience. Spreading her message of ‘perfect imperfection,” she speaks from her authentic voice. “When people come to Good Enough Mother, they are comforted by learning that they are not alone,” says Syler, whose goal is to uplift and empower her followers which include a significant number of men too.

Syler says a big part of her story is the amazing shift in how business operates today. “I built an empire using a MAC.  I went from a blog to having two paid staffers. One started as an intern and became a freelancer.  The other, her assistant and producer Ella Rucker, saw Syler on television and asked her to become her mentor. Syler told her she was too busy and Rucker asked if she could help her. She told Syler she didn’t need to pay her and that she wanted to write. They have been working together for more than a year, and Rucker has made amazing strides. “Since I am on the road two weeks out of each month, Ella Rucker and I have a virtual office using skype and all the tools of modern business.”  Syler loves the fact that Rucker took a chance on Syler and that Syler took a chance on Rucker.

“People ask me, ‘How many hours are you online? How long do you write? Aren’t you ever off?’” says Syler. Her response is that she is always connected. “I write all the time, when I’m not on my laptop, I’m writing in my head.” She asks them: “When was the last time you saw anyone build an empire putting in three hours a day, five days a week? Make an effort or make excuses.”

In her posts online, Syler has written about her family life from time to time, so her daughter Casey, 16, and son Cole, 14, have become part of her Good Enough Mother brand.  “Like most kids they are tech savvy so it’s a part of life,” says Syler. Now that they are older she is more careful about what she writes about them. But they enjoy the perks of her new business, including her affiliation with Disney, Nike and Quaker Oats. “Sometimes I take them with me and that part they like very much.

Syler has made guest appearances on such programs as The Nate Berkus Show, The Wendy Williams Show, The Doctors, and has taken over for Joy Behar as her guest host on her CNN primetime show.

Syler makes many public appearances and was a headliner at Disney’s 2011 Social Media Moms’s Conference.  “One of the fun things is to go to Blogging conferences and meet up with the people I’ve connected with online,” says Syler.

Host on “Sweet Retreats”

Her current hosting gig on Live Well Network’s Sweet Retreats came about on a circuitous route. Peggy Allen, an executive at that network saw an article about Syler a year ago in More magazine and contacted her about another project she had in mind for Syler.  Sweet Retreats, on Sunday evenings at 7:30PM, highlights a new trend in which people on vacation rent apartments or houses instead of going to a hotel. On the show, Syler takes a group or family to various locations where they examine three possibilities and  get to choose one.

Syler says the best decision she has made in her life was to marry the right person. Syler and her husband James “Buff” Parham, an Independent Media Consultant, have been married for 19 years. “Buff and I have built a life together. He’s steady Eddy and I’m emotional. I couldn’t do what I do without him.”

“I’m a multi-media brand,” says Syler who has come a long way in the past six years. Syler says the most gratifying aspect of her work is to have the opportunity to have an intimate dialogue with the people who follow her. “It’s talking back and forth,” says Syler. “If I hadn’t left network news I could never have done this.” Syler is happy for the relief she offers women today. “Women put too much pressure on themselves and live life on other people’s benchmarks.”  Doing it her way, Rene Syler is, by her own example, so much more than a Good Enough Mother in 2013.

Ronni Diamondstein, owner of Maggie Mae Pup Reporter is a Chappaqua based freelance writer, PR consultant, award-winning photographer and a School Library Media Specialist and teacher who has worked in the US and abroad.

Meet Dawn – The Quintessential Altruist with a Pulse on the Town

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By: Sarah Ellen Rindsberg

When Dawn Greenberg was looking for a retail concept to open in Chappaqua, she sought a model which would incorporate her spirit of giving and provide a positive addition to the existing retail mix. She visited several fair trade shops–which proffer only items created in a safe and equitable environment–and decided that going in this direction was the viable vehicle for her and the town.

One of the factors in her strong belief in fair trade stems from the finding that most of those employed in this capacity are moms. “A lot of the fair trade artists are moms; this spoke directly to me, she observed.

A popular item at Aurora is a beaded bracelet crafted by women in Guatemala. At least $8 of the retail price goes directly “into the hands of the artist,” Greenberg mentioned. In addition, Dunitz and Company (the firm which distributes the product) also contributes funds to the hospital and library in the area where its workers reside.

About 75% of the products on display at Aurora are classified as fair trade. A significant portion of the remaining 25% are created by craftswomen in the hamlet. Laurie Berg’s bracelets and Buddah necklaces are prominently displayed. Leslie Weissman’s abstract paintings adorn the walls. Charitable donations are often tied in to sales from both Berg and Weissman’s works.

Greenberg’s sensibility toward giving is strongly rooted in her desire to help those who are less fortunate. Her family sponsors a child in Guatemala, through an organization called Mayan Families which covers the cost of school fees, supplies, uniforms, shoes and backpacks. Affection from the Greenberg household is sent long distance to Pedro Fernando.

In her personal life, the caring begins at home. Greenberg is the proud mother of two sons, Jackson, 10 and Ben, 4. Jackson’s Asperger’s is another motivating factor in her character. “Something very special to my identity is being a special needs mom,” Greenberg related. The support systems offered in the schools were a major factor in her decision to move to the community.

Spearheading the October 5th Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

One of Greenberg’’s largest endeavors to date is the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival. When she heard about the demise of its predecessor, the festival at Sunnyside, her reaction was quick and effective. Greenberg saw the opportunity to continue the idea in downtown Chappaqua and proceeded to assemble a team of volunteers. “She certainly is a visionary in terms of coming up with new ideas and trying to attract business to the town,” fellow merchant Erik Nicolaysen noted. On October 5, over 55 authors will come to the festival. The roster includes several illustrious authors from the hamlet: Barbara Dee, Mara Van Fleet, Matt Van Fleet and Jean Van Leeuwen.

A recent post by Greenberg on the Chappaqua Moms Facebook page: another brainchild–exhorted members to bring in bras. She laughed and said: “I call myself the Robin Hood of Chappaqua. I gather things to give to others.” The idea brought a smile to many faces and over 300 bras were donated. The bras will be sent to Free The Girls, an organization which gives used clothing to women who in turn sell it to support themselves. Bras are particularly valuable because they command a superior price. A previous post by Greenberg on Facebook (after Hurricane Sandy) brought in over $11,000 in gift cards for the residents of Barnegat, New Jersey, Long Beach Island and the Rockaways.

When tropical storm Hurricane Irene flooded the town, Greenberg knew that small businesses were going to suffer irrevocably unless someone stepped in to help. As a small business owner herself, she knew the potentially damaging effect of having to close for several days. Greenberg rallied the town and organized an event to bring residents in to provide emotional and financial support. Refreshments were donated and local art teacher Quincy Eggenton set up an arts and craft table.

Town Administrator Penny Paderewski has had the opportunity to work with Greenberg on several projects–including the festival–and is thoroughly impressed with her intelligence. She had stopped by Aurora recently to purchase a ticket for a fundraising tea for the festival and to wish the proprietor a very happy birthday. Plenty of patrons were browsing and chatting. “She’s got the pulse of the town,” Paderewski said. “I like being associated with her,” she continued.

Sarah Ellen Rindsberg pops into Aurora regularly and is always rewarded with a warm greeting and a smile.