The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

Great Food for a Great Cause!

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spcaJoin us on Tuesday, June 3rd from 6-9 p.m. at Crabtree’s Kittle House, located at 11 Kittle Road in Chappaqua, NY for dinner and drinks at our Annual “Sparkle for a Cause Event”!

spca-eventOrder off of the special “Sparkle” menu with many scrumptious small bites and sparkling drinks to choose from all at a very reasonable price! A percentage of your bill will be donated to the SPCA of Westchester! No fee to attend, pay for whatever you order off the “Sparkle” menu. RSVP is greatly appreciated to Lisa@spca914.org

www.spca914.org

Reusable Bag Art Exposition

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ReusableBags-don'tforgetBy Meaghan Townsend

Looking for a great way to have fun, support the environment and get involved in the New Castle community? Come to the Chappaqua train station on Saturday, May 31st from 9a.m.-1p.m. for a morning of fun and eye-opening entertainment! For the first time, Horace Greeley’s environmental club, S.T.O.P. (Students and Teachers for Our Planet) will be hosting an exciting new art expo. This expo will not only be demonstrating the negative impact of single-use bags, but also supporting the movement to transition to more environmentally-friendly reusable ones.

At the expo, you’ll have the opportunity to learn and see firsthand the drastic impact plastic and paper bags continue to have on Chappaqua in a unique, interactive way with activities for the whole family. For example, did you know that Chappaqua alone uses 10,080 plastic bags every day? That’s seven bags a minute! These bags pollute our ecosystems and waste valuable resources. You might think that paper bags are a viable solution. But were you familiar with the fact that more than 60% of paper bags end up in landfills?

Because most single-use paper bags are non-biodegradable, they don’t decay for thousands of years–filling up our landfills just as much as plastic bags. And the small percentage of paper bags that are biodegradable release substantial amounts of methane gases, which contributes to global warming.

In addition, the extensive energy required to process the few paper bags that make it into the recycling bin makes the whole procedure overwhelmingly wasteful. Clearly, the longer we continue to use single-use bags, the more they will accumulate–and the harder it will be to get back on track.

The good news is that reusable bags are a simple and efficient solution to this problem. Stores have the opportunity to make extra revenue by selling reusable bags to customers. Customers can also receive special discounts for using their own bags. Evidently, the switch to reusable bags is the logical next step for New Castle.

Come show your support at the art expo! Held at the same time and location as the thriving Chappaqua Farmers Market, this event is a convenient, delicious way to support local businesses as well as the environment. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to contribute to our planet and community while sharing a fun day with your family. Let’s make New Castle a better place!

Millwood Park Movies are BACK

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FrozenPosterBeginning on Friday, June 6th, Westchester residents will be treated to a line-up of four free family-friendly Hollywood hits, starting with the Academy Award winning Disney®  cartoon musical, “Frozen®.”

The complete movie line-up at Millwood Park (on Route 100) for June 2014 is:

  • June 6th: Frozen®
  • June 13th: Ghostbusters®
  • June 20th: Despicable Me 2®
  • June 27th: The Lego Movie®

Solveig McShea, Executive Director of the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce, which presents the film series with the help of sponsors (see below), says, “movie theater ticket prices average almost $35 for a family of four and kids often sit alone, glued to their TVs, iPads and other devices to watch movies at home or in the car. We love to create an opportunity for families to spend a few nights at the movies outdoors and together!”

The Chamber added a creative digital twist to this year’s event series. Noting that consumers choose winners these days — from American Idol® voting to reviews on Yelp®, the Chamber allowed New Castle residents chose their 2014 films. Following the highly-successful online polling for the holiday ice sculpture in 2013, the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce decided to put this year’s films up for community vote.

Says Rich Glotzer of Drug Mart, sponsor of the movie series, “Everyone likes to have a say, so letting the people decide provides true community spirit from the beginning.”

More than 200 votes were received and the community chose from 15 films targeted to families, tweens, teens and date nights.

The 77th Annual Strawberry Festival

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352 Happenings picThe 77th Annual Strawberry Festival  will be held on

Saturday, June 7, 11 a.m–4 p.m.

at St. Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church in Chappaqua

(South Greeley Avenue, next to the Bell School)

Kids from toddlers to teens can enjoy a day of games & prizes, bounce castles, music, BBQ and, of course, the Festival’s traditional strawberry shortcake and smoothies.

A featured musical act is the long-adored Annie and the Natural Wonder Band, which will perform on the great lawn from 12-12:40 p.m. and again from 2-2:40 p.m. The event also features a wide variety of craft vendors, attic treasures, raffles, bake sale and other musical acts throughout the day.

Proceeds benefit the Parish’s outreach fund which supports a number of local philanthropic organizations.

Chappaqua’s John Tolomer Honored by The Greyston Foundation

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John-TolomerSpecial honorees at a May benefit of The Greyston Foundation–the country’s leading social enterprise–were Joe Armentano, CEO and Board Chairman, Paraco Gas Corporation, and Chappaqua’s John M. Tolomer, President and CEO, The Westchester Bank. Additionally, Lucy Moreno-Casanova, Greyston’s Community Gardens Coordinator, will be the recipient of the 2014 Bernie Glassman PathMaking Award.

This annual award is given in honor of founder Bernie Glassman and is grounded in the philosophy of “PathMaking,” the foundation’s belief that individuals can be supported to move forward on a path to self-sufficiency.

Through Armentano’s vision and leadership, Paraco Gas Corporation has experienced considerable growth and has transitioned from an industrial gas business to a leading propane energy company. Armentano is active on several boards and is the founding member of The Executive Association of Westchester, a business networking association of entrepreneurs with a philanthropic heart.

Tolomer has more than 20 years of retail and commercial banking experience in Westchester, including executive positions with Citibank and The Bank of New York, where he served as a senior vice president. He was named President and CEO of The Westchester Bank in November 2008, focused on providing highly personalized service to businesses in Westchester and the surrounding area.

Armentano and Tolomer have demonstrated a life-long commitment to supporting local charities and are especially proud of their work with the Greyston Foundation. Paraco Gas Corporation recently hired a Greyston Bakery employee as part of Greyston’s Next Steps program, and The Westchester Bank was a critical part of Greyston’s recent restructuring.

Moreno-Casanova, recipient of this year’s Bernie Glassman PathMaking Award, began her journey with Greyston as countless individuals do: as a member of the community. Participating as a volunteer in the Community Gardens Program for five years, her love of gardening, paired with her natural leadership and mentorship ability, positioned her to join the Greyston staff as coordinator of the program in 2000.

For more information, visit: www.greyston.org.