The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Grace Bennett

A Community Engaged

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April 15th marks 15 years since my mom passed of pancreatic cancer, that notorious Silent Killer, just a few days shy of her 70th birthday, also in April. I remember this difficult period well, from her diagnosis and hospitalization at Sloan Kettering to hospice care at Calvary Hospital where the palliative care at least helped fend off terrible pain. Over a brutal four-month period span, many family members and I stayed constantly at her bedside. I was also acutely aware of and had met others in my own community experiencing similar journeys–grappling with and reconciling the limited options for afflicted loved ones. Over the years, I have often wondered about the progress for earlier detection and more treatment options. Zabeen Mirza, whose father succumbed to the disease at age 40, had approached me about producing a story recognizing area families actively fundraising for key organizations like PanCan and the Lustgarten Foundation. I jumped on board and assigned the story to Robin Chwatko, and a cover story for Inside Chappaqua was born. Please know how grateful I am to the many in our community engaged in the battle.

In a similar vein, we also shine a light on efforts to fundraise to battle blood cancers by including a Greeley student’s most promising efforts via his personal campaign. In so doing, Spencer Katz honors his mom, Lisa Katz, a New Castle Town Board Member and a lymphoma survivor.

I’m continuously amazed and touched by our engaged and caring communities. With that in mind, I can point to several ‘engaged people’ profiles (and cover subjects!) we included such as one on Ronni Diamondstein, and of course, her beloved Maggie Mae. Megan Klein captures the essence of this ‘dynamic duo’ and their contributions, so enjoy. 

In this same edition, Megan’s work is featured in a story by Stacey Pfeffer about under the radar bloggers. Time to discover ‘Operation Happiness’ if you haven’t yet! Keira O’Sullivan’s delightful Pizza Ratings also made the cut, and in the next edition, we have more bloggers to introduce, too!

A first-time book author, Zach Schonfeld, offers a behind the scenes account of 24 Carat Black, an under the radar ‘70s era funk group.

Our schools have been meeting their greatest challenges in their very histories in managing this pandemic. In Inside Armonk, and as our cover story, Ella Ilan finds out how one district in particular persevered! 

Please don’t miss Jennifer Drubin Clark’s fun profile about Armonk’s favorite outdoors proponent and much beloved town figure. That would be Skip Beitzel, 2014 Armonk Citizen of the Year, and the owner of Hickory and Tweed for the past 36 years.

We also offer a forum to a much beloved figure at Breezemont Day Camp, Marnie Levy, whose transition to “Life Coach” could inspire many grappling with career choices to find their own path. If you are pushing yourself just a bit too hard, a must read are Marni’s self care tips too.

Per usual, there’s ‘much more’ to enjoy, a gorgeous poem by Tanvi Prasad that I’ll forever think of as a gift to Mother Earth, and our ‘Etcetera’ column by Dan Levitz on how the pandemic has changed things up dramatically but how we still as a community retain so much that’s meaningful.

Anna Young takes us into Briarcliff Manor for a glimpse of newly revitalized parks and trails. Fewer excuses not to hit the great outdoors!

If you are among the many thousands who miss planned and unplanned jaunts to the Burns, here’s a chance to catch up with Christine Pasqueralle on what they are up to and how they have made community comfort and safety a priority too with their virtual offerings.

Our advertisers share some exciting spring promises, too, as Shauna Levy relates.

And here’s my final Springtime promise: In our next set of editions, I plan to tip my hat to an array of some truly darling and community-minded moms and dads residing among us. We are planning just one more set of editions for this spring, doubling up on our Mother’s Day/Father’s Day coverage efforts, and already so much that’s wonderful is in the works. Happy Spring to you and yours.

‘Graced’ and Taxed on Valentine’s Day 2021

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I’ve decided to add a new category to this site, for my most personal blogging a bit more, words that don’t necessarily relate to my role as publisher, and perhaps delve a little deeper without worrying about how this or that customer might react. Yes, that is a ‘thing’ in publishing, and I’m not immune to it. Officially declaring this space sacred from self-censoring considerations which can stymie so. I’m calling it ‘Graced’… because I’m hoping anyone reading and relating to any of it makes you feel just that. So this is a new home for my words that I’ll share into social media, too, whenever it feels right. When it doesn’t, my words will stay in draft, another set of the so called ‘morning pages’ writers everywhere are encouraged to keep. I’m choosing today, Valentine’s Day, to launch it. I normally jump on the ‘Valentine’s Day is just awesome bandwagon’ (which I basically believe it is), but on this Valentine’s Day, I just haven’t been in the best way or the best version of me. Not by a long shot. And that’s where the ‘taxed’ in the headline comes in.

In the fall of 2020, on Facebook, I described getting lost on a mountain in Beacon, NY, and being rescued. What I didn’t add was that incident immediately followed a soul searing, humiliating breakup, the death knell of a years long intimate friendship that is still too painful ‘to touch’, too confusing to make sense of, too personal to describe and certainly to recover from despite the longest walk on the most gorgeous days or beautiful trails. What I didn’t add either was a freak accident with a blender just a couple weeks later that nearly took off my pinkie–and the scars and nerve damage that remain. I understand it now as having been and perhaps still am in a continued state of being vulnerable following a psychic wound.

On #ValentinesDay2021, I’m alone but not alone with some dear family and friends to reach out to with a fun or goofy Valentine’s Day text, a glorious virtual company to lean on somewhat. I also know that anyone in or outside it with any heart and soul is considering the hundreds of thousands of Americans and millions around the world who have perished in this pandemic, the communities of first responders, and army of volunteers–and that there is just too much pain to process and too many completely broken hearts or hearts on the line–despite the promise of 2021, for so many, at least.

So… wishing a Happy Valentine’s Day to anyone who has suffered a devastating loss of a loved one, or injury, physical or psychic, during this past year. To anyone struggling with any aspect of your own health-emotional, physical, psychological and financial, too… one or more are so often interrelated, too–in a struggle that may still feel strangely new because… well, because no one prepared you or me or our kids on how to live through a pandemic and certainly not how to smile through it, and keep a stiff upper lip, not on any day, including and perhaps most of all, not on Valentine’s Day.

Here’s hoping you are mostly doing ok, maybe like I, taking this pandemic day to day, and remembering to believe that ‘I’m doing ok’ is a success story, too. I witness so many using this time to grow and learn too–in fact, to soar. I bow to your evolved sense of self preservation, and I follow closely and often for continued inspiration. In the meantime, listening too to the ever growing number of wellness experts (who’s not following at least a handful these days?) who insist we persevere when we cultivate a deeply held compassion for our own selves, too, and for believing in the exquisiteness and preciousness of our own survival. So here’s to compassion and believing washing over me, washing over you. Sending love.   — Grace

 

A Full Circle Beginning for New Chappaqua Library Director Andrew Farber

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PHOTOS BY GRACE BENNETT

In an interview this fall, Andrew Farber’s excitement was palpable. Outside the doors of the Library where we met, Farber expressed that his life has come ‘full circle’ from being a child visiting at the Chappaqua Library where his mother Susan Riley used to work part time as a librarian, to present times as the new director of the Chappaqua Library!

Farber’s position became official on October 19 after being appointed by the Library’s Board of Trustees.

“We are delighted to have him join our staff,” said Ronni Diamondstein, the library board Acting President. “He will be a great asset to our community.”

Farber succeeds Pamela Thornton in the role she served for the last 13 years. Thornton retired this past August.

Farber was the Director of the Somers Library position since 2015. “Andrew is knowledgeable, personable and creative. He brings to us an extensive IT background along with experience in management, budgeting, long range planning, grant writing, staff development programs and community outreach,” said Diamondstein.

Farber has worked successfully with the Somers Library Board and the Friends of the Library to create and implement policies and programming for both the patrons and the staff, according to a release provided by the board. “He created a partnership with Somers’ largest hamlet, Heritage Hills, and also expanded the library’s community outreach by creating new partnerships with local businesses and schools.”

Farber currently chairs the Westchester Library System Public Library Directors Association Technology Committee. He began his career at the Greenburgh Library working there for 16 years ultimately becoming the Young Adult Services Librarian, a period that he looks back on fondly.

“I was incredibly rewarded by my work with teenagers,” said Farber, who grew up in Ossining. “I felt I could really influence young lives. It was hard to leave, but Somers presented a new and bigger challenge.”

Commenting on his new role in Chappaqua, Farber said he first planned to “immerse myself with policies and procedures, get to know staff and any concerns, and introduce myself to local groups, before making any changes.”

“The Chappaqua Library is well used by its constituents, so there are high expectations for the library that come with that,” he said.  “I hope to continue the great programming the library offers. Pam has done a great job in her tenure and I hope to continue that.”

He noted that libraries today were historically already adding more online services, pre-Covid. He said we can “expect even more visual digital streaming such as online movies and concerts on top of all our usual audio/electronic books.”

Given that the library is an invaluable asset to the community during ‘Home for the Holidays,’ I asked Farber what might be in the works for the early winter. He offered: “We will be doing holiday type programming; perhaps virtual tours of different locations which we can share with the public at no cost.”

As for the future of library going, he added that we may see “more and more ‘normalization’ too as the pandemic tapers down. “I plan to work closely with the staff and board to see what their plans are for movement in that direction, and to see how we can proceed safely.”

To keep up with programs at the Chappaqua Library, visit ChappaquaLibrary.org.

Cozy at Home

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PHOTO by Erica Berger

If you are reading this cozying up to our ‘Home for the Holidays’ editions of the Inside Press, or taking in some of the stories right here, then mission accomplished! My simple goal is that you might find the basic joy of ‘the season,’ and to make your days just that much brighter. I hope too that you will love an Inside Chappaqua cover story spotlighting nine inspiring women who have set out to build bridges in town in a multitude of ways in our schools and in our neighborhoods.

As we continue to ‘share the heart of the community,’ you will find welcoming spotlights, including a ‘Gotta Have Arts’ cover story in Inside Armonk of resident artist Evan Lorberbaum whose work can often be found at the Armonk Outdoor Art Show.  In Inside Chappaqua & Millwood, ‘meet’ the new Chappaqua library director Andrew Farber, and new resident Térron Richardson and learn more of his delightful candle line. If your heart has been broken, know you are not alone this holiday season, as you will see when you read about “Lonely Hearts,” a special support group formed by Chappaqua social worker Lexi Joondeph-Breidbart, who describes her own heartbreak.

If you like most have been lamenting 2020, do take a moment to remember and cherish a positive memory or two, whether something little or something ‘big’–such as a child’s wedding, as was true for everyone’s favorite neighbor and prolific blogger Marlene Fischer (“Thoughts from Aisle 4”) who turned her experience into a book; please turn to the spotlight on Marlene and a book excerpt. More stories/essays in these issues touch on love for our moms and dads in assisted living, sisterly love, ‘blanketing’ many deserving residents with love, and on missing the love of extended family at Thanksgiving. So, enjoy!

With seasonal time off from iLearning and work challenges, I also felt certain readers might appreciate a few ideas for fun and safe excursions, so we present three stellar suggestions. Follow new guidelines, but please also visit or otherwise support a favorite restaurant or two this holiday season with home delivery or curbside pickup options; area proprietors are working harder than ever to make the experience as safe and inviting as possible. Speaking of safety, you will also find advice here from area fire chiefs that will help protect your home from fire.

In the child-care arena, uplifting end-of-year news is the long awaited for opening of a modern and inviting new building for the Ossining Children’s Center (highlighted on a ‘Happenings’ page). I also commend a generous tribute from the Mount Kisco Child Care Center to their teachers and staff. A campaign is underway honoring their courage and dedication.

Wishing you peace and blessings.

Chappaqua Rotary’s 2020 Student Community Service Awards

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Two exemplary Greeley students, Angelina Brunetto and Quinn Singer, were honored this summer at Crabtree’s Kittle House during the annual Chappaqua Rotary Club’s 2020 Student Community Service Awards.

Vedat Gashi, County Legislator representing District 4 and New Castle Town Board Member Lisa Katz each respectively presented the students with both accolades and certificates to recognize their service.

Angelina Brunetto volunteers extensively at the Veterans Hospital in Montrose she stated, “to gain experience in the healthcare industry while giving back to our heroes… Assisting in different departments, I interact with the veterans, and gain firsthand knowledge of the bravery and sacrifice they experienced while in Service and Active Duty… Through my volunteer work, I have grown more compassionate for Veterans, seniors, and those less fortunate.”

Quinn Singer has been a volunteer at many events for Draw for Paws, a not for profit named in honor and memory of Scarlett. Scarlett’s Rainbow Rescue works with homeward bound of Mississippi to transport hundreds of puppies annually from kill shelters to their forever families. Quinn has also volunteered with Draw for Paws to expand pediatric cancer awareness. “This group was created by a young girl who battled brain cancer, and I wanted to help their cause,” said Quinn, who also helped with the not for profit’s efforts and services at local hospitals.

The 2020 Student Award was organized by Horace Greeley High School Guidance Counselor Rebecca Mullen. The award was given to honor Greeley Guidance Counselor Patrick Dougherty “who helped to keep the Community Service Recognition on track and procured applications for many years,” said Sandy Bueti, board member. Community recognition awards by the Rotary, such as these, are accorded to community members who most exemplify the Rotary’s motto of ‘Service Above Self.”

Lavdie Maqedonci-Krasniqi

Incoming Rotary Club president Eileen Gallagher and fellow Rotarians also took the opportunity to thank and honor outgoing Rotary Club president Lavdie Maqedonci-Krasniqi for her service. ‘Lavdie’ thanked many well-wishers for their support during her Rotary tenure and for their support during a successful battle against cancer.

– Grace Bennett