The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

The Inside Press

Get Ready for the 56th Annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show!

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New This Year: More Activities, Food and Drink

“All as Fresh as the Art!”

Saturday & Sunday,
September 23 & September 24
10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Rain or Shine
205 Business Park Drive, Armonk

Borden

Ranked one of “The Top 50” Fine Art and Fine Craft Fairs in the US by Art Fair SourceBook and among the top “Fine Art and Design Shows” in the New York Metro Area by Sunshine Artist Magazine, the 56th annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show will continue its long tradition of showcasing fresh and diverse art. Over 185 juried artists from 29 states, Israel and Canada, will be featured, with 35 new artists added to the show this year.

A broad spectrum of art in every medium and price point will be on display, including painting, mixed mediums, printmaking/drawing/ pastels, sculpture, photography/digital art, wearable art, and fine crafts.

Free personal consultants, trained in fine art and home design, are available to assist visitors in selecting art that best fits their taste and decor.

Sigwarth

Family Activities Tent

All new, fun-filled, free activities under a Big-Top Tent!

Presented by:

First Five – Hands on projects, appropriate for children ages 1-5 with adult participation.

The Harvey School – Interactive programs, appropriate for children ages 5-12.

The Neuberger Museum of Art – A creative exploration and experimentation inspired by the works in the Neuberger Museum’s permanent collection. Fun for children of all ages.

Food, Craft Beer and Wine Diverse vendors with new additions!

Including Luke’s Lobster, Captain Lawrence Brewing and Market North.

Gold Sponsors: Equinox, Houlihan Lawrence, Northern Westchester Hospital, Rosen & Company, Inc., White Plains Hospital Medical & Wellness and Westchester Medical Center will entertain and inform.

The Art Show is sponsored by Friends of the North Castle Public Library, Inc., and net proceeds benefit the Town’s libraries in Armonk and North White Plains.

Spector
Bunnell
Green

Admission price: $12, $10 for seniors or with coupon, children under 18 free. There is ample free parking on site. Sorry, no dogs allowed. For further information, and discount coupons, visit: www.armonkoutdoorartshow.org, Facebook/armonkoutdoorartshow, Instagram @armonkoutdoorartshow

Nielsen
Pollock

A Local Healer’s Journey with Lyme Disease

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By Sharon Okun

Sharon Okun

After trying everything, Armonk Licensed Massage Therapist & Wellness Coach Sharon Okun says she researched and benefited from alternative healing modalities in her battle against Lyme. Here, in some answers to our questions, she shares her experience and resources.

1. When were you first diagnosed with Lyme Disease?

I was accurately diagnosed at the beginning of 2014 by a Lyme-literate doctor, after suffering with symptoms for 10 years. My overall quality of life now is excellent, although occasionally I still having challenging days.

2. What treatment did you try initially?

I was given antibiotics, which were partially effective for four to six months but then they stopped working. I than tried alternative therapies which helped greatly. Please keep in mind that whatever works for me may not work for you.

I advise that you first consult your doctor before attempting any alternative methods that are mentioned in this article.

3. There has been a lot of press about debilitating symptoms from the disease that can linger. Can you describe what symptoms you had and how they impacted your life?

My symptoms included fatigue, dizziness, significant neck pain and headaches, tremors, nerve pain and numbness, brain fog, and extreme chemical sensitivities. I stopped working full time as a licensed massage therapist until I could figure out what was wrong.  For a time, I had limited activities outside of the home and primarily focused on managing my family, except that I pushed myself daily to exercise no matter how I actually felt.

4. What made you try alternative medicine to treat your disease? What types of alternative therapies did you use that led to improvement?

I understand the mind-body connection. Through my work as a licensed massage therapist and wellness coach for the last 20 years, I have seen firsthand how alternative therapies transform people’s lives. I needed to find the right combination to start healing my Lyme Disease, so I continued to persevere. I researched extensively and experimented with different supplements and gentle modalities while under strict supervision by a medical doctor. These are the alternatives that I used and continue to use to manage symptoms:

  1. Acupuncture
  2. Cranio Sacral work
  3. Lymphatic Drainage
  4. Meditation
  5. Qigong
  6. Somatic healing
  7. Life coaching
  8. Daily exercise
  9. Paleo Diet

All the above worked. However, once I learned to incorporate mindfulness practices into my life, I started to see more definitive results.

Mindfulness practice is developing an emotional intelligence. It is about creating strategies to readjust expectations of oneself and of others. It is also about managing daily stress by slowing down the body and truly listening to what it needs to feel empowered–even through challenging times. Also, as a massage therapist, I have learned that emotional stressors are stored in the body as well as in the mind. My holistic practice helps people move through ‘stuck pain,’ whether physical or mental, that is held in the muscles, nervous system and the rest of the body.

 I am not a doctor. I do not advise about, diagnose or treat Lyme. As a wellness coach and massage therapist, I champion my clients to find their own inner strength by asking powerful questions that engage them. I actively listen to people’s stories and facilitate awareness to help them design action plans that propel them forward to reach their goals.

 I offer clients massage therapy and teach them meditation and qigong (a formless style of energy movement). I help clients release pain that is held in their bodies, making room for them to truly heal.

Sharon Okun is a licensed massage therapist and wellness coach in Armonk, in practice for more than 20 years. She trained at the Swedish Institute and the Center for Coaching Mastery. She is part of the Global Lyme Alliance and Lyme Connection. After a long journey with Chronic Lyme Disease, Okun says she has successfully learned to manage her illness holistically. Visit www.bodycenteredhealing.massagetherapy.com.

Sharon’s Resources:

Authors

Healing Lyme by Stephen Harrod Buhner, Master Herbalist

This book includes extensive research on Lyme Disease and effective herbal medicine treatments. Stephen Buhner has written several books on Lyme Disease and on alternative medicine in general along with mind/body techniques.

Why Can’t I Get Better by Dr. Richard Horowitz, M.D.

Dr. Horowitz has been instrumental in changing laws to support Lyme Disease testing and treatment. He has designed Lyme Disease education for medical schools (including at Harvard).

Websites & Facebook Page

(Many of these organizations offer important Lyme prevention advice, too.)

Goodbyelyme.com: Research and information about Chinese medicine for Lyme

TiredofLyme.com: General Lyme information

Gaianstudies.org: Stephen Buhner’s institute

Globallymealliance.org: Patient advocacy organization

Lymeconnection.org: Local patient advocacy organization out of Fairfield County Connecticut

Town of New Castle Task Force on Health & Wellness Facebook Group

Inside Press Disclaimer: The opinions presented here reflect the experience and views of the author; please consult your own doctor for diagnosis and/or treatment.

White Plains Jazz Fest: A Fun-Filled Festival for Jazz Aficionados and Music Lovers of All Ages

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(L-R):: Wayne Bass, White Plains Commissioner of Recreation and Parks; Janet Langsam, CEO, ArtsWestchester; Kevin Nunn, Executive Director of the White Plains Business Improvement District; Kenny Lee (trumpet/flugelhorn) of Kenny Lee All Stars; Deputy Westchester County Executive Kevin Plunkett; Tom van Buren, Artistic Program Director, ArtsWestchester; and Tom Roach, Mayor of the City of White Plains

By Amanda Kraus

There’s good news for Westchester-based jazz lovers who may not be able to trek to New Orleans for Jazz Fest this year. This September, Westchester residents can simply take a quick trip to White Plains for the city’s sixth annual Jazz Fest in the downtown area, in collaboration with ArtsWestchester, The City of White Plains, and the White Plains Business Improvement District. “Every year gets better and better,” said Wayne Bass, White Plains Commissioner of Recreation and Parks and a key organizer of the event. The once single-day event now spans the five days of September 13-17 and will feature various world-renowned jazz musicians such as 14-time Grammy Winner Paquito D’Rivera, a clarinet and saxophone virtuoso and New Orleans-based saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr., as well as talented emerging local artists.

Janet Langsam, the CEO of ArtsWestchester and an Armonk resident, envisions a county in which every resident has the availability and affordability to participate in the arts with Jazz Fest being one of those opportunities. Most of the Jazz Fest events are free and others have a nominal fee.

Jazz Fest was created to enrich the lives of not only downtown White Plains residents but also the wider Westchester community. “By bringing live music into downtown White Plains, people who might not be familiar with jazz can be exposed to a new genre of music. If you want to know what it’s about, you can just walk in to Jazz Fest and be a part of it. It’s all about opening up our minds and trying to create community –music is something that brings people of all races, nationalities, and backgrounds together. It has that common denominator,” notes Bass.

The festival kicks off with a jazz stroll, in which numerous local restaurants will have musicians playing in either their dining rooms or in surrounding outdoor areas. People can walk down the street and catch as many performances as they’d like. There will be performances in the ArtsWestchester building, in addition to Sunday’s culminating event, which takes place on Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains, where there will be tents plus food vendors. The festival features a wide range of jazz music, from Afro-Caribbean to blues.

It includes both solo performers and bands including a small orchestra led by versatile Colombian pianist and composer Pablo Mayor to an ensemble led by local Peekskill-based jazz tenor saxophonist and jazz educator Ray Blue. The last day of the festival provides a grand finale of jazz sounds originating from Colombia, Puerto Rico, Dixieland and more.

With so much to do and see, it’s hard to find a reason not to go to Jazz Fest. Whether you’re a long-time jazz enthusiast or new to the genre, you’re guaranteed to have a good time no matter what day you choose to attend. For more information and a performance schedule visit www.artswestchester.org.

Amanda Kraus is an intern at the Inside Press this summer.

Facing the Gender Gap

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Reflections from Greeley’s First Female Student Body President in Nearly Two Decades

By Hannah Fenlon

Forty six American Presidents have been elected since our country was founded in 1776–and all of them have been men. Horace Greeley High School was founded in 1928–and only two student body Presidents prior to my election have been women.

I’ve been a member of Greeley’s Student Council since my freshman year. While the unequal male to female ratio was apparent, it had never held me back during meetings, or from taking initiative. I organized events, brought in school speakers, and was elected Vice President last year. Sure, this disproportion was evident–but it was not until this year, when I wanted to run for President, that I finally felt what many women in leadership endure–discouragement and disappointment due to the lack of past female leaders to look up to, and supportively engage with. Although I knew the ropes, and had confidence in my qualifications for the position, I struggled to find the inner strength to put myself in an arena where only two females had ever succeeded.

In those moments of self-doubt and apprehension, I especially admired the perseverance of Chappaqua’s own Hillary Clinton –and the many other women taking risks in leadership. The lack of female examples to follow in this field can pose a disadvantage to women leaning in, on local and global scales. According to the Pew Research Center, “There are 15 female world leaders currently in office, eight of whom are their country’s first woman in power…these women still represent fewer than 10% of 193 United Nations’ member states.”

At Greeley, many girls have campaigned in the past–fulfilling aspects of the election process including interviewing for the position, making posters, and giving a school wide speech. While it’s certainly an imperfect process, I was still shocked when Assistant Principal Mr. Hosier informed me that despite the efforts and qualifications of so many girls, the last female President was elected in 1999.

With a greater sense of unity, I have faith that Greeley can cultivate a stronger community going forward…ready to make change.

Having experienced what it’s like to be a female in the leadership arena, I possess a greater sense of urgency to advocate and highlight girls pursuing fields where they too are the minority. In particular, I’d like to focus on the promotion of girls in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, women fill almost half of all jobs in the U.S. economy, yet hold less than 25% of STEM jobs. This underrepresentation and untapped opportunity for girls passionate about STEM is tangible unfortunately here in Chappaqua–and it’s a reality I’ve seen and experienced firsthand.

I’ve pursued my passion for STEM in classes at Greeley–and have faced this gender disproportion each time. As a sophomore,

I walked into my Robotics and Java Programming classes to find myself only one out of three female students. This year, in Tech and Design, I was the only girl–and in my engineering class, the lack of female students was also prominent. Until those moments, when I was singled out as a girl before I even began to participate, I had never viewed the classroom as a place that demanded personal courage. I thought twice about raising my hand, even when I knew I was right. Self-doubt crept into my mind, as I began to question my skills and abilities even through success. In STEM and in leadership, I have faced the uncomfortable reality of the gender gap–but these experiences have ultimately left me determined to act. I think it’d be inspiring and informative to raise awareness of the apparent gender gap here in Chappaqua, and to have a component of the annual STEM Fest at Bell to promote girls’ participation and interest in the field.

While modern day politics can sometimes seem anything but respectful, encouraging, or engaging, the level of professionalism that this year’s Student Council election possessed left me with a great sense of hope. In fact, more than 600 students voted, Greeley’s highest voter turnout in years. This sense of student engagement is something I hope to expand–not just in the sphere of elections, but throughout Greeley’s hallways, classrooms, and spirit. While school is where it begins, spirit, strength, and connection shouldn’t disappear when the bell rings at 2:35 p.m. With a greater sense of unity, I have faith that Greeley can cultivate a stronger community going forward–a community of engaged students and active leaders, unafraid to break glass ceilings, and ready to make change.

Hannah Fenlon is a senior at Horace Greeley High School and only the third female student body President.

Abigail Pogrebin to Speak at Temple Beth El

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On Saturday, September 16 at 5 p.m. at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester, Abigail Pogrebin will be the featured speaker for the Selichot service that precedes the Jewish High Holidays.  Ms. Pogrebin is the author of the new book, My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew, which came out in March 2017 and was featured on the Today Show and reviewed enthusiastically by David Gregory in the New York Times. She will ‘unpack Selichot’–one of the least understood, but potentially most-heart-opening holidays, and speak about her new book. Books will be available for sale following the lecture.

Ms. Pogrebin also wrote Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk about Being Jewish for which she interviewed 62 famous Jews about their religious identity, One and the Same, about the realities of life as a twin, and Showstopper about her teenage adventure in a Broadway flop by Stephen Sondheim: “Merrily We Roll Along.” Formerly a producer for Charlie Rose at PBS and Mike Wallace at 60 Minutes, she has written for Newsweek, New York Magazine, The Forward, Tablet, and The Daily Beast. She moderates her own interview series at The JCC in Manhattan and is the current President of Central Synagogue in New York.

For more information, visit https://bethelnw.org/node/3848 or call 914-238-3928