Ronni Diamondstein

Blanketing the Town with Love

November 13, 2020 by Ronni Diamondstein

There’s Elf on a Shelf and there’s Mensch on a Bench, but we have a “Mystery Mensch” in our midst. Mensch is the Yiddish word for a good person. Our Mystery Mensch got busy crocheting colorful throws to keep her busy since March and quarantine set in. More than a dozen of these handcrafted gifts were sent by the Mystery Mensch who had lived in Chappaqua for 20 years before relocating to Virginia.

The Mystery Mensch doesn’t necessarily know all the people she crochets for. She asked friends in Chappaqua to recommend recipients. “They have to be a good human being who does good for the community. I would ask people who they thought I should make a throw and they threw out names to me. Cristina Lee was one of them.” The Mystery Mensch would contact the recipient and ask them to send her a picture of their couch and four of their favorite colors.

“I was very grateful to be chosen,” said Cristina Lee, a founder of the Tri-State Mask Making Group. “It’s a very special gift, especially because she made it with so much love during COVID. She did it for special people and I’m honored.”

Our Mystery Mensch has a history of performing acts of kindness. The former Westchester County parole officer organized a meal train for someone who was undergoing treatment for cancer whom she only knew from Facebook. She took her to the doctor and checked in on her regularly. She was a source of comfort to this woman who says she will be forever grateful to her.

When she moved to Richmond three years ago to be near one of her children she continued to do good deeds. Last year she made scarves for first grade children in a disadvantaged school in Richmond. “I don’t have the social life I had in Chappaqua,” the Mystery Mensch explains. “I needed something to do.” She plans to crochet scarves for the Kindergarteners in the school.

Two years ago, she got involved with another project. She joined a small group of people who would meet immigrants at the Richmond bus station coming from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala who were on their way north from Immigration camps in Texas.

The group of volunteers brought them care packages of food, clothing and drinks. “Many of my Chappaqua friends sent me boxes of food and treats and drinks. I couldn’t afford to keep buying things. It was my Chappaqua friends who stepped up and sent me stuff. That’s when collaboration became one of my favorite words.”

The Mystery Mensch also started what she calls “Bagel Thursday.” “I have been getting donated bagels and people come to my house and pick them up from my porch.”

Crocheting the multicolored striped throws was beneficial for the Mystery Mensch as well as the lucky recipients. “I don’t have much to do since retirement and not being able to socialize now because of COVID-19, I needed to keep busy.” She watches a lot of television while she crochets away. “I miss going out for coffee and lunch or dinner with friends.” Prior to COVID-19 she traveled a lot to visit her children and has been to South Africa since her retirement.

When asked what lessons she learned in life, she said, “I’ve learned to be humble.” That explains her wish to be anonymous for this story and sums up the Mystery Mensch quite well. An unpretentious person doing good for the pure joy of the deed. A real Mensch!

The Power of Pets in the Pandemic

August 24, 2020 by Ronni Diamondstein

Little did I know that I would be prepared for the pandemic thanks to my dog Maggie Mae and my single lifestyle. In March when Governor Cuomo announced “New York State on PAUSE (Policies Assure Uniform Safety for Everyone)” I wasn’t sure what life would be like, but I soon learned I would be okay.

I’m used to being by myself and I enjoy my own company but at the same time I like to socialize so I had to figure out how this was going to work in lockdown.

Having Maggie Mae with me was very comforting even before the pandemic. Now it was especially good to have a living creature in the house. As soon as I heard we were on lockdown I devised a plan.

I made a pact with my friend Barbara to check in with each other daily. I called friends I hadn’t spoken to in a while and wrote a very long overdue thank-you note to my high school French teacher Ellen LeClair who gave me advice that changed my life.

Since I don’t consider myself old but am in the demographic that needed to take more precautions, I did curbside pickups for food and ordered everything else I needed online including Maggie Mae’s food. I will be forever grateful to my goddaughter’s father and good friend Alex for offering to do anything I needed from picking up prescriptions to buying the much-coveted toilet paper. And I am thankful for the friends and neighbors who said, “Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.”

I baked and cooked a lot. In the spirit of victory gardens, I purchased an indoor garden and grew lettuce, basil and tomatoes. I bought lots of things for my kitchen among them an azure blue standing mixer with a glass bowl that I named “Betty” and a couple of Dutch ovens. I ordered as much flour and baking supplies as I could get. When yeast was hard to find my former student and now friend Ann sent me some from Massachusetts.

Even though I always wear a mask when Maggie Mae and I take our walks, we physically distance. Maggie Mae didn’t seem to understand why our neighbors didn’t come over to pet her. One morning on our walk into town, we saw our friend Carmine. Excited to see him, Maggie Mae wagged her tail. She was used to him picking her up or bending down to give her a hug. When there was no hug forthcoming, she looked sad.

In the late morning just after she had her daily snack, Maggie Mae would hear me say, “It’s Cuomo time.” She knew what that meant. It was time for her to hop up on the sofa and watch Governor Cuomo’s daily briefings with me. She would snuggle up next to me as I took notes so I could post a relevant quote for my Facebook followers.

Maggie Mae’s reaction to my virtual Pilates session was priceless. She was puzzled when she saw me lying on my Pilates mat in the middle of the living room and she heard the voice of Lauren, my trainer coming from my laptop which was also on the floor. She barked at me and the expression on her face reflected what she probably would have said, “What are you doing? Are you okay?”

My biggest stresses were about Maggie Mae. Going to the vet was challenging. They had new protocols and I had to wait in the car while they took her inside. And I had no idea when she would ever get a haircut again. While I am still in Phase One for the most part, the mobile grooming started up again in June and came to us to keep her looking her best curly-haired Poodle self.

The saddest thing for me was when my childhood friend Jeanne’s husband passed away from COVID. It was heartbreaking not to be able to be with her at the funeral or during Shiva. We talked on the phone a lot, but nothing can replace a hug.

I read that adoption rates for first-time pet owners was up all over the country. I can understand why. Having the company of my darling little dog, and her kisses and hugs made this challenging time much more bearable. I don’t know what I would do without my girl, Maggie Mae.

If you want to hear Maggie Mae’s side of the story check out her blog. https://maggiemaepup.com/2020/07/04/pandemic-pup-reporter/

Creating the Bethany Arts Community

October 26, 2019 by Ronni Diamondstein

It’s all about “Community” for David Lyons, Executive Director and Founder of the Bethany Arts Community (BAC) in Ossining and he’s quick to correct anyone who calls “Bethany” an arts center.

“In 2015 I was introduced to the property with a vision of creating an art community. And when I say community, that umbrella is very large. We have 44,000 square feet on 25 acres to work with from performance art, gallery exhibitions to children’s camp and many things in between,” says Lyons who grew up in Westchester and lives in Sleepy Hollow. Maryknoll Foreign Mission Sisters of St. Dominic, who originally owned the property referred to it as the Bethany Rest House. For Lyons, “Bethany,” as he affectionately refers to BAC, is a canvas.

Inspired by Salem Artworks in Salem, New York, Lyons wanted to create a community of artists that not only interacts with each other but with the community as a whole, locally and globally. BAC is a place where all levels of artists can gather to help each other and each other’s art flourish, and to enrich the creative process.

BAC has been up and running since January 2018. Lyons says what makes BAC special is that they were able to take all the individual arts and bring them under one roof: theatre, gallery space, theatre space workshop and children’s theatre. They host Theater O quite often. “We love working with them,” says Lyons. “We’ve expanded everything we’ve done two fold since last year. We ran after school workshops and work closely with Ossining School District.”

BAC has offered workshops in drawing, painting, mosaics, jewelry making and art history classes and hosted such talent as the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, a prominent modern dance presence on New York City and global stages. Their summer camp programs were expanded by two additional weeks this year and BAC was able to offer 11 inner city children full summer camp scholarships.

In September, BAC launched their first signature residency program, a juried selection including 24 lead artists in residency. There were 56 artists and collaborators onsite at BAC over six weeks. The residency program is designed to attract artists at different stages of their careers from around the world. “And there is always a community giveback—a performance, a reading, a demonstration,” says Lyons. “It is an important part and we weigh it heavily.” During their time on site, these artists will develop new works while engaging with local artists and the whole community. BAC attracted artists in residence from around the world–as far as Thailand–as well as hyper local. They received an Arts Westchester Grant to support the residency program

This fall they will host the Hudson River Potters Fall Showcase from November 8-10, have an exhibit in the gallery. They also plan to hold a Winter Solstice Concert.

One idea on Lyon’s plate: A “Seed to Belly” culinary education. “Everyone eats! I want the community to share a meal.” The property has a half-mile trail, replanted orchard, and hives.

A short-term goal is to solidify and shore up the foundations. BAC won a NYSCA grant for infrastructure and they are in the middle of that now. Lyons wants to take what they have and expand it. “Community to me is the world, we started in the local community, the Village of Ossining. We hope to expand to Briarcliff, to Chappaqua, Mount Kisco in a much broader sense, so our community will grow.”

While not an artist himself, Lyons passion for the arts is evident. “A lifetime of things got me started. My grandfather was a patron of the arts. Artists have always been very important to me for different reasons. Ultimately, the core of this and everything I do is for children.”

Lyons is optimistic about the future. “The scope in which we are able to offer in one place makes us unique. We had listening sessions. I said, ‘this is my vision, what do you need? There is plenty of art, plenty of artists and not enough space’.”

He wants to enhance the mission statement and their aim is to inspire sharing, connection and collaboration in a culture designed for the benefit of the local community and beyond. “We’re here, we’ve been growing organically, gaining notice in the world. My feeling is what can’t we do?”

Bethany Arts Community is holding its second annual fundraiser “ART IS COMMUNITY” on November 15 at 7 p.m. Supporters will enjoy an evening of cocktails, food, performance, exhibit, silent auction and more.

For tickets go to bethanyarts.org/calendar/artiscommunity/.

Bethany Arts Community is located at 40 Somerstown Road, Ossining, NY.

For more information go to bethanyarts.org

Photos courtesy of the Bethany Arts Community

Welcoming James Carroll: New Castle’s New Police Chief

August 24, 2019 by Ronni Diamondstein

Police Chief James Carroll
PHOTO BY RONNI DIAMONDSTEIN

There’s a new Chief in town, but New Castle’s new Police Chief James Carroll is hardly new to New Castle. Carroll was sworn in on June 28th upon the retirement of Chief Charles Ferry. “We chose Jim Carroll based on his experience. Chief Carroll has more than 15 years of police supervisory experience. He has been, and will continue to be, an asset to the Town,” said Town Supervisor Robert Greenstein about the Board’s decision to promote Carroll.

Carroll lived in the Bronx until he was five years old and then moved to Dutchess County where he still lives. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Marist College and worked briefly as a claims adjuster until he began his law enforcement career in April 1990 as a Dutchess County Deputy Sherriff.

In October 1993, Carroll joined the New Castle Police Department as a police officer. He trained new police officers for five years, was promoted to Sergeant in 2004, and then Lieutenant in 2016. “I didn’t know that I wanted to be Chief. I always wanted to move up in the ranks because I thought I could help shape the department. The further I got up, the further I wanted to go,” says Carroll.

Vicki Bergstrom whose family owns Lange’s Little Store has known Carroll since he started in New Castle. “It’s nice to see him rise through the ranks. He’s always been a great part of the community.”

“Service is our goal and primary function,” says Carroll. “I’d like to make this town the safest, and provide the best possible police service in the County or anywhere.” He is proud of his accomplishments to date that include increased productivity of traffic enforcement and community checks. “I want people to know that if they have a problem they should call. I tell the officers that if the phone rings I want a police officer to go speak to the caller. Sometimes it’s not a police matter, but we can talk to them and maybe steer them in the right direction, and that helps.”

Chief Carroll hosted his first “Coffee With A Cop” on Saturday, July 27, 2019 at Lange’s Little Store in Chappaqua with plans for one soon in the west end of the town. (L-R): Lt. James Dumser, Caroline Wood, Chief James Carroll, Nate Wood and Lt. Estuardo Pazmino. PHOTO BY RONNI DIAMONDSTEIN

Strengthening Relationships in the Community

Carroll is pleased with his good relationships with fellow first responders. “Jim has always brought a sense of calmness to his role as a police officer and his presence at emergency scenes is not only comforting to the residents, but the first responders as well,” says Chappaqua Fire Chief Russell Maitland. “We are very lucky to have someone like Jim at the helm of our police department.”

Carroll has also developed a strong relationship with the school district. Amy Kaiser, a Chappaqua teacher met Carroll when she was Greeley’s faculty advisor for the annual Relay for Life. “For the first time, we decided to hold the event at the Bell field, which we knew would require lots of support from our police department. Lt. Carroll was totally supportive and a true pleasure to work with. He and his officers were on-site throughout the evening, ensuring the event was safe and successful.”

A priority for Carroll is to have full-time school resource officers, one in the high school, one in each middle school, or one for both middle schools, and he’s working with the school district to get that done.

“We’re here as a resource to help and guide. We want to have a relationship with students so they feel comfortable and can go talk to an officer. If you do it with the kids when they are young, it helps with their social and emotional growth.”

As Chief, Carroll’s increased responsibilities include personnel selection, promotions and the budget. “You’re responsible for things that no one else is, and for everyone in the department from detective sergeants to the civilian staff.” He knows he will face some challenges. “Recruiting and selecting officers are more difficult these days. Fewer people are interested in going into law enforcement as a career.”

On the Horizon for the Police Department

Going forward, Carroll wants to improve their social media presence on Facebook and Twitter to give the department more transparency. “There are a lot of things we do that people don’t know about. We have a brand new police car, and we’ve reunited lost dogs with their owners.” He’d also like to build relationships with the officers and the community. “I want to do ‘Coffee with a Cop,’ ‘Coffee with the Chief,’ have an open house, and bring back the bike and motorcycle patrols.” says Carroll.

Carroll is grateful to his predecessor. “Chief Ferry has been a great mentor, co-worker, leader and friend. I wouldn’t be here now without him. It’s exciting to take over and put my own stamp on it.”

Inside the The Gordon Parks Foundation

August 24, 2019 by Ronni Diamondstein

Gordon Parks, Untitled 1941
Credit: Photograph by Gordon Parks.
Copyright: Courtesy of and copyright The Gordon Parks Foundation.

Making a Difference in the World to Overcome Bigotry, Poverty & Hatred

Nestled on Wheeler Avenue in Pleasantville are the exhibition space and offices of The Gordon Parks Foundation with its mission to permanently preserve the work of Gordon Parks, make it available to the public through exhibitions, books, and electronic media, and support artistic and educational activities that advance what Gordon described as “the common search for a better life and a better world.” The Foundation shines a light on the remarkable career of the iconic creative talent of Gordon Parks.

Parks was an extraordinary artist with an amazing range. His portraits were diverse, from socialites like Gloria Vanderbilt, civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. to sports figures like Muhammad Ali. “Gordon Parks used the power of art to make a difference in the world and to overcome bigotry, poverty and hatred,” says Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., the Executive Director of the Foundation. As a photojournalist, Parks captured the poverty and racism that affected Black America.

Breaking Barriers

“Gordon broke barriers as the first African American photographer to work at Life Magazine and worked closely with my grandfather Phil Kunhardt who was the managing editor,” says Kunhardt.

Gordon Parks (1912-2006), a multi-talented, modern-day Renaissance man, was born into poverty and segregation in Fort Scott, Kansas. As an itinerant laborer, he worked as a brothel pianist and railcar porter among other jobs before buying a camera from a pawnshop, training himself to become a photographer. He also found success as a writer, composer and film director. “He was the first black filmmaker to direct a studio motion picture, and his first film Shaft helped create a genre. But Parks’ enduring contribution was to break down the barriers of racism in Hollywood,” writes Desa Philadelphia for the Directors Guild of America.

“At the core of The Gordon Parks Foundation’s work is the support of current and emerging leaders who carry on Parks’ legacy,” says Kunhardt who has led the foundation since 2011. During Kunhardt’s tenure the Foundation created The Gordon Parks Foundation Scholarships and Prizes program, and established The Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship, which has awarded six fellowships to photographers, artists, filmmakers, and musicians whose work addresses themes of representation and social justice. In 2019, he oversaw the launch of The Gordon Parks Arts and Social Justice Fund dedicated to supporting these educational initiatives.

Supporting the Next Generation of Artists Inspired by Parks

Each year the Foundation celebrates Gordon Parks’ legacy and honors those who continue his vision for social change at The Gordon Parks Foundation’s Annual Awards Dinner and Auction. The Gordon Parks Foundation Award is given to individuals who have enriched our lives in ways that reflect Parks’ ideas and goals by using creative means to inspire the next generation. The Patron of the Arts Award recognizes and celebrates individuals with a deep appreciation of the arts. Recipients receive this special recognition for their support and promotion of artistic creativity in the visual arts, film, literature, or performing arts.

Kunhardt sums up the impact of the Foundation’s work. “Through initiatives such as our scholarship and fellowship programs, as well as these annual awards, we continue to empower the next generation of change-makers and those who are current forces for social justice and the arts.”

The exhibitions at The Gordon Parks Foundation space feature fellowship recipients, curated selections of Gordon Parks’ work, and works by artists whose work is influenced by Parks.

The Gordon Parks Foundation Honoree Chelsea Clinton accepts award from Sarah Lewis and Alex Soros at the annual Gala at Cipriani’s in New York, June 4, 2019. PHOTO BY SEAN ZANNI FOR PMC

I don’t think there has ever been a more important time in my life to support art and artists. They help prevent us from becoming complacent or numb to the challenges we face, while urgently illuminating those challenges. They show us what is possible when love and kindness, not hate and indecency, are celebrated and empowered. And they offer us hope, pushing us toward what Gordon called “the common search for a better life and a better world.
– Chelsea Clinton

Not to Be Missed Exhibits

Two upcoming exhibitions are Guadalupe Rosales’ Must’ve been a wake-dream: September 6 through October 18, 2019 and Hank Willis Thomas’: Exodusters October 25 through December 20, 2019.

Must’ve been a wake-dream is a celebration of Rosales’ work as a 2019 Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship recipient, which includes collaborations with Latinx and LGBTQ communities to examine the interplay between photography and community. Through her careful collecting, preservation, and presentation of vernacular photographs, letters, party flyers and ephemera representing Latinx Southern California youth culture, Rosales creates an expanding archive that brings visibility to a community that has been overlooked, misrepresented and criminalized. Also on view during Must’ve been a wake-dream will be a group of Gordon Parks’ photographs, selected by Rosales, from Parks’ celebrated Harlem Gang Leader series, made as the first African-American photographer for LIFE magazine in 1948.

Hank Willis Thomas has an ongoing vested interest in photography as a documentation of history and a universal means for people to represent their stories. Exodusters examines the representation and depiction of history, particularly during a significant moment in the pursuit for freedom and liberty during the Great Depression in Dust Bowl America. Thomas draws upon the archive of Gordon Parks’ seminal and semi-autobiographical film The Learning Tree (1969) that depicts the fictional Cherokee Flats, which is based off of Parks’ hometown in Fort Scott, Kansas, where he returned to produce the movie.

The Gordon Parks Foundation welcomes visitors to view the rotating shows of photography in their exhibition space. Hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is free.

For more information: gordonparksfoundation.org