The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Armonk Cover Stories

Why the North Castle Library is a Community Treasure

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“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library,” said Albert Einstein. To access the library is to access a key to endless information. The following ten reasons are why you want to know the location of the North Castle Public Library.

1. A Children’s Oasis

The library’s innovative children’s programming satisfies all ages spanning from lap babies to high schoolers. The youngest patrons have access to toddler yoga, Sensory Play, Mother Goose, music classes, and the new Toddler Mixer. Ages 4 and up can participate in Science Lab, Robert the Guitar Guy, and reading with the adorable therapy dog Tobie.

The new young adult room (“YA room”) is a safe space for sixth graders and up to gather and do homework, study, and play games. In addition to 3D printers, the YA room has a Nintendo Switch, a PS4, and a Wii. The library also recently purchased 3D pens for the kids to explore and an Oculus Quest for virtual reality games.

Programs for teens and tweens include Dungeons and Dragons, knitting, and the teen book club “Overbooked.” A Teen Advisory Board of high schoolers meets monthly to discuss future programs for the library.

2. Summer Reading with Unexpected Benefits

Last year, the librarians tweaked the annual program by requiring participants to meet with a librarian to discuss the book they read rather than just logging it in on their website. “Parents thanked me because they noticed how much their child had grown over the summer from initially not wanting to make eye contact to learning how to express themselves to an adult and discuss a book,” recounts Stephanie Hartwell-Mandella, Assistant Director and Head of Youth Services at the library.

3. Adult Programming Offering Something for Everyone

Adults can participate in the current affairs book club, the Friday night film series or educational classes for Bridge, Tai Chi, Chair Yoga, Meditation, Italian language and culture, art history, computer instruction, writing workshops, and more. Public service talks on real estate, ayurvedic medicine, and navigating health insurance are also regularly scheduled.

4. Everything is FREE!

All you need is a library card. Whether you want to attend classes, borrow books, use the public computers, hang out and read magazines, or access the digital collection, it is all free. Libraries are one of the few truly public places where one can have access to whatever one wants without having to spend a dime.

Tobie owned by Armonk resident Karen DiPietro is a therapy dog through The Good Dog Foundation. Each week children at the North Castle Library read to him.
PHOTOS by Carolyn Simpson

5. Download an E-book

Patrons can download free e-books and audio books onto their devices through the Westchester library system.

6. An Amazing Interactive Website

The website at northcastlelibrary.org connects you to online courses, job search engines, virtual concerts, recipes, newspapers, and entertainment. Free tutors are available through Tutor Time to go over math problems, submit a paper for proofreading, or talk to a tutor about any subject. Going on a trip and want the most up to date travel information on a country’s culture, currency or food? Head to the website. Want to take a free class on photoshop? Head to the website.

7. Need a dress?

The library has its very own version of rent the runway. They have a limited collection of party dresses that can be checked out just like a library book, worn, dry cleaned and returned. Other unusual items currently in circulation are fishing poles and ukeleles.

8. A Real Theatre Adjacent to the Armonk library is the 186-seat Whippoorwill Theater Hall.

Two theatre groups, Hudson Stage and The Armonk Players, sponsored by the The Friends of the North Castle Library (The “Friends”), put on shows at the theatre. The Friends are a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise money for the library.

9. Exposure to Art

Besides the annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show sponsored by the Friends, the library now features art exhibits in its new gallery located upstairs in the Armonk branch.

10. Librarians Eager to Meet Community Needs

The librarians consistently work to bringing great ideas to life. One of those ideas currently in development is an outdoor garden behind the children’s space with gardening beds, a deck, and a collection of percussion instruments. Construction is set to begin in the spring. The librarians serve as a great resource for anyone needing help with research or looking for a particular book. “People sometimes come over to us and say ‘I hate to bother you’–You’re not bothering us! This is what we do and why we’re here–to help you find what you need,” says North Castle Public Library Director Edie Martimucci.

For an up to date calendar on the library’s programs, go to northcastlelibrary.org You can also follow the North Castle Public Library on Facebook. Teens can find out about upcoming programming on Instagram @ncplteen. The Armonk branch is located at 19 Whippoorwill Road East in Armonk. The phone number is 914-273-3887. The North White Plains branch is located at 10 Clove Road in North White Plains. Their phone number is 914-948-6359.

The Best Volunteer Opportunities: Where to Lend a Hand Locally in 2020

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COURTESY OF (914) CARES

Tatum Krase, Emma Schwartz, Molly Reinmann, and Amanda Pohly volunteer to sort clothing at Kids’ Kloset. PHOTO COURTESY OF (914) CARES

Planning on making a New Year’s Resolution to give back to your community? Have a teen who would like to volunteer? We sat down with (914) Cares’ CEO, Jessica Reinmann to put together a list of the top 10 volunteer opportunities in Northern Westchester.

1. Kids’ Kloset – Pack a “Bag of Love” for a child in need.

Kids’ Kloset provides underserved Westchester County children with donated clothing, books and related items. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/kids-kloset.

2. Baby Bank – Stock the shelves with donated baby items.

Baby Bank provides basic necessities and essentials for babies, 0-2. The mission is to help local families in need keep their babies clean, healthy and happy. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/baby-bank.

3. Coachman Family Center – Host a holiday celebration for children.

Located in White Plains, the Coachman Family center has over 60 homeless children in their youth program at any given time. Create a fun-filled afternoon with food, activities and games. For additional information, contact angela.damore@westhab.org.

4. Neighbors Link – Cook dinner for Family Night.

Neighbors Link’s mission is to strengthen the whole community through the healthy integration of immigrants. Every other Friday, an evening workshop is offered to Neighbors Link families and a buffet dinner is needed. For more information, please contact mpalomino@neighborslink.org.

5. DonationDrives – Collect urgently needed items.

DonationDrives helps individuals and groups coordinate and manage collection drives for those in need. For more information, go to www.914cares.org/donate-things.

6. JCY-Westchester – Read to a child.

Help kids become life-long readers at one of the 26 programs run by JCY-Westchester Community Partners.  Programs are run during the school day, right after school and over the summer. For more information, please contact mfinesmith@jcy.com.

7. Ossining Schools – Sort donated books.

The Ossining School District is committed to making sure every student has access to books at home. Sort through donated books so we can help create these home libraries. For more information, please contact info@914cares.org.

8. #FilltheVan – Help gather diapers and wipes for babies in need.

#FilltheVan is a community-wide diaper and wipe drive that helps struggling families. Participants will receive flyers, program brochures and collection boxes and on February 14th, we will pick up all of the collected donations. For more information, please go to www.914cares.org.

9. Cottage School – Host a Lunch Bunch.

The Cottage School helps abused, neglected and traumatized children heal physically and emotionally through compassionate, quality care. Lunch bunch occurs once a month, during the week for adults and on the weekends for teens. For more information, please contact rosenthals@jccany.org.

10. Volunteer at your local Food Pantry.

21% of Westchester residents are food insecure and your local food pantry provides essentials to those in need. For more information, please contact your local food pantry or send an email to info@914cares.org.

 

 

Making Holiday Memories: Inspiring Ideas for Families

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The holiday season is upon us and it’s time to shop, plan celebrations and also enjoy all our communities have to offer at this special time. Here are a few ideas to help celebrate and enjoy the season all while having fun locally:

1. From Friday, Dec. 13, to Sunday, Dec. 15, in Chappaqua, shop artists’ special pop-ups between the King Street Studio and The Art Closet Gallery in the loft at Family Britches. The kickoff will take place in conjunction with the downtown Chappaqua Wine Around Town event on Dec. 13 from 5-8 p.m.

2. For a break from all the preparations the holidays entail, check out the Jane Condon Holiday Comedy Show at Armonk’s Whippoorwill Theater on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Rabbi Josh Strom of Congregation B’nai Yisrael will emcee the evening, which will also include a performance by Boston-based comic Kathe Farris. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com.

3. Westchester’s Winter Wonderland returns this year to Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. Hours and days vary now through Jan. 4, winterwonderland.com for more info. There’s a circus, ice skating, rides and more. Tickets are $20 for ages 3 and up.

4. While the menorah lighting as well as a tree lighting already took place in Armonk on Frosty Day, before this issue went to press, the details of Chappaqua’s menorah lighting ceremony had not yet been firmed up. Ike Kuzio, superintendent of New Castle Recreation and Parks, said residents can keep abreast of this important annual event at Chappaqua’s community center by checking in on the town’s website.

5. Enjoy a screening of a Big Band Holiday program from Jazz at Lincoln Center in the New Castle Town Hall Assembly Room. The program runs from 6:30-9, p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 starting with refreshments provided by the Friends of the Chappaqua Library and will feature songs both “sacred and secular.”

6. Or attend The Movies’ Greatest Christmas Songs on Sunday Dec. 8 at 2 p.m. at the New Castle Community Center on Senter Street. Jon Reichman will use film clips, photos and piano performance to explore the history of famous holiday tunes White Christmas, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and Silver Bells.

7. Have yourself a historic Christmas. Visit the Horace Greeley House on Saturday Dec. 7, where a crafts workshop will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. and a tree lighting at 5 p.m. will be accompanied by the Horace Greeley High School Madrigal Choir leading carols, and a visit from Santa.

8. Why not spend some time in early December learning about the traditions of various cultures, communities and religions? Besides boasting many resources for learning about Christmas and Chanukah, the North Castle Public Library has several books about Kwanzaa (Dec. 26-Jan. 1) and a CD of Kwanzaa music for loan. The Chappaqua Library also offers a book about the Hindu festival of Diwali (this year, celebrated already in October), titles about Chinese New Year, and more.

9. To offset the effects of kugel and cookies, give snowshoeing a try. Skip Beitzel, owner of Hickory & Tweed in Armonk, said “Snowshoeing is great. My adage for snowshoeing is, ‘snow and they will go.’” Beitzel, whose shop sells snowshoes for all ages, said his customers snowshoe on local golf courses or on the bike path that runs through Millwood. Those seeking a more arduous experience may even take their snowshoes to ski areas to use them when climbing uphill. “Why not snowshoe as a family?” Beitzel said, since after all many families ski together, and snowshoeing can be done easily and locally–providing there’s snow.

10. Or plan a family hike to The Eugene and Agnes Meyer Preserve, a 247-acre spot with more than six miles of color-coded trails. Spanning New Castle and North Castle, the preserve has kiosks at each entrance to help visitors plan their hikes. For more outdoor appreciation, make the Christmas Bird Count a part of your family’s December traditions (find dates and locations on audubon.org) – or even closer to home, join Cornell’s Project Feeder Watch (join.birds.cornell.edu) and find out how families can contribute meaningfully to important statistics on birds and migration patterns. It’s not too late to join this information-collecting effort, which will get you through the winter and into spring.

Twenty Byram Hills High School Seniors Inducted Into Cum Laude Society

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Pictured in back, from the left are: Christina Ferrari, Caroline Kelly, Allison Stillman, Kallie Hoffman, Spencer Karp, Sarah Ilany, Sam Aberman, Benjamin Hammond, Victoria Ganeles, Alison Lehman. From the bottom left are: Madison Higgins, Reese Tateo, Michael Vaquero, Elena Lowe, Ella Manners, Meredith Mayers, Isabelle Nelson, Dominic Picca, Arielle Ragals, and Bryan Roden.

Twenty Byram Hills High School seniors were honored for their academic achievement as they were inducted into the Cum Laude Society during a ceremony in late October. Byram Hills High School Principal, Christopher Walsh, pointed out the importance of the event for three main reasons. He said, “First, it allows us to focus on and celebrate these students whose GPA are within the top 10% of their class. Next, we get to honor faculty members who are being inducted into Cum Laude and gain inspiration from their remarks. Finally, inductees have invited teachers who have had a positive impact on their learning and this tradition represents the best of Byram Hills.”

Walsh continued by sharing that the class of 2020 was special to him because they were incoming freshmen the year he started as Byram Hills High School principal. The first time he met with them that year, he asked them to write down on index cards something special about themselves. Walsh salvaged the inductees’ index cards and read their responses to the audience. Along with their academic growth over the years, the cards demonstrated tremendous growth in the inductees’ character, personalities, and identities. 

The faculty addresses were given by high school math teacher, Chris Lewick and Social Studies Chairperson, Jen Laden, who were inducted into the Cum Laude Society during last year’s ceremony. Lewick delivered his address in the form of an audience participation song with an impactful message: Create your own opportunities, never set limits and enlist all the people you can in your life. Laden offered the following advice, “My wish for the honorees is that you can experience learning opportunities that help you to develop empathy and that you never lose the desire to engage with others.”

Pictured from left are: Superintendent, Dr. Jen Lamia, and English teacher, Ms. Lisa Squadron.

Dr. Sandra Abt, Chapter President of the Byram Hills Cum Laude Society, said, “Perspective will help you become happier, more successful and more self-fulfilled. Try new things and don’t judge in advance.” Dr. Abt closed by saying, “Your future lies before you–make the most of it.”

The two 2019 staff inductees were English teacher, Lisa Squadron and Byram Hills Superintendent, Dr. Jen Lamia. The students inducted into Cum Laude were: Samuel Aberman, Christina Ferrari, Victoria Ganeles, Benjamin Hammond, Madison Higgins, Kallie Hoffman, Sarah Ilany, Spencer Karp, Caroline Kelly, Alison Lehman, Elena Lowe, Ella Manners, Meredith Mayers, Isabelle Nelson, Dominic Picca, Arielle Ragals, Bryan Roden, Allison Stillman, Reese Tateo and Michael Vaquero.

The Cum Laude Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1907 to recognize scholastic achievement in secondary schools. Today it has over 350 chapters throughout the country. – Courtesy of Byram Hills Media Center

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BYRAM HILLS MEDIA CENTER

Ten Reasons Why I’m Grateful To Call Armonk Home

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When I was asked to write a piece about the things I love most about Armonk, I immediately said “yes.” I have lived in this town for 21 years so I feel like I know it pretty well. So, without further ado, here’s my top ten list:

1: The Restaurants

Armonk has become known for its fabulous restaurants. We have so many new and old places, with a wide variety of cuisines from which to choose. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite for breakfast or lunch, or a more elegant dining experience where you can celebrate a special occasion, there are plenty of options.

2: The Shops

You never have to leave Armonk (unless you want to) because we pretty much have everything you could need right here. A new outfit? A haircut? An amazing cup of coffee? A picture or diploma framed? Whatever you desire, I guarantee you can find it in Armonk. And if you check out the Best of Westchester list, you might find several of your Armonk favorites on that list.

3: The Location, Location, Location

Going into Manhattan for work or for fun is pretty easy, whether you want to drive or take the train; it takes under an hour to get there. If you prefer a day in the country, we are not too far from apple-picking, antique shopping and farms. And in the winter, we are near some pretty decent skiing. Here in Armonk, we get the best of all worlds.

4: The Special Events

People come from far and wide for the annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show, the Fol de Rol, and, most recently, The Frosty Parade, which has gotten bigger and better every year since it first began in 2009. All three events are worth the trip to town and I plan on attending all of them again this year.

5: The People

I have got to say that we have some of the nicest and most compassionate people living here. Whether it’s donating money to a cause or hands-on helping, Armonkians step up. We take care of our own, as well as others.

6: The Schools

The Byram Hills School district consistently ranks highly among Westchester and New York State schools. The administrators and teachers really care about the students and do their best day in and day out. From Coman Hill to the High School, our kids receive a first-rate education. Our district’s reputation is one of the reasons people choose to live here and why home values remain high.

7: The Parks/Wampus Pond

I no longer have little kids. However, when I did, we hung out at the local parks. Lombardi and IBM have lovely playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball hoops, soccer fields, etc. And if boating is your mojo, we have beautiful Byram Lake and Wampus Pond. Every time I pass Wampus Pond I look for the two magnificent swans who have made it their home. And even though its only fall, I’m already wondering if Wampus Pond will freeze over this year—I love to walk on the ice and watch people ice fish and ice skate.

8: The History

Armonk has been around a long time. Mile Square in the center of town (officially, the Bedford Road Historic District) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and British Major André, Benedict Arnold’s co-conspirator was held at Sands Mill in town prior to his trial. One of my favorite class trips that I chaperoned was to Smith Tavern Complex, which was built around 1779. In addition to the tavern, the complex also has a one-room schoolhouse. Having been obsessed with the “Little House on the Prairie” books when I was a kid, I loved going there and imagining what life was like hundreds of years ago. If you haven’t ever been there, you might want to check it out.

9: The Small-Town Feel

I love a place with a small town feel and we certainly have got that. People know each other by name and by sight. A few times I left my wallet home by accident and was pleasantly surprised to find that the shop owners trusted that I would come back and pay them (which I did). Store owners are happy to go above and beyond for their customers. And while we may not exactly be Mayberry, Armonk has a hometown feel. We’ve even got a gazebo and a Main Street!

10: The Access to Fitness/Wellness

Look around in the spring, summer or fall and you’ll see all the cyclists who are a testament to what a great area this is for biking. And in the winter, we have lots of indoor options for staying fit. Yoga, tennis, a gym, etc. are only a few of the places Armonk residents go to stay in shape. And if you prefer to be a little more sedentary, we do have a really nice library!

As you can see, there’s really quite a lot to love about this town we call home and I feel quite fortunate and proud to live here.