The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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Innovative Get Fit Ideas from our Sponsors

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Lately, new forms of fitness are redefining how people engage with their physical well-being by blending creativity, technology, and community-driven experiences. Hybrid fitness classes, combining elements like dance, martial arts, and strength training, are becoming popular for their dynamic approach to exercise. These innovative approaches reflect a shift toward more engaging, diverse, and holistic fitness. By embracing activities that resonate, you invest in a healthier, happier version of yourself.

To mesh with our health & wellness theme, we asked our fitness related sponsors what their smart & effective ‘get fit’ solutions are for 2025 and here’s what we found out.

Club Fit in Briarcliff Manor

Unleash your potential with Strike Kickboxing, the latest fitness trend in our new Strike Studio! Whether you opt for a quick 30-minute session or a full 60, our certified instructors deliver high-energy classes that combine skill-building with a killer workout. Experience improved strength, coordination, and cardiovascular endurance while learning precise techniques. Feel empowered as you master new skills, enhance balance, and boost your confidence. Plus, it’s the perfect way to relieve stress and blow off steam in a fun, focused environment. Step into the ring and discover how Strike Kickboxing transforms your fitness journey – one punch, one kick, one class at a time!

clubfit.com/briarcliff-manor

ROAMFurther Athletics

ROAMFurther Athletics is dedicated to inspiring people of all ages to embrace movement as a pathway to health, confidence, and adventure. Specializing in innovative fitness programs based on parkour and ninja-warrior style obstacle training ROAM helps individuals build strength, agility, and resilience while having fun. By promoting a mindset of continuous improvement in an inclusive and collaborative atmosphere, ROAM empowers participants to overcome physical and mental challenges, fostering a sense of accomplishment and well-being. Whether you’re looking to stay active, connect with others, or take your fitness journey to the next level, ROAMFurther Athletics offers a unique approach to staying healthy and living life to the fullest.

roamfurther.com

Armonk Tennis

As a tennis club, our get-fit solution is to get out on the court and play. A lot of people struggle to maintain a gym routine, but a sport like tennis, which requires constant movement and exercises the whole body, is a great way to work out without the focus being on how many reps are left. Cardio Tennis is a particularly good program we have for working up a sweat, but even just rallying with a friend helps burn calories and build stamina. Since reaching any type of fitness goal requires commitment, tennis is an ideal activity because it’s social and fun, providing extra motivation to stick with it.

armonktennis.com

New Castle Physical Therapy & Personal Training

My get-fit tip is to focus on your weakest orthopedic link and slowly build a program around it. You may have the best designed strength and conditioning program, but if it flares up your back, knee or shoulder, your progress will likely come to a halt. Some common exercises that occasionally cause problems are overhead shoulder presses, deep squats, deep dips and sit ups (even crunches!). More mindful replacement exercises would be rotator cuff strengthening, clamshells, planks and side planks. Even with these exercises, it is important to start slowly and build. Avoid the mistake of too much, too soon!

newcastlept.net

The Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester

Our get-fit solution is swimming! Swimming offers the benefit of a full-body workout and can lead to improved cardiovascular fitness, weight management, and stress reduction. At Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester (BGCNW) we offer Learn-to-Swim classes for all ages in addition to: stroke development clinics; the Marlins, competitive youth swim team – nationally ranked in the top 5% of swim clubs; adult lap swim; and, the adult Masters swim team. Water safety is a critical skill, especially for children. Each year in the U.S. the #1 cause of accidental death for children aged 6 and under is drowning. Over 70,000 children have learned to be water safe at the Club.

bgcnw.com

Sweat in Pleasantville

Sweat’s preferred “get-fit” solution is straightforward – consistency. With everything in life, results are a direct relationship between the effort you’ve put in. I can see changes in our clients who have dedicated the time to their hot yoga or skulpt class workouts, consistently showed up for themselves, and committed to prioritizing their health. Sweat has expanded our class offerings – we now have evening classes 3 nights during the week and have also rounded out our class portfolio with a Strength and Conditioning class. Giving new options for our clients to get to the studio in the evenings will hopefully allow for more consistency in their 2025 fitness journey.

sweatnewyork.com

Kathy Joyce Fitness in Pleasantville

My tip. Ladies, lift heavy weights 2-3 times a week! Women over 40 must prioritize strength training. Muscle mass starts to decline rapidly after the age of 40, and as estrogen decreases, building muscle becomes harder. High rep, 8lb weights won’t cut it. “Heavy” is different for everyone, but it means lifting a weight that challenges you at the 4 to 6 rep range. Strength training not only helps build muscle but boosts metabolism and bone health. So, step away from the Peloton and start lifting heavy weights! Your body will thank you.

kathyjoycefitness.com

Kim Haas – On Health, Fitness & Gratitude

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A day does not go by where Kim Haas, longtime Armonk resident and personal trainer, doesn’t either run, walk, lift weights, do yoga, get on her peloton, or bike outside. It isn’t always easy, but she draws motivation from recognizing how exercise both makes her feel and heal.

Haas was always interested in physical fitness. Working in the fashion industry in her twenties and living above a gym in New York City, she regularly exercised and even worked in the gym. Later, as a mother of two living in Westchester, Kim became certified as a personal trainer when her youngest was in kindergarten. She started out at New York Sports Club and eventually focused her business on private clients. An intense exerciser herself and as someone who ran half marathons, she had found the perfect fit for her career.

Coping with the Challenge of a Lifetime

Living a busy life as a personal trainer and mother of two and seemingly the picture of health, Kim was devastated to learn that she was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of uterine cancer eight years ago at age 47. After months of powering through what felt like normal exhaustion, Haas went to her doctor about some episodes of abnormal bleeding.

“When I got the call from the doctor, it was like a gut punch,” recalls Kim. “I couldn’t absorb any information or make a phone call, so I had my husband and friends do everything for me. It was so out of character for me because I always do everything. But when it came to me, I was just paralyzed.”

Haas underwent surgery at a local hospital followed by grueling rounds of chemotherapy and radiation at Memorial Sloan Kettering. She lost her hair, lost weight, and felt exhausted. Despite these challenges, she was determined to protect her high school daughter from seeing the degree of her sickness. Her older son was away at college. Kim would rise in the morning when her daughter went to school, be with her, and have friends drive her to school when possible so she didn’t have to fuss with her wig.

As soon as her daughter would leave for school, Haas would take her yoga mat and head to Equinox gym in town. Taking her position in a back corner of the room, she immersed herself in these yoga classes. When Kim started her yoga journey five years prior as a way to stretch after intense workouts, it was challenging for her to slow down, but she gradually grew to savor this time.

“It just really kept me going,” Haas reflects. “I had something to look forward to and it made me feel good. I was moving but not doing too much.”

Unable to run, she also made it a habit to walk every day. Bundling up in the winter, Kim was out there every day. “I was green and skinny and wearing a wig and I’m sure the whole world was noticing, but I didn’t care. I knew I had to get out and do my thing.” Returning home, she would nap, and then make sure to be back up to greet her daughter after school.

Erin, Aidan, Kim & Erik Haas

Marveling at how well she was doing and how she didn’t really need her nausea medication, Haas’ doctors questioned her about her habits. They surmised that her stretching and movement through yoga and walking alleviated her symptoms and indicated plans to study yoga’s beneficial effect on cancer patients.

Haas has since become certified as a yoga instructor. “I felt like yoga saved my life. It’s what got me through the day. Even now when I do yoga, it puts me in that space again. It’s just such a calming experience and feels like a mini vacation where everything else goes away.”

Carol Weston & Rob Ackerman, an Armonk couple, have been taking yoga under Haas’ tutelage for years. Ackerman has practiced yoga for 35 years, and among the many instructors he’s had, Haas stands out as exceptionally focused, thoughtful, and mindful. “She skillfully adapts her sessions for a group diverse in age and ability,” he says. “She models the poses beautifully, incorporates traditions like ending with “om,” and adds thoughtful touches, like lavender oil in savasana, enhancing the experience. She has a way of knowing what people need.”

“Yoga with Kim is such a delight,” shares Weston. “Rob and I have had the pleasure of practicing yoga with her at her home and, during the summer, on the deck of The Windmill Club. Sometimes we arrive harried and breathless, and she reminds us to…breathe. Her class is the right amount of challenging and she shares how to adjust movements. At the end, it’s like we’ve done a real re-set and are refreshed and ready to go back to our desks and lives. Namaste.”

Giving Back

When Haas was fighting her cancer battle, she discovered Soul Ryeders, a non-profit organization based in Rye that offers support to those impacted by cancer. Some of their offerings included events at salons offering reiki, massage, manicures, eyebrow tutorials, and wig trimmings. They also offer wig rentals. Kim donated her wigs and volunteers several times a month doing wig fittings. She also volunteers as a cancer peer mentor.

“Sometimes it’s very emotional for me but I find it really rewarding that I can give back,” reflects Haas.

Living Life to Its Fullest

This March, Kim will be seven years cancer-free. She is thankful for every day and is always on the move. She and her husband love to bike around Greenwich, Bedford, and Pound Ridge. “We live in the most beautiful part of the world and never take that for granted,” she says. They have set a great example for their children too. Their son does ironman races and marathons and their daughter is yoga certified and loves rock climbing.

Kim truly lives life to the fullest. She takes incredible care of herself, but she also pours her love and energy into others, making her a source of strength and inspiration to so many.

“If you don’t move and stay active in your twenties, thirties, and forties, it affects how you age in your fifties, sixties, and seventies,” says Haas. “You need to keep moving and keep going. That’s my motto.”

Good Vibes: How Music Inspires Health & Happiness

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Playing music makes you happier because it increases dopamine release, the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter. – Harvard Medical School

The act of making music is inherently rewarding for mental health.

The transformative power of music has long been celebrated, and for the students at School of Rock in Briarcliff Manor it’s not only a creative outlet but a way to cope with stress and form bonds. Recently, I had the chance to sit down with some of these young musicians and facilitate a discussion of how music has impacted them, and the mental health benefits that music has on people. In this article, we’ll explore the different advantages to playing instruments and connecting with music.

How Did These School of Rock Students Start Playing Music?

Jess Katz, a sophomore in high school, began playing violin, but thanks to her dad’s taste in rock music, she moved to guitar. “I decided to see if I could learn the basics, but it quickly escalated to more. Now, I can’t imagine not playing guitar,” Jess said.

Freja Davidson, a senior in high school, always loved rock and pop singing. “I’ve always been singing,” she explained, “That’s really where I started. My first instrument was piano, and I started playing classical piano when I was about 5 or 6. Then I wanted to get into guitar since I was hearing a lot of pop on the radio, so I picked up acoustic guitar,” she added. “I played by myself for a while but decided to join School of Rock where I picked up bass guitar. I just want to do as much with music as I can.”

Tristan Robins, who’s only in 8th grade, has been playing all types of music since he only was one and a half years old. He doesn’t recall exactly how he became interested in music but knows that his parents heavily influenced him in his decision to start playing, as they are both musicians that attend School of Rock.

Ben Schrier, who is the Music Director at School of Rock, shared his story. “I started getting into music when I was about 7 or 8 years old, because my parents listened to a lot of rock music. They were from The Beatles and Led Zeppelin generation, so I listened to those records all the time,” he said. “I ended up getting into guitar and studied it in school. I got to tour the world, produce some records, and eventually retired from New York City to be here in Briarcliff,” Ben stated. Now he works with the School of Rock team and loves it.

Lastly, Jim Domzalski, the owner and manager of School of Rock, told me how he got into music. “In my house, you had to pick an instrument when you were 6 years old, and I chose guitar. I played classical guitar from the ages of 6 to13, and it was like pulling teeth to get me to go to lessons,” Jim said. “It wasn’t super enjoyable to me until I started playing with my friends in a rock band, where I realized that music can actually be fun. I ended up getting a business degree and music fell to the wayside.” He spent over a decade in corporate finance and questioned what he was doing with his life. How could he make a more positive impact, he asked himself? “How do I bring something great to the world?” School of Rock was what he decided to do. “I left corporate America and since I knew how to run a business and was passionate about music I decided to open School of Rock in Briarcliff Manor.”

How Does Music Works as a Creative Outlet and Help to Cope with Anxiety and Stress?

“It really helps me because I know I put a lot of pressure on myself in school. For example, just now I was back there doing work, but I can just focus on playing music for the next two to three hours and forget about the stress of school. That’s why I really love it,” Davidson said. “I also try to integrate music into school and have done chorus since I was a freshman. I love that break in the day to sing, be with my friends, and I find it’s a nice creative outlet for me,” Freja concluded.

Katz said, “I’ve dealt with a lot of anxiety and stress since middle school. Especially about school as I tend to stress myself out for no reason. But, playing guitar and music here at School of Rock gives me something else to participate in,” he said. “Instead of worrying about an assignment, I can work on songs for rehearsal.”

“I started out in sixth grade when I moved here and had a bunch of anxiety. It doesn’t show now because School of Rock really helped me,” Robbins said. “Getting out on stage and playing in front of people helped me to adjust to my new surroundings.”

How Can Playing Music Foster a Sense of Community?

“Personally, I’ve made some of my best friends here. There’s another band member, who I’ve being playing with since my freshman year and is one of my best friends, because of School of Rock,” said Freja. “Playing together forms a bond that you can’t find in other ways. It’s really a special thing. You’re all committed to each other in a way that makes you the best you can be. Then you can go and share your talents with the community through performances, Davidson concluded.”

“Playing is a non-verbal connection,” says Katz, “It doesn’t come from a lot of other ways, and at the same time we’ve gotten to know each other really well and have a very close knit group which makes us sound tighter and musically great.”

In a world that often feels chaotic, music brings both harmony and connection. It’s a way to form bonds, relieve stress and anxiety, as well as serve as a powerful tool for self-expression. From helping students like Freja Davidson and Jess Katz find relief from academic pressures to helping Tristan Roberts gain the confidence and overcome aspects of anxiety, music does more than provide an escape – it empowers players to triumph over their biggest fears, connect with others, and form a unique sense of individuality.

School of Rock in Briarcliff Manor has a revolutionary music education approach. Our quality music lessons are taught by real, practicing musicians. Students can learn guitar, keyboards, drums, and vocals, across many genres. Skills are developed in a supportive and encouraging environment, and students gain confidence by jamming together in bands with new friends.

Beyond the Field: Teen Lacrosse Player Champions Inclusivity

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PHOTO BY SEAN ZANNI

How does a teenage lacrosse player become a passionate advocate for inclusivity, accessibility, and helping people with disabilities? For Chappaqua’s Zac Klein, it was a chance encounter with a seeing-eye dog helping its owner navigate the streets. Zac, 13 at the time, was curious. His research led him to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and he wanted to help. Although too young for the organization’s official volunteer roles, Zac organized toy drives and fundraisers in his community.

“It was a natural next step from helping people who are visually impaired to serving the broader community of people with disabilities,” said Zac, now 17 and a Horace Greeley High School junior. He balances a busy schedule, including playing varsity and club lacrosse, and participating in clubs like SHARE (Students Have a Responsibility Everywhere), a student-run, volunteer community service group. Through SHARE, Zac has taught English to immigrant children and lacrosse skills to a Bronx team.

But what truly sparked Zac’s passion was The Runway of Dreams Foundation. For the past decade, the organization has raised awareness of the challenges people with disabilities face in wearing conventional clothing and convinced the fashion industry to create adaptive clothing with features such as easy zippers, Velcro, magnets and adjustable sleeves.

The foundation arose from New Jersey resident Mindy Scheier’s desire to help her son fit in with his friends. Like any other eight-year-old, he wanted to wear jeans to school, but they wouldn’t accommodate the leg braces he wore due to a rare form of muscular dystrophy. A professional fashion designer, Mindy adapted a pair of jeans for him. Inspired by her son’s newfound confidence, she researched ways to increase access to adaptive fashion.

Since its 2014 launch, Runway of Dreams supports initiatives to broaden the reach of mainstream adaptive clothing and promote people with disabilities in the fashion industry. It raises consumer awareness and inspires change in the industry through educational programs, campaigns for inclusion, and large-scale runway shows featuring models with various disabilities wearing adaptive clothing. Thanks to the Foundation’s work, Tommy Hilfiger pioneered adaptive clothing lines for kids, with many brands following suit, developing fashion for the disabled population.

Zac learned about Runway of Dreams from his sister, who had volunteered through her college club. To learn more, he attended the organization’s signature event – its 2023 fashion show at New York City’s Fashion Week. The experience inspired Zac. “Seeing the models’ faces light up with joy was so inspiring,” he said. “I just wanted to help. The more I learned, the more it made sense to get involved.”

Runway of Dreams had a presence on college campuses for years, with students fundraising and hosting runway events. Involving high school students in this effort was still a nascent idea, and Zac’s call to inquire about volunteering was well timed.

He began by sharing Runway of Dreams posts on his social media. “I think everyone should care, and I wanted to spread the word,” Zac explained. “Inclusion isn’t just a word. It’s about giving everyone respect and the opportunities they deserve.”

The highlight of Zac’s involvement was volunteering at the September 2024 Runway of Dreams fashion show, “Fashion Revolution,” its 10th anniversary event. Presented by Victoria’s Secret & Co., the show featured fashion designs by leading designers on more than 60 models, representing a diverse range of ages, disabilities and backgrounds.

The models are selected through a nationwide application process. Volunteers are partnered with each model to provide support throughout the long, sometimes overwhelming day, and ensure that they have a successful experience, according to Elisa Schwartz, a Runway of Dreams project manager who works with the models and trains the volunteers. “This role is not for everyone,” she said. “It requires maturity and endurance. Volunteers like Zac make all the difference, especially for young children.”

Zac was paired with eight-year-old Josiah Clark. Zac was at Josiah’s side throughout the day, playing games, taking him to the sensory room for a break from the commotion, and giving his mom some down time. “I developed a very special bond with Josiah,” Zac said. “We made up our own secret handshake and super jump, and we did both on the runway. The crowd went crazy, and Josiah’s face lit up with joy. It was amazing.”

Looking ahead, Zac hopes to plan an adaptive fashion show at Greeley’s annual Unity Day.

The aspiring business major has also launched an online marketplace selling mobility aids, home essentials, and personal care items to improve the daily lives of people with disabilities. Profits from the marketplace will go to Runway of Dreams. “I got involved because I enjoy making a difference in my community, and Runway of Dreams is literally changing lives,” Zac said.

Pathways to Progress: Building Better Support Systems

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Located right on Marble Avenue in the heart of Pleasantville, you will find Select Human Services (SHS) – a division of New Hope Community, Inc. A place where young adults with developmental disabilities can gain independence, friendship and a wide variety of services. I recently spoke with Lauren Iglesias, Waiver Services Program Director and Carleen Miller-Verna, Self Direction Program Director about the organization’s services as well as their upcoming expansion in the Pleasantville community.

Select Human Services was founded in 2010 and partnered with New Hope Community in 2020. Under the direction of Debra McGinness, New Hope helps to empower the lives of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. SHS supports over 700 individuals through its services. It has allowed New Hope to expand into Westchester County from its homebase in the Catskills, giving people a greater choice of support services and the opportunity to implement dynamic change.

Lauren Iglesias started with SHS in 2015, providing waiver services through both Community Habilitation. It is designed for individuals to stay at home longer after graduating school, instead of living in a group home, and Respite which is a safe supervision for an individual, providing relief for the caregiver. Hires, knowns as Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) are sourced through the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) and matched with families after going through extensive training. 1:1 service is personalized to the individual and their disability and a care plan, known as a Life Plan, is put in place to identify goals and the best way to work with each individual. “We want quality, not quantity with our staff. The last thing families need is a revolving door in their house – we send one support person who fits so that their services can flourish.”

A New Path of Service – Select Connects

Since 2020 there has also been a shift in the ways services are being expected. In the old model, individuals graduated high school, went into a day program and moved into a residential setting. Parents wanted to break that mold and push for a different model. “Based on family feedback, we created Select Connects which is extremely different from anything we’ve done”, says Lauren. Opened in 2023, Select Connects is a site-based respite program which supports 24 people per day in a 9 a.m.-3 p.m. program. It’s for those individuals that can be successful in a 1:3 staffing ratio. Most people in Select Connects come a few days a week on days where they’re not doing something else such as working or attending another program. There are a wide variety of activities offered through skilled workers such as music therapy, yoga and recreational therapy. There are also outings and day trips to places such as the JCC in White Plains for swimming and gym time, Lasdon Park and more. As Lauren stated, “Everyone’s capabilities are utilized. We want to be out in the community and for them to see us. It’s like a big family.”

The R&R program (Recreation & Respite) allows those still in school and beyond to enjoy a variety of group activities and outings such as social nights, bowling, art, fitness and more. It provides them with a safe space in which they can have fun and be engaged – especially during times when parents may have to work, such as during the summer and school breaks.

Working closely with Lauren is Dominique Baptiste, Waiver Services Public Relations Manager. She has a caseload of people she services and has strong community ties to Pleasantville. Her fundraising and community outreach efforts are vast, working with the Chamber of Commerce and setting up events such as a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, paint night and the upcoming inaugural Select Prom in April. As Lauren says, “We’re relatively small, but large when it comes to the service we provide and outreach in the county.”

Self Direction – Keeping Young Adults Independent

As Self Direction Program Director, Carleen Miller-Verna manages the Self Direction program which oversees 217 individuals with disabilities. It helps to empower them and their families to design a service plan based on their needs and goals. Their support team can include family members, Care Manager, Broker, Fiscal Intermediary (both chosen by the individual) and others they would like to include in their care. Many people in this program work part-time jobs and attend day programs and community classes. Twenty-three of the individuals live independently with support. As Carleen says, “Self Direction is trying to give that person the highest level of independence they can safely achieve. A huge piece of what we’re trying to include in Self Direction is interaction and inclusion.” Five individuals in the program are enrolled in college programs – some at Syracuse University in their InclusiveU program which allows for students to live on campus, taking classes in subjects such as organization and scheduling.

SHS has recently purchased a new building in Pleasantville right down the street from where they’re currently located and are hoping to move into the space in April. Says Lauren, “It’s important to stay in Pleasantville – we have strong collaborations with the school district, police department, etc. They’ve gotten to know us, and we feel comfortable working with each other. Pleasantville is very near and dear to Debra McGinness – she knows the importance of staying here with all there is to do in the area.”