Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester
Five Class of ‘87 Residents Tell Why they Came “Back to Chappaqua” to Raise their Families
By Vicki de Vries • Photos by Jamie Kilgore
“Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind…?” The words of the New Year’s libation song are so well worn they often ring hollow. But not for five members of the Horace Greeley Class of ‘87 who moved back to the Chappaqua/New Castle area. [Read more…] about Coming Full Circle
By Eve Fogler
We look forward to Holidays as a joyful time to enjoy celebrating family traditions and spend time with friends and loved ones. Though they are festive times, holidays can take a toll on our bodies. It’s easy to get caught up in the frenzy of last minute shopping, cooking, entertaining and partying. Whether you are traveling to celebrate or hosting, there is stress. There is the pressure of coordinating schedules, getting along with relatives, and trying not to overeat. Overeating can be a band-aid for stress, anxiety, or depression. The stress of the holidays can bring emotional issues to the surface. In fact, the Holiday Season is known to be the most stressful time of the year. All that pressure causes surges in cortisol, the stress hormone. What seems cruel is that increases in cortisol cause fat storage, in particular around your middle! Cortisol wreaks havoc with your metabolism and is one of the reasons why you can diet and exercise…and still gain weight. Most of us relax over the holidays by sitting. We sit to watch TV, sit to watch movies, sit to eat holiday meals, and sit in a car or plane and travel to where we sit with friends and family. Have you ever noticed that when you sit for a few hours it becomes increasingly difficult to get up? You may even begin to feel depleted, not rested. Why is that? When you sit for an extended period of time, your heart slows down, decreasing your circulation, and you get less oxygen to your brain. Worse, your metabolism slows down.
So, what can you do?
Well, we all know the key to maintaining weight and avoiding weight gain over the holidays is to: (drumroll please) eat less and move more. I know, it’s MAGIC.
Move
If you get up frequently to move about, you’ll feel a lot better. If you plan ahead how you will fit exercise into your holiday schedule, you’ll have a much greater chance that you’ll actually do it. Go for family walks, call a workout buddy to meet at yoga or walk your dogs together–just move.
Enjoy your Food
When you eat with awareness you’re much more likely to eat what you really want (rather than just what’s around) and to stop when you’ve had enough (rather than when the there’s no food left). Eat with relish and gusto, ’tis the season to be jolly, after all! Take your time, instead of eating while standing up or while doing something else. Enjoy flavors, textures and the experiences.
Extra tips
•Studies show that people who eat breakfast eat less for the rest of the day than those who skip breakfast.
•Be sure to drink enough water. Many times we think we’re hungry but we’re really just thirsty. Stock up on sparkling waters and delicious teas.
Limit the Calories you Drink
You may not realize how many calories you are drinking during the holidays. Liquids don’t nourish or fill you up. These empty calories easily lead to extra pounds of fat on your body. Most cocktails have around 150 calories, but sips here and there can pack a whopping 300 calories, 20 grams of sugar…and more! To reduce calories, choose non-sweet cocktails and “cut” wine or fruit juices with sparkling mineral water. Drink one glass of water for every cocktail or glass of wine. This will save a lot of calories…and possibly rescue you from a nasty hangover as well.
How do you want to remember your holiday? You might not want to look back with regret about wasted time, worry, stress and any overeating. Anna Quindlan wrote a beautiful editorial about how she saw an old picture of herself and her young children and regretted that she didn’t recall being there. Make your gift to yourself to be entirely present during the holidays. Being in the moment makes it that much easier to enjoy your food…and the conversation. Try it, and you’ll notice how much more satisfying your holidays feel.
Eve Fogler is a NY State licensed Health Coach specializing in Eating Psychology and Weight Loss, and Co-President of Well Beyond Cravings, LLC, an online and in-person Weight Loss Coaching Program. Go to WellBeyondCravings.com to find out more.
By Sarah Ellen Rindsberg
Whether she’s sorting items for the book sale at the Chappaqua Library or marshaling troops to help those in need, there’s always a glowing smile emblazoned on Shobha Vanchiswar’s face. Her energy and willingness to give of herself know no boundaries. Many a tired helper at the book sale has found herself unable to resist Vanchiswar’s exhortation to “stay another hour” and “come back tomorrow!”
The holiday season is a particularly busy and gratifying time of year for Vanchiswar. She can usually be found hosting a dinner at the community center for the seniors. This tradition was established about 16 years ago, when Vanchiswar learned that many members of the hamlet often found themselves sans family and friends around the holidays. “The idea of people like my grandmother being alone seemed very wrong,” she observed.
This December, Vanchiswar will be heading to India to visit her family and pursue another one of her passions: bringing joy to children living with H.I.V. After chatting with President Clinton on one of his walks in her neighborhood, Vanchiswar decided to visit one of the orphanages served by the Clinton Foundation. Vanchiswar immediately felt an “emotional attachment” to the children. “I wrote poems because that’s my catharsis for anything that affects me,” she said.The poems are compiled in her first book, “The Lucky Ones.” All proceeds from the sale of the book are donated to the Foundation.
An accomplished gardener in her own right, Vanchiswar is also a champion and board member of Rocky Hills, the garden on Old Roaring Brook Road which is slated to be given to the county. ”It’s a joy to go and see!” she exclaimed. Inspired by its beauty, she has produced a line of cards adorned with botanical watercolors. The cards are available in Chappaqua at Aurora. Vanchiswar’s own garden is open to the public during the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program.
Inspired by Shobha Vanchiswar’s enthusiasm for helping others, Sarah Ellen Rindsberg is signing up to assist a literacy intervention project.
By Mrinalini Samanta and Julia Desmarais
Please note updated fundraiser date and location!
What does it mean to be a girl in an impoverished nation? For many, it means not getting an education, it means being deprived of the opportunity to get a job, and it means not being able to support your family. It means being restricted to living in a house where you have no say and no rights.
In most third-world countries, it is the mothers who stay home to take care of the families and to teach the children, but if the mothers are deprived of education, how can they teach? How can their children learn? One woman’s lack of education hurts both her sons and her daughters, and their children after them. But until an attitude of acceptance towards women and an understanding of the importance of education are fostered, this cycle will not end. That is where GlobalSchoolhouse, a student-run club at Horace Greeley High School, comes in. The mission of GlobalSchoolhouse is to stop this cycle in its tracks by helping to raise awareness and to fund education for women and girls across the world. We believe that every child deserves the right to a better future, and we believe that by teaching a girl you educate an entire family. In short, we believe in the power of education.
That is why we are raising funds to support an organization called Sir Syed Trust (SST) in India. SST has been teaching women and girls how to sew and make clothes, a skill that will not only help their families and their job opportunities, but will also teach them math and measurement. After those skills are taught, SST moves on to teaching reading and writing. We at GlobalSchoolhouse, as part of our ongoing commitment to SST, are collecting children’s books to supply a new library in India.
But our work does not stop there. We are also sponsoring and corresponding with a girl in Cambodia through the Cambodian Children’s Fund. Her name is Srey Reab, and before we sponsored her, she and her family were picking through the trash to survive. She is now getting educated and making many new friends.
To raise money for these two organizations, GlobalSchoolhouse will be holding a fundraiser on December 8th from 10-2:30 in the Greeley Cafeteria. We will be selling home furnishings (blankets, pillowcases, etc.) made by women in India and generously donated by Kuldeep Kaur, who designs and manufactures these products for many well-known designers including Barbara Barry, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein (http://www.betterlivingcollection.com/). The women who have handcrafted these beautiful works of art were once illiterate and desperate, but are now successfully supporting their families and sending their children to school.
Please come support our cause – we look forward to seeing you on the 8th! In the mean time, if you have any questions, please contact us at global.schoolhousehghs@gmail.com.
Mrinalini Samanta and Julia Desmarais, juniors at Horace Greeley High School, are the Co-Presidents and Founders of GlobalSchoolhouse.
By Ronni Diamondstein • Photos by Jim D’Angelo
If you are looking for selfless people in Chappaqua, you can find them any Thursday evening around 7:30 at the Chappaqua Fire House. With a strong sense of duty, the Chappaqua Fire Department volunteer fire fighters get together so their equipment is always ready to respond. “Neighbors Helping Neighbors since 1910” is the slogan they adopted in 2005 to emphasize the spirit of their membership. “We are all highly dedicated fire professionals with significant training,” said Russell Maitland, First Assistant Chief, who spoke on behalf of the Chappaqua Fire Department. Founded in 1910, the Chappaqua Fire Department embodies a suburban tradition and esprit de corps. After more than a century, it remains a 100% volunteer organization. The department has three companies: Fire Patrol, Independent and Bristol, which used to perform different functions at fires. “However, 20 years ago we did away with that, and now everyone is trained on all aspects of firefighting,” says Maitland. “The three companies still exist for social purposes only.” Members are people you see in town. They are men and women of all ages who work in local establishments, coach soccer, and eat in the restaurants.
Every week the volunteers meet for House Duty at the firehouse where equipment is checked and maintained. They have three Pumper Engines, one Tower Ladder, one Heavy Rescue and one Utility Vehicle. “We operate out of the main firehouse at 491 King Street,” says Maitland, “and we utilize the other firehouse (on Senter Street) for the utility vehicle and a 1937 antique fire truck.” They go on about 550 calls a year, many of them to the site of auto accidents. Most of the fire calls are false alarms and some are not fires at all. On a very cold day in February 2001, I came home to a strong smell of gas inside my townhouse. It seemed that my housekeeper had been there earlier in the day and accidentally hit the knob on my gas range. I opened all the windows, turned the thermostat off, and called the New Castle police to find out if there was something else I should do. While I didn’t think it was necessarily an emergency, I did ask, “Do you think someone should check this?” In no time, the Chappaqua Fire Chief arrived followed by several fire trucks and a dozen or so firefighters, some who had just stepped off the train. They checked all levels of my home and the air was tested to be sure it was safe to occupy.
To maintain this volunteer organization, new members are always needed. Recruits should be 16 years old, live or work in the Fire District and be able to complete NYS Firefight I (basic training) within the first year of membership. Maitland says training is ongoing and available every week. “Training is the most important aspect of what we do. Training saves lives—ours as well as those we protect.” And the firefighters have at least one drill each month. According to Maitland, modern technology has enhanced the fire department’s ability to operate more efficiently and safely. “One cannot rely solely on technology, for if it fails to operate correctly, we need to be able to fall back on our training (prior to technology) to resolve an issue at hand.” Their motto is: “Everyone goes home.” Maitland explains this philosophy and how important the training really is. “Firefighting itself is dangerous and we minimize injuries with a high level of training and in each situation the Fire Chief weighs the risk/benefit.” In April, two of the company’s female volunteers took part in Hudson Valley’s first women-only firefighter training. The rigorous training enhances the confidence of women fire fighters.
Chappaqua Fire Department volunteers are very enthusiastic about the service they perform for the community. From the seventeen-year-old high school seniors who tout this as “the best kind of community service” to the department’s octogenarian, the enthusiasm is infectious. When asked why they do this, they say, “It’s the most direct way to contribute to the community and give back.” Their overwhelming sentiment about the people they work with is that they are “awesome!” The department’s motto could be, “All for one, and one for all,” since they think of themselves as one indivisible unit.
No story about the Chappaqua Fire Department would be complete without mentioning the third-generation Chappaqua resident, Doug Hunter. Hunter, at age 83, is the oldest active member of the volunteers. During his 63 years as a volunteer, he has served as Fire Chief and Fire Commissioner. He feels a strong camaraderie with his fellow firefighters. “We’re like a family. They help you out when you need help,” says Hunter who still trains and goes out on calls, “And they love what they are doing.”
The Chappaqua Fire Department receives much of its funding from the community. “Tax dollars go towards the purchase of fire apparatus, equipment, training, firehouse maintenance, insurance, fire prevention activities at the schools, etc.,” says Maitland. Donations from individuals defray the cost of items not covered by tax dollars such as CFD-sponsored community activities. You will see members of the Chappaqua Fire Department marching in the Memorial Day Parade in May and at Community Day in September. Firefighters organize the annual Easter Egg Hunt, a Pancake Breakfast, and Fire Prevention Week Open House.
Maitland recommends that community members come to the Fire Prevention Week Open House in October to learn life saving information. During that week, volunteer firefighters will visit local schools. Parents need to reinforce what the children learn from the firefighters. He adds, “Parents should listen to their children when they come home from school after a day of fire-prevention instruction.” More safety tips are available on the Chappaqua Fire Department website, www.chappaquafd.org/ Click the “Safety Information Link.”
The Chappaqua Fire Department is a major presence in the town. “We all have a stake in our community and we take a lot of pride in what drives us to do what we do,” says Maitland about the entire Chappaqua Fire Department’s commitment to their neighbors. “So get out and shake hands with your volunteer firefighters and thank them.”
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When Chappaqua resident Arlene Maas’s dog barked to awaken and alert the family to a fire in their home at 2:00AM, the Millwood Fire Department came to their rescue. “The Millwood Fire Department serves 600 Chappaqua families,” says Michael Horan, Chief of the Millwood Fire Department. The 9.18 square mile fire district protects the entire hamlet of Millwood and parts of Ossining as well as part of Chappaqua. Like Chappaqua, it is an entirely volunteer organization and responds from two stations to approximately two hundred fifty calls a year. (For more information about the Millwood Fire District visit their website www.millwoodfire.org)
One such call was to the Maas’s home on that windy November night in 2004. Everything happened so quickly, recalls Maas. Before she knew it, not only were firefighters from Millwood there, but also volunteers from Chappaqua, Mount Kisco and Ossining. The volunteers went above and beyond for the Maas family. “They made sure that everyone was safe and safely out of the house including our four pets,” said Maas. “We were basically standing in the woods watching our house burn and watching the firefighters risk their lives in order to try to salvage our home.” During the chaos, one of their cats was so scared that she escaped from Maas’s arms. “One of the firefighters did not stop looking until he found her and he did.” Maas has high praise for the volunteers. “They were ever so kind to us and are to be commended. They were there for us and they will be there for you.”
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Muriel Lipschitz, a 34-year member of the Chappaqua Fire Patrol passed away on June 12 after a brief illness. A loving wife, sister, aunt, friend, teacher and firefighter, Muriel was always friendly, fun, helpful, caring and compassionate and will be missed and remembered by all who were lucky enough to know her. She held the distinction of being the first female fighter in the Chappaqua Fire Department. (Info courtesy of the Chappaqua Fire Department.)
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Ronni Diamondstein, owner of Maggie Mae Pup Reporter is a Chappaqua based freelance writer, PR consultant, award-winning photographer and a School Library Media Specialist and teacher who has worked in the US and abroad.
