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Caramoor – A Beautiful Oasis for Music and Art

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(L-R): Caramoor’s Marc Lowenstein, Adina Williams, Edward J. Lewis, III, Jessa Krick, and Olivia Ottinger
Photos by CAROLYN SIMPSON

Sitting on 80 scenic acres in Katonah, New York, is Caramoor, a historic estate, generously gifted to the public by its founders, Walter and Lucie Rosen. Caramoor is known for its music concert series, but many people do not know there is a historic site that is part of the venue as well. If you have not yet visited this haven for music and the arts, you should plan to attend a concert or take a tour. Even if you have already visited, the staff at Caramoor is consistently expanding Caramoor’s offerings, so there is always something new to experience.

Caramoor History

Walter Rosen, a successful lawyer and banker, and his wife Lucie Bigelow Rosen, were great lovers of art and music. The Rosens regularly hosted friends and family for intimate musical performances and lavish parties at Caramoor, their country estate.

World War II took a toll on the family. The couple was devastated when their son, Walter, a pilot for Royal Canadian Air Force, died in a wartime plane crash in 1944. Ten months prior, Walter Sr.’s sister Jeanne, who lived in France, was sent to Auschwitz and murdered. Wrestling with their grief, they chose to turn their tragic loss into something positive. In 1946, they graciously opened their house to the public, beginning what became Caramoor’s year-round music program.

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Welcoming A Broader Audience

Historically known for its classical music performances, Caramoor has now expanded to include many other genres, such as latin, jazz, roots, and global music. In recent years, Caramoor’s board and staff have focused their mission on growing their audience by both serving the desires of the community and by better reflecting the nature of the community through their programming.

Edward J. Lewis, III, President and CEO of Caramoor, joined in May 2021 with the charge “to make Caramoor more open and accessible to a broader and more diverse community that’s reflective of the county in which we sit.” Lewis, a Chappaqua resident, brings to the table his expertise gained from a remarkable career as a professional classical musician, an arts educator, administrator, and two decades of non-profit management and fundraising. “From these experiences and my lifelong passion for the arts, I bring this ability to help institutions find that essence of themselves and inspire a broader constituency to engage with it.”

“Over the past several years we have broadened our music programming to include more jazz, roots and global music while maintaining our core classical programming.” Lewis explained. “We also try to include a broad range of lived experiences in all the artists and genres we present to help ensure that our expanding and increasingly diverse audiences can hear themselves in the music and see themselves reflected back from the stage.”

World Class Performances

Marc Lowenstein, Director of Marketing and Communications, was brought on two years ago to assist in that mission. A common message that he has heard is “I’ve heard about Caramoor, but I’ve never been,” or “I don’t think they have the music that I’m interested in.” “In some ways it’s a challenge but it’s also a huge opportunity for the marketing department here knowing there’s this population that for whatever reason has not availed themselves of Caramoor.”

“The thing that makes it so special, other than the music and the art, which is certainly world-class on any level, is just the experience of being at this beautiful place is unrivaled by any performing arts center in the area. People ask me what show they should come see and I say, just pick a nice night when the weather is good, you may not know the artist…but I promise you, come early, bring a picnic, make a night of it, enjoy the music, and you will have a positive experience,” says Lowenstein.

Adina Williams, Director of School Programs and Community Engagement, was also recruited a few years ago to execute the new mission, redesign Caramoor’s educational offerings, and embark on their first intentional community engagement work. Williams channels her background as a former New York City public school teacher and her impressive career in arts administration and music management into her role at Caramoor.

“Caramoor advocates inclusive arts and education exploration,” says Williams. “We believe in an intercultural arts practice that actively involves artists and communities from a range of national and international ethnic and cultural groups, a breadth of physical and mental abilities, languages, social classes and gender identifications so that the voices and stories of the multiple publics that we serve are heard, expressed, and celebrated.

Our educational vision is bringing to life Caramoor’s extraordinary artistic heritage and future to as broad a spectrum of people, young and old alike, ages 0 to 100 plus.”

Williams designed the innovative Caramoor Kids program for elementary and middle school classes where students take a field trip to Caramoor and a Caramoor teaching artist visits their school based on an interdisciplinary curriculum. The immersive curriculum is available in both English and Spanish and can be tailored to meet a school’s specific educational goals.

As part of Caramoor’s community outreach initiative, Williams has organized roundtables with teachers, parents, conservatories, and community members, such as Neighbors Link, that help inform the programming. “Our mission is to have a deeper understanding of the value proposition of Caramoor to our many communities and how we can be a very rich resource for them, especially historically underserved communities in the region.”

This summer, Caramoor welcomed the community for a successful Juneteenth event, celebrating African American freedom and achievement. The free event featuring Charles Turner & Uptown Swing brought in about 1500 people for a fun-filled day with hands-on activities.

Caramoor also brings jazz performances to those incarcerated at nearby correctional facilities. “We want to be a conduit in which all of our community can live an art-filled life,” says Lewis.

“It’s all about equal access and not your life narrative, whether tragic or happy…and hopefully providing life changing experiences through arts and culture,” adds Williams.

Inspired by the Rosens, Caramoor’s leadership is clear-eyed in their mission. “We need to balance the reverence for and relevance of Caramoor,” says Lewis. “We have this rich storied history and if we remain true to the vision of our founders, this is a place where visitors can be refreshed and renewed by that convergence of exceptional music performances, the beauty of the art-filled historic home, and the gorgeous gardens and grounds. The Rosens left this legacy for us all to enjoy and I believe that together with our board, staff, artists, and volunteers, we all partner together as stewards of their legacy, and we revere its past. Our job, as I see it, is to assure that Caramoor continues to resonate with audiences and visitors of today and tomorrow.”

The Rosen House

Visitors can enjoy the Rosen House by taking a tour, booking an Afternoon Tea, or attending a concert in the Music Room or Spanish Courtyard. The Rosens were great hosts and the Caramoor staff continue in that great tradition.

Jessa Krick, Director of Interpretation, Collection, and Archives for the Rosen House, is also a recent addition to the Caramoor team, just having passed her second anniversary. Krick is responsible for the vast art collection and a trove of archival documents related to the family’s history. Krick is doing her utmost to make sure the collection is better known, and people realize they need to visit the Rosen House when they come for a concert.

Re-energizing the tours this year, Krick spearheaded the 2024 Focus Tour, highlighting works in the collection by women artists that previously never received much attention during their regular tours. “It has been fantastic fun to do the research for this and our docents have appreciated the chance to add new material to their tours. It has been so rewarding over the last year discovering the stories of these women artists. They existed in the archives, but surfacing their stories through our focus tour has been so exciting. I love it when people say, “I never knew that” – those are the comments we really love to hear.”

Dedicated Staff & Supporters

The consensus among the people that make this hidden gem run is that Caramoor is a great place to work. Box Office Manager Olivia Ottinger, who is also a talented opera singer, began her relationship with Caramoor after Caramoor musicians visited her high school for a master class and she thereafter joined their esteemed mentorship program. She says one of the most special things about Caramoor is the staff. “I have been lucky enough to end up with some of my best friends here. Two of us were just bridesmaids at the marketing manager’s wedding.”

“It’s a lot of hard work but there are always one or two shows a season where we get to stand in the back and watch everything we created come together. It’s nice to step back and experience it and think, ‘cool we did this,’” reflects Ottinger.

“It’s fun to be part of someone’s vision that was such an impressive human being [Lucie] and also to progress with the times and do it well,” says Events Operations Manager Aarti Gilmore. Gilmore manages much of the logistics and scheduling of volunteers, security and emergency personnel. “I make sure we deliver on what we promised, and everybody is comfortable and feels safe. My mission is to make people love Caramoor as much as I do and to ensure their experience is as worry-free as possible from the second someone engages to buy a ticket at the box office or online.”

“Our volunteers, ranging from high school age to retirees, are great ambassadors for us. They’re available throughout the property to answer any questions, including where their favorite spots are and where is the best place to take a photo.” One of Gilmore’s favorite spots is the peaceful Cedar Walk, a well-maintained pathway which holds the t(ch)ime sound art installation.

Caramoor is a nonprofit organization. The programming and the beautiful facilities offered are supported by concert attendance, individual donations, a dedicated board of trustees, and generous sponsors.

Upcoming Events

Although summer is Caramoor’s busiest season, there is plenty to look forward to this fall. Here are just some of the upcoming events. Caramoor’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, a free event, featuring the artist People of Earth, will be on September 29th. The annual cabaret show featuring Julie Benko and Jason Yeager will be on October 25th. Jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim will perform on November 8th. The annual fall benefit on December 7th will feature American folk band Bonny Light Horseman. December will offer the immensely popular holiday tea musicales. Caramoor’s first-ever Hannukah show, featuring Nefesh Mountain Band, will take place on December 12th. For the full schedule, tickets and additional information, go to caramoor.org.

Margaret Cunzio: Committed to Making a Difference in Westchester

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Margaret Cunzio
Photo by DONNA MUELLER

Mount Pleasant County Legislator Margaret Cunzio is on call for the Thornwood Fire Department. She’s been a volunteer there for over four years, awarded the “Chief’s Award” in 2023. But as she carefully listens to see if she is needed for emergency calls that come in, she graciously and openly discusses why she spent her life in Westchester County, dedicating herself to education and public service.

Cunzio, a 25-year resident of Mount Pleasant, grew up in North Castle, attending Byram Hills schools. “Byram Hills was much smaller back then. It was a small town feel before social media and the internet – we all knew each other and had our passions and hobbies,” says Cunzio, who worked in the Byram Hills School District as both a teacher and administrator.

Cunzio also graduated from Iona College and has degrees from Fordham University, Pace University, and Mercy College. “I’m a true Westchester-ite. I think it’s important for people to see that they can have a future in Westchester. We have so many opportunities here,” says Cunzio, who is an extremely approachable and familiar face at local farmers’ markets, attends all Mount Pleasant Eagle Scouts and Girl Scout Gold award ceremonies, and volunteers weekly at the Mount Pleasant Senior Center. She’s always available to her neighbors and constituents.

In addition to her work on the Board of Legislators and as an interior firefighter for the Thornwood Fire Department, Cunzio is a former elementary school teacher and administrator, a fitness instructor who teaches everything from Barre and yoga to Pilates and running, and a current professor in Iona University’s Education department. “I’m from a learning family,” Cunzio noted affectionately. Growing up, Cunzio was encouraged to ask questions and search for answers. Her mother, a reading specialist and the technology point person in the Yonkers school district, and her father, who owned a local towing business in North Castle, fostered Cunzio’s love of reading and history.

Countywide Activities

Deeply invested in making sure that Westchester County thrives, Cunzio is particularly passionate about issues ranging from mental health and local safety to animal rescue and food allergies. She sits on the executive board of the Pleasantville Rotary Club, worked as the adoption counselor for the SPCA in Westchester and volunteers for multiple animal shelters and rescue organizations, and sits on Pleasantville’s Mental Health Board. She is also a committed supporter of the arts and sits on the boards of ARC Stages and ARTS Westchester.

Cunzio always saw herself as someone who simply “enjoyed helping others” until former County Legislator Sue Swanson approached her and suggested that she run for County Legislator. Swanson, a mentor to Cunzio until she passed away, saw Cunzio as another “no-nonsense problem-solver,” which Cunzio took to heart when she was elected. “I’m a public servant…It’s my job to address the concerns of my constituents, work with my colleagues to solve problems, and help people.”

While Swanson suggested that she run for the position, Cunzio decided to run to implement and improve multiple public safety initiatives, starting with redesigning the Commerce Street intersection in Mount Pleasant. “One of my neighbors was tragically killed walking home from a train station. I saw the police cars at his home and heard his wife break down when she was given the news that he was killed when a vehicle struck him.” Thanks to Cunzio’s initiative, Commerce Street was completely revamped and has crosswalks, lighting, sidewalks, and a new, safer traffic pattern.

Cunzio’s record speaks to her community involvement and commitment. The daughter of a local business owner, she’s a firm believer in supporting local businesses. “If I need a cup of tea, I’m going to Black Cow in Pleasantville. If I want to eat out, I’ll head to Beehive in Armonk.”

Besides the Commerce Street improvements and her notable record of supporting seven balanced budgets, all of which either maintained or reduced taxes, Cunzio supported and initiated legislation to address issues concerning animal advocacy, veterans, lithium-ion safety, and food allergy safety.

Promoting Allergy Awareness & Animal Advocacy

As someone who has managed celiac disease for over seven years, Cunzio is acutely aware of the dangers associated with food allergies. “When I was teaching in schools, principals would always give me the students with food allergies. I knew how to use an Epi Pen, and I was hyper-aware of the potential for cross-contamination of foods.” Co-sponsoring the Food Allergy Restaurant Safety Bill, Cunzio helped to guarantee that Westchester restaurants have staff members trained in food allergy safety.

Cunzio is a mom to two dogs and three cats, but she is also a committed legislator who passed Westchester’s strongest ever animal welfare laws. Besides fostering puppies and cats, she has transported over 270 animals from the Outer Banks to Westchester and found them homes. She sponsored the county’s Dog Anti-Tethering Law and teamed with the Westchester District Attorney’s office to strengthen the Animal Abuse Registry and giving animal control officers greater investigative powers.

“This role is a big responsibility. I’ve been given a gift to help people in this position. I’m trying to do my best to leave a positive impact on the world,” says Cunzio, who supported economic boosts like capping the collection of county sales tax on gasoline purchases in past summers and suspending the county sales tax on home energy expenses in past winters. Cunzio is greatly respected for working with members on both sides of the aisle and County Executive George Latimer to positively impact Westchester County.

A Visit to Yad Vashem

Cunzio’s positive impact can be felt globally as well as locally. Cunzio believes a global education is key to building an open-minded, well-informed society. “We need to focus on education. It’s important to know the facts so that people can better understand what is going on in the world.” After the October 7th terrorist attack on Israel, she traveled to Israel with Latimer to bear witness to the atrocities. As a recipient of the Cornell Fellowship, she is headed to Yad Vashem in Israel to study Holocaust history. “We’re supposed to be one of the more open-minded areas of the country, but we’re not educating our students globally and antisemitism around here seems to be outweighing other areas of the country. Understanding world history is essential to combatting prejudice.”

Cunzio continuously works to support those around her. “My goal is to make a positive difference in people’s lives. That’s what I do through my work at the fire department, through teaching, volunteering, and public service.” Cunzio is dedicated to Westchester, and she’s making a difference.

A Candid Conversation with Actor & Byram Hills Alum, David Harbour

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BY EVAN & ELISE TRAINOR

David Harbour   PHOTO BY BRIAN MELSO

From helping super-powered teenagers fight off inter-dimensional monsters to heroically saving Christmas as a tattooed Santa Clause, David Harbour has had an interesting career to say the least. In case that wasn’t enough to catch your attention, he’s also portrayed a friendly ghost, a Russian superhero, a formula-one racing coach, and a horned demon from hell within the past five years.

What might be lesser known about Harbour is that he was born and raised in Westchester County, spent a significant portion of his childhood right here in Armonk and graduated from Byram Hills High School in 1993. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with this local celebrity who was nothing but kind and generous when it came to sharing his story and what it’s like to be one of the most highly sought-after actors in the business.

The first thing Harbour emphasized was how this level of fame and success was not always his reality. Ken Harbor, David’s father and long-time Armonk resident, commented, “I was concerned about David’s potential success in acting early on, but came to realize that his definition of success was never based on financial rewards, rather the opportunity to act and help people think and feel, a success which he has always been able to achieve.”

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Prior to his breakout performance on Netflix’s Stranger Things, Harbour spent most of his early career in theaters across New York playing various roles in dramatic – often Shakespearean plays. It wasn’t until his mid-30s that Harbour began to utilize his 6’ 3”, naturally wide frame in more action-based films such as James Bond – Quantum of Solace, The Equalizer, and Suicide Squad. He’s also currently preparing to reprise his role as The Red Guardian in one of Marvel Studios’ upcoming blockbusters, Thunderbolts, alongside familiar favorites like Harrison Ford and Florence Pugh.

Harbour noted, “The transition from stage to screen can be extremely difficult as live/in-person performances offer none of the safety nets a recorded medium would – no retakes, editing, or any other digital enhancements of any kind. I do feel like there’s less control in those cases – but as I get older, I like the cultural power of the broader mediums of film and TV.”

Since the start of the show in 2016, Stranger Things has certainly made the short list of films and series to embody that vast cultural influence. In addition to sparking countless Halloween costumes, board games, corporate partnerships, toys and other merchandise, the show propelled Harbour and the majority of his costars into the mainstream spotlight.

Harbour recalled his first experience ever playing the shows charismatic police commissioner, Jim Hopper, saying, “I felt like there was something so pure about that first season – where none of us knew it was going to be any good and so we were all committed to loving the script, loving the idea – and I just love that character.” That love was palpable and mutually felt across an audience of over 14 million people – earning Harbour a Screen Actor’s Guild Award, a Critic’s Choice Award and countless other nominations.

Harbour’s standout performance and the show’s incredible success played significant roles in keeping Netflix afloat during a time when rival platforms/providers were becoming much more legitimate and competitive. A win was very much needed, and it came in the form of a series that would eventually become the second most watched of all time (behind Game of Thrones which has twice as many seasons/episodes). Now entering its fifth and final season, the show has attracted a massive audience across all ages who are eagerly awaiting the epic conclusion that is currently in production.

I felt it would be remiss to not ask David about his experience hosting Saturday Night Live back in 2019. Often considered a rite of passage for only the best rising talent, this opportunity was, “a dream come true!” he said, “one of the highlights of my life for sure.” For now, we’ll just have to eagerly wait and see if we ever get the feature-length version of his dark, gritty Oscar the Grouch/Sesame Street parody.

We at The Inside Press were very interested in the early years and origins of one of Byram Hill’s most famous alumni. He claimed to have only had a handful of opportunities when he was young, but said, “Once I got to high school, I had the fuel for the fire and was raring to go.”

With specific mentions and anecdotes about his theatre director at the time, Harbour expressed how that exposure to the arts and the stage in high school was instrumental in giving him the guidance and confidence – a huge blessing. David’s terrific successes on stage, screen, and television aside, his mother and biggest fan (known for her Rice Krispie treats sold at school play intermissions) felt that nothing could match his iconic portrayal of Salieri in the Byram Hills High School production of Amadeus.

When asked if he has any advice for the next generation of actors, Harbour explained that the world needs good artists, and that people should not be dissuaded from the profession. “Today people are building brands, which is easy. What’s difficult are the skills, and when push comes to shove in the arts, you will always need a good plumber or a good electrician… there is a lot of technique in good acting,” Harbour said. “If you focus on that as an actor, while it may feel difficult to understand, it will pay off long term in a big way. Hunker down, read the books, go to classes, and study what the great ones do,” he concluded.

With the climactic, heavily anticipated final season of Stranger Things and the next installation of The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) on the horizon, both with release dates in Spring of 2025, there’s no telling how high David Harbour’s metaphorical ceiling can go. He’s also secured a role in Sylvester Stallone’s next film, Levon’s Trade, alongside action star, Jason Statham. Wherever his career takes him, whether it’s beating up bad guys or making us sob uncontrollably, you can be sure that we’ll be ready with plenty of popcorn and beaming with pride.

David shared, “I’ve had a lot of fun roles and things that I’ve been proud of, but I actually feel like my best work is certainly ahead of me.”

Evan Trainor grew up in Armonk/also a Byram Hills graduate. Now he is a senior graphic designer/creative strategist/copywriter living in Greenwich, CT.

Elise Trainor is the Associate Publisher/Editor for The Inside Press. A lifelong lover of all media and proud to be content developer and community business collaborator for advertising in our print & online publications.

The Power of Rotary Clubs Here and Beyond

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Uniting Communities, Making a Difference Locally & Internationally

From providing medical supplies to war-torn Ukrainians and winter coats to Westchester homeless people to giving the polio vaccine to children in third-world countries and improving literacy locally, members of Rotary Clubs throughout Inside Press’ circulation areas and beyond have been a catalyst for positive change worldwide for more than a century.

Rotary Club, an international organization founded in 1905, has 1.5 million members in more than 46,000 clubs. Its mission is to “provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.” Among its most significant international endeavors have been supporting education, ensuring access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene, and playing a pivotal role in reducing polio cases by more than 99 percent worldwide.

At the Pleasantville Rotary Club’s 100-Year Celebration. (L-R:) Garrett Capobianco, Syed Alirahi, Nick Antonaccio and Reverend J. Loren Russell  

On a local level, Rotarians address the needs of communities through myriad service projects and initiatives, and by sponsoring events that are fun and build strong local relationships. Some of the most highly visible and popular events in the area are sponsored by Rotary Clubs.

New Castle Community Day, hosted by the Rotary Club of Chappaqua has been among the most prominent and popular events in the area for decades. “It’s something people look forward to all year,” said Holly McCall, New Castle Town Council Member and President of the Rotary Club of Chappaqua. Scheduled this year for September 14, Community Day at the Chappaqua train station is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year and features local bands, food and activities. “The timing is perfect because it’s at the beginning of the school year, which gives new residents who moved to the area over the summer an opportunity to meet their neighbors and learn about things to do in the area,” said McCall. Booths feature dozens of community groups, such as schools, camps, businesses, political and religious organizations, and town departments.

Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs with Robin Stout at the 2023 Community Day in Chappaqua. 

This past May, Rotary Club of Chappaqua hosted another popular event – its second annual Drive-In Movie Night, a festive party featuring music, food trucks, a costume contest and a showing of Star Wars – A New Hope.

Local clubs host an array of such large-scale events, as well as smaller ones like pancake breakfasts, and book, toy and coat drives. Funds raised benefit dozens of organizations throughout Westchester, including 914 Cares, A-Home Housing, Ronald McDonald House, the Mt. Kisco Interfaith Pantry, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Ossining Food Pantry, Lifting Up Westchester and Northern Westchester Hospital. Clubs also regularly provide college scholarships to graduates of local high schools, and members get together for hands-on service projects, like filling food bags for Feeding Westchester and building benches in area parks.

For club members, there is a huge sense of satisfaction garnered from giving back to the community. “I was raised with the spirit of service, and it has become my passion,” said McCall, whose parents have been active Rotarians in Massachusetts since she was a child.

Rotary Motto: Service Above Self

One of the oldest Rotaries in the area is the Pleasantville Rotary Club, which celebrated its 100th anniversary this year, and includes members who have been Rotarians for 50 years. Over the years, this club has actually helped launch several of other local clubs, including Chappaqua, Armonk and Briarcliff Manor.

“I’ve formed wonderful friendships and been able to do a lot of good for the community,” said Helen Grishman, Immediate past president of the Pleasantville Rotary Club. Grishman, a former assistant district attorney, joined Rotary when she retired 24 years ago and has served as president three times. “I believe that people sincerely see in Rotary’s motto of service above self an opportunity to give back in both small and large ways.”

Funds raised by the Pleasantville club were used to purchase medical equipment for eye surgeries in Egypt and enhance literacy in Myanmar. Last year, in just two weeks, members collected $10,000 for the Rotary Club in Kiev, Ukraine. They also worked with another local club to purchase and ship an ambulance to Afghanistan. And each year on Arbor Day, “we give trees and educate kids about their value to the planet, not just aesthetically, but by providing oxygen and shade and food,” Grishman said.

The club has also had a strong presence at the annual Pleasantville Day organized by the Village of Pleasantville. “We try to make a meaningful impact at our booth,” she said. “This year, we wanted to show children with special needs what it’s like to go into an ambulance, which can be very traumatic. So, working with the Ambulance Corp, we had an ambulance onsite that kids could explore.”

Funds for these initiatives are raised through the club’s signature event – Hudson Valley Fermented, which takes place each Spring at Pace University and is cosponsored with King’s Crown Wines and Spirits. The festive event features local breweries, vineyards, restaurants and music.

Rotary International’s global network enables it to address pressing humanitarian issues on an international scale by enabling Rotarians to partner with each other. “In the case of a major catastrophe somewhere, we can connect with the local club to get funds and materials to the right place immediately,” said Abbott Fleur a software company owner and President of the Bedford-Armonk Rotary Club. Fleur joined in Mt. Kisco and started the Bedford-Armonk Club about 12 years ago. For the past several years, this club’s signature event, co-sponsored with the Lions Club, has been a Blues and Barbecue Festival.

“Even though it’s a large organization, the local groups have complete control over what projects they work on, and members are encouraged to come up with ideas,” Fleur said. Clubs can tap into funds from the Rotary Foundation for overseas projects.

Being part of the bigger solution is exactly what convinced Jeff Cadge, an independent video producer and photographer, to join Rotary in 2019. “When you’re born in this country, you’ve won the lottery… We have so many opportunities and it’s great to be able to make the world a little more equitable. You can sit back and watch the news every night or you could try to get involved,” said Cadge, President of the Briarcliff Manor Rotary Club, whose signature fundraiser is an annual event featuring the world-famous Magic Masters basketball team.

Among the Club’s projects was an effort to stress the importance of having a visible street number to help first responders. The club also offered street number signs and guidelines for displaying them.

As part of the Rotary, Cadge is working with officials to build a local Micro Forest – a dense area of indigenous plants and trees designed to attract native insects and small animals, thus restoring biodiversity and fighting climate change.

The Briarcliff Manor Rotary Club is also contributing to The Cookstove Project, which aims to eliminate preventable deaths in developing countries that are caused by cooking with an open fire in homes – an issue that exposes nearly three billion people to dangerous pollutants. The organization helps families in Nepal and Uganda build and maintain their own clean cookstoves using locally sourced materials. “We’ve been able to show people that contributing just $10 can build one cookstove and change the life of a family on the other side of the world,” Cadge said.

Rotary’s impact transcends borders and makes a lasting difference in the lives of countless individuals. It is a testament to what can be achieved when people come together with a shared purpose: to make the world a better place.

The clubs welcome new members. Information is available on the club’s websites and social media.

Bedford-Armonk:
bedfordarmonkrotary.org

Briarcliff Manor:
portal.clubrunner.ca/7405/

Chappaqua:
rotaryofchappaqua.com

Pleasantville:
pleasantvillerotary.com

Go to the Woods

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PHOTOS BY JON CUNNINGHAM

Henry David Thoreau went to the woods because he “wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life…”

Most of us came to Westchester for the schools. Sometimes the longing for a yard and a dog to despoil it helped send us up the Hudson, but it’s easy to forget how precious and essential it is for children – and their parents – to come into frequent contact with what now passes for the wild.

Ever notice how stepping outside will raise your mood? Stay outside and your blood pressure will begin to drop. You will also lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

When we fell trees or pave meadows, we are thinking of utility, convenience, profit. We forget that when we diminish nature, we are diminishing ourselves as well. We didn’t come down from Mars to ride the planet like a wild bronco, break it to our will. This planet is our home, the out of doors was our nursery and school.

Separating humans from nature is like separating Siamese twins. Sharp knives will be required and one of the patients often dies.

Next time you step outside, look closely and you will be shocked by the beauty you see there, but also ancient pleasures and even older fears. Children understand their place in nature without even making up their minds to do so. When he was a toddler, my son Andrew used to go behind the pool house and dig in the dead leaves until he found a gigantic worm. He’d spread his wriggling treasure – with a little clump of leaves and dirt – on the white fabric of his mother’s lounge chair. She didn’t mind. I didn’t understand.

I must have been bored, because I picked up one of the worms at just the right moment, and I saw the creature’s face. Commonly hidden in a closed tube – that visage – when you glance at it – is both ancient and familiar. It might – I guessed – resemble the faces of reptiles that once hunted mammals.

Andrew cherishes the beauty of the great out of doors, but he also likes the power. Godzilla was his first love. Godzilla – in case you’ve forgotten – is a gigantic monster brought to life by the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Nor does the big guy pass out soup and bandages. He stomps Tokyo and he roars.

After Godzilla, Andrew fell in love with great white sharks. He got posted to South Africa, so he could study great white sharks up close. He works now with dolphins, but you wouldn’t want to tempt him with a great white, or a killer whale either for that matter.

He doesn’t want to kill these creatures, or even catch them. He only wants to be around them. I never asked him, but I think I know why. He wants to be close to nature, cheek by jowl. If possible, he’d like to work with an animal that once had Homo sapiens for breakfast.

The secondary result of this passion is that – like his father – like his entire family, Andrew would rather be outside.

Archipelago Films (featured recently in the Inside Press) is at work on a movie showing all the proven benefits of contact with nature.

Like Andrew my love of being out under the sky is more instinctive than intellectual. I run a lot. I’ve run in Africa, Bulgaria and Rome, but most of where I run is on the trails of The Rockefeller State Park Preserve.

Here’s the part where I may lose you: I like nature as much as I like art.

I used to take the train to Manhattan to see Marc Chagall’s Cow, which once looked down the stairs at me at the Museum of Modern Art. At night the Union Church in Pocantico Hills will sometimes light up Marc Chagall’s stained-glass window, a piece he titled The Good Samaritan. This is a spectacle to behold.

And yet despite the tens of thousands of dollars my parents spent on education, I have yet to see a work of art that I thought could match the majesty of a single maple leaf in autumn.

This is not a decision I made, it is a position that grew in me and long before I even knew how to spell the word aesthetic.

The children and dogs of my generation were shooed out the screen door in the morning and not expected home again except for meals.

We formed cliques, built forts, pelted one another with snowballs. I don’t recall for sure if I ever ate an earth worm, but it was done, though usually on a bet for baseball cards.

I’ve been a church-going Christian and an ardent Buddhist, but really – and at my heart of hearts – I’m a pantheist. I worship nature, even though I know she bites.

The dogs I have loved are descended from the wolves, who once made nightfall terrible, pulled babies from their cradles, picked off stragglers in a march.

Two guardian dogs, let loose by accident, attacked a walker not that long ago and killed her poodle. I like poodles, and I like walkers too, but I like the guardian dogs as well.

They’re bigger and tougher than is my own dog, Fifi, but still the same species. Missing nature, all I need to do is take the time to look Fifi in the face. I can see myself reflected in her eyes. She’s a dog and dogs were wolves, and wolves were with us before we were became what we now consider human.

 

We’re all afraid now, and I don’t know why exactly, but it’s true. Instead of going outside, we stay indoors and look at screens.

Parents are afraid to let their kids out of the house. I understand. I’m frightened too, but this is something I’ve got to get over, don’t you think?

Fear is nothing new, though we have more of it these days. We have more fear and less danger, which seems odd, but then the truth is often odd.

My father wrote about fear on the last page of his first novel, The Wapshot Chronicle. “Fear tastes like a rusty knife,” he wrote. “Do not let her into your home. Courage tastes of blood.”

PHOTO BY JON CUNNINGHAM