Cover Stories

The Joy of Dance in New Castle

February 26, 2026 by Ronni Diamondstein

Loretta and Michael Mangino (ballroom dance class participants) and Cameron Kelly (dance instructor)
PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON

New Castle residents are moving and grooving to the music in dance classes at the town’s Community Center on Senter Street. It’s more than just fun for them, it’s great for their health and wellness. For adults over 18 years old, the Recreation Department offers Ballroom, Country Line and Belly dance, and EZ Dance Fitness, a class for seniors (60+).

“Getting people in and moving is important,” says Christine Grey, Assistant Superintendent of Recreation who coordinates the town programs and the dance classes. Classes are open to all New Castle residents and non-residents are also welcome.

Dancing is aerobic exercise that increases strength and endurance, balance and coordination, bone health and flexibility, boosts endorphins and burns calories for weight management. It’s a benefit for brain health too. Studies have found that dancing is more challenging to the brain than puzzles. And it’s a great way to build community and make new friends.

Ballroom Dance is designed for participants to dance with their special someone for “date night” or to make a new friend in class. Participants learn swing, cha-cha, smooth, hustle and the basic steps needed to dance to any of their favorite music. Partners learn how to lead and follow confidently on the dance floor. Singles are welcome in the class.

Cameron Kelly, the instructor loves ballroom dancing. Kelly, who is International Dance and Exercise Association trained and certified, says dance is full body movement, not just steps for your feet. “Holding your frame means strength building. Balance is all about stopping and starting and turning to the rhythm of the music. An hour of dancing is heart healthy as it is continual rhythmic body movement.”

Susan Wolf and her husband Michael have taken the class for many years. “It started out by being our date night when our kids were little and now it’s our mental health retreat,” says Wolf. “The class has been invaluable as a coping mechanism for stress during our work week. Cameron is a fantastic teacher whose down-to-earth style puts everyone at ease.”

Cha Cha Cha Line Dance
PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON

Country Line Dance, the latest craze, is also taught by Kelly. It’s not only fun, but a great way to exercise to today’s popular and very hip new country music. Partners are not needed. Kelly breaks the dance steps down, so they are easy to learn. She shares information about all the popular clubs and dance halls in the area where participants can line dance all year round.

“Dancing in a group situation, either line dancing, or dancing with a partner adds an additional wonderful feeling of being in a group activity and feeling a sense of belonging,” says Kelly.

Megan Smith has been taking the line dance class for a year and likes that it’s an artistic exercise and is a fun alternative to the gym. “Dance has been great for my physical health by helping improve balance and coordination,” says Smith. “For mental health, it promotes memory skills, and it can be stress relief.”

Belly Dance
PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW CASTLE RECREATION DEPARTMENT

Belly Dance, with its roots in folk dance, is a combination of exercise, artistic expression, culture and camaraderie. The class consists of a warm-up, technique, a traveling sequence and short combo Sistine or veil work. This class is suitable for all levels with a focus on the basics. Participants wishing for an extra challenge can sign up for the additional half hour session to learn advanced steps, choreography and props. Participants wear comfortable workout clothes and work barefoot or in a dance, yoga or gymnastic shoe. A belly dance hip scarf or shawl is recommended but not mandatory.

“Belly dance is good for self-esteem and a joyful alternative to exercise. It accepts your physique as beautiful, so you are starting with a positive body image,” says instructor Gina Bergamini, who studied dance at SUNY New Paltz. “You use muscles you didn’t know you had, especially in the torso.” Belly dance is low impact and a very gentle technique.

“Elders do it. I’ve even had three generations, a mother, daughter and grandmother in one class. The concept of dance being a young thing is changing,” says Bergamini. “People enjoy dancing whether it’s for fitness or social activity. They are doing it later, and later in life.”

“Gina teaches a Cabaret-style form of belly dancing that is deeply expressive and rooted in body positivity, promoting self-confidence through her art,” says Gricel DeCuffa who appreciates the cultural aspect of belly dance. “Dancing to Middle Eastern music is energizing and joyful.” Nancy Lonigro has been a student of Bergamini’s for many years and values the camaraderie. “There is a core group here that has developed a wonderful network of friendship and support, and it is a beautiful thing.” says Lonigro. “And the new dancers are welcomed with open arms.”

Bergamini, who also teaches youth dances classes, brought members of the belly dance choreography class together to perform with the children for a “Nutcracker” recital making this an intergenerational experience.

EZ Dance Fitness
PHOTO BY SUZANNE SAMSEN

EZ Dance Fitness is an easy to follow, go at your own pace format of low impact cardio dance, toning, balance, coordination and stretch, created and lead by Amy Olin. “It’s my version of Zumba Gold,” says Olin who has group fitness certification from the Aerobic Fitness Association of America. She puts together a variety of genres of music and wants everyone to like what they are hearing. “My mission is to make it unintimidating, easy and fun. It’s kind to your body. Moving to the music is joyful.” Olin says dance exercise stands out from other forms because you’re using your brain and your body.

“My strength and flexibility have improved since taking Amy’s classes,” says Madeleine Accardi. “This in turn has been good for my mental and emotional health since I know I’m helping myself stay in shape. And of course it’s good for my step count!”

The class has made a huge impact on Susan Welling who says Olin’s approach is both welcoming and inspirational. “Amy Olin has helped keep me healthy both physically and mentally. In my mind, I’m dancing not exercising.”

Participants in the classes agree that there are many more benefits than exercise. They meet new people and make new friends, which has contributed to their improved overall well-being.

“We always encourage people to reach out to the Recreation Department office at 914-238-3909 or they can email the general email at recnpark@mynewcastleny.gov with any inquiries,” says Grey. “If anyone wants to try a class, they should call our office.”

Grey is very happy to see the community center bustling. “People are here for different reasons. Socialization is the biggest part.”

For more information or to register: https://secure.rec1.com/NY/new-castle-ny/catalog

DeCicco’s & Sons Stellar Food Market & Community Giving

November 25, 2025 by Abby Luby

On an early chilly morning long before the sun rises and just days before Thanksgiving, large panel trucks filled to the brim with several hundred frozen turkeys pull up to each of the 11 DeCicco & Sons upscale gourmet supermarkets. In a few days all of these pre-ordered turkeys will be feasted on by DeCicco & Sons’ many loyal customers while many other turkeys will feed thousands of those in need.

For business owners John DeCicco Sr. and his wife Marie DeCicco, giving back has highlighted their strong connections to countless communities for more than 50 years starting with their first store in 1973 in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx and then in 1984 when they opened their store in Pelham.

“We started making baskets for families in need during Thanksgiving and also Christmas,” DeCicco Sr. recalls. “We’d include turkeys with all the sides, and my delivery guy would bring some 50 to 70 baskets to families from a list supplied to us by the schools. Since then, we’ve been giving back.”

The popular supermarket is known for custom-made cakes, high quality produce and meats, prepared meals including sushi, salads, hot food bars, grab-and-go meals, sides and award-winning catering services.

As the DeCicco’s opened more stores over the years, they always embraced each store’s community by donating to various local organizations. The act of contributing reminds John DeCicco Sr. of the kindness showed him when he was a poor 10-year-old just arriving in the United States from Calabria, Italy.

“I remember going to this church and they gave me a few toys, and I never forgot that,” John Sr. recalls. “For a family in need, our baskets are a big thing, and I feel grateful that we are able to share.”

Fast forward to DeCicco’s & Sons expansive outreach supporting Westchester and Putnam schools, PTA/PTSAs, education and health-based foundations, local food pantries and hospitals, non-profit organizations such as the American Cancer Society with annual donations exceeding $100,000.

Years ago, the DeCicco’s enticed customers to contribute to their school rebate program by placing their sales receipts in a box at the cash register and DeCicco’s would donate 1% of those sales. Today customers use their courtesy cards to donate to the school of their choice and every two months DeCicco & Sons sends a check to any one of a number of PTA groups. “We’ve gotten almost $3 million over the years since we started that program. We still do it,” DeCicco Sr. notes.

Responding to unplanned needs is another way DeCicco & Sons gives back. During the COVID pandemic the store delivered breakfasts to the local fire department and pizzas to the police department. When the power goes out every DeCicco & Sons store allows those living nearby without electricity to put their food in the store’s freezers. During the Hurricane Sandy power outage, Marie recalls a woman coming to the Pelham store where they had a shower and washing up before getting on the train to go to work.

“We really try to meet the needs of the community in many ways,” Marie says. “Our sons and our whole team are the same way in each store.”

Both the DeCicco’s two sons, John Jr. and Chris, grew up with marketing entrepreneurship in their blood. As youngsters the boys would sit at the kitchen table and sketch out their dream store.

“We would visit Wegmans in New Jersey, and they were inspired from an early age,” Marie remembers. “When they started working at our stores the boys worked from the bottom up, from cleaning toilets to washing floors to being involved in construction, to the meat and fish departments.”

John Jr. is CEO of DeCicco’s & Sons while Chris and their cousin Joseph DeCicco operate ten stores in Ardsley, Armonk, Bedford, Brewster, Eastchester, Harrison, Larchmont, Millwood, Pelham, and Somers. Each oversees different operations. Joseph DeCicco, vice president of purchasing, actively searches for gourmet items from around the world with an emphasis on Italian products.

Chris is known for starting the store’s impressive and large international beer selection prominently shelved in a separate, dedicated location of the store. His interest in craft beers saw him travelling around the world tasting local brews in the early 1990s.

Eventually DeCicco & Sons’ first craft beer affiliation was with Captain Lawrence Brewing Company based in Elmsford in 2006. By 2010, DeCicco & Sons was the first supermarket in New York to install a bar with beer on tap in their Brewster store. Today the supermarket sells 1,000 to 3,000 varieties of beer and Chris is recognized as a well-known beer aficionado world-wide. Because Chris was key in promoting Belgian beer in New York and the United States, in 2017 he was inducted as an honorary knight in Belgium in a 13th century tradition called the Knighthood of the Brewers’ Mash Staff that took place at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in Brussels.

(L-R): Christopher, Marie, John, and John Jr. DeCicco at their 50th anniversary party in June
Photo by Cathy Pinsky

The DeCicco & Sons Armonk store was built in 2013. Before that there were no supermarkets in town. John Sr. recalls that before they built the Armonk store it wastreet corridor between Maple Avenue and Bedford Road.

Marie and John Sr. moved to Armonk about 10 years ago, a convenient move for Marie who oversees the store’s on-site bakery. The very early morning staff of 17 bakers produce freshly baked items which are sold in the Armonk store and distributed to their other stores. The bakery is known for its custom cakes, homemade cookies, Italian pastries and breads. DeCicco also partners with other family businesses including Zaro’s Bakery, Rockland Bakery, Carousel Cakes, and Arthur Avenue’s Zarro’s Bread.

“The work shifts in the bakery vary,” Marie explains. “During the holidays bakers come in around 4 a.m., the decorators come in about 7 a.m. and the packers come in later in the morning and stay until closing to get all the orders ready for the morning pick up.”

The DeCicco’s started their baking delivery service for their Pelham store. “My vendor at that time was a pastry shop owner in Rockland where we lived at the time,” Marie recalls. “Our delivery guys were my husband and my sons using their own vehicles,” she says, chuckling. “Some of the conditions the products arrived in makes me laugh – don’t ask – cakes upside down! That’s how we started. We’ve come a really long way.”

The very same Rockland pastry shop owner, Louie Roscigno, would eventually come to work for the DeCicco’s and, at age 80, he still works for them as senior baker. Roscigno is among those who have worked with the DeCicco’s for as long as 50 years.

John Sr. notes how the store’s creative bakery staff quickly decorated a cake for a customer.

“One of our neighbors and a regular customer was in the store and we found out that it was her birthday,” John Sr. recollects. “We asked the bakery to quickly make a cake to surprise her and when she was checking out, we gave her the cake while all the cashiers sang happy birthday to her. These are the things that happen at the store that are priceless.”

DeCicco’s at the 2025 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Kickoff Reception
Photo by Cathy Pinsky

In 2024, DeCicco & Sons were awarded Best of Westchester for their catering service.

Marie regularly meets with the store’s award-winning event and catering director Brittany Arocho who has worked at the DeCicco’s for nine years. Arocho oversees the full-service catering throughout the year including corporate functions, fundraising galas, milestone events and provides various types of cuisine, custom desserts, décor, staff, rentals and floral arrangements. The DeCicco & Sons’ catering department also cooks thousands of turkeys, many with complimentary sides for their Thanksgiving and the holiday customers.

The future for DeCicco & Sons is always a forward moving plan, seen today as two new stores are about to open in January 2026. One will be a 20,000-square-foot space on Glen Ridge Road in Greenwich, CT. The other store will be in Scarsdale by the train station, where the former DeCicco Family Markets was located which closed last year. Once both stores open there will be a total of 13 DeCicco & Sons stores in the New York Metro area.

To date, there are some 1,600 employees working for all the DeCicco & Sons stores with about 100 staffers in each store. Woven into the new hires training is the importance of being amicable and attentive, something the DeCicco’s are especially proud of.

“We spend a lot of time training new employees and educating them,” DeCicco Sr. says. “Many of them are nice kids and for some it’s their first job. I want to teach them life skills like talking to customers, saying ‘thank you’ or ‘how was your day?’ We’ve seen our young employees come in so shy but then they blossom and work their way up in the store. Parents have told us how, since working here, their kids have changed.”

Employees have learned to be customer friendly by example, a role in which John Sr. is only too happy to play as he mingles with and helps customers in the front of the store. Just recently he was helping an elderly husband and his wife bag their groceries. He graciously carried their bags out to their car when the husband asked him “How long have you been doing this?”

“Oh about 50 years,” John Sr. told him, eyes twinkling.

The man looked shocked and said, “And you never got a promotion?”

A Cut Above the Rest: ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS Flourishes in Pleasantville

November 25, 2025 by Martin Wilbur

(L-R): Melanie Gomez (VP, HR & Compliance), Joanna Rosenberg (Chief Sales and Marketing Officer), Jennifer Davis (VP, Marketing Communications), Dorothy Montgomery (CFO), Nina Dols (VP, Channel Development) and Guido Weishaupt (President & CEO)
Photo by Donna Mueller

It’s been 10 years since ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS moved into offices that it built on Marble Avenue in Pleasantville, and the match couldn’t have been better for the company or the community.

In November 2015, ZWILLING, with factories around the globe producing high-end cutlery, cookware and small kitchen appliances, celebrated the relocation of its U.S. headquarters from its previous home on Route 9A in Hawthorne. CEO Guido Weishaupt said the company had outgrown its space, and with so many of its employees living in the area, another site for a larger facility nearby was sought.

To the relief of village officials and many residents, they pursued the property that had been the site of the old Medical Laboratory Associates (MLA) parcel at 270 Marble Ave. Since MLA moved out in the late 1990s, the previous structure remained empty for almost 15 years. Stop & Shop had bought the land in 2001, but the plans to open a supermarket there were abandoned after it faced overwhelming community opposition.

ZWILLING bought the property in 2012 and built its sparkling energy-efficient headquarters of roughly 110,000 square feet that houses offices, a retail store that sells its products and a warehouse. One of the most popular features of the operation is the cooking studio that hosts culinary classes for those who love expanding their skills in the kitchen.

“There were a few options, but when we saw this one, it’s always been our favorite because the location is so close to town and the idea that everything is so walkable and the diversity of the offerings for the employees, from downtown shopping to food, so for us it’s the ideal location,” Weishaupt, who has been ZWILLING CEO since 2008, said of the move to Pleasantville.

It’s also been ideal for business for the 294-year-old German-based company, Weishaupt said. Since arriving in the village, he estimated that business has quadrupled, prompting ZWILLING to buy the nearby 1.2-acre property at 220 Marble Ave. with an eye toward future expansion. There are currently about 110 employees in Pleasantville.

There is no timetable for additional construction on the recently acquired land.

“We want to expand on that site,” Weishaupt said. “Again, we’re almost 300 years old, so we’re never in a rush. We always do what we do with longevity in mind. We want to be mindful of how we will use that space and how best to fit it into our operational needs, but also, as you can see, we like making the space look nice and we want to make sure that whatever we do on that site can match with what we do here.”

Long and Storied History

The largest and one of the oldest cutlery companies in the world, ZWILLING was founded by Peter Henckels in June 1731. His grandson, Johann Abramham Henckels, is its namesake. ZWILLING is the German word for twin, since the company debuted under the zodiac sign Gemini, and an image of the twins is prominently part of the company’s logo.

ZWILLING arrived in the United States in 1876, opening a shop on New York City’s Park Avenue, Weishaupt said. It’s first foray into Westchester came in the 1950s, first in Elmsford, then in a few additional locations farther north before establishing itself in Hawthorne, years before the move to Pleasantville.

What sets ZWILLING apart from other cutlery producers is the quality of the product, said Chief Sales Marketing Officer Joanna Rosenberg. They work with a European steel company to make a unique special formula steel that has been developed and perfected over the years. Rosenberg said the goal is always to achieve the right balance between durability and sharpness.

There is also robust quality control to ensure that the products will last. For example, to guard against the knives rusting, ZWILLING conducts extreme testing that is the equivalent of placing the knives in the ocean for two weeks, she said. Rosenberg said ZWILLING is able to have its own specially developed steel because the company is the largest knife manufacturer in the world. All of the machinery that makes the products at its eight factories worldwide – located in Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Japan, China and India – is calibrated to produce the highest quality products, which is its most crucial mission.

“The idea is that it will last for more than one generation, you’ll have them to pass on to the next, and our job, all of us who work here, our job is to protect the company for the next generation that comes along,” Rosenberg said. “It’s not a quarter or a year or anything like that. We do that with the quality of the product more than anything else.”

Over the generations, ZWILLING has added to its line of products by acquiring several other top brands. It offers STAUB cast iron and ceramic cookware from France; DEMEYERE, a prominent Belgian company that offers the best in stainless steel cookware; MIYABI, considered the best in Japanese cutlery; HENCKELS, which offers high quality, and durable cookware and tools at an exceptional value.

“I think what’s so great, because we have the five brands and we range from one price point all the way up, we can sort of give each customer what they need depending on what their skill set is, their comfort level is, said Jennifer Davis, ZWILLING’S vice president, marketing communications.

Weishaupt said to ensure that the quality of what it produces remains consistently high, ZWILLING controls the manufacturing process from beginning to end.

He said maybe only about 10 percent of the customer base is commercial, with many falling into the category of serious hobby chef.

“I think it’s really essential to everything we do, whether it’s cutlery or cookware or flatware, we just are addicted to the quality of what we provide,” Weishaupt said. “You wouldn’t survive 300 years in any industry if that wasn’t kind of the underlying principle.”

About 40 percent of the company’s market share is in North America with about 30 percent each in Europe and Asia, Weishaupt estimated.

Spreading the Joy of Cooking

Since ZWILLING moved to Pleasantville, one of the most popular features of its facility has been the development and introduction of the cooking studio programs. The ground-floor space just inside the main entrance started simply as a showroom, Weishaupt said. However, executives looked at the area and thought that it could become more interactive, he said.

ZWILLING hired an executive chef that had worked with the company in Europe who helped convert the showroom into a cooking studio. It is one of a few such studios ZWILLING operates at locations around the world.

“I would say this one is the most successful when it comes to the amount of people and the revenue generated,” Weishaupt said. “We’re looking, always looking to see if what we learned here we can multiply to other locations in the U.S. That’s one thing on our wish list that we haven’t gotten to yet, but it’s from what we perceive, it’s so good that it’s really worth copying and sharing and rolling it out.”

Nearly every day there is a different type of class offered at ZWILLING studio, ranging from a children’s baking session to a vast assortment of lessons introducing different cultural cuisines such as Asian street food, Korean BBQ, Moroccan food, Mexican and Filipino dishes and new American plates. Then there are the periodic basic knife skills classes.

With the popularity of televised cooking shows, more people are finding enjoyment in creating dishes at home, further fueled when many were homebound during the height of the pandemic. Almost anyone with the interest and desire to learn how to make exciting new dishes would love some of the classes scheduled at ZWILLING studio.

“Surprisingly, the end result of what you then eat or have created is so amazing that it doesn’t stand back much from, if at all, from anything you would buy at a good restaurant – and you just cooked it,” Weishaupt said.

The studio has also hosted corporate events and even a Bar Mitzvah party, Davis said.

Gift Ideas for the Holidays

For the friend or relative who is a budding chef or finds enjoyment in trying new dishes to make, the gift of a class or choosing items from ZWILLING on-site retail store makes for a great gift for the holidays. If you’re uncertain over which gift from the store or class someone on your shopping list might find most appealing, gift cards are available for both.
ZWILLING also holds its annual warehouse sale at the start of the holiday season – the weekend before and the weekend after Thanksgiving on the grounds of its property, Davis said. This year, the sale is on November 21-23 and December 5-7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on each of those days.

In past years, shoppers have come from throughout the lower Hudson Valley, New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut to see what glassware, flatware, tools, gadgets and other items are available.

“If you bring a passionate hobby chef into the store, it’s really like a kid in a candy store,” Weishaupt said. “There’s no stopping. Everything is so good.”
Community Fixture

Development of the property a decade ago came as welcome relief to the Village of Pleasantville. Mayor Peter Scherer said ZWILLING took what had been a moribund site and transformed it with its attractive public-facing building. With the retail store and the cooking studio, it is more than just a warehouse and distribution site.

It has also been a major part of what could be considered a renaissance for Marble Avenue, a largely light industrial corridor with mixed uses that has at times had a difficult zoning history. It has had a positive influence on a few other streets in the vicinity, most notably Castleton Street, Scherer said.

He is also optimistic that when the time comes, ZWILLING will redevelop 220 Marble Ave. with equally aesthetically pleasing construction.

“They have been good neighbors for sure, absolutely for sure,” Scherer said. “They have been forthcoming and generous and obviously invested a lot of money in that building that needed significant investment. It’s been great.”

In turn, ZWILLING takes seriously its mission to give back to the community, Weishaupt said. One program that it created is to provide work to members of the special needs community by easing them into the workforce to show what the world of employment can look like. Since moving to Pleasantville, Weishaupt estimates that between two and three dozen people have been trained and became a core part of the company.

“That’s something we couldn’t do at our old location, but being here in Pleasantville, in a community, allows us to reach out to the school to offer this sort of a program, which is great,” Davis noted.
A second effort has been its internship program for general education students who are typically attending college.

“We want to make sure young people have the opportunity to get an idea of what work life can look like while they’re still in college and make the right choices,” Weishaupt added.

When ZWILLING decides to expand, Weishaupt pledged that whatever structure gets built will blend in well with the surrounding area, particularly from an architectural perspective, he said.
With the company’s success in Pleasantville, the roots that have been planted in the community will continue to grow. Weishaupt recognized the importance of the relationship between the village and the company’s success locally.

“Pleasantville has treated us really well,” Weishaupt said. “We have the proximity to the train station, the restaurants, and just being a part of a community where before where we were on Route 9A was pretty much in the middle of nowhere,” Weishaupt said. “So, it’s a complete step up in so many ways for the employees coming here from the Bronx and all over, the nearby cities.”

For more about ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS and its products, visit www.zwilling.com. Information about the cooking studio, including the schedule of classes, can be found at zwillingcookingstudio.com

Jessica Rosh: Restoring Hope With A Wish

November 25, 2025 by Ronni Diamondstein

As the newly elected Board Chair of the Hudson Valley chapter, Chappaqua resident Jessica Rosh knows well the impact of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Embarking on this new role, she will lead the chapter in celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026. “It’s an absolute honor to have the opportunity to be part of an organization that makes such an impact and transforms the lives of kids and their families during the most difficult times in their lives,” says Rosh.

Rosh’s connection to Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley goes way back to her childhood in the Catskills. More than 30 years ago when her then 17-year-old brother David was being treated for leukemia he was contacted by wish granting volunteers. David wanted to meet the winner of the 1988 Presidential election. While this seems like a huge ask, his wish was graciously granted when the family was invited to the White House to meet with President George H.W. Bush, who had lost a daughter Robin to the disease. President Bush’s reception, kindness and thoughtfulness made an impression on Rosh as she saw how this special moment meant a new chapter in her brother’s life. “Our whole family was touched by that event. In that moment the spark was ignited in me,” says Rosh. “I wanted families to feel the power of a wish.”

“I’ve tried to live my life guided by empathy,” says Rosh who was strongly influenced by her professor at Boston University, Elie Wiesel and his words of wisdom, “think higher, feel deeper.” Rosh began her career as an attorney and now teaches bioethics at New York Medical College in Valhalla.

Rosh started volunteering nearly twenty years ago and has been on the Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley Board for the past eight. As Board Chair she wants to continue to nurture and develop more partnerships and relationships in the community and to allow people to see the impact of a wish. Community support is vital to Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley that is 100% donor funded. “I want everyone in the community to know that they have a role to play. It’s not only wish families and volunteers. We have support from clinical partners, local businesses and restaurants. We can grant wishes, but we need the community support to do that.” The average cost of a wish is $10,000. “We have 150 wishes in our pipeline now and we granted 145 this year,” says Rosh. While wishes are often thought to be unobtainable, Make-A-Wish makes things happen.

One of the community connections Rosh is most proud of is Chappaqua’s Horace Greeley High School Make-A-Wish Club. In 2024 the club received the Chris Greicius Award for their decade of service raising thousands of dollars. Rosh says they have been a phenomenal partner and is proud of how the young people have taken this on. The club takes part in the annual Walk for Wishes and has raised funds to support three wishes, trips to Disney and Japan, and a clubhouse. They held a variety of fundraisers including a raffle, pickle ball tournament and bake sale. “Our connection to Jessica is super special,” says Sheila Jacob, the longtime faculty advisor. Jacob values Rosh’s connection to the students. “Jessica knows how to make people feel special,” says Jacob. Rosh meets with the club members in the beginning of the school year and attends their events. “I’m thankful I had Jessica to partner with. She’s a real role model for all of us to be dedicated to community service, and an inspiration. She always shows much gratitude.” Additionally, three Greeley club members have done their Senior Experience internship at the Make-A-Wish office in Tarrytown.

Jessica Rosh speaking at the Walk for Wishes 2025
Photo by Rana Faure Photography

A highlight of the year is the Walk for Wishes: A Family Fun Festival at Kingsland Park in Sleepy Hollow. This year the annual fundraiser brought together wish families, volunteers, sponsors, and the community raising over $190,000. They surprised 17-year-old Emily with a trip to Greece, granting the milestone 3,500th wish for the chapter at the festival on October 5th.

As a wish granter Rosh meets with Wish Kids and their families and helps children determine a wish. She also works with the Make-A-Wish staff and wish families during the wish process. Rosh developed deep relationships with wish families that have continued after wishes were granted. The Koch family is one. Their son Benjamin’s wish of attending the Major League All-Star game was granted in 2017. Benjamin’s mother Stefanie says that Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley made such a difference for her family. “The Wish Kids are in the hospital, dealing with taking medicine, being sick and not being a kid. Make-A-Wish gives them a chance to be excited about something,” says Koch. “Families get to make memories and it’s not about going to the doctor.” Her family was part of a group wish to attend the All-Star game with six other families. “As a group wish it was so special to cheer all these kids on through their journeys and their love of baseball. To be able to be a cheerleader and celebrate the journey that these other kids had faced, and to see the joy in the wish they were granted, that’s the big thing.” Koch is grateful to stay in touch with Rosh. “Jessica is very special to our family,” says Koch. “She is so inspirational and a beautiful choice for the Board Chair. She’ll do greatthings. I can’t think of a better face for the organization.”

Like many Wish Alums, Benjamin Koch has stayed active. When he co-hosted the 2022 Wish Ball with fellow Wish Alum Bianca Muñiz that honored the longtime co-hosts WNBC Today in New York anchor Darlene Rodriguez and WHUD’s Mike Bennett he said, “While the hope of a wish was instrumental in my physical and emotional recovery, the memories afterward have inspired me to use my voice to spread the restorative power of a wish.”

The 2026 Wish Ball at the Westchester Country Club on April 17 will commemorate the anniversary with the theme 40 Years of Wishes. They will be celebrating the impact the chapter has had with granted wishes over the decades. Wish families will speak and community partners will be honored. “It’s a magical night,” says Rosh.

There have been a variety of wishes granted, and some are holiday themed. “We did a wish for a child who wanted to give back for the holidays donating gifts to patients in the hospital,” says Rosh. “And I worked on a wish for a young girl who wanted to spend Christmas in London.” The holidays are the busiest time with their end of the year and holiday giving appeal. “While holidays are a special focus–what it means to give and receive–but it’s what we do all year long; 365 days of the year we’re focused on giving and improving the lives of our Wish Kids and their families,” says Rosh.

Jessica with Kristine Burton, President/CEO of Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley
Photo by Rana Faure Photography

The chapter has 250 volunteers and a staff of 11 that Rosh calls her dream team. “Everyone has something to give whether it’s their time, talent or treasures,” says Allyson Curtis, Director of Development. “There is a way for everyone to experience the power of a wish whether that’s through giving their time, donating or partnering with us through a business. The holiday season is a great time to host events. It takes a village.” Abraham Almanza, Senior Director of Marketing and Wish Alum, says the biggest hurdle they have to jump over is the myth that wishes are only for the terminally ill. “Wishes are granted to children between the ages of two and a half to eighteen years old who have a life-threatening critical illness, degenerative, progressive or that puts the child’s life in jeopardy at the time of referral. We encourage families, when in doubt just refer,” says Almanza.

Kristine Burton the Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley President & CEO sees Rosh as an inspiring volunteer leader. “Her unwavering personal commitment and passion for our mission have been pivotal in driving our success. Over the years, Jessica’s dedicated service has fostered a culture of compassion and dedication, making a profound impact on the lives of countless children and families. As we approach our 40th anniversary, I am filled with hope and excitement for the future, knowing that her vision and guidance will continue to lead us toward creating even more life-changing moments for the children and families we serve with critical illnesses.”

Rosh reflects on her work with the chapter. “I have found a place where I can see goodness in action, especially with everything going on in the world, and I can see kindness to do the work to make the world a better place,” says Rosh. “The absolute very best part of this is the Wish Kids and meeting them and knowing them. They teach me how to be brave and courageous and understand that life will throw you some curve balls but the best you can do is move forward.”

“It’s really difficult to explain fully the impact that Make-A-Wish has had on our family,” says Rosh. “It has changed all of us.” Her parents have stayed involved. Jessica and her brother David are wish granters, and her brother Rob is an oncologist.

Rosh is grateful to her family for their support, “I couldn’t do what I do without my husband David and my daughters Lauren and Emma. My family is all in, and they share my passion.”

Now Rosh has her very own special wish. “As Board Chair, my wish for Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley would be that no child ever faces life-threatening illness. However, as long as there are children with critical illnesses who need hope, strength and joy during these challenging and difficult times in their lives, we will be there for them to provide life-changing, transformative experiences. I wish to lead with moral clarity and look forward to collaborating with our remarkable board, staff, volunteers, donors and supporters to keep the well-being of our Wish Kids as the primary focus, while steadfastly maintaining the integrity and strength of our chapter.”

About Make-A-Wish Hudson Valley

Serves eight counties: Delaware, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, Westchester

The Wish House

832 South Broadway
Tarrytown, NY 10591
(914) 478-9474
info@hudson.wish.org
hudson.wish.org

Get involved:

hudson.wish.org/help
Fundraise
Volunteer
Corporate partner
Alumni community
Donate

Refer a child:

hudson.wish.org/refer
A child between ages 2.5 and 18 years old who has a critical illness that is placing the child’s life in jeopardy.

2026 Wish Ball:

For sponsorships, journal ads, and ticket details visit:
hudson.wish.org/wishball

New Beginnings at The Kittle House Inn: Meet the Krase Family

August 22, 2025 by Ronni Diamondstein

(L-R): Scott, Jackson & Christie Krase in the Tap Room at The Kittle House Inn
PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON

Since 1790, the Kittle House has been a mainstay of the Chappaqua community serving as a cherished landmark and symbol of Chappaqua’s enduring allure.

The historic Kittle House is now in the hands of The Krase family who have taken hold of its stewardship with the promise to retain the charm of this renowned venue that is meaningful for so many, and to make it a community meeting place.

In January 2024 Christie and Scott Krase, 24-year Chappaqua residents who’ve celebrated many happy occasions at the Kittle House, were having dinner when they learned that the storied establishment was for sale. Christie and Scott exchanged a glance. Instantly they knew that they wanted to be the next caretakers of the Kittle House legacy, and that week Scott met with John Crabtree, the longtime owner and they came to a deal in September 2024.

The crucial condition for the Krase family was that the senior staff, whose average tenure is 25 plus years, stay on. “The staff was a big reason we decided to buy it. It came with people that meant something to the community,” says Christie. “The entire senior staff has been welcoming, supportive, excited and collaborative. We now have a new family.”

Along with respecting the senior staff and venerable Kittle House traditions, the Krase family will be bringing in their son Jackson, a 2015 Horace Greeley High School graduate. “I thought it could be a really cool family adventure,” said Christie who had worked in hotels previously. “It was very instinctive. It seemed like a great legacy project.” Christie and Scott also have three daughters: Arin (HGHS ‘17), Piper (HGHS ‘19) and Tatum (HGHS ‘22).

“It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to be a part of the community in a way such as this,” says Jackson. “This place is special to a lot of people for a lot of different reasons and being part of that is something we were really excited about.” He credits his A+ Greeley experience for giving him that great sense of community and the town. Even though he was only there for two years having spent his first two high school years in London at the Southbank International School, he formed lasting relationships.

Jackson, who will be starting out as the assistant manager has had an interesting career path. He studied Political Science and Foreign Policy at the University of Richmond, then worked in Israel at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism and the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C. On a wine tour in South Africa he had an “aha” moment. Realizing that he needed a change, he found a job in a vineyard in Cape May, New Jersey. Now Jackson will be learning all the aspects of the business. “I’m new in this industry. I’m green. I am a sponge. I will be doing a series of six-month rotations in different parts of the business. Once completed I’ll have a better understanding.” Jackson has organized the extensive wine cellar and will be working in the front of the house, the back of the house, the kitchen and events.

The Krase family has exciting plans for the future. “The Kittle House 2.0 is going to be a central community gathering place with many new weekly events,” says Jackson. They will continue Women’s Wednesday Wine Night and wine pairings and have something for men and other surprise events. There will be many opportunities to partner with community groups. They hope people will continue to see it as “the” place to have their holiday parties, birthday celebrations and other special occasions.

As part of their vision, from the Tap Room to the guest rooms to the restaurant and the event space, every single area on the property, landscaping included, with be touched and refreshed and updated. Sitting in the Tap Room discussing the renovations, Christie says, “Everyone wants to be in the Tap Room, so we’re expanding it. That’s what the community has asked for.” They have gotten opinions from neighbors in Lawrence Farms East and other community members. The entire event space downstairs is being completely renovated and will be brand new by the spring of 2026.

The Krase family was also very thoughtful about whom they hired to do the work. “It was important to us to use local professionals and tradespeople who have interacted with and understand the history and value of the Kittle House to the local community,” says Christie. “From our architect Ken Anderson, a long-time Chappaqua resident, construction contractors, Lasberg Construction Associates – Lee Lasberg grew up in Chappaqua and is a HGHS ’76 grad–and designer Janine Rosenblum, a long-time Chappaqua resident.”

“The Town has been phenomenal working with us. They have been so supportive: the planning board, building department, fire department, and environmental planning, “ says Christie. “I think they understand the history of the building and what it means to the community

Scott adds “They have been great partners in helping us getting a very complicated project to the launching pad.”

With the renovations for the guest rooms, Christie sees it not only for out-of-town visitors to the area, but also as a place for the community. If people have guests coming in for the holidays and don’t have enough room in their home or if they need to move out of their home when it is being renovated, they can stay at the inn.

And fans of the restaurant can count on a great new menu with all the Kittle House classics and updated with new offerings and specials. “Outside will be a go-to spot in the nice weather,” says Scott. “There’s going to be a pergola for outdoor dining.”

The Krase family sees the Kittle House as both an embodiment of this quaint colonial town and a breath of fresh air. They are thrilled to build on its historic legacy and rich tradition, innovating and elevating where they can while maintaining its character.

Scott also saw this as a great business opportunity. “How many times do you get to buy something that is iconic? How many times do you get to buy something that is a brand that is so good that they win the best awards in the country for wine and food? And add in the reputation and all the good stories.”

The Kittle House Inn
PHOTO BY CAROLYN SIMPSON

Christie reflects on their endeavor. “Change is difficult. Most people don’t like change. We will get some things wrong, but for the majority of what we think we’re changing, it retains the essence of what the Kittle House is, just freshening it to better serve the community and the neighborhood.”

Jackson is looking forward to his new experience at The Kittle House Inn, a place where like so many people he has experienced many memorable family occasions. He will enjoy two very special ones at The Kittle House Inn when he weds his fiancé Rebecca Pallant (HGHS ‘15) on June 6, 2026, and his sister Arin is married on October 10, 2026. “I love this town. I don’t want to be anywhere else. It’s a privilege to be able to work here.”

For more about The Kittle House Inn, go to thekittlehouseinn.com

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