The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Happenings

Spotlight on Community Day 2018: A Yearly Tradition Courtesy of the Rotary Club Filled with Fun for All

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Greeley senior Andrew Kassin said the event was a great opportunity to fundraise and raise awareness for the Matthew Larson Foundation, as he and other students sold T-shirts and sweatshirts in remembrance of their classmate, Casey Taub.

The aroma of roasted hot dogs and cotton candy competed with the sounds of guitar strums and cheering children at the 2018 Community Day. The Rotary Club-sponsored event brought more than 70 organizations to the heart of Chappaqua. Kids sporting butterfly face paint and their parents interested in various local groups lined the train station parking lot. The September 15th  event served not only as a community gathering but also as a chance for organizations to network and fundraise.

“We are here to support the community of Chappaqua,” attendee and Chappaqua resident Dara Dubs said. “It is also great to see old and new friends and our kids love going on the rides.”

While groups including the Chappaqua School Foundation and Chappaqua First Responders return to Community Day each year, Tea Town, and the Matthew Larson Foundation for Pediatric Brain Tumors were a few of several organizations who participated in the event for the first time. This year’s Community Day also featured new activities for children, including a pony ride and a scavenger hunt.

But not only did little kids take advantage of what the 2018 event had to offer, Greeley students also attended, performed and volunteered at Community Day. Executives from Greeley’s largest community service organization, S.H.A.R.E, distributed T-shirts for A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure, adding to the bracelets, pins and flying discs that various non-profits and local businesses also circulated.

(L-R): Barbara Klein, George Furman, Donald Roane, Peter Davidson PHOTO BY MADELINE ROSENBERG

Greeley senior Andrew Kassin said the event was a great opportunity to fundraise and raise awareness for the Matthew Larson Foundation, as he and other students sold T-shirts and sweatshirts in remembrance of their classmate, Casey Taub.

“Jonathan Taub’s message has been to keep Casey in everyone’s mind, to keep honoring him and to never forget him,” Kassin said. “Being here is a great way to carry that on.”

As community members of all ages enjoyed the activities that local groups sponsored, Rotary Club of Chappaqua president Eileen Gallagher said Community Day also serves as a natural way to bring attention to the Rotary Club itself.   

“We look forward to more and more people coming each year,” Gallagher said. “We really want people to know we are here for them.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAWN GREENBERG
(L-R): Sarah Platkin, Catherine Zhu, Jordan Rattner, volunteers from S.H.A.R.E.
PHOTO BY MADELINE ROSENBERG

HHREC Speaker on the 80th Anniversary of Kristallnacht

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Dr. Rafael Medoff will speak at the 80th Anniversary of Kristallnacht at Manhattanville College.  Dr. Medoff’s topic will be FDR, Immigration Policy, and the Jews. Dr. Medoff is an American historian and the founding director of The David Wyman Institute, which is based in Washington, D.C. The Institute focuses on issues related to America’s response to the Holocaust.

Sponsored by the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center on November 7 at 7 p.m., Manhattanville College, 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY 10577. For more information, please contact Millie Jasper 914 696-0738 or mjasper@hhrecny.org

Sweet Success

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(L-R) Allison Spiegel, Sophia Spiegel, Charlotte Spiegel, Rebecca Blum and Holly Blum PHOTO COURTESY OF HOLLY BLUM

The 9th Annual Great Chappaqua Bake Sale is definitely one for the books as the “rolling pin” was passed down to a new generation of leaders.  This year’s effort was driven by a new generation of bake sale leaders: Rebecca Blum (age 13), Charlotte Spiegel (age 14) and Sophia Spiegel (age 14) whose mothers previously ran the bake sale.

The group raised more than $17,700 to help feed hungry children in New York during the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival.

Memories Made during Huge Turnout at the 6th Annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

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PHOTO BY BO SANDERS

The sixth annual Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival was held on Saturday, September 29th at the Robert E. Bell Middle School’s grounds. With a bright blue sky above, smiling faces all around, overjoyed kids playing and browsing their favorite books, the festival was a special and memorable day for the approximate 7,000 local book lovers as well as visitors from as far away as Boston, Albany, Maryland and New York City.

The goal of this year’s festival was to attract people from all backgrounds and expose children to authors and books about different cultures. The festival showcased a diverse group of 95 authors. The festival exceeded its expectations as the kids were quite eager to learn about the unique culture and diversity around them through the pages of books and conversations with the authors.

The event saw a huge turnout this year. Dawn Greenberg, the event organizer, said “The police estimated there were at least 7,000 attendees. Last year we had about 6,000. We worked very hard to get the word out throughout schools in Westchester County, lower Connecticut and New York City. Our goal was to have every child in the area attend and get a book.” The festival sold more than 9,000 books.

Rye Brook resident Michael Barnett attended the book festival with his two daughters. He stated “I’ve been to this book festival several times. This is the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen. We did notice a lot of books with characters of different races and ethnicities and I think it’s great.”

Inside Chappaqua asked several authors and illustrators “What does diversity at the festival mean to you?”

Torrey Maldonado, who was voted a “Top 10 Latino Author” and best Middle Grade and Young Adult novelist for African Americans, uses his students and his experiences in his work. He said “Being here at the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival is amazing. I feel like I am more at an amusement park. Because every book is a different journey, different thrill ride.  You can get elementary, early childhood books or just enjoy something fun and thrilling at that level. I have met a lot of different people here from different places so it seems to be like the United Nations, but about books.”

Jerry Craft, an illustrator and author who has won five African American Literary awards, said  “It’s showing the crowd different kinds of books that they may not necessarily be familiar with. Whether it is boys having books that have female characters, African American characters or Latino characters. That’s something I always try to vary in my work.”

John Parry is an illustrator. “I think diversity represents all of us. For me, most of my book focuses on Latino culture or other different cultures.  Growing up, all my friends were from different backgrounds and different families and learning from each one of those families is so important. I think that helps to influence me in my work. Having the background I have is a very positive thing for me. So, I celebrate those things. Like diversity, the more the merrier, and everyone is invited to the party.”

Vivek Agastya is a Chappaqua resident who thinks it is important for his kids to be exposed to diversity in literature: “As the dad to two Chappaqua girls that are part of a minority community, I think it’s helpful for my kids to be able to experience literature that has a diverse theme. The diversity theme of the festival gives me a chance to expose them to that.”

MORE PHOTOS BY BO SANDERS

 

 

Look Back at the 125th Anniversary White Plains Hospital Gala

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The Friends of White Plains Hospital hosted the 125th Anniversary Gala of White Plains Hospital on Saturday, September 29th.  The sold-out evening at the Sleepy Hollow Country Club, the site of the Hospital’s first gala in 1956, raised $1.7 million for Hospital programs and services. 800 guests enjoyed a historical video tribute showcasing the Hospital’s remarkable longevity in the community, followed by dinner, dancing, a silent auction, and fireworks display.

Betsy Gordon and Dr. Mark Gordon, of Armonk; Dr. Julianne Dunne, of White Plains
Seth Lerner, MD; Helen Jhang, MD; Frances Bordoni; and Fred Berardinone, all of Armonk
Dr. Randy Stevens of Scarsdale, Dr. Bradley Adler and his wife, Lauren, of Chappaqua