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New Castle News

Greeley Grad Scott Silver Tells How he Overcame Adversity to Launch “Macula Designs”

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Editor’s Note: After running Deirdre Cohen’s article about a group of incredible Greeley entrepreneurs in the June 2015 edition, we heard from recent Greeley graduate Scott Silver about his own: Macula Designs. I liked the jpgs he sent and asked Scott to tell us how he came to launch his biz and ended up moved by his story…it’s one of perseverance and true grit. I’m proud of you Scott! Visit www.maculadesigns.com

By Scott Silver

Macula Design is the amazing silver lining following several concussions. I had three concussions in 2010 that put a stop to all the sports I played (soccer, football, basketball). I went from doing everything to … doing nothing.

Graphic design took over my life two years later, as I taught myself Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. The Adobe Creative Suite is a $20 monthly subscription. That $20 is really what was used in order to start my brand. I did a lot of commission work once I felt comfortable with the design programs. I bundled that money together and made my very first business investment. I came up with an Om Barcode design and printed it on about 12 men’s and women’s tee shirts. And then 20. And then 30.

The design stemmed from the Buddhist word: Om. It’s the most important mantra in the Buddhist religion and represents ‘sound.’ It’s a very common symbol in the yoga world, so I wanted to place a fresher, modern take on it to represent my youth by integrating the bar code.

This is the approach I now go for with all my designs. I started selling my designs locally and then quickly grew to selling them to five stores in the tri-state area. These stores range from earthy gift stores, to fashion boutiques, to gyms, and to yoga studios.

I’m constantly growing and it never bores me. Instagram has been my greatest marketing tool as I went from 1 follower to over 500 in only a few months.There’s no better feeling than getting repeat customers or seeing someone wearing one of my designs. That’s what really drives me to keep going. My goal is always to see more and more shirts in public.

Another one of my big goals was to get to a comfortable place in my business where I can put some of my profits to a greater good. I finally achieved that a couple of weeks ago, and I now donate 5% of my profits to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. I’m so happy about this and can’t wait to put in my first check.

I will be attending Lafayette College in the fall to study mechanical engineering. It’s going to be really interesting to see where my brand goes when I’m in Pennsylvania. I plan on setting up a college ambassador program and, as a college student, use my resources. I think it will be a great marketing strategy and will intrigue other college students to want to be ambassadors at their schools. Amongst my bigger goals, I hope to get into a large market in the coming months. Whether it be a yoga studio chain or a major re-seller, it would be a real turning point in my business. I can’t wait to see what happens in the future. It’s so much fun.

Scott-Silver-Collage

Adieu to Chappaqua Schools’ Retirees

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teachers apple2015 Retirees of the Chappaqua Central School District

Education Center

Theresa Markley – Secretary to the Superintendent/District Clerk

Horace Greeley High School

Beth Aviv – English

Elise Chadwick – English

Sally Cochran – Library

Gerard Furey – English

Michele Glenn – Assistant Principal

Louise Hazebrouck – English

H. Davis Knobloch – Music

Juan Lesende – Maintenance Laborer

Christine Louth – Staff Developer

Vita Materasso – Foreign Language

Jane Perito – Senior Office Assistant

Sue Pojer – Social Studies

Lisbeth Rath – Social Studies

Charles Sehulster – Science

Robert E. Bell Middle School

Colleen Harris – English

Seven Bridges Middle School

Anthony Castagna – Head Custodian

Christine DiDomenico – Physical Education

Barbara Nicoletti – Computer Aide

Robert E. Bell/Seven Bridges

Genevieve Hanlon – Staff Developer


Douglas Grafflin Elementary School

Brian Hiller – Music

Eileen Kelly – 1st Grade

Jane Kleinman – 4th Grade

Jean Porcaro – Library Assistant

Barbara Widder – 4th Grade

Roaring Brook Elementary School

Odette Potter – 3rd Grade

Ann Winters – 3rd Grade

Joanne Wynne – 4th Grade

Roaring Brook/Douglas Grafflin

Winifred Burckhard – Computer Aide

Westorchard Elementary School

Miriam Fernandez – 4th Grade

Janet Madalon – 4th Grade

Since Reported to The Inside Press:
Bell/Horace Greeley High School
Effective June 30th
Francesca Hagadus – Foreign Language

The End of an Era

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Saying Goodbye to Greeley’s Latest Retirees

By Lindsay Hand

During high school, you often wonder about the need for so much work. Will the endless hours of studying actually pay off? As a rising college sophomore, I’m surprised to be able to say yes, it does pay off. I was worried as I began my freshman year that I would be overwhelmed by the workload, but I soon found myself more than able to handle not only the work but extracurricular activities as well. And I realized that, despite the stress and pressure, Greeley really did prepare me for college. I learned how to study well, I learned how to manage my time, and most importantly, I learned how to write strong papers, arguably one of the most important skills one could have, no matter what their vocation. reitirees

All of this would not be possible without some incredible teachers, and Greeley is fortunate to be home to many. And so I salute a great number of them –11 teachers, one secretary, and one administrator, to be exact—who retired at the end of this past school year. These faculty members–Beth Aviv, Liz Rath, Sally Cochran, Jerry Furey, Elise Chadwick, Louise Hazebrouck, Davis Knobloch, Chris Louth, Vita Materasso, Chuck Sehulster, Sue Pojer, Jane Perito, and Michele Glenn–have all had an incredible impact in their combined 294 years at Greeley.

Former Greeley English teacher and assistant principal and new Seven Bridges Middle School principal Andrew Corsilia feels that this is an incredible loss for the district. These retirements hit him hard, since four of the retirees – Furey, Hazebrouck, Aviv, and Chadwick – were English teachers with whom he worked for many years. He recalls Furey’s “incredibly warm, welcoming spirit” upon their first meeting back in 1997 and Chadwick’s constant support of him throughout their years working together.

More than anything, these teachers are taking with them “decades of teaching experience and an incredible wealth of content knowledge,” says Corsilia. “They defined the [English] department when I started teaching. Personally and professionally, it’s a big loss for me.”

He also elaborates on the many contributions the retiring teachers have made to the Greeley community beyond the classroom, highlighting Mrs. Materasso’s Sunshine Club, which celebrates and supports teachers, and Mr. Sehulster’s Project Challenge, which helps form a community with some of the freshmen. “It’s sad,” Corsilia adds. “It feels like a loss.”

Though I am no longer a Greeley student, I personally feel that loss. I was fortunate to work individually with Mr. Furey as one of his Independent Literary Analysis students, where we shared our love of books and the deeper meanings within them. He has since become a friend and mentor, always excited to see me and hear about my college experiences (and give me new books to read!), an example of how many teachers in this district care so deeply about their current and former students.

In his 40 years of teaching, Mr. Furey has touched the lives of thousands of students and has enjoyed working with his wonderful colleagues. He says one of his favorite things about the English department at Greeley was that “the teachers all teach differently, but in the end it all comes together,” creating students with varied and exceptional writing skills. Furey and the other retirees have shaped Greeley over the past few decades and their impacts will continue long after their retirements.

I, like many other Greeley graduates, was fortunate to have some truly phenomenal teachers during high school, who instilled in me important lessons and skills that eased my transition to college. While the retirees have all been so important to Greeley, Greeley and the Chappaqua community have also been important to them.

“It’s more than leaving a job,” explains Corsilia about the feeling at the June retirement dinner, which celebrated the retiring teachers. “You understood the impact that they have had on the school and how Greeley has become a home for them.”

Lindsay Hand has been writing and editing for Inside Chappaqua since eighth grade. She is now a sophomore Communication major at Cornell University.

Editor’s Note: A list of retirees from all the schools in the district will be posted soon too!

Chappaqua Supports NWAG’s Art Around Town Exhibition

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NWAG Members Kick Off Art Around Town Exhibition
NWAG Members Kick Off Art Around Town Exhibition (photo by Maria Larramendi)

On June 4th, the Northern Westchester Artists Guild (NWAG) kicked off their month-long Art Around Town exhibition. NWAG members will be displaying their artwork in participating stores in Chappaqua until June 29th. The opening festivities began at 5 p.m. A tent was set up on the corner of King Street and North Greeley Avenue where walking-tour maps and directories were provided to locate specific artists with their respective venues. To add to the festivities, participating merchants offered drinks, appetizers, and desserts to all who entered to view the exhibits.

The nonprofit organization, NWAG, is still in its nine-month infancy yet is growing at a rapid pace with approximately 50 members to date. The idea of forming an artists’ group came to lifelong Chappaqua resident and artist Leslie Weissman while out for a walk one day in the spring of 2014. Weissman shared her vision with fellow artist Peg Sackler, and, by September 2014, a meeting took place around Weissman’s kitchen table along with approximately 15 fellow members. “The energy was amazing….We began to function as a collective; tossing out ideas, suggesting new members, creating opportunities, developing ideas for marketing material, and determining a dues structure,” says Weissman.

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Mindy Kombert (center) exhibiting work at Eye Gallery

The spirit of an artist is captured in their work. Artists are creative and bold in their expression. Yet, choosing to exhibit one’s artwork  is, perhaps, the boldest thing an artist can do. NWAG is made up of a group of multitalented, multifaceted artists. When you begin to peel back the layers that make up one particular artist, the word artist just doesn’t suffice. On her website, NWAG member Mindy Kombert simply describes herself as a maker, but for Kombert, being a maker encompasses a whole lot–a potter, a painter, a photographer, a scrapbook quilter, a graphic designer, a knitter, just to name a few.

 

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Executive Director Cassie Ward (left) of New Castle Historical Society with artist Cindy Sacks at the Horace Greeley House

Painter Cindy Sacks has a prime spot. Her venue? The Horace Greeley House on King Street. Sacks expresses how grateful she is to the New Castle Historical Society for HoraceGreeleyHouseexhibiting some of her paintings now on display throughout the first floor of the historical site. Sacks’ watercolor and oil paintings appear in regional exhibitions, galleries, and in corporate and private collections.                                                                                                 

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Weaver & textile designer Barbara Pickel at Salon 228
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Pickel’s 39″ wide Glimakra loom

Another NWAG member exhibiting some of her work is longtime Chappaqua resident and weaver Barbara Lyons Pickel. Her intricate handwoven pieces take many forms: fine linens, blankets, rugs, scarves, and bags. Her studio? Her home. What was once the music room, where her children (now grown) used to practice their violin, viola, and cello, is now her weaving room. In addition to a table loom, a substantially large 39” wide Swedish loom occupies a good portion of the sunlit space and easily stands alone as its own art form. For larger projects, an even wider 54” loom resides in her basement. Pickel took up weaving eight years ago after daughter Molly Pickel, then 14, returned home from a summer arts and craft camp. Molly knew weaving would be something her mother would enjoy. Pickel immediately searched for an adult workshop that would also allow a 14-year-old. She finally found a five-day workshop at Vavstuga Weaving School. The mother-daughter bonding trip instantaneously sparked Pickel’s love of weaving. She was drawn to weaving for its variety of design options as well as the planning aspect. Setting up the loom is a complicated and important part of the design process. “When I begin planning a new project, I have to make decisions regarding the function, the fiber, and the structure before I even begin to consider color choices,” says Pickel. “Every step of the process must be done precisely, or the final process will be unsatisfying,” she adds. Pickel continues to master her craft in the Scandinavian tradition while incorporating new design and textile techniques. In 2012, Pickel took a workshop in Fujino, Japan, exploring several Japanese textile techniques including indigo dyeing, shibori, katazome, and kumihimo.                                                                                                                                                                                

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NWAG Artist Helene Ocko at Donna Hair

Guild member Helene Ocko’s abstracts and florals are as colorful and whimsical as she is. Her studio? Her kitchen…and backyard for larger pieces. For Ocko, painting is a joyful process. “I don’t like to explore the dark places of my emotions in my artwork,” says Ocko. “If I want to do that, I’ll talk about it…not paint it,” she adds. Ocko works in acrylics and experiments with various textures and uses unconventional techniques. Her sense of humor comes out when describing what went into making a particular piece. It’s not unusual for her to use random tools like a fork, a comb, a dog brush, or some crinkled plastic wrap to create texture and movement in her work. In addition to exhibiting in town, some of Ocko’s larger pieces are on display at Northern Westchester Hospital.                                                                                                                   

To view all NWAG artists and their profiles, click here: nwartistsguild.org/#!artists/c1sqx

To download the list of all NWAG artists exhibiting work and their respective venues, click here: artist_merchant_location list (2)

By Janine Crowley Haynes, Chappaqua resident and freelance writer

Photos by Michelle Hecht

Sacks:HistoricalSocietyDunn:HoulihanAikens:ICDKockler:Breeze
Post:JardinShobha:ComesticsBoutiqueVanFleet:HallofScoopsChrissanth:Emmary Day SpaNan:GreatStuff

 

 

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NWAG Members Kick Off Art Around Town Exhibition
NWAG Members Kick Off Art Around Town Exhibition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drink Up! to New Castle’s “Second to None” Water Quality

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Treatment Plant Wide ShotA Tour of Millwood’s Water Treatment Plant Reveals the Vast Improvements Made

By Matt Smith

When you walk to your kitchen sink after a long, hot day and fill up a glass with water, do you ever think about where the water’s coming from? And the arduous process it took to clean and filter the water, to make it look the way it does as it gushes out of your faucet?

Well, If you’re a New Castle resident, your water comes from the Millwood Water Treatment Plant and Pumping Station, located just off of Route 100, on Campfire Road. The prime Millwood location was selected because of its close proximity to both New York City’s Catskill Aqueduct, the primary supplier of New Castle’s water, and the Croton Aqueduct, chosen as the standby water source.

These two sources have jointly supplied New Castle’s water since the late 1950’s (Catskill Aqueduct since the ’30’s), though prior to April 1992, the water, while disinfected, was unfiltered. The call for filtration came with the enacting of Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments in 1986.

Shortly after, in 1989, the US Environmental Protection Agency legalized the Surface Water Treatment Rule, requiring filtration on all surface supplies. With the help of Hazen and Sawyer, the town’s engineering consultant since 1950, the rigorous planning, construction, administration, and operator training began, and in August of 1993, the new filtered water pumping station officially began circulation.Filtration Pipes

Since that day, the facility has produced around 7.5 million gallons per day of excellent finished water, through a complex — though easy to understand — filtration process. First, the raw water is drawn by gravity from the Catskill Aqueduct into the treatment plant, through a syphon connection. It undergoes a process of “rapid mixing,” which disperses cleansing chemicals through the raw water.

After this process, machines called flocculators thoroughly mix the water in three stages, to separate out impurities, such as viruses and bacteria, into large masses known as floc. The next step involves the injection of ozone for disinfection. The application of ozone after clarification, but before filtration, reduces the chance of heavy chlorination, which can produce harmful byproducts.

And then, of course, we’re onto the main event, wherein remaining floc particles and matter still in the water are filtered out. Some water treatment plants use this filtration process alone, whereas this plant combines it with dissolved air filtration and ozonation. In fact, the treatment plant holds the distinction of being the first facility in the United States to incorporate dissolved air flotation for clarification and ozonation for primary disinfection. Because of this very distinction, the plant was, in 1994, awarded First Prize in the New York Association of Consulting Engineers Engineering Excellence Competition and named Project of the Year by the Westchester/Putnam Chapter of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers. Ozonation

The water leaving the filters at this stage is virtually free of turbidity, pollutants, and chemical residue. The filtered water is then treated with a low dose of chlorine to prevent the regrowth of any organisms in the water, before being pumped out to homes and businesses all throughout the New Castle area.

And that’s it. Sounds simple, no? Fortunately, the process is made easier with a state-of-the-art computer control system that monitors pumps, chemical feed systems, and water quality throughout the plant–“like a giant video game,” adds Gerry Moerschell, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works at the Town of New Castle. With this system, plant managers and employees can track the state of the plant and the distribution of the water at any New Castle location, at any time of day.

And it’s lucky for us that they do. With their hard work, the quality of New Castle’s water is “now second to none,” meeting or exceeding present US government standards, and anticipating those that should be in effect well into the next century.

Comments Senior Operator Paul Steier, with the switch to a filtered pumping station, “the water quality literally changed overnight.” The increased capacity of the new pumping station has also alleviated past water supply problems that had disturbed the town in the past — and it has not gone unnoticed!

“After 25 years of throwing away a solid, brown water filter every two weeks, it’s absolutely delightful to see the same filter now snow white after three months of clean, clear water flowing through it!” states an anonymous New Castle resident. Adds another, “I don’t know about you, but this [water now] is the kind of water I want in my home.”

And thanks to the accuracy and precision of everyone involved at the Millwood Water Treatment Plant and Pumping Station, that is the water we’re all enjoying in our homes.

For more information on the treatment plant, or to arrange your own plant tour, please contact the New Castle Department of Public Works at 914-238-4771.

Matt Smith, a graduate of Skidmore College, is a regular contributor to The Inside Press, Inc.