The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

benefit

Gullotta House Presents ‘Escape from Sing Sing Plunge 2020’

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Saturday, February 15, 12 p.m. – 12:10 p.m at Louis Engel Park Beach in Ossining

A Benefit to Help Westchester Residents Facing Hardships

Much Needed Funds Will be Raised for Scholarships Supporting Local High School Seniors

By Grace Bennett

Get ready, get set… everyone is invited to join the fun and take the Escape from Sing Sing plunge at beautiful Louis Engel Park Beach in Ossining! You’ll be helping to benefit Westchester residents facing hardships and raise some much needed dollars for local high school scholarships too, thanks to the efforts of the Gullotta House, an an all volunteer organization and all its sponsors supporting this now third annual event. Matthew Gullotta asks that each participant commit to raising at least $100. The event will take place on February 15th, 12 p.m.-12:10 p.m.. 

There’s a happy pay off too for each courageous plunger: “When you raise $125 it gets you a long sleeved event shirt!” says Gullotta.

In fact, there are a whole range of benefits to becoming a sponsor, too, at the $50, $250 and $500 and up levels (which includes a three minute talk about your business at the event!). Find out more by emailing your team or businesses name, or your individual or family interest to gullottahouse@gmail.com. To sponsor this event or a person, visit www.gullottahouse.org

Please note: Everyone must wear sneakers or water shoes and sign waivers. Costumes are allowed. Most important: HAVE FUN!     

 

Grace Bennett is founder, publisher and editor in chief of the Inside Press since 2003.

Inside Press is a proud media sponsor of ‘Escape from Sing Sing Plunge 2020’ 

AERIAL PHOTO BY JIM DROHAN

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Honors Chappaqua’s Stacey Saiontz

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Jared Saiontz, Jack Feldman, Stacey Saiontz, Marc Saiontz and Elliott Saiontz

Some 500 persons attended a New York Tribute Dinner on October 28th during which Chappaqua’s Stacey Saiontz was one of two recipients of National Leadership Awards by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Saiontz is a founding member of the Museum’s Next Generation board and was recently appointed to its Education Committee. She shares her passion with her children who were featured in the HBO documentary The Number on Great-Grandpa’s Arm.

Saiontz with fellow honoree Gary Jacob

“The first words that spring to mind about Stacey are high energy and committed,” said Howard D. Unger, of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, in introducing Saiontz. “Whether it is fiercely advocating for food allergy legislation or relentlessly advancing Holocaust related causes,” he added, “when Stacey is in, she is all in.” The dinner raised over $3.2 million. Saiontz called the Museum “a beacon on the global stage; it reminds us all of what we are capable of, the good and the bad, and offers a universal message of tolerance and importance of taking action. The Holocaust is not just a story of hate; it’s also a story of resilience, humanity, love and kindness,” she said.

Gary Jacob, a second honoree who has served as a regional co-chair of the event,  is vice president of Glenwood Management and vice chairman of the Settlement Housing Fund. Powerful presentations at the benefit included harrowing testimony from Auschwitz-Birkenau survivor Irene Weiss.

Weiss described her family’s losses and how she was “forced to live and work next to the crematorium” and “forced out on a death march with 1000s of other prisoners.” “How does one put into words the magnitude of such a loss?” she asked.

Sara J. Bloomfield, Museum Director, said that while the world will always change, “human nature never will, and that we alone are responsible for the solutions.” She described the need “to unlock these powerful lessons of Holocaust history…so that wishful thinking might be constantly be met with determined resistance, so that today’s bystander will not become tomorrow’s victim… That’s the museum’s bold and urgent aspiration.” For more info, visit ushmm.org.

Axial Theater Benefit: March 30th

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Pleasantville-based Axial Theatre will be celebrating its 20th anniversary on March 30 at its annual benefit by paying tribute to its founder, Howard Meyer. Meyer, the original artistic director of Axial and an award-winning playwright, is also the founder of the Howard Meyer Acting program, the County’s first major multi-tiered acting program for children through adults. Last year, Meyer turned the keys of the ensemble company over to Catherine “Cat” Banks and Linda Giuliano, now Axial’s co-artistic directors, who form a trio working closely with managing director/general counsel Elizabeth “Betsy” Klampert. Giuliano remains the company’s literary manager.

The benefit will offer a cornucopia of gourmet bites, savory and sweet, plus libations and a silent auction featuring a one-week getaway in Cinque Terre on the Mediterranean coastline of the Italian Riviera, Broadway tickets, and other exciting items. Past and present members of Axial Theatre will pay tribute to Howard Meyer through a variety of entertainment formats.

For more info, visit axialtheater.org

Wyclef Jean to Headline Benefit for Sunrise Day Camp – Pearl River at The Capitol Theatre

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Port Chester, NY— Nationally-acclaimed hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean will perform an intimate show to benefit Sunrise Day Camp – Pearl River at The Capitol Theatre on Thursday, April 19.

For over two decades, Wyclef has paved his own musical landscape both as a critically-acclaimed solo performer and member of the legendary hip-hop trio, the Fugees. Since putting out the landmark Fugees album, The Score, in 1996, Jean has won three Grammy Awards and has sold over nine million albums in his solo career alone.

In 2017, Wyclef put out his first record of original music in 8 years, Carnival III: The Rise and Fall of a Refugee, which was praised by the likes of XXL Magazine and named one of the “25 Most Anticipated Albums” of the fall by Billboard. Additionally, Wyclef released a new mixtape entitled Inspired By…, which paid tribute to music that inspired him including Drake, A$AP Ferg, and Carlos Santana.

Wyclef’s show on April 19 will not only be one of the few times you can see him in such an intimate setting, you’ll also be giving back to the community and making a positive influence in the lives of children.

Sunrise Day Camps are the world’s only full-summer day camps for children with cancer and their siblings. Sunrise Day Camp – Pearl River is a proud member of the Sunrise Association, whose mission is to bring back the joys of childhood to children with cancer and their siblings world-wide, through the creation of Sunrise Day Camps, Year-Round Programs and In-Hospital Recreational Activities, all offered free of charge.

Tickets start at $43 advance and can be purchased by calling Ticketfly at (877) 987-6487, ordering online at www.thecapitoltheatre.com, or visiting The Capitol Theatre Box Office at 149 Westchester Avenue, Port Chester, New York, Monday through Thursday from 2:00PM-6:00PM or Friday and Saturday from 12:00PM-6:00PM.

Only balcony and loge tickets are available to the public. The orchestra section is reserved for a private event. Please contact Lizzie Mancini at lizzie.mancini@sunriseassociation.org or (516) 634 – 4191 if you are interested in purchasing orchestra level tickets to their event.

About The Capitol Theatre:

Designed by celebrated architect Thomas Lamb in 1926 and listed in The National Register of Historic Places, the Capitol is located 30 miles from NYC, accessible by I-95 and only one block from the Port Chester Metro North train station. The 2,000-capacity theater, known as “the original rock palace,’ showcased rock legends such as Black Sabbath, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Derek and the Dominos, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones. Jerry Garcia once called it his favorite venue, claiming “See, there’s only two theaters, man… that are set up pretty groovy all around for music and for smooth stage changes, good lighting and all that – the Fillmore and The Capitol Theatre. And those are the only two in the whole country.”

In 2012, the Capitol Theatre underwent a transformative renovation under the guidance of entrepreneur Peter Shapiro (Brooklyn Bowl, Lockn’ Festival, the “Fare Thee Well” Grateful Dead 50th Anniversary stadium shows, music magazine Relix, FANS). Since then, The Capitol has hosted many of music’s most prominent performers including Bob Dylan, Phil Lesh, Ringo Starr, Ryan Adams, Skrillex, Snoop Dogg, The Strokes, Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, and many more. The Capitol has also welcomed comedians like Kevin Hart and Amy Schumer. The New York Times raves: “A rock theater that looks and sounds as good as the Capitol is something to celebrate.” Billboard agrees: “The lavishly decorated theater — filled with mirrors, chandeliers and painstakingly restored detail — looks absolutely stunning, and sounds even better.”

https://www.instagram.com/capitoltheatre/

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Chappaqua Cares Third Empty Bowls Event to Fight Hunger & Food Insecurity

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Last year’s event raised $100,000 and Helped Feed 17,000 People in Northern Westchester

Celebrity Bowl Auction on Dec. 3 to Include Bowls Signed By Bill and Hillary Clinton & Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda

Chappaqua Cares, an organization dedicated to connecting local residents with philanthropic opportunities for volunteering, fundraising and donating, announces its 3rd annual Empty Bowls Westchester event to fight hunger in Westchester County. The fundraiser, which includes a celebrity bowl auction with bowls signed by President Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda,  Bette Midler, the cast of Hello, Dolly,  Pinkalicious and New York Met’s players, will take place on Sunday, December 3rd at Crabtree’s Kittle House  from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

This year’s event will benefit five area nonprofits who help feed families in Northern Westchester county:   The Mt. Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry, The Community Center of Northern Westchester, the Pleasantville Interfaith Emergency Food Pantry, Hillside Food Outreach and the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester. Event tickets are $150 and can be purchased online at http://www.chappaquacares.org/empty-bowls. For more information about sponsorship opportunities and donations, contact Empty Bowls Westchester at chappaquacares@gmail.com or on Facebook at:  EmptyBowlsWestchester and Twitter @chappaquacares

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