The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

briarcliff

Getting to Know Beloved Briarcliff Author Tom Leihbacher

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Growing up in Briarcliff Manor had such a profound impact on author Tom Leihbacher that he set his first novel, A Gift Most Rare, in the idyllic village. Published in 2020, the story is a coming-of-age tale set at Christmastime in the 1970s inspired by Leihbacher’s own adolescence in Briarcliff and the amazing memories he made there.

“It was just as golden and wonderful as you could imagine. Briarcliff was a microcosm of life in the USA back in the 60s and 70s – a small town with really close family and friendships all over town, it made everything more cohesive; we had each other’s backs and were there for each other.” Leihbacher grew up the youngest of three sons. At the University of Florida he majored in advertising and marketing and got a job in NYC right after graduation. It was then that he found an apartment in the Scarborough/Briarcliff area and decided to set down roots, a decision he is grateful to have made.

Leihbacher grew up attending the Briarcliff Congregational Church and married the daughter of the minister. He and his wife Rachel raised their son, Tom Jr., in the Tree Streets neighborhood and Tom Jr. and his wife also live in the local area now. He concluded after years traveling all over the U.S., “if ever you lived in Briarcliff, no matter where you’ve gone since, you’ll always call Briarcliff home.”

A Hometown’s Influence

Leihbacher regularly gets together with a group of high school friends to reminisce about favorite spots in the area. “We all agree that the single most beautiful spot here is the 16th green at Sleepy Hollow Country Club, looking at the sunset over the Hudson River.” He still sees Briarcliff as a town that emphasizes family and children, especially when the whole town comes out for sporting events such as football and basketball. In addition, he really enjoys the walkability of town. “I like to take the dog for a walk through the tree streets and the village. The downtown area is great–everything you need is there. We have something here that rivals the most beautiful places you can find.”

Taking inspiration from life in Briarcliff, Leihbacher decided to try his hand at writing fiction. After spending many years in the advertising business, his career took a decidedly different turn. “I had written lots of ad copy but also studied fiction writing. In my later years, around age 60, I had an inspiration for a Christmas story.” Leihbacher created a story outline but couldn’t get himself going and didn’t understand why. “I started thinking I had to nail down a setting first and knew I wanted a Norman Rockwell/Courier & Ives feel. It finally occurred to me: I grew up and live in a setting that fits the description, why not set it in Briarcliff?”

So that’s what he did. “I took the dog for a walk–I do my best thinking that way, and thought, why don’t you draw from people you know to create characters.”

Many of the characters in A Gift Most Rare are based on people Leihbacher grew up with including his late father-in-law Reverend Higgins and Mr. Welden who ran the deli he frequented as an adolescent. He also drew on characteristics from those he grew up with in town.” For many who grew up in Briarcliff, Leihbacher’s book is an enjoyable trip down memory lane.

Summer Up, the next installment, takes places two years after A Gift Most Rare, with the same cast of characters. He calls it a “God-honoring summer tale capturing the fun and excitement of summer break from school.” The story also contains a timely anti-bullying message. Victory Lap is the third planned book of the series, with the characters now seniors at Briarcliff High School taking their own “victory lap” before heading off to college. As Leihbacher says, “I had a hobby that turned into a new career–it has been super fun. The success of the first book was enough to go for a second one.”

In addition to writing, Leihbacher also finds time to volunteer both with the youth group at Faith Lutheran Brethren Church, and at the Ossining Food Pantry. “For me, kids hurting and people who don’t have enough to eat touches my heart and that I want to help with. Also, kids who are looking for a good, positive environment–those are three things that most pull at my heart.”

For more information about Leihbacher and his books, please visit tomleihbacher.com

“The Macy” Briarcliff’s Hidden Gem

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While Savannah, Georgia might be where the Girl Scouts were founded by Juliette Gordon Low, the Edith Macy Conference Center in Briarcliff is considered by many to be the organization’s secondary birthplace. “The Macy,” owned by Girl Scouts of the USA, is a facility filled with a rich past that has evolved into a sought-after conference center attended by people from all over the world.

“You’re moved by the history” walking the 400 acre campus, according to Dorothy Forcina, Chief Marketing and Communication Officer of Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson.  Yet few even know it exists.

University in the Woods

The Macy is named for Edith Carpenter Macy, chair of the Girl Scout National Board of Directors from 1919 to 1925.  Her husband, V. Everit Macy, purchased and donated land adjacent to an existing Girl Scout camp to build a training headquarters in her memory, said Briarcliff Manor-Scarborough Historical Society President Karen Smith. Since that time, the property known early on as the “university in the woods” was expanded in 1962 with construction of Camp Edith Macy featuring the Great Hall, and in 1982 a modern building of wood, stone and glass officially opened as the Conference Center. Four years later, the Creedon Education Center, containing meeting spaces and a living area, was added to the complex, which now houses more than 10,000 square feet of meeting space and 52 guest rooms.

“[Edith Macy] was very active in the Girl Scouts movement,” Smith said, “and the international aspect of Girl Scouting.  The Great Hall looks like the United Nations inside, with different flags.”  Indeed, in 1926, the site hosted the Fourth International Conference on Scouting, the first international Girl Scouting event held on American soil, attended by 56 delegates from 31 countries, according to Girl Scouts USA officials.

There haven’t been many changes to the campus since, but it has remained a consistent draw to corporations and organizations – not just Girl Scouts – for meetings, retreats and events, according to Sherri Hoy, Director of Sales and Conference Planning. The appeal – and credibility – of the Macy is that it is an International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) certified conference center in a retreat setting, she added, awarded the IACC Gold Level of Sustainability in 2009 per its website.

“To have IACC certification on 400 acres of wooded property is a huge draw to Girl Scout training and retreats,” Hoy said, adding that it is an invaluable resource for Scouts locally and around the country. Hudson Valley Girl Scouts are fortunate to have the Macy so close, Forcina added, noting the hundreds of girls who visit each year. Girl Scouts and organization leaders gain invaluable experience, bird watching, letterboxing, geocaching, and exploring the ponds, getting in touch with nature.

Harnessing the Past, Embracing the Future

The welcoming center fulfills Edith Macy’s dream of an instructional facility staffed and equipped to offer high quality training and guidance for Girl Scout leaders, according to Bernice Johnson, Vice President of Procurement, Vendor Management and Properties at Girl Scouts USA.

“Being in the space, surrounded by history yet poised to impact the future, I thought to myself Girl Scouts really do ‘make the world a better place,’” Johnson added, quoting a basic tenet of the organization.

The Macy campus is run by Benchmark Resorts and Hotels, a hospitality management company based in Texas. Several longtime employees have been critical to the center’s operations; Peter Stafford has been the Director of Operations since it opened in 1982, and Hoy has been with the center for 21 years.

“I love what I do, love the property, the people that I work with, my customers,” Hoy said. “I think the longevity of the employees says a lot for the property itself. They put their heart into the work that they do and they deliver the customer service that shows how much they care about the property and our guests,” she added.

Yet still many local residents remain unaware of the gem in their backyards.  Briarcliff resident and Chamber of Commerce President Mike Milano called the Macy a “hidden secret,” only learning of it when picking up a friend after he had lived in Briarcliff for several years.

“I had no idea it even existed,” Milano said. “When you think of conference centers in this area, they’re upright buildings, not tucked away in the woods. It’s obviously unique in that fashion. It’s got more character.”

Similarly, Briarcliff Village Manager Philip Zegarelli likened the Macy to a cabin in the mountains. He’s attended the conference center several times and always looks forward to it. “It’s just one of those little gems that takes you back to a different era,” he said.

Seeking a Committed Relationship

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Publishing in any new town is a little like dating. I’m courting an entire community and it’s impossible to tell exactly how things will turn out…

I can just put my best foot forward and hope for the best. But please know I’m looking for a long term, committed (publishing!) relationship right now!

Speaking of dating, about a dozen years ago, I had a first date in a quaint trattoria in beautiful Briarcliff Manor, just far away enough from Chappaqua, my hometown, for my comfort level. I’ve always been aware of all the great shops, eateries and amenities just a stone’s throw from where I live. There have been many workouts at the beloved Club Fit, and quite a few pieces of my wardrobe are from March Boutique, a perfect place to choose an outfit for date, and a local gem spotlighted as a first ‘lifestyles’ feature for this magazine.

Without a doubt too, Briarcliff Manor is also a vibrant community of families deeply committed to their schools, ‘the joy of school theater’ (see our end page ‘etcetera’ essay!), to a healthy and bucolic natural environment (as anyone who has ever visited the Edith Macy Conference Center can attest!), fascinating people (like “The Points Kid”) and as I’ll continue to communicate… to so much more!

I have been successfully publishing for 16 years. I’ve always been fortunate to work with a stellar team, talented contributors and continuous merchant support. I decided being empty nest, that it was time to introduce the Inside Press brand a little more widely. So, after launching first Inside Chappaqua, then Inside Armonk, then Inside Pleasantville, this shiny new edition of Inside Briarcliff & Ossining was born.

While I was conceiving it, I met with the head of the Briarcliff Manor Chamber of Commerce, Mike Milano, and we talked about the businesses along North State Road, ‘on the main drag’ on Pleasantville Road, and the challenges small businesses face in a digital age. I’m right in the thick of those challenges myself, and I look forward to working together to help small and medium size business thrive with both our print and online options at theinsidepress.com, and in social media! We aim to keep if fun and interesting, too.

I’m not a stranger to Ossining either. Over the years, I’ve enjoyed several wonderful dining experiences there, whether authentic Spanish fare, or at Ossining’s famous river restaurant, the Boathouse, and most recently, I’ve checked out the newest entry to waterfront dining, the 3 Westerly. I also consumed much coffee at First Village Coffee, taking breaks from my footsteps in pulling this first issue together! One time, I even discussed the possibility of running a pub together with a friend, who happens to be a karaoke dj. Ossining immediately came to mind. We’d call it Sing Sing, of course. We never pursued it. When I heard that the Sing Sing Kill Brewery had opened, I thought: great minds think alike and trust me that I’m ‘in’ for a night of enjoying karaoke or open mics as soon as I can create more down time!

Inside Tappan Hill Mansion to support the Ossining Children’s Center Gala

Ossining, I must say, is a barrel of Earthy fun, from its fabulous Earth Day festival to its festive and bountiful Farmers Market. I’m also very proud this debut issue spotlights the Ossining Children’s Center, its mission and fundraising goals to create a much needed new home. I also had fun meeting and listening to so many inspiring people at the OCC’s spring gala.

Please also note our ‘Gotta Have Arts’ coverage highlighting the cutting edge Westchester Collaborative Theatre, sharing news of the upcoming Ossining Jazz Festival at the Elks Lodge, and highlighting an upcoming June exhibit at the Bethany Arts Center–a place I’m looking forward to exploring further, too.

In short, I tried my very best to capture various happenings, slices of life– touch of the flavor, if you will–in each of your engaging towns. Feel free to tell me how we did! Let’s solidify our relationship! Please feel free to write to grace@insidepress.com.

 

P.S. June is my favorite month! It’s my ‘down time’ between late spring and back to school publishing and with all the great weather, I make the most of it!  Happy Graduations to all the new graduates; have two fairly recent ones of my own (they are 22 and 27, and I’ll think of them that way ‘till they turn 30!)  Happy Father’s Day to all the dads! My own amazing ‘Poppy’ recently passed away at age 96, so it is a first for me without him. I’m going to spend it honoring his memory on a long walk whether in a beautiful preserve, or perhaps now, along the river. Enjoy the edition, and June, too.