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briarcliff

“The Macy” Briarcliff’s Hidden Gem

May 31, 2019 by David Propper


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.

Filed Under: Briarcliff Cover Stories Tagged With: briarcliff, Conference Center, Edith Macy, girl scouts, place, special, The Great Hall, The Macy

Seeking a Committed Relationship

May 29, 2019 by Grace Bennett

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.

Filed Under: Just Between Us Tagged With: briarcliff, Committment, first edition, grace, hometown publishing, lifestyles, Local Magazines, new magazine, Ossining, relationships, trattoria

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