The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Chappaqua Rotary

The Rotary Club & Community Day

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Family Fun abounds at the Chappaqua Rotary Club’s annual Community Day

Rotary International is a worldwide service organization with over 1.2 million members in over 155 countries. Founded in 1983, the Chappaqua Rotary Club strives to “Be the Good” in many ways, whether cheering on disabled veterans during their annual bicycle ride, building affordable housing in town, serving a community breakfast, or making nearly 20 significant financial donations. A highlight of the year is Community Day, a fun-filled family day with food, rides, ponies, balloons, attractions, a blood drive, passport mobile, and informational booths for just about every community entity. Held each year in September at the Chappaqua Train Station, it coincides with the Chappaqua Farmer’s Market and is an event not to be missed. In the spring, the club honors a person or organization for their community service with the Joan Corwin Service Award at their annual “Charter Night” dinner. Chappaqua Rotary members gather Mondays over lunch to hear speakers and plan events. For more information about meetings and on how to get involved, write to eaig@optonline.net.

Courtesy of Chappaqua Rotary Club

Rotary Community Pancake Breakfast and Blood Drive

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Chappaqua Rotary is sponsoring a much needed Blood Drive from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in conjunction with the Annual Pancake Breakfast.

Please stop by with your family and have pancakes, Matzah Brei, or eggs on us. Those who choose to donate blood will also be treated to an ‘all you can eat’ breakfast.

The American Red Cross will be ready and waiting at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin next to Bell School on South Greeley Avenue in Chappaqua to welcome and care for the blood donors.

The Blood Drive goes from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to accommodate donors with busy schedules.

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Over 900 Pints collected at Chappaqua Rotary Blood Drives

“So far we’ve collected 925 pints in total at our Chappaqua Rotary Blood Drives since we began them eleven years ago, close to 85 pints per year. This community has a heart” said John Ehrlich, a Rotary Club of Chappaqua Past President who coordinates the Rotary blood drives.

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Donors include New Castle town, NY State officials and our County Executive

It’s really amazing how town and area officials step up and join with New Castle residents to donate blood at this event. Town Board Members have already signed-up to donate, regulars also include a County and Town Judge, multiple department heads and many other town employees, a State Senator and even Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino have donated.

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Help Local Organizations

Proceeds from the Pancake Breakfast fund local community organizations.

Chappaqua Rotary is the local chapter of Rotary International. The club is the preeminent service organization in New Castle and meets weekly on Mondays at 12:15 p.m. at the Crabtree Kittle House in Chappaqua, New York.

The club also sponsors and runs events throughout the year including Town of New Castle Community Day, the Annual Pancake Breakfast, Community Service Awards, Wine Tasting and two All Town Blood Drives.

For more information on the club and its activities, contact Don Roane donaldroane@me.com, Peter Davidson ptr@optonline.net or john@ehrlichmedia.com.

Chappaqua Garden Club, Sophie Odrich and Ann Herrero Honored by Rotary

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Article and Photos by Grace Bennett

The gifts of beautifying through gardening, and of community sharing, were celebrated during a warm and lively Rotary Club of Chappaqua Awards dinner and ceremony. The event took place this past Saturday at Crabtree’s Kittle House.

The Chappaqua Garden Club and Horace Greeley High School Senior Sophie Odrich received the Rotary’s Community Service Awards. Chappaqua’s Ann Herrero received the Rotary’s Paul Harris Award for “Service Above Self.”

Rotary president Don Roane, and Rotarians Edward Melvin, Eileen Gallagher and Executive Secretary Peter Davidson presented the awards, after which each of the award recipients received separate honors from: Westchester County Board of Legislators chair Mike Kaplowitz; State Assemblyman David Buchwald; and Robert Greenstein, Town of New Castle supervisor. State Senator Terence Murphy, who was not able to attend, sent his commendations as well.

In explaining the Rotary’s choice of the Chappaqua Garden Club, Melvin spoke to the Club’s Margaret Federici and Melanie Smith Klein, who had stepped up to accept the award on behalf of the club’s membership: “The idea of a garden, has always been important in the imagination, as a metaphor for human activity and as the cradle for creation, going all the way back to the original garden, the Garden of Eden.” The Chappaqua Garden Club’s members volunteer year round to beautify green spaces throughout New Castle; annual projects includes work at the 9/11 Memorial in Gedney Park and at the intersection of Route 120 and Hunts Lane. The Club received the County Legislators proclamation declaring March 6th, Chappaqua Garden Club Day.

Chappaqua Garden Club members
Community Service Award Honorees: Chappaqua Garden Club members
State Assemblyman David Buchwald (right) with the Chappaqua Garden Club's Club President Margaret Federici and Melanie Smith Klein
State Assemblyman David Buchwald (right) with the Chappaqua Garden Club’s Margaret Federici (left) and Melanie Smith Klein

Next, Eileen Gallagher explained the honor to Sophie Odrich for ‘Kittle Kares,’ a weekly effort packaging and delivering food from the Kittle House (following a Sunday brunch) to Neighbors Link Community Center in Mount Kisco. “It was started by Sophie’s sister, Natalie, approximately two and a half years ago. Sophie started helping her about one and a half years ago and has been doing it solo or with friends since then,”said Gallagher.

“The individuals at Neighbors Link look forward to an excellent Sunday dinner every week, as a result. Chef Jay and Mr. Crabtree have been enthusiastic helpers since the day of its inception. Jay estimates that nearly 2000 pounds of food have been donated since it started,” she added.

Kaplowitz proclaimed March 10th, Sophie Odrich Day in Westchester.

Sophie Odrich (right) with her parents Karen and Steven Sidel and friend Shail Highbloom who helped along with another friend, Gianina, with 'Kittle Kare' efforts.
Sophie Odrich (right) with her parents Karen and Steven Sidel and friend Shail Highbloom who helped along with another friend, Gianina, with ‘Kittle Kare’ efforts.
Sophie Odrich with New Castle Supervisor Robert Greenstein
Sophie Odrich with New Castle Supervisor Robert Greenstein

Finally, Peter Davidson, bestowed the Paul Harris Award on Ann Herrero, a 22 year Chappaqua resident and director of Financial Planning at Hudson Peak Wealth Advisors in Pleasantville. He cited her long time service to the Rotary in various roles, including vice president and president of the Club. “The Club wants to recognize her in appreciation of that and the outstanding job she has done in addition to her many other achievements in our community.” Those include service on the League of Women Voters, Chappaqua PTA and on the board for 16 years for the Chappaqua Summer Scholarship Program. And finally too, March 17th was proclaimed Ann Herrero Day by the County Legislators.

Ann Herrero (middle), Paul Harris Award recipient, with County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz (right) and his wife Jane, and friends.
Ann Herrero (middle), Paul Harris Award recipient, with County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz (right) and his wife Jane. To left of Ann, friends Nancy and Barrett Silver
Ann Herrero with Rotarian Peter Davidson
Ann Herrero with Rotarians Executive Secretary Peter Davidson (left) and President Don Roane
Ann Herrero with Eileen and Michael Gallagher
Ann Herrero with Eileen and Michael Gallagher
Sophie and her dad
Sophie and her dad
Rotarian Edward Melvin presenting the award to the Chappaqua Garden Club
Rotarian Edward Melvin presenting the award to the Chappaqua Garden Club
(L-R): Robert Greenstein, Majid Eshghi, Rosemary Eshghi, and David Buchwald.
(L-R): Robert Greenstein, Majid Eshghi, Rosemary Eshghi, and David Buchwald.
Theresa and Sandy Bueti and their daughter.
Theresa and Sandy Bueti and their daughter.
Patti and Eric Nicolaysen with the Chappaqua Garden Club's Melanie Smith Klein (right)
Patti and Eric Nicolaysen with the Chappaqua Garden Club’s Melanie Smith Klein (right)