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Citizen of the Year

2019 Citizen and Organization of the Year

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARMONK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Armonk Chamber of Commerce has announced its 2019 Citizen and Organization of the Year. The recipients were selected due to their long-term volunteer commitment to help improve the North Castle Community. The Chamber pointed out that this year’s honorees “have gone above and beyond for the good of the Byram Hills School District.”

· Ira Schulman is the District’s longest serving school board member, who has also served in other local leadership and board positions.

· The Byram Hills Education Foundation, selected as Organization of the Year, is celebrating 25 successful years of providing grants to the District, totaling $4.6 million.

The Chamber stated they will celebrate “these local champions” at the annual Citizen of the Year Golf Outing and Dinner. This year, it will take place on Tuesday, May 14 at the Whippoorwill Club in Armonk. The public is invited to attend and may register at armonkchamberofcommerce.com.

Judy Gilmartin-Willsey of Framings Named Armonk Citizen of the Year

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                                         ‘Judy’      PHOTO BY ROSS EAGLE

The Armonk Chamber of Commerce has chosen Judy Gilmartin-Willsey as its 2018 Citizen of the Year. Judy will be honored at the annual Citizen of the Year golf outing and dinner at The Whippoorwill Club on Tuesday, May 15.

If Judy’s face looks familiar, it’s probably because you know her from Framings of Armonk. Judy and her husband Carter Willsey started the business 28 years ago after working in advertising; the timing was perfect because they wanted to be able to bring their young daughter to work with them. Framings was originally housed on Bedford Road, next to the old lumberyard, and moved to a building located on what is now the DeCicco’s parking lot. The business was then resituated to its current location on the corner of Main Street, where its creative and whimsical windows have been adding character and beauty to downtown Armonk for the past 22 years.

Judy, a graduate of Parsons School of Design, likes to be known as a “yes” person and said she feels it’s her “responsibility to do the best work and contribute to the community.” With a reputation for helping out in any way she can, Judy is involved in a myriad of activities. She is a member of the Grace Notes, an acappella group that performs at nursing homes and assisted living facilities (including the Bristol, located in Armonk), libraries, elementary schools and senior citizen centers throughout the area. Over the years, Judy has mentored the dozens of high school students she has hired to work at Framings. In addition, Judy has helped sponsor and promote the Friends of the North Castle Public Library’s annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show and is committed to helping Armonk businesses grow and thrive. She even leaves used frames and other objects outside her store free for the taking. Her energy and enthusiasm for everything she does is readily apparent to everyone she meets.

One of the things that strikes you when you talk to Judy is her wonderful sense of humor; she loves to laugh and make others laugh as well. It’s a little-known fact that Judy selected Framings’ phone number, 273-4242, because it’s also 273-HAHA. The store used to offer a five percent discount to anyone who came in and told a good joke. Judy said she is considering reinstating the practice despite the fact that customers occasionally tried to take advantage of the offer; she recounted with a chuckle the time someone asked if he could get a 20 percent discount if he told her four jokes.

A co-founder of the Armonk Chamber of Commerce, which was started 15 years ago, Judy is also a co-founder of Friends of Frosty. Originally started as a holiday stroll to celebrate America’s favorite snowman, the Frosty parade has helped put Armonk on the map, with over three thousand people attending the parade this past year. The New York State Department of Tourism named it “one of the holiday events not to miss.”

On being named Citizen of the Year, the humble Judy says that she is “grateful on a lot of levels. I am grateful to be in a town that can support a creative business. At first, I was embarrassed when they told me I had won. But now I think it’s fantastic to be in such good company with the other people who’ve been honored. I will take Carter’s advice and accept [the award] graciously.”

Ed Woodyard, the Chamber’s 2017 Citizen of the Year, said, “Judy’s more than 25 years of dedicated service to the Armonk community make her more than worthy to receive the 2018 Citizen of the Year Award. She and her husband Carter exemplify the personal qualities and provide the outstanding service necessary to build strong customer loyalty and a successful business. Her upbeat energy, good works and positive attitude extend beyond the store itself and into the wider community. Whether it’s her riding her bicycle around town, stopping to chat or waving to friends, Judy’s big smile brings a smile to the lives of everyone who knows her. This award is so well-deserved. Honoring Judy honors all of us.” We couldn’t agree more.

For more information and to purchase tickets to the golf outing, cocktail party and events visit http://www.armonkchamberofcommerce.com/ or call 914-273-2353. All are invited to attend the day of celebration.

Armonk Chamber will Honor Ed Woodyard as Town’s Citizen of the Year

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Ed Woodyard

The Armonk Chamber of Commerce will kick off its Spring season on Tuesday, May 16th, with its annual Citizen of the Year golf outing and dinner at the Whippoorwill Club.

The 2017 honoree is Ed Woodyard, a 30-year Armonk resident and champion of many local causes and traditions.

A co-founder of the Armonk Chamber, Woodyard’s involvements include leadership positions on numerous town committees and boards. From the North Castle Public Library to the North Castle Historical Society, the town’s Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee to the Miller House/Washington Headquarters, he has helped nurture and preserve valuable town resources and guide future planning. Woodyard paved the way for the North Castle Citizen’s Corps Council, the town’s emergency services group. Additionally, as co-founder of the Winter Walk and Friends of Frosty, he helped create Frosty Day, now a holiday season tradition that welcomes thousands from near and far.

Woodyard also lends his assistance and passion to the Armonk Outdoor Art Show, Cider and Donut Festival, Colonial Crafts Day, Halloween Haunt, Byram Hills School District, Boy Scouts and St. Stephen’s Church, just to name a few. Ed is also the owner of College Advice, a successful college admissions consulting service he founded in 1998, and is formerly a screenwriter and award-winning journalist.

All are welcome to attend this day of celebration and gratitude. For tickets and information, visit armonkchamberofcommerce.com or call 914-273-2353.

Giving Back to Her Community Is a Way of Life for Armonk’s Susan Geffen

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geffin oneBy By Stacey Pfeffer

When it comes to giving back to their community, there are certain people in Armonk who go above and beyond. They choose to spend their time volunteering for the betterment of the community and are passionate about making a difference for the town. Susan Geffen, a longtime Armonk resident, is exactly this type of person and will be the recipient of the Armonk Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award later this month at the Whippoorwill Club. She will be honored at a special event there on May 23rd featuring lunch and a golf outing as well as cocktails and a dinner reception.

“Susan has enriched the community through her long-standing volunteer commitment to the arts, town beautification, etc. Because of her, the town has become a much better place. She envelopes everything good about the Town of North Castle and Armonk; she lives it and loves it,” said Neal Schwartz, President of the Armonk Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has extensive knowledge of who has been active in Armonk organizations throughout the years and also gains input from town residents on potential nominees.

Geffen, originally from Mount Vernon, grew up in a civic-minded family. Her father, a lawyer, was always doing pro bono work for people and her mother was also actively involved in the community. Geffen’s four children and even her nine grandchildren are following in her footsteps, with all of them deeply involved in their communities. “All of them are very civic-minded. That is part of my legacy and that is thrilling,” Geffen explains.

As a full-time interior designer raising a family here, Geffen did not have a lot of time for community involvement when she first moved to this “sleepy hamlet” in 1972, though she was involved in volunteer efforts through her children’s schools. “When you move into Armonk and are raising kids here you are pulling out of the community. You are taking and then there’s a moment when you have to give back to the community,” says Geffen. For Geffen, her turning point came after living abroad for three-and-a-half years in Japan in the 1980s with her now-deceased first husband, an attorney for IBM. Upon their return to Armonk, they decided that it was time to give back and both dove into helping the community on various projects.

“We all have choices in our lives and I found that by giving back I was getting so much more out of it. I’ve made incredible friends on the boards that I sit on and learned about different organizations and different subjects such as landmark preservation,” Geffen notes. Marian Hamilton, a longtime resident involved in community activities with Geffen on the Friends of the North Castle Public Library and the Armonk Outdoor Art Show, explains that “Susan epitomizes all that is special and meaningful in community-mindedness. Her volunteer contributions of her 40-plus years of living in Armonk have been widespread, from how our town looks (thanks to being on the Architectural Review Board), to our library (being President and board member of the Friends of the North Castle Public Library), President of the Whippoorwill Association, member of the Historical Society and the Armonk Outdoor Art Show. She even gets dressed in colonial garb twice a year to teach fourth graders how to make butter. She is the cream of the crop!” Hamilton will be one of the speakers at the Chamber of Commerce event.

Geffen is deeply committed to promoting the arts in Armonk. During the 1990s, Geffen became involved with the North Castle Library when she was designing a theater and a children’s room for it. After working on the project for two years, the President of the North Castle Friends of the Library asked her to join the board of the organization. The North Castle Friends of the Library organizes the Armonk Outdoor Art Show, an annual event held in the fall. Net proceeds from the event, now in its 55th year, benefit the library. Geffen’s keen eye for design has been very useful for the Art Show as she sits on the jury with twelve other members reviewing all of the show’s entries. “Here’s this little town that puts on this phenomenal show. It is now ranked as one of the top 50 art shows in the country by various arts organizations. It’s just a terrific accomplishment,” comments Geffen.

The Friends of the Library also funds the Armonk Players, a community theater group. Geffen, a lifelong theater lover, first became involved with theater production while living in Japan. Barbara Simonetti, another Armonk resident who was also living in Tokyo at the time, asked Geffen to stage-manage a show for the Tokyo Players, a theater group. Although Geffen had no theater background, she loved the experience and wound up doing two more productions for the group while living abroad. When she returned to Armonk, she was excited that the library was building a theater and helped put on the theater’s first production, Love Letters, a two person reading by A.R. Gurney.

“The town embraced that production and we thought, ‘How can we [The Friends of the Library] take this to the next level?’ And we formed the Armonk Players,” Geffen reminisces. “Turns out there are a lot of talented people in the community and we [the Armonk Players] are now coming up to our 35th or 36th production.”

Geffen is also pleased that she was instrumental in getting the Friends of the Library to become the “angel” for the Armonk Players. “Part of the Friends of the Library’s mission is to bring culture to our community, so that the Armonk Players never have to worry about fundraising, which so many other local theater groups spend a great deal of time on.” Noting that Armonk also has two additional theater groups, Geffen remarks that “you can go to the theater three times a season here and never even leave town.” When she does leave town, Geffen doesn’t venture far. She can often be seen at ArtsWestchester events or attending a show as a board member at the Copland House in Cortland Manor.

With Geffen’s background in interior design, she also sits on the town’s architectural review board. When Armonk Square opened, she worked with the developers to maintain a certain aesthetic and the board has ensured that all local businesses adhere to signage guidelines that help preserve the town’s beauty.

Despite her busy schedule serving on various town boards and organizations, Geffen still prefers to not be in the spotlight and instead work quietly and “remain under the radar.” She feels honored, though, to accept the award and several of her children will be in attendance on May 23rd at the Whippoorwill Club event.

When speaking with Geffen, it’s obvious that she loves this town and cares deeply about it. Because some of her children now live in other parts of the country, she often travels to visit them. “People always ask me, ‘What’s my favorite trip?’ I always say, ‘Home from the airport.’ There’s nothing better than getting off Exit 2 on 684 and driving past the reservoir. It’s just beautiful here. I want the future of Armonk to be a place where we preserve our amazing open space, maintain a good balance of our community organizations and ensure that our kids can get a good education.” With volunteers like Geffen, Armonk’s future is certainly in good hands.

To attend the Armonk Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year event which is open to the public, please visit: armonkchamberofcommerce.org.

Armonk Chamber of Commerce Honors 
“A Pillar in the Community”

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IMG_3893Article and Photo by Matt Smith

Friends, family, and Chamber members gathered at the Whippoorwill Club in Armonk, NY on the evening of May 12 to celebrate longtime Armonk resident Sam Morell, and his achievement of being named 2015 Citizen of the Year by the Armonk Chamber of Commerce.

The award is bestowed – as it has been twice before, first to Dr. Evan Powderly of Crittenden Middle School in 2013, and second, last October, to Hickory & Tweed proprietor Skip Beitzel – to an individual who has made a significant long-term contribution to the North Castle/Armonk community. A “natural choice” for the honor, Mr. Morell more than fit the bill.

“He’s been a real pillar of the community,” says Jason Rosenzweig, a member of the Chamber and coordinator of the evening. “He has been instrumental not only in the town’s cultural advancement, but the growth of the business community as well. He’s so supportive of everyone.”

But why shouldn’t he be? asks the grateful Morell himself. “After all,” he theorizes, “the town we live in is simply an extension of our house and there are many ways one can add value to make this very large house appealing.” To that end, he states, with a smile, “I strongly believe in patronizing our [local] services.”

His seven-year involvement in the Chamber of Commerce has certainly impacted how he carries out that belief. “The more you learn about fellow members the more you develop the kind of relationship and trust to transact with them,” he explains. “I now use many chamber members for my personal and business matters.” These members include Steve D’Angelo, from Stephen D’Angelo CPA PC, as his accountant; Robbi Morris, from The Morris Group, as his health care insurance provider; the aforementioned Jason Rosenzweig, from Castle Cabs, as his car service provider; and Julie Dickens, from Beascakes Bakery, from whom he buys all his holiday cookies. Adds Morell, “The joy for me is developing new and interesting personal friends from all walks of life, as well as knowing that I can be of assistance to their goals.”

His support of the community doesn’t end there. He found a way to combine his overwhelming love for the town of Armonk with his undying love of the performing arts, and began his own not-for-profit company, the Small Town Theatre Company, in 2008. 
Co-founded with Katonah resident Donna Garr, the organization produces plays, summer concerts, theatre festivals, and film festivals in Armonk and Katonah.

Morell also says he leverages his enjoyment of photography and videography to support other local organizations, such as the North Castle 
Historical Society, the North Castle Communications Committee, and other Westchester-based not-for-profits.

Preceding the dinner was an afternoon-long golf outing, attended by Morell, Rosenzweig, and a mix of Chamber members, guests of Chamber members, and Morell’s personal friends, that was anything but a bogey. “We enjoyed it very much,” comments the honoree. And what of his score? 
“It was touch-and-go at first, but I broke even,” he says with a laugh.

To discourage any self-doubt among each players’ golf abilities, the outing was run as a scramble; each player hit their own shot from the tee, but everyone played from the spot of the best shot. In the end, “it worked out for everyone,” says Rosenzweig. “It was a lot of fun.”

And as for the recognition itself? “I’m overwhelmed and honored,” Morell says quite simply. “It’s a real tribute.” Humble as ever, Morell added: “Everyone in this town does such tremendous work, and we should recognize that.”

The entire celebration was presented by the Armonk Chamber of Commerce. The evening’s cocktail hour, which followed the golf outing and preceded the dinner, was sponsored by Breezemont Day Camp and the Castle Cab Corps. Throughout the evening, volunteers sold tickets for a raffle, a new addition to this year’s festivities; all prizes and rewards were complete donations from local Armonk businesses, including Certa Pro Painters, Eye Designs of Armonk, Susan Blake, and Peachwave Frozen Yogurt. For more information on the chamber, visit www.armonkchamberofcommerce.org.

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