community day

Best Reasons to Support Chappaqua’s Rotary Club

December 2, 2019 by The Inside Press

Courtesy of the Rotary of Chappaqua

1. Community Day

2. Pancake Breakfast

3. Blood Drives

4. “Ringing in the New Year” Celebration

5. High School Scholarships

6. Community Service Award

7. Members of all ages and backgrounds who believe in “Service Above Self”

8. Host to over 30 informative guest speakers a year from within the community and beyond

9. Contributions to charities and community members including SHARE, Fuller Center for Housing, Larson Brain Tumor Foundation, SPCA, Support Connection, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Wagon Road Camp, Evan’s Team, GraceNotes, Alex’s Team, and many more

10. Part of Rotary International, a global network of over 1.2 million people of action including neighbors, friends, leaders and problem solvers working to better our world

Please visit ‘Chappaqua Rotary Club’ on Facebook

The Rotary Club & Community Day

November 13, 2019 by The Inside Press

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

Pleasantville Day: Community Fun & Friendship

August 24, 2019 by Charlotte Harter

The town of Pleasantville was awash with smiles and laughter, the sounds of live music, and the unmistakable scent of funnel cake and popcorn as the community celebrated yet another successful Pleasantville Day festival on Saturday, May 18th. A tradition lasting over thirty years, Pleasantville Day is not only a day of fun and games for the children, but also an important reminder to their parents of the joys of living in a small, close-knit community. Filled with colorful booths, carnival rides, dance showcases, and an impressive selection of food, there truly is something for everyone. This year, the festival boasted a juggling stilt-walker, human statue, and giant inflatable slide in addition to its usual activities to keep it feeling new and exciting despite its long run in the town.

Soon after arriving at Memorial Plaza, children of all ages were gleefully laughing and clutching onto their cotton candy as they played games and won prizes. But Pleasantville Day isn’t just a day for the children–parents enjoyed themselves equally, chatting, enjoying the live jazz music, and entering raffles to win gifts provided by local businesses. Even the pets of Pleasantville seemed to be having a good time with no shortage of furry faces. Besides the expected endless stands filled with games and crafts, Pleasantville Day also hosted a diverse number of tables this year, including a sports equipment swap, town conservation awareness booth, and a variety of fundraising tables for Pleasantville High School clubs. Pleasantville Day is truly a cherished day in the community which provides a unique opportunity for townspeople of all ages to come together and enjoy a day of fun and celebration. This event has become somewhat of an institution in the village, a powerful reminder of the beauty of living in a tight-knit, small town in which every face is a familiar and friendly one. In essence, Pleasantville Day is an embodiment of all the values Pleasantville aims to encapsulate: friendship, fun, and most importantly, community.

Pleasantville Day: An Annual Celebration of Fun, Friendship, and Community

May 19, 2019 by Charlotte Harter

Story and Photos by Charlotte Harter

The Pleasantville Day fair is an annual celebration of the wonderful and lively town and its people as school winds down and the weather finally begins to warm up. Filled with colorful booths, carnival rides, dance showcases, and an impressive selection of food, there truly is something for everyone. This year, the festival boasted a juggling stilt-walker, human statue, and giant inflatable slide in addition to its usual activities to keep it feeling new and exciting despite its long run in the town.

Upon arriving at Memorial Plaza at the festival’s beginning around ten o’clock on Saturday morning, children of all ages were gleefully laughing and clutching onto their cotton candy as they played games and won prizes. But Pleasantville Day isn’t just a day for the children- it wasn’t difficult to spot parents enjoying themselves equally as much, chatting, enjoying the live jazz music, and entering raffles to win gifts provided by local businesses. Even the pets of Pleasantville seemed to be having a good time, as there was no shortage of furry faces wagging their tails and enjoying the attention of excited children and adults alike. Besides the expected endless stands filled with games and crafts, Pleasantville Day also hosted a diverse number of tables this year, including a sports equipment swap, town conservation awareness booth, and a variety of fundraising tables for Pleasantville High School clubs.

Pleasantville Day is truly a cherished day in the community which provides a unique opportunity for townspeople of all ages to come together and enjoy a day of fun and celebration. This event has become somewhat of an institution in the village, a powerful reminder of the beauty of living in a tight-knit, small town in which every face is a familiar and friendly one. In essence, Pleasantville Day is an embodiment of all the values Pleasantville aims to encapsulate: friendship, fun, and most importantly, community.

Charlotte Harter is a high school senior interested in writing and journalism. She plans to continue her studies next year at Vassar College in the fall and hopes to eventually gain a career in the writing and publishing world.

Spotlight on Community Day 2018: A Yearly Tradition Courtesy of the Rotary Club Filled with Fun for All

October 24, 2018 by Madeline Rosenberg

Greeley senior Andrew Kassin said the event was a great opportunity to fundraise and raise awareness for the Matthew Larson Foundation, as he and other students sold T-shirts and sweatshirts in remembrance of their classmate, Casey Taub.

The aroma of roasted hot dogs and cotton candy competed with the sounds of guitar strums and cheering children at the 2018 Community Day. The Rotary Club-sponsored event brought more than 70 organizations to the heart of Chappaqua. Kids sporting butterfly face paint and their parents interested in various local groups lined the train station parking lot. The September 15th event served not only as a community gathering but also as a chance for organizations to network and fundraise.

“We are here to support the community of Chappaqua,” attendee and Chappaqua resident Dara Dubs said. “It is also great to see old and new friends and our kids love going on the rides.”

While groups including the Chappaqua School Foundation and Chappaqua First Responders return to Community Day each year, Tea Town, and the Matthew Larson Foundation for Pediatric Brain Tumors were a few of several organizations who participated in the event for the first time. This year’s Community Day also featured new activities for children, including a pony ride and a scavenger hunt.

But not only did little kids take advantage of what the 2018 event had to offer, Greeley students also attended, performed and volunteered at Community Day. Executives from Greeley’s largest community service organization, S.H.A.R.E, distributed T-shirts for A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure, adding to the bracelets, pins and flying discs that various non-profits and local businesses also circulated.

(L-R): Barbara Klein, George Furman, Donald Roane, Peter Davidson PHOTO BY MADELINE ROSENBERG

Greeley senior Andrew Kassin said the event was a great opportunity to fundraise and raise awareness for the Matthew Larson Foundation, as he and other students sold T-shirts and sweatshirts in remembrance of their classmate, Casey Taub.

“Jonathan Taub’s message has been to keep Casey in everyone’s mind, to keep honoring him and to never forget him,” Kassin said. “Being here is a great way to carry that on.”

As community members of all ages enjoyed the activities that local groups sponsored, Rotary Club of Chappaqua president Eileen Gallagher said Community Day also serves as a natural way to bring attention to the Rotary Club itself.

“We look forward to more and more people coming each year,” Gallagher said. “We really want people to know we are here for them.”