The Inside Press

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Notes of Deep Gratitude

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From the Founder and Director of the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival

Have you ever had the feeling of teetering but somehow knowing that a safety net was beneath you, ready to make sure you didn’t hit the ground?

This was the disorienting but ultimately comforting feeling I had in March and April of this year. I was hospitalized and in intensive care and yet knew that my friends and community would take care of me and my boys…and somehow make sure the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival would go on.

Dawn Evans Greenberg. Dawn’s Hair and Makeup Courtesy of Aura Salon and Style Bar in Chappaqua. www.auraboutiquesalon.com Photo by Donna Mueller

I had to hand over control to my husband, Paul, and to friends, and just focus on keeping myself alive for Jackson and Ben, my teenage sons. I don’t recommend falling ill, but for a means to learn to appreciate every breath we’re allowed, becoming vulnerable that way can’t be topped.

I entered the hospital for elective surgery on February 10th. My next memory was waking up to dozens of cards taped to my hospital wall. The cards were the only thing that held my attention–the only thing that made any sense. I recognized “Ossining Children’s Center” and read the message over and over again. And why did author Dan Gutman feel the need to write “get better soon?”  I was flattered but also puzzled. How did he know where I was and how did he know I needed well wishes?

The date was March 1st and I had lost three weeks of my life. I had a tube coming out of my trachea. I couldn’t speak or lift my arm.

The cards and what they represented from the community ended up being a highlight of my days. My husband would drive to NYU Langone Hospital each afternoon, always with more cards. So many cards. He told me that two dear friends Karen Visser and Robin Chwatko were taking care of our kids, along with dozens of other friends jumping in to help, even coordinating walking our beloved dog Flare. Beloved merchants reached out too. The Kings’ Scribe was facilitating the cards and they never seemed to stop. I couldn’t count them all and still treasure each one. 

Each day my husband would offer me my iphone, usually my umbilical cord, and I flat out declined it–a sign of just how sick I was. But he also knew I was worried about the festival and kept me current on book festival developments. Paul assured me that our volunteers were making sure it would happen in October. As the days went by toward my discharge of April 10th, I started to feel relief and excitement about getting back to real life.

Now, we’re three weeks away from the festival. I have gradually gotten stronger and feel incredibly optimistic about the future. The love that our community showed me that my family will be with me throughout the rest of my life. I will never stop being grateful.  

 

 

 

 

 

Surviving and Thriving in a Hamlet’s Pandemic: How Breezemont Rose to the Occasion

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The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world entirely. Across the globe, we saw people take initiative and ensure the safety of others with the use of masks, social distancing, and other protocols when the pandemic was still young. However, as time had passed and quarantine mandates began to lighten, there was a call to action for a safer sense of normalcy. Armonk, just like the rest of the world, faced the pandemic head on. Restaurants were only dining out, stores had limited space for consumers, and (almost) everyone wore masks. In a time of uncertainty, our town managed to come together and place the health and well-being of Armonkians above all else. 

In particular, the extraordinary initiatives put in place by places like the Byram Hills School District (which has been reported on here in a previous issue), and at Breezemont Day Camp (the focus of this article) were perfect examples of how any institution could take strides to help manage in a pandemic, even thrive, and help others thrive.  In the fall of 2020, the pandemic was at one of its many peaks.

With more people falling ill, there was a push for things to return as they once were…

Schools began to teach in person again, but the risk of exposure was high. As a way of making ends meet, Breezemont set up  up day care for children of teachers within our district! Within this facility, there were rooms students could take online classes, a playground for recess, and various other utilities that allowed these children to have a good time even if the world felt bleak. Although it might not seem like much, this opportunity allowed for those children to return to a sense of normalcy for the time being. Amongst the chaos of this pandemic, it was a trying time to be alive. Though options were slim and everyone had been waiting for a vaccination, these children could experience somewhat of a regular classroom experience. Within the nurturing walls of Breezemont, these children grew, experienced a once and a lifetime pandemic, and made friends with others they wouldn’t have met otherwise. 

Working amongst these children during this time was extremely valuable, personally. Seeing how the pandemic had affected people from ages 10 to 12 allowed me to step back and look at this pandemic from a different perspective. Most notably, I saw how their relationships developed with one another; most of them came into this program not knowing the other kids who were involved. Some had siblings, but others didn’t. Watching them adapt to their environment and create friendships with strangers was not only endearing to watch, but provided an escape from the daily dread that resulted from the  pandemic.

I remember when I was working with one of the children, it had been their first day, and it was scary. Being placed in an environment where you know no one can be intimidating, so being able to provide a sense of comfort to those kids made it all worthwhile.

As a community, Armonk came together and that type of unity is what got us through the pandemic. Without each other, who knows what would have happened.

The Chappaqua Fire Department Wants your Help!

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Fire Chief’s All-Important Call for Volunteers

Photos courtesy of the Chappaqua Fire Dept.

Chief Paul Eiden spoke to The Inside Press about the continuing and pressing need for firefighting volunteers from the community. He also provided valuable suggestions as to how Chappaqua residents can get involved. Fortunately, volunteers have joined throughout the summer to help the department respond to emergencies in the area. But while volunteers of any age over 16 are encouraged to join, Chief Eiden noted that adults who will not be attending school during the academic year are at this juncture the ideal candidates.

“The adults are the key because of the longevity we hope to obtain by bringing in folks who are out of school,” he explained. For those who would like to get involved, Eiden explains that no experience is required: “The only thing they really have to provide is their time.”

“The initial training at the fire academy is long,” he went on. “It’s north of 130 hours over a period of a couple of months, but we provide residents with any kind of training they need before they go to the academy, and then any type of support they need for skill refreshers.”

Intrigued? What You Need to Know

So what does that 130-hour training process look like?

Eiden describes the time commitment as a few nights during the week as well as every Saturday. Once that training process is completed, the fire department follows the New York State Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) requirements which allow their firefighters to qualify for pension credits.

For points to be allotted to the firefighters for alarm response, volunteers must make at least 10% of the alarm calls that the department receives per year. Eiden explained that given the number of alarm calls the Chappaqua Fire Department receives, this amounts to about 45 to 50 alarm calls per firefighter in a year, or about three to four per month.

“You know that there are people who will drop whatever they’re doing to help you at a moment’s notice, and you would do the same for them. It sounds very cliche to use the phrase ‘brotherhood and sisterhood’, but it really is true.”
– Chappaqua Fire Chief Paul Eiden

However, Eiden also noted that 95% of the Chappaqua Fire Department membership far exceeds this minimum, with each firefighter responding to about 30-50% of alarms per year. This allows the department to send multiple trucks on calls and alarms, which Eiden says is a “really good feeling as a chief, to know that I’ve got these folks coming in ready to work and able to do what we need to be done when there’s an emergency.”

“The minimum standards for the amount of time you have to give throughout the course of the year is not insurmountable,” Eiden ensures. “It’s definitely manageable within the family structure, whether or not you’ve got other activities outside of the work environment. We find a role for everybody.”

Even once volunteers begin responding to emergencies, Eiden finds that it is crucial for firefighters to continue practicing their skill set and keeping on top of drills and training. He uses the expression that “these skills are perishable,” particularly because Chappaqua does not receive as many emergency calls as a department in an urban environment would. As such, it is essential to regularly refresh the basics. One such opportunity is on Thursday nights when the firehouse hosts “house duty”.

House duty offers members an opportunity to run drills, training, and check their apparatus and equipment to make sure everything is functioning and properly in inventory. People come by to have their questions answered and to see what a volunteer fire department is all about. “For instance, Thursday night we’re going to have a drill we call ‘core competencies,’” Eiden said. “There are five or six different stations that each of the firefighters will go to: connecting a hydrant, putting up a ladder, starting a chainsaw.”

Working together so often, and in such stressful conditions, makes for a unique bond between members of the firehouse. Eiden says that “it really is a very large family… so that when you walk into that building you know that the person on your left and the person on your right have your back with whatever you need–whether it’s going out on an emergency or something going on at home.”

Indeed, the camaraderie between firefighters goes beyond just their time in the firehouse. Eiden tells a story of a time he was away on college visits with his daughter and had an electrical issue at his house. He called up another member of the firehouse, who used to be a general contractor, and he came over to Eiden’s house to resolve the problem while Eiden and his daughter were away.

“That kind of feeling is definetly what we are all about,” Eiden said. “You know that there are people who will drop whatever they’re doing to help you at a moment’s notice, and you would do the same for them. It sounds very cliche to use the phrase ‘brotherhood and sisterhood’, but it really is true.”

Eiden’s daughter is now a firefighter at Chappaqua Fire Department as well, and his son does the same in Mount Kisco. The chief expresses pride not only in his children becoming firefighters, but also in the relationships they are building as they grow within their departments and become leaders themselves. Outside of its work responding to emergencies, the firehouse reaches out to the community to spread fire prevention and safety tips.

Community Education Opportunities during Fire Prevention Month

October is Fire Prevention Month, which means that the Chappaqua Fire Department will visit the Chappaqua nursery schools to speak to the children and acclimate them to being around firefighters in case of an emergency.

And they make it fun and memorable, too. “We bring a couple of our firefighters, and we talk to the kids; the firefighters go from being in street clothes to being completely dressed including being on a tank of air where they sound like Darth Vader,” Eiden explained.

“The gist of that is so that the kids can see how they went from being just a regular person, who was talking to them and making them laugh, to being a firefighter, so that they’re not afraid if a firefighter has to come to their house for an emergency and they’re not all of a sudden intimidated by this person in weird clothing.”

As the firefighters go through the stages of getting into their gear for the children, they associate each step with things that the kids are familiar with. For example, they liken their protective clothing to hoods, raincoats, or boots one may wear when it rains. “We’ve found that really helps the kids have a better understanding of what’s going to happen when we show up,” Eiden said.

“Another thing we do is ask the teachers to emphasize when they’re doing the weekly recap note that goes out to the parents, fire drills in the home,” he went on. “In a corporate environment, we have fire drills in the office. Kids have fire drills at school. But how many families have a meeting place outside of the house in case a fire alarm goes off? Do the kids know they shouldn’t go back in to get their favorite toy or find the family dog? They have a job, and their job is to get out of the house.”

Teaching your children about what to do in case of an emergency, the location of fire extinguishers in the home, and setting up a meeting place outside of the home are key topics to discuss as a family to be prepared in case of an emergency. For more fire prevention insights, don’t miss the the Chappaqua Fire Department’s Open House, which is hosted on one of the first two weekends in October for Fire Prevention Month.

At the Open House, firefighters will start fires in a metal trough, so that residents can practice using a fire extinguisher to help put it out. Residents can also watch as firefighters use the jaws of life to cut up a car, simulating a car accident. They also offer activities for kids, including a fire hose with a nozzle on it and a spinning target which allows them to try using a fire hose.

Eiden says they also give out coloring books and “some take-home things so that if parents are really engaged, they can bring it home and extend those lessons.” Volunteer applications are available on the Chappaqua Fire Department’s website, and residents are always encouraged to get involved any way they can. Chief Eiden concluded: “What better thing to do then support your friends and neighbors in that way?”

Visit chappaquafd.org for more info.

Photos in this article are all courtesy of the Chappaqua Fire Department.

Chappaqua’s Alison Leighton Creates a Community for Expectant Moms

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ALISON LEIGHTON

Alison Leighton’s move to Chappaqua wasn’t all that different from many other newcomers to this bucolic town. She was looking for a great school district, beautiful surroundings and a place to put down roots for her expanding family. Her Sutton Place South apartment was getting crowded and her husband Matthew who is partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP needed a reasonable commute to his office a block away from Grand Central. 

The family moved here in July 2021 and she was eager to meet new moms and other young families. While she lived in the city, she had started a Social Parents group for new parents in her neighborhood in 2019. Armed with a background in marketing with positions at Citibank and American Express, Leighton loved organizing in-person events for new parents such as brunch meetups and a Babies and Brew playgroup but with her move north of I-287 in the middle of a pandemic, she knew the format of her group would have to change. 

“When I moved to Westchester (with a baby due this April), I wanted to revitalize the Social Parent brand, so she started hosting a free weekly Zoom group for expecting women called Pregnant Mama. “This was my passion but also the group was also created because meeting people with the COVID barrier was hard,” she admits. 

When Leighton’s first son Paul was born in the city at NYU Hospital there was a weekly support group for new moms. “It was my favorite time of the week,” she reminisces. “I made close mom friends and I wanted to create and build that community here.” The group helped serve as a resource for her and provided helpful information to let her know what to expect down the pipeline. Other moms provided tips such as traveling with a baby. 

“Going to a website to research something about your baby is very different than talking to a mom. It can give you validation. Maybe your baby is having a four month sleep regression and you wonder if it is just your baby–that real time connection plus building friendships is invaluable.” 

Her Pregnant Mama group in Westchester has helped forge friendships while providing expert advice. Examples of experts who have given webinars to the group include Armonk-based perinatal and child therapist Sloan Post and Liza Montanino, a pediatric sleep consultant and founder of Rock-a-Bye Baby Sleep. Other speakers have included a financial advisor and a prenatal masseuse. The group meets weekly Thursday night at 8:15 pm via Zoom as of press time. 

With COVID winding down and a new baby on the way, Leighton has no plans of slowing down though. “I plan to lean into it [Social Parent] more.” She plans on holding in-person events for the toddler set so that her children can meet other toddlers and babies and hopes to host in-person events for new moms and dads this summer. 

When she isn’t moving full steam ahead with Social Parent or working on her freelance marketing and writing career, Leighton and her family are enjoying the outdoors here hiking or spending time at area playgrounds. “The whole town is like a big nature preserve and I love the trees in my backyard,” she gushes.

For more information about her group or to partner with her on events, email SocialParentNY@gmail.com. She also provides parenting ideas and inspiration on her Instagram handle @SocialParent_Westchester.

Embracing Growth & Community in Pleasantville

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Board Members of the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce. BACK ROW (L-R): Karen Cammann, Ed Elliott, Maria Amato, Allen Wallace and Lynda Lederer-Natale. FRONT ROW (L-R): Evelyn Tierney, Bill Flooks, and W. Paul Alvarez
PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER

Full disclosure: When I moved to Northern Westchester about a decade ago, I fell in love with Pleasantville. Although I live in a neighboring town, I found myself spending a great deal of time in this charming village. It all started with a much beloved independent business, the toy store, Try & Buy. As a newcomer to the ‘burbs with kids of nursery school age, it seemed that every Friday I was scouring the aisles for presents for the upcoming weekend which would be chock full of birthday parties. 

But my love affair with this village didn’t stop at the now defunct toy store. With my stroller, I found that it was a remarkably walkable town which was key for someone accustomed to tallying up miles in the streets of Manhattan. Here, I could grab a cup of coffee, walk into the bookstore and bribe my kids to behave with sweets from the candy store.

Now that the deluge of birthday parties has ended and my kids are no longer toddlers, I still find myself drawn to Pleasantville. With the Jacob Burns Film Center and plentiful restaurants, I am here at least weekly. Turns out, I am not alone in my love affair with Pleasantville as the latest housing market data shows demand outstripping supply and the median sales price for single family homes steadily increasing from $665,000 (pre-pandemic in 2019) to record sales highs last year with a median of $739,000. It seems that the magic of Pleasantville is attracting buyers from the city and lower Westchester looking for more space, a place to raise a family with a great school district plus a pedestrian-friendly layout to access shops and restaurants easily. Buyers frequently cite the convenience and walkability of the village as key factors influencing their home purchasing decisions.

Linking the community and commerce has been at the forefront of Bill Flooks mind since he joined the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce in 2004. Fast forward a few years and he is now the President of the Chamber for more than a dozen years. As the owner of local business, Beecher Flooks Funeral Home on Bedford Road,  he is distinctly aware of the many challenges that small independent businesses face to ensure that Pleasantville remains a vibrant village for both businesses and residents alike.

Flooks describes his Chamber position as “fun.” He enjoys meeting the business owners and residents and “helping the community get to where it wants to be.” Currently with almost 150 members in the Chamber, Flooks and his team help the businesses gain exposure so that people in town know about the many local services and retail spots available to them right outside their front doors. The Chamber also organizes fun-filled events that attract Westchester residents to visit the village and hopefully patronize its many businesses.

Chamber’s Website Relaunch

Chamber members run the gamut from accountants, lawyers and non-profits to several restaurants as the 10570 is quickly becoming a foodie destination in Northern Westchester (more on that later) and beyond. The Chamber recently relaunched their website at pleasantvillechamber.com with a user-friendly member directory plus parking information including rules and regulations including meter payment through the Pango app. Flooks and the Chamber members wanted the revamped website to be as user and mobile-friendly as possible for shoppers and businesses. 

Businesses can also now apply or renew their Chamber membership online. So far, the relaunched website with a new look and enhanced navigation seems to be a hit and the Chamber is already ahead of membership renewals in Q1 2022 versus previous years. 

Keeping Chamber members and residents informed of construction in the village is a top priority for Flooks. With the ongoing construction on Manville Road and by Memorial Plaza, Flooks wants local businesses to know when key segments of projects are completed and how that will impact parking for customers. The website includes information about various infrastructure projects and e-newsletters are sent to Chamber members detailing the various construction phases.

Chamber Events Enhance Pleasantville’s Appeal

“Linking community and commerce” has been the Chamber’s tagline for more than a decade and Flooks lists a number of key events and initiatives that help accomplish this goal. From ribbon cutting ceremonies for new businesses in town captured on film by Pleasantville Community TV to the Chamber’s well attended Business Person of the Year event, the Chamber is always looking for ways to help members achieve exposure and grow their business.

One such event was the 1st Annual Oktoberfest Street Fair held this fall when COVID was on a downward trajectory featuring live music and ping pong plus a variety of foods from local Chamber members on Wheeler Avenue which was closed off to vehicular traffic. Commenting on the inaugural event, Flooks noted that “people were looking to get out [then] and do social stuff. We will definitely do it again, expanded hopefully, with some children-friendly events. It showed we are back and willing to help the businesses and the community.” Echoing Flook’s enthusiasm for the event, Chamber Administrator Evelyn Tierney said, “It didn’t hurt that people were able to enjoy an alcoholic beverage and eat in the open air and move around to see and talk to friends. Businesses on Washington Ave had spillover from Wheeler Ave – so it was good for their businesses too.” The event was well-promoted with flyers on Facebook and Instagram plus the 10570 Facebook group shared Chamber posts about it with their 5,000 subscribers. The Chamber is also hoping to help support the Pleasantville Music Festival which is currently scheduled for July 9, 2022. “The festival is a great event that brings thousands to the village and historically we’ve always had good weather,” Flooks commented.

Pleasantville isn’t just beloved by local residents. People from neighboring communities and Southern Westchester are also drawn to the village. County Executive George Latimer notes that “Pleasantville’s critical location in the Saw Mill River Valley draws people from all around it. The Jacob Burns Film Center is a key asset offering entertainment that you can’t find elsewhere.” Latimer, a Rye resident, often frequents it as well as the bustling restaurant scene. “Pleasantville has terrific restaurants and the farmers market adds to the town’s appeal. The farmers market was one of the first in the county to go year round and people are willing to travel to it because it is so unique and well organized. It brings a distinct energy level to the village. There is a certain vibe of Americana that you feel in Pleasantville. People say hello to each other on the street. Plus the school system is great and you have a non-partisan local government truly looking after the best interests of the village.” 

While many beloved local independent businesses have been mainstays in the community for years like Glass Onion Originals, Black Cow and the Village Bookstore, there are several national chains such as convenience and coffee shops that are also part of the village. The majority of these chains are not Chamber members but Flooks doesn’t view that as a serious problem to contend with. “We go back to them and ask them to join but many of them have to go through corporate and they just view us as another town to do business in. Maybe you grab a coffee [from a chain] and then pick up a sandwich from Sundance Deli or Frank & Joe’s. The great thing about America is you have choices,” he adds.

It is clear that the Chamber members do not just view Pleasantville as a place to do business in. They support many local charitable initiatives from PTA events to the Tina Shaina Gambino Memorial Foundation 5K, an event which raises money for organ donation named in honor of a local Pleasantville High School senior who passed away suddenly in 2004. Several Chamber members donate thousands of dollars a year to hyperlocal causes or by providing services or food pro-bono.

10570: A Foodie Destination

On the topic of food, Pleasantville is one of the top foodie destinations in the county. With specialty shops such as Second Mouse Cheese Shop and Flour & Sun Bakery plus the all new Root2Rise, a 100% plant-based café, recently relocated suburbanites and foodies with a sophisticated palate have plentiful options. Restaurants such as Southern Table have even received Michelin recognition. “In the evening parking eases up in the village, so if you can’t get into one restaurant, you might discover another that’s also really good,” explains Flooks. “Once you park your car, the restaurants are all within easy walking distance of each other.”

Many of these restaurants on Wheeler Avenue set up outdoor seating during warmer weather and have had to pivot to expanded take-out options and curbside delivery during the pandemic.

Pleasantville truly is a walking village and the people who are moving here to a house or apartment may only need one car or none at all as many now work from home. “People can walk to whatever they need here to buy, eat, drink or see a movie. The way the village is set up with business and residential so close to each other is a homerun,” exclaims Flooks.

“I think with the recent housing explosion a lot of the businesses are happy. You are going to have more shoppers, more eaters, more drinkers and more visitors coming to the village.” The future of the village seems poised for success and continuous growth. “This will only make Pleasantville more vibrant and [ultimately] more profitable for business,” sums up Flooks.

Note: This article is based on excerpts from an interview with Bill Flooks that aired on Pleasantville Community TV. To access the full interview, visit www.pctv76.org.


Photos Courtesy of the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce