The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

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It’s All Happening at the North Castle Public Library

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By Deborah Raider Notis

The North Castle Public Library is much more than a place to borrow books. It is a hub of exciting, innovative programming. It is a community center filled with opportunity to grow, flourish, meet new people, and to feel an even greater connection to this community.

“We aim to offer totally comprehensive programming with the whole interests in mind,” notes North Castle Public Library Director Edie Martimucci. Martimucci, who has worked in the library system for more than 18 years, has been director of the North Castle Public Library since April 2016. She helps to bring the highest quality of free programming to both the Armonk and North White Plains branches of the library.

The creative, intellectual, and community-enhancing programming at The North Castle Public Library has one other added benefit. Nearly all of these programs are free to the public. For the past 70 years, the funding for many of these free programs can be attributed to the Friends of the North Castle Library. The Friends of the North Castle Library funds special programming that makes the library a greater draw for residents of both North Castle and the greater Westchester area.

They are responsible for the Sunday Music Concert Series, teen programs including a songwriting program, family programs like Family Chess, and various health and wellness programs. The Friends of the North Castle Library also sponsors bi-annual productions of The Armonk Players, a community theater group. Additionally, the Friends of the North Castle Library provided funding for the original library building, Whippoorwill Hall, and various other building renovations. The Friends of the North Castle Library’s annual Art Show, one of the most prestigious art shows in the United States and their largest fundraiser, helps to support many of these programs.

Over the past year, attendance at library programs went up astronomically, but Martimucci is hoping to spur even greater community participation in library events going forward. She has helped to bring diverse programs into the library, including weekly Tai Chi, art history, and Italian language and culture programs, all of which are exceptionally well-attended. This year, the North Castle Public Library also added weekly Bridge lessons.

North Castle Public Library Director Edie Martimucci
North Castle Public Library Director Edie Martimucci

For the younger set, the North Castle Public Library offers everything from yoga for mothers with children ages one to four to sewing to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) programs. According to Megan Dean, Director of Youth Services for the North Castle Public Library, “We are looking at the future of libraries. Thus far libraries have been all about circulating books.

Now we are looking at different programming and circulating other materials that allow for exploration and trial and error. We want to find new things and ways that the library can contribute to the community.” To that end, the library has added maker programs, science labs, Photoshop and print-making programs for middle schoolers, and 3-D printing workshops for middle and high school students. These programs meet once a week and typically have between 10 and 20 participants.

Dean has also started a program through which maker kits are circulated for two weeks to library members. With so many options, Dean hopes to encourage more members of North Castle’s younger community to become active at the library.

Knowledgeable instructors, including Pace University professor Val Franco and Alka Kaminer, who runs a weekly Chair Yoga class, give these programs even greater appeal.

“We have quite a few independent teachers who love to teach and enjoy our library community,” states Martimucci. Unique programming, like cooking classes sponsored by the White Plains Hospital in conjunction with the library and the Sunday Music Concert Series, has been a significant draw, and both the “A Taste of Sinatra” and “Love Songs of World War II” concerts packed the house with approximately 175 attendees each.

Martimucci has great aspirations for the library for the coming year. She hopes to build the library’s academic reputation, making it an educational hub for the North Castle community. Adding four-week continuing education classes, on any topic from history to science, is a high priority for Martimucci.

“The library should open up endless possibilities. I want to help to incite people’s desire to learn.”

She would also like to implement an annual community spelling bee. Structurally, she wants to reconfigure the rooms throughout the Armonk branch to allow for programming. “If we create more dedicated spaces, programming won’t interfere with studying,” notes Martimucci. She hopes that this will encourage even greater participation in programming.

But most importantly, Martimucci wants input from the community. She encourages people to provide the powers that be at the library with their ideas and feedback.

Go onto the library’s website and submit suggestions to the virtual suggestion box. And show up. The North Castle Public Library is a phenomenal resource that is open to the whole community.

Whether you’re interested in nutrition, cooking, physical well-being, music, academics, science, youth programming, or the arts, the North Castle Public Library has something for you.

Deborah Raider Notis lives in Westchester with her husband, four boys, and her dog. She is the co-owner of gamechangernow, LLC (gamechangernow.com), a free referral service connecting Westchester families to instructors. You can find Deborah’s writing for the Inside Press and on suburbanmisfitmom.com.

Oak Lane Sets the Bar High for Local Child Care Centers

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Oak Lane teachers and staff enjoying an evening out at this summer at a Sparkle for a Cause fundraiser at Crabtree’s Kittle House. Staff attending
Oak Lane teachers and staff enjoying an evening out at this summer at a Sparkle for a Cause fundraiser at Crabtree’s Kittle House. Staff attending

Article and Photos By Justin Ellick

As someone who attended Oak Lane as a young child, learning the details about this stellar child care center doesn’t come as a surprise to me at all. My mother (Adina Olin of Chappaqua) worked extremely hard, stressful hours, sometimes not returning home until seven or eight o’clock at night. I often heard from her that Oak Lane’s flexibility and family-like atmosphere allowed her to relax on the job and not have to worry about my safety or getting me home at a particular time.

“I needed long days. If I ever needed to leave you there past ‘hours,’ it was never a problem. The teachers even insisted,” my mom said. “It wasn’t just a place to go that had a babysitter, they were extremely interactive”, she continued. “The place was always immaculate, very personal. It always felt like home.”

With a year-round program, the Center allows working parents to leave their children in trustworthy hands virtually at any time.

Founded in 1972, Oak Lane Child Care Center began as a small community of families and staff that worked tirelessly together to create an environment for local children that working parents could trust. When they moved into their current home in Chappaqua in 1982, it quickly became the go-to childcare and pre-school center for working parents throughout the community.

As early as 1990, the Center became the first childcare center in the area to be accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Among other things, the NAEYC requires a certain level of education among the staff at the centers they accredit. Consequently, all of Oak Lane’s head teachers have at least a Master’s degree, while assistants must have at least an undergraduate degree to work at the Center. This allows the staff to create a well-planned, developmentally appropriate program that highlights convictions about community, preferences, equality and fairness. These types of programs allow the staff to effectively address each child’s social, emotional, physical and cognitive needs. Additionally, teachers at Oak Lane tend to find a home when it comes to a suitable place to work.

“One of the knocks on child care is that there’s always this great staff turnover, and Oak Lane doesn’t have that,” said Executive Director Ronnie Weinberger. “Besides being a wonderful place for children and families, it’s also a great place for people to work.”

Staff attending Community Day, 2015
Staff attending Community Day, 2015
A not-for-profit childcare center, Oak Lane serves children from 18 months to five years old. When it comes to the reliability of the center, Oak Lane can’t be beat.

“From September to June is an academic schedule. And the, from the end of June to August we turn it into a summer program,”continued Weinberger. “We provide care for working families that starts as early as 7 a.m. and we stay open as late as 6 p.m.”

Working parents can relax at their respective occupations while their children are in more than safe hands up until the point they get off from work. This again plays into the willingness and dedication of the staff at Oak Lane to really nurture each and every child and make them feel as comfortable as possible without their guardians present, which can sometimes be an extremely difficult thing to do.

The uniqueness and willingness of Oak Lane has been a staple in our community for at least the past 20 years; I’m glad that I can help them gain the recognition they deserve for the enormous impact they have on the youth here in Chappaqua.

Greeley grad Justin Ellick, a sophomore Media and Communications Major at Ursinus College in Philadelphia, is an intern for Inside Chappaqua and Inside Armonk Magazines this summer.

Nuns on the Bus Generate Discussions at DNC

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By Susan Youngwood

For the last three weeks, 20 nuns have been criss-crossing the country listening to people talk about the issues that concern them the most. After traveling 2,400 miles and visiting 23 cities in 13 states, the nuns arrived in Philadelphia for the Democratic National Convention.Nuns on the Bus2

Nuns on the Bus is a project of NETWORK, a social justice lobby inspired by Catholic sisters which educates, organizes and lobbies for economic and social transformation. This bus tour sponsors community conversations around seven topics — tax justice, living wages, family friendly workplaces; and access to democracy, health care, citizenship and housing.

At the DNC, seven round tables were set up, each one devoted to one of the seven topics. Nuns sat at each table, engaging convention attendees in conversation.

“We’ve lost a sense of community,” said one participant. “Everyone has to give their fair share,” said another.

The discussions were sincere and earnest; after the discussions, each table shared their thoughts with the group. “The 2016 election cycle has been marked by anger, fear, polarization and hate,” promotional material explained. “And so Nuns on the Bus are hitting the road again, visiting some of our nation’s most economically challenged communities and some of the most prosperous. We will hear their stories and call on everyone running for office to listen as well, and to do everything in their power to end the gap — to close the vast and growing economic and social divides that are weakening the fabric of our country.” All the ideas generated by the bus tour will be compiled in a website.

 

 

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.

May 22: Annual Colon Cancer Challenge in Purchase, NY

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By Jennifer Butler

If you had the ability to prevent more than 50,000 deaths a year, would you do it? If so, join us on May 22nd at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY for the 13th Annual Colon Cancer Challenge.

The Colon Cancer Challenge is a unique opportunity for survivors, caregivers and loved ones to honor and celebrate the individuals in their lives who have fought bravely against the this devastating cancer killer. By coming together to walk, run, and cheer we are able to raise awareness of this deadly but largely preventable disease and expand the network of support and dedication for our those affected by the disease.
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This family-oriented event consists of a Remembrance and Prevention Walk, a 4-mile Mixed Terrain Fun Run, a Kids Fun Run for children under 12, entertainment and a wellness festival. The top male and female finishers will receive trophies while each Kids Fun Run finisher will receive a medal. All participants will receive a commemorative t-shirts and refreshments.

Survivors are invited to participate in a special Survivor Ceremony and our annual photo prior to the start of the walk, and will also have access to a V.I.P. tent.
The Challenge was New York’s first public colorectal cancer awareness event, founded in 2004 by world-renowned colorectal cancer surgeon and researcher – and longtime Chappaqua resident – Dr. Thomas Weber. “When I started the Colon Cancer Challenge 13 years ago, I could only hope that it would grow as large as it is now. It’s amazing how many people join us every year to raise awareness of New York State’s second leading cancer killer,” he says.

“We are so excited to be back at Manhattanville College this year,” says Cindy Borassi, CCCF Executive Director. “No matter what distance they walk or run, every step our community members take reminds us that this disease is largely preventable with early detection and by incorporating a healthy diet and exercise into your lifestyle.”

Challenge participant Beth Beckmann lost her husband John to colon cancer in 2004, just a few months after the first Colon Cancer Challenge. “Seeing the support pour in for John through donations to our daughter’s Challenge team brought great joy to us all in the final months of John’s life,” Beth says. “I continue to participate in Challenge events and support CCCF in memory of John and also in the hope that fewer and fewer families will have a story like ours.”

Despite the progress we have made over the last decade in reducing the incidence of colorectal cancer in those over 50, early age onset cases of colorectal cancer have been dramatically increasing every year, even affecting those in their early twenties. By funding research into this terrifying trend and offering support to survivors and their families, CCCF is at the forefront of the fight against early age onset colorectal cancer.

Challenge participant Samantha Frazier was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer at age 24. Now 27 and cancer-free, Samantha, along with her team of family and friends, believes the Challenge is a way to spread the critical message of awareness and prevention while celebrating survivorship. She says, “I want others to know that they can live too and celebrate their glory as a warrior forever!”

WestchesterCCChallenge2When Samantha took to the stage for the Survivor Ceremony at last year’s Westchester Colon Cancer Challenge, a hush fell over the crowd. Her youthful presence was a reminder that this disease does not discriminate. And her sweet smile and courageous spirit were a reminder that this disease can – and will – be defeated.
Last year more than 3,500 people participated in Colon Cancer Challenge events, raising nearly $750,000. This year CCCF hopes to reach its goal of $1 million to continue its lifesaving public awareness, screening and prevention programs for the underserved and uninsured, as well as research focused on early age onset of colorectal cancer.

To get involved, call 914.305.6674 or visit events.coloncacnerchallenge.org.