The Inside Press

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New Castle

Seasonal Fun Galore in Chappaqua with a Holiday Parade, Magic Show, (a First Ever for New Castle!) Bonfire, and More

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Sirens rang through the air all throughout town the night of December 18, but not because of faulty carbon monoxide alarms or burnt cookies filling kitchens with smoke (admit it, we’ve all had an alarm go off at 2 in the morning, right?)

Over the course of two hours, the decorated firetrucks and ambulance vehicles lit the rainy, misty evening starting at the Chappaqua Fire House, making its way down several streets and then ending at the Chappaqua Train Station.

Photos by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

Around 6 p.m., the parade made its way to my street. It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it was Fire Chief Russ Maitland and his pup Quincy in the back of his chief truck, driving behind the first fire truck and leading the way for the rest.

“Driving through our town spreading holiday cheer is a hallmark event that is the epitome of small-town community, spirit and unity,” Maitland said.

Sure, it was pitch black outside. Sure, it was cold and rainy. But that certainly didn’t stop people from standing outside their homes to wave to Santa and the local first responders.

While waiting for the trucks to drive by, I saw families from nearby streets all come together at my neighbor’s house, forming a sort of parade watch party!

“It was an opportunity to see something different right outside my door,” Chappaqua resident Eric Alani said. “The kids loved the sirens, and especially loved catching the candy being thrown from the trucks.”

Now as if a holiday parade on Saturday was not ‘enough’ to brighten spirits this season, New Castle dialed it up a notch with an energetic magic show, followed by a holiday bonfire, a visit from Frosty, and a group of Christmas carolers, all of whom drew hundreds to Recreation field. See our Instagram coverage at https://www.instagram.com/insidepress/

On Sunday, a full moon over the fire and the firetrucks in the distance only accentuated the magic of the weekend.

“Who wants a bonfire?!!” exclaimed New Castle Town Supervisor Lisa Katz to a wide circle of excited spectators waiting to watch volunteer firefighters from both the Chappaqua & Millwood Fire Departments light up the wood as they assembled for the occasion, and after thanking the event sponsors, including the New Castle Recreation & Parks Department, Sari Shaw of the Westchester Living Team, and Bobos Cafe for hot chocolate.  “I hope you all got to see Santa come by your neighborhood!” Katz added, along with her best wishes for a happy holiday & healthy new year, full of good health, happiness, laughter and love.”

Ike Kuzio, superintendent of New Castle Recreation & Parks, extolled a “total team effort from within the fire department and parks department which took a month of planning and reaching out to local vendors.” He said the bonfire was a first for Chappaqua, and “a new great community event,” and that “it was all worth it to see all the smiles on faces.”

Kuzio said he “felt comfortable enough with it being an outdoor event. Our mantra in these times has been: ‘let’s put the programs and events out there, and make them as safe as we can make them, and let people make decisions on their own.'”

Grace Bennett contributed to this report.

 

 

State Senator Harckham Announces $100,000 State Grant for Park Renovations in New Castle

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Chappaqua, NY–New York State Senator Pete Harckham announced this week that he was able to secure $100,000 in state grant funding for renovations and improvements to the popular soccer fields at Amsterdam Park, located on Hoags Cross Road in the Town of New Castle.

“Parks and recreation areas are so important for residents’ well-being, especially as people look to be outdoors more, and that means maintaining the infrastructure is a must for these well-used grounds and facilities,” said Harckham. “The upgrades coming to the soccer fields at Amsterdam Park will benefit community members in so many ways, and I’m pleased to have been able to partner with town officials in getting improvements at the park underway.”

State Sen. Pete Harckham with (l-r) New Castle Town Board Member Lori Morton, Board Member and Supervisor-Elect Lisa Katz, Board Member Lauren Levin and Acting Supervisor Jeremy Saland. Credit: Office of State Sen. Pete Harckham/David Zeiger

Harckham made his surprise holiday announcement during the Town of New Castle Board’s December 14 meeting, where he presented Senate Proclamations to retiring Councilmembers Lauren Levin and Lori Morton and also recognized the Town’ s certification as a Bronze Level Climate Smart Community with a Proclamation as well.

Amsterdam Park is home to two of the Town of New Castle’s three soccer fields. The fields serve as practice and ‘home” fields for the youth soccer program, which serves over 400 children between the ages of 8-14, and also for a smaller lacrosse program of about 40 players between 10 and 11 years old. 

Because of heavy regular use of the fields throughout the year, the turf has suffered to the extent that one of the fields at Amsterdam Park was deemed unusable and needed to be closed off for athletic use after a child tripped on an exposed sprinkler head during a soccer match and was injured.

The Town of New Castle plans to use the state grant funding to completely renovate the damaged playing field at Amsterdam Park. The field will be skinned, fresh topsoil installed and the field graded to completely conceal the recessed sprinkler heads and allow proper drainage. Sod will then be installed and allowed to set, so that the field will be playable in the late spring of 2022. 

“Senator Harckham has always gone to bat for New Castle, both for our parks system and for the greater good,” said Jeremy Saland, acting town supervisor in New Castle. “The facilities at Amsterdam Park are a big asset to our town, and maintaining the fields in their best condition benefits all of our residents.”

“We are thrilled and grateful that Senator Harckham was able to secure this state grant to support improvements at Amsterdam Park on the West End of New Castle,” added Morton. “The funds will support the rebuilding and re-sodding of our fields.  Our Amsterdam fields are used very heavily through the year by our girls and boys soccer and lacrosse teams, as well as for our Town of New Castle Summer Camp.  This renovation will ensure the continued safe play of our children and all visitors to Amsterdam Park.”

“New Castle’s soccer fields at Amsterdam Park are in desperate need of repair,” said Town Board Member and Supervisor-Elect Lisa Katz. “Thanks to Senator Harckham and this generous SAM grant, the Town will be able to repair and renovate these heavily utilized fields so that our youth soccer players and summer camp participants will have safe fields on which to play. It is always wonderful to see the State enabling important infrastructure improvements in our community.” 

The awarded grant funding was secured within the State and Municipal Facilities Program (SAM), which is among the grant programs administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) to support community and economic development. 

State Senator Harckham represents New York’s 40th District, which includes the towns of Beekman, Pawling and the village of Pawling in Dutchess County; the towns of Carmel, Patterson and Southeast, and the village of Brewster in Putnam County; and the city of Peekskill, the towns of Cortlandt, Lewisboro, Mount Pleasant, New Castle, North Salem, Pound Ridge, Somers and Yorktown, the town/village of Mount Kisco, and the villages of Briarcliff Manor, Buchanan, Croton-on-Hudson, Pleasantville and Sleepy Hollow in Westchester County. 

 

News courtesy of Senator Harckham’s office

 

                       

 

Forever on her Side: New Castle Renames and Dedicates a Park to Honor Jean Craighead George, Beloved Children’s Book Author

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Neighbors, friends-and even a dog’s well timed howl!-applauded & heralded New Castle’s renaming a local park to honor and remember Jean Craighead George.

At the dedication, Jean Craighead George’s children (left to right): Twig, Luke and Craig, were also presented with a gift–George’s 1971 drawing at Grafflin of the main character Sam for children’s book treasure, My Side of the Mountain.  Photo By Grace Bennett/Inside Press

On Sunday, October 10, Douglas Park was renamed Jean Craighead George Park to honor and remember Ms. George, an award winning author of 105 books, naturalist, and beloved and influential member of the Chappaqua community. The ceremony was filled with neighbors, friends, and those passionate about nature and conservation. The speakers told stories, reflected on George’s life, read excerpts of her work, and shared their accomplishments and hopes for the park. The speakers included Jen Bounds, Erin Spira, Sue Meany, Ronni Diamondstein, Gray Williams, Wendell Minor, Mercy Garland, and the George children.

Jean George wrote books for young people include the Newberry Medal winner, Julie of the Wolves, Newberry Honor Book, My Side of the Mountain. and the last picture book, Crowbar: The Smartest Bird in the World, that was revised by her children Luke and Twig George and illustrated by her longtime collaborator, Wendell Minor.

Jean Craighead George was one of the Inside Press’s earliest cover subjects! George was interviewed in 2004 by Lisa St. John. Photo in her storybook garden by Lynda Shenkman Curtis.

When a dog howled seemingly on cue in response to Ronni Diamondstein, President of the Chappaqua Library Board of Trustees, imitating a wolf’s howl, it felt as if Jean Craighead George was there as well, and virtually everyone laughed in appreciation.

This ceremony also acknowledged the work put into the park’s restoration. Many invasive species have already been removed allowing native plants to thrive. Jen Bounds, project organizer, shared that soon after clearing the area around the stream, kids were found playing there with buckets in hand. This highlights the goal of conserving the park- to teach children to value and enjoy nature, which is what George strived to do through her writing. “This park will now serve as a memorial that enables future generations of kids to connect, enjoy, and read through a shared community,” said Erin Spira, Board of Parks and Recreation. 

While at first glance, it was difficult to view this park as anything more than overgrown plants, the speakers helped to unveil the sentiment behind this special place hidden in nature. Whether it was stories of Craig George getting stuck while caving under Douglas Road, or Luke George falling off of his bike and heading straight into the stream- the audience was able to understand the value behind this park. “I think half of you grew up with us, knew mom, knew the animals, scamperd down these woods, climbed the trees probably a little too high… this was a really magical place,” said Twig George. 

Diamondstein read Maggie Mae’s adorable story of meeting Jean George from a past edition of Inside Chappaqua; in 2004, George had graced the magazine cover after an interview with Lisa St. John.

Gray Williams, Chappaqua’s town historian, also reminisced about times he spent at the park and his hope that it “can be restored to the way it was when [he] was growing up.” With all of the progress the park has made, hopefully children in the neighborhood can escape to this wild space the same way Gray Williams and the George children used to do, and the same way Jean Craighead George encouraged through her writing.  

Ms. George passed away in 2012, but it is clear that her influence on the community as well as on future generations of children lives on. Jen Bounds shared that after reaching out to Ms. George’s children to garner support for the park dedication to present to the Recreation and Parks Commission, approximately 200 emails and letters appeared seemingly overnight.

Craig George spoke about how he had the honor of “being raised by the most interesting mom in America, in one of the most interesting houses… It was an open house, and a lot of people here I think were touched by that place.” This house can be seen from the park, and Twig said that they raised 173 wild animals there. Considering George’s love for wildlife and value of community, this park is the perfect tribute to her life. In fact, even at this one hour ceremony, a strong sense of connectedness was already felt. “Jean taught generations of children to value and conserve the wild spaces that are entrusted to us,” said Jen Bounds. “For that we dedicate this park as Jean Craighead George Park.”

 

 

 

PHOTOS BY Grace Bennett/Inside Press

Rotary Club of Chappaqua Honors Eileen Gallagher, Tuan Anh Dang at Annual Awards Luncheon

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Don Roane presenting Eileen Gallagher with the Rotary’s Paul Harris Service Award   Photos by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

June 30, 2021, Chappaqua, NY–Members of the Rotary Club of Chappaqua, gathered at Crabtree’s Kittle House for their annual awards presentations, honored outgoing president Eileen Gallagher with the Paul Harris Service Award and Horace Greeley High School Senior Tuan Anh Dang who received the Rotary’s Student Community Service Award. The in-person celebration brought Rotary members to the Kittle House, where the group has resumed meeting every Monday to honor community members and to plan their signature events, including Community Day, this year on September 18.

Long-time Rotarian Don Roane presented the prestigious Paul Harris service award to Gallagher, a two-term President of the Chappaqua Rotary, citing “her tremendous dedication and service to the community.” Gallagher is hardly leaving her Rotary efforts behind, however. She has been asked to work with a number of towns in northern Westchester, including Chappaqua, to create an ‘e-club’ which will meet via Zoom or in person, when desired.  “It’s an exciting chance to create a virtual club, which will fill a tremendous void in the area for those who wish to serve the community at large but whose schedule does not allow for in-person weekly meetings,” said Gallagher. “Covid has brought valuable insight into how we are able to connect over the internet, with the flexibility to meet in person when desired, and with the aim to “grow Rotary”, this will be a step in that direction.”

“There is a Wall Street e-club with members from other parts of the world, which had intrigued me,” explained Gallagher, “because of its innovative, inclusive and accessible meetings. This club will be able to fill that void in Northern Westchester.” For more information and to join, write to Gallagher, newestchesterrotary@gmail.com

Horace Greeley graduating senior (on the right) Tuan Anh Dang, here with his mom Huong Giang Nguyen, received the Rotary’s Student Community Service Award and Scholarship. Inside Press photo.

On behalf of Westchester County Executive George Latimer (a long time Rotarian), New Castle Town Council member Lori Gowen Morton presented Horace Greeley graduating senior Tuan Anh Dang with the Rotary Student Community Service Award; in addition, Gallagher presented Dang with a $1000 scholarship from the Rotary for his outstanding achievement and dedication to ‘service above self.’ 

In the opening to his “Service to the Community” essay to the Rotary, Dang relayed how vital the support of a young college student mentor/instructor had been to him when he was a child enrolled in an English as a Second Language course. It was taught, he recalled, by ‘a lanky 19-year-old’ named Eric volunteering from the University of California in Santa Barbara. Dang wrote of the friendships formed, and comradery that took shape between himself and his classmates during that time.

“Despite not having a single language in common (Spanish, Chinese, German, Vietnamese), Eric still managed to teach us all English,” Dang stated. “While trying to help us integrate into the broader community, he created one right within that class. Even after the course ended, we all became proficient; the people in that class became some of my closest friends after elementary school… I’m not sure Eric knew that he had just fostered a dozen children and made them all feel at home in this country for the first time.”

“I strive to pay the favor forward to other immigrant children by teaching ESL classes at Neighbors Link. In their confused eyes, I see my younger self who was equally perplexed by this odd world.”

In his sophomore year of high school, Dang was chosen as the Westchester county representative to the Youth to Youth International Conference, a youth leadership drug prevention program. That experience was instrumental to embarking on summer internship with the New Castle United for Youth, a local coalition for whom Dang helped organize events “with the goal of creating a support network that extends to all those who seek help in our town.”

With a new incoming president Marlene Canapi on board beginning July 1, Rotary members are planning the comeback date of Saturday, September 18, for Chappaqua’s annual Community Day, canceled last year due to Covid. To keep up with Community Day plans and all Rotary activities in Chappaqua, visit Chappaqua Rotary Club | Facebook

Captain Gaudet’s Memorial Day 2021 Message: “Find Ways to Be Worthy of your American Heritage.”

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Honoring Those Who Made the Ultimate Sacrifice at the Memorial Day 2021 Town of New Castle Ceremony

World War II Vet William Witkin, Turning 100 this Year, Receives Special Recognition

Plus… A Promise to Bring Back the Town’s Parade “in 100% Full Force” in 2022

Story and Photos By Grace Bennett

Chappaqua, NY, Memorial Field–Captain Peter Gaudet, keynote speaker at the Town of New Castle’s Memorial Day Ceremony, honored the nation’s fallen today stating that “as we pull out of the Covid crisis, each one of us needs to find ways to be worthy of our American heritage… and therefore worthy of the supreme sacrifice of those fellow Americans who gave their lives for our liberty.”

L-R: U.S. Army Captain James McCauley, U.S. Army Captain Peter Gaudet, Honorary Guest, World War II Air Force Veteran Ltd. William Witkin, CVAC Captain Bob Coulombe, and Witkin’s wife, Joan.
L-R: County Legislator Vedat Gashi and New Castle Town Board: Lori Gowen Morton, Supervisor Ivy Pool, Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland, Lisa Katz and Lauren Levin

In perhaps the service’s most poignant moment, Captain Gaudet also recognized the honorable World War II Air Force Ltd. William Witkin in attendance–he will be 100 years old this year. “He flew B-24s out if Italy in WWII to bomb Nazi oil refineries in Austria. When I see him here today and say his name, I get chills up and down my spine.”

In past years, Memorial Field would accommodate upwards of a thousand or more for a ceremony at the conclusion of Chappaqua’s world renowned parade down King Street and across Greeley Avenue with so many in the community participating, from the long procession of fire trucks to school marching bands, and parade goers waving to and many finding a chance to exchange a few words with and/or photograph dignitaries and esteemed neighbors including former President Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Governor Andrew Cuomo. In 2020, the ceremony was held virtually due to Covid.

Captain Gaudet noted that in 2022, the town’s Memorial Day Parade would be “back to 100% full force.”

Yet, today was no less grand in feeling anyhow as a modest, appreciative gathering of about 100 residents and visitors heard Gaudet recognize so many in the New Castle community who made the event possible, including the New Castle Police Department, the Chappaqua Volunteer Fire Department, the Millwood Fire Department, the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps., Chappaqua Girl Scouts 1& 2, and Chappaqua Girl Scout Troop 1024, “the Girl Scouts who had planted a bed of Memorial flowers to honor our fallen heroes,”  the Memorial Day committee–Captain Jim McCauley, David Egerton, Barbara Jenkel and Eric Rosenfeld–Town Clerk Jill Shapiro and Tiffany White, Sari Shaw, the sponsor of the flowers, Town Supervisor Ivy Pool, Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland, Town Board members Lisa Katz, Lori Gowen Morton, and Lauren Levin, and also County Legislator for New Castle, Vedat Gashi. 

“It’s a yeoman effort every year to make this so special,” Captain Gaudet said.

During the Invocation, Rev. Dr. Martha Jacobs of the First Congregational Church asked everyone to pause for a moment of silence to remember the many, many people who have died during this pandemic. “We pray for all who continue to be affected, pause to give thanks to all the first responders and front-line workers who kept us going and for the vaccine that enables us to be here today.”

“To honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice…,” Dr. Rev. Jacobs continued, “may we be mindful that the sacrifices made by these brave men and women and their families continue to this day; they remind us that America is a great country, but we can never take that for granted.”

In other highlights of the ceremony, two Girl Scouts, Erica Dunne and Gramercy Burton, presented a wreath to honor fallen veterans. Dunne (with Girl Scout Troop 1029) read the oral history of fallen New Castle veteran Corporal William Vance Moss and Burton (with Girl Scout Troop 1079) read the history of Staff Sargeant Kyu H. Chay–both these readings were via biographies prepared by David Egerton. Gaudet also recognized members of the Chay family in attendance.

Recognized today too: the family of Staff Sargeant Kyu T. Chay. Sargeant Chay was killed in action in Afghanistan. The New Castle 120 Bridge into Chappaqua is named in his honor.

The Chappaqua Orchestra’s Kevin Moore, on bagpipes, played Amazing Grace.

Jordana Lichtenthal sang both the National Anthem and God Bless America.

As the sun emerged, Captain Gaudet called upon Captain Jim McCauley and Lt. Col. Michael Finkelstein to join him to read ‘The Honor Roll of New Castle War Dead,’ “those New Castle veterans fallen in defense of our country,” he said.

“In harm’s way around the world, Americans have performed amazing acts of selfless service. They are sources of inspiration and motivation, and we honor them by doing our best to serve our family, to serve our community and to serve our great country.”