The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Programming

Full Line-Up of April 2021 Virtual Programming at Northern Westchester Hospital: Save the Dates!

by

Reducing risk of heart disease, chair yoga, smoking cessation, classes for new and future moms, and Wellness Wednesday among virtual events this April offered by Northern Westchester Hospital and the Center for Healthy Living

An expert panel on reducing the risk of heart disease is April’s featured program at Northern Westchester Hospital’s (NWH) Center for Healthy Living. April’s virtual classes for new and future moms include breastfeeding, newborn care, a Mom Squad interactive get together, delivering your baby during a pandemic, and an infant/child safety class.  Other free, virtual classes to help people feel better, get healthier, and have more fun include chair yoga, smoking cessation, a Spring Break Cooking Club, and Wellness Wednesday.

Located next to the Whole Foods Market at Chappaqua Crossing, the Center for Healthy Living supports health and wellness through education, health resources, diverse programing and referrals. For a full list of upcoming Free events and registration, visit Eventbrite.com. All programs are currently offered virtually.

FEATURED EVENT:

Let’s Have a Heart-to-Heart – Reducing your Risk for Heart Disease

Monday, April 19, 5-6 pm live on Zoom

Cost: Free

Join experts from the Seema Boesky Heart Center at NWH for a down-to-earth conversation about reducing your risk for heart disease at any age and the latest advancements in cardiac care including treatment available at NWH’s Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Labs. The panel will be moderated by Melissa Hernandez, DScPAS, PA-C, advanced clinical provider, NWH Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Labs. She is joined by Carl Reimers, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Director, Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Northern Westchester Hospital, and Northwell Cardiology Service Line Director for Westchester County; and Subbarao Choudry, MD, Director, Northern Westchester Hospital Electrophysiology Lab.

Register at: Let’s Have a Heart-to-Heart

Virtual Breastfeeding Class
Monday, April 5, 6:00 – 8:00pm, live over Microsoft Teams
Cost: $30/couple

This comprehensive class is taught exclusively by our International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) for women who are considering or have decided to breastfeed. The class will cover advantages of breastfeeding; building and maintaining your milk supply; strategies for success; breastfeeding techniques; diet considerations; nipple care; and tips for partner feeding. Plenty of time is allotted for Q&As, and couples are encouraged to come together. For more information, please call the Mother-Baby Navigator Office at (914) 666-1840

Register at: Virtual Breastfeeding

Chair Yoga:

Mondays, April 5, 12, and 19, 11 am to Noon, live over Zoom

Cost: Free

One of the gentlest forms of yoga, chair yoga adapts yoga positions and poses using a chair for support during standing and balancing poses, allowing for greater stability. Emphasis will be on breathing, balance, and taking things at your own pace.  Chair yoga is suitable for all ages, fitness levels and physical condition; beginners welcome. Toni Russo, MS, RN AHN-BC, RYT-220, a leader in NWH’s Integrative Medicine Team will lead the workshop.

Register at:  chair yoga

Smoking Cessation:

Wednesday, April 7, Tuesday, April 13, and Wednesday, April 21, 6 to 7 pm, live over Microsoft Teams

Cost: Free

Smoking cigarettes is one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. A NWH respiratory therapist will facilitate this online video support group. For information, contact NWHSmokingCessation@northwell.edu or call (914) 666-1868.

Register at: Smoking Cessation

Virtual Newborn Care Class
Thursday, April 8, 6:00 – 8:00pm, live over Microsoft Teams

Cost: $30/couple
Topics include newborn care, feeding patterns, common parental concerns, and the role of pediatricians during your baby’s stay at the hospital. Upon availability, a pediatrician will join at the end of class for a Q&A session.  Please note, this support group is for mothers who have already delivered their baby. For more information, please call the Mother-Baby Navigator Office at (914) 666-1840 or email NWHMotherBabyNavigator@northwell.edu

Mom Squad
Monday, April 12, Noon to 2 pm, live over Microsoft Teams

Cost: Free
Please note, this support group–facilitated by a registered nurse–is for mothers who have already delivered their baby. Join with your baby for an interactive social get together to meet other moms and share information about caring for your newborn and yourself.  For more information, please call the Mother-Baby Navigator Office at (914) 666-1840 or email NWHMotherBabyNavigator@northwell.edu.

 

Delivering Your Baby at NWH During a Pandemic:

Tuesday, April 13, 2-3 pm, live over Microsoft Teams

Cost: Free

During this monthly session exclusively for patients who are registered to deliver at NWH, we will provide you with facts about COVID-19 and your labor and delivery experience. These monthly updates include a Q&A with our Mother-Baby Leadership.

Register at:  Delivering Your Baby at NWH

 

Virtual Infant/Child Safety Class:

Monday, April 19, 6-8 pm, live over Microsoft Teams

Cost: $50/couple

This class is recommended for anyone living with or caring for an infant. Learn how to respond to a choking baby and other safety concerns, including car seats, poison control and home safety. Advance registration required.

Register at: Infant/Child Safety Class

 

Wellness Wednesdays – A Phone Conference Series

Last Wednesday of every month, by phone. Wednesday, April 28, 11:00-11:30am.

Cost: Free

Topic of the Month: COVID-19 vaccine information with Debra A. Spicehandler, MD, co-chief of Medicine – Infectious Diseases at NWH. Grab a snack & a cup of tea, and join us for a monthly phone conference series all about health. Dial in every month to hear the latest information from clinicians & health experts.

Register at: https://nwhwellnesswednesdays.eventbrite.com

or dial 1-929-436-2866 to join the program: when prompted enter the Webinar ID: 942 77713429 followed by the # sign. You will hear music until the program starts at 11 am.

 

About Northern Westchester Hospital

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), a member of Northwell Health, provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology, and a commitment to humanity. Over 650 highly-skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment. NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) National Hospital Quality Measures. Our high-quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best in the nation. For more information, please visit www.nwh.northwell.edu and connect with us on Facebook.

 

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, 830 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 76,000 employees – 18,900 nurses and 4,800 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Why the North Castle Library is a Community Treasure

by

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library,” said Albert Einstein. To access the library is to access a key to endless information. The following ten reasons are why you want to know the location of the North Castle Public Library.

1. A Children’s Oasis

The library’s innovative children’s programming satisfies all ages spanning from lap babies to high schoolers. The youngest patrons have access to toddler yoga, Sensory Play, Mother Goose, music classes, and the new Toddler Mixer. Ages 4 and up can participate in Science Lab, Robert the Guitar Guy, and reading with the adorable therapy dog Tobie.

The new young adult room (“YA room”) is a safe space for sixth graders and up to gather and do homework, study, and play games. In addition to 3D printers, the YA room has a Nintendo Switch, a PS4, and a Wii. The library also recently purchased 3D pens for the kids to explore and an Oculus Quest for virtual reality games.

Programs for teens and tweens include Dungeons and Dragons, knitting, and the teen book club “Overbooked.” A Teen Advisory Board of high schoolers meets monthly to discuss future programs for the library.

2. Summer Reading with Unexpected Benefits

Last year, the librarians tweaked the annual program by requiring participants to meet with a librarian to discuss the book they read rather than just logging it in on their website. “Parents thanked me because they noticed how much their child had grown over the summer from initially not wanting to make eye contact to learning how to express themselves to an adult and discuss a book,” recounts Stephanie Hartwell-Mandella, Assistant Director and Head of Youth Services at the library.

3. Adult Programming Offering Something for Everyone

Adults can participate in the current affairs book club, the Friday night film series or educational classes for Bridge, Tai Chi, Chair Yoga, Meditation, Italian language and culture, art history, computer instruction, writing workshops, and more. Public service talks on real estate, ayurvedic medicine, and navigating health insurance are also regularly scheduled.

4. Everything is FREE!

All you need is a library card. Whether you want to attend classes, borrow books, use the public computers, hang out and read magazines, or access the digital collection, it is all free. Libraries are one of the few truly public places where one can have access to whatever one wants without having to spend a dime.

Tobie owned by Armonk resident Karen DiPietro is a therapy dog through The Good Dog Foundation. Each week children at the North Castle Library read to him.
PHOTOS by Carolyn Simpson

5. Download an E-book

Patrons can download free e-books and audio books onto their devices through the Westchester library system.

6. An Amazing Interactive Website

The website at northcastlelibrary.org connects you to online courses, job search engines, virtual concerts, recipes, newspapers, and entertainment. Free tutors are available through Tutor Time to go over math problems, submit a paper for proofreading, or talk to a tutor about any subject. Going on a trip and want the most up to date travel information on a country’s culture, currency or food? Head to the website. Want to take a free class on photoshop? Head to the website.

7. Need a dress?

The library has its very own version of rent the runway. They have a limited collection of party dresses that can be checked out just like a library book, worn, dry cleaned and returned. Other unusual items currently in circulation are fishing poles and ukeleles.

8. A Real Theatre Adjacent to the Armonk library is the 186-seat Whippoorwill Theater Hall.

Two theatre groups, Hudson Stage and The Armonk Players, sponsored by the The Friends of the North Castle Library (The “Friends”), put on shows at the theatre. The Friends are a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise money for the library.

9. Exposure to Art

Besides the annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show sponsored by the Friends, the library now features art exhibits in its new gallery located upstairs in the Armonk branch.

10. Librarians Eager to Meet Community Needs

The librarians consistently work to bringing great ideas to life. One of those ideas currently in development is an outdoor garden behind the children’s space with gardening beds, a deck, and a collection of percussion instruments. Construction is set to begin in the spring. The librarians serve as a great resource for anyone needing help with research or looking for a particular book. “People sometimes come over to us and say ‘I hate to bother you’–You’re not bothering us! This is what we do and why we’re here–to help you find what you need,” says North Castle Public Library Director Edie Martimucci.

For an up to date calendar on the library’s programs, go to northcastlelibrary.org You can also follow the North Castle Public Library on Facebook. Teens can find out about upcoming programming on Instagram @ncplteen. The Armonk branch is located at 19 Whippoorwill Road East in Armonk. The phone number is 914-273-3887. The North White Plains branch is located at 10 Clove Road in North White Plains. Their phone number is 914-948-6359.

Heart and Soul at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center (ChappPAC)

by

Founded in 2017, the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center (ChappPAC) was established to provide diverse arts and cultural programming for residents of New Castle and communities throughout the region. Located in the heart of Chappaqua at Chappaqua Crossing (the former Reader’s Digest campus), this amazing 425-seat venue was saved from demolition and brought back to life through a unique consortium of municipal and private support.

ChappPAC’s programming presents a diverse, imaginative and exceptionally entertaining mix of arts and cultural opportunities such as art exhibits, theater, comedy, author talks and perennial favorites such as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and an interactive “Elf” experience. Artists such as Tim Kubart and the Space Cadets have had children dancing in the aisles, while the sweet sounds of Vanessa Williams and the rocking music of the Allman Brothers have delighted adults. ChappPAC also is the home of the Chappaqua Orchestra, and has hosted master acting classes with current Broadway stars. ChappPAC offers a full slate of children’s and senior programming and also aims to provide programs and opportunities for under-served communities and people with special needs.

The Town’s Arts and Culture Committee oversees the facility and is the liaison between the Town and the needs of ChappPAC. The Friends of ChappPAC, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, is the entity sanctioned to work with the Town to provide financial support to ChappPAC for capital projects and programming at the theater. For information about ChappPAC and future programming, visit chappaquapac.org. For information about the Friends of ChappPAC, contact friendsofchapppac@gmail.com.

Courtesy of the Town of New Castle Arts and Culture Committee 

 

North Castle Library Receives State Grant

by

The North Castle Public Library has been awarded a $135,000 grant for building improvements to its main branch in Armonk. The grant, part of $24 million in capital funds set aside for public library construction and other infrastructure projects in the 2017–2018 state budget, was announced in August by State Assemblyman David Buchwald (D-Westchester) and State Senator Shelley Mayer (D-Westchester).

The North Castle Library “has put forward innovative plans for improving the infrastructure of their library building,” said Assemblyman Buchwald. “It has been very proactive in making sure they are a 21st century institution.” Buchwald noted that while many libraries apply for grants, the process is very competitive, and not all libraries that apply receive funding. The North Castle library, he said, has successfully positioned itself as an innovator in library spaces and programs.

Additionally, the grants require matching funds from local supporters. “New York State has an interest in supporting libraries where the local community has been part of supporting its library as well; this ensures both state and local dollars go further,” he said.

The grants allow libraries to “expand the critical services they provide for the community,” said State Senator Mayer. “They are centerpieces of our communities in Westchester and throughout the state providing programming for children, seniors, and families.»

(L-R): Sean Ryan, Assemblyman David Buchwald and Marilyn Heimerdinger at the opening of the Friends Gallery at the North Castle Public Library.
PHOTO COURTESY OF OFFICE OF
ASSEMBLYMAN DAVID BUCHWALD

Sean Ryan, president of the North Castle Public Library Board, said the funds have been put toward an improvement initiative that was established in 2013 and implemented in 2014. At that time, the library trustees assessed the needs of the community, and put together a wish list of improvement projects totaling more than $1.5 million. This is the fifth grant the library has received from the state, and according to Ryan, the library’s current ‘to do’ list has projects extending into 2020 for both its main Armonk branch and satellite North White Plains branch.

Ryan noted that infrastructure improvements were critical for libraries to maintain the type of programming that is relevant in today’s fast-paced world of new media.

“Libraries are reinventing themselves,” he said. “Just ten years ago they were books on shelves. Now, they are social centers for educational and cultural activities.”

“The North Castle Public Library is thrilled to receive this library construction grant which enables us to renovate spaces dedicated to support our library’s programs for children, young adults and adults,” he added. This support “allows libraries to transform to meet current and future needs of our patrons.”

The North Castle Public Library has seen a dramatic increase in attendance since the improvement projects began. Last year, more than 163,000 people visited the library, and more than 35,000 attended its programs, which is twice as many as attendees recorded in 2012. The library currently runs more than 2,000 programs a year, and ranks third in the county for program participants.

The most recent grant has already been put to good use. A Friends’ Gallery, which will be used for adult programming and as a gallery space, has already been completed. In June, the room was dedicated to the Friends of the North Castle Public Library in appreciation for their contributions to the library. The gallery’s first exhibit featured a historical retrospective of the group, who in 1961 established the Armonk Outdoor Art Show as a way to raise funds for the library. The exhibit chronicled how the show, originally held in a small churchyard, grew to more than 185 artists from around the world. Other gallery shows will feature the artists Natalya Aikens and Doris Mady, woven and pottery art, and local photographers.

The grant also covers the creation of a New Young Adult room that will provide more space for teens to use the library facilities, and a new café offering drinks, light snacks, and a relaxing environment for everyone in the community. The final project covered by this grant is the expansion of the children’s room, where 600 square feet of dedicated program space will be added.

“These grants support library programs that equip children and young adults with lifelong learning and literacy skills,” said Assemblyman Buchwald. “I’m pleased our libraries continue to develop new facilities and programs that enrich our communities.”

For more information on upcoming programs and exhibits, visit www.northcastlelibrary.org.

Spring Programs at the New Castle Historical Society

by

Women’s History, History of Millwood Lecture, Antiques Appraisal Day, and House Tour

Chappaqua, New York — This spring, the New Castle Historical Society, located in the Horace Greeley House museum in downtown Chappaqua, will host several programs that encourage Hudson Valley residents and visitors alike to actively engage with and experience local history and heritage.

The NCHS kicks off their spring calendar with Curator-led Talk & Tours of the exhibition, New Castle’s Carrie Chapman Catt & the Women’s Suffrage Movement. The exhibition features contemporary historic photographs from Westchester County Historical Society, the New York State Museum, and the Library of Congress; a 1917 petition in support of women’s suffrage, including over 800 signatures from local Westchester County women (on loan to the NCHS from the Ossining Historical Society); an Evelyn Rumsey Cary “Woman Suffrage” Poster; and several replica artifacts related to women’s suffrage, including “Votes for Women” sashes, pennants, buttons, and plates. The first Curator-led Talk & Tour will take place on Thursday, March 15th at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Visitors may also schedule private led tours of the exhibition through the end of May 2018.

On April 22nd, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., the NCHS invites its members and the public to its 52nd Annual Meeting.  This year’s meeting will be held at the new Millwood Fire House. At the meeting, Town Historian Gray Williams will present a brief history of Millwood, New York, with special focus on the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later in April, the NCHS teams up with the Rago Arts & Auction Center to offer an Antiques Roadshow-style Appraisal Day at the Greeley House. On Saturday, April 28th, visitors are invited to have their family heirlooms or garage sale treasures appraised at the Horace Greeley House. The appraisals will be conducted by four special guest experts (fine art, jewelry, silver, and general).

In May, the NCHS’s popular “Castles of New Castle” House Tour returns on May 17th. This event, one of the society’s main annual fundraisers, provides ticketholders with the opportunity to explore five exquisite homes in the Town of New Castle. All proceeds from this event benefit the New Castle Historical Society. Tickets for the event will be available beginning mid-April.

If you would like more information regarding these programs, or to register for an event, please visit www.newcastlehs.org or contact NCHS Executive Director Cassie Ward at director@newcastlehs.org or 914-238-4666.