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Why the North Castle Library is a Community Treasure

December 1, 2019 by Ella Ilan

“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.

Filed Under: Armonk Cover Stories Tagged With: Armonk Library, E-book, Finding a book, Friends of the North Castle Public Library, Interactive Website, North Castle Public Library, Programming, research, Resource, Whippoorwill Theater

Tipper Gore & Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness

May 31, 2019 by Grace Bennett

Tipper Gore and Steve Lieber, Chairman of the BBRF Board Photo by Chad David Kraus

“Back in the day, there was bipartisan support for meeting mental health challenges,” Tipper Gore* said in a conversation with Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D, President and CEO  of Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, at the BBRF May New York City luncheon event, Breaking the Silence About Mental Illness. She told the attendees the common ground ‘worked,’ in that it eventually helped lead to the passage of the Wellstone bill which brought mental health parity to the workplace. “Sitting members on both side of the highest legislature of the land acknowledged there were mental health issues in families,” said Gore.

Today, Gore directs attention on mental health issues affecting middle school and high school students via her work with Tennessee Voices for Children (“there are 56,000 underserved children in Tennessee alone,” she said), and the Tyler Clementi Foundation, which focuses on anti-bullying and suicide prevention. She spoke of an alarming rise in the suicide rate among these younger people and a very concerning spike seen in girls. She expressed concern about a shortage of care: “We need more boots on the ground to have a greater impact.”

Gore also said that getting properly diagnosed and receiving the appropriate treatment when she herself suffered from depression provided “real relief,” pointing to the critical nature of BBRF’s efforts.

Dr. Borenstein said BBRF is the leading foundation for grants to scientists to effectively treat brain behavior disorders; since 1987, $394 million has been awarded to more than 4,700 researchers around the world, leading to $4 billion in additional funding.

BBRF funds “out of the box ideas for innovative research” which has led to important new treatments including the rapid acting antidepressant esketamine to treat refractory (treatment resistant) depression, and brexanolone for post-partum depression. “Every dollar donated goes to scientific research and 100% of the research is invested into grants,” he stated.

Luncheon Committee with Tipper Gore including (left of Gore) Dr. Jeffrey Borenstein, President and CEO, BBRF, and (to her right) Dr. Herb Pardes, President BBRF Scientific Council   Photos by Chad David Kraus

Gore’s participation in the day’s event was deeply appreciated by everyone at BBRF. “It was an honor and a privilege to have someone of her stature and with her passion help us,” said Chappaqua’s Lauren Duran, the BBRF Vice President for Communications Marketing & Public Relations.

*As Second Lady, Gore served as Mental Health Policy Advisor to the President, Her goals were to diminish the stigma surrounding mental illness and to bring awareness to the need for affordable mental health care. In 1999, Gore hosted the first White House Conference on Mental Health. That same year, she launched the National Mental Health Awareness Campaign (NMHAC) to encourage Americans to seek treatment for mental illness. Gore has frequently spoken about her own experience with depression and treatment following the near-fatal injury of her son Albert.

Source: Wikipedia

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: anti-depressants, BBRF, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, Breaking the Silence, depression, Gore, innovative, Mental health, Mental Illness, research, Tennessee Voices for Children, Tipper Gore, Tyler Clementi Foundation

To Support Multiple Myeloma Research: Eric Gelber Aims to Go the Extra (200th!) Mile

June 3, 2016 by The Inside Press

Photo 1 - Eric Gelber Running
Gelber running in the Mojave Desert as part of his 135 miles in the Badwater Ultra-Marathon, Death Valley, CA, 2015.

By Matt Smith

You know how the saying goes: “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” While these words are no doubt sage advice for anyone wishing to achieve any goal, you can bet they’re especially pertinent to Chappaqua resident Eric Gelber, who will take his third stab at running 200 miles on September 16th through New York City’s Central Park to support and raise funds for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

Gelber began running independently for the cause in 2007, to raise money in support of a friend who had been diagnosed with the disease, an incurable blood cancer that has one of the lowest five-year relative survival rates of all cancers. “It started out with a marathon in New York City,” he explains, “and over the years…sort of built up and [I] started running longer races.”

The idea for the Central Park event arose in 2011, when “I did a solo run through the Catskills,” which he completed in 45 hours, beginning in Oneonta and ending 175 miles later at his parents’ home in Suffern. “It wasn’t a [official] race, though,” he explains. “It was just [of] my own [accord] to raise money…and attract some more attention [to the cause].” However, “when I got there [to the finish line], there were 50-60 people–I could hear them cheering from down the road as we finished and I just knew right then that we were doing something that was making a difference.”

And he capitalized on that feeling. The following year, he ran the Badwater Ultra-marathon in Death Valley, CA, “but the plan was to come back in 2013 and do something in New York City.” And, that September, as planned, the epic Central Park challenge was born.

Gelber initially pledged a goal of 200 miles, which he would achieve by running continuous 6.1 mile loops around Central Park. Though he hasn’t made it quite yet (his previous attempts in 2013 and 2014 covered 164 and 176 miles respectively), after a year off in 2015, during which he returned to Badwater–and raised a whopping $140,000 for the MMRF–he’s excited to be back in New York City for another shot at the 200-mile goal. “8 a.m. [on] September 16th, I’ll be out there,” he says, proudly, noting he’ll begin up at Engineer’s Gate on the East end of the park, “and I’ll [aim to] finish sometime on the 18th.”

If you’re inclined to support Gelber in person, “we’re really easy to find out there,” he says, noting the “big orange MMRF tent” at which he and his team will be situated. “We also have a [Facebook] page called ‘Just a Mile to Go,’” he adds, “where we will post information on how you can actually register and sign up to come run a loop with me, [or] make a donation, or set up your own fundraising page.”

If you can’t yet decide how you’d like to contribute, you can always simply show up at the event and take it from there, which Gelber notes “a lot of people do.” (They’ll also live stream the run straight from the Facebook page as well.).

(L-R) Kyle, Tani, Isla, Eric and Jared Gelber
(L-R) Kyle, Tani, Isla, Eric and Jared Gelber

Whichever way you support, Gelber hopes you do take note of the cause, as it’s near and dear to his heart. To that end, though his friend, Anita Sorrell, unfortunately lost her battle in 2012, his involvement with the MMRF has allowed him and his wife to engage and connect with others who have been affected both directly and indirectly by the cancer. “Sometimes when you lose the person you’re fighting for, your first reaction–which certainly was mine–is ‘What’s the point?’” Gelber explains. “But after taking a step back and thinking about where we were on this journey, my wife and I thought it was important to keep fighting for everybody who’s still with us. So, we do it for them.”

And while it isn’t always easy waking up to a daily 4:30 a.m. alarm and training intensely before heading off to a full-time job, Gelber acknowledges that the strides made in collecting donations and funding further research make it all well worth the effort, stating: “I know that what I am doing is making a real difference in the lives of [multiple myeloma] patients.”

But that’s not to say he does it all solo. Wholly recognizing “there’s no way I could do this on my own,” he wishes to extend sincere thanks to the entire staff at the MMRF for all their help and assistance, as well as his many close friends and family, both here in Chappaqua and in other neighboring towns. Above all, however, he thanks his wife, Tani, and three children, Jared, Kyle, and Isla. “Their support is unwavering,” he says, with a smile. “It’s been amazing.”

In closing, Gelber, who describes himself in three words as “determined [and] mentally tough,” offers a few encouraging words to those “adventurers”–men, yes, but also people of all ages and gender–who might be looking to pursue a similar goal. “I think you just gotta commit,” he says, “and not just to the end goal, but to the process of getting there.”

Citing the multiple myeloma patients and their “incredible mental focus, commitment, and [the fact that they’re] willing to fight,” he reminds the dreamers: “Don’t let anything stand in your way. You gotta follow through, make promises to yourself and keep those promises. I remind myself of the promises I make to myself each night, and I get up and do it. Take one step at a time, and you’ll reach your goal eventually.” And hopefully, if you’re anything like the tenacious Gelber, when you do, the world will be better for it.

For more information on the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, including how to join Gelber in his efforts and/or donate to the cause, please visit www.themmrf.org.

mmrf logo

 

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Chappaqua, Inside Press, Multiple Myeloma, research, running, support, theinsidepress.com

A Raveis Community Effort to Benefit The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

September 1, 2015 by The Inside Press

raveis team
William Raveis Team Chappaqua Front row (L-R): Elise Levine Cooper, Jean Cameron-Smith, Sue Labate, Lori Lerner, Susan Myers. Back row: Glenn Felson, Paul Menga

The William Raveis Real Estate office in Chappaqua has launched a community fundraising effort to benefit the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. This fundraising effort will tie-in with the William Raveis Ride & Walk event on Saturday, September 12, 2015, 8 a.m. at Jennings Beach, 880 S. Benson Road, Fairfield, CT.

Partner to Help Fund Research

William Raveis chose to partner with the Damon Runyon Cancer Research foundation because the organization “identifies new generations of cancer researchers who have the brilliance, creativity and drive to revolutionize cancer research, and provides them with funding to pursue their boldest ideas in search of new ways to prevent, diagnose, and treat all forms of cancer.”

“William Raveis is headquartered in Shelton, CT, and the Ride & Walk events are being held in both MA and CT for now,” says Chappaqua Team Captain Elise Levine Cooper. “I have to say that just about everybody I know has dealt with cancer on some level and has felt the ravages of this disease. We need to find cures for these cancers and the best way to do this is to invest in the most brilliant minds. That is why we support the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation.

“We want to reach out to our friends and family members in Chappaqua and beyond and ask for any kind of donation because Team Chappaqua is here to make an important difference in the fight against cancer! We are hoping to form a Westchester Ride & Walk in the near future.”

“We have been following the journey of Candy Raveis, William Raveis’s wife as she has shared her personal battle with leukemia with the entire Raveis company since her diagnosis in 2014,” says Susan Myers, Office Manager of the Raveis Chappaqua Office.

raveis bike

Candy Raveis: Official Spokes-woman

“Candy is a warrior. She has documented this most difficult chapter in her life and she has fought hard and is here to tell her story. Candy has taken her experience and translated it into her work as the official spokesperson for the partnership between the William Raveis Charitable Fund and the Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation.”

One hundred percent of the funds raised goes to cancer research. We welcome everyone to join us on Saturday, September 12 at the Ride & Walk Event.

Please stop by the office at 75 N. Greeley Avenue in Chappaqua to sign up. If you can’t participate, all donations are welcome!

Filed Under: Happenings Tagged With: fund, inside chappaqua, Inside Chappaqua (Sept 2015), research, William Raveis

Greetings from the New Castle Historical Society!

August 5, 2015 by The Inside Press

cassie wardFounded in 1966, the New Castle Historical Society (NCHS) is a non-profit educational organization that seeks to research, discover, collect, and preserve the history of the Town of New Castle. The NCHS is located in the Horace Greeley House Museum and is open to the public for tours and research.

The Town of New Castle’s diverse history is evident in our many parks, buildings, roadways, trails, businesses, and organizations. Residents and visitors alike will quickly find that New Castle is home to many captivating historical narratives. These narratives range from the days of the Wappinger Confederacy’s use of the land, to the early Quaker settlement of the area, to stories from the Colonial Times, the Revolutionary War, and the 19th and 20th centuries.

At the New Castle Historical Society, families and friends can walk in the footsteps of history by touring the Horace Greeley House Museum, by performing research in our collection and archive, or by taking a guided walking tour of Horace Greeley’s Farm and downtown Chappaqua.

We greatly look forward to sharing the history of the Town of New Castle with you and your guests!

Sincerely,

Cassie Ward, Executive Director,
New Castle Historical Society and Horace Greeley House

newcastlehs.org

historical society logo

NCHS ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Gold in Your Attic

Booth featured at the annual Chappaqua Expo every Fall, boasting a community-donated item. Past items include a rare Russian samovar, an opaline glass light fixture from Paris, vintage embroidered Japanese kimonos, and Tiffany candlesticks. As is with the Chappaqua Expo in general, all proceeds benefit the New Castle Historical Society and Greeley House. Please see site info below to learn when and how to donate or consign an item for the booth.

Holiday Crafts & Tree Lighting

Holiday-011Held annually every December (exact date will vary year to year), this afternoon-long holiday event is not to be missed. The Greeley Museum hosts a unique Holiday Open House from 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.; attendees can see decorations the Greeley family would have used when it was their country home in the 1860s. Younger children may take part in our Crafts workshop, and create handmade holiday gifts, such as paper snowflakes, corn husk dolls, and paper chains. The afternoon ends with the Society’s Tree Lighting celebration and marks the beginning of the new holiday season, which, of course, would not be complete without a visit from Santa.

Victorian Valentine’s Tea

A New Castle favorite every year! Participants make Victorian crafts for Valentine’s Day, and practice penmanship and etiquette, before sitting down to a formal Victorian Tea in the dining room of Horace Greeley House. Light refreshments will also be served. Held annually every February (exact date will vary year to year) for students in grades 2-4.

Other Events

In addition to the special events listed above, NCHS also offers tours of the Horace Greeley House. These tours run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m., or by appointment. The Greeley Museum Gift Shop is also open year-round from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. (M-F) and 1-4 p.m. (Sat).

For more information or to register for any events, visit newcastlehs.org

Filed Under: Inside My New Castle Tagged With: community, history, Inside Press, New Castle Historical Society, research, theinsidepress.com

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