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Volunteers

“A Beautiful Rose”

April 8, 2022 by Christine Pasqueralle

Two Community Leaders Share ‘What you Need to Know’ about Briarcliff Manor

Steven Vescio

Briarcliff Manor is truly a wonderful community in which to live as well as visit. I spoke with Mayor Steven Vescio and Jim Domzalski, President of the Briarcliff Manor Chamber of Commerce, to find out what they believe makes Briarcliff Manor so special to both residents and visitors alike. 

What would you like our readers to know about the Village of Briarcliff Manor?

Steven Vescio: I’ve grown up here; it has special meaning for me. A lot of people stay or move away and then come back. It just has a small town feel, you can’t help but see people you know when you go downtown. I may stop by somewhere for 5-10 minutes but be there for 30! You just never know who you’ll run into. It’s a tight knit community made up of dedicated volunteers–so well-run and well-maintained. 

Briarcliff really feels like a good suburban space. There’s lots of trees and wooded areas, it’s very spacious. If you’re working in the city, you can come home, hear the birds; it’s very tranquil. We have a lot of green space. The village owns 600 acres of protected parkland, several trails, baseball, tennis, swimming, a big pavilion. It’s all the features you’d expect from suburban life. There’s always a park within a small distance. 

Jim Domzalski: Briarcliff Manor is a wonderful, picturesque, small town with something always going on. People are drawn here for so many reasons–the incredible schools, the amazing recreation facilities, parks and all-age programming, the wide variety of local businesses. There really is something for everyone! And because it’s a small town, don’t be surprised if after visiting local shops and businesses a few times, you’re welcomed by name!

One thing I’m always hearing people talk about are the bike and hiking trails close to the downtown area. It’s pretty great to be able to go for a ride and then grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee.

Jim Domzalski

What are some of your favorite spaces? Any hidden gems?

SV:  The trails are great hidden gems. I didn’t know about them until I became mayor. I went to the Pocantico Park trail–it was an unpolished gem that could use improvement, which they did, creating signage, parking, etc. Many of our trails are on the the Hiking Project App, where people can see different levels of difficulty before they go out on the trails.* I used the trails a lot during the pandemic to get out with my family. 

The village is working on a project to tie into the North County trail and downtown. There will be a trailway behind the soccer field near the library, creation of a new dog park and the trail will come behind Village Hall and the police station. There’s no train station in town so there’s a limited way to bring people in. We want people to take advantage of bike trails and maybe create a bike repair station–helping bring people back to downtown. 

JD:  I don’t know if this is a hidden gem anymore, but the Briarcliff Summer Concert Series is incredible. It really felt like the whole village turned out for both shows last year. This year, we’re planning an additional two shows, so get ready to rock Briarcliff!

Some other hidden gems would be “Battle of the Bags,” an annual adult cornhole tournament hosted by the Rec Department; the new Pickleball Courts at Chilmark Park; and a revitalized jewel, Scarborough Park–Briarcliff’s own slice of the Hudson River and BMEF (Briarcliff Manor Education Foundation) events, those are always a great time!

What resources are available for new residents?

SV: We have instituted a New Resident Packet, on the Village website (www.briarcliffmanor.gov). It gives people information on recreation programs, dog licenses, train info, etc. We help get people involved. Once they see what Briarcliff is all about, they fall in love with it and want to stay and get involved in volunteering on different committees. It’s great to see the public so engaged. 

JD:  A great place to start is online. Some of the local Facebook pages have a ton of great information and connection opportunities including Briarcliff Moms, Briarcliff Community and Briarcliff Schools. These are a few that come to mind right off the bat. 

In person, many programs available through the Rec Department are a fantastic way to meet fellow residents in the community. Also, the big annual events like Community Day, the Holiday Bonfire/Sing Along, Downtown Window Painting…so much of the village will be there for those. 

And finally, I’ve heard that so many people make their closest friends at the town pool. It’s definitely one of the biggest social hubs in Briarcliff for much of the year…and it’s beautiful!

Any other important info you’d like readers to know about the Village?

SV: Recreation events in the community are a great way for new families and long-term residents to meet each other. We have a cornhole tournament, bingo family game night with lots of new families attending. When pool season comes, it’s a great way to meet people.

JD: These might fall more under the category of fun-facts, but Walter Law founded the Village, hence the name of the downtown park, Law Memorial Park.  

On all the Briarcliff Manor Village signs you will see a beautiful rose. That’s because Law brought this “American Beauty Rose” from England and developed a more brightly colored one dubbed the “Briarcliff Rose.” He then sold these roses to upscale establishments in New York City. 

Please do revisit the Inside Press story by Anna Young about the Manor’s revitalized trails and hiking app. 

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: A Beautiful Rose, Briarcliff Manor, Briarcliff Rose, briarcliffmanor.gov, Hiking Project App, North County Trail, recreation, Rose, Suburban Space, Volunteers

The Tremendous Impact of Stefanie May’s Brainchild–‘THE CAP CARES’ Volunteer Rewards Program

January 6, 2022 by Inside Press

Editor’s Note: Behind the scenes of the iconic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, impressive efforts to help the community in multiple arenas, are an ongoing pursuit, thanks to the efforts of Marketing Director Stefanie May and her small army of volunteers.  Here’s but a snapshot of #TheCapCares programming, and how you can make a difference too simply by supporting the amazing shows and artists performing throughout the year. Visit www.thecapitoltheatre.com 

When Stefanie May took on the role of Marketing Director at the legendary Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, she knew she wanted to make a difference. Beyond selling out shows with successful marketing campaigns from Tame Impala & Kacey Musgraves to Elvis Costello & Cheap Trick, Stef created “The Cap Cares” volunteer rewards program that has made a tremendous impact on the local community.

  • Stefanie hand-picked volunteer opportunities last September and October, from gardening to sorting medical supplies, that community members could pick from and receive free concert tickets for their hard work.
  • After seven weeks, Stefanie gathered 192 volunteers across 18 events from 11 non-profit organizations, with 475 hours of service (more stats below).
  • Stefanie is working to make the volunteer program part of a larger year-round program that will promote food drives, toy drives, and fundraising campaigns aimed at improving lives within the venue’s community.
  • She has worked with Westchester County companies like Afya Foundation, which “rescues unused medical supplies and equipment and humanitarian goods to help those in need around the world,” the non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization Our New Way Garden, which was created to educate the public about locally and naturally grown food, and the Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center, which is dedicated to the development and advancement of sustainable agriculture.
  • Due to the devastating effect that COVID-19 has had on the live music industry, Stefanie also volunteered her time on the Social Media team for the National Independent Venue Association to pass the Save Our Stages Act in December 2020
  • About The Capitol Theatre: Designed by celebrated architect Thomas Lamb in 1926 and listed in The National Register of Historic Places, The Capitol Theatre is located 30 miles from NYC. The 2,000-capacity theater, known as “the original rock palace,” showcased legends such as Traffic, The Grateful Dead, Black Sabbath, Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd, and The Rolling Stones. Jerry Garcia called it one of his two favorite venues in the USA. In 2012, the theatre underwent a major renovation under the guidance of music entrepreneur Peter Shapiro. Since then, it has hosted major performers including Bob Dylan, Phil Lesh, Ringo Starr, Joan Baez, Skrillex, Bonnie Raitt, Snoop Dogg, Kacey Musgraves, The Strokes, Tom Petty, Cyndi Lauper, and Willie Nelson, as well as comedians like Kevin Hart and Amy Schumer. The New York Times raves: “A rock theater that looks and sounds as good as the Capitol is something to celebrate.”

Filed Under: Gotta Have Arts, Not for Profit News Tagged With: fundraising, musicians, NY, Philanthopy, Port Chester, Stefanie May, The Cap Cares, The Capitol Theatre, Volunteer Rewards, Volunteers

“I Must Go Down to the River Again…”

August 24, 2020 by Vicki de Vries

Riverkeeper’s patrol boat logs more than 5,000 nautical miles a year along the Hudson River, from the Mohawk and Upper Hudson down the Estuary to New York Harbor. The boat provides a deterrent to polluters, a platform for research, and a means of educating and connecting with the public. Its “home port” is Westerly Marina in Ossining.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RIVERKEEPER

Are visions of fishing, swimming, boating, kayaking and gardening swirling in your head? Obviously, the common denominator in these fun pursuits is w-a-t-e-r.

Like the Hudson River, the largest body of water among us, water is a year-round commodity that we easily take for granted, but shouldn’t. So much revolves around this amazing body of water, which the Mahican Indians named Muh-he-kun-he-tuk, “the river that flows both ways.”

Volunteers clean up the Sing Sing Kill, a Hudson River tributary, in Ossining during Riverkeeper Sweep on May 4, 2019.
PHOTO BY GARETH HOUGHAM

What Makes the Hudson River So Special?

Named after Henry Hudson, the English navigator who visited the river in his schooner Half Moon circa 1609, the Hudson River makes its 315-mile journey from Lake Tear of the Clouds in the Adirondack Mountains to New York Harbor before blending in with the Atlantic Ocean.

Extending for around 153 miles, the lower part of the Hudson is a tidal estuary, meaning that it “ebbs and flows with the ocean tide,” per Riverkeeper.org. It contains a combination of salty ocean water and freshwater from tributaries, aka small streams and creeks, all stretching from New York Harbor to Troy, NY.

Most people don’t realize that the Hudson River “supports a biologically rich environment, making it an important ecosystem for various species of aquatic life” for whom it “provides critical habitats and essential spawning and breeding grounds,” say the Riverkeeper’s proponents.

Riverkeeper.org, which started over 50 years ago as the Hudson River Fishermen’s Association, plays a major role in protecting the Hudson River’s ecology and the drinking water supply. Dan Shapley, its Water Quality Program Director since 2014, shared some interesting facts about Hudson River water quality that apply specifically to Ossining and Briarcliff Manor, as well as to other river communities.

For example, “The Hudson is only as clean as its tributaries…. In Ossining, it’s our [Riverkeeper’s] job to take care of the small streams like the Sing Sing Kill and Sparta Brook….” That makes sense since whatever goes into the streams ends up in the Hudson.

Village of Ossining Mayor Victoria Gearity highlighted the aesthetic aspect of what’s known as “the Sing Sing Kill Greenway,” which has become a wonderful place to walk. In her February 10th “message” to residents, she noted: “The Sing Sing Kill Greenway began as an infrastructure project whose purpose was to protect the Hudson River from contamination by encasing in concrete the sanitary sewer line that runs through this tributary. Modest upgrades transformed the project to become a greenway, with a vision to eventually connect pedestrians all the way to Water Street from downtown.”

And Dan Shapley added: “The Sing Sing Kill, particularly, is such a community asset, with the greenway trail that runs along it. It’s something we should cherish and protect.”

Shapley’s passion for the Hudson River comes out loud and clear: “The Hudson River is an amazing engine of life for the Atlantic Ocean, a source of drinking water for more than 100,000 people, and a source of joy for those of us who paddle or swim in it or visit the water’s edge.”

This time of year, it’s important to note that as one moves “away from shorelines or tributaries,” Shapley said, “water quality is often safe for swimming… However, nearer to the shoreline, water quality is much more variable, and is often risky for swimming after rain.” So, for communities along the shoreline, such as Ossining and Briarcliff, swimming might be a problem.

However, Shapley continued: “…Ossining beach at Louis Engel Park is right on the cusp of meeting the EPA’s criteria for a safe swimming beach.” Since “water quality is so close to meeting EPA’s threshold for safe swimming, we and the elected leaders of Ossining (Town and Village) have been looking for opportunities to expand public recreation at the beach.” That’s good news particularly for post-COVID times.

Meanwhile, Ossining-area residents will have to be content with a number of other water-related activities.

William Garrison, the Village of Ossining’s Superintendent of Recreation and Parks, cited the popular kayaking tours and lessons, a sailing program, and the Spray Park, which is “a designated area with special spouts that squirt water for young children and their parents to cool off during the hot summer days.”

Keeping the River Clean

The recreational benefits of the Hudson River are greatly enhanced by Sweep, Riverkeeper’s annual one-day service event. Co-directed by Jen Benson and Nick Mitch, Sweep coordinates 2,000 volunteers who “sweep up” trash and debris from 120 locations along the Hudson River Watershed and its tributaries. So, how much trash has Sweep scooped up over the years?

“Over the last eight years,” Benson said, “Sweep projects have removed 259 tons of debris [riverwide], including 28.6 tons of recycling.” And in Ossining alone, Shapley noted, 3.5 tons of trash (7,009 lbs) have been removed. And 60+ storm drains have been “stenciled,” meaning that the drains were marked with reminders “that trash on the street reaches our streams via storm drains and pipes.”

What an astonishing amount of junk. I cringed just hearing those figures.

Recreational and water-quality issues aside, Riverkeeper and other groups, along with elected officials from the Village and the Town of Ossining and Briarcliff Manor, also have their eyes on the future of the Hudson River–and with some level of concern.

In discussing the importance of the Hudson River, Ossining Town Supervisor, Dana Levenberg, stressed that the Hudson is “critical for economic development, recreation, and commerce. It is a defining characteristic of our Town and Village.”

But “… what keeps me ‘up at night’ is the idea that the Metro North railroad line along the Hudson River will not exist in 80 years if nothing is done. The culprit? Sea-level rise causing coastline changes.”

“Sea-level rise causing coastline changes”? That sounds almost ominous.

Levenberg went on to explain: “The Metro North line is the life force of our Hudson Valley. It’s either going to need to be raised seriously by an awful lot or moved or replaced with alternative transportation. Either way, this is going to be a multi-million dollar project in the coming years…. As sea levels rise and climate change impacts our shorelines, we need to plan for short-, medium- and long-term changes effectively.”

For both Town Supervisor Levenberg and Victoria Gearity, Mayor of the Village of Ossining, “the critical question is ‘How can we embrace and take advantage of rising-water levels so that it ends up improving our communities and not destroying them?'”

The same sentiment goes for the Village of Briarcliff, which has a more modest stretch of coastline with which to deal. Village of Briarcliff Manager, Philip E. Zegarelli, explained that there’s “a limited area of water access,” which is known as Scarborough Park.

Scarborough Park

Commuters on the Hudson Line are aware of Scarborough as a train stop along the Hudson. But does everyone know that five out of the six acres constitute the 97-year-old Scarborough Park, an acre of useable land with a dock and a lot of potential?

This park land is currently “being addressed under a capital project–the Scarborough Park Restoration Project.” Zegarelli pointed out its purpose: “restore and stabilize the shoreline,” which has been subject to “constant storm and tidal effects of the Hudson River.”

Like Ossining, it too will have to deal with the impact of sea-level changes in the future. Meanwhile, Briarcliff Manor residents and visitors are encouraged “to use the area for picnicking, for enjoying the gorgeous river sunsets, and for fishing.”

And there are always the small lakes that Briarcliff Manor Mayor Steven Vescio says have “great trail ways,” which have been enhanced, “making them more enjoyable for our residents to hike or bike along them.”

So what do you say? Perhaps a trip down by the riverside to the Ossining or the Briarcliff Manor coastline is indeed an idea whose time has come.

For Riverkeeper programming during the pandemic, be sure to visit riverkeeper.org for rescheduled and/or online events.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: aquatic life, Atlantic Ocean, body of water, Briarcliff Manor, clean up, Dan Shapley, hudson, Hudson River, Mohawk, Ossining, Patrol boat, Riverkeeper, Riverkeeper.org, Sing Sing Kill, Sparta Brook, The River, tidal estuary, Volunteers, water, water quality, Water's Edge, water-related activities, Westerly Marina, William Garrison

Tri-State Mask Makers Seeking New Recruits

April 25, 2020 by Lauren Rosh

Second in a three-part series focusing on community efforts to provide healthcare personnel and individuals protective masks against the coronavirus.

Nurses at White Plains Hospital wearing masks from Tri-State Mask Makers

Cristina Lee of Chappaqua is the driving force behind the Tri-State Mask Makers. She started the group locally and Faina Tsipenyuk and Paty Bella joined her at the beginning. From the first day, people from New Jersey, Connecticut and other parts of New York joined the initiative.

Lee is originally from Taiwan and has access to news from Taiwan, China and Hong Kong. In January, her contacts informed her about the need to wear masks to stop the spread.

“I tried to tell people to wear masks but I was deemed panicking or alarmist because it was against CDC’s recommendation. So, when I saw healthcare workers crying that they cannot get N95, I jumped in and started our group on March 20th,” said Lee.

Originally, hospitals did not take the fabric masks. In order to make masks more acceptable, Lee created a slideshow with all the information to help people better understand the importance of these fabric masks. Soon, hospitals began taking them.

The Pharm Stand
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The group has been continuing to develop different models of masks and covers and partnered with Sew-for-NY and Sew-for-CT, websites developed by Jeanhee Chung. These are organizations that people can contact if they would like to volunteer or are in need of masks. After signing up, the organization connects them to their local groups. All masks sewn by the members of Tri-State Mask Making Group are made by 100% cotton fabric, mostly new fabric.  The cost of these materials is high, so they are fundraising to get materials for local sewists and groups.

As of the morning of April 25, Tri-State Mask members reported sewing about 15,000 masks–bringing the total of masks made by groups locally to about 50,000.

The mask total includes about…
10,000 made by Larchmont/Mamaroneck Masks for New York
3,000 made by Neighbors For Refugees
7,000 made by Masks & More
6,000 made by Cotton Candy Fabrics (CT)
7,000 made by Croton Mask Makers
11,000 by Kim Mulcahy, Sew Happy Members and Rye Moms
1,560 by Project Face Masks in New York City
1,000 by Nita DV and her team
1,000 by Westchester County Mask Makers led by Ivy Eisenberg
2,200 masks and 350 caps by Pleasantville group, lead by Carolyn Ramsey
2,370 by Sew-for-CT
and still counting.

Tri-State Mask Making group members distribute their masks to hospitals, group homes, nursing homes and prisons. Some of these include the White Plains Hospital, Brookdale Hospital, the pediatric nursing division at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, Cerebral Palsy of Westchester, Richmond Community Services, Bethel’s Nursing & Rehabilitation Center and Cedar Manor.

Lee publicized that she was looking for people who sew in the area to help out. That’s when Jane Sheinfeld jumped on board. Sheinfeld is the owner of The Pieced Palette, a gift store that sells fabric gifts and accessories.

Her strengths involve buying the fabrics, sewing prototypes and typing up instructions. Sheinfeld also has access to fabrics at a wholesale price.

The group is now moving in a new direction. They are planning on serving as a funnel for new recruits to connect them with local leaders or assigning them tasks, serving as a place for people to share new ideas and innovations, facilitating access to materials, purchasing in bulk to then donate to groups and fostering local groups.

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“Our sincere goal is to facilitate anyone who wants to volunteer, no matter their abilities. They can all help,” said Lee.

The motto with these initiatives is the more people involved the better. Sheinfeld said there is no pride in ownership in this community, it is all about helping others.

“If you want to start a group, start it. It’s very fluid as long as everyone has the goal in mind that people need masks and they should be made correctly,” said Sheinfeld.

This group is continuing to grow by pairing up with other people such as Lina Serpico who is offering pre-cut kits and guides to new sewers and Alexandra Rosenberg who has been working on spreading the word to the PTA.

All materials are donated so if you would like to contribute to the cause you can find their fundraiser link for supplies here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/7fu6e-mask-making-supplies

If you would like to get involved or would like a copy of mask making instructions please email: maskmakerstristate@gmail.com

If you would like to donate sewn masks, please bring them to Toni Magnotta at Chappaqua Cleaners & Tailors. Curbside pickup is available.

Filed Under: Surviving COVID-19 Tagged With: CDC, Chappaquya, community, Masks, Sew for New York, Tri-State Mask Makers, Volunteers

Surge in Volunteers Offering to Deliver Groceries to Elderly

March 26, 2020 by Inside Press

RideConnect will match volunteers with nearby clients and then allow the two parties to make their own appointments. If seniors need volunteers to go to the store for them, then the seniors or their families must make payment arrangements with the stores or give cash to the volunteers to purchase the requested items.

While RideConnect carefully screens the drivers it uses to transport the elderly, it is not screening the grocery volunteers and elderly clients are not supposed to request or accept rides from the volunteers.

“This is a use-at-your-own-risk service. We’re simply trying to help,” said Ganis. “If seniors don’t want to take that risk, they should not. These are people stepping up to help.”

To maintain adequate social distancing, it is recommended that the seniors either leave an envelope with money for the volunteer at their front door or mailbox, or that the senior pay the store directly using a credit card. When groceries are delivered, it is best that they be left outside the front door so that a senior is not exposed to any contagion risk.

Seniors can request a grocery volunteer by calling 914-242-7433. Staff at RideConnect are working remotely, so if no one answers the phone leave a voicemail mentioning requesting grocery help, along with a name, phone number and town.

Yorktown is one of primary communities served by RideConnect. In 2019 the 10-year-old program served more than 2,000 Yorktown residents.

Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater said the volunteer surge demonstrates how residents in Yorktown and surrounding communities are looking out for their neighbors.

“Since this crisis began we have urged our residents to look after each other. Offering to help our senior citizens with grocery shopping is a great way for healthy adults idled by the mass closures of workplaces to get out of the house and help a neighbor,” said Supervisor Slater. “I urge all the volunteers and seniors using this service to practice safe social distancing so that this effort leads to positive outcomes.”

RideConnect director Karen Ganis, kganis@fsw.org or 914-242-7433

Yorktown Supervisor Matt Slater, 914-962-5722 x201

This news is courtesy of Matt Slater and RideConnect

Filed Under: Surviving COVID-19 Tagged With: RideConnect, Rides, seniors, Volunteers, Yorktown Heights

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