A little bird tells us that the Mountaindale Community Development Project has big plans in the works should they be a recipient of a Sullivan Renaissance Project grant this year. You can follow the project this year LIVE ON LINE, as they have launched a blog to journal this years project, from pre-starting point through too completion. We have copied the first post below with a link the blog, and will be adding a link to it in our side bar here at the Mountaindale NY News blog.
Go directly to the blog here.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Official Introduction-Mountaindale 2011 Renaissance Project
Yesterday I spent some very enjoyable and rewarding time being in attendance at the Sullivan Renaissance Winter Conference and Awards Ceremony. Hearing the stories of some of the reward recipients, such as Butterfly Botanical and their restored 1730 barn, it was truly inspiring, and the guest speaker, Dr. Peter Harlow a internationally known and respected tourism specialist was perhaps the most captivating and engaging speaker I have heard in over a decade. Add to that mix a gaggle of very friendly people, some wonderful seminars made available to us, and I am truly excited at the prospect of being this years Committee Chair for the Mountaindale Community Development Project's (MCDP) Sullivan Renaissance Grant project here in our small hamlet.
With that said, perhaps I should introduce myself to those visiting this blog that might not know who I am here in town. My name is Sherwood Martinelli, and I am one of the newest full time residents here, though my own involvements with Mountaindale, and Sullivan Renaissance go back a few years now. I have been a seasonal camper at Skyway now for several years, and a few years back learned a back way into the camp from my home in Peekskill NY...that shortcut led me into and through the quiet little hamlet of Mountaindale, and having been a potter and sculptor for 20 years, I was intrigued that this little crossroads from where I was coming from too where I was going hosted a small clay studio, so I parked my car to have a look around. Since that day, I have become somewhat of a part-time permanent fixture in town, helping out where I could with projects such as the Hummingbird Garden across from our post office.
I use the word our, as I officially took up residence in town on February first of this year, and have plans, or perhaps a vision dream of opening up a studio/gallery in the currently vacant building next to my apartment in the late spring or early summer which will be known as, "Second Time Around"...hoping once the location is opened that some of you will stop by, have a cup of coffee or tea and sit and talk for a spell.
Having been involved in two previous Sullivan Renaissance projects prior to becoming a resident as a volunteer, I lept at the chance to Chair this years project, and suppose in some ways, the launching of this journal blog is my first official task. As winter wanes, spring knocking upon our door, there is a LOT OF WORK TO DO, so lets get started.
Barb and Ken Schmitt, and Janet from Radiant Yoga here in town have kindly offered to send out a carbon copy of this first post with a link to this blog to their email lists in the hopes that some (or all) of you will be a part of our 2011 Sullivan Renaissance Project in whatever way you might feel comfortable. The deadline for Grant submission is March 23, and this year we need to submit renderings of our project design(s) as well as a expected plant list with our application. In short, the time to get to work is NOW...I know, we are still not done with the winter snows, and yet it is time to think of spring and planting. So, if any of you have some ideas you would like to bring to the conversation, please email them to news@mountaindaleproject.org in the next couple of days.
Also, for anyone interested in knowing more about this years efforts, or if you might be interested in volunteering, making a donation of goods or services to our efforts, we will be holding an informational meeting this Wednesday night, March 2nd at the Mountaindale Art Center on Main Street here in downtown Mountaindale.
If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call. Sherwood Martinelli (845) 693-4513
*note-I will be posting up my own ideas for our 2011 project in the next post.
Sherwood, welcome to the hamlet I have lived in since 1957. We started coming to Mtdale. in the summer of 1952 and stayed at a bungalow colony up New Road called Roulnick's. Thanks to my parents' goal of constantly getting us out of the city during the hot summers, 5 years later I was a permanent resident of Mtdale. The decades I experienced here could fill a book, and one I should have written. The history of the "borscht belt" is rich, and the decline of our resort area left us "poor".....it is because of people like Barb and Kenny, and now yourself and all the other wonderful residents who keep rebuilding Mountaindale, that Mountaindale is getting a second wind
ReplyDeleteMy children are Mtdale. natives: My son lived in Calif,. for over 23 yrs., and is now in Fla. with his wife....that is where we have been since January and should be home soon.My daughter lives in Mtdale,. with her two children and has been teaching in Benjamin Cosor Elem. School for years; that is where I taught for 27 years, retired 10 years ago, and now serve on the Board of Education. I sent regards to you through Barb yesterday. Your blog is beautiful, as is Barb's U Tube presentation, which I just viewed.
Good luck in your endeavor, and hope to meet you, and perhaps help in any way, when I get home. Regards, Arlene Hussey
Dear Arlene:
ReplyDeleteWhat a delight it is to come on and find your message here in this little blog...thank you for taking the time to welcome me to Mountaindale, and look forward to meeting you (and your family) upon your return from warm climates.
We will be, are adding more blogs as we work at more effective using the world wide web to sing the praises of this history rich hamlet that we all know and love called Mountaindale as community we work too once again bring economic renewal and revitalization to our hamlet and the surrounding area. A couple of them you might want to use yourself to share some of your own stories about the area with our readers...Barb has relaunched a living history blog, and I am launching a Mountaindale NY-Almost Woodstock Blog...the links to these if not already here, will soon be in our side bar.
Again, thank you for the beautiful note and welcome to the community.
Sherwood