Most Powerful Woman in Music

ICM's Marsha Vlasic (left) with Julie Greenwald of
Atlantic Records Group (Photo: Arnold Turner)

I heard some stunning news yesterday - the happy kind.  I learned that Wurtsboro native, Julie Greenwald, was again named Billboard's "most powerful woman in music." I've known several talented members of the Greenwald family, who are our neighbors in Wurtsboro, but I only knew of them being skilled in either business or in their Law practices.

In reading several articles on Billboard.biz, I discovered that Ms Greenwald has made a highly respected name for herself in the music industry with Atlantic Records Group. Billboard honors such achievements at their annual Women in Music Awards. We have all shared the pride in the meteoric rise of our other local music celebrity, Gavin DeGraw of South Fallsburg.  Learning about Julie Greenwald's accomplishments was all new to me. She topped the female executives list for the third consecutive year as Atlantic Records Group co-chairman/COO.

The Women in Music 2012 event was a huge gala, held at Capitale in New York. A highlight of the evening was recognition of the "Woman of the Year," Katy Perry.  In her acceptance speech on Friday she told the crowded audience, "I am not a feminist, but I do believe in the strength of women. . . I don't really like to call myself a role model for my fans. I hope that I am an inspiration for them, especially young women. My mantra, especially for the 'Part Of Me' film, was: If you believe in yourself, you can be anything."  Both Katy Perry and Julie Greenwald are living proof of this philosophy.  We congratulate Ms Greenwald and the entire Greenwald family.

#GivingTuesday

I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who is sick to tears of hearing about Black Friday & Cyber Monday. This is why I was especially thrilled today to hear about a very new movement that seems to sincerely capture the spirit of this giving season. Today is #Giving Tuesday. The founding partners, which include great organizations like our good friends at the 92nd Street Y, are encouraging all to "Get out the Give." If you visit the site at www.givingtuesday.org you will find a lot of large corporations and organizations who are already on board with a variety of ways to help your contributions go farther, as well as an Ideas page with creative gestures we can all make within our own communities. This can include simple acts like bringing a non-perishable item to a local food pantry; or a baked treat to a public servant like our police, firefighters or ambulance volunteers; or visit a senior center to spend some time brightening the residents' day.  

After days of excessive focus on shopping, doorbusters and mega sales, I find this launch of #GivingTuesday to be a very welcome change. The site also shows ways to maintain the spirit of giving beyond just the day.  We can remember those who are less fortunate for the rest of the month as well as throughout the year. This becomes even more imperative during difficult economic times. We all have something to give. If you don't have discretionary income, there might still be gently used items and clothing in your home, and always time to give of yourself. The Mountaindale Community Development Project is always looking for volunteers who might like to help out in Mountaindale. Many other Sullivan County organizations can also use a hand. On this #GivingTuesday, how will You give back?

Welcome Back!

Glorious Fall by Rachel

Somehow, the past couple of months have positively flown by in a complete blur. I apologize for not having an opportunity to post for a while. I wanted to keep this site out of the election ruckus, but then got incredibly busy with all kinds of things going on in Mountaindale, Hurricane Sandy, wonderful new business developments, and all the community groups I support. I want to thank the many, many readers who still checked in regularly and went back to re-read some of the older postings that are archived on this site.

Some interesting things have been occurring locally.  We congratulate Chef Robert Uccelli of Uccelli Restaurant for reaching a one year anniversary in Mountaindale a few weeks ago. This is an important milestone for a Sullivan County restaurant. We also see a lot of growth in Mountain Charm Market Cafe on the corner, which is filling a big need we had in our community. Please stop in for coffee or lunch if you haven't already done so. Classes have resumed with Janet Gula of Radiant Yoga of Mountaindale. Upstate Karate of Mountaindale enjoyed a few very busy events. Studio owner, Alexandra Lalieu was recently promoted to 5th Dan Master level and celebrated by hosting the annual fall Region 2 Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Testing. It was held at the Fallsburg High School and brought between 100 and 200 visitors to the Town of Fallsburg last month. Upstate Karate also held a Buddy Week and it was wonderful to see so many friends and parents participating in classes all week. For anyone who comes to town to visit Evadne Gianinni at HospitalityGreen, she can be found in their new location at 58 Main Street in Mountaindale.

Lastly, please stay tuned for news from Louisa Pabon of Verde & Co, our local sofrito verde manufacturer. She is hoping to re-open the cafe and offer a special pre-order menu, with both single serving and family sized take out portions. I am also trying to convince her to offer some evening cooking classes for some of her special cuisine. The items would include delicious sofrito and might instruct in dishes like empanadas, eggrolls and soups. Please let me know if this would be of interest to you - 845-434-4747, so I can encourage her to schedule this sooner.

I hope you are enjoying the glorious autumn landscape above and to the right by Rachel. She is currently taking a Photography class at the Fallsburg High School with Pam Garritt. Ms Garritt is the wonderful teacher who previously helped Mountaindale build the flower planter boxes as part of a Technology Ed student class assignment. With Rachel's enthusiasm and assistance, we will be updating the photos on the blog for the season.

Heavy Metal Comedy

David Brodsky of MyGoodEye music visuals

Whoever knew death metal could be so funny? A group of us found out on Main Street in Mountaindale on Sunday as we pushed the limit on every vaudville type gag we could think of during the video shoot for the popular heavy metal band, Revocation. The production company in charge of this project was our good friends at MyGoodEye. David Brodsky and his talented crew have been coming to Mountaindale to shoot music videos in a number of our buildings for quite a few years now. It's always a treat when they come and wonderful to see some of the award winning videos after they are finished and released to the public.


Patiently awaiting their cue, already in make up

When they come, they usually bring their own professional team for lighting, sound, make up, and extras. However, this particular project required some mature extras who could look like audience members at a musical performance in the day room of a nursing home.  The plot of the video is that it is the future and the adorable guys of Revocation never stopped rocking and they are now doing a reunion show while in their eighties.  Allison Woest, the producer gave me an exciting task.  She told me I could invite some of my friends to be extras on the nursing home set. I was pretty thrilled because my friends include Carol Montana, editor of the Catskill Chronicle, and the actress/producer who brought "A Coupla White Chicks" to this same venue in Mountaindale a few years ago. My other friends include seasoned actors who are members of the Sullivan County Dramatic Workshop like Ellen Pavloff, Tom DelFavero & Richard Topper. Several other local pals rounded out our little cast. Everyone were great sports and participated in fun bits like playing air guitar with their canes, flirting with the "senior citizen" band, and Rich Topper was willing to do multiple takes as a dirty old man who grabs his young, pretty nurse's behind. Poor guy! All of our little stunts were so funny, it was hard to keep a straight face.  We can hardly wait for SCION to release this video next month. I will update the link on this site when it does. ROCK ON!

October Update - And heeeeere's the video

Hummingbird Happiness

Ed Frampton Hummingbird Photo

In the next few months, our area will have a number of visitors known as Leaf Peepers who come to see the spectacular colors of autumn as our trees prepare for winter. However, those who visit Mountaindale now will be in for a very special treat. Our resident ruby throated hummingbirds LOVE their neighborhood, with the numerous hummingbird feeders on Main Street and hummingbird attracting flowers in town,

This month, the 'hummingbird ballet' will particularly delight our Hummingbird Hailers because the immature babies that hatched this summer are now able to seek their own food, and are doing it in droves. Certain feeders in town are especially popular and it's possible to see several feeding simultaneously while others are chirping, hovering and jockeying for position. A deliveryman who was visiting Eddie's Mountaindale Inn was quite impressed recently and remarked that Mountaindale seems to have more hummingbirds than he sees anywhere else on his Mid Hudson route. The other day at Upstate Karate of Mountaindale, a child exclaimed, "I see hummingbirds!" His mother replied, "Yes, Dear," in that mommy way. So I explained that her child REALLY was seeing hummingbirds so they sat for a bit on the karate school porch to watch the acrobatic antics.

Now that our community has a new business, Mountain Charm Market Cafe & Deli, you can now pick up a delicious cup of steaming coffee or tea, and even a sandwich while you relax and watch the non-stop entertainment provided all day by these ruby throated jewels. The cafe also offers free WiFi to customers so you can even enjoy nature outside while you work comfortably on your laptop. We hope to see you in town to enjoy our wonderful hummingbirds before they start their big trip down South in early October. Then you can come back and enjoy our fall foliage,

Shlemiels & Shlimazels

Paramount's "Dinner for Schmucks"

I was recently trying to explain the Yiddish meaning of the words Shlemiels & Shlimazels to a non-Jewish friend. He wasn't familiar with the expressions so I guess Laverne & Shirley must not be any of the reruns he watches. The terms could be explained by the recent movie, "Dinner for Schmucks," in which Steve Carell does an amazing job of portraying a lovable Shlemiel with Paul Rudd as the unfortunate Shlimazel whose life is irrevocably changed by their chance meeting.

The comedic value of Shlemiels & Shlimazels will be further explored on Wednesday, August 29, at 7:30PM at the Ethelbert Crawford Public Library at 393 Broadway in Monticello. They will host a special evening lecture by Ruth Adler, entitled "Faces of Jewish Humor: The Saga of the Shlemiel and the Shlimazel."

Humor has served as an effective tool for addressing adverse circumstances. Jewish writers have availed themselves of it in good measure. The shlemiel and the shlimazel - the clumsy oaf and the hapless fool - have been favorite prototypes of Jewish humor. The three famed classicists of Yiddish literature, Mendele, Sholem Aleichem, and Peretz, have made extensive use of these prototypes to pinpoint human foibles, sometimes with empathy and compassion, at other times, with a satiric edge.

In this presentation, we will describe the travails of the shlemiel and the shlimazel as they have been depicted in the writings of the three major East-European writers, and also explore their appearance in earlier periods. In our journey, we are sure to detect echoes of the shlemiel and the shlimazel in contemporary society, and perhaps learn to laugh at our own foibles as we go about our mundane activities.

This lecture is free and open to the public and sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities, a state-affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is free and opens to the public. For more information call the library at 845-794-4660.

Support Trails Funding

The O&W Rails to Trails linear park is a very valuable recreational asset for Mountaindale, Woodridge and the Town of Fallsburg. We are a Healthy Trails, Healthy People community, who has received funding and support from Parks & Trails New York. We have been advised that future funding may be in jeopardy unless we help to secure New York State’s federal funding for trails and bicycling and walking.  The new federal transportation bill allows New York State to opt out completely from the Recreational Trails Program as well as transfer half of the funds that can and should be used for trails, complete streets, and other bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure that supports active transportation to road building. 

Please join with scores of other organizations and local governments across the state by signing the letter below, asking Governor Cuomo to:

a.      Continue the popular Recreational Trails program – a program that has pumped more than $19 million into our economy, aided 280 motorized and nonmotorized trail projects, and leveraged $12 million since the program began in 1993.

b.      Preserve all eligible funding for trails and active transportation funding and not transfer any to road building

c.      Make existing, unspent Transportation Enhancement dollars available immediately to communities for another round of grant applications. 

We must make ourselves heard by August 15.  September first is the deadline for the Governor to decide the future of the Recreational Trails program. 

It takes two clicks

1.      Read the letter
2.      Sign on   (I just did)

Thank you for standing up for trails and active transportation!

Garden Club Tour

Shawangunk Garden Club at Railway Station

Many green thumbs were united today as members of the Shawangunk Garden Club visited Mountaindale today for a tour of the numerous beautiful plantings around our community. The tour was hosted by members of the Mountaindale Action Committee and the Mountaindale Community Development Project (MCDP) and coordinated by neighbor, Susan Cioffi. Susan has been an area resident for several decades and was looking forward to proudly sharing her town with her friends.



Hummingbird Feeders, Hanging Baskets &
Planter Boxes on Main Street



We began bright and early at the Mountaindale Railway Station for a closer look at the beautiful landscaping outside and the unique historical photographs inside, We then walked over to the Hummingbird Garden to see the hummingbirds, butterflies and swallows flying acrobatically overhead. The tour continued as a leisurely stroll down Post Hill Road and Main Street to admire our train themed new banners and colorful planters, planted by local girl scouts & karate school families, as well as the rock garden maintained by Hospitality Green. We continued on to the Firehouse to admire the lovely flower garden that the Mountaindale Action Committee planted along the inner courtyard of the building, which leads to stairs to the gateway to the O&W Rails to Trails.

We admired a few more of their berm gardens and then headed to their other flower gardens at Quiat Road and Hatt Road. Everyone was given one of the new Town of Fallsburg O&W Rail Trail brochures to get a better understanding of how these locations fit into the original railway track line. At Quiat Road, our guests enjoyed seeing the historical Signal House and  one of the newly installed interpretive signs. A total of 4 interpretive signs were designed by the O&W Rails to Trails Committee and paid for in part, by a grant from Parks & Trails NY. A lot of the labor for the sign installation was an in kind donation from Bugsy Bennett, but more on that in the future.

The club members enjoyed a delicious lunch at Uccelli Restaurant. We all had a wonderful time together. The best part was learning from each other as many gardening tips were shared. If I can speak for the Action Committee members, I think it's also very gratifying to have new visitors express their appreciation for all that is done to make Mountaindale one of the more attractive communities around. The Shawangunk Garden Club invited everyone to a public reception for their Photo Flower Show on Saturday, August 18th from noon to 3PM in the Gallery of the Ellenville Public Library at 40 Center Street in Ellenville. All are welcome.

3rd Annual Sullivan Striders Rail Trail Race

We were blessed with perfect racing weather on Sunday for the 3rd Annual Sullivan Striders Race/Walk on the Town of Fallsburg Rails to Trails. The deluge started AFTER everyone went home & the electronic timing devices were removed. There were 84 participants who completed the race by crossing the finish line.

The winner of the 4 Mile Race was a 39 year old neighbor from Wurtsboro, NY, Raymond Revell, who finished with a time of 23:44.3. That's an impressive average pace of 5.56 Minutes per mile!  Even more inspiring was William Rosenberg, a 71 year old runner from Wallkill, NY, who finished the race in just under 35 minutes.  Please visit Race Results for the full listing of all runner & walker stats.  

Janet Gula and Alexandra Lalieu

There was also great support from several of our Main Street Mountaindale businesses.  Janet Gula of Radiant Yoga of Mountaindale led a pre-race stretch to help everyone prepare their muscles. Alexandra Lalieu of  Upstate Karate of Mountaindale strongly encouraged her students to participate in full karate uniform so that there were 16 students & their families involved in the activity. Joan Collins, Woodridge Village Board Member and Kiwanian, was the Grand Marshall and started everyone on the race. The Mountaindale Fire Company permitted the Firehouse to serve as the registration base, and the Mountaindale Action Commitee assisted the Striders in hosting and providing refreshments. As usual, everyone was greeted by our delightful former Legislady, Leni Binder. Although she no longer holds public office, she is still a very active community volunteer. Speaking of volunteers, the Mountaindale Ambulance Squad stood ready to help anyone in need, and there was great support from Woodridge Kiwanis and the Village of Woodridge who are both important members of the Town of Fallsburg Rail Trail Committee.

It was also nice to see the runners supporting each other.  When one runner mentioned she was disappointed that she hadn't improved her run time of 43 minutes since last year, veteran runner Brian Cavanaugh suggested she do some upper body strength training to overcome her plateau. The morning ended nicely with the awarding of beautiful plants as prizes from the Manza Family Farm. Maryann and Tom Manza deserve a huge round of applause for all of their hard work in coordinating this significant fundraiser for the Rail Trail. You can find out how to join the Sullivan Striders running club at http://www.sullivanstriders.org/. Click here for more Race Day photos.

9th Annual Francis Currey Day

This Saturday marks the 9th Annual Francis Currey Day at Morningside Park in Hurleyville, New York. Currey Day is a wonderful local free fun day for the whole family. It includes musical performances by favorites like David & Julie Bloch and the wonderful Rausch Brothers band.  There will also be dancing, games, rides, displays, food vendors and a spectacular Fireworks display at dusk. I always especially enjoy the raising of the ginormous flag.

However, let us not lose sight that the purpose of this gala event is to honor our home grown hero, Francis Currey, the winner of the prestigious Congressional Medal of Honor for his valor during a particularly difficult battle during WW II.  This is our nation’s highest military award. Here is a brief summary of his heroic act from NY State Senator John Bonacic's site:

An automatic rifleman with Company K, 120th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division, Sergeant Currey, only 19 years old at the time, and his platoon of 30 men were assigned to defend the small Belgian town of Malmedy with little more than small arms. Facing a column of German tanks intent on flanking his battalion, Currey repeatedly braved enemy fire to inflict heavy losses on the enemy, rescue five American soldiers that had been pinned down, and thwarted the enemy advance.

The event is sponsored by the Town of Fallsburg, Thunder 102 radio and Party Master, Perry Gip. On a personal note, I must commend Perry & his crew for the fabulous Olympic Gold themed decorations they did for the recent Graduation Ceremonies at Fallsburg High School. For more information, please call the Town of Fallsburg at 845-434-8810 or Morningside Park at 845-434-5877

Main Street Banners & Flowers

The design committee of the Mountaindale Community Development Project worked over the winter to develop a new set of banners for our Main Streets.  They were funded with our Phase II Sullivan Renaissance Award from last summer. We were all so delighted when the banner delivery arrived. But then it rained, sometimes torentially, every day and then it was brutally hot, which made climbing a ladder to install them on the telephone poles around town an unpleasant task. Luckily, today's balmy weather was just perfect! Our new banners are a wonderful addition to our charming street and will be greeting all the summer visitors to Mountaindale this season.

Our interesting recent weather also created some challenges for the volunteers who worked on our flower box enhancement project this year. The original design of our Main Street flower boxes came to us from the Technology Education classes of the Fallsburg High School. They look terrific but had a flaw in practical application in the scope that we use since there are nearly 30 of them around town. A lot of water would leak out of the side slats, which was inefficient from both a water conservation and volunteer labor standpoint. A portion of our Renaissance winnings also went toward refurbishing the planters as well as enriching the soil with a precise mix recommended by the knowledgeable staff at EarthBox.

With a lot of support from local Girl Scouts of Troops 401, 580, 234 and 738, as well as students and parents of Upstate Karate of Mountaindale, we got the planters planted and out on the streets earlier this month. The Girl Scouts will continue to assist during the summer with watering tasks as well as working in the Communty Garden behind 51 Main Street and Radiant Yoga of Mountaindale. The Scouts are hoping to be able to grow enough vegetables to be able to donate some to people in need in the community. They will also have a small herb garden in an EarthBox planter that we purchased.

Yoga Students Lisa & Greg lending a hand

We are very fortunate for the support from the Scouts, Karate families and Yoga students who helped with other tasks to keep Mountaindale looking beautifully in bloom. They helped with maintenance of the Hummingbird Garden. It needed a lot of weeding and trimming after the winter. We are lucky to have Janet Gula in town as she is also the owner of My Secret Gardener and was the original designer of the Hummingbird Garden. I have also noticed how wonderful our Rock Garden at 37 Main Street looks next door to HospitalityGreen, thanks to all of the extra TLC that Evadne Giannini has been giving it.

I guess what I am saying is, "It takes a village" to keep our hamlet looking so great!  Thanks to everyone who participates in this effort!

Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Law

I was glued to CNN around 10AM to catch today's historic Supreme Court rulings. The decision largely supported President Obama's health care overhaul, in a mixed ruling that Court observers were rushing to analyze.

The decision was a striking victory for the President and Congressional Democrats, with a majority of the court, including the conservative Chief Justice, John G. Roberts Jr., affirming the central legislative pillar of Mr. Obama's term. It will be very interesting to see what political rhetoric & spin stems from this event between now and November.

Annual Monticello Fireworks Display

Virgelio Carpio photograph

For the past 43 years, the Monticello Raceway has offered our community one of the most amazing Fireworks Shows in Sullivan County and this year will be no exception.  On Wednesday, July 4th the Raceway will stage its 44th Annual Fireworks Extravaganza after the last race. That night, the first post will be at 5:30 PM. “The fireworks will be presented approximately 20 minutes after the racing program ends on July 4th,” said Shawn Wiles, the Raceway’s Assistant General Manager. “And since there is free admission to the entire facility it’s a great opportunity to come and see the fireworks close-up on the tracks apron where the best view is afforded.”

Along with the live racing program that evening, the Mighty M also offers simulcast wagering on both harness and thoroughbred races from tracks around the country and at some harness facilities in Canada.

Story courtesy of John Manzi

Tick Alert!

I noticed that I have been having numerous conversations lately with a variety of different people about ticks.  TICKS - just the very word makes me feel a tickly sensation on my legs! I have heard tick stories this week from birders, gardeners, appraisers, Rail Trail hikers, dog walkers, and seen them on nice little clean kids. These blood sucking creatures are nowhere as appealing as Robert Pattinson and a most unwelcome guest. An increase in the tick population is probably the result of a mild winter and the unusual weather this spring. You run the risk of one of these insects hitching a ride on you or your pet any time you are in the grass, especially if the grass is a bit high. If they can remain undetected, they will bite the host and bury their head/mouthparts in the skin so that they can begin feeding on the blood.  Undisturbed, they will become engorged and resemble a plump grey green bean with 8 tiny legs.

How can you avoid all this? Inspection is critical any time you have been in the grass. Check your legs and clothing and wear light socks when possible. It is important to apply a strong bug repellent, designed for ticks, although I have heard stories of bites despite the spray. Ticks are parasites with a fairly thick shell or carapace, which makes it difficult to kill them easily. If you find one already feeding, it is critical to resist the temptation to yank it off as you might just rip the body away from the head which can remain embedded in the skin and cause an infection. Most ticks do not carry diseases, and here is a good link for a procedure on How to Remove a Tick. There are also different kinds of ticks so it is beneficial to identify whether the tick you have found is a Dog Tick, or a Deer Tick, known for carrying Lyme Disease. A bullseye shaped rash is often an indication of a Deer Tick bite.  Flu-like symptoms and joint & muscle pain might indicate that further medical attention should be sought immediately.

Going Postal for Girl Scouts

New Forever Stamp

 I recently discovered that there is going to be a special stamp issued to honor the 100th year anniversary of Girl Scouts with a Celebrate Scouting Forever Stamp. It will be issued by the US Postal Service on June 9th for public purchase. As a 'Forever' stamp it will always be good for USPS First Class postage to mail letters weighing one ounce or less no matter what the postal rate.

Our local Stamp Club, the Sullivan County Philatelic Society, will be hosting a special Stamp & Coin Show at the Ted Stroeble Recreation Center on Jefferson Street  in Monticello from 10AM - 4PM on Sunday, June 10th.  Those of you who are stamp collectors or interested in learning more about this popular hobby may wish to stop in to see what is on display.  Admission is free and you will be able to meet a variety of stamp and coin collectors in this, the club's 40th annual show. The show will also feature door prizes, hourly prize drawings, and will be honoring Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of America.

Oh Hail!

Mountaindale neighbors are still chatting about the amazing hail storm we had Tuesday afternoon. It was really amazing to see and hear these marble sized "snowflakes" slamming the sidewalks and cars on Main Street. Here are two images from this exciting event just for fun. Thanks to Gina for the photo below of the angry sky and all the leaves that came down early due to the combination of fierce wind and hailstones.

By the way, this has nothing to do with anything other than neighborhood chit chat. If you have Verizon wireless service here in town, you pretty much have it made due to our cell tower on Church Road. With any other provider, you might not even have enough service for a measly text. Well, a new AT&T "sweet spot" was just discovered. The old, risky one was on the double yellow line on Main Street.  I just heard about a new one on Chef Robert Uccelli's new deck at Uccelli Restaurant. Check it out the next time you stop in for a bite to eat. Please remember, they are now open for Lunch, Sunday Brunch and have a new Early Bird Dinner Menu. You just might have to set your phone to vibrate while you dine al fresco.

Evening of Academic Excellence

Honor Society Oath for newest Inductees

I recently had a wonderful opportunity to enjoy "An Evening of Academic Excellence" with all of the other proud parents of Fallsburg High School students who were being recognized for their scholastic achievements. Many young adults were being presented with Honor Roll Awards and a sizeable group were Inducted into the National Honor Society.  This requires high grades as well as regular community service and civic group participation.

It is important to note that the 6:30 PM ceremony had to start late as we waited for a number of the attendees to complete their final afterschool sports competitions. This is a great indicator of these Comets being well rounded in sports and other activities, unlike the stereotype brainy, nerdy kids in the popular media. (Including my new favorite show, "The Big Bang Theory.")  To be inducted into the National Honor Society, each student must submit an application which verifies not only their grade status, but also demonstrates the candidate’s outstanding performance in the areas of Scholarship, Service, Leadership, and Character.

The keynote speaker, Michael Williams, High School Principal, addressed these 4 tenets with a wonderful challenge. He encouraged each member to help a fellow student get inducted next year. It might take clear shoving or just subtly, kindly motivating a peer. His dream would be for the entire student body to be on the stage one day. A fabulous treat that Fallsburg provides for students who consistently earn Superintendent's List standing is the annual trip to Broadway to see a live hit show. We should be proud of this effort to encourage "academic excellence." Additionally, the Mountaindale community can take pride in the large number of local kids in attendance.  This includes chapter President, Gregory Bedik and Lindsay Malman, who lit the candle for Character during the ceremony. The most heartwarming moments occurred when older siblings introduced their younger brothers & sisters as the newest members. This included Aaron & Rachel Schmitt, Shorouk & Adham Abohussien, and Morgan & Cody Vegliante.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL SCHOLARS!

Soapbox Derby this Weekend

Daniel & his racecar

Ladies & Gentlemen, START YOUR ENGINES! Well, in a manner of speaking. Back in September, we announced the countywide All American Soap Box Derby would be held this Memorial Day weekend. The event will be part of the Greater Liberty Chamber of Commerce's festival and will also include a parade, sidewalk sale and Yard Sale-O-Rama. After much anticipation, this event is finally here.

I recently learned that we have a local racer from Mountaindale who we can all be rooting for on Sunday at 10AM. The young man's name is Daniel. Thanks to the hard work of his pit crew and the generousity of Phil Vallone of the Rolling V Bus Corp, his soap box racer will be zooming down the Main Street track at this Liberty event. Daniel will be competing in the 8 to 13 year old Stock division. However, Daniel is no stranger to competition as he just earned 2 medals in a Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan martial arts tournament this past weekend in New Windsor, New York. Eight other students of Upstate Karate of Mountaindale also attended this event and took home championship medals.

Daniel is active in many other sports throughout the year. These activities include soccer, softball, skiing, and snorkeling, to list a few. These are all possible due to the love and support of his proud parents, Max & Slava Milov, who share in many of these sports with Daniel. We wish him great success! Go, Daniel, Go!!

Dear World

Robert Fogarty photo from DearWorld.me

Today, I learned about a fascinating social experiment on the DearWorld website. The creative mind behind it all is photographer, Robert X. Fogarty. His mission is to work "towards a beautiful, wonderful world where more people send a message to family, friends and strangers in this way. Where people get that we’re connected and that you can build something fast alone, but to build anything great you have to go together." His messages are written with Sharpie and are often extremely moving. You are encouraged to view the gallery on his website, where you will see very moving images. Images like the poignant "Cancer Free" on a survivor's chest and the special series reminding us of those who still need our help in communities struggling to rebuild after natural disasters like Joplin, Missouri and New Orleans. Some are fun, like the wry update on the 'See No Evil' monkeys. There are a great many messages being shared and "some stories need to be told" to the whole world.

Valedictorian Proclamation

Sometimes there are entire processes that go on without the knowledge of people who are outside the process. For example, everyone knows that each high school graduating class has a Valedictorian who makes a speech at June Graduation. Until you personally know a Valedictorian, you might not know all of the other details that are associated with this event.

Yesterday, I attended a wonderful program in the Sullivan County Government Legislative Chambers. The pupose was to honor the Valedictorians of each and every high school within Sullivan County. Each district Superintendent introduced each High School principal, who gave a brief biography of each scholar. Their County Legislators then presented the bright students with a Certificate of Commendation. It was very impressive to see that each Valedictorian seemed to be a well rounded person with a list of achievements that go beyond pure academia.  Most were musicians, athletes, leaders and strong community servants. Anecdotally, they were all female with the exception of the exceptional young man from the Fallsburg School District, who happens to be from Mountaindale, New York, and coincidentally happens to be my son, Aaron Schmitt. Mountaindale has had other Valedictorian residents, such as our past Sullivan Renaissance Summer Intern Ashley Hunter, who just graduated from Yale and is a marvelous young woman.

I had previously noticed that there is an unusually high ratio of female Valedictorians in our county. The year that Ashley graduated, I had invited her and the Liberty Valedictorian to meet my Girl Scout Troop at a "Gals Who Excel Tea" in Mountaindale. I think it is important for young girls to understand that they CAN excel in all subjects, especially Math and Sciences, where girls are frequently under estimated.

I look forward to getting to know more about the Valedictorians who are graduating this year. I am so glad to see that they will continue to be recognized for their achievements at upcoming events like a dinner in their honor at the Eldred Preserve and when they will be recognized next month on a state level by New York State Senator John Bonacic who will be hosting them at this prestigious event. These people represent a great ray of hope for our future.

Tale of Woe

This is all I have to say today:

Possibly Three Sides if you REALLY want the Truth!

Happy Mother's Day to All!

I hope everyone had a wonderful, happy Mother's Day yesterday! I say Everyone, because I think it should be a great day for all - all mothers, all children and all of the menfolk, trying their best to make it a nice day. It should have been a joyful, stress free kind of day.

I am a Mother to two wonderful kids and I must say, this is, by far, THE MOST controversial Mother's Day I can ever recall.  How can you make Mother's Day controversial? We got the weekend kicked off with Time magazine going for ultimate shock value with their cover demanding. "Are You Mom Enough?" Duh! No one asked a question like that in my Mom's day! Are we now supposed to feel guilty about how much we love our kids and how attached we might be. Well, honestly, that part has always been out there. I guess the new guilt is over how much we want to be SuperMom and balance home and career in the mind boggling juggling act that we perform daily. I also have some concern that there will be some kind of perverse backlash against nursing. That is one creepy image. My nursing days were some of the happiest moments of my life and I will always treasure that era. I  am far less offended by her breast than I am by the expression on her face and notion that the kid needs to climb a stepstool to come to her. Nursing is such a glorious private, cuddling time. I don't see a misogynistic plot in the Mom going to the child to provide love, comfort, and nurturing along with sustenance.

Then, on top of all this, we have model, Christy Turlington Burns, launching a 'just say No' boycott of Mother's Day with "Every Mother Counts," to raise awareness for childbirth complications. I can see where the holiday has become overcommercialized with cards, store sales, etc. However, there are so many other ways to be vocal and use our energy to provide better healthcare for pregnant women. We must not remain silent when the Religious Right and other ultra Conservative groups play with women's healthcare as a political tool. This is a mission that should remain at the top of our minds all year round and especially during every election season. See an interesting video by MoveOn.org to see how women were thrown under the bus during the primaries.

Birding by Ear

Edward Frampton photo

You can tell it's May in Mountaindale because the hummingbird feeders have begun to go up along Main Street. The little shimmering green Ruby Throated Hummingbirds began finding them immediately. All are encouraged to take a stroll along Main Street to watch their amazing antics. It's the best entertainment 1/4 cup of sugar can buy! It gets especially exciting as the young begin hatching & fledging and start visiting our feeders en masse during the summer months.

Sometimes, the first indication you might have that a tiny hummingbird is nearby is that you hear them. You might hear a buzzing, humming sound - hence, the name. Or you you might hear them chirping as they come in for a landing or fuss with each other for control of their favorite feeder perch.

This 'listening' for bird sounds is known as Birding by Ear. It has been especially useful this past week when the bleak, drizzly mornings have made it more difficult to spot our feathered friends in the neighborhood. Mountaindale offers a lovely quiet serenity that allows us to put the hustle and bustle of everyday life on pause and just stop and LISTEN to the nature sounds around us. If you learn what a cardinal sounds like, it might alert you to where you might look to be treated to a bit of scarlet up high on a tree limb. You might hear a Phoebe saying his own name. Nowadays there are fun Bird Call Identificiation Apps to help. Another great resource is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which can also help you learn to memorize certain songs and calls as you build up your mental library. Please come to see and hear the wide variety of birds on Main Street, in the Sandburg Creek RiverWalk Park and on the Rails to Trails.

Ramps Festival

Raise your hand if you know what Ramps are. Keep 'em up if you know I mean something to eat & not drive on! I confess, I never got up close & personal with ramps until I recently spotted a beautiful fresh mound at my favorite specialty produce market. I took a big sniff and the smell was absolutely divine! Now I get what makes them so appealing and why the good folks at Slow Food think we ought to spend a whole day with them.

You didn't hear much about lovely Ramps in the past. I checked my "Farmacopeia" book, which is supposed to have everything "from apples to zucchini, and everything in between," but it goes straight from radishes to rhubarb. To learn more, my suggestion is to head over to the Ramps Fest this Sunday, May 6th at the Callicoon Farmer's Market, where Slow Food UpDeRiVa will be celebrating the Ramp, one of this region's most wonderful wild delicacies. From 11AM to 2PM there will be demonstrations, recipes, and tastings before the start of the great Ramp Tramp in Callicoon Center. This will include plenty of foraging & feasting at the Ramp Potluck at the Channery Hill Farm. Can you imagine Ramp Ravioli? Bob Eckert of Northern Farmhouse Pasta will feed you some at noon. I hear it's pure joy in a dumpling. If you think you'd agree, mark your calendar for the Ramps Fest this Sunday.

Trending in Mountaindale

Ready to deliver your delicious Girl Scout Cookies

If someone asks you, "What's trending in Mountaindale?"  The answer is "A LOT!" I've been so on the go go go these last few weeks, there hasn't been a spare moment to post.  I'm going to say that our hottest topic is Girl Scouts and more specifically, Girl Scout Cookies.  Mountaindale hosts a very significant Cookie Cupboard for the community and we service the Towns of Fallsburg, Thompson & Mamakating with very delicious Girl Scout Cookies.  So far, I have taken delivery on well over 1000 cases, which is nearly 13,000 boxes and cookie season has only just begun! Our annual sale teaches the girls valuable lessons of entrepreneurship, goal setting and funds a high percentage of Scouting programming and activities.

On Friday night, the girls took some time off from their sales to participate in an environmental progam that was hosted right here in Mountaindale.  It was an Eastern Bluebird Workshop. The Scouts learned some basic birdwatching fundamentals as well as a lot of interesting nesting info.  Then they got out their hammers and rolled up their sleeves so they could build a set of bluebird boxes.  Fallsburg Lumber Company very generously donated the materials and Mike Yavaniski of Diversified Realty Services meticulously cut it up to create a dozen individual nest box kits, using the Herman Bressler design.  The girls enjoyed a wonderful evening and the boxes will be donated locally to help build our Bluebird population. On a very personal note, I am extremely proud to say that last week I was awarded a very high honor for a Girl Scout Volunteer. It is the Leadership Award and it means a great deal to me because the nomination and recognition comes from peers for outstanding community service.

Another hot topic in town is Karate.  Of course the place for martial arts is Upstate Karate of Mountaindale. This month, we had three students who were tested as candiates for their black belts. Two were teenage girls and the third was an adult woman, named Slava Milov. Slava frequently attends classes with younger students, like her son, and is also training to become an assistant instructor, or Jo Kyo, as it is called in Korean.  We wish them all luck and patience as they humbly wait a month to find out their test results. However, the long waiting is now over for our own certified Master Instructor, or Sa Bom in Korean. Studio owner Alexandra Lalieu just received word that she is about to become promoted to 5th Dan, or fifth level black belt. She will celebrate this momentous event with her students on Saturday, May 12th at a luncheon ceremony in town. Her instructor, Edward Frampton, will attend to present Alexandra with her Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan promotion certificate.  He is a 6th level Master Instructor and teaches at Frampton's Karate in New Windsor, NY, and is also a Regional Examiner in Soo Bahk Do.

Additional trending topics in town include the new lunch and Sunday brunch menu at Uccelli Restaurant, the return of Wednesday night live music at Eddie's Mountaindale Inn, and I should have a date shortly for the next Salsa Dance in 62 Main Street, hosted by Janet Gula of Radiant Yoga.  The Tuesday night Bellydancing classes continue to grow in 62 Main Street.  Stay tuned for news about a new Main Street neighbor who we will all have a chance to greet later this week as she gets settled in at 47 Main Street.

Tragedy at the Grandview Palace

Red Cross Comfort Kit

So much has already been said about the tragic fire at the Grandview Palace, which left so many of our neighbors suddenly homeless. There isn't much I can add to the conversation other than we can keep these good, unfortunate people in our hearts and prayers. I visited the site of the former majestic Brown's Hotel, but only as a drive by. Instead, I went to the Sullivan County Community College Fieldhouse to see how I could help the people and connect with their needs. Most of the people are still quite numbed from their loss. Exploring the pain of the realization of a specific item that is now lost to them. Most material possessions can easily be replaced. But what can you do about treasured family photographs and mementos of sentimental value? I spoke with one victim about the loss of her mother's wedding rings. This is the saddest part.

I was very impressed by the tireless volunteers from the American Red Cross who have been staffing the emergency relief site at the fieldhouse. The large stack of neatly folded used Red Cross blankets told me a lot about how many fire victims they had served. A psychologist gently moved among the people to offer comfort to those who needed to talk about the emotions they were trying to come to grips with. Other volunteers were disinfecting cots to be prepared for the next person in need. Support people staffed tables to help with insurance issues and paperwork to help replace ID & other items lost as many had to evacuate without wallets, pocketbooks, and daily medications.

How can we help? There was a long table with donated clothing, but honestly, what is really most needed is money. The funds can be used to help with emergency lodging, meals and comfort kits like the one above. Donations can be made through the United Way at 33 Lakewood Avenue in Monticello, (845) 794-1771 or the Red Cross Chapter on Crotty Road in Middletown. You can also find out how to volunteer for their ongoing programs and give blood when you see a Blood Drive announced in your area. Your contributions can make a difference.

Alive Inside - the Power of Music

Henry talking about Music

Anyone who has ever cared for a friend or loved one with Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia, knows that reaching the patient can be a very frustrating experience. The person may still look the same but a veil seems to be separating you and impeding communication. In general, life for the elderly in a nursing home can feel alienating and lonely. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, some doctors decided to experiment with the power of music to "awaken" minds considered closed.

Using the theory that Alzheimer’s Disease does not affect the portion of the brain that is associated with music, doctors like Dr. Oliver Sacks and Dr. Bill Thomas began to work with patients using headphones to listen to their favorite music of their youth in portable music players. The results were nothing short of amazing. The process can be viewed in a documentary about the Music and Memory non-profit project, in a film produced and directed by Michael Rossato-Bennett. "Alive Inside tells a story of hope and beauty in a place where they are hard to find." It follows Dan Cohen as he discovers the power music has and features the amazing men and women in patient care. It was commissioned by the The Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation. A short excerpt can be seen now and the world premiere for Alive Inside will be at the Rubin Museum in New York City on Wednesday, April 18th, Friday April 20th, and Saturday, April 21st, with two additional screenings on Saturday. Each ticket includes a Q&A with Alzheimer’s specialists and a post-program information table staffed by experts from the Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter.

Watching the film trailer is incredible to see listless, withdrawn individuals who suddenly come to life with alert expressions and enthusiasm as their music brings back their memories of love and joy. Please visit  MusicAndMemory.org for more information about how Music and Memory can help elderly patients, or to volunteer or donate an iPod (new or used) or mp3 player. We also have local elder care facilities in this county who may be willing to give this music therapy a try to improve the quality of a patient's life.

FOODSTOCK 2012

It's time once again for the annual FOODSTOCK Event, hosted by our good friends at WJFF Public Radio. It will be held from 11AM to 3PM on Saturday, May 5th. This is the third year and it promises to be their biggest festival ever with fine food and wine from over 55 vendors of food, wine and craft beer. It will all take place at the fabulous Villa Roma Resort in Callicoon, NY.

Farmers, producers and growers of all kinds will be represented at “FOODSTOCK,” as well as local restaurants, wineries and distributors. Each will offer a representative sample of their product for attendees to taste. All products will be available for purchase. Restaurants will offer a taste of their signature dish.  There will be fresh produce of all kinds, amazing baked goods, homemade jams and preserves, meats and smoked meats and fish, maple products, tantalizing desserts, sausages, sauces and pestos, fudge and cheeses, and an array of locally-produced wines. One of our local Mountaindale producers, Lousia Pabon of the Look Up Cafe and Verde & Co will be on hand with her delicious freshly made Sofrito.

Please call 845-482-4141 call to make your reservations! They guarantee you the most delicious afternoon you'll spend all year as you sample all the amazing foods, wines and beers. Fundraising events like FOODSTOCK help keep WJFF on the air and serving you, local listeners, who enjoy quality public radio. Please help spread the word among your friends, family and co-workers.