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.

Main Street Matters

There are a lot of things going on with our Main Street Mountaindale neighbors that are worth sharing:

Photo by Vi Carpio, talented wife of
featured artist, Virgelio "Billy" Carpio

With the weather turning warmer, Uccelli Restaurant guests will be able to enjoy dining al fresco at the outdoor seating in front of the restaurant. Plans are underway to build a large deck before the summer for additional outdoor dining. Chef Robert is also busy creating an all new Lunch Menu that he will begin serving on April 24th. He will resume Sunday Brunch with a new menu and new daily hours. Please visit the Uccelli Restaurant site for updates this month.

We have been glad to welcome Ahleana back to Main Street with her Tuesday evening Bellydancing classes in 62 Main Street. The new time is 7 to 8:15PM. I have heard that her students are getting a very enjoyable workout while learning an exciting, exotic art form. Please call 845-436-8945 for more details about weekly classes. The suggested attire is comfortable, loose clothing and fun hip scarves may be purchased before class.

Alexandra Lalieu of Upstate Karate of Mountaindale and several of her advanced students will spend the day at the Sullivan County Community College tomorrow to participate in the 3rd Annual Health & Wellness Fair. They will be providing information and demonstrations of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan, the Korean martial art that they have studied at 81 Main Street for the past 8 years. Congratulations are in order for all of the champions of this karate school who attended the Mid Hudson Regional Tournament at the New York Military Academy last week and came back with loads of trophies and medals. Next, they will be attending the Soo Bahk Do National Festival in Cherry Hill, NJ in June.

The Look Up Cafe added a colorful banner on their railing to help you look up to find this charming place for breakfast and lunch at 6 Main Street. Speaking of banners, the Mountaindale Community Development Project will soon be installing all new banners along Main Street in Mountaindale. The new, larger banners and bracket hardware were purchased with a portion of the funding awarded by Sullivan Renaissance for our efforts to enhance the gateway to the Rails to Trails last summer.

Girl Scouts Centennial Celebration

The Girl Scouts are now 100 years old but I got the gift. Over the weekend, I attended the Girl Scouts Centennial Celebration in White Plains, New York, with the 2500 scouts who pre-registered for this major event. The purpose was to celebrate scouting with expo-like booths and to recognize the 178 teen Girl Scouts who were receiving scouting's highest honor, the Gold Award. Since Girl Scouts are encouraged to build character and take action to "make the world a better place," Leaders had previously been asked to provide descriptions of some of our best "Take Action" projects. My troop submitted an application which explained the "Be Smart, Don't Start" anti-smoking program I had done this past November for Girl Scout Troops throughout our area. More details can be found in the October posting entitled, "Great American Smokeout"  Our project was selected to be included in the expo from submissions from all over the seven counties that comprise the Heart of the Hudson Council. Our goal was to discourage young girls from starting to smoke, while also providing them with information to help them encourage loved ones to try to stop smoking.

Our display included a laptop presentation of the very powerful "Splode"video from the TheTruth.com website, as well as a load of craft supplies so that all of our visitors could design posters, banners and signs with anti-smoking messages, and inspiring cards for various smoker family members. Some of the stories those little girls told me were really hearbreaking - like grandparents who died of cancer, or were sick now. I asked each girl to place her hand over her heart and make a promise to herself that she would never start smoking, and would always remember how smart she was now, and not let anyone talk her into bad choices. 

I was amazed and pleased about how receptive the girls and their parents and Leaders were to our table. The most memorable moment came when a troop returned to our table for a second visit. They had brought along a slightly older woman who I took to be the Troop Grandmother, probably the Leader's mom. I heard them telling her how she just "had to hear the info at this booth." Our eyes met & we both knew she was a smoker who had just been ambushed. As gently & tactfully as possible, I talked with her about what we had been doing at the table all day. Then I told her about my late father, Harry Schulman, who had gotten sick of his two pack a day habit and made up his mind, "I'm not going to smoke today. I don't know about tomorrow, but I'm not going to smoke today." Being a salesperson at heart, I had to go for the 'close' and asked her if she might try this tomorrow. She said, "No, TODAY!" Wherever she is, I send her blessings and thanks for that special gift.