A single weekend in May might be enough to convince any visitor that “the adventurous spirit” (our issue’s theme) is alive and well in New Castle. The weekend of May 14th and 15th, as we headed into our print close, had no fewer than five major events rocking our town! First, the weekend kicked off on the 13th to offer three days of great old fashioned fun (featuring games, bouncy castles and karaoke too!) via a Spring Festival and Craft Fair at the Church of St. John and St. Mary Church on Poillon Avenue. Saturday morning, the vendors of the Chappaqua Farmer’s Market were outside of Chappaqua Station with all their glorious, healthful offerings.
At the Market too: an educational presentation about the causes of pollution provided by Greeley’s S.T.O.P committee. Visit theinsidepress.com/s-t-o-p-polluting-your-air to find Greeley Sophomore Emily Westle’s essay that we ran before the 14th to inspire visitors.
At the Bell School, the district’s annual STEM Fest had started too; more about the PTA’s amazing undertaking on page 6. And while that was underway, the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce members held “It’s a Beautiful Day” to entice families into town, and meet with First Responders from the Chappaqua Volunteer Ambulance Corps., Fire Departments, Police Department, or to tour Town Hall, the historic Greeley House or the Chappaqua Library, all participating organizations. “Chamber members who sponsored the events offered coupons and gifts too,” noted Dawn Dankner Rosen, president of the Chamber. The Chappaqua Garden Club was also on hand to introduce residents to their beautification efforts for the town.
And finally, on Sunday, the 15th, the annual beloved New Castle 10k race took off, with a new 5k option added, widely opening participation!
And there’s the rest of the spring/summer–a Chappaqua Orchestra concert, a fundraiser for the Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival (featuring Rosemary Wells!), Greeley’s truly inspiring Relay for Life, Art Around Town and the always spectacular Memorial Day parade. It is enough to make any diligent hyperlocal editor’s head spin, but there’s no denying the high energy individuals here who encourage us to partake in all New Castle has to offer!
It’s June now as you read this; dads rule, so please do enjoy our focus on fathers in this edition. I’m proud of so much in it including Andrew Vitelli’s cover story on Assemblyman David Buchwald who so courageously fights political corruption. Don’t miss Matt Smith’s profile of Todd Shapera, a globetrotting photo journalist and award winning events photographer, who we asked to photograph Buchwald, in fact. I hope all our adventurous and spirited dad stories inspire you this Father’s Day! Happy Graduation too, to all our departing seniors. You will be missed. — Grace