The Catskill Chronicle

HUDSON VALLEY, NY (April 6, 2012) – The Kiwanis Clubs of Callicoon, Monticello, Roscoe and Woodridge are participating with the Hudson River West Division, which is comprised of eight Kiwanis Clubs located in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster County, in Kiwanis Family Walks for Hunger on April 21 to benefit the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley.

Each year in April the Kiwanis Family comes together for the designated “Kiwanis One Day” for a project that will benefit the greater community.

In Orange County the walk will take place at Shannen Park. In Sullivan County it will start in Mountaindale at the Rails to Trails and in Ulster County it will take place at Berme Park.

Participants in the Kiwanis Family Walks for Hunger will include youth sponsored clubs, K-Kids, Builder’s Clubs and Key Clubs. Participation in these walks is open to the general public.

The Food Bank of the Hudson Valley was selected because hunger exists year round in all communities, and the Food Bank serves over 300 sites in their service areas and other counties in the Hudson Valley.

Registration for the Sullivan County walk begins at 9:00 a.m. at the Mountaindale Firehouse and the walk on Rails to Trails will begin at 10:00 a.m. The registration fee is one or more non-perishable food items and/or a monetary donation. Refreshments will be served at the firehouse after the walk.

If you cannot participate in the walk and would like to make a monetary donation make your check payable to Food Bank of the Hudson Valley with memo line on check notating Feinstein Foundation Challenge. This way the donation will be matched by the Feinstein Foundation.

Checks should be sent to Sue Sheehan, C/O Middletown Kiwanis Club, PO Box 752, Middletown, New York 10940. The Food Bank of the Hudson Valley does send a written acknowledgement of all donations made to them by check and/or credit card. You may also donate non-perishable food items for the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley before and at our three different walk sites.

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MONTICELLO, NY (April 6, 2012) – Monticello Elks Lodge #1544 held its annual installation banquet on March 31, 2012.

Sullivan County Family Court Judge Mark Meddaugh was named the citizen of the year and member Mada Dunn was named Elk of the year.

Pictured are Judge Meddaugh (left) and outgoing Exalted Ruler Craig Johnson.

The new Exalted Ruler is Jim Sheerer. Mike Gagliardi is officer of the year. The Monticello Lodge has 309 members

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HARRIS, NY (April 5, 2012) – Catskill Regional Medical Center (CRMC) has announced the appointment of Sarah Dittmar as its new Program Manager for the Rape Intervention Services & Education (RISE) program of Sullivan County.

To welcome Dittmar and raise awareness of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, RISE will hold an open house from 2:00 to 6;00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25.

The open house will provide community members, potential RISE volunteers and anyone interested RISE’s services the opportunity to meet Dittmar and staff, visit RISE’s office and enjoy light refreshments. The RISE office is located on the 4^th floor of CRMC’s main Harris campus.

Dittmar has worked in the human services field for more than 10 years, and is familiar with the RISE program after having two internships with RISE and CRMC’s Psychiatric Unit, as well as being a RISE volunteer for the past three years. Prior to her appointment, Sarah was a Senior Caseworker for Sullivan County Department of Family Services. Dittmar holds a Master’s Degree from Adelphi University and is a licensed social worker.

RISE advocates for anyone who is or has been a survivor of sexual abuse. Founded in 1987, RISE provides an array of services to survivors of sexual abuse and offers prevention education, advocacy and assistance to survivors, and accompanies them to the hospital, police or district attorney after an incident. RISE also offers confidential individual, family or couples counseling as well as support groups and professional training sessions.

The program maintains a 24-hour crisis hotline number, which is 845-791-9595. The RISE program is funded by grants, in part provided by the Sullivan County Rural Health Network.

For more information about RISE, contact Sarah Dittmar at 845-794-3300, ext. 2442 or visit the RISE page at www.crmcny.org.

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ROCK HILL, NY (April 4, 2012) – The Sullivan County SPCA in Rock Hill was the recipient of $200.00 and supplies from the Benjamin Cosor Elementary School K Kids Club. 

The students raised money with a bake sale and visited the animal shelter to present their donation.

While there they had an opportunity to play with and walk with the animals being held for adoption.

The K Kids, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Woodridge, provides elementary school students the opportunity to work together in service to school and community and to develop leadership potential and foster the development of strong moral character.

Any Benjamin Cosor Elementary School student interested in joining K Kids may contact Sue Kasofsky at 845-434-8052.

In the attached photo are (l-r):  K Kids Advisor Jill Weiner, Shania Hurwitz, Samantha Shaddock, McKenna Meyers, Emily Basset, Hayley Weiner and Bradley Delgado.

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Master Gardeners will train county educators and youth workers

FERNDALE, NY (April 2, 2012) – The Master Gardener’s Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County is holding a new garden training series for county educators and youth workers.

The first session is from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at Gerald J. Skoda Extension Education Center, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road in Ferndale. 

The $50 cost includes lunch. Educators can earn up to .5 Continuing Education Units per session.

The first session is an introduction to garden based learning entitled “Plant a Seed, Inspire Interest.”  All the information is research based and connects gardens to all sectors of work and education. In this class, educators will learn how to develop a garden program that promotes positive youth development, opportunities for community leadership and volunteer participation, and review tips on effective teaching methods.

An in depth overview of Cornell Garden-Based Learning (CGBL) will be reviewed. Groups new to garden-based learning or groups struggling to get participants involved in their efforts and program structure will particularly benefit from this session.

The second session will be titled “Tend the Garden,” while the last session will be “Building Capacity/Train the Trainer.”  These will be offered at a later date.

The fee must be included with registration, which should include name, address, phone, e-mail and school district. Checks should be payable to “CCE Sullivan County/ MGP” and sent to Gerald J. Skoda Extension Education Center, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty, NY 12754. For more information, call 845-292-5250.

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SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY (April 1, 2012) – The Catskill Artists Gallery (CAG) has become a gallery without walls. After nine years, the artistic collective has vacated their “bricks-and-mortar” location on Main Street in Liberty, NY to take on new ventures. While they were reluctant to close the gallery, economic considerations prevailed, but they are now excited to explore new avenues that may not have been explored had the physical venue remained open.

Three former consignors have joined with the five original members to create a vibrant new CAG. In addition, three main ventures are being developed: shows at local venues; art and craft fairs in the area and farther afield; and a stronger web presence that includes online sales.

CAG will be exhibiting locally this summer at the Liberty Museum and the Old Stone House in Hasbrouck. They have always participated in local art and craft shows, including Riverfest, Bethel Woods Harvest Market and various holiday shows. This participation will continue, but they are also taking their show on the road to such locales as Nyack, Binghamton and New Jersey in order to bring our work to a whole new audience.

Particularly exciting to the group is the total revamping of the gallery’s website to create a compelling graphic look and to enable selling online. On the website you will find photos, biographies and event information. Each member has a page or pages showing and offering his or her work for sale.

And there’s also a blog, where each artist will be posting blog entries discussing their philosophy, latest projects, and the twists and turns between idea and finished work. The website is available at www.catskillartistsgallery.com, where you can also sign up for an e-mail list.

Members of the new CAG are: Nada Clyne – mixed media and jewelry; Robert Friedman – sculpture and painting; Cate Gundlah – fused glass, stained glass and jewelry; Margaret Helthaler – photography and mixed media; Kathy Jeffers – pottery, clay sculpture and jewelry; Tom Kelemen – photography; Buff McAllister – textile art and jewelry; and Hank Schneider – woodwork and photography.

Other contact information for CAG: PO Box 261, Liberty, NY 12754, and 845-434-2987.

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