Stunning Photo Sessions Of Love - It's Engagement Photo Season With Megan and Kenneth Photoraphers (Partner Post)

Can a moment that is shared between two people only - the moment when two people agree to be engaged and follow the path of marriage - be shared and translated into dozens of moments of love and adoration in a photo session? Yes.

Here in Beacon, set against the backdrops of nature and landmark structures, Megan and Kenneth Photographers have set the scene - many scenes - where couples can explore each other throughout the photo session to get comfortable with each other in front of a camera - an act that is usually not common during such intimate moments.

Megan and Kenneth Photographers have done it. As you’ll see in these 3 photos sessions ALBB picked from dozens of other beautiful couples sharing their love for the camera, and eventually, for their family, friends and eternal photo albums.

Travel down the photo session with the couples, and you will see how their inhibitions melt away over time as they explore poses and each other. Photo sessions like this can before any couple - not just engagements.

Maybe you’ve envisioned your love while down at Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park, while embracing feelings of getting lost on a long traveled path.

Feelings can be captured that show the relationship in this stage, and again in later stages years later.

Megan & Kenneth Photographers are wedding photographers for non-traditional couples based in Beacon, NY, who proudly serve LGBTQ+ couples. They and serve the Hudson Valley, Westchester, Catskills and the Greater New York Area including Tarrytown, Hudson, Kingston. Megan & Kenneth Photographers are available in Ulster County, Orange County, Dutchess County, and beyond. and more. Proudly serving LGBTQ+ couples.

Editorial Note: Megan & Kenneth Photographers are member sponsors with A Little Beacon Blog in the Business Directory for Photographers and have partnered on the creation and publishing of this article. Learn more about that program here.


Guardian Self Storage Opens Second Building In Beacon - Temperature Controlled!

Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB

Could your self-storage experience feel homey? Mellow? Safe? Yes, yes, and yes, says Guardian Self Storage to the Beacon community.

Thanks to Guardian Self Storage’s sponsor support of A Little Beacon Blog, we were able to create a “Come In!” feature article for you, dear reader, in order to bring you the details behind all those colorful “Now Open!” flags blowing in the wind at 629 Route 52, next to their original building that replaced Southern Dutchess Bowl.

Said property manager Vicki McDonald to A Little Beacon Blog: “We are thrilled to provide the Beacon community – both residents and businesses – with a warm and welcoming space to store stuff of all kinds. We’re all about making moving easy and personable.” Vicki has been with the company for 18 years, and is a lifelong Beaconite who fondly recalls frequenting the former bowling alley.

While Guardian Self Storage’s Beacon location has been open for 5 years, the original plan was always to build a second building to offer a temperature-controlled environment. That day has come.

But First, A Brief History For Beacon Trivia Collectors

General Manager Judy Motter and Beacon’s Manager vicki McDonald stand in the auto-lit hallway of Guardian’s renovated building, that preserved the original wood beamed ceiling of the bowling alley.
Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB

As the company’s 14th location in the Hudson Valley, Guardian Self Storage came to Beacon 5 years ago. It converted the former Southern Dutchess Bowl, but preserved the iconic ceiling, allowing customers to view the beams from each storage unit. Units on this floor in the first building can see the original ceiling, as the top of every storage unit is chicken wire, which allows for airflow through each unit.

During that renovation, Guardian Self Storage creatively connected with the community through its re-use of bowling lane planks. One person bought some of the high gloss maple timber for a kitchen renovation. Other pieces of the floor were sold to a bar for their decor.

The previous owner, Barry Winter, also kept a lane for himself. He says it was a "championship winning lane."

The New Building – Temperature Controlled!

windows for natural light in both Guardian Self Storage Buildings in Beacon.
Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB

The new, four-story, 64,000 square foot facility sits next to the original building, fitted with an elevator. Both buildings are temperature controlled, are immaculate, and have windows to see the views and let in the natural light.

Units range from 25 square foot “small closets,” to the humongous 300 square foot “attics.” Large enough to be a 2-car garage (but no cars are stored at this location)! All units are 10 feet high, with roll-up metal doors. The smallest is the size of a small pantry, followed by a proper closet.

“We converted some of the larger units to be the smaller closet size, because that has been the most popular size in Beacon,” said Vicki.

Customers usually use their own storage shelves if they feel they need them, but they can hire Guardian Self Storage to build custom built shelving for the unit. Rentals are available month-to-month.

“Frequently, we are helping some people during a stressful point in their lives,” added General Manager Judy Motter. “It could be a divorce, or moving for one reason or another. We are a calming factor. We want to make this the easiest part of your move, if you’re moving.”

Each unit has a number, identified with a stylish sign, like on an apartment.
Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen FOR ALBB

Indeed, Guardian/Beacon serves a diverse array of space-seekers. Customers include drivers for brand name snacks, homeowners, renters, business people, people who make or collect to sell at flea markets, craftspeople, and artisans.

The 10’ x 30’ unit in the new temperature controlled building.
Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB

“Some of them hang out, make things, and tinker,” said Vicki. “Years ago, when people in Beacon first started being approached to sell their homes for cash and they accepted, they and had to move very quickly. They stored most of their house here until they relocated.”

The “Garden units” in the new temperature controlled building of Guardian Self Storage.
Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB

Natural light imparts a cheery ambiance in the boxy building. “We purposefully have a lot of windows, with plenty of landscaping,” said Judy. Soft piano music chimes in the background on all of the floors as one walks to their storage unit. “We make a point of making people feel welcome, and at home here.”

The lower-level spaces are dubbed “Garden Units” because of large picture windows facing some of the storage units. “A person feels like they are in a “Garden Apartment,” twinkled Ms. McDonald.

Community Involvement Beyond Storage

For many years, Guardian has been well-respected for creating close community ties, and Guardian Beacon looks forward to becoming a friend to Beaconites and beyond.

“Being there for Beacon is something we’re looking forward to,” said the project manager. “I grew up in Beacon, and loved my years at the Yanarella School of Dance, on Main Street. So, I’ve experienced the arts first-hand. Each month, Guardian Self Storage allows a manager of all locations to pick something in their community to benefit. I’m very happy with Guardian’s community policy that lets us reach everyone.”

To this end, the recent Howland Cultural Center Photography Members Exhibition was granted corporate support from Guardian Beacon.

Security In The Storage Units

Customers have their own personal code for easy accessibility during the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., seven days a week. Security cameras are located in several places in both buildings.

Easy Storage, Supplies and Moving Convenience

Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB

Stop by the main office to purchase supplies like boxes, combination locks, and moving supplies as needed.

Guardian Self Storage’s Beacon location is celebrating its Grand Opening with a 30% discount for the first three months. A free 14-foot box truck or 10-foot van* rental is available on a first-come basis for moving. Customers pay for fuel as well as a small deposit and insurance fee.
*Van is available for the Beacon location only. Lucky us!

Guardian Self Storage also accepts mail and packages for business customers.

Guardian Self Storage Sizes

629 Route 52, Beacon, NY
(845) 838-3800
Storage Unit Sizes:
4’ x 3’ Good for college students
5’ x 5’ Good for gear & garden tools
5’ x 10’ Good for seasonal clothes or motorcycle
5’x 15’ Good as a walk-in closet
10’ x 10’ Good for 2-3 rooms of furniture
10’ x 15’ Good to store an apartment
10’ x 20’ Good for 3-4 rooms of furniture
10’ x 25’ Good for business storage
10’ x 30’ Good for a household of storage

All in all, Guardian Self Storage’s overarching aim is putting smiles on people’s faces. The proof of the pudding is the enthusiasm of the managers and office staff, and the gleaming cleanliness of the facility.

“Think of that spider-web covered crawl space of your basement, or cramming things into your apartment,” said Vicki. “Instead, you can use a clean unit that you can access as needed. No more denying yourself more holiday decorations just because you ran out of space!”

Seeing is believing, and yearning to stow. Contact Guardian Self Storage’s Beacon location for a tour. Call 845-838-3800 or email beacon@guardianselfstorage.com.

Judy and vicki are ready to take you on a tour of Guardian Storage in Beacon.
Photo Credit: Flynn Larsen for ALBB

Congratulations Beacon Historical Society For A Sold Out Event For "Beacons Of History" - ALBB Proud To Sponsor

Congratulations to the Beacon Historical Society for their sold out event, ”Beacons of History”! Learn more here about the honorees: Sgt. Tony Lassiter and the Melzingah Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

A Little Beacon Blog was able to be a sponsor this year, with our ad projecting onto the screen with other sponsors. Without the work of the dedicated volunteers maintaining Beacon’s history, research that media publications like A Little Beacon Blog conduct would not be possible for deep dive articles. We would not have the visions of what Beacon has looked like over the decades. Beacon’s history is so vast, part of ALBB’s mission is to preserve it, as it explains why things are the way they are in a moment.

Here at ALBB, we focus on “Beacon now,” and what Beacon becomes tomorrow or in the next few hours. Knowing where Beacon came from up until this minute is vital in understanding each other in this community, as the lines between families and intersections between communities is what made Beacon’s history and where we are today living in it.

A Little Beacon Blog’s sponsorship is only possible thanks to the ongoing support of our sustaining sponsors (and reader contributions, job listings, event promotions, and advertorials!). For the “Beacons Of History” event, ALBB dedicated our advertisement to our sponsors:

Start your advertising campaign today to promote your business and support A Little Beacon Blog.

Contribute any amount if you like what you read, or become a monthly sustaining contributor.

The Spirit Of Beacon Day Is OPEN!

Everyone!!

The "Spirit of Beacon Day is alive an well," said former Chair Gwenno James to the City Council during a meeting back in July, during her final appearance as Chair. She was there to present the new Board who volunteered after she put out the call across different channels, which was also published by A Little Beacon Blog.

A Little Beacon Blog's publisher, Katie Hellmuth Martin, felt the role a natural fit for her, being that she had produced 2 floats for South Avenue Elementary School (and decorated 1 drive-by car in the parade during the pandemic), as well as her experience hosting pop-up shops and other community events in her former office space on Main Street.

Junior (Zayed) Dabashi of Key Food had also volunteered to serve, with his experience running many community events for Key Food's family grocery stores in Beacon and in Milford, PA, including car shows (one of his favorites), and open-to-the-community cookouts at the Mosque in Beacon.

Ali T. Muhammad volunteered as well, and as a Beaconite who served on Beacon's City Council, his commitment to Beacon runs deep. You'll see him on the day of the event with a microphone in his hand, serving as a Board Member and MC.

Nickeya Allen pulled in as Treasurer, eager to serve, as her two young children had attended the parade and festival in year's past, and she has participated with ALBB before via Juneteenth.

The reaction from friends and community members has been consistent, and in two forms:
1. "You are crazy!"
2. "Amazing, thank you!! You might be crazy!"

It is true. Anyone who steps into these roles knows that they have a marathon ahead of them. The difference is this is a group marathon where many in the community want to also dive in, get creative, and express what is Beacon.


This Year's Theme: "The Origin Story"

The theme of this year's Spirit of Beacon Day is: "The Origin Story," and here's why:

Event organization wasn't the only reason the role felt right to Katie. In her introductory speech at City Council for the public to hear, she stated: "When the pandemic blossomed into the racial reawakening across the United States and even in Beacon, NY, I started covering the protests down Main Street that marched to Memorial Park and Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park to listen to people's stories during the open mike sessions.

"As a reporter, I got out of my comfort zone and spoke with neighbors I had never spoken to before, heard their stories about their lives in Beacon, and reflected. In 2020, when September rolled around, I thought the Spirit of Beacon Day was the perfect time to kaleidoscope this. To shine the light on the origins of why the Spirit of Beacon Day was created in 1977." But the pandemic happened, and squashed all in-person events. Gwenno and her committee did all they could to produce a virtual version of the day to keep the spirit alive.

According to an article in the Beacon Evening News from 1985: "For a number of years, the students from the Beacon School System and the community were having some problems that had racial overtones. It was during the winter and early spring of 1977 that, for several days and nights, racial problems became severe. The Sheriff’s department was called into the community to help bring the situation under control. A community meeting was held at the Howland Library."

During that meeting, a solution arose: a community day to bring the people together to better understand each other. This day was called The Spirit of Beacon Day.


The 45th Year For The Spirit Of Beacon Day

In early Committee discussions, the Board members expressed the importance of opening up the day to new organizations to participate. The Committee is so excited to dive into this project to bring it to you, with you. We encourage all of you to apply for a Table and/or to participate in the parade. if you have developed something in the last few years, let's see it! Show it to the people so that more young people can experience it. If you have had something for decades, but never considered participating in this day, please do so now!


Let's Gooooooooo!

Below are all of the ways you can help. Thank you Highlands Current and Beacon Free Press for covering the initial change in leadership! Please follow Spirit of Beacon Day on Instagram for latest announcements.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

VOLUNTEERS
Yes, we need so many Volunteers! Volunteering can include helping parade floats and marchers get lined up the day of the parade, helping vendor tables get set up, connecting with non-profits, speaking to Main Street business owners, putting out yard signs in advance, going to collect those yard signs once the day is over, emailing businesses for sponsorship opportunities, producing Instagram art and posts, running the Facebook page, etc.
Learn More >

GOFUNDME FOR SPIRIT OF BEACON DAY!
The Spirit of Beacon Day now has a GoFundMe drive! Producing this event does cost a bit. Our goal is to raise funds needed for the essentials, and have stipends that we can offer to the schools for decorating their floats, as well as a few other ideas. We do want a cushion so that we are not starting with a low balance at the start of the planning phase. Due to time, we are not having a Fundraising Event this year because August is when everyone goes on vacation, and September is Float Building Time!! All hands on deck.
PS! If you are a business wanting to give, please see our Sponsorship option to get promotion .
Donate Now >

SPONSORS FOR SPIRIT OF BEACON DAY!
Businesses in Beacon are one of the keys to holding the community together. They provide employment, enjoyment, and entertainment. This year, the Committee has developed Sponsor Levels that include logos on T-Shirts, yard signs, bathroom signs (yes! we are encouraging people to use our porta-potties rather than the bathrooms inside of businesses!), and more.
Learn About Sponsor Levels >

TABLE APPLICATIONS
The Spirit of Beacon Day is everything with its vendor tables and experiences. Which non-profits and social entities making a difference can the community reach out to and meet at a table? Vendor tables are limited, and we are keeping it to non-profit and social groups or entities only. Application required, and if accepted, a $35 Table Fee is needed to secure the spot. Food businesses are encouraged to reach out to partner with a non-profit if they want to offer food. We are encouraging After School Clubs to apply to represent at a table, and other groups not normally seen but need the exposure to reach our young people. Non-profits and groups can serve/sell food as usual! Otherwise, we encourage everyone to also visit our brick and mortar restaurants in Beacon, in addition to the rare street food you'll find from the organizations.
Apply Now >

PARADE APPLICATIONS
The Parade for the Spirit of Beacon Day is everything! Open to both Beacon businesses and organizations, this parade does require application so that we can keep track of everyone, and curate the lineup. Consider marching, rolling or both! Show your colors.
Apply Now >

PERFORMANCE APPLICATIONS
We want to hear you play! We want to watch you dance! If you have never performed at the Spirit of Beacon Day before, please apply now. Past and future performers are encouraged to apply. The event is known to attract 3,000 people.
Apply Now >

CRAFTS & ENTERTAINMENT APPLICATIONS
The Spirit of Beacon Day is looking for activities for Kids we will curate throughout Main Street. This includes face painting, hair braiding, hula-hooping, whatever you got going on. The Salvation Army has graciously donated their space again for a Kids Section setting, and we have a few other places in mind for Pop-Up Experiences.
Apply Now >

KEY FOOD FIRST SPONSOR AS "BEACON OF LIGHT SPONSOR"
In addition to being a Board Member, Junior Dabashi surprised the Committee with a Sponsorship as our first "Beacon Of Light Sponsor" ($2,000) Sponsor. Key Food Beacon is a longtime participant in the Spirit of Beacon Day as a donor and table participant. This capital enabled the Committee to secure the porta-potties - with an extra ADA compliant unit that fits wheelchairs. We were also able to begin securing a bagpipe band. Thank you JB Said and Junior Dabashi!
Learn About Sponsor Levels >

LAST OUTPOST SUPPORTS AS FIRST "SPIRIT SPONSOR"
As Junior and Katie were walking around Main Street, saying hello to business owners and touching base with them, the Last Outpost store voiced their strong support for the Spirit of Beacon Day, and came on as our first "Spirit Level Sponsor" ($250)! They carry amazingly rugged things in there, and do check out their custom Beacon made merch.
Learn About Sponsor Levels >

ROUNDHOUSE SUPPORTS AS "BEACON OF LIGHT SPONSOR"
One of the most historic buildings in Beacon, and a longtime major sponsor of the Spirit of Beacon Day, the Roundhouse has signed on as a "Beacon Of Light Sponsor" ($2,000)!
Learn About Sponsor Levels >

LOGO DESIGN CONTEST FOR SPIRIT OF BEACON DAY
The Committee for the Spirit of Beacon Day is launching a Logo Design Contest for the design of the Spirit of Beacon Day logo, now celebrating its 45th year. The winning logo will be awarded $300, and be used on all signage, website, social media, merchandise, etc. All entries will be published for viewing, so that everyone can see the range of ideas.
Get Design Direction >

 

Guides To Beacon

When you come to Beacon for the Spirit of Beacon Day, use A Little Beacon Blog's all-inclusive Restaurant and Shopping Guides to prepare you for where to shop and eat. You will buy food from the organizations in the festival who are serving up their own fundraising-based food, but you will also be walking into restaurants for more delicious dishes you don't want to miss. And the shopping....oh the shopping in Beacon is so good!

Is Second Saturday Still Happening In Beacon? Post-Pandemic, Where Are We?

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I know…in the olden days, those dark days during the height of the pandemic in New York (thank you everyone for being so respectful so that we could crush the curve!) days lost their meanings. Second Saturdays used to be one of the heaviest days in Beacon. Art galleries would launch their new exhibits, shops would do discounts, restaurants may offer live music, and A Little Beacon Blog used to open pop-up shops in the space that we occupied back then on Main Street (we had sadly vacated just before the pandemic hit).

To be honest, from a marketing standpoint, Second Saturday was quite a crowded day. We wondered if launching events on other Saturdays might be the way to go. We tried convincing our pop-up shop rental clients of this approach, but they would not be deterred. People wanted their Second Saturdays!

When events and shopping halted, so did the art exhibits. And so did A Little Beacon Blog’s monthly hunting for art exhibit openings that our editor, Catherine Sweet, a veteran Beaconite who moved back to her home state of CA but could not release the Art Gallery in her heart, would write up dutifully every month. However, A Little Beacon Blog’s sales decreased as our event income disappeared, and some advertisers paused (but not all! thank you advertisers!!).

Yet, there were no events, and Catherine is a mother of a young child, and she, like all parents, was drowning in no childcare, which was life back then when everything shut down and parents who worked from home could barely function. I’m not sure if we are even functioning now, come to think of it, in summer and in between camp drop-offs, college visits, and vacays.

Fast Forward To Today’s Saturday

Fast forward to today, and Beacon is bustling! Safely because you all wear your masks (you who refuse or are lying about your vaccinations…we’ll just put you to the side). And safely because businesses are able to make their own rules now, and good customers respect them (unlike those of you who are unruly, and you can just keep yourself on the train and get off at a different stop).

Art galleries seem to be inclined to have Second Saturday’s. We have not checked with the official leaders of this movement, BeaconArts, as this article went up too quickly, but they most likely have an opinion.

Here at A Little Beacon Blog, we want to continue promoting the art exhibits as best we can. In order to do that, we need to open up our advertising platform to art galleries - the same one that shops and restaurants have access to. It is a discounted subscription model that can allow for the listing of an event or marketing message each week in A Little Beacon Blog’s weekend newsletter. We want to pay Catherine the money she deserves! And we need a little extra to pay ourselves (Teslie and Katie both work here each day, and we have student loans, childcare, car payments, rent, mortgage, utility bills all the things).

As an art gallery, if you want to list your events or exciting anythings each week, you can do that in our Art Gallery Sponsor program here. If you are a business or individual who is not an artist, but wants to support each month, you can do so as well here.

If you are a location like a barber shop, who once a month or once in a blue moon hosts an artist, then please submit your event to us. A Little Beacon Blog always has a soft spot for true pop-ups. A “true” pop-up is something that pops up in a very unusual, unrelated location. Like an artist in a barber shop. Or a clothing shop in a barber shop. Both of which have happened!

Thank you so much for your consideration.

Foodie Fundraiser Brings A Food Show Concept Into Homes Of Donors Via Devices - Going On January - February 2021

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Hudson Valley Eats (www.hudsonvalleyeats.com), the restaurant-focused food insecurity platform, has brought together 4 of the Hudson Valley's top chefs for a fundraising cooking event beginning January 12, 2021, called "Cooking For A Cause," to give 100% of the net profits to 4 local non-profits who specialize in getting food directly to locals in need,

For those who love cooking shows and want to experience cooking with a chef on a screen in their home - while directly investing in local non-profits, this is the perfect multi-evening opportunity! "Cooking For A Cause" pairs 4 chefs with 4 non-profits to broadcast online cooking classes every Tuesday from January 12 to February 2nd, 2021 from 6pm-7:30pm. Tickets are $50, and for each class ticket sold, 100% of the net profits go to the dedicated non-profit paired with that class.

The founder of this give-back cooking series and of HudsonValleyEats.com, Janet Irizarry, leads by her mother's motto: "If you are going to be part of the community, you need to find something you can do that will make a difference." Janet's specialty is in restaurant and food management, having consulted with numerous successful restaurants, and teaches at the Culinary Institute of America. She brings together local talent in the culinary world for everyone to experience and benefit from.

How Cooking For A Cause Works

Participants will be sent a shopping list for ingredients in advance, and a Zoom link for the live cooking show. People can start cooking along with the chef, or just watch and drink wine, thinking about cooking! Anyone can ask the chef questions along the way.

Tickets are $50/class, start on January 12th, 2021, and run from 6pm-7:30pm on Tuesdays. People can buy a ticket to each class, which directly benefits the non-profit associated with the chef.

Tickets an be purchased online here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cooking-for-a-cause-tickets-132578954221

Non-Profits And Classes From Chefs Include:

- Dutchess Outreach (1/12/2021): Chef Rebecca Carucci, cooking plant-based recipes with Frances Gonzalez, a specialist in vegan wines. Chef Carucci is going to demonstrate how to cook Mexican Style Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. It is chockfull of omega 3, protein, iron, B12s and is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger for winter comfort food.

- People's Place (1/19/2021): Chef Agnes Devereaux, owner of The Village Tea Room Restaurant & Bake Shop in New Paltz, will teach how to make Pan Seared Hudson Valley Steelhead Trout with escargot butter and butternut squash with onions, sage and grapes.

- Feeding Westchester (1/26/2021): Chef Leslie Lampert is converting your fridge rejects (wilted, shriveled veggies, bruised fruits, gently expired yogurt, cottage cheese, tomato paste, forgotten frozen meats), to pantry pariahs (a leftover handful of rice, a half-cup pasta, that almond flour you bought for one recipe), Leslie, The Scrappy Chef, will teach you how to transform your neglected leftovers to create healthful, delicious meals that prevent food waste!

- Meals on Wheels (2/2/2021): Chef Chef Whitton is the owner of Pier 701 in Piermont and recently opened Autumn, a fine fining French cuisine restaurant in Sparkill, New York. Enjoy an evening in Paris with Chef Whitton as he shows how to prepare a classic Coq a Vin with mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes.

About The Founder

Janet Irizarry is an Adjunct Professor at the Culinary Institute of America, and a Managing Partner of the Hospitality Alliance which brings to gather business professionals who directly service the regions' restaurants, hotels, B&Bs and hospitals, with large-scale food and beverage operations in the Hudson Valley. She is the Editor of HudsonValley Eats.com, a website and Facebook Group that connects everyone in the Hudson Valley with food, not just those who can afford it. Janet was a Contributing Columnist for Hudson Valley News Network for the Food, Wine & Spirits beat, and is the owner of JI Restaurant Consulting.

About Each Non-Profit

Dutchess Outreach: Dutchess Outreach acts as a catalyst for community revitalization and exists in Dutchess County as an advocate and provider of hunger and relief services in order to ensure that everyone, regardless of income, has access to fresh, healthy food, and the support they need.

People's Place: People's Place is a not-for-profit organization feeding, clothing and responding to the needs of the people in Ulster County with kindness, compassion and the preservation of human dignity since 1972. People's Place operates a high quality Thrift Store as their primary economic engine, which is closed during the pandemic. They rely on donations and volunteers from the community, and conduct fundraisers, which were also impacted due to the pandemic.

Feeding Westchester: Their mission is to end hunger in Westchester County. As the heart of a network of nearly 300 community partners, they source and distribute food and other resources to towns across Westchester County, helping to ensure that none of their neighbors are hungry.

Meals on Wheels: Since being founded in 1974 Meals on Wheels has delivered more than eight million meals, often making the difference between a recipient being able to remain at home, and living independently, or being placed in a health care of nursing home. In 2011 volunteers will deliver more than 122,000 meals to homebound Rockland residents who are unable to shop or prepare their own food due to advancing age, illness or physical disability. Over 900 meals are prepared in the central commissary daily to support the programs and contracts of the agency.

Best Sidewalk Sign of the Week and MOD Is Delivering!

You read that right! Meyer’s Olde Dutch, sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, is now offering delivery through door dash!

Not only is the food beyond delicious, but they use the finest ingredients including local food purveyors such as beef from the Hudson Valley, cheese from NY State and produce from local farmers.

In addition to beef burgers, the menu offers chicken, hot dogs and vegan options with multiple toppings and house-made signature sauces, plus hand-cut fries, salads and daily specials. Their full-service bar features a large selection of NY craft beer, locally produced wine and house-crafted cocktails.

All items are available via counter service and serviced in open seating and a back open-air patio.

Also, did you know Meyer’s Old Dutch is named after Chef/Owner Brian Arnoff’s great grandfather Meyer, who once owned and operated Old Dutch Grocery across the river in Middletown, NY? Brian also owns Kitchen Sink Food & Drink, a casual, fine dining restaurant in Beacon.

Head on in and take a bite of Beacon! OR OR OR, order for DELIVERY!

Mother's Day Gift Guide - Shop These Beaconites!

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Mothers love a good snuggle with their children (even older ones!), and they love some pampering too. And for people to just read their minds and do the things that need done! If you are buying for your mom this Mother’s Day, go wild. Because she needs the brightness in the day (but stay within budget…she might hand-slap you), and local businesses need the support too.

Below is A Little Beacon Blog’s Mother’s Day Gift Guide, where we feature our advertisers who continue to support us and help make this all possible. Thanks everyone!


LUXE OPTIQUE

181-183 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508
(845) 838-2020
Shop Now

The easiest thing you could do here, is to buy Mom a Gift Certificate. She may be holding out - denying herself the super special pair of glasses that Luxe Optique specializes in sourcing the world for. That’s right - the world. Because these are not mass produced glasses. These are hand-crafted glasses that we promise you - will get your mom compliments from everyone. That’s right - everyone. She deserves this. Make her go.


PTACEK HOME

146 #2 Main St.
Beacon, NY
(845) 424-6112
Shop Now

PTACEK Home is your local source to exceptionally made furniture. Pieces you are not likely to see in stores. Unless you are in their own store! On Main Street in Beacon. Help them stay in Beacon by taking advantage of their Sale. Just look at those wooden planters!


BEACON BEE


(845) 337-8319
Shop Now

If you’ve heard that local honey is the best, then you’re going to love these all-natural beeswax-based skin and hair products from Beacon Bee. Started by Deb and Matt, who became beekeepers years ago when curiosity and appreciation for bees drove their passion to develop balm in a variety of sizes, scents, and formulations. The beeswax is taken from their own hives. The scents are delicious, and everything can be packaged into wedding favors as well. A perfect gift for a person who loves Beacon and beeswax based beauty.


CSA Listings Are LIVE In A Little Beacon Blog's Business Directory! Don't See Your Farm Listed? Find Out How To Apply Below!

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A Little Beacon Blog is waiving the listing fee for New York CSAs for those farms who are trying to reach consumers with fresh produce, and for those people who are looking for variation on where they are finding fresh food, and want to support local farms who have lost restaurant clients and other wholesale orders.

We did some deep digging and found a few Hudson Valley CSA farms and listed them HERE. Don’t see your farm listed? Find out how to APPLY below.

HOW TO APPLY: If you are a CSA who wants to be listed, please reach out to us via our Contact Us form. Please include your CSA name, website URL, Facebook, Instagram, and a one-sentence description of the type of food you offer.

Normally, ALBB’s Business Listing program is a monthly subscription model. Level 1 is currently free for CSAs. Those who want to upgrade and show pictures can do so for the price of Level 1.

FREE CSA Listing In A Little Beacon Blog's Business Directory! Apply Now

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A Little Beacon Blog is waiving the listing fee for New York CSAs for those farms who are trying to reach consumers with fresh produce, and for those people who are trying to vary where they purchase fresh food, and who want to support local farms that have lost restaurant clients and other wholesale orders.

HOW TO APPLY: If you are a CSA who wants to be listed, please reach out to us via our Contact Us form. Please include your CSA name, Website URL, Facebook, Instagram, and 1 sentence description of the type of food you offer.

Normally, ALBB’s Business Listing program runs on a monthly subscription model. Level 1 is currently free for CSAs. Those who want to upgrade and show pictures can do so for the price of Level 1.

They Are Open! The Condos of 226 Main Street Are Gorgeous - Look Inside (Sponsored)

The condos at 226 Main Street are open.  Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

The condos at 226 Main Street are open.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

The Holland House/Hotel in Beacon around 1925. Photo Credit: Cardcow.com

The Holland House/Hotel in Beacon around 1925.
Photo Credit: Cardcow.com

The seven new condo apartments and three retail condos (meaning, you could buy the storefront space) on Main Street in the newly built 226 Main Street, designed using an inspiration from the Holland House that had been located just a few blocks up the street, are open. They arguably offer some of the most comfortable features available in today’s new construction apartment market in Beacon.

Architected by Aryeh Siegel, who is based in Beacon and has designed several well-known and defining projects including The Roundhouse (renovation of a 19th-century mill building), Niche Modern glass shop, Starn Studio & Gallery, Towne Crier Cafe, Beacon Lofts, Beacon Hotel, Beacon Theater, Ama Pizza, and BJ’s Soul Food Restaurant. (Did you notice their fancy facelift? Congrats to restaurant and building owner Barbara!) This building is a new addition to Main Street on what was formerly an auto mechanic’s yard (if you’re looking for a garage, you can still find Ed’s Auto Repair a few blocks away on South Chestnut). Important to the developers, Gary Joseph and Tim Owen, according to Aryeh, was the type of brick and real mortar used on the exterior, to add to the quality of the building from the outset.

Photo Credit: Maksim with Digital Homes

The ceiling fan in the penthouse.
Photo Credit: Teslie Andrade

Included In All Condos

  • Polished concrete floors with radiant heat throughout

  • Instant hot water dispenser

  • Central heating

  • Elevator access

  • Brand-new construction

  • Floating, ventless fireplace

  • Gourmet kitchen with Wolf stove

  • Appliances including central vacuum, kitchen sink trash compactor, Sub-Zero refrigerator

  • Vintage hand-hewed wood beam accents

  • Walk to shops, cafes and restaurants

The condos in the tower allow for an open, circular living room, with the crown jewel of the building - the fourth floor penthouse - benefiting from the added accent of an oversized ceiling fan.

Prices range for these condos, starting at $299,900* for the 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom. There are two penthouse lofts, one of which offers a walk-out deck over Main Street. Both penthouses have access to a private roof deck. The penthouse with the soon-to-be-famous fan loft is asking $949,000* for a 2 bedroom, 2.5 bathrooms. A condo just below it, for slightly more square footage with the circular living room, is asking $749,500* for 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms. And you can find a condo for $549,900*.
*These are the prices listed as of this publishing.

Looking in person is worth it, but here is a look-see to explore the details before you go inside during one of the many Open Houses for the building, or by appointment.

Staging for this condo was done by local designer Denise Gianna Designs. Find her store on the far end of Main Street.
Photo Credit: Maksim with Digital Homes

The penthouse balcony view.
Photo Credit: Teslie Andrade

The Industrial Feel In A Brand-New Building

The project had design input from local realtor Charlotte Guernsey of Gate House Realty, who has designed several of her own spaces, including Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique and Venue. She is known for a rustic yet modern style. “We wanted it to feel like an industrial reclaimed building, but be warm and inviting with all the conveniences and efficiency of new construction,” she told A Little Beacon Blog.

Her guidance led to lights from Niche Modern, pipe knobs in the kitchen, discerning cabinet choices, and Wolf stoves.

Photo Credit: Maksim with Digital Homes

Photo Credit: Maksim with Digital Homes

The Soundproofing

No matter how many luxury details a space might have, noise remains an important consideration when living in an apartment with neighbors above, below and beside you. That level of detail was considered for these condos. Says Aryeh of the soundproofing: “We hired an acoustic engineer to specify soundproofing details between floors and between apartments, so the unit owners will have acoustic privacy. The mechanical systems are top-of-the-line as well. This extra attention to the details below the surface add to the value of these condos.”

Photo Credit of this and all bedrooms: Maksim with Digital Homes

Photo Credit of this and all bedrooms: Maksim with Digital Homes

The Exposed Brick

When the Little Beacon Blog team first walked through the apartments, the exposed brick in the bedrooms was striking. The first thought we shared was, “I’m so glad they dug in and exposed the original brick!” But then we remembered - this is the original brick and it was never covered because this building is brand new. Sounds silly, but that is how good the application of the brick is, using real mortar, as opposed to other buildings that go with more of an imitation brick.

A succulent nestled into a reclaimed wood beam.
Photo Credit: Teslie Andrade

The Reclaimed Wood

The most surprising element was the reclaimed wood beams throughout the apartments. You’ll also see this detail in the renovated factory building condos of 1 East Main on the other end of town.

Aryeh confirmed this tactic: “The accents of old wood timbers and interior brick do give an extra sense of detail not generally found in other interiors.” Using the wood brings that warm element to the apartments that otherwise have cold elements throughout, like the concrete floors. But surprise! The concrete floors in these condos all have radiant heat. So coziness is guaranteed around the highly modern floating ventless fireplaces that are also in each condo.

Before we move on to the next aspect of these spaces, we are going to give a moment to the windowsill. While the building hallways are adorned with traditionally thick and glossy crown molding, the windowsills inside the condos each have the vintage wood. A detail not seen often in homes.

The pipe knobs used in the kitchens. Photo Credit: Teslie Andrade

The pipe knobs used in the kitchens.
Photo Credit: Teslie Andrade

All The Kitchens

The pipe knobs used in the kitchens are just one of the many details that make these kitchens stand out. In the seven units, the kitchen layouts are different, ranging between an open layout, to a cozy corner wraparound for an in-the-kitchen feel.

The exposed wood windowsills continue into the kitchen, making for a spectacular match with the quartzite counters that look like marble. “Marble looks great, but it stains and the upkeep is unrealistic. That’s why I go with a highly polished quartzite,” says Charlotte.

The Wolf stove with hood and spacious refrigerators will make it super easy to cook with many of the farm-fresh and gourmet ingredients sourced from Main Street.

Photo Credit for all kitchen shots: Maksim with Digital Homes.

All The Bathrooms

Readers who have been following the blog closely will recognize what is becoming one of Charlotte’s signature styles: the herringbone. She’s taken her impulse for the pattern and applied it to two of the bathrooms, while the other bathrooms use different materials.

Photo Credit for all bathroom shots: Maksim with Digital Homes.

Call Gate House Realty For Showings

Call Gate House Realty at (845) 831-9550 for showings of any of these seven condos. Or walk in one weekend when the Open House sign is out on the sidewalk, just steps away from Homespun, Isamu, Ziatun and Max’s On Main, where you’ll find delicious snacks.

Video Credit: Vivo Creative.

Sponsored Post

This article was produced in partnership with Gate House Realty, who is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog. We thank them for their support of local media, and thank you for supporting businesses who support us.

Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique Expands

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We knew something was going on when we saw the hole in the wall at Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique right when King + Curated, the bridal boutique’s former neighbor, moved across the street to a larger location. Lambs Hill started as an experiment from realtor and artist Charlotte Guernsey a few years ago. Several storefront windows later in one of Beacon’s renovated factory buildings at 1 East Main Street, the venture has been a success.

“The space itself is what inspired me to design the boutique,” said Charlotte, whose real estate firm, Gate House Realty, represented the retail and commercial sales of 1 East Main Street after it was renovated.

Inside of Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique, which is always undergoing new design transformations. Photo Credit: Lambs Hill

Inside of Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique, which is always undergoing new design transformations.
Photo Credit: Lambs Hill

The local bridal shop expanded in order to fit more inventory into the store, and to make more room for their own office. The expansion allows Lambs Hill to fit another 150 dresses into the boutique, bringing the total to 300 dresses from 10 designers at any given time. They also converted a bathroom to add a new dressing room and full-length mirror for brides to try on the gowns, for a total of five mirrors in order to accommodate five bridal fitting appointments at one time.

“In order to carry a designer you have to purchase a certain amount each year,” Charlotte explained. “Therefore, a lot of product is coming in all the time. We are constantly unpacking new dresses.”

Lambs Hill has also dedicated more than one-fourth of the shop to plus-size dresses, ranging from sizes 16-30. Parts of the store have sample-sale dresses, or dresses that a bride can pull off the rack and take home that day. “These are great for last-minute weddings, second dresses, destination weddings. But mainly customers order dresses to their sizes.” Prices in the store range from $1,500-$2,500, while dresses from the popular designer, Haylee Paige, range from $3,000-$5,000.

Charlotte has done many of the renovations herself, including installing the herringbone wall on the new addition.

Main Street is never dull. Get out there and step into the experiences these shop owners have created for you. For more ideas on shopping in Beacon, visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide. Lambs Hill is a sponsor of that Guide, which allows us to show you even more of what is going on inside each week.

Early-Bird Pricing For 2020 Summer Camp Guide In A Little Beacon Blog

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Back when we started the Summer Camp Guide for Beaconites, it was primarily because there were so many great camps around us, yet it was hard organizing which camps which of our children should go to on which dates. So we made a list about it, and that list quickly got used by many, many parents to referred to it as a bible as they plotted their summers.

We have also now learned that the building of these Summer Camp Guides starts in November (a great tip given to us by a magazine publisher friend). So we are announcing now the ability to get us your information so that A Little Beacon Blog’s Summer Camp Guide can be spit-spot ready to go by March, which is when the camps start sending out their notices to parents, and parents begin locking in plans.

About A Little Beacon Blog’s Readers:

Readers come from Beacon, but they also come from other Hudson Valley towns including Fishkill, Wappingers, Peekskill, Kingston and Poughkeepsie. Even New York City! We have even gotten requests from people who live in those communities to start something like A Little Beacon Blog in their cities or towns.

READERSHIP
21,500 views/month
3,690 followers on Facebook
4,900 followers on Instagram
1,700 newsletter subscribers

See our full Media Kit here.

How A Little Beacon Blog’s Guide Works (The Secret Sauce)

Our guide is a living guide, which means that it lives online on the same web page every year. This is how it has maintained its #1 ranking in Google over the years for people searching for summer camps. All of our Guides work this way, in fact. Here’s our Secret Sauce:

  • Lots of Great Recommendations: We include basic information for camps based in Beacon for free. This includes the dates. The dates are the most important part for parents.

  • Links: We include links to camps’ websites because that’s what Google loves, because readers love links. Easy-peasy connections to info!

  • Dedicated Sponsor Pages: Advertising camps get their own pages on A Little Beacon Blog. So, you pay for a page on our website that can include lots of details about your camp, including price, descriptions, photos, etc. Even videos if you have them!

Why Advertising In The Guide Is Crucial For Camps In And Outside Of Beacon

There are a lot of great camps. The space even inside of Beacon has gotten crowded. Parents look outside of Beacon for different date ranges, age ranges, and specialties. A Little Beacon Blog’s Summer Camp Guide is a central place for them to refer to as they research and register.

  • So Much! While we started listing as much as we could for free for Beacon businesses, we started drowning over the years. We no longer can keep it up without sponsor support from the camps.

  • Dates get released late into the season. While this turns into breaking news and is good for us to get the scoop on, we might not get to it because, well, Life. This is why advertising is helpful. It locks in your update!

  • Stand out in the competition. Those who advertise get logos and photos, and can get featured on the main page of the Summer Camp Guide.

Early-Bird Special - Pay Now - Get Your Camp Info Updated In Advance!

The Early-Bird Special is going on now for enhanced listing in A Little Beacon Blog’s Summer Camp Guide. Parents are planning their summers early. Let them see your programming and dates!

The Summer Camp Guide lives here:

https://www.alittlebeaconblog.com/summer-camp-guide

An advertiser at Level 2 in that guide ($485 Early Bird, regularly $685) is ID Tech Summer Camp. See how their listing looks in the main Summer Camp Guide, and then the special sponsor page they get.

Their dedicated sponsor page is here:

https://www.alittlebeaconblog.com/summer-camp-guide-listings/id-tech-summer-camp-stem-education

You can purchase the advertising online here at any time, and we will get it up for you onto the website. That way it will be ready for whenever it is that parents begin their research!

Even if you don’t know dates yet, you can buy now during our Early-Bird period, and submit the information when you’re ready.

Advertising Perk For Black Friday For Our Subscription Advertisers

Here’s the deal, guys: Here’s how one of the most fun advertising packages works at A Little Beacon Blog. It’s a program we created just for Main Street businesses.

No other magazine does it this way. We crafted it this way because we love telling stories. We love showing pictures. We love 💕 sharing the juicy details of what our small-business friends are doing with our readers.

Black Friday is next week. In addition to this weekend’s newsletter, we are prepping next week’s because we too will be traveling and shopping! We are going to all of our subscription advertisers to find our what they are offering for Black Friday, and including it in this next newsletter. If you were thinking of joining as an advertiser in our Guide advertising (curated recommendations), or our new Business Directory, now is the time to start. We can include your special Black Friday Deal in this roundup.

✨✨HOW IT WORKS✨✨

SHOPPING GUIDE: $185/month to show storefront and product photos that best reflect your shop and logo. $285/month is that and weekly features in the newsletter and blog! Plus random Instastories.

RESTAURANTS: Our Restaurant Guide ranks top in Google for people searching for where to eat in Beacon. $185/month to elevate your listing with a storefront photo, logo, and photo gallery. For $285/month, get that, plus music and event listings. People want the musical lineups, but we can’t list them all for free. We’ll drown! Help us help you. Includes Weekly features in the weekend newsletter.

CLASSES: Another reader favorite. We randomly feature curious and on-off classes. For more control of your description and listings, you can enhance this listing. $185/month includes your photo, logo, photo gallery, and overall class programming with links to where to buy. $285/month is that, plus weekly features in our weekend newsletter.

We think ahead for the marketing ideas for you.

All you have to do is be awesome!

Dream Opportunity For You To Own A Jeffrey Terreson Piece - HUGE Moving Sale Happens This November Weekend (Sponsored)

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Remember that time when the artist Jeffrey Terreson moved to Beacon? Into 475 Main Street, the building next to the Howland Cultural Center that is currently for sale? He brought to us sculpture-like paintings that Ralph Lauren, Joseph Abboud, major interior designers, architects, and others collected. After this weekend, he is completing his move to Katonah, but before he does, he’s having a major, MAJOR art sale to make that load easier for him.

Classified as a fine artist, Jeffrey wonders why people restrict themselves to a brush in the fine art world. He uses a knife to carve the textured material he sometimes includes in his work, like sand. Or a blow-torch to melt the wax he mixes in with paint. His paintings are layered with history of his vision as it gets covered up by new layers and vision and carved into to tell new secrets.

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As Jeffrey closes out his Beacon chapter, he is not doing so quietly. He is having a MAJOR MOVING SALE. Yeah, we said it in all-caps. Because it’s huge. And let’s be honest, it is unusual for an artist to do. But again, let’s be honest. Jeffrey is an unusual artist.

Months ago, Jeffrey opened a new gallery in Katonah, called Forward Contemporary. He has been very busy securing his art in respected realms for a fine artist, and has written you a letter about it in this article below.

Sale For Two Days Only - Up To
80% Off Prints (Some Enhanced) and 50% Off Originals

Believe it. If you pined for Jeffrey’s art before, or worse - if you put it off because you thought you could buy it at any time, this is your time. It’s not the last time you can buy Jeffrey Terreson, of course. He is alive and well. And you can find his new gallery in Katonah. But this is the only time for this kind of sale.

There might even be bidding wars. The large white piece that some of you know so well - several have chirped up for it. So don’t wait. Text Jeffrey at (914) 772-6570. Secure the piece you want, however, with your credit card or cash. This is a first-come, first-get sale.

First-Come, First-Get.
Saturday and Sunday Only!

Here’s how this is going to work. You need to go into the gallery at 475 Main Street in Beacon, NY on Second Saturday and Sunday: November 9 and 10. Talk to Jeffrey. Get the price. Lock it in and walk away with an incredible piece of art, or make an offer and wait. The gallery is located next to the Howland Cultural Center, across from Echo.

This sale includes originals, prints, enhanced prints (meaning, Jeffrey painted on them), and other surprises you’ll find out about when you go.

Out Of Town? No Problem.
Shipping Works.

OK, fine - if you’re out of town, you can still be in on this sale. Secure a work with your credit card, and give your shipping address. It’s that simple.

Letter From Jeffrey Terreson:
“Dear Beaconites…“

In his own words, here is a parting letter from Jeffrey. You can see his take on the art industry at the moment, and his latest accomplishments. You can always visit his website at www.jeffreyterreson.com and Instagram at @jeffreyterreson_fineart.

Beacon has the best people, great friends. I love Beacon.

We are taking this wonderful experience and moving it closer to my home, in Bedford, NY. To our new space in Katonah. It is 5 miles from my home. I was up in Beacon 352 days last year. Gas alone ends up being half my rent in the new gallery. So economics played a big role in my decision to move out of the Beacon gallery.

This year has been great on several fronts. Recently, I have been working on major project with architects from San Francisco and West Palm Beach. Really exciting!

On the museum front, I have a piece juried in by the curator from Museum of Fine Art in Boston, as guest juror, into the Katonah Museum of Art, for “Sound.”

I also had a piece called “Weathered White” chosen by the curator of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver for their Gala show! It was an amazing gala. I am also in discussion with the Parrish Museum about a cool project. TBA. Sign up for my newsletter and you’ll get the info.

SIDE NOTE FOR ARTISTS:
One goal for all artists who take the more serious fine art path over the commercial path is to garner museum credentials. It is a complete risk. 100%. Plus the audience for sales is smaller. The work has has to be noticed.

But I know if I stop, I will never get there. So my role as an artist is to keep painting when no one is looking. When they do see, I will have the equity in my work to engage the opportunity. You just cannot wait for opportunity to show and not be prepared. We are what we manifest. It is a full-time commitment.

The future for me holds more China engagement, some art fairs and bringing new artists to the gallery in Katonah. The Katonah space is really special. Please come and visit. I invite all to stop by. Of course we are on Instagram, which is really becoming the “website “ for our industry. Visit us at @forwardcontemporary on Instagram.

But come see me on November’s Second Saturday in Beacon.

—Jeffrey Terreson

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Terreson

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Terreson

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Terreson

Photo Credit: Jeffrey Terreson

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Editorial Sponsor Note: Y’all. We at A Little Beacon Blog are going to miss Jeffrey very much. From before the day he stepped foot in Beacon, he became a financial supporter of A Little Beacon Blog by way of sponsoring his announcement article. Getting to know his story was so awesome, we even published a behind-the-scenes article on the building and gallery. He has now sponsored this Moving Sale article. We thank him so much for respecting the craft of writing and getting the word out. Honestly, it’s an art to do what we do. To build a relationship with you. Jeffrey recognizes that, and we appreciate it. Thank you for supporting him!