Featured Businesses In ALBB's Black Owned Business Directory

Maggie and Ease

“We at MAGGIE & EASE are committed to preparing great food and providing a remarkable and enriching experience through bold flavor and savory delights made generously with love.” Try their desserts at Dia: Beacon art museum & Homespun Foods on Main. St.

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Sound Asleep Media

Sound Asleep Media is a production company in Beacon, NY offering photography & videography services including parties, portraits, family photos, and events.

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Salon Dae

A charming and cozy salon studio with a good energy and vibe. A rustic/chic boutique decor. It’s not just a hair appointment, it’s an experience!

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Blacc Vanilla

A Coffee Lounge located in Newburgh, NY with an experience that serves old-world passion evoking a strong sense of community. “Blacc Vanilla may not be an industry leader in the café business, but they have consistently been very active within the city community: hosting community and political events, providing relief for folks during disasters, and creating a business, as well as a community partnership.”

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APG Pilates

“Whether you’re new to Pilates or at an advanced level, at APG Pilates we work with each person individually and in small groups to help you achieve your personal goals. Pilates is designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.” Located in Newburgh, NY, APR Pilates is designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.

Are you in the Black community and run a business in the Hudson Valley? Let us know about you! Listings in the Black Owned Business category are free. All other categories can sign on as sponsors for a listing.

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NFP Studio Exclusives Sample Sale Is Happening Now!

If you are traveling from afar, make a day trip or stay the weekend in Beacon! There are many wonderful things to do, including, The NFP Studio Exclusives Sample Sale that is happening NOW! It is real and it is no joke!

NFP offers convertible knitwear rooted in a foundation of sculptural, timeless forms. Designer, Gail Travis, resides between her studio in Los Angeles, CA, and Beacon, NY! Beacon is fortunate to have NFP localized in Beacon, even though they are a coveted fashion brand popular in NYC and larger markets. Located for years next to Joe’s Irish Pub, they paid homage to the pub when it closed and have been hosting their sample sale there.

Styles are selling out FAST! They are open every day from 10-5 up until their last day on 2/28. Run, don’t walk!

“NFP is a vision that I have grown into a collection of wearable art that allows each person a blank canvas to create their own individual style, I challenge my self to continue the evolution of NFP to offer you, my loyal customers and friends, an endless supply of moldable forms - ENJOY!”

Writerly Happenings By Phoebe Zinman: Blizzard Edition

Hi lovely readers.

If shoveling hasn’t put you in traction, and you’re able to read this, I salute you!

Books From Phoebe’s Writing Group

I have a cozy little writing group that’s helping me get through this epic midwinter, and I surveyed them for what they’ve been reading of late.

They recommend the novel The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow. It's about three sisters in late-19th Century America who are descended from witches and get involved in the suffrage movement.

Also The Moth Snowstorm by Michael McCarthy, Ravens in Winter by Bernd Heinrich (a theme emerges), Piranesi by Susanna Clarke and A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders.

Someone else is reading nonfiction like Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Hahneman, and Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez, who passed away last month. I just finished Felon by Reginald Dwayne Betts, an incredible book of poetry that takes on the American prison system, and Euphoria by Lily King, which is loosely based on Margaret Mead’s life and made me question the moral ground of whole entire field of anthropology.

Any of these could be had at either Binnacle Books or Split Rock Books or requested for curbside pickup at the Howland Library!

What else is going down besides rock salt?

Well, the Hudson Valley Writer’s Center has a pretty serious lineup of awesomeness if you want to join on Zoom. There’s a great workshop with Karen Finley (!!!!) on February 13th called What’s Love Got To Do With It. The center also has an open mic on February 19th if you feel brave.

In conjunction with Bard College, the phenomenal Meshell Ndegocello has created this amazing project inspired by James Baldwin. Chapter & Verse “is a 21st century ritual tool kit for justice. A call for revolution. A gift during turbulent times.” You can call in for meditations, songs, readings; it’s such a creative work.

I just discovered the Albany Poets group and that’s a website you can spend some time in. They have a number of performance recordings, lots of calls for submissions, and they just published two poems by Mike Jurkovic, who is a really fun poet to hear read.

Kingston Reads presents A Community Conversation about Race and Social Classifications on February 18th, in collaboration with one of my favorite bookstores, Rough Draft. Moderators Shaniqua Bowden, Erica Brown, and Charlotte Adamis “will hold the space for a spirited conversation about race and social classifications inspired by Isabel Wilkerson’s award-winning book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.” 

For a book discussion closer to home, you can join the Newburgh LGBTQ+ Center for their Abolitionist Study Group in March. Email them to join in. And if you want to exercise your abolitionist muscles in a different way, consider the Black & Pink, a nationwide PenPal program in which incarcerated LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS are matched with PenPals who correspond, build relationships, and participate in harm reduction and affirmation.

The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center in Kingston has some scheduled meetings to virtually write these letters with a group! In partnership with the TMI Project, the Center is also putting out a call for storytellers who self-identify as members of the Black Transgender & Gender Non-Conforming community.

Finally, on February 25th, SUNY Dutchess Community College presents New York Times best selling author Hanif Abdurraqib. This is a great opportunity to hear a really prolific writer.

This should be enough to warm you up, dear readers! Stay safe, stay cozy, keep shoveling.

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

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.

Racist Zoom Bombing Targets Desmond-Fish Library Bake-Off Awards Ceremony While Black Employee Hosts

During the holiday season of December, 2020, the Desmond-Fish Public Library in Garrison held a month-long bake off contest for kids, who could bake at home and submit their entries. The submissions would be presented in a video montage Awards Ceremony on January 2nd, 2021, where participants could gather on a Zoom call, hosted by Justice McCray, a well known lover of books and creative programming, having worked at Beacon’s Howland Public Library, and currently works at the Desmond-Fish Public Library, as well as Split Rock Books in Cold Spring. Justice is also an emerging local activist in the social revolution to make Black lives matter more, and has been a leader in most of the protest marches down Beacon’s Main Street and educational story circles held at Memorial Park and Pete & Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park.

The bake-off program was well marketed in advance across social media channels and in the local press. As the program got started, with eager children, parents and caregivers on the call to look at delightful attempts at baking, the The Great Desmond-Fish Public Library Bake Off award ceremony was interrupted by people or a person masquerading as participants on the call - using participants’ names like a wolf in sheep’s clothing - typing words such as the N-word dozens of times in all caps across the screen. The Desmond-Fish Public Library Director Jen McCreery confirmed to A Little Beacon Blog: “The interloper appropriated the identities of several program participants, which is how they were able to access the program through the waiting room.”

The program had been “hacked by one or more interlopers who used the platform to spread racist and sexist messages” the library director explained in an email press release sent soon after the incident, and on the library’s Facebook page, in a message from the library’s Board of Directors, posted 2 days after the event, and after the authorities had been notified, and participants began to process what had happened. As to if the library or Justice himself were targeted, Jen emphasized: “I do want to clarify that we have no way of knowing whether this was a targeted or random attack on the library and Justice specifically.”

The program’s host, Justice McCray, expressed in his social media that he wasn’t sure what to do after the targeted incident. He has since co-hosted an evening vigil at Pohil Park in Beacon, in honor of finishing the Election Certification that was derailed at the Capitol yesterday (1/6/2021) by people, some of whom were armed, climbing the building and breaking windows to get inside to sit in offices and put their feet up on the desks of people who had evacuated.

This was the first time that the Desmond-Fish Public Library had ever been Zoom Bombed, Jen confirmed. Library staff was able to handle the breach “as quickly as possible in the moment, but, sadly, the Zoom participants were exposed to this hateful and illegal behavior,” Jen told A Little Beacon Blog. In their message to the public, the library Board expressed: “The Library Staff and our Board of Trustees are horrified that a program created as a positive and joyful celebration of our community was derailed by one hateful individual, We are especially sorry that this attack was witnessed by children. No family should have to encounter such hate speech.”

According to Jen in response to A Little Beacon Blog’s questions, the library notified Putnam County Sheriff's Department. “They have taken our full report and it's my understanding they are looking into what charges might be brought against the perpetrators.”

In terms of moving forward, “we are looking into alternate online platforms as well as additional security measures we can take for future online events,” Jen told A Little Beacon Blog.

Jen also expressed: “Everyone at the library is grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support we've received from local organizations and families and we hope that, going forward, we can channel that support into creating programs and educational resources to help our community members come together in addressing the larger systemic issues that contributed to this incident.”

Justice McCray told A Little Beacon Blog in response to an email asking him if he had comments he wanted to share regarding his and this experience: “This was a traumatic incident for me. There’s no way for me to not take this personal. To be the first Black staff member at my job to host an event and to have this happen cuts deeper than I can explain. I’m glad the library and community aren’t sweeping this incident under the rug. It’s necessary to center to voices and needs of those most impacted by this event. It’s also equally necessary not to center them in a way that amplifies the trauma.

“The work ahead is as vital as it is difficult and painful. Now is a necessary time for or communities, especially Philipstown, to reflect on the impact its history of racism has on its dreamed future of inclusivity. The next questions that need to be asked are not “how can we improve security on our events to prevent this from happening?“ but rather, “How is this something that can happen in our communitiy? What behaviors have we dismissed or ignored that led to this escalation? How can we create a community where harm like this doesn’t continue?”

Beacon's 3rd Annual Hop And Shop Kicks Off Today!

It’s that time of year again! Beacon’s 3rd Annual Hop and Shop aka festive shopping, services, sales & specials on Main Street! TODAY 12/3 and Friday 12/4. Perfect opportunity to #ShopSmall & #ShopLocal!

Let’s get to the good stuff…

Which Businesses Are Involved?

Lewis & Pine
Kringle’s Christmas House
Blend Smoothie & Salad Bar
Alton Road Pottery
Tito Santana Taqueira
Utensil
Beacon Tintype
Play
Beetle & Fred
Hudson Land Design
Zakka Joy
Beacon Bread Company
Flora Good Times
Lucky Thirty One
Ziatun
LotusWorks
Happy Valley Arcade Bar
The Studio @ Beacon
Last Outpost Store
Binnacle Books
Beacon D'Lites
Vincent’s Eat Paint Love
Beacon Pantry
Beacon Bed & Breakfast
Blackbird Attic
Wonderbar
The Vault Restaurant
Sullivan & Main
NFP: New Form Perspective
Reservoir I Clothing & Home
LLTO / Live Light Travel Often
La Mere
Raven Rose
Vintage Beacon
Hyperbole
Solstad House
Beacon Mercantile
Village Jerk
The Chocolate Studio
The Leaf NY
Berte
Maria Lago Studio 502
Vegetalien
BAU Gallery
The Snooki Shop
Hudson Valley Marshmallow Company
Kaight
Holistic Living with Doctor Dardano
Miss Tea
The Blushery
King & Curated
Beacon Aesthetics
Melzingah Tap House
Urban Links Design
The Roundhouse
Inglenook Marketplace

What Are The Discounts?

Find out HERE at Hop & Shop Beacon.

Sister Women's March Rally/March-In-Place Scheduled For October 17 In Beacon At Pohill Park

A reader wrote in to alert us to a rally happening in Beacon that they wanted to attend, and were surprised to learn was happening. The reader stated: “I will be a new resident of Beacon in October, and I've been following your blog to get to know the community. Thank you for providing such a fantastic resource! I don't know if you promote events like this but I wanted to call it to your attention. I went to sign up for the Women's March on Oct 17 to protest the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett for SCOTUS & was planning to march in Manhattan. But, I was pleasantly surprised to find that out of the 2 marches planned in the state of NY, the other happens to be planned for Beacon, NY.”

According to Forbes.com, additional marches supporting the main Women’s March in Washington, D.C., include over 100 satellite marches happening in 39 states, with more than 70,000 people who have pledged to participate.

The march-in-place event in Beacon is hosted by Southern Dutchess Resist, a group who organizes many rallies, including the first Black Lives Matter that happened on the sidewalk in Beacon, which was followed by the next, and larger march down Main Street by a group of young people who united to become by Beacon4Black Lives. The two organizations have since worked together to plan education and protest events, along with other organizations in the region, including 854Unity, Label Foundation, Next Step Hudson Valley, and others, to bring awareness to different issues.

How The March-In-Place Rally Will Work

Location: Pohill Park, on the corner of 9D (Wolcott) and Main Street.
Day: Saturday, October 17, 2020,
Time: 2-4pm
No walking. A rally. Marching-in-place.

This rally is in support of, and in defense of, Women’s Rights. Participants can bring signs that express different messages. Parking is available in free municipal lots, which include City Hall, but not the fire station. Regarding behavior, the organizers say: “This is a peaceful rally in community. Profanity and the like is not condoned - verbally nor written.”

Social distancing will be encouraged, with masks. Bring your hand sanitizer.

Please do not ask shops to use their bathrooms. You can go shopping, however! So bring your wallet as well. Need a face mask from a boutique in Beacon? Visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide, where we indicate which shops sell face masks.

Details about Beacon’s rally can be found here.

"John Lewis: Good Trouble" Playing On Wednesday At 4 Hanna Lane In Beacon

From the people who brought you many of the protest Marches down Main Street in Beacon this summer, Beacon4Black Lives, is staying committed to educating about Black lives by starting new projects, like by establishing a free WIFI hub in Memorial Park, and outdoor movie viewing experiences.

On Wednesday evening, in partnership with Miz Hattie’s Southern BBQ, LNJ Tech, Beahive, and Storyscreen Beacon, you can watch this movie for $7, the proceeds of which go to Beacon4Black Lives to help them continue their work, stating via Instagram: “As we continue to work with our community to create a better tomorrow, we collaborate to educate and fund new and necessary projects for our community.”

For tickets, visit www.beaconfilmsociety.org

As the weather looks stormy, you should keep tabs on a rain or shine status by visiting @beacon4blacklives on Instagram.

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Editorial Transparency Note: Miz Hattie’s an advertiser with A Little Beacon Blog. This did not influence the reporting, or the how or why this article was produced.

Susan Pagones, of Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency, To Chair Go Red for Women Luncheon

It was only after Susan Pagones’ mother passed away suddenly from heart disease that the family found clues that might have alerted them that she had been having heart issues. 

“It was 22 years ago, and I still get choked up talking about it,” Pagones said. “She was only 57 years old. She used to watch her grandchildren every Tuesday, but this Tuesday she was helping my father  run the Norm Schofield scholarship golf tournament, in memory of Norm who ironically passed from heart disease. Some of the symptoms we know now were connected to heart disease were that she was really tired, and had had a lot of heartburn. We found a lot of antacids in her medicine cabinet after she passed away. Back in the day, we didn’t realize that those were signs of heart disease in women.” 

Pagones, partner of Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency in Beacon, is now 53, and when she recently experienced chest pain and numbness on her left side, she didn’t hesitate. The chair of the 2020 Go Red for Women Luncheon went right to her husband, Timothy, and asked him to take her to the emergency department. She is waiting for results. 

“If it’s nothing, that’s fine,” she said. “But I don’t think I would have gotten my husband and gone to the ER before I was part of the Go Red for Women movement. I would have worried that I would be embarrassed. That’s a mindset we women need to get out of.” 

Denise Doring VanBuren, now retired from Central Hudson Gas & Electric, chaired the 2019 Dutchess-Ulster Go Red for Women movement, and invited Pagones to be part of her Executive Leadership Team. Pagones also joined the 2019 BetterU, a 12-week heart-health improvement program. She shared her mother’s story during the Luncheon itself, and now is leading the 2020 Go Red for Women campaign, which has taken a different turn in this COVID era. 

Luncheon Will Be A Digital Experience

The 2020 Dutchess-Ulster Go Red for Women Luncheon will be a digital experience on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to noon. Participants can register at DutchessUlsterGoRed.heart.org, and a Zoom link will be sent to them. They can also follow the Facebook event page for updates, https://www.facebook.com/events/695557514363882/.

“We need to hold this event now more than ever,” Pagones said. “COVID has had an effect on all of us. My 12 weeks in the BetterU were some of the best 12 weeks of my life, to have people pushing us to be healthier, and all of us working together for the same purpose. I learned a lot about cooking, the grocery store, and going to the gym. COVID had slowed me down, but I’ve joined the Go Red Get Fit Facebook page, and someone wrote something about COVID that expressed exactly how I feel. COVID put things in perspective. It has made me think about what I want to do, and the need to get myself out there, walking, exercising and being mindful of everything.” 

COVID-19 has also affected Pagones’ work life, as small businesses have been reassessing their insurance coverage. “I’ve done a lot of research and have been involved with the Chamber,” Pagones said. “We’re working with our clients now on ways to save money so we can all hold steady.”

Just as she is supporting the fight against heart disease in women, Pagones is supporting local businesses. “I’m a stickler for shopping local,” she said. “When restaurants were doing takeout, we got food from a different restaurant each week.” 

More About Susan Pagones

Pagones started working at Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency, LLC, the business her father owned, when she was 22. Ten years ago, she took it over, and now owns it with a partner. 

“It’s a great family business on Main Street in Beacon,” Pagones aid. “We grew up together, and I love that we all know each other.” 

Pagones is from Beacon, got her B.S. from SUNY Brockport, and after getting her insurance license, started working at Antalek & Moore in 1989. She and her husband, also a Beacon native, have five children and three grandchildren between them. 

Now, Pagones is encouraging women to make time for the Go Red for Women Luncheon, and learn about the signs and symptoms of heart disease in women. 

“Our survivor speaker is Golda Black, and her story - well, I’m a crier, and it really got me. When you hear all the stories of people living with heart disease, it’s hard to imagine,” she said. “That’s why I share my mother’s story, which I started doing last year. When I joined the committee, it became a passion to get everyone educated. Heart disease can happen to anybody. Women should be part of this because of what I went through, and am still going through. I want everyone to recognize the warning signs, and not be embarrassed. There are more issues around COVID and that makes our mission more important now than ever. If you’re not taking care of yourself, who are you helping?” 

“Susan brings a passion and warmth to the Go Red for Women movement that draws people in,” said Melissa Hanigan, manager of patient registration/office manager of specialty service at Ellenville Regional Hospital, and chair of the Hudson Valley Board of Directors of the American Heart Association. “She shares her story and is committed to educating women. I know we will have a very successful event with her at the helm. We’re honored that she stepped up to lead this event.” 

Pagones is joined by an Executive Leadership team. Its members are: Kim Kenyon, Susan Howell, Maureen Kangas, Barbara Ostrander, Carol Schmitz, Elizabeth Donohue, Melissa Hanigan, Tricia Mood, Sonia Kesselmark, SharonDiCarlo, Denise Doring VanBuren & Debbie DiRubbio.

About the Dutchess-Ulster Go Red for Women Luncheon

The 2020 Dutchess-Ulster Go Red for Women Luncheon will be a digital experience on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to noon. Susan Pagones of Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency, LLC is chairing the Luncheon. Golda Black will share her story of living with heart disease. Anne and Ryan from Q92.1 will emcee the event. CVS Healthcare is the national sponsor of the Go Red for Women movement. Local sponsors include Nuvance Health, Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency, LLC, Central Hudson Gas & Electric and Tompkins Mahopac Bank. Media sponsors are Hudson Valley Magazine and Q 92.1.

For information or to register, visit DutchessUlsterGoRed.Heart.org or contact Danielle.Schuka@heart.org. 

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Additional Resources

• DutchessUlsterGoRed.Heart.org 

• www.GoRedForWomen.org 

• Heart Attack Symptoms In Women
  

The Hudson River Maritime Museum Announces Women's Sailing Conference Goes Virtual In November 2020

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to announce the Fourth Annual Riverport Women’s Sailing Conference has opened registration for its new, virtual event taking place on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, 2020.

Energize And Empower Women To Get Involved In Sailing

Taking place on the evening of Friday, November 6, 2020 and from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2020, the Women’s Sailing Conference features speakers and instructors from around the world. The goal of the conference is to energize and empower women to get involved in sailing at all levels. Everyone, women and men, from experienced sailors to those who have never been on the water before are welcome! Conference registration is by household, so gather around your screens to participate in these amazing opportunities.

The conference begins on Friday, November 6 at 5:00 pm. Pour yourself a glass of wine or sparkling cider and get ready to be wowed by our Friday night keynote speaker, Captain Dawn Riley, the first woman to manage an America's Cup sailing team. She has raced on four America’s Cup campaigns and two Whitbread (The Ocean Race) teams. Dawn now runs Oakcliff Sailing Center (oakcliffsailing.org), which provides opportunities for participants to build world class sailing skills in local and offshore racing and to learn the business of sailing.  Based in Oyster Bay, NY, Oakcliff hosts sailors from around the world and trains them to work and sail at the highest levels of the sport.

Watch Maiden on Amazon Prime or STARZ

Tracy Edwards, captain of Maiden, opens our Saturday, November 7 session at 1:00 p.m. You may recognize Tracy’s name from the recent film Maiden (2019), about the all-women crew who competed in the Whitbread Around the World Race in 1989-1990. Members of the original and current crews will regale us with stories and keep us updated on their efforts to educate girls around the world through their current project The Maiden Factor. Participants are encouraged to watch the documentary film about the race before attending. Maiden is available for purchase on Amazon Prime or included with STARZ.

The afternoon will continue until 6:00 pm with more amazing women-led presentations including: 

• Welcoming Sailors from Diverse Communities 

• The History and Mission of the Sloop Clearwater

• Safety Around Large Vessels

• Maritime Careers

• Blue Water Sailing

• Basic Navigation

• Communications at Sea

• Sail Care and Repair

• and Outboard Engine Troubleshooting

Afternoon sessions will be available in three sets of three concurrent sessions. All sessions will be recorded, so those participants who want to revisit presentations they did not attend will have access to the recordings after the conference.

The fee for the entire conference is $50 per household. We welcome participants from low-income and underserved communities and have scholarships available. To apply for a scholarship, please email Jody Taffet Sterling at jsterling@hrmm.org                                                                               

About the Hudson River Maritime Museum

Located along the historic Rondout Creek in downtown Kingston, N.Y., the Hudson River Maritime Museum is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the maritime history of the Hudson River, its tributaries, and related industries. HRMM opened the Wooden Boat School in 2016 and the Sailing & Rowing School in 2017. 

Spirit Of Beacon Day 2020 - Pandemic Style - Pictures and Video!

With the state mandate of no parades or large gatherings during this pandemic of COVID-19, there was no chance that Beacon was going to have a repeat of any big parade like what caused a spike in the spread of the flu in 1917 in Phili. But Beacon would not be stopped from having its annual celebration of its team spirit - The Spirit Of Beacon Day - which we all know was started after racial tensions and riots in 1977.

Yes, this is all connected! And as people are people, the spirit never goes away, and the need to listen to each other never goes away. Hence the reason the Spirit of Beacon Day was started 43 years ago. To address this need to come together.

Thankfully the torch has been passed from committee to committee, and the Spirit of Beacon Day Parade continues. The current committee decided to have a drive-by parade, as well as a virtual concert. They worked closely with Beacon’s Highway Department to develop a route. The route was based on the plow route that the Highway Department uses when plowing our streets come winter.

The cars were divided into 4 quadrants and drive down different streets, led by Highway Department trucks. Yay trucks! Maybe you saw from your house, or maybe you saw in Instagram. People who did see were happy, and the Spirit of Beacon Day Committee was pleased with the results. Says president Gwenno James: "Thank you to the Spirit of Beacon Committee volunteers, and a big shout out to the City of Beacon Highway Department who lead the Drive-Thru and provided the route map. Their essential workers have continued serving our community throughout the pandemic and were on the front lines during the lock-down cleaning City Hall, keeping everyone healthy and safe. Thank you also to everyone who participated in the Drive-Thru and Virtual Concert, and to our video producers." And thank you for the generous support of our donors."

Watch their full video here. They covered a lot of people and talents! All photos used here are courtesy of the Spirit of Beacon Day Committee.

Pictures of Spirit Of Beacon Day 2020

The Spirit of Beacon Day Committee sent over these photos of some of the cars particpating and representing in this year’s Drive-Thru Parade.

Remastered Virtual Hudson River Revival Music Festival to be Restreamed October 4th

The Great Hudson River Revival (AKA Clearwater Festival), the world’s oldest and largest music and environmental festival, went virtual this year on June 20th due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Due to popular demand, Clearwater will stream a remastered version of the all-day event on Sunday, October 4th from 11am-11pm at ClearwaterFestival.org. The remastered Revival will include a day full of music and activism, as well as a beautiful American Sign Language interpretation throughout. This is a free virtual event however, donations are greatly appreciated at ClearwaterFestival.org. 

This Year’s Performers

The event will feature musical performers, storytellers, and activists, including: Tom Chapin, David Amram, John McCutcheon, Jay Ungar and Molly Mason, Peter Yarrow, John McEuen, Noel Paul Stookey, Tom Paxton, Emma’s Revolution, Guy Davis, Tommy Sands, Reggie Harris, The Mammals, The Chapin Sisters, Lyn Hardy, Arm of the Sea Theater, Abbie Gardner, Breakneck Ridge Revue, R.J. Storm, Magpie, The Rix, The Vanaver Caravan, Betty and the Baby Boomers, Kyle Tigges, Mel and Vinnie and more.

Going Virtual 

Bringing Revival into the virtual world has allowed Clearwater to reach new audiences globally, and also include folks who’ve not been able to attend the festival in person due to health, geographic, or financial restrictions. The online fundraising event raised over $50,000 for Clearwater when it originally streamed in June earlier this year.

Tom Chapin, one of the event’s organizers and a musician participating in Virtual Revival, said, “Happiness, for me, is performing at the Clearwater Revival and, for the first time, being able to actually watch all the other great artists play. Tune in and join us. Support the group that built the sloop that saved the Hudson River.”

This event is part of a larger initiative to transition Clearwater’s educational and environmental programming online in order to continue its important Hudson River education and environmental work during a time when gathering in person is unsafe.

Virtual Revival will be live-streamed on October 4th from 11am-11pm. The online chat that accompanied the live feed became a place for new and old Revival attendees to connect with each other. Clearwater hopes that many people will join in again on the live commentary. 

Virtual Revival T-shirts are available for purchase here.

"Clearwater's work has always involved inspiring people to fall in love with the Hudson River and take action to protect it. Even now amidst the pandemic, that work continues," said Erik Fyfe, Clearwater's Education Director. "Despite the distance, we've been excited to be able to bring people to the river through virtual sails and interactive online programs, and the response so far has been terrific."

About Hudson River Sloop Clearwater 

Launched in 1969 by legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has been at the forefront of the environmental movement as champions of the Hudson River. To date, more than half a million people have experienced their first real look at an estuary’s ecosystem aboard the sloop Clearwater.   Clearwater has become the grassroots model for producing positive changes to protect our planet. For more information, visit www.clearwater.org.  

Running for Human Rights: Beacon Woman, Tara Simmons Aims to Inspire Others by Running 100 miles This October in Pursuit of Crossing The Country in 2024

Starting Saturday afternoon on October 3rd, Tara Simmons will begin a 100mile journey from Albany to Beacon. She plans to run through the night in order to complete the race on Sunday afternoon, October 4th at approximately 4PM, finishing at Beacon Riverfront.

Who is Tara?

A Beacon native, Tara has been running since the 7th grade when she joined her middle school cross country team has since gone on to complete 5 marathons, and 2 half iron woman.

Tara decided she would use running across America to achieve her dream to raise awareness of Human Rights, calling her race FLIP IT 4 RESPECT. She said her run will be all about “educating, empowering and encouraging ALL people of the importance of receiving and giving respect to ALL, in each moment, because we ALL deserve it.”

Running Against Domestic Violence

For Tara, October is symbolic of her journey in discovering her own Human Rights. Tara said, “October is domestic violence awareness month. Domestic violence is part of my story, but today I stand strong. I am running this October to pay tribute to a local organization, Grace Smith House, for their help in my journey, for helping me regain my strength. I’m more than my past, I’m stronger than my past, I’m excited for the future. I want others to know their right for respect.” 

Tara plans to raise awareness of human rights by encouraging others to complete the United For Human Rights, free online e-course found at www.humanrights.com She will also be spreading the message through educational guides and conducting live workshops beginning this fall. 

The Flip It 4 Respect run strives to bring attention to this message, across the country, one step, one kilometer, at a time. Her ultimate goal is to run from Death Valley, California by traveling a 100K a day, to Beacon, New York. She will tackle her goal of running across country while raising awareness by completing milestone races over the next few years. This race in October, will mark her first milestone for in the journey. 

Along the way, Tara will be accompanied by a dedicated team of friends and family that will be on hand to support her with fuel for 100-mile journey. Among the crew will be Tara’s 3 children(ages 19, 14 and 11), who are among her most enthusiastic supporters. Her brother Rueben Simmons of Beacon’s Highway Department will also be running, cheered on by her sister Brooke Simmons of I Am Beacon.

While spending most of her time and energy planning her journey, Tara is also a middle school teacher and local fitness coach. She plans on sharing her experience with her students and hopes to inspire them to continue setting and reaching extraordinary goals. Tara hopes everyone takes her message of “Hope, Choice, Love. This 100-mile is a demonstration to myself and others, I’m more than the story I wrap myself in. If I can do it, you can too!”

Join Tara!

For anyone who would like to join in her efforts or to find out more about Simmons’ run, visit www.FlipIt4Life.com or find her on Facebook at Flip It 4 Life.

Contact Info:

Tara Simmons | 845.702.6273 | flipit4life@gmail.com

Flip It 4 Respect – Running for Human Rights

www.flipit4life.com | www.facebook.com/Flip-It-4-Life

Boscobel Reimagines Its Experience; Waives $50K Rent Of Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival; Opens For Outdoor Social Distancing

One view from Boscobel.
Photo Credit: Tyler Mell

Like many farms, camps, and museums, Boscobel was getting ready to launch its spring season into summer when the pandemic hit and mandates shut down every business. Back in March, thinking that outdoor gatherings in warmer weather would be safe, they tried to move forward with an Open Air Flex Pass ticket program for their popular tenant, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF), so that customers could buy tickets to the upcoming Shakespeare performances.

However, out of safety precautions, HVSF was unable to hold any performances due to rehearsal and gathering restrictions. This was quite a jolt, as the theater company had performed in repertory on Boscobel’s grounds since 1988. In light of the pandemic, Boscobel waived the HVSF rent of $50,000, and moved forward with re-imagining how it can continue, according to a press release they issued this week. “In the wake of HVSF’s 2020 season cancellation and its own COVID-19 hardships, Boscobel waived the Festival’s rent,” Boscobel stated.

“Boscobel is mourning loss, navigating new health protocols, and suffering major budget impacts from COVID-19, but the outpouring of community support keeps us strong,” says Executive Director and Curator Jennifer Carlquist, who notes that maintaining the site alone costs more than $2,500 every day. “The heartfelt thanks we’ve received from pandemic visitors underscores what psychologists have long studied—that experiencing profound beauty increases people’s sense of well-being, and makes them feel more connected to their loved ones and the world around them.”

Boscobel Opened To Healthcare Workers - For One-Household At A Time Enjoyment

“As soon as we realized that it would be some time before we could open our gates as wide as we’d like, we started to think about what we could do to contribute to our community during quarantine. Focusing first on the selfless healthcare workers who risk so much for the greater good, we opened up our gardens and grounds for one-household-at-a-time, free respite visits for healthcare workers,” says Director of Visitor Engagement Ed Glisson.

Boscobel is an ideal place to take a well-earned deep breath. As respiratory therapist Margaret Degan Dorangricchia put it, “It was a beautiful and much needed escape from the confinement of our home and the daily mental and physical exhaustion of our work.”

Boscobel Now Opening Access To Their 68 Acres To The Public

Now offering a limited number of timed gardens and grounds tickets to the general public via Boscobel.org, tickets remain free to healthcare workers and Boscobel members. Guests are welcome to picnic, stroll the gardens and grounds, and hike the trail—there are 68 acres for safe, social distancing.

The location is one of the most beautiful places in the Hudson Valley, with its Great Lawn overlooking the Hudson River, and Constitution Marsh. A pollinator-friendly Herb Garden and Formal Garden with plants that were popular in the 19th century are also available to experience, as well as a mile-long Woodland Trail along the river.

The Cold Spring Farmers Market is also hosted at Boscobel. Every Saturday, Cold Spring Farmers Market and Boscobel open Boscobel’s gates to host local vendors and hundreds of market-goers seeking fresh, local food while adhering diligently to public health guidelines. In other words, Mask Up! And wait in line very far away from each other (6 feet). Then come to Beacon on Sunday for Beacon’s outdoor Farmers Market near the post office.

Distancing Learning Of Boscobel

To bring Boscobel’s historic site, Neoclassical mansion, and decorative arts collection to anyone wishing to have a personal experience of Hudson Valley design, history, and nature, Boscobel created a pilot virtual tour, accessible from Boscobel.org, which is just as illuminating from home as it is on the grounds. The museum also created virtual programs for K-12 students who had to miss their field trip visit. There is also yoga on the grounds sometimes.

Boscobel Researches Early Black Inhabitants

Boscobel’s staff has been reduced to a core focusing on building a more sustainable, inclusive museum for the future. Together with committed trustees, staff are developing a long-term Interpretive Plan, which involves researching and incorporating the histories of Boscobel’s early Black inhabitants. Earlier this year, Boscobel joined the Hudson Valley Slavery Roundtable and is mining 18th- and 19th-century papers for references to slavery and manumission. In 1810, four of Boscobel’s ten inhabitants were “free” Black people. “It is long past time to better understand how ‘free’ they really were,” poses Director Carlquist. “How did everyday New Yorkers cope with the seminal conflicts of war and slavery?” Boscobel recently received a Humanities New York grant to advance this research.

You can support Boscobel at any time here with an online donation or membership.

Pair with your visit a trip to Beacon for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Use A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant Guide to help you plan where to eat, and the Shopping Guide to help you know where to shop the boutiques.

Pete Seeger's Granddaughter, Moraya Seeger DeGeare, Launches City-Wide Art-Based Protest

Moraya Seeger DeGeare MA, LMFT is a therapist with BFF Therapy located here in Beacon on Rombout Avenue, and has just launched a big protest art project. As the granddaughter of Pete Seeger, activism runs through her blood. As Idealist.com explained in their interview with Moraya: "Taking action to fight for social justice was in her blood. 'I grew up going to rallies,' she says. 'Activism is really normal for me.' Ten days after giving birth to her second child, she could not take to the streets to protest, so she thought up a different way to participate through an art-based protest she has identified as #ToMyOldRacistEarth.

It’s important to note that Moraya provides culturally competent psychotherapy for youth through adulthood with a specialization working with Deaf and multicultural communities. Her area of expertise is racial identity development, relationships, and mixed-race couples. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes her work to Emotionally Focused Therapy for people in relationships. Her work specializes in providing culturally competent care with people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.

About “To My old Racist Earth”

Moraya took inspiration from her grandfather's song "To My Old Brown Earth," and created "To My Old Racist Earth" for her art-based activism. Beacon businesses and residents have already started, like Studio Beacon, a cycling and boxing fitness center on Main Street that is rooted in community.

“I will be the first to say that having a baby in 2020 has been a “different” experience. These babies of ours are born in a time of pandemic and uprising. As we look for the good, it also means that our children will know a life that’s always been filled with deep conversations & protest ✊🏽Thank you @the_abbys for venturing out with your babies to make some chalk art! I told y’all Beacon is the most magical community.” - Moraya Seeger DeGeare. Photo Credit: Studio Beacon

The “My Old Racist Earth” Project Has Two Parts:

“I am here for this Cramer cousins collaboration, some quick work between Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York to create this magic. Feeling an extra level of love, allyship and support. Check out @twincitiesmakerscollective for more extraordinary protest art supporting the movement.” - Moraya Seeger DeGeare. Photo Credit: Moraya Seeger DeGeare

Moraya will explain how the project works in her own words. It’s important to hear from project or movement organizers in their own words sometimes, so that you can get the feel of a particular protest:

Part 1:
"The first is the visual. Truly any medium that inspires you. Chalk art outside if you have the space. It’s fun, yet temporary. This one has already washed away with the rain (pictured above). So we will be doing new ones all week, and especially on July 3rd. I encourage you to make signs, posters, murals, t-shirts, I told my cousin to make a #BLM in the corn field next door 🤣 Anything form that inspires you.“

Part 2:
”Now the second part is key also. Start drawing and start the conversations 🙏🏽 Some of us don’t have the privilege not to have these conversations. I challenge all of you to lean into the discomfort. I mean, this picture (above and in the flyer) is me two weeks post postpartum sitting on the ground..... the movement doesn’t stop for anything. So excited to see and hear what you create.”


When Moraya sees the protest sign All mothers were summoned when George Floyd called out for his mama, “my heart shatters,” she shared on her Instagram for the project.

In a letter to her friends, and in her Event description for this movement, Moraya tapped into her life with her grandfather, Pete Seeger: “I’m channeling the energy of those who knew they saw injustice but knew they had to stand alone in it sometimes. I tap into my grandfather Pete Seeger’s energy with this one. If you ever visited the Hudson Valley in the late 1990s or early 2000s, you might remember seeing him, by himself, standing on the corner of Route 9 and 9D every single week (if he was not traveling) with his “PEACE” protest signs. It was on the calendar in our family home for years.”

“Grandpa would always welcome people to join him, although he didn’t need a big organized event for him to embrace his need to protest. As he grew older others would drive and hold protests to end climate change; stop the war; and to protect our children, to name a few. He didn’t need it to be big, he just needed to protest. He wanted just one person sitting at that light to challenge the system with him.”

Moraya hopes to see a decorated town on July 4th: “How beautiful would our towns be waking up on July 4th decorated with your artwork? Decorated with our hurting hearts and our children’s love.”

To join in the movement protest digitally, tag the Instagram accounts: @ToMyOldRacistEarth & @BFFTherapy

Use the Hashtag #ToMyOldRacistEarth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.