Beacon Dispatch

Playground fundraiser a huge success

From Julann Cobb, Director, Wee Play Children's Park:

"Thanks to all of the many volunteers who pitched in, and thanks to community that supports our efforts, the First Annual ReePlay Sale was a terrific success! Our goal was to raise $1,000--and we were thrilled to discover that we exceeded that with over $1,200 raised for the Wee Play Children's Park! Walmart of Fishkill supported this fundraiser with a grant of $1,000--making the total proceeds for the fundraiser over $2,200. Thank you, Mary Antalek for leading such a wonderful fundraiser, and many thanks to all of our volunteers who contributed to the day's success. We couldn't have done it without you!"

Your pictures of the Beacon Hat Parade

Below is one of the the pictures I received over the past week from readers of the Dispatch. If you have pictures you'd like to share, send them to me and I'll add them to the gallery.

Grand opening of Gateway to Mount Beacon Park on Saturday

Join Scenic Hudson on Saturday, the 21st, from 10-2, to celebrate the opening of their Gateway to Mount Beacon Park.

You'll be able to climb the new staircase and trail to the mountain’s summit. Or, you can stay at the trailhead and hear a presentation about the mountain’s revolutionary-era history. Refreshments provided. The event will take place rain or shine.

Scenic Hudson recommends that participants wear sturdy shoes or boots for hiking, wear weather appropriate clothing and bring extra water to drink. 

For more information, please contact Andy Bicking at (845) 473-4440, ext. 232 or abicking@scenichudson.org.

School budget passes; library budget rejected

According to the BSD Web site, the budget passed with 1025 votes for and 812 against. The 2005-2006 budget of $44,180,000 represents an 8.37% increase over current year. A measure to purchase new buses also passed, 961 to 853.

The Poughkeepsie Journal also reports that the $867,357 operating budget for the Howland public library was rejected. A recount is reportedly in progress for the library board positions, for which Anne Forman, Suzanne McElduff and Ed Tucker are candidates

Volunteers needed for playground benefit

From Julann Cobb, Director of the Wee Play Children's Park:

We have our biggest fundraiser coming up this Saturday--the ReePlay sale at the VFW hall from 9-4. We desperately need more volunteers to help get ready for the event. So far a lot of people have offered help, but we need more people to actually show up. (Remember, we are doing this for ALL of our kids, right?) If you've been meaning to start getting involved, now is the time! There is a LOT of work to do this week if we're going to be ready. PLEASE CALL MARY ANTALEK ASAP TO OFFER YOUR HELP - 838-9782.

This is what we need:

TUESDAY NIGHT: Meet at Mary's House to help sort, organize and price items (think of it as a preview!). Come anytime after 6 P.M. Even if you can only come for an hour, that's a help!

THURSDAY NIGHT: More sorting, organizing and pricing at Mary's house, anytime after 6 P.M.

FRIDAY NIGHT: We need people to transport the stuff from Mary's house to the VFW Hall. The way it will work is that we load up our vehicles Friday night, then meet at 7 a.m. Saturday Morning at the VFW Hall to unload and set up. We can't set up Friday night because of Bingo. Ideally we will have enough people so that nobody has to make two trips (wastes time we could spend setting up). We only have two hours from unloading at 7 a.m. to starting the sale at 9. The bigger the vehicle, the better, but we'll take all the help we can get! (do you have a trailer?)

 

SATURDAY: We need people to meet at the VFW hall to help set up. Since some of us will have to bring kids along, extra eyes on the little ones will be needed also. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO WORK THE SALE. Contact Mary to let her know when you are available.

WE NEED MORE BAKED GOODS. Bake sale items are a great way for us to make more money. Even a tray of muffins or cookies from Sam's would be great. Baked goods can be dropped off Saturday Morning at the VFW Hall. You are coming to shop anyway, right?

Directions to Mary's House: From Beacon, Take Red School House Road, go under 84 and make a right on Bedford Lane, then your first right onto Tree-Line   Court. #15 second house on the left(red house).

Please, contact Mary or me to help out. This will be a really fun and rewarding event, and a great time for everyone to get their feet wet volunteering. It's time for everyone to get serious about our fundraising and get to work!

Thanks for your help and support,

Julann
831-7254 or 527-0223

First shad boat launched in 130 years

After the Hat Parade, about 100 people gathered at the Sloop Club to launch the Isabel Barton, a traditional shad fishing boat built right here in Beacon. John Cronin, Managing Director of the Rivers & Estuaries Center, was joined by Beacon Mayor Clara Lou Gould, and Pete & Toshi Seeger in the blessing and launch of the boat. Also on hand was the boat's namesake, Isabel Barton, who was responsible for pulling the plans together for the boat in the early 1970's. As first-mate of the Clearwater, she sought out abandoned and wrecked shad boats as she sailed up and down the Hudson. A self-described "passionate observer", she helped make this vision a reality by inspiring the project more than 30 years ago.

The Isabel Barton before launch

The real Isabel Barton

Toshi & Pete Seeger

Hat parade brings out the best in Beacon

In what will hopefully become an annual event, the first Beacon Hat Parade went off without a hitch yesterday. Grand Marshall and owner of the last hat factory in Beacon, Sal Cumella, led off the parade in a vintage Dodge. He was followed by about 200 people wearing hats of all shapes and sizes, as well as the local Corvette car club and the Beacon Fire Department. It was a fabulous kick-off to a great day. Do you have any pictures from the Hat Parade that you'd like to share? Send them to me here at the Dispatch, and we'll see if we can post them on the site for all to see.

School board elections on May 17

According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, the Beacon school board election will be uncontested, with three incumbents (Alyson Chugerman, Donna Pineiro and Michael Riehl) running for three seats.

The candidates are running for a volunteer three-year term ending June 30, 2008. The board sets policies for the Beacon school district and decides spending.

In addition to school board members, the election of Howland Library board members and approval of the 2005-06 school and library budgets will also be on the ballot. The election will take place from noon to 9 p.m. May 17 at eight polling places around Beacon:

• James V. Forrestal Elementary School, 125 Liberty St.
• Beacon High School, 101 Matteawan Road.
• Lewis Tompkins Hose House, 13 South Ave.
• South Avenue Elementary School, 60 South Ave.
• Sargent Elementary School, 29 Education Drive.
• Beacon school district bus garage on Route 9D.
• Chelsea firehouse, 16 Liberty St.
• Glenham Elementary School, 20 Chase Drive.

For information on the elections, call the school district at 845-838-5000

BACA Brings Beacon Together

Cooperation of arts and business attracts visitors to Beacon

by Jack Sine

The Beacon Arts Community Association (better known as BACA) began, oddly enough, as the result of a trip to Philadelphia to take in a rock concert.

“A friend of mine and I had tickets to a Martin Sexton concert on Saturday May 7th in 2001,” said Beacon sculptor, Tom Joyce. “We decided to go down the day before and settle in before the concert. That night we drove down to the venue to make sure we knew the route. It was bitter cold – seventeen degrees and the wind was gusting, but when we came into Old Town the sidewalks were jammed with people. We couldn’t figure out what was going on. We wanted to stop and look around, but we couldn’t find a place to park. After the concert I met some friends who lived there and asked them. ‘Oh, that’s First Friday,’ they said. ‘It’s been going on for 12 years. All the galleries, shops, and restaurants stay open late and they publicize it. It draws thousands every month.’

Beacon Voices: Sal Cumella, President, Dorel Hat Company

by Michael Daecher

This month, the Beacon Arts Community Association (BACA) is sponsoring the Beacon Hat Parade, a celebration of Beacon’s heritage as the hat making capital of the Northeast. The Grand Marshall for the parade will be Sal Cumella, owner of the last hat factory in Beacon, the Dorel Hat Company. The factory is located in a non-descript green and white warehouse across from the Beacon train station. Until the trees and brush were cleared to make way for the new commuter parking spaces, you might not have noticed the factory was there. 

Over the years Mr. Cumella has worked with some of the industry greats. While working with Mr. John, he designed hats for some of Hollywood’s brightest stars, such as Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, and Gypsy Rose Lee.

Since he moved up to Beacon 18 years ago to take over the company, Sal Cumella has made a thriving business from a specialized market. According to Mr. Cumella, Dorel is the largest manufacturer of designer millinery (women’s hats) in the world. I interviewed Mr. Cumella on a Saturday morning, when the sewing machines and antique machinery were quiet. But on a normal day, the factory is a whirlwind of activity.