Food Pantry At Beacon Recreation Remains Open On Saturdays - Precautions Being Taken

Published Date: Saturday, March 14, 2020

The food pantry at the Beacon Recreation Center will remain open during the coronavirus voluntary self-quarantine mode, and is serving people one-by-one on Saturday mornings. The food pantry is run by the New Vision Church of Deliverance and is located at 23 West Center Street, around the corner from South Avenue Elementary and near-ish to the Beacon Housing Authority.

“Precautions are being taken. We will give out numbers and have people come in one at a time. [There will be] hand-washing, then obtaining food,” said Kenya Gadsden, who represents the church’s food pantry.

Donating Food To This Food Pantry

Usually, Trader Joe’s and ShopRite have donated the food to the New Vision Church of Deliverance’s food pantry at the Beacon Recreation Center. According to Kenya, that has become more difficult during the past few weeks.

Anyone wanting to donate can drop off a bag(s) at 9:30 am on Saturdays to 23 West Center Street. Or, you can drop it off at the church, New Vision Church of Deliverance, 831 Route 52, Fishkill, NY.

Also located on the property of the Recreation Center is the Tiny Food Pantry, which is a grab-and-go style food pantry that people can place food into whenever they want, and people can take whenever they want. Expired food is not accepted, and ALBB recommends that you place in it whatever you would buy for yourself or your family. If you like it, someone else who can’t buy it probably does too! Toiletries and hygiene products like are pads also accepted.

An Insightful Letter From CEO of Cleveland Clinic - His And Other Healthcare CEOs’ Requests To President Trump

Published Date: Friday, March 13, 2020

As you may know, I am from Cleveland, Ohio. For that reason, I get kept abreast of Ohio developments both for the coronavirus, and for the weather (usually, weather in Cleveland travels to Beacon in about one day… it’s how I’m so good at predicting snow flurries or super rainy days).

Earlier this week, in my inbox, an email arrived from the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, Tomislav Mihaljevic, M.D. The email had been sent to Cleveland Clinic board members, and was forwarded to me by a friend. In this time of “What do we do in a pandemic?” I found it comforting. The Cleveland Clinic granted A Little Beacon Blog permission to publish it for you to read too. Here it is:

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March 11, 2020

Dear Board Members,

We will keep you updated on Cleveland Clinic’s preparations and response to COVID-19.

At Cleveland Clinic, our primary concern is to care for patients and protect our caregivers. We are ahead of other organizations in terms of our preparations. We have collaborated with community leaders and providers to ensure the safest care for all patients.

Today (March 11, 2020), I am traveling to the White House and will be joined by other healthcare CEOs and top industry representatives. Our charge is to share what we are doing and also advise the federal government on what more can be done.

As a global healthcare leader, Cleveland Clinic is using this opportunity to request three barriers be removed by the government.

• We believe access to care is critical and will ask for testing, treatment and quarantine to be guaranteed for all Americans through appropriate payment channels.

• We seek relief from regulations that limit our ability to reach patients virtually and surveys that distract hospital operations during this epidemic.

• And we request that all medical conferences and large gatherings be temporarily cancelled.

This morning, we announced the following precautions to our caregivers:

• We are restricting all international and business travel until further notice.

• We will be reviewing all Cleveland Clinic events, including Continuing Medical Education, for cancellation.

• We asked caregivers to replace in-person meetings with virtual options.

• Also, caregivers will not receive attendance infractions for shifts missed due to exposure to COVID-19, and we are finalizing guidelines to provide compensation during a leave of absence.
  In addition, we educated caregivers on how we are preparing in this video.

Because of our outstanding clinicians, I am proud to report that Cleveland Clinic will be the first to launch onsite patient testing for COVID-19, starting tomorrow, March 12. By testing onsite, we can return results within 8 hours, versus 3-4 days currently when sending to the CDC. We will begin with limited testing capacity and are working to quickly increase this in the days ahead.

We know you may get more questions about testing and will send these guidelines out to you shortly. We will continue to send frequent updates as this situation evolves. You can also visit ClevelandClinic.org or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for information and travel guidance for more information about COVID-19.

Thank you for your support.
Tomislav Mihaljevic, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer and President
Cleveland Clinic

Beacon City School District Closes Schools For 2 Weeks - Why This Is Good (Words From A Doctor In Italy)

Parents and community members have been waiting for the declaration about Beacon City Schools to follow several other districts in New York State. Gov. Andrew Cuomo was reluctant to close schools, with the economic impact it has on parents to continue to go to work, or work from home. In New York City, Mayor de Blasio was concerned about the food programs that exist in the public schools statewide that get food to low-income families. Dutchess County Legislator Nick Page has indicated that both New York State and the federal government are working on aid packages.

With Dutchess County’s State of Emergency declared today, all schools in the county must close. While kids are being regarded as (thankfully) not having severe symptoms, thoughts are being revisited as to if keeping the schools open is a good idea. The podcast Unchained (normally a cryptocurrency podcast) dedicated their entire show today to data-based insights on coronavirus, and recommended that readers read this essay in Newsweek, written by a doctor in a major hospital in Western Europe. He writes from Italy (which is under quarantine and the streets are empty, just in case you hadn’t read that yet):

From Newsweek:

“I'm a doctor in a major hospital in Western Europe. Watching you Americans (and you, Brits) in these still-early days of the coronavirus pandemic is like watching a familiar horror movie, where the protagonists, yet again, split into pairs or decide to take a tour of a dark basement.

”The real-life versions of this behavior are pretending this is just a flu; keeping schools open; following through with your holiday travel plans, and going into the office daily. This is what we did in Italy. We were so complacent that even when people with coronavirus symptoms started turning up, we wrote each off as a nasty case of the flu.”

The Beacon City School District is off today anyway for a professional day, so kids have been home in a practice day off. More news is to come of what sort of preparation plans the District has for students.

Superintendent Matt Landahl’s letter to parents:

Dear Beacon Community:

Due to the Dutchess County State of Emergency, the Beacon City Schools will be closed for classroom and extracurricular activities for the next two weeks due to Coronavirus/COVID 19. This school closing lasts through March 27th. We have been preparing for this potential and we will share some of our plans with you in the coming days. I want everyone to be safe and be kind to each other. I will update the community soon.

Matt Landahl

Hudson Valley MOCA - Postponement Of Some Events (Remains Open Regular Hours As Of Now)

Published Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020

Hudson Valley MOCA, in Peekskill, is letting the public know that the safety and well-being of their visitors is a top priority. In light of current events, Hudson Valley MOCA is taking precautionary measures and will be closed to the public through the end of March. All public events and programs during the month of March are canceled, including the opening reception for .edu: Art Faculty of the Hudson Valley.

For those who have made reservations for Portfolio Review Day on Sunday, March 22, the event will continue as planned (as of this writing, but check their website and social media before going).

Until further notice, Hudson Valley MOCA's open hours will remain the same: Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm.

Click here to learn more about what Hudson Valley MOCA is doing to ensure the health of their visitors.

Beacon Dental Is Expanding! Opening First Orthodontist Office Next Door

The new and expanded team at Beacon Dental.
Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog, with photo of team by Beacon Dental.

Dr. Hongli Wang was part of the transformation of Lupin Plaza over a decade ago (location hint: near Sal’s Pizza), when she invested in remodeling the office building in order to open her dental practice, Beacon Dental. Born and raised in Beijing, China, she earned her first dental degree from Beijing University in 1988 and her second dental degree from NYU in 2001. She has been working as a dentist ever since.

In 2019, Dr. Wang underwent another investment to the building, when she expanded Beacon Dental by 2,500 square feet, with new equipment and furnishings into the space next door to open Beacon’s first and currently only orthodontist office. The Beacon Dental is team is giddy with excitement, with several brand-new offices, chairs and even headsets to communicate to each other in the large space.

New Talent At Beacon Dental

New to the team are an associate dentist, a periodontist and an orthodontist.

The Orthodontist is Dr. Wang’s classmate from dental school, Dr. Guoqiang Guan, a leading orthodontist and Director of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. He provides orthodontic treatment for both adults and children. Dr. Guan has studied orthodontics all around the wold, receiving degrees and certifications from Peking University in China, Okayama University in Japan, and the University at Buffalo in New York. Dr. Guan has more than 20 years of clinical experience in orthodontics. “Dr. Guan is an American board-certified orthodontist for adults and children. Beacon Dental is excited and honored to have Dr. Guan join us to better serve the dental needs of our patients here in the Hudson Valley,” says Dr. Wang.

Construction Nearly Complete - And Seeing New Patients Soon!

We stopped in to see Dr. Wang’s progress, and her excitement could not be contained as she inspected the rooms that were under construction and answered questions from contractors.

Now that construction is nearing completion, they have announced the expansion to their patients and are starting their new orthodontics division for kids and adults. “We are dedicated to constant and never-ending improvement to provide many more treatment options at one convenient location!” the announcement read. “We would love for you to come and visit our new office and check out our new services.”

Women Are Reconnecting With Their Inner Dancer at Beacon's Ballet Arts Studio Adult Ballet Classes

Great article in this week’s Highlands Current by Alison Rooney about ballet class for adults at Beacon’s Ballet Arts Studio. It features three students who are former dancers who stopped dancing after they had children, and have taken up the practice again to reclaim sanity through the meditation that is ballet for them.

One featured dancer/student is Juliet Harvey of Beacon Pilates, who steps out of her own fitness studio as the instructor, to be the student in another part of town, in another person’s studio. All of the women featured share what the ballet class means to their minds. According to the article, Patrice Shea, 58, who also stopped dancing when she had children, says about the ballet class that it is “the only thing I do for myself all week; I make every effort to get here. As an adult, I feel it’s important to feel strong, flexible and balanced. This class is a judgment-free zone.”

Further down the street, the owner of the new cryotherapy center, Cold Fit Cryotherapy, is also a dancer who pulled back due to injury. While she still dances, she credits cryo treatments that healed her toe and other body parts to keep her moving and doing some dance.

Find classes like this in A Little Beacon Blog’s Adult Classes Guide.

PS: The Highlands Current is seeking readers to hear from in a focus group they are hosting in Beacon here at A Little Beacon Space on Saturday, January 18. Find information on how to participate at the Highlands Current’s form.

Fishkill-Based Flower Delivery Tech Company Hands Out Flowers To Beaconites

Pictured here is Lovingly co-founder Ken Garland, with a flower recipient.
Photo Credit: Lovingly

Remember those days (what feels like) so long ago, back when the sun shone, casting those especially steep fall shadows toward the dimming of the day? Back in October, Lovingly, a national tech company based in a nondescript office building in Fishkill, wrote into A Little Beacon Blog to let us know of a time where they randomly walked the streets of Beacon to hand out flowers.

Pictured here is co-founder Joe Vega, left, and Steven Duckworth, right, with flower recipients.
Photo Credit: Lovingly

It was Lovingly’s way of stepping out from digital life to get the word out and meet people in real life, to see their reactions to randomly receiving flowers, which is what Lovingly is all about.

As a tech company, Lovingly has a unique approach to flower delivery: They make it easy to order online, but they really specialize in crafting your moment and translating that into a flower arrangement. Meaning, if you’re sending flowers for a message of love, or sign of sympathy, you select that category before you even shop for any bouquets and get lost in options. Lovingly hooks you up with a local florist who is going to curate your bouquet.

Lovingly works with local florists to be the artists behind these flower arrangements, and prides themselves on being a fair florist-to-customer connector who cares about the florist and how their brand is reflected in the transaction. Lovingly even found an Adam Ruins Everything episode (watch it below) about this, as apparently it’s a thing that local florists have to deal with.

There are several florists in Beacon you could call directly to get your flower on (Tin Shingle did when finding a dried flower arrangement for the new Mini Meeting Space that people can rent in Beacon), like Batt’s Florist, Raven Rose, Flora Good Times, and Junko’s place next to the Kumon Learning Center (yellow house building that was formerly Trendy Tots; it’s best to walk into that florist for on-the-spot ordering, but is a great source for helium and air balloons).

This seems a neat concept, and it’s really neat that Lovingly is a tech company based in the Hudson Valley. Travel company Via Hero is another local tech company, based in Beacon on Main Street, who we featured before when they posted a Job Listing with A Little Beacon Blog and promoted their “Hello, We Want To Meet You!” party in the fall.

Cryotherapy Comes To Beacon: Cold Fit Cryotherapy Grand Opening With Artist Reception

GRAND OPENING
Cold Fit Cryotherapy
Day: Saturday, October 19, 2019
Time: 11 am to 2 pm
Location: Cold Fit Cryotherapy, 473 Main St., Suite 4, Beacon, NY

Karen Burghart is one of Beacon's newest business owners on Main Street, bringing Cold Fit Cryotherapy to the former Watkins Press building that now has an architecture firm in the storefront.

Karen is a dancer, and cryotherapy is her remedy of choice for healing aches and pains. Cryotherapy is popular out west in California, and is a method where super-dry cold vapor is applied to the entire body in a chamber for up to three minutes, or in localized treatments with a wand.

Cryotherapy can be used to destroy fat cells, or heal aches and pains, according to Cold Fit’s website. The type of cold is important, as it is dry vapor, versus a wet cold. Think dry Arizona heat or a sauna, versus humid Hudson Valley heat (and cold).

You can see for yourself during a special Open House on Saturday, October 19, 2019, during Cold Fit’s Grand Opening celebration. The day includes an opening exhibit of works by local artist Ellen Shea.

Light refreshments will be served. RSVP is recommended to (845) 842-8085, but walk-ins are welcome. Cold Fit Cryotherapy is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog’s Beauty Guide, and we thank them for their support!

"Manhole," "Manmade," "Fireman," and Other Gendered Terms Removed From City Of Berkeley City Code

An example of a gendered sign in Beacon, which creates or reinforces a perception of involvement or lack thereof.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

The City of Berkeley has voted to remove gender-specific language from its municipal code, which includes words like “manmade,” “manhole" and “fireman,” in order to replace them with gender-neutral terms with more description. The change is set to go into effect in August, and will cost the city $600.

Said the bill’s primary author, Berkeley City Council member Rigel Robinson during an interview with CNN, as reported by the Washington Times: “Having a male-centric municipal code is inaccurate and not reflective of our reality,” Mr. Robinson said. “Women and non-binary individuals are just as entitled to accurate representation. Our laws are for everyone, and our municipal code should reflect that.”

What Kinds Of Words This Grammatical Move Includes

Examples of the switch from mostly masculine references to a more people-focused or object-focused reference include, according to the City of Berkeley’s Code Revision document:

“manhole” to “maintenance hole”
“manmade” to “human-made” or “artificial” or “manufactured” or “machine made” or “synthetic”
“manpower” to “human-effort” or “workforce”
“patrolmen” to “patrol” or “guards”
“policeman” or “policewoman” to “police officer”

Where Are The Words Around Us In Beacon?

Remember that time when the pronoun “his” was written into proposed legislation to legalize Airbnb? With reference to an inspection by the city’s building inspector, who at the time of that writing was a man? Here was the sentence: “The Building Inspector or his designated agent may also present evidence.” The pronoun was removed in later drafts of the legislation, which did not pass.

Gender-specified language is so ingrained into the English language and uses of it, it may be hard to spot. Like this sign pictured above, posted on Wolcott (Route 9D) near a group of renovated Victorian homes, near the Rose Hill childcare center. The sign reads: “City Of Beacon Greenway Trail: VICTORIAN HOUSES Built by local businessmen in the 1800s.”

Gendered language can have the unintended consequence of reinforcing stereotypes about the opposite gender, as highlighted by The World Bank. In a study, they pointed out that: “Gendered languages are associated with worse labor market participation rates for women and more regressive gender norms.”

Attitudes toward women are also influenced by gendered languages—helping to explain how gendered languages could translate into outcomes like lower female labor force participation. Drawing on data from the World Values Survey, Ozier and Jakiela found that those who speak a gendered language are more likely to agree with statements like, “On the whole, men make better business executives than women do,” or “When jobs are scarce, men should have more right to a job than women.” Perhaps even more surprisingly, women are just as likely as men to hold these attitudes, suggesting just how pervasive the effect of language is on beliefs.

From a Policy Research Talk on Gendered Language
from the World Bank in October 2018

What Does The Community Action Partnership Of Dutchess County Do?

It’s possible you’ve never noticed Community Action Partnership of Dutchess County - the storefront behind Antalek & Moore, in the same strip as Rite Aid - but it’s connected to a powerhouse of services available to low-income families and individuals to help them become more self-sufficient. After we heard that Community Action Partnership had a food pantry in the Beacon office - which was not on our Food Pantry Guide - we wanted to do an article on them to highlight more of what they do, because clearly there is a whole lot more available, that Beaconites might not know about. And then Antalek & Moore tapped their neighbor, Community Action Partnership, to spotlight this month with their A-grade production.

Community Action Partnership’s mission is to partner with individuals and families to eliminate poverty and identify the resources and opportunities available to enhance their self-reliance.

Antalek & Moore has a long history of working close with the community and residents of Beacon - from families to small businesses, services go beyond professional and financial assistance. Antalek & Moore has partnered with many local charities, whose purpose is to enhance the health and wellness of Dutchess County residents.

Helping Families In Need

If you are not familiar with Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County, they have been a vital part of Dutchess County for many years, serving a growing segment of the community that might need otherwise-inaccessible services.

Every day, they stand behind their mission to "partner with individuals and families to eliminate poverty and identify the resources and opportunities available to them to enhance their self-reliance." 

Says Susan Pagones, executive partner at Antalek & Moore: “We have had the privilege to work alongside Dutchess County Community Action Partnership for over 20 years, to ensure that as they expand their services throughout Dutchess County into multiple locations, their insurance coverage grows with them.”

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Antalek & Moore is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, and this article was created with them as part of our Sponsor Spotlight program. It is with the support of businesses like theirs that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of news, local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Sponsor or Community Partner, please click here for more information.

Men Have Feelings Too - Men and Mental Health - Continuing the Conversation

Many of us trust Matt Clifton, pictured here, behind the tea cup, with our lives. Matt is an IT expert, a wizard under the hood of lots of computers, tablets, smartphones, and other sorts of devices. Matt is an open advocate for mental health awareness, and speaks about it in his social media. Sometimes he highlights men’s mental health, reminding us that men can suffer from depression too.

In this time of Smash The Patriarchy, it can be hard to remember that men can be soft - despite their stubble, stubborn ways, and sometimes opposite ways of understanding women. It is nice to have a friend be open and honest about his life experiences, which include emotions one might not guess upon speaking with him in person.

We’ll share with you here Matt’s big message for May, Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s comforting that despite his jovial, good friend, generally cheery nature, social anxiety can take him over. As a young person (and sometimes today), I remember feeling so shy around certain groups of people, that I would have trouble walking. Being in the mall was the worst. Recess could be tough. I just wanted to hide. Today when I go to the Beacon High School track to jog, or to soccer practice/games for my son, it’s a conquering-my-fears type of thing because I was too afraid to ever go to high school football games in the stadium.

Today I have a young son who is also shy. Looking at him, I can’t see the shyness, or understand it. He’s just so cute and fun! Yet his fears are real when we first start a new group activity, like soccer or camp. Nudging him out of the nest is important, but it’s also important to acknowledge his fear, to let him know we know, and it’s OK to have a hard time. I remind myself to be patient, and to tap into the feelings I know very well.

I’ll let Matt take it away from here:

Hello!

I’m Matt and I have general anxiety, social anxiety and depression. This is something I’ve had all my adult life - I first started experiencing severe social anxiety at university, which continued through my 20s. It affected my social and professional life. Some days at the office, I’d get panic attacks and have to hide in the bathroom just to breathe. I found noisy and crowded bars and social engagements almost unbearable. I didn’t talk to family or friends about my feelings, and I didn’t go to therapy until my late 30s, but I did find it helped me - even though my issues are not based in any kind of trauma, just talking about them allowed me to define what I was feeling, and not let them define who I was.

I also now take Prozac, which is an SSRI. I go to occasional yoga classes, which help me most by getting me focused on the movements and getting out of my own head! I try to be mindful throughout the day as much as I’m able to, to keep myself in the moment and not dwell on the past or worry about the future.

I’m a freelance IT consultant, as well as a serious science-fiction nerd, and have a really great life in the Hudson Valley, New York, with my wife Emily, dog Arya, and assorted cats and chickens. We run a cooking blog called Nerds with Knives and it’s really become a huge and fun part of our lives. I would like to be better at baking. I drink a lot of tea.

I’m very proud of the life I’ve made for myself, and the steps I’ve taken to get myself to a better place addressing my mental health. I’m not so embarrassed at talking about it any more. You wouldn’t be able to tell that I have mental health issues. You might just think I’m a little quiet. Most days I’m doing great, but I still have a lot of trouble in social situations.

If you’re struggling with the same issues, you might be surprised to know there are way more people who are sharing that struggle with you. You’re not alone. Mental health issues aren’t a failing of character. And there are people who love you. You can always text NAMI to 741741 to get help from trained counselors.

NAMI Ribbons hung in Beacon each year.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Matt’s mention of NAMI reminds us of another reason to be grateful for the Rock Out 4 Mental Health concert. I had seen the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) ribbons each year, on trees around Beacon, but had never looked into what they were about. By being on the Planning Committee for the event, I sat next to someone from NAMI’s Mid-Hudson affiliate almost every Tuesday in the Spring, as we held our planning meetings.

We’re looking forward to meeting more people at the concert, and absorbing more of what is available.

Open Letter From I Am Beacon Re Mental Health Information In Dutchess County

The week before the Rock Out 4 Mental Health concert, Brooke Simmons from I Am Beacon circulated this Open Letter to all of her contacts, in the hopes that it would reach far and wide. We are publishing it here as well to help make that happen:

Dear Neighbors, Allies, Friends, and Family,

As we celebrate our veterans this Memorial Day weekend and close out Mental Health Awareness month this May, please take a moment to reflect on your service to the community.

In recent years, we seen far too many families fractured by issues related to mental health.

With 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experiencing a mental illness and 50% of all cases beginning by age 14 it is critical that begin to recognize mental health impacts us all.

When it comes to the Hudson Valley, it is our belief that our area is services rich yet information poor.

Despite the valiant efforts of many organizations addressing mental health there is a lack of awareness and knowledge which result in many in our community being left to suffer in silence.

With our upcoming event, Rock Out 4 Mental Health, it is our vision to bridge the gap between the community and available services in order to highlight the importance of knowing where to go for help and to empower individuals to take action in order to help themselves or others.

In addition to learning about services, there will also be free, walk-up NARCAN training providing by Dutchess County giving all participants the ability to be certified in administering this life saving treatment.

I Am Beacon believes in the power of a collaborative effort to address issues impacting our community.

• It is with the organizational support of our partners, NAMI-MidHudson, Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health, A Little Beacon Blog, ASTOR Services for Children & Families as well as The City of Beacon that we will put on this event.

• It is with the funding of The Roundhouse, Key Food, ReMark Printing, Bob’s Auto Repairs, Tin Shingle, Aryeh Siegel Architect, Premier Medical Group, People USA, and many individual donors that we afford to bring this event to the community free of charge.

• It is with the generosity of our tremendously talented artist The Costellos, Noetic, Tony E, Jerry Kitzrow, Dilson, Russ St George & The Soulmates, Charge The Mound, and DJ Big Will.

It is my ask of you, to come out on June 1st 12PM– 4PM at Pete & Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park - Beacon, NY.

Join us in ending the silence and taking the first step toward a better tomorrow for all Hudson Valley residents.

With gratitude and many thanks,
Brooke M. Simmons, I Am Beacon
www.facebook.com/iambeacon
***Please note Rain Date: Sunday, June 2

When A Stranger Walks Through Your Door - Who Needs Mental Health Help - And The Concert Is Saturday

Last Friday, while in the midst of our weekly deadline for getting out the Happening This Weekend newsletter, a woman walked into A Little Beacon Blog's office, looking for help. She thought it was the substance abuse center, Lexington Center for Recovery (though she couldn’t remember the name and had contact information for a totally different organization), that had been located down Main Street, that is now becoming an apartment building. She saw the Rock Out 4 Mental Health flyer on our door, and the logos of mental health agencies who are helping make it happen, and thought she was in the right place.

She hadn't slept for days. Her accent was unfamiliar. The urgent problem she was trying to get help for - keeping her husband alive (he was currently in the hospital after almost dying of alcoholism, and she feared him coming home because she didn't know what to do with him to keep him safe) - made it so that she talked very fast, with hopelessness. Her sentences zig-zagged with what she needed, making it hard to find a thread to follow to work on a solution. She'd given up hope of finding help from Beacon and any other resource, and didn't know where to go.

Sometimes a situation happens, and you ask yourself: "Am I to be learning something from this? What is the message?" It became an opportunity for us to navigate the world of mental health resources, with a real person, really suffering. A Little Beacon Blog agreed to help with the Rock Out 4 Mental Health concert because it was an opportunity to meet the players, to talk to the people on the other side of the phone or email or website. To make them more real, and understand what they offer. That concert happens this Saturday (unless it rains, then it’ll be on Sunday) at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park from 12 to 4 pm. It's free, and there will be mozzarella sticks (and other food like sausage), live music, and specialists in the areas of mental health.

Meanwhile, back in the office on a Friday afternoon of Memorial Weekend, we called the Dutchess County Help Line. They answered, but our questions quickly multiplied. When you're at the beginning of a research journey navigating hospitals, counseling, rehab centers, it's a lot. We called a personal friend who works deep in the world of mental health, and she quickly referred us to Family Services in Beacon on Henry Street, and to the MHA in the DMV Building on Main Street, and to Grace Smith House if the woman felt too afraid to be home, plus they may be able to give her guidance if she were to go there. Another friend recommended NAMI if she needed an advocate or counselor to help her navigate the medical areas where she was encountering hurdles, while trying to figure out what to do with her addicted husband who had just had a blood transfusion and was a hot potato in the hospital - she didn't want him released, yet they were done with their medical procedures.

In the end - for that hour - we encouraged her to walk to Family Services which is nearby, and see what they tell her next. In-person research is so important. We then highly encouraged her to go home and get some rest, because sleep deprivation causes its own problems. She first headed across the street to the grocery store to get cat food, and then to Family Services. Hopefully she felt a little more hope in her quest.

Come to the concert this weekend. You'll get to hear The Costellos, Noetic, Dilson Hernandez, Tony E., Charge the Mound, Russ St. George, Jerry Kitzrow, DJ Big Will, with sound by Tony ‘Pops’ DeMarco. You never know when you or someone you know or don't know needs these services. It's comforting to put faces to organizations.

Firefly Yoga Hosts Partner Yoga Workshop Fundraiser This Sunday With Irene Auma From Peace Within Prison Yoga

This Sunday, April 28, Firefly Yoga and Juice Bar in Fishkill, NY, will be hosting a special two-hour Partner Yoga workshop hosted by guest instructor Irene Auma, from Peace Within Prison Yoga in Kenya. Irene has been touring the United States, teaching special classes and workshops to raise money for the nonprofit she started, Peace Within Prison Yoga.

About Irene Auma

Irene became a certified yoga instructor through the Africa Yoga Project and is also a Baptiste Yoga certified instructor. Her inspiration to become a yoga teacher comes from wanting to “improve the lives of thousands of inmates who are in dark places and bring humanity, compassion, strength and humor to their lives. I stand as hope and may they have hope.” Hence her founding Peace Within Prison Yoga.

About Peace Within Prison Yoga

Peace Within Prison Yoga seeks to promote peace and reconciliation among citizens of Kenya by encouraging self-awareness and acceptance of individuals. The mission is to create a peaceful environment through yoga and meditation that transforms the lives of those within the criminal justice system. A majority of the persons in prison have low levels of education. For any offender, their status quo in society automatically changes once they get imprisoned. They are considered outcasts or outlaws. The reality after release is that life is much harder than it was before imprisonment.

Their goal is to bring yoga to prisons in Kenya, where Irene is from. She shares, “My team and I volunteer to teach to yoga in prison from one location to another, at Athi River Men’s Prison to Machakos Women's Prison once a week, and Lang'ata Women's Maximum Security Prison three times a week with each of these classes reaching 40 to 60 students per class! My goal is to continue to expand by adding prison yoga programs to all 147 prisons.”

About Partner Yoga

Partner Yoga invites openness, patience, communication, trust and balance into your yoga practice and relationships. You and your partner will help each other to relax physical, mental, and emotional tensions. When you are physically supported, not only do you experience a yoga posture differently, but you also begin to allow yourself to trust someone else. No previous yoga experience or partner is necessary; bring
a friend, a loved one, a sibling, a neighbor, or simply yourself.

The workshop will be Sunday, April 28 from 1 to 3 pm at Firefly Yoga and Juice Bar, 992 Main St., Fishkill, NY. You can visit their website at www.fireflyfishkill.com to sign up and get more information.

Firefly Yoga and Juice Bar is a sponsor of our Adult Classes Guide. It is with the support of businesses like theirs that A Little Beacon Blog can bring you coverage of news, local happenings and events. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! If you would like to become a Sponsor or Community Partner, please click here for more information.

New Summer Concert Unites Mental Health Resources With Community | Top Sponsor & Vendor Spots Available Now!

The “Rock Out 4 Mental Health” flyer. Room for sponsor logos if you sign up in time!

When Brandon Lillard, a founding board member of I Am Beacon, and best known by Beacon High School alums as the original “Mr. Beacon High,” asked me to be part of the planning for I Am Beacon’s second major awareness project for mental health, the ”Rock Out 4 Mental Health” Concert on Saturday, June 1, 2019 at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park, I said yes immediately.

As a mother of young children, I want to make sure they have a safe space to express their minds. As a new mother in general, I see and experience the mental health challenges that any parent faces. As a person living in Beacon, I have learned from my friends involved in mental health support about challenges that any person can face at any time. Removing the stigma about that is important to me, and as a blogger, I want to improve awareness of mental health support services that are available locally. That’s part of why I started A Little Beacon Blog - to get the word out about what is happening and available here.

The planning for this event would be fast, but we could do it. I Am Beacon’s first outreach project for mental health awareness was and continues to be the yellow ribbons campaign on Main Street, carried out with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Mid-Hudson. You’ll be seeing those ribbons again this year.

Bringing Resources and People Closer Together Through Music

This concert was created as a vibrant and hopeful hub where people can get closer to organizations who provide a variety of mental health services. The aim is to bring these services to people who may not have otherwise known about them. Usually service events like this are at school functions on a random Wednesday night (I went to one!). Now, the whole family can come and enjoy being by the Hudson River rocking out to music, and getting to know these local services who have changed the lives of so many.

You’ll be rocking out to The Costellos, Noetic, Tony E., Dilson Hernandez, and Charge the Mound while your Co-MCs for the day, Reuben Simmons and Himali Pandya, Special Projects Manager for Astor Services for Children and Families, introduce you to the mental health resource providers who are available to meet during the day. (Insider scoop: Himali’s husband will be performing with his band at the concert)

Here’s Where Your Part Comes In

“Rock Out 4 Mental Health” is currently seeking the following sponsor and vendor opportunities, but time is limited. We will be putting sponsors on the flyer, then printing it and distributing it, so we need to know who’s in for sponsorship! My design agency, Katie James, Inc. and lead designer Allie Bopp designed the flyer, banner, logo and other branding assets, so I have a tiny say on when these go to print (but we can’t wait long!).

Title Sponsor: Only one spot available. The Title Sponsor gets their logo on the banner that will be hanging above Main Street as we get closer to the event, and on T-shirts. We can only print T-shirts if we have a title sponsor. Will your business be the reason we can make the shirts? Claim it here >
Must sign up within the week for print deadline!

Gold Sponsor: Only six available. These sponsors get their logos printed on the flyer, which will be distributed in Beacon and beyond. Logo also included on the event program. Claim it here >
Must sign up within the week for print deadline!

Silver Sponsor: More available, and includes logo on the event website. You have a bit more time on this one, since we are adding your logo to the “Rock Out 4 Mental Health” website. Claim it here >

Bronze Sponsor: Awesomeness. Great for businesses who want to show their support for Mental Health awareness and accessibility. Claim it here >

Vendor Opportunities: Food vendors are welcome, and businesses who provide a wellness-related product or service to people are invited to have a vendor spot down at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park. Only 15-20 spots available. Food and business vendors can register here. Nonprofit organizations can have a spot for free and can register here.

These community projects are what keep Beacon enriched with the depth of community it is known for, and keep Beacon an ongoing advocate for people’s well-being.

Thank you to the following sponsors and vendors who have signed on so far!

VENDORS:

Astor Services for Children & Families
Children's Home of Poughkeepsie
NAMI Mid-Hudson
CoveCare Center
DC Dept of Behavioral & Community Health
People USA
Empire Concessions
I Am Beacon

SPONSORS:

KeyFood
Premier Medical Group
MidHudson Valley Federal Credit Union
HealthQuest
People USA

Why This Concert? Why Now?

“When it comes to Mental Health, it is our belief that the Hudson Valley is ‘services-rich yet information-poor.’ Despite the valiant efforts of many organizations, there is a lack of awareness and knowledge which result in many in our community being left to suffer in silence. ”

— Mission Statement of Rock Out 4 Mental Health

One of the creators behind the event is Reuben Simmons, a founding board member of I Am Beacon, along with his sister, Brooke Simmons, and Brandon Lillard. Reuben grew up in Beacon, volunteering to clean up its streets in his youth, and co-created I Am Beacon to keep opportunities like this available to the people.

Says Reuben of the inspiration to create the “Rock Out 4 Mental Health” concert: “After attending the City of Beacon’s Workshop in December 2018 which discussed the opioid crisis in our area, I felt an obligation as a community leader to do more. I have attended many conferences all over the country in my time as a labor leader, and heard the opioid crisis happening in many communities all over. Hearing the same issues from professionals like Beacon’s Police Chief and Dutchess County’s Behavior and Community Department at the workshop got me to start brainstorming on what could be done to help. Help promote services, help end the stigma, help educate people.”

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Helpline For Everyone

“We hope to reach as many Dutchess County residents as possible to inform them about the many resources available for help and support. The Dutchess County Helpline and the Stabilization Center are available to residents 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is always someone available who can help,” says Jean-Marie Niebuhr, Prevention and Harm Reduction Coordinator.

If you take anything away from this event, or knowing about this event, know this: The Dutchess County Helpline. Available to anyone to use at any time, 24/7. Use it as an information center to find other resources: CALL or TEXT 845-485-9700.

Call or text any time to talk live to a qualified mental health professional. Regardless of the issue, the HELPLINE will provide counseling or link you to services.