Happening This Weekend - June 15, 2017
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New Waterfront Market at the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum in Poughkeepsie
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If you happen to pay a visit to the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum on a Monday, or you're getting off the Metro-North train after work, you'll notice that there is a new Farmer's Market at the Pavilion. The new Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market will showcase farm-fresh foods from local Hudson Valley farms, including vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, poultry, baked goods, honey, and more! The market will be open every Monday from June through October 23, 2017, from 4 to 7:30 pm with free on-site parking. Stay up to date with this new market on their Facebook page.
Beacon's 2017 City-Wide Yard Sale Open Under Blue Skies With Tempting Yards
/Wahoo, it's here! Beacon's City-Wide Yard Sale is the second biggest marker of spring/summer/delightful weather after Beacon Open Studios kicks off. The first year of our arrival as citizens in Beacon, the great day was on my birthday, and oh, what a gift. Before any birthday festivities, we tootled around, all packed into one car, hopping from yard to yard to see what we could find.
Homeowners wait all year to bring their treasures (or junk? only you can decide) up from the basement, down from the attic, or out from the shed or garage to spread it all out on the lawn, hopeful for customers.
Now that online community selling pages exist on Facebook, with Beacon's Buy Sell Group being particularly action-packed and filled with great deals and things you never knew you needed (until you saw it at midnight or on a weekend morning), I wonder if that has made a dent in anyone's inventory. Chances are that it hasn't, as yard sale inventory is ever-present. Plus, half the fun of buying from the online Buy Sell page is meeting new people in the neighborhood. This once-a-year live community event is another chance to get out for a spontaneous bike ride or walk around different neighborhoods within Beacon to see what can be hunted and gathered.
Have fun! Post pictures of your finds and tag us on Instagram or Twitter @alittlebeacon or Facebook @alittlebeaconblog. My first purchase was a $5 table saw. What's yours?
Happening This Weekend - 6/9/2017
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Beacon Sloop Club Annual Strawberry Festival
Flag Day Celebrated in Beacon at Elks Lodge Second Sunday at 2pm
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Poster commemorating the 140th Flag Day on June 14, 1917.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia Page for Flag Day.
Flag Day Event at Elks Lodge
Location: 900 Wolcott Ave.
Time: 2 pm
Questions? Call the Elks Lodge: (845) 831-9746
In New York State, the Second Sunday in June has strong patriotic significance: It is the state-recognized holiday of Flag Day. Locally, it is one of the most important days for the Elks Lodge, as one of its most famed members, Harry S. Truman, was the president when National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. The Elks Lodge at 900 Wolcott Ave. is commemorating the day by conducting the Elks Ritual on the history of the nation's flag. A coalition will be held immediately following the event. The Boy Scout Troop #41 and the Newburgh Free Academy high school Air Force ROTC will present the colors.
History of Flag Day
The flag was initially adopted on June 14, 1777, by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress. Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day, followed by the Act of Congress during Truman's presidency. While the day is not a federal holiday, New York State did designate it as a state holiday to be recognized on the Second Sunday of June.
Carl Oken, District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler of the Mid Hudson Elks Club, is looking forward to the event and says: "It's an event you should not miss, and is a great education for our children."
Kids Color Blasted For South Avenue Elementary Fundraiser June 10th
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Sitting in a PTA meeting at 8 pm in the elementary school cafeteria, hearing from a representative from the kids' library that their budget is about to get cut - again - (did you see what's been going on down there?), you don't feel like there's the brightest of forecasts. Another bummer: hearing at a City Council meeting that the Board of Education is fighting for hundreds of thousands, if not over a million, dollars of unpaid funds that was designated for the Beacon School District from the state, but didn't make it down here to Beacon.
Here in the office of A Little Beacon Blog, we get pitched from time to time about fundraisers that are happening for different schools. From roller rink nights, to this most recent Color-A-Thon from the South Avenue Elementary PTA, parents community-wide are trying to get untraditional with their fundraisers, to go "beyond the bake sale." Often they seem fun, yet we hear about them at the last minute - if we hear about them at all.
So a couple of things:
- We're going to dedicate a Guide to Beacon City School Fundraisers, to capture these opportunities, and try to illustrate where the money is going. Because that's the exciting part. You get to be a part of long-lasting, sometimes permanent change within the walls of one of the six school buildings in Beacon's school district. If you are such a person who runs a campaign, please email editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com as far in advance as you can, and spread the word to others to email in their dates and where raised funds will go.
- There is a fundraiser going on RIGHT NOW that you can participate in! You get to sponsor little racers who are going to get blasted with colorful powder as they run, and you could even BE a color blaster! This is to raise money for park equipment, landscaping and classroom supplies (like replacing super old books, or upgrading smart boards).
It can be hard knowing what is going on inside the walls of the kids' schools, even if the teachers, administrators and PTA are doing very well with internal promotion of flyers and Morning News Shows inside the walls. But if you hardly go inside the school, you won't see any of it. That's why we at A Little Beacon Blog are trying to bring that from the inside of the schools, out to you.
South Avenue Color-A-Thon Walk/Jog Run
Registration Starts: 9 am (new walkers/runners welcome, $30 Registration)
Race Starts: 10 am
Ends: Noon
Race Route: On neighborhood streets surrounding South Avenue School
Enjoy! Food, music, games!
What Is a Color-A-Thon Fundraiser?
You may have seen the puffs of color - neon pinks and blues and yellows - rising in the distance through the trees and behind some houses for a cause you vaguely heard about. It's the rising trend of color-a-thons, marathons accompanied by color powder, similar to the holiday Holi celebrated in India. Known as the "festival of colors," it signifies the arrival of spring and the victory of good over evil. Groups are embracing it as a fundraising method to make a big difference in a cause at hand. The Beacon High School just had one, as did the Newburgh Illuminated festival.
The South Avenue Color-A-Thon is a new thing the South Avenue PTA is trying out. They get together with an official Color-A-Thon race program, who then manages the registration bags of running T-shirts, color blaster powder, and prizes. It's important to me that my kids know what they are fundraising for, and aren't just fundraising to get prizes for each dollar level. So with this fundraiser - I knew exactly what we were fundraising for, and it has been a great teachable moment for my kids, as they could see exactly where their fundraising efforts would go - to the park! To the classrooms!
This time, with my awareness of the rising trend in color-a-thons that I know of from A Little Beacon Blog's 5K Race Guide, I knew this could be a highly engaging fundraising effort. Yet for the first year, how many people will turn out? There may be a few sitter-outers who watch the pictures in social media the day of the event, vowing to come next year. Don't be that person! You can make a difference to change that right now.
Fundraising for a New Gazebo on the Playground, With Extra Going to Equipment and Classrooms
South Avenue has a great playground that kids would play on all day long if they had their choice. Over the years, the PTA fundraised for and got a new basketball hoop, swings, and a Buddy Bench. This year, they are aiming for a gazebo or pavilion, a covered structure that has seating on the inside. The kids will be able to take their learning experience in the class outside by going to this pavilion, and also play on it during recess and after school.
The color bag "blast pack" the racers get includes a t-shirt, bottle of powdered color blast, rainbow wig, and ... a weird emoji thing.
How You Can Get Involved
Donate to a little racer: So far, I know of the sponsor links for two little racers, and one general South Avenue account if you want to donate at-large and not to one child specifically. YOU can donate to any of these little people. And if you want to add your link for last minute donations, add your link in the comments below and we will put it on this list!
- Little Racer Ruby: http://shop.schoolathon.org/index.asp?PID=377219
- Little Racer Fiona: http://shop.schoolathon.org/index.asp?PID=377070
- All The Little Racers - South Avenue's General Racer: http://shop.schoolathon.org/index.asp?PID=377664
Volunteer!
- Color Thrower: There are spots open for color throwers (you'll get to throw color at the runners!!)
- Games: People are needed to run some games
- Registration table/food table
- Set up/clean up (set up 8 to 9 am and clean up noon to 1 pm)
- And more!! Everyone is welcome to come and help.
Register to Race!
- Kids can register at the event to be racers. Registration starts at 9 am and is $30. Our inside sources says that they may not get an event t-shirt, because almost all of the t-shirts have gone to pre-registered racers, so have your kid wear a white t-shirt, prepared to get blasted with color.
To volunteer, contact Erica Way at way.erica@gmail.com or Cara Heaton at cara_heaton@yahoo.com.
The wig and sunglasses might have come as prizes with our color registration bag.
Some of the prizes that just showed up include colored shoes - a reminder to get excited about running or walking in this race!
Is Fundraising Still Going On?
Heck yes! With these online donations, you can give money up to event day! If you are a parent whose child is in the race, here are some ideas to meet or surpass your donation goal:
- Take pictures of your child in racing gear (aka tennis shoes and any T-shirt), and add a note from your child about how excited they are.
- Share a link on your Facebook page, asking long-distance friends and family for support.
- Have your child call a donor and thank them personally.
- Email your own people with updates and if you've almost reached your goal.
- Include the link to your child's donation page so that people can easily donate online.
And remember, if you don't know of a child to sponsor, you can sponsor the whole school using the general link above. And know this: This isn't the last you'll hear of color-a-thons. I Am Beacon is having one, and there are more and more for adults. So watch our 5K Races Guide, as well as our future Beacon City School District Fundraising Opportunities Guide.
Thank you!
National Soap Maker SallyeAnder Opens First Retail Flagship Store in Beacon - Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday June 17th!
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We have more reason now to spend time on the East End of Main Street, specifically in the newest stretch just below Main Street that runs parallel to the old train tracks following the Fishkill Creek. SallyeAnder, the maker of all-natural, handmade soaps since 1982, with the products currently sold in over 2,000 stores nationwide, has opened their first flagship location at 1 East Main St., with a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting planned for Saturday, June 17, 2017.
While this location is the very first retail operation for the company, it is not their first location in Beacon or the Hudson Valley. In fact, their warehouse relocated to Beacon years ago, to the building on Beekman Street that also has the business home to BCAP, 2 Way Brewery and previously to Sweet Ambs. Says Sallie Austin, second-generation owner of SallyeAnder, wife, and mother of two, about the opening of the retail store: “We are so delighted to make our home here in the beautiful Hudson Valley, where people truly embrace opportunities to source products locally and to do their part to protect our Earth.”
The opening event will include live music, soapmaking demonstrations, and a soap-wrapping contest perfect for kids and families. There will also be food, beverages, and more. This event is free of charge and open to the public. “We want to build a movement for the next generation that will help them understand the importance of using all-natural, handmade products like our soaps. Not only is it the right thing to do for our environment, but it is the right thing to do for their bodies,” says Austin.
What Makes These Soaps Special?
“My mother and father, Karen and Gary Austin, first developed a line of handmade soap products after my brother was born. The demand for all-natural, hypoallergenic soaps has grown exponentially as people discover that conditions like eczema and issues with chronic dry skin or under-eye puffiness can be managed with natural ingredients, and as people do what they can to align their purchases with their sense of social responsibility." The creation of SallyeAnder's “No-Bite-Me” soap has been a hit with customers, as it aims to help prevent Lyme Disease by keeping ticks away, which is a really big deal for Hudson Valley residents.
SallyeAnder has a particularly beautiful scent for their soaps with roses mixed in, which can be traced back to the first-generation owner - Sallie's father - growing his own roses in the upstate New York town of Minneto, where the family began making soaps. SallyeAnder also has an ongoing relationship with Common Ground Farm, located on nine acres leased from the Stony Kill Environmental Center in Wappingers Falls, which cultivates some of the natural ingredients used in SallyeAnder's line of soaps.
Beacon As The Soap-Making Capital Of The World! Ok, Of The Hudson Valley
With shops like Beacon Bath & Bubble, and boutiques that also include handmade soap in their stock like ReMADE and Dream in Plastic, to name a few, is there room for more? Of course there is!! Personally speaking, I made the switch from commercial soap to handmade soap nine years ago and have never looked back. I get my soap from a few different Hudson Valley soap makers. That's the beauty of handmade soap: There's a beautiful selection of different producers to choose from, and we're always thrilled to learn of a new soap maker. Recognizing that there are several skin-care sources right here on Main Street, Beacon, we at A Little Beacon Blog created a new section in our Shopping Guide called "Bath & Body" so you can also get your soapy fix.
Join the SallyeAnder family on Saturday, June 17, from noon to 6 pm at 1 East Main Street in Beacon and welcome them to the neighborhood!
Must-Watch Morning Show: Mr. Burke's The Morning News at South Avenue Elementary School
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There's a new morning show that you need to know about that doesn't contain a lot of commercials and depressing news or outlandish demonstrations: The South Avenue Morning News. Actually, it does contain outlandish demonstrations, thought up by one man in the basement library of South Avenue Elementary School: the famed Mr. Burke. I'm told by my 7-year-old that The Morning News airs at South Avenue Elementary School every morning (have not fact-checked this yet, but it does seem to broadcast often), and for those of us not inside the school walls every day, we can see some of the best episodes on YouTube. The show is actually not new, as it has been produced out of South Avenue's library and additional locations such as stairwells, the outdoors, and school hallways for a number of years.
UPDATE 5/5/2017: We have confirmed with South Avenue that The Morning News is indeed shown daily to kids on their smart boards in each classroom. That's a LOT of ideas and editing!
Other parents who are super in-the-know already know about this Morning News show, but I only just discovered it when doing research for South Avenue's (hopefully) mega Color-A-Thon fundraiser mini-walk/race coming up on June 10th: South Avenue kids are currently fundraising online for the South Avenue PTA, who is raising money for new playground equipment, library needs, classroom supplies and other things that teachers need but can't always get due to constant budget cuts.
Take a minute right now and binge-watch The Morning News! It's incredible to see what Mr. Burke comes up with down there in the library, as he invents different characters who make recurring appearances in different episodes, which also feature homemade props, editing, and music.
If you have a little one at home, show these Morning News episodes to them. They may be amazed to watch on YouTube and get excited to share their day-to-day with you!
Mr. Burke delivers a PSA about the South Avenue PTA's Color-A-Thon video. He snores through it at first, then sees the videos of kids being blasted with color powder, and tries to recreate with crayons falling on his head (ouch)!
In this Morning News, Mr. Burke reads letters from imaginary students. This one is from "Not Getting The Reference" after Mr. Burke may have made a reference to Chim Chim Chiminey and perhaps a simile. Mr. Burke then turns into a chimney sweep in order to give a refresher as to what a simile is. Don't know what a simile is? You should watch the video. Then you'll remember!
Have you ever tried to make a Homework Machine? My dad and I did one time, and Mr. Burke here has done it! But what happens when he takes it into a Test Taking room?
If you like the Lego Movie theme song, "Everything Is Awesome," then you will love how Mr. Burke covers it, but with idioms. What's an idiom? Mr. Burke explores an Idiom Of The Day here in this edition of Morning News for South Avenue: "Chewing the Fat."
Another idiom mystery for you..."hitting a brick wall."
Mr. Burke took the kids on a virtual field trip to his kitchen to harvest his first honey from his bees in 2015.
I know you're hooked, and you want more episodes. Subscribe to Mr. Burke's channel here on YouTube for the latest postings. You might even catch outtakes, because believe it or not, Mr. Burke does not seem to get it right on every scene, and does several takes.
Happening This Weekend - 6/2/2017
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Free Motorcyclepedia Museum Pass Now Available from Howland Public Library to Borrow/Check Out
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Grab your library card and rev up those engines! The Howland Public Library has announced that patrons can now visit the Motorcyclopedia Museum in Newburgh for free when you check out the museum pass at the library.
The museum, which opened in 2011, includes 85,000 square feet of exhibit space with more than 500 motorcycles, dating from 1897 to the present. Exhibits also include photographs, posters, memorabilia, machinery and all things related to bikes.
Here are the details for the museum pass:
- The pass is good for free regular admission for two adults, or one adult and one child. (Children under 3 years of age are free.)
- The pass can be checked out by an adult (18 or older) in possession of a library card in good standing with Beacon as the home library.
- The pass must be returned to the Howland Public Library’s front desk before closing time on the same day it was checked out. If borrowed on Saturday or Sunday, the pass may be returned the following day.
The Motorcyclepedia Museum is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 10 am to 5 pm. Call the Howland Library with questions: (845) 831-1134
2017 Summer Hours at the Beacon Pool & Vendor Opportunity
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Photo Credit: City of Beacon Recreation
Pool Hours
Monday - Friday: 2 pm to 8 pm
Saturday - Sunday: Noon to 7 pm
Sometimes things change based on usage by the people, so please keep an eye on the Beacon Pool Facebook Group for updates
Tentative Open Date:
Monday, June 26
It's happening again... The Beacon Pool is opening for its third straight year (read here about the big re-opening), and it looks like floaties are allowed in the pool! Club pool-goers know that not all pools allow toys in it, but the fine folks of the Beacon Recreation Department are all about fun. In fact, watching pictures of swimmers having fun was where I first saw the actual swimmable Mermaid Tail...
Open Date and Hours
The projected opening date is Monday, June 26. We are told that if it can happen sooner, it will. For now, plan on hours being Monday to Friday, from 2 to 8 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 7 pm. In the mornings, the pool accommodates campers from various camps in the region, including the Park and Recreation Department's own new camp, Camp @ The Camp. The pool is located at 742 Wolcott Ave., in the area known as The Settlement Camp.
Pool Passes On Sale Now
Any resident of the state of New York can join or buy day passes to swim in the pool, since it is on state-owned land. Day passes for adults are $4, and children and seniors are $3. The pool is divided into sections based on depth, and does not have a lap lane. The shallow end is 2 feet for waders, deepening to 8 feet for splashers and underwater swimmers.
Pool passes on are sale now, and have sold out in years past. Adult and kid passes are available year-round, so it's not like if you don't get a Family Pass now, you won't be able to go. However, having the Family Pass means that you won't have to scrounge for cash, not something you need to worry about as you're packing up snacks and towels for the pool.
Click here to buy the pass online, or you can visit the Recreation Department in person at 23 West Center St.
Call for Food Trucks and Snack Vendors
Speaking of food, it has been the dream of Mark Price, the Director of the Parks and Recreation Department, to have food trucks and a snack table available to all at the Beacon Pool at the Settlement Camp. If you are such a person who wants to sell their wares, then email him directly at mprice@cityofbeacon.org.
Any questions regarding pool passes can be directed to Mark Price at mprice@cityofbeacon.org. We are told that they are beginning to start the process of sending them out in the mail, so watch your mailbox!
Summer Work Opportunities
The City of Beacon Parks and Recreation Department are looking for lifeguards, camp counselors, and volunteers. For information about applying, contact Mark Price at mprice@cityofbeacon.org
New Discount for Beaconites at Storm King Art Center on Family Membership
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This Just In!
We're excited to announce a special discount for Beacon residents on the Family Membership at Storm King Art Center. Memberships for a family (up to two adults and up to four kids) are normally $125 per year for unlimited free admission, including workshops and private events. But you can save $15 on the yearly membership, bringing it to $110 per year! Mention "BEACON" when you call (845) 534-3115 or email info@stormkingartcenter.org. Membership includes their everyday free parking for everyone.
This makes going to Storm King an even easier weekend activity for Beaconites and Hudson Valleyers. There are many permanent exhibits, but there's often something new, too: The new accessible house roof exhibit, "The Oracle of Lacuna," was just featured in W magazine. People can walk on and in the house while listening to special audio that details how migration and slavery shaped the surrounding area. It's just one of many exhibits on the 500-acre outdoor sculpture park.
We've got the details for you here on Storm King Art Center's Dedicated Sponsor Page.
Spotlight Sponsor Note: This has been a special message from Storm King Art Center that we couldn't resist telling you about right away. For details on becoming a Spotlight Sponsor, click here.
Happening This Weekend in and Around Beacon 5/26/2017
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