A vibrant day of events marked the fifth year of Pride
A vibrant day of events marked the fifth year of Pride celebrations at Rye Town Park and around the city of Rye. The day, May 31, included an arts festival, flag raising, parade, and the unveiling of mural created by local students.
Rye city and the Rye schools celebrated with flag-raising ceremonies at City Hall and Rye High School.
Town Park festivities were hosted by the Town of Rye, the Rye Town Park Commission, and pRYEde Community Group, which is dedicated to LGBTQ+ education, advocacy, and celebration.
The afternoon kicked off with an Arts Festival at Rye Town Park curated by the Rye Arts Center and a Pride fair at the sound-side park pavilions. Later, the flag raising ceremony included speeches by U.S. Representative George Latimer, State Assembly Member Steve Otis, and Town of Rye Supervisor Gary Zuckerman.
The event was co-chaired by Rye Town Council Member Pam Jaffee, and Amanda Timchak, co-founder of pRYEde Community Group.
Following a parade, pRYEde co-founders Alison Cupp Relyea, Timchak, and Genevieve Weber, and mural advisor Donna Wundeler unveiled this year’s student-led mural project, along with local student artists.
Paul Revere Book Talk
History buffs were treated to an up-close look at one of the crucial events that led to the Revolutionary War recently when SPRYE and the Rye Free Reading Room hosted bestselling author and journalist Kostya Kennedy.
In his book, “The Ride: Paul Revere and The Night That Saved America,” Kennedy uses diaries, archives, and letters to reveal the story behind Paul Revere’s most famous ride, detailing the patriots and challenges that shaped a pivotal night in April 1775.
Over 35 attendees took part in a Q&A with the author and were given the opportunity to buy the book and have their copies signed by Kennedy.
Holy Child Students Honor Slave’s Memory
For the third year in a row, the Timothy Knapp House was the scene of the Witness Stones Installation Ceremony to honor the memory of enslaved people who lived in the Rye area in the 1800s.
Sponsored by the Rye Historical Society and the School of the Holy Child, May 27 ceremony focused on Sibb Lewis, a slave of Billa Theall in the early 1800s. Seventh grade students in Suzy Slattery’s class at Holy Child told the story of Sibb’s life through poems, haikus, news articles, and research that included a family tree.
“Their voices offered a meaningful tribute and a call to remember, reflect, and honor those whose stories must not be forgotten,” said Holy Child Director of Communications Laurie Naughton.
A stone in Sibb’s honor was laid next to stones for Rose, Jack and Peg Lyon, who also were enslaved in the Rye area and who were recognized at previous Witness Stones ceremonies.
The Witness Stones Project is a nonprofit, community initiative that works with local schools to restore the history and honor the humanity of the enslaved people from the area.
Vehicle Fair Takes a Victory Lap
The Rye Free Reading Room’s 26th annual Vehicle Fair rolled into town on Sunday, June 1, raising over $35,000 for the library.
Drawing over 1,100 kids and their families, the event allowed kids to climb aboard fire trucks, police cruisers, and bulldozers, while enjoying bounce houses, classic games, local food trucks, and a special Taylor Swift-inspired performance.
Every dollar raised will support The Rye Free Reading Room programs. The library credits the Vehicle Fair’s success to the enthusiastic families who attend each year, along with the support of local businesses.
Kensington Residents Help Military Charity
The Kensington White Plains assisted living center held its Ninth Annual Operation Gratitude Fundraiser earlier this month, collecting donated items to be included in gift bags for U.S. service personnel and first responders.
Social workers, healthcare employees, and professionals in the senior living industry were on hand for the event, and all attendees were asked to make donations of new, needed items for the gift boxes. These boxes include items such as snacks, personal care, and hygiene products as well as handmade items, and are distributed to overseas military personnel.
The Operation Gratitude event was part of the Kensington’s Still Significant Program. Besides military and first responders, Kensington residents also pack “Blessing Bags” filled with toiletries, snacks, comfort and leisure items for individuals who are homeless or in need.
Ceres Club Honor Veterans
The Ceres Garden Club helped Rye City mark Memorial Day with the planting of white and deep purple petunias at the Blue Star Memorial on the City Hall grounds.
The Blue Star Memorial is a gift from the Ceres Garden Club to the City of Rye as a tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces of America, past present and future. This year the flowers were planted by club members Claire Manto, Barbara Latwin, and Ellen Schiavone.
The flowers matched with the 70 hanging baskets along Purchase Street and Purdy Avenue that the club created for the holiday. The group thanked the Rye Department of Public Works for its help hanging the baskets.
Over $160K Raised at Nature Access Fund Benefit
Friends of Rye Nature Center raised over $160,000 at its annual Nature Access Fund Benefit at American Yacht Club on May 30. The event brought together 150 of the nature center’s supporters, including Assemblyman Steve Otis and the founding benefactors of the group’s Inner-City Scholarship Fund Camp, Mary and Tom Julian, and Martha Monserrate and Bart McDade.
The evening featured a panel discussion on the critical importance of nature experiences. Panelists included Henry Myers, the nature center’s director of forest education, Carrie Donahue, therapist and educator, and Amaya Conde, former scholarship fund camper and counselor. The panel was moderated by Liz Woods, founder of Ryemarkable Moms and a Rye Record columnist.
“I think more people deserve to feel the comfort and serenity that comes from being in nature,” said Conde. “I feel lucky to be able to come up so often from the Bronx…but I don’t think I should have to feel lucky. I think there should be access for everyone.”
Since launching the free camp week in 2008 with just 50 students, the friends have welcomed more than 1,500 children through the program. Donor-supported initiatives also provide more than 5,000 annual experiences, including nature-based workshops for low-income women and seniors, hands-on science education for children from under-resourced schools, and mobile classroom visits through the friends’ NatureStation for those unable to visit the center’s 47-acre preserve.
