Our Kids NY, Inc will be presenting a Back to School event featuring free haircuts , free books and a gaming truck at three locations. On Sunday, September 5th, from 10 am to 1pm, the event will be at Classic Cutz in Spring Valley, and on Monday, September 6th at 11am, it will be at Riquel & Flaco Barbershops in Haverstraw and also, September 6th, at 3pm, it will be at Yogi’s Plus in Nyack. Reservations are required.
The Town of Orangetown “Rock the Park” 2021 Summer Concert Series presents Chicago 9 , Hits of Chicago, on Friday, August 20th at Veterans Memorial Park.
(HUDSON VALLEY, NEW YORK) August 13, 2021 – Americans throw out between 30 and 40 percent of the food that is produced in the country, which is an economic, social and environmental problem. There are many reasons food gets wasted: on the farms it could be due to bad weather or overproduction, or it could sit too long in the grocery story. But household food waste is a result of overbuying, poor planning, improper storage and confusion about sell by labels and expiration dates.
The Hudson Valley Food Waste Challenge is an interactive, community initiative to raise public awareness about these issues. Participants will learn how to cut down their “foodprint” with easy strategies that will not only reduce what they are tossing in the garbage, but also save money and time. They will get ideas on how to better organize the refrigerator and store food so that it has a maximum shelf life along with safety tips for preparing leftovers and how to substitute ingredients into recipes so you can use what you have on hand.
The challenge will begin September 20th and last for six weeks. The only things needed to participate are small garbage bags, a small kitchen scale and the desire to feel good about making a positive change in your current waste habits. Through short videos, text messages and emails, participants will stay connected with the community, share their experiences and see what others are up through hashtags, stories and live videos. They will also hear from local chefs, farmers and other food experts on best practices when it comes to shopping, keeping food fresh and creating delicious recipes from what you have in the house. The $25 registration fee provides access to the online community, a toolkit, and resources to help track your success, a very cool t-shirt and the opportunity to win great prizes.
“The Food Waste Challenge is a great activity for the whole family to do together, do in your neighborhood or get your school involved in,” says Janet Irizarry, Founder of Hudson Valley EATS. “The United States Food Waste Reduction Goal is to reduce food waste by half by 2030, the UN Global initiative is to do it by 2050. As Hudson Valley residents, wouldn’t it be great to do our part to support these efforts as best we can? Each one of us by ourselves may feel there is nothing we can do about climate change, but I promise you, together we can make a difference.”
About Hudson Valley EATS
Hudson Valley EATS was started five years ago to focus attention on the great food entrepreneurs and restaurant owners in the Hudson Valley. Over the years the organization has written many articles and highlighted great food escapades as well as the people who make the food scene of the Hudson Valley so magnificent. Last year Hudson Valley EATS launched “Cooking for a Cause,” which raised thousands of dollars to combat hunger. There are other ways to strengthen the sustainability of the Hudson Valley by connecting the caring people of the community with opportunities to make a difference. The Food Waste Challenge is a way we can all make a difference together. Hudson Valley EATS is a community-based website where all are welcomed to contribute to become part of the conversation of “everything” food in the Hudson Valley, from farm to landfill. More information can be found here https://www.hudsonvalleyeats.com/
Stony Point, NY:
The North Rockland Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring the 7th Annual Stony Music Fest, scheduled for Saturday, August 14th, from 12 noon to 8 pm. The performance will be held at Riverfront Park, adjacent to the Hudson River.
Six bands are scheduled to perform – a collection of diverse musical genres from across the Hudson Valley – as well as a special presentation by Habitat for Humanity, a charitable organization with the mission of: “…work in partnership with thousands of Rockland County volunteers and qualified low income families of all races, religions, and creeds to build and renovate homes and provide financial education so that there is decent, safe, affordable housing where families can live and grow in a stable environment.”
Proceeds from donations for tickets (according to their website, recommended donation is $20) go to Habitat for Humanity Rockland, as well as to the performing artists for the day.
In addition, with the support of the North Rockland Chamber of Commerce, local restaurants in North Rockland have provided discounts and delivery services for this year’s guests.
The schedule for the day, as indicated on the event’s Facebook page, are as follows. All times are indicated to be approximate:
The festival was originally established in 2015 by local businessperson Thomas Ossa, who had set up the first of several summer concerts as a casual, friendly get-together with music-minded colleagues each year. Five of the six concerts were held at Charles C. Eccher Park, with permission and general guidance from the Town of Stony Point.
“I didn’t expect it to grow and gain support like this. I just wanted to play music with my friends.”
As the concept grew over following years, local business sponsors began to take notice, and offered their support of each of the bands, in exchange for company banner placements and digital promotions across Rockland County, using Ossa’s company, RocklandWeb. Graphic design, digital promotion and event coordination were all provided by the company’s team, at no additional cost to the festival each year.
This year’s sponsors are as follows:
Beginning in 2017, the concert’s event footage – all 8 hours – were fully recorded and digitally shared across social media channels, as well as posted to YouTube. Ossa states that this turned into a concept for steady growth, year over year. As the concept began to scale, Ossa decided to reincorporate his company to include additional support services for the creation larger concerts over the coming years, including video production for Charities such as Stony Point Seals, and for Habitat for Humanity.
In 2020, during a COVID emergency, a concert was held in support of local North Rockland restaurants; social distancing protocols and masking guidelines were followed by the guests, and the event was capped at 50 attendees per performance. The event was moved to Riverfront Park, adjacent to the Stony Point Seals’ annual Plunge on Super Bowl Sunday of each year. The show was widely regarded as well organized, and plans were soon put in place for expanding attendance for 2021 to 100 guests per band performance. Planning began in March of 2021.
In addition, with the support of the North Rockland Chamber of Commerce, the local restaurants have provided discounts and delivery services for this year’s guests. One example provided by the Chamber’s Facebook Page shows: “Playa Cancun offering 10% off your entire check on Saturday, if you show a paid Stony Music Fest ticket.”
Additional restaurants are offering delivery services to Riverfront Park, beginning at 1 pm on Saturday:
This year, additional volunteers and support staff were added, including banner printing services by Shell Ann Printing for both the sponsors and their bands.
Digital advertising will also be made available to local businesses that wish to participate after the event concludes, via RocklandWeb’s video services team. The full 8-hour performance is scheduled to be released online, with a target launch on Labor Day weekend.
According to weather.com, this year’s event includes a chance of rain in the afternoon. When RocklandNews asked Mr. Ossa of his feelings on what the weather will be like, after showing him the weather report, he stated with a slight grin: “That’s not up to me. That’s up to the higher power. We just know that we’ll be there on Saturday, ready to play.
To purchase tickets, visit www.stonymusicfest.com
The India Cultural Society of Rockland will host its India Day Parade on Saturday, August 14th at 11am in New City.
