A Rotary Club Rescues a Poughkeepsie Park (Aired on May 8, 2022)

Poughkeepsie Arlington Rotarian Bernard Handel proposed in 2020 that his club undertake improvement of parks in the city of Poughkeepsie, The Rotary Club met with the city Parks and Recreation Department, which suggested that the club start with Spratt Park, which features a pool and trails, a children’s playground, and a former dog park—all in poor condition or nonfunctional. The following year, the club obtained a grant from The Rotary Foundation and District 7210 to help fund the restoration. The club also found sponsors who could help,
including the Jewish Federation of Dutchess County and insurer Marshall & Sterling. By 2022 work was already showing many improvements, with a ribbon-cutting opening of the restored park on May 13. Poughkeepsie Arlington President Darcy McCourt and Membership Chair Adam Belok visit Radio Rotary to describe the many improvements in the park.

Learn More:
Poughkeepsie Arlington Rotary: https://rotarydistrict7210.org/clubinfo/poughkeepsie-arlington
Poughkeepsie Arlington Rotary on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poughkeepsie.arlington.rotary.club
Poughkeepsie Parks and Recreation: https://www.cityofpoughkeepsie.com/221/Parks-Recreation

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May 18, 2022 · Posted in Community Planning, Events, Rotary Club Projects  

40 Years of Hudson River Housing (Aired January 18 and 19, 2020)

Back in 1980, Dutchess County Executive Lucille Pattison recognized that there was a
homeless crisis in the county and appointed a Task Force to address the problem, which
resulted in the formation of Hudson River Housing and the first emergency shelter for the
homeless. This vital service has been at the heart of the program as Hudson River Housing
expanded over the years to include transitional housing; affordable apartments and houses;
housing for veterans, for youth, and for seniors; historic preservation; rehabs of existing
structures as well as new construction; employment assistance; and help for first-time home
buyers. In this program, Christa Hines, Executive Director of Hudson River Housing, tells the
story of this amazing agency and the work that it does. With a staff of 160 as well as many
volunteer workers, the Housing Agency has become central to improving Poughkeepsie—and it has extensions to Beacon and to northeastern Dutchess (Amenia, Pine Plains, and Millerton)
where there are considerable needs as well.

Learn more
Hudson River Housing: https://hudsonriverhousing.org/
Family Partnership Center: http://familyservicesny.org/family-partnership-center/
Mental Health America of Dutchess County: https://mhadutchess.org/

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Pleasant Valley Library Recovers from Fire (Aired on April 13 and 14, 2019)

On Election Day 2018 fire ravaged the Pleasant Valley Free Library building.
Pleasant Valley Rotarian, Dave Kruger, president of the library board, received
the first notice at 6:45 a.m. but the 150-year-old wooden structure was already in
flames throughout the interior. Although sentimental artifacts were recovered by
brave firefighters, most of the 52,000 books were damaged beyond what repairs
would cost. In this program, Pleasant Valley Library Director Daniela Pulice and
Mr. Kruger tell RadioRotary the story of how, within a few months, the Town’s
residents and the Library Friends working with a dedicated staff brought the
library back into operation in donated quarters. Meanwhile architects have been
working on ways to rebuild the historic library building within the standing exterior
walls. The recovery is a remarkable achievement, and this is a radio program
well worth everyone’s attention.

Learn more:
Pleasant Valley Free Library: http://pleasantvalleylibrary.org/
Pleasant Valley Library on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pleasantvalleylibrary/
Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofthePVLibrary/
Mid-Hudson Library System: https://midhudson.org/
Pleasant Valley Rotary Club: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/50045/clubinfo/pleasant-valley

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April 18, 2019 · Posted in Arts & Letters, Community Planning, Disaster Relief, Literacy  

Rebuilding Children & Community (Aired On October 27 & 28, 2018)

RadioRotary interviews Satara Brown, who founded the nonprofit organization
Rebuilding Our Children and Community and is its Chief Executive Officer. The
organization, which works from Poughkeepsie’s Family Partnership Center,
provides services to children and the community throughout Dutchess Country.
Currently the focus is on providing school supplies for needy children and youth
development, including a summer educational program, and on a support group
for women that each month features women coming together to face such issues
as empowerment as entrepreneurs or development of a positive self-image.
Rebuilding Our Children and Community is a family operation itself, involving
Satara Brown’s parents and siblings in making it work. Ms. Brown began the
organization after spending time working for the Albany community in several
capacities before returning to her native Poughkeepsie.

Learn more:
Rebuilding Our Children and Community: https://roccpoughkeepsie.wordpress.com/
Facebook Page for Rebuilding Our Children and Community: https://www.facebook.com/roccpk/
Family Partnership Center: http://familyservicesny.org/family-partnership-center/

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November 8, 2018 · Posted in Children, Community Planning, Dutchess County, Education, Women  

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