Ana’s Botellas: Paint the Town

Floriana, or Ana Peguero has started a most interesting craft based on her heritage infused with environmental conservation. Ana paints reclaimed glass bottles for all kinds for different uses; this is more accurately called “upcycling” by the young greensters of today. Most of Ana’s work is inspired by patterns she remembers from her childhood and younger life in a central Dominican Republic village. Ana came to Haverstraw nearly one decade ago. Today, she resides in New City. Read her account below for some background on her life and her craft:

Rowing Club “Learn-to-Row” Day is a Hit!

The “Learn-to-Row” Day held by the North Rockland Rowing Club, sponsored by U.S. Rowing, was held down at the Haverstraw Ferry Landing on Saturday, June 6th. At least 40 new rowers were able to try the rowing machines and go out on the water in the crew shells. It was a great day of learning and exposure to the sport.

There has been great interest in the sport and the Rowing Club from many Haverstraw residents and other Rockland County natives. Feel free to contact the Rowing Club at (845) 942-1030, and ask for Susan or Jerry. Also, visit the website at www.northrocklandrowingclub.org ! It’s VERY fun and rowing exercises the entire body!

Rowing Club is Welcomed to the Village

The North Rockland Rowing Club, Inc., a non-profit group (501c-3) that fosters rowing on the Hudson River, has made a commitment to Haverstraw. The Club, formerly of Stony Point, will operate out of the Elks’ Club/Admiral’s Cove Marina, also known as the “gap” by Haverstraw natives. A 60 foot, low profile dock and ramp has been installed at the western end of the Marina and can be accessed at the small boathouse, formerly of the Hudson-Bergen Yacht Club, which was acquired by Ginsburg Development a few years ago to make way for Admiral’s Cove.

Village Poll #1: Haverstraw’s Future

There are a lot of optimists and skeptics in the region, all debating whether Haverstraw will complete it’s ‘renaissance’ in a timely fashion. I thought it would be interesting to see how the people actually feel. We can only hope that the Village will change for the better. I would say that I’m an optimist – so I already voted. Please, leave your vote here and check back to see what the overall sentiment regarding Haverstraw’s future actually is.

Please, try not to vote more than once. If you feel that strongly about this poll, get your friends to vote! I’d like the sentiment represented in this poll to be as accurate as possible. Thank you!

Knickerbocker Ice Festival Celebrates a Cool Past

Rockland Lake, the former home of one of the largest and most famous ice houses in America – the Knickerbocker Ice Company, is hosting the annual Knickerbocker Ice Festival. The festivities are full of new events to mark the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s famous trip up the river that bears his name as well as the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the steam age when Henry Fulton sailed the first steamboat, the Clermont, up the Hudson. The festival will boast Hydrogen cars by GM, solar technology, hot air balloon rides, a fireworks display, scale ice-carved replicas of Hudson’s ship Half Moon and the Fulton Clermont, and an ice gallery that displays historic photographs encased in ice blocks. I highly recommend visiting the festival this year, and to learn more about the ice works that graced Rockland Lake for nearly a century. The festival website is http://knickerbockericefestival.com/ and to learn more about the history of Rockland Lake and the Knickerbocker Ice Company, visit the Palisades Parks Conservancy website at www.palisadesparksconservancy.org .

High Spirits at Bricktown Gospel

Bricktown Gospel Congregation

In the heart of downtown Haverstraw, Pastor Tim Tyree has been delivering sermons for the Bricktown Gospel congregation geared toward revitalizing the spirit of the Village. The Pastor believes that not only must the Village’s infrastructure be revitalized and rebuilt to its formal splendor, but the Village’s soul and its people need uplifting as well. Gleaming facades, clean sidewalks, and glowing storefronts are decidedly dull if these aspects of a revitalized city are not enjoyed by the people. Pastor Tim has put together a more full description of the Church, which works heavily to draw inspiration from the Village’s extraordinarily rich history: