06/11/2022
In March, a group of your friends and neighbors sat around a table and talked about our community. There were representatives from the High School, the the Lions Club, the Library, the American Legion, the Recreation Department, the Firehouse, The Stissing Center, Town Hall, FoSL, the Stissing Theatre Guild, Willow Roots and more.
We talked about how great it would be to bring the whole town together. Folks from every walk of life, every perspective, young and old, born here and newly arrived, could all come together to get to know their neighbors. And have fun! It’s been a stressful time for most people, let’s have a day to escape with our friends and families right here in our own wonderful little town. And maybe even get to know someone new.
The answer was easy, bring back Community Day. And so the conversation began. First, we worked on choosing a date. We wanted to avoid nearby towns’ Community Days, and also to avoid a date when the High School football team is playing an away game. The date we landed on is Saturday, September 10.
We brainstormed some more. And here are some of the ideas we discussed. The whole day should be free, for everyone. Free to participate, free music, free food, free drinks, free for all. And no fundraising - there are other days for that. Between the Dutchess County Fair, school starting and the AgFair, this time of year can get expensive. So Community Day should be free.
This Community Day will be a day when we can all come together and have fun and not worry about how much it might cost. We hope to get everything donated. Food might include a pancake breakfast at the start of the day, and hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza later on. And, of course, ice cream.
We also brainstormed about the hope we can create a block party feel, keeping all activities within walking distance of the center of town. Music on porches, adult and kids’ recreation at the school (Kickball? Softball? Tug of war?), food, drinks, and fun stuff like face painting and a dunk tank. Maybe fireworks at the end of the night near the beach or Lions Club pavilion.
To be clear, aside from the date, nothing was decided, it was just a brainstorm. But it sounds like something we could all use right now. A day of fun, a day of community. It will take some work, but it will be worth it.
Want to get involved? PLEASE DO. There’s a steering committee, a music committee, a food and beverage committee, a communications committee and a budget committee. And they all need people. If you can spare a little time, please comment below.
Looking forward to seeing you all on September 10.
Brainstorm attendees:
Josh Bardfield
Lenora Champagne
Sarah Lyons Chase
Scott Chase
Mike Cooper
David Conte
Heather Dell’Amore
Patty Hall
Paula Humphries
Jim Jackson
Robert Lyons
Gail Mellow
Kate Osofksy
Jeanine Sisco
Marie Stewart
Mark Stonehill
Alexis Tackett
Joan Taylor
Patrick Trettenero
Brian Walsh
Lisa Zayas
Nelson Zayas
Amanda Zick
Matt Zick
