https://www.sugarloafcommunityfoundation.org/

Sugar Loaf Community Foundation, Sugar Loaf, NY (2026)

05/31/2026

🍦 The "Coolest" Place in Chester? Chester Ice Cream! 🍨

Ok - lets state the obvious. When it comes to local ice cream, Bellvale Creamery wears the crown. Those legendary lines, spectacular views, and the infamous "Bellvale Bog" say it all.

But let's not overlook another local favorite.

Chester Ice Cream in Quickway Plaza- as Larry David would say, is "pretty, pretty, pretty good." It's consistently busy, highly rated, and most important - serves really great ice cream.

So if you're not in the mood to make the trek to Bellvale—don't "waffle" - Chester Ice Cream is just fantastic!

05/30/2026

"Curb" Your Enthusiasm

Most of us are pretty 'enthusiastic' about how nice the Belgian block curbing looks on the new sidewalks. It's a small detail, but helps reinforce the historic charm of Sugar Loaf.

So while we're making progress, they're still sections of the hamlet without curbing, and other areas where the railroad ties have deteriorated or been displaced by weather or plows.

The good news is that Supervisor Brandon Holdridge has agreed to help us repair or replace the damaged railroad ties. And at the same time, we're looking into long-term solutions that would improve the curbing throughout sections of the hamlet, including costing Belgian blocks curbs vs railroad ties.

Experts have also advised that some curbs might be repositioned to create additional parking. There's still challenges ahead, but we're moving in the right direction.

05/29/2026

🌟 The Sugar Loaf Questionnaire - Dr. Richard Hull 🌟

Dr. Richard Hull - esteemed professor, author, historian - whose contributions have helped preserve and celebrate the history of our hamlet for decades.

🏡 What first brought you to SL? "My parents purchased a farm in Warwick, and then my wife Jo and I moved into SL, when she opened a batik business."

📅 How long did you live in SL? "We bought our house in 1970 and sold it in 2004 — 34 wonderful years."

🍽️ Favorite local restaurant (outside SL)? "The Landmark Inn in Warwick."

🥾 Favorite place nearby to walk or hike? "I loved hiking up SL Mountain, although I haven't done it in recent years."

🌷 Favorite season in SL? "Spring is just beautiful here."

👤 Who is the most memorable SL resident you've ever known? "Walter Kannon."

💬 If you had one word to describe SL, what would it be? "Civic Pride."

🎪 Favorite memory involving the community? "Being one of the founders of the annual SL Spring Festival and helping start the SL Community Foundation."

⛪ What's the one thing you hope never changes about SL? "Losing our United Methodist Church."

🕯️ You know you're from SL ....? " When I see Peter Lendved's candle store."
_______________________
❤️ Thank you Richard for all you've done - and helping preserve the stories, traditions, and spirit that make SL such a special place.

More responses in coming weeks, but feel free to add your answers to the questionnaire below.

05/28/2026

Howling in the Night?

Have you ever heard that strange howling and yipping at night - in and around Sugar Loaf? They're probably coyotes — who've become increasingly common in our area and the Hudson Valley.

They're supposedly very intelligent and adaptable. Originally native to the west, over the past century they moved east and even into urban areas. Experts say their numbers have grown because they’ve learned to thrive near people - while staying mostly unseen during the day.

Despite their eerie howls, coyotes are generally not dangerous to us and usually avoid people. However, they can pose a threat to small pets like dogs and cats, if left unattended at night. Experts recommend keeping our pets close, don't leave food outside, and never feed the coyotes.

Interestingly, those nighttime 'choruses' are not from a large pack, but usually from a few coyotes communicating with each other across our hills and valleys.

So yes — those nighttime howls can sound a little 'chilling'. But coyotes are part of our natural world. They’re also intelligent, beautiful animals simply trying to survive alongside us — sharing our home in Sugar Loaf and around the Hudson Valley.

(photos taken locally by birder extraordinaire and friend Matthew Zeitler)

05/26/2026

"Voices of Sugar Loaf" - Mark your calendars

There’s something special about coming together as a community to share our stories, values, history — and what it means to call Sugar Loaf home.

Please join us at the Sugar Loaf Methodist Church on June 19th at 7pm for an evening of memories, laughter and community spirit, as speakers from different backgrounds and generations share stories about their lives and connection to Sugar Loaf.

Hear stories from Beth, Paula, Fa, Pastor Mike, Jason, Andy, Dakota, and Susan as we celebrate our hamlet and the people who make our community so special. Margie DeRosso will perform a few songs. And as an added treat, members of the Milkweed Poetry Workshop will share a few poems.

We hope you’ll join us June 19th for what promises to be a entertaining and meaningful evening.

05/24/2026

The Story of the Sugar Loaf Mountain 9/11 Flag

Memorial Day weekend feels like the perfect time to retell the inspiring story of the American flag that the Sugar Loaf Fire Dept. raised atop SL Mountain following 9/11.

Moved by the attacks and the loss felt locally and in the country, department members carried a large American flag up the steep mountain — along with a generator and lighting equipment to illuminate it. The effort was led by Bob Capone, Bob Conklin, and Gary Winship, who has since passed away. (Apologies to anyone I unintentionally left out.)

Once raised, the illuminated flag could be seen for miles — a symbol of unity and remembrance during a difficult time. The department continued this beautiful tradition for years afterward.

As a side note, a resident told me that after 9/11, many people from the NYC area began seeking quieter, safer places to reconnect with nature, community, and one another. One of the places they discovered was Sugar Loaf.

During that period, visitors dramatically increased as they were drawn to the peace, beauty, and human connection the hamlet offered. Some say it was one of the busiest periods in SL's history.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of that terrible day. And while we live in a divided country, we shouldn't forget what our remarkable Fire Dept. did after 9/11 - unifying us with such a memorable tribute. Thank you for what you did back then - and for your continued service to our community today.

(If someone has a photo of the flag - please share. Meanwhile, here's an AI generated photo of what it might have looked like.)

05/23/2026

A little rain never stopped anyone!

The Sugar Loaf Spring Festival looks like it's heating up. Booths are being set up and of course the shop owners are all here.

There's alot of wonderful crafts, merch, foods and so much more to check out. You may even get to shake hands with the "Mayor of Sugar Loaf" - Faron Peckham.

So grab an umbrella and head on over. (BTW - the Knicks don't play till 8:00 pm.). It's definitely worth a trip.

05/23/2026

Chester’s Famous “Resting Paws” Pet Cemetery

Tucked away on quiet Restdale Rd in Chester, is one of the area’s most unusual places — the “Resting Paws” Pet Cemetery, where 250 beloved animals are buried. And among them rests one of the most famous animal performers of the 20th century: “King the Lion.”

For years, King was the headline attraction at the legendary Palisades Amusement Park. His act? Riding inside the terrifying “Globe of Death” — a motor-drome where motorcycles sped in circles while King calmly rode along with his trainer.

Audiences went nuts. It was popular in the 30's and 40's until King retired in 1953. (Personal note - by today standards, it seems pretty awful how they treated animals those days and hopefully we're moving in a more humane direction)

Even stranger was that King’s best friend was the even more famous chimpanzee “J. Fred Muggs,” the mascot of NBC’s “Today Show” during the 1950s.

King was buried at Resting Paws because at the time, it was considered one of the most respected pet cemeteries in the East, with many well-known animals buried there.

Of course, Chester’s most legendary animal is the horse “Hambletonian,” the father of the American trotter, who was raised in Sugar Loaf and buried on Hambletonian Avenue in Chester.

But what makes Resting Paws truly memorable are the inscriptions. Reading them, you’re reminded how deeply pets become part of our families. One of my favorites is: “Timmy Minerva — born a dog, died a gentleman.”

The cemetery is owned and maintained by the Warwick Valley Humane Society, and there are no new burials permitted.

Between Chester and Sugar Loaf, we have a few unusual places. This is certainly one of them — and worth a short visit.

05/21/2026

"Transformation Trails"— From Crazy Dream to Inspired Reality

Next door to Sugar Loaf in Warwick, an ambitious park is taking ‘root’ - and it's quite a story. A few years ago, Warwick resident Geoff Howard was walking around Wickham Woodlands admiring how nice it looked. But the fenced in area around the prison was a mess. Geoff had the ‘crazy’ idea that it too could become something special - maybe even a town park. He shared the idea with some friends, who didn’t think it so crazy.

Early supporters included former Town Supervisor Mike Sweeton, Agrisculpture, the Warwick Shade Tree Commission and Sustainable Warwick. Part of the property was owned by Hudson Sports Complex, who graciously allowed the use of the land.

Soon a vision began forming: a park with a tree-filled arboretum, pollinator meadows with flowers, sculpture gardens, an outdoor stem classroom - and even an amphitheater for concerts. Audacious? Absolutely!

Fast forward to today, and what seemed farfetched is ‘growing fast’! More than 50 trees have now been planted, and the first two pollinator patches are underway. Special shout-out to the Warwick DPW for all their support.

The project accelerated when current Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer saw the potential. The team expanded to include: architect Jeff DeGraw and landscape architect Karen Arent. And thanks to Supervisor Dwyer, the Town recently secured a major grant to push the project forward.

If all goes right, what began as one resident’s “crazy idea” could become one of the most beautiful parks in Orange County and beyond. Yes, there are still challenges. But for now - thank you Geoff and the volunteers, professionals and town officials helping turn this vision into a reality.

Lastly - why should an outside SL group post about a Warwick project? Because communities don’t exist in isolation. This park is next to SL and will hopefully become a place our residents can also enjoy. Several SL residents are involved in its development. And perhaps most important, it serves as an inspiring example of what can happen when residents and local government work together toward "transforming" something with a negative past - into something positive, beautiful and lasting.

Author Nelson Henderson wrote: “The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” That is truly the spirit of Transformation Trails.

05/20/2026

**Lydia’s Flower Brigade**

On Monday, Lydia Cuadros once again led the charge to plant the flower barrels throughout the hamlet, including the beautiful large planter in front of the church.

Joining Lydia were volunteers Terry Foley Delorenzis, Beth Duke, and Deb Donaldson, whose hard work and community spirit helped brighten Sugar Loaf for everyone.

And a special thank you to Gene Frosini and GF Greenhouses for his continued generosity and support in providing the flowers year after year.

Thanks to all involved for helping make the hamlet look so beautiful.

Sugar Loaf Community Foundation

05/31/2026

05/30/2026

05/29/2026

05/28/2026

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05/20/2026

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