Assane Badji Sylla and Momadouba Camara will be leading their African Drumming and Dance classes at the Community Center as they do every Sunday from 3:00 to 5:30pm. This particular Sunday, the classes will be free and sponsored by the Town of New Paltz Office for Community Wellness/Thriving Together.

Read more about their classes in the "Community Classes" section.

Sunday, Sept. 28th from 3:00 to 5:30pm (Community Center)

Our High School Piglets are holding a fundraiser at the Village Hall this Sunday!

See flyer here.

This Sunday (June 1st) from 11:00 to 3:00pm. (Village Hall)

The SOS Boot Camp is a training weekend dedicated to first time SOS athletes who are registered for the race. The weekend is designed to run through each leg of the course (with some modifications) along side local SOS veterans and top performers. Each leg will include tips and tales from Boot Camp guides and secrets on "how to" from carrying shoes or wearing socks to running or walking Cardiac Hill and Godzilla.  

An informal, catered dinner is held where participants can get to know one another off the course, mingle with their SOS Boot Camp guides, meet the SOS Triathlon founder (and hear a few tips too). A talk given by SOS veterans and open Q&A follows dinner. 

The SOS Boot Camp will introduce first time racers to the SOS Community and the goal of fostering the "spirit" of the SOS Triathlon. 

See website here.

Sunday, July 26th, all day. (Field of Dreams)

We enjoyed a lovely picnic lunch at the Field of Dreams Park, catered by Main Course. It was a warm day, but there was a cool breeze under the pavilion and beautiful views.

Friday, July 25th, at noon. (Field of Dreams Pavilion)

We had a wonderful time at Hortus Arboretum and Beatrix Farrand gardens!

Stay tuned for our upcoming Senior Picnic at the Field of Dreams Park, Friday, July 25th.

• Hortus Arboretum (See pictures from the trip here, here, and here.)
  Friday, May 2nd
  Departs at 10AM
  
  
• Orange County Arboretum and Plant Sale (Canceled due to rain.)
  Friday May 9th
  Departs at 10AM
  
  
• Beatrix Farrand Garden, Hyde Park (See pictures from the trip here, here, and here.)
  Friday, May 30nd
  Departs at 10AM

On September 6th, a senior group traveled to the Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Stone Ridge. In the photo, co-founder Scott Serrano describes the fruit on his Dwarf Tamarillo plant. "Like an apricot," he said. He then gave Joanna a seedling which she is growing in her office at the Community Center. The leaves smell rather horrible, but we can see if it will fruit when planted outside the Center next summer! 

This tree is Heptacodium micronoides, also known as the Seven Sons Flower Tree. It's a late summer blooming tree and no trees are found in the "wild" anymore in its native origin of China, says co-founder Allyson Levy.

Joanna will plan another trip to Hortus next spring.

As recounted by Sharon Roth:

We took a bus with 14 senior citizens from New Paltz. Our Director drove the small bus. Not a school bus… we had lunch in the Apple Pie Bakery Café. The food was all made by students and it was excellent. I wanted the Spanakopita, but they were out. I asked for the apple ginger tart. All gone. I settled for the last cheesecake. With a small bottle of San Pellegrino. Yum. 

I asked a junior named Chelsea from New Jersey if she wants to become a sous chef after graduation. She said that that is not the first step. The first step is prep chef then executive chef. Then sous chef. Then main chef. She actually wants to become a chocolatier. 

It was a great day!

Peter Blum took participants on a sound journey using his vast range of instruments from around the world. The arrangement of instruments set up next to him was a spectacle in itself. One hand-made percussion panel was given to him by his friend, the late Jack DeJohnette, world renowned jazz drummer, also of Woodstock. At one memorable moment, his singing voice melded into an accompanying instrumental sound for an other worldly effect.

________

Join us for an evening soundscape with Peter Blum. He will play a variety of gongs, Himalayan singing bowls, Sabian resonating bells, handpan, tamboura, ngoni, frame drum, and vocals.

Saturday, November 8 from 7:00 to 8:00pm (Community Center)

UCRRA Recycling Outreach Team Angelina Brandt (pictured left) and Eva Barnett (pictured right) held a fascinating and inspiring workshop on how to compost in your own home. They brought vermiculture and bokashi buckets to show and explained how easy the process can be if you know the basics. Even seasoned composters learned some tips.

Here Angelina is showing a bucket of active Red Wiggler worms.

Here is a video of Eva is demonstrating one way to finish a "bokashi cake."

Click here for UCRRA's booklet on bokashi composting.

Click here for UCRRA's booklet on vermicomposting.

Stay tuned for another indoor composting workshop this fall!

Join Ernest Masaaba, educator and child advocate, who is visiting from Uganda. He will discuss the organization AOET Uganda. https://aoet.org/uganda-locations.php. Through this organization you can sponsor a child from kindergarten through university and provide nutrition and medical support to the child as well as to their caretakers.

See flyer here.