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Every summer, the Red Hook Education Foundation holds its annual fundraising gala to celebrate our community, its excellent schools, and the projects RHEF has supported. Every gala features live music, delicious food, festive cocktails, a live and silent auction, and of course dancing! They’ve even been known to have a photo booth for fun!

There are various ways to support the Gala & RHEF:

• Buy a Ticket to the Gala — Don’t miss the most fun party in town!
• Become a Gala Sponsor — There are always various levels to choose from and you’ll be featured in the program.
• Donate an Item or Service to the Auction — It’s a great way for local businesses to support the community and attract new loyal customers.

So make sure you keep your calendar open come early summer for the RHEF Fundraising Gala!

Previous RHEF Gala Sponsors:

$5,000
Prestige Toyota
Toyota Motor Co

$2,500
Betsy Robertson
Hotel Tivoli & The Corner
Maura Sullivan & John Horiszny
Wells Fargo Advisors

$1,000
Illiana Van Meeteren
Innovation Glass
Martin & Anna Rabinowitz
Omega Institute
Orthopedic Associates of Dutchess County
Red Hook High School Gender Equality Club

$500
Andlynn Construction
Colleen & Michael Bloxham
Hudson ENT
John & Alison Lankenau
Palombo Group
Phantom Gardener
Steven Appenzeller & Beth Goldberg
Third Eye Assoc.
Watertight Plumbing

$250
Amy Shein
Arlene London
Belinda Kaake
Christine & Matt Kurlander
David Migdal & Kathleen Karakassis
Eleanor A. Davis
Emily Houpt
Foster & Tricia Reed Household
Jennifer & George Odlum
Jeremy Greenberg
Laurie B. Husted
Lisa Whalen & Charles Robitaille
Mansfield, Gautier & Rosenthal
Marshall & Sterling Insurance
Michele Platt & Francesco Buitoni
Michiel Van Dijk
Mid Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union
Nicole Gill Household
Norah G. Cullers
Patricia Paffendorf
Paul Finch
Rhinebeck Bank
Robert & Elizabeth McKeon
Ruge’s
Samantha Hunt & Joe Hagan
Tara & Ned Sullivan Household
Tetra Tech Architects
Trustco Bank
Zulch Tax Consultants

Beloved Bard Professor Jacob Grossberg, who worked at the college from 1969 through 1998, recently passed away and his wife, Di Baldwin has decided to honor his memory with two awards – one for a graduating Bard student and another for a deserving Red Hook High School senior who will be entering an institution of higher learning to study studio arts. “Jake” adored working with high school students and up until the time of his death was actively mentoring and helping them develop portfolios for college applications. In his memory, Di Baldwin, decided to donate $5,000 to the Red Hook Education Foundation to create The Professor Jacob Grossberg Studio Art Award. Every year for at least the next 10 years, the faculty of the Red Hook High School art department will nominate one student to receive a $500 award.

It is the hope of Di Baldwin that other people who knew Jake will also contribute to this fund so that the award can continue to be awarded beyond the initial ten year period. If anyone would like to help support the The Professor Jacob Grossberg Studio Art Award, please contact RHEF board member Amy Husten at Amy.Husten@redhookeducationfoundation.com

RHEF recently funded the purchase of new guitars for the popular middle school guitar club. Over the last 10 years the club has grown to have up to 20 regular participating members, but many do not have guitars of their own to practice on. The new guitars will be used from year to year by kids that are interested in playing but are not in a position to purchase one of their own.

Club advisor Rob Kaplan says that “in this era of over-testing the creativity of music and hobby of playing guitar can help inspire the excellence of our students!”

On Thursday night, January 29th, 2015, RHEF hosted “RHEF Celebrates the Arts” at Bread & Bottle Bakery & Restaurant in the Village of Red Hook (7496 S. Broadway, Red Hook — now the location of Yum Yum).  Supporters stopped in after work to raise a glass to the arts. Some stayed for the evening to hang out with friends and celebrate arts education in our community.

The evening included an arts-themed raffle. Ten percent of sales went directly to the Red Hook Education Foundation.

The event was sponsored by The Arts Oasis, the erstwhile multi-arts center in Red Hook village which offered literary, performance, and fine arts classes for students of all ages and stages of life.

Seventy-four students from elementary through the high school are learning the basics of computer programming using a web based program called Crunchzilla. The program is intended to be a fun and exciting introduction to programming concepts and building computer games. With funding from RHEF and the guidance of six Red Hook teachers, this after-school initiative seeks to spark students’ interest in computer programming with the goal of building regular after school clubs and ultimately introduce computer programming in to the district’s course offerings.

Thanks to the support of our generous community RHEF continues to help fund the work of Career and College Transition Specialist Peg D’Onofrio. In addition to two information-packed seminars on college admissions and financial aid, Ms. D’Onofrio was able to organize field trips to college fairs this fall.

For the last several years the Foundation has supported Career & College Transition, initially by working with community volunteers to stage career and college fairs, and for the last two years by providing funding for programs lead by Career & College Transition Specialist Peg D’Onofrio. In addition to two information-packed seminars on college admissions and financial aid, Ms. D’Onofrio was able to organize field trips to college fairs this fall.

“The buses were sold out so to speak,” says D’Onofrio. “I really believe there were kids (and parents) on those buses that would not typically have engaged in that kind of event. I do think that my position has reached some of those kids who were not considering college and now feel it is an option. It has allowed for more brainstorming and dialogue and parents are more involved in the process because they are able to meet together with me and their son or daughter. I see more students engaged.”

“Thanks to the support of the Red Hook Education Foundation we have made great strides in how we deliver college and career counseling,” says Joe DeCaro, Director of Pupil Personnel Services.

These programs have been so well attended and the feedback from students and parents so outstanding, that RHEF pledged to continue to support Career and College Transition programs at up to $5,000 for the 2014-15 school year.

Previous Career Outreach News

Over the summer of 2013, education foundation volunteers wrote and secured a grant for the school district from the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation The  $5,710 award paid for a college tour for low-income students and parents. “With RHEF’s assistance, I was able to take 12 students and 4 parents on a two-day, five-college tour,” says Career & College Outreach Counselor Peg D’Onofrio. “Students, including sophomores and juniors, were amazed at the opportunities that await them at college and many learned of financial aid rewards that they didn’t know existed. .. Inspiring these students was the goal and, by all accounts, a goal that was overwhelmingly attained.”

This fall, RHEF donated $2,500 to the district to support workshops and information sessions organized by D’Onofrio during the 2013-14 school year. D’Onofrio has been guiding district students working on college selection and application, as well as financial aid and scholarship opportunities. “Thanks to the support of the Red Hook Education Foundation we have made great strides in how we deliver college and career counseling,” says Joe DeCaro, Director of Pupil Personnel Services. “The guidance counselors are also very impressed with the level of service Peg is capable of delivering. I actually get emails form students and parents explaining how helpful she is.”

Thank you to everyone who came out for An Evening with Amy Helm in support of the Red Hook Education Foundation — we had a sellout crowd! Helm’s concert was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

Additional thanks to the underwriters and sponsors of the event.  Their generosity ensured that 100% of the ticket sales went directly to funding the projects and programs of the Red Hook Education Foundation.

Underwriters:

Beth Goldberg and Steve Appenzeller
Michelle Platt and Francesco Buitoni	Julia Crowley and Art Carlson
Lisa and Art Chandler	Odile and Reverend B.D. Chilton
Trisha and Paul Finch	Jeanne Donovan Fisher
Debra Blalock and Russell Frehling	Alison and Robert George
Sarah and Chris Gilbert	H.H. Hill Realty
Maura Sullivan and John Horiszny	Teresa and Steven Hughes
Burton Kassell	Evelyn Krueger and Frank Knobloch
Christine and Matt Kurlander	Katy Walsh and Wil LaBossier
Law Office of Susan Von Reusner	Alison and John Lankenau
Linda and Shelton Lindsay	Liz Cullers and Arlene London
Michelle and Jeffrey Martin	Sharon and Steve Maurer
Dwayne Resnick and Mark McDonald	Nora and Edward Mercier
Migliorelli Farms	New Leaf Design
Paula Redmond Real EstateTricia and Foster Reed	Susan and John Pelosi
Sarah and Peter Sweeny	Tivoli Mercantile
Illiana van MeeterenThe Valley Gardener	Illya Szilak and Chris Vroom
Marla and Brian Walker

Sponsors

About Town
Bard College	Baright Enterprises, Inc. Foam & Wash
Celso Celeya Landscaping, Inc.	Chronogram
J. Ettenson Realty	Mansfield, Gautier & Rosenthal, LLP.
Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union	Oblong Books
The Palombo Group	Red Hook Chamber of Commerce
Red Hook Observer	Richard B. Fisher Center for Performing Arts
Riverstone Wealth Management	Ruge’s Subaru
Trustco Bank	Watertight Plumbing & Heating
WDST	WKZE

 

About Amy Helm

Amy Helm’s deep musical roots were enriched by a lifetime of exposure to the finest expressions of American musical tradition. Combined with her stunning vocal and other creative gifts, those roots have grown up to reveal a spellbinding artist who moves easily through a broad range of musical styles.

The daughter of music legend Levon Helm and singer/songwriter Libby Titus Fagen, Helm wields a powerful voice that can both stir and soothe, whether she is singing traditional gospel, blues standards or her own heartfelt compositions. She is a gifted musician on both mandolin and drums, and has clearly absorbed the lessons of the many other accomplished artists with whom she has shared stages, including Mavis Staples, Emmylou Harris, and Joan Osborne as well as other uniquely American performers like Dr. John and Hubert Sumlin.

A founding member of the roots band Ollabelle with whom she has recorded three CDs, Helm has also performed live with scores of notable musicians like Warren Haynes, The Wood Brothers, and Donald Fagen, and her distinctive voice can be heard on recordings by artists ranging from Mercury Rev to Marc Cohn.

Her lengthy resume is highlighted by many years of singing and playing alongside her father, with whom she conceived, launched and perfected the Midnight Rambles, intimate performances held since 2004 at his home and studio in Woodstock, N.Y. The musical chemistry, affectionate humor and family pride that Amy shared on stage with her father helped shape the Midnight Ramble as it evolved into a musical event that still attracts fans and musicians from around the world. She co-produced Levon Helm’s 2007 CD Dirt Farmer, which won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album, and she is prominently featured on the Levon Helm Band’s Electric Dirt and Ramble at the Ryman Grammy-winning albums.

Helm continues to perform with the Ollabelle, the Midnight Ramble Band and the Dirt Farmer Band. She is poised to release her first solo album later this year.

 

The 1000 Books Kids Club  program, funded by a mini-grant from the Red Hook Education Foundation,  targeted the families of preschool aged children, and offered them the opportunity to borrow age-appropriate books as a way to enhance pre-literacy skills, as well as make an initial positive connection to their school.

In the spring of 2013, the program began lending bags of 10 books to families, and has already been infused with additional support.  Daniel and Jill Pinkwater have generously donated over 250 books to support this project, and a number of Red Hook families have offered both books and monetary donations to further support this important program.

At the time of this post, eleven families had already registered for the program.  For more information, you may contact Barbara Shoemaker, Mill Road Primary Librarian, bshoemaker@rhcsd.org.