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Beacon Free Press
This Week...
The Beacon Free Press has been Beacon’s primary center of news and entertainment coverage for over 25 years. Coverage includes local city and school news and features, Dutchess County Legislature, county legal notices, obituaries, plus coverage of arts and entertainment, hospitals and health, education, libraries and local businesses and organizations.
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12/14/11 Highlights of this week's edition...
Beacon sports Christmas tree made of recycled bikes
A Recycled Christmas Tree by renowned sculptor Ed Benavente was
lit on Saturday on the corner of Main and Cross Street. It was
sponsored by BACA (Beacon Artists Community Association) and Beacon
Chamber.
By Goldee Greene, Staff Writer
BEACON -- What do you get when you combine eight
discarded bicycles, an inventive Beacon sculptor and Christmas
lights? A sparkling ten-foot recycled Yuletide tree, of course. The
lighting, sponsored by BACA (Beacon Arts Community Association) and
Beacon Chamber, took place Saturday at the corner of Main and Cross
Streets. A caroling crowd led by Kelly Ellenwood, with Stephen Clair
on guitar, added to the holiday cheer.
After the lighting children of all ages crossed Main Street to warm
up with a hot cocoa, or two, at School of Jellyfish.
Ed Benavente, Beacon artist by way of LA, switched on the lights at
dusk and spun the wheels for dramatic effect. The renowned sculptor
specializes in outdoor works and has installations in collections
and various sculpture parks around the country.
"This piece will stay until various elements take care of it," he
said. "Meanwhile, it's made to be used and interacted with, and I'm
encouraging people to add decorations, hopefully with recycled
materials to enhance the theme. It's here for the whole community to
enjoy."
BHS students lauded for charity efforts
By Goldee Greene, Staff Writer
BEACON -- A group of dedicated community-minded
Beacon High students were honored for excellence in the MSG
Varsity/Cablevision Power to Learn 'Charity Champions' Program last
Tuesday. This is a Cablevision education initiative.
About 150 students participated in the school's 'Think Pink'
fundraising campaign, which got the whole school involved. The
school was presented with a $1000 check, which will be donated to
the American Cancer Society. Also received was a $500 check to
support the school's fundraising momentum. So far this year the
students has raised $7,470.
The youngsters are members of the high school's SADD (Students
Against Destructive Decisions) chapter.
Mayor-elect Randy Casale recognized the students for their
commitment to others
.
"First of all I'd like to thank superintendent Dr. Raymond Bandlow
and principal Dr. Sieverding for inviting me here, also director of
government affairs Roger Conner of Cablevision. I want to thank
Cablevision for being a corporate citizen of Beacon," he said.
"Cablevision has been a good corporate citizen for the City of
Beacon, helping out whenever they can. But most of all as
Mayor-elect I would like to thank the students here and advisors for
volunteering time to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
This is a cause that touches almost everyone in some form. I would
also like to let the students know that I believe all communities
that are successful have good volunteers. Good volunteers are the
foundation of the community and without them we don't have a
successful community. So I know that because of you students you're
an asset to this school and to the community, and we will have good
volunteers which you learn from the school district and from your
hard work and I want to thank you."
Food for Fines at Howland Public Library helps local families
From now until the end of the year, the Howland Public Library
will continue to accept food for fines.
Donations of nonperishables, such as canned tuna, peanut butter, and
bags of rice, will be accepted as payment of fines owed on Howland
Public Library books, cds, dvds, and other items. Nonperishables
will be donated to our Main Street neighbors at the Salvation Army
for distribution to people in need. Food for Fines doesn't apply to
fees for lost or damaged materials or for long-overdue items from
other libraries and the library cannot accept homemade goods or
items past their expiration dates.
For more information, contact Fanny Keaton at
director@beaconlibrary.org or call 831-1134 .
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