Front cover: Jeff O’Donnell took this dramatic shot of an alignment of planets on June 3rd from his balcony at Alida.
Inside front cover: Hildegarde Gray and Jean Eccleston were among those who added soil to a newlyplanted memorial tree in Sunnyside Garden on May 15. Photo: Harry Bloomfeld.
Inside back cover: Another 20th anniversary event was the embedding of a time capsule behind the memorial tree. It will be unearthed in 2045. Photo: Harry Bloomfeld.
Back cover: Kendal’s 20th anniversary gala had sumptuous appetizers thanks to chef Eddy Dias, with carved pastries by cook supervisor Andres Castelanos. Photo: Harry Bloomfeld.
All Inside photos (unless otherwise specified) by Harry Bloomfeld.
KENDAL VIEW STAFF
Editors
Llyn Clague and Pat Taylor
Managing Editor Hubert B. Herring
Editorial Staff
Laura Burkhardt, Doris Eder, Muriel Fox, Christopher Hallowell, Edith Litt, Norman Sissman, Valerie Wolzien
Photography Editors
Harry Bloomfeld, Joe Bruno, Caroline Persell
Advertising
Emil Bahary, Peter Roggemann, Ad Directors
Carolyn Klinger, Coordinator
Here’s to You, Kendal View!
By Pat Taylor
One can only imagine the busy atmosphere at Kendal on Hudson after it opened in May 2005. Inventing a plan for residents’ governance was a priority. So was the forming of committee after committee. A library had to be organized from scratch. A new CEO to get to know. New friends to make. And endless boxes to unpack.
There was also the first issue of a new magazine to publish.
Fortunately, there was Aline Benjamin, eager to use her experience as a former editor at Random House. The first issue of Kendal View (KV) was distributed in September 2005. It was a rather modest endeavor: six pages of text, four of advertising, one staple holding it together. But the cover was in four colors – significant because one of KV’s claim to fame today is its sumptuous four covers. The inside pages of the magazine have changed considerably over the years, too. An issue now comprises sixteen pages of text and eight pages of advertising. Four-color photography complements its inside pages. Originally KV was published twelve times year; then eleven times; in 2019, it became a bimonthly.
There have been a total of five editors of Kendal View in its twenty-year life. After the initial issue, Aline realized that a second editor was needed if the magazine was to realize its potential. Enter Joan Oltman. Though short on publishing experience, she offered twelve years of major involvement in the founding of Kendal, giving her a feeling for what residents wanted in their own magazine. After Aline died in 2011, Joan took over and asked Norman Sissman, a regular contributor since the beginning, to be co-editor. Their partnership lasted until Joan retired in 2015 and Norman became the sole editor. He was a one-man band: editing, rewriting, proofreading, and doing layouts, as well as handling advertising. Two years later, I became the magazine’s first managing editor, utilizing my experience at masscirculation magazines like Good Housekeeping and House and Garden. I replaced Norman as editor when he resigned in 2019. A year later, I asked Llyn Clague, a poet and regular contributor, to become co-editor. Today, Llyn and I alternate the editing of issues, backed up by a staff of fourteen volunteers.
Five of them – Muriel Fox, Christopher Hallowell, Hubert Herring, Norman Sissman, and Valerie Wolzien – are staff writers whose work regularly appears in issues, along with occasional articles from other residents like Cathie Campbell, Peter Limburg, Bill Lyons, Philip Monteleoni, and Frank Neuwirth.
Since 2019, Edith Litt has been a key member of the KV staff. In this position, she works with individual residents on potential story ideas and the shaping of their written articles. (From the beginning, KV has encouraged residents to submit material.) In addition to serving as managing editor, Hubert Herring partners with Doris Eder in the proofreading of every issue. Each brings an excellent background to this important job. Doris worked in publishing in London and Hubert was with The New York Times for many years.
The magazine has three photography editors. Joe Bruno and Caroline Persell choose and process the covers for alternative issues while Harry Bloomfeld takes the shots used to illustrate inside pages. Advertising is under the aegis of co-directors Emil Bahary and Peter Roggemann, with Carolyn Klinger as the coordinator. And Laura Burkhardt keeps an index file that records when an article has run in the magazine. She is a research treasure!
For the past twenty years, volunteers like these have relished working on a magazine that goes from their hands to those of other residents. They like being part of a group of talented, creative people. They enjoy a somewhat raucous meeting every five or six weeks. They like the touch of glamour in producing an attractive publication. And they are particularly pleased that Kendal View reflects our communal and individual lives so well.
Always in the Spotlight
By Ursula Hahn
Kendal on Hudson was lucky that Jane Beers moved in after the opening of the Clermont and Mary Powell buildings in May 2005. In no time, she had organized a committee that offered her fellow residents trips to area destinations. A year later, twenty-one other activity committees and interest groups had been established (including woodworking!).
Jane and fellow Founder Bonnie Hart recognized that the growing number of events, meetings, organized activities, advisories, useful tips, and goings-on in the ‘nabe had to be gathered in one place, so the two set about creating a weekly newsletter called Spotlight. The first issue was published on June 5, 2006; a week later, the second one came out -doubled in size to a four-page sheet.
Initially, Jane worked with three assistants who gathered material to assemble into Spotlight; soon six, then eight were at work. Over the years, twenty-three volunteers were identified in annual reports as resident editors, most of them serving many years.
Jane continued to chair the Spotlight committee until 2014 when Peggy Pennell took over, followed by Mary Lou Wells in 2020, who in turn was succeeded by Sally Kellock, the current chief editor and committee chair.
The deadline for submission of notices remains Wednesday. Nowadays, resident editors take turns in producing an entire issue. They streamline and shorten an annoncement when limited space requires it, and also correct typos and proofread. The editor-of-the-week is responsible for retrieving notices of events and activities submitted to the Spotlight mailbox and its cubby in order to set up the page-one calendar and create a layout.
From the beginning, Spotllght was printed on yellow paper. When Catie was introduced,
it was thought that actual paper copies could be eliminated. But residents objected so strenuously that Ellen Ottstadt’s staff continues to print a limited weekly run, available on the mailbox shelf and bulletin boards.
Most issues of Spotlight now consist of five pages; six when the monthly calendar of events and agendas of the Residents Association and Residents Council meetings are added.
Sally Kellock, Spotlight’s current chief editor, worked at The Hudson Independent, a newspaper serving the river towns, for a decade and has used her experience there to introduce rigorous style and editing standards for Spotlight. She encourages the insertion of colorful “clip art” to fill gaps, to the enjoyment of residents, management and staff. Her current co-editors are Mimi Abramovitz, Jennifer Gardy, Pam Mitchell and Carlisle Spivey. Together, they produce what you might call a newsworthy publication.
Click into Community: the Birth of KoH Res/Web
By Valerie Wolzien
Carlisle Spivey is Webmaster/editor of Kendal’s website.
In 2015, Kendal on Hudson’s Residents Council was looking for a way to efficiently communicate with residents. Fran Kelly, then vice chair of the Council, discovered Kendal at Oberlin’s website and suggested that something similar would work here. There was enthusiastic support from the rest of the Council. Caroline Persell, who had created two websites at New York University, accepted the task of making one for KoH. As she no longer had the tech support that NYU once provided. Caroline needed to do some research in order to begin.
You never know where you might find the information you need. Caroline’s violin had been damaged in flooding caused by a broken pipe above her apartment in Robert Fulton. While chatting with her violin repairman, she learned that his son used a program called Squarespace, which was supposed to be user-friendly. Caroline bought a book about Squarespace and took it along when she and her husband Charlie headed up to their home in the Adirondacks. She spent the next two weeks teaching herself to use Squarespace. The seed for Koh’s website was planted.
Next, as in all things KoH, a committee was formed. Caroline Persell was named Webmaster, the editor, and took pictures and videos. As the website evolved, Peter Burmas edited the news page and Bill Seligman kept the calendar up-to-date. Jo-Ann Rapaport took on a section, and Gene DuBow contributed a regular column. Fran Kelly, Sheila Darnborough, Gretchen Engler, and Sally Kellock edited and helped where needed. The website was up and running. “It was,” Caroline says, “for us and about us.”
But not all of it was for everyone. There were immediate concerns about placing information out there on the World Wide Web, so they partitioned the site. Some would be public and some would be password-protected in a Residents Only section. That is also where information such as campus maps, shops. and services recommended by and for residents is to be found. And also, of course, the very popular “Did You See?” section filled with photos of KoH events past and present.
When Jeff O’Donnell arrived at Kendal in 2016, he joined Caroline as co-chair of the committee and a great general help. In 2022, when Carlisle Spivey moved in, she volunteered to head up the Website committee and be Webmaster. That’s a lot of work and when asked how she manages, Carlisle answers, “It’s my fun.” She also says she has lots of help. Dozens of photo and writing credits are a testament to how many residents contribute to KoH ResWeb.
The founding members of our website had two stated goals: a) providing current residents with timely, important, and interesting images, information and links in a single place and b) sharing written and visual examples of the vital and creative resident life at Kendal on Hudson with residents, prospective residents, families, and others outside of Kendal. Today it does just that, with well over a thousand visits in a typical month focused mainly on dining and the private Residents Only sections. About two thirds of users connect through their computers and the other third through mobile devices.
It’s not just the residents who are paying attention to KoH ResWeb. Take a look at this description from ChatGPT:
“The www.kohresweb.org website reflects the Kendal on Hudson philosophy: a community of respect, autonomy, and mutual support. Its thoughtful layout, practical resources, and secure communications foster not just convenience, but a deep sense of belonging. Whether you are a resident checking today’s menu or a family member wanting to stay connected, the site ensures Kendal’s values remain just a click away.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
It’s a Long Way to Tipperary
By Arthur Ash
It’s a long haul from Alida To the Bistro for a snack, Such a long haul I often need a Taxicab to get me back .
Reprinted from Kendal View April 2010
A Sapling and a Capsule
Dedicated to the 20th Anniversary of Kendal on Hudson
By Llyn Clague
Collaborate, celebrate, commemorate, Twenty years to date, twenty years to come
We are gathered here to mark a milestone along the path of this place we call home. Standing on two decades of past success, to a Kendal two decades hence we present a gift from our vibrant present.
To honor the moment we plant a tree that in time will grow and mature, and we bury a can affording the future cameos of our daily reality: sapling and capsule, symbol and sample, avatar of life, scraps and mementos.
Collaborate, commemorate, celebrate Twenty years to date, twenty to come
We honor the body of Kendal, the campus on this hill beside the gorgeous Hudson: four sand-colored buildings, solid examples of physical fact, their names iconic symbols of river boats floating on a river of green.
We honor the lives of the people of Kendal, from the first, a full score of years away, to the some fourteen score here on this day, to the latest moving in just yesterday, to you, another score of years from today.
Collaborate, commemorate, celebrate Twenty years to date, twenty to come
We honor the spirit of Kendal, sample and symbol embodied hourly in word and gesture of our people, in every item and object in the buried capsule, a spirit aspiring, past missteps, to move, through friendliness, to friendship, to community.
And we honor the spirit of community in the imagination, for only in imagination do we bond with you, in the future, as, in history, with Founders, a bonding more perfect in the imagination than on a real campus –sample and symbol of quintessential community.
Collaborate, celebrate, commemorate, Twenty years to date, twenty years to come
Llyn Clague recited his poem at the tree planting/time capsule ceremony in Sunnyside Garden on May 15.
A Tree Grows in Sunnyside
It’s a flowering dogwood (a native American species) and it was planted on May 15. 2025, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the opening of Kendal on Hudson. Today’s residents will enjoy its pink blooms next spring; meanwhile, birds can feast on its red berries this fall. According to Bob Michael, residents twenty years hence will see a tree that is thirty feet tall.
Treasures for the Future
The Capsule Committee, chaired by Muriel Fox, collected diverse items for the contents of a time capsule buried near the dogwood tree above. They range from minutes of meetings to a list of co-pilot volunteers . . . from calendars of events to the names of Saturday afternoon operas . . . from a video made at a New Year’s show to recollectoins of Founders. In twenty years, residents will be invited to open this time capsule to get an idea of what life on the cusp of AI was like.
Reflections from a Founder Resident
Given at the community’s party on May 9. 2025, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Kendal’s opening.
By Sirrka Barbour
Sirrka was the main speaker at the Kendal gala on May 9th that celebrated Kendal’s 20th anniversary as a CCRC.
I am one of the thirty or so relics left from when Kendal opened. I cannot begin to comprehend where those two decades have vanished.
Everything then was new, fresh, open, untried. We started from scratch, with a spirit of adventure. Sand and rock piles still skirted the driveway. My balcony in Alida was a concrete slab with no railings. Bare walls everywhere and no signage anywhere. Even moving vans got lost.
A visitor happened to ask a Kendal resident sitting somewhere in a public area for directions Shaking her head, the resident responded, “I don’t know where my own apartment is.” There were very few assistance devices like walkers anywhere. When I saw one in the front lobby, I was shocked. My reaction was: That doesn’t belong here, it better disappear as fast as possible. Now I depend upon one.
There was no Ellen and her crew to help us with our numerous personal problems.
I remember our new CEO, Pat Doyle, promising in her monthly Fireside Chat that an extra ten years would be added beyond our normal life span because of the good care we receive here. I begin to suspect that I may be living into my second extra dcade, because it’s practically impossible to become old here.
Why have we all chosen this very Kendal? Because of its extraordinary quality of community. But community is not automatic. I see it as a working proposition. We create it daily with all our interactions. I get energized just walking our hallways and making what I call “corridor friends.” The first person I ever met at the mailboxes became a very dear friend.
This is not to acknowledge that there can be bouts of loneliness when one grieves for lost family and friends. But solace and renewal can sometimes come in unexpected ways.
There was one common practice in the early days: we enjoyed being invited to an apartment for cocktails before dinner in the FDR. But there were no committees, no programs, no trips and only one miserable movie a week. And today? Plenty of committee meetings. Monday night lectures. Courses given by professors from surrounding colleges. A variety of concerts. And lots of good movies.
With Commons Refresh, I will encounter the third such upheaval in my twenty years here.
Six years after opening, there were minor renovations in the kitchen and the Bistro’s salad bar. Then with Project Renew from 2014 to 2016 we underwent a major shake-up that resulted in a refurbished front lobby and a very welcome residents lounge. Now at age twenty, we will go through some more growing pains with Commons Refresh. All I can say is, life means change at any age, any place.
Having also experienced other levels of care here (my husband was in both Adirondack and Clearwater), I trust that with our strong Quaker foundation, caring leadership, and vibrant community, Kendal wlll continue to thrive in the next twenty years. How lucky and privileged we are to call this place home.
The Art of Rebuilding a Life
By Lee Oakes
When Priscilla Holmgren came to Kendal as a Founder, she brought her skill as a calligrapher with her. From the get-go, her pieces were displayed on the Main Street wall in Independent Living. She also made all the Library’s original signs and regularly supplied signage to Kendal committees.
Two years ago, Priscilla had a stroke that necessitated a move from Alida to Clearwater on a permanent basis. A paralyzed right side precluded any calligraphy. But Priscilla was determined to reclaim her chosen art field. And she has, thanks to a combination of superb care, regular therapy, perseverance and turning her small foyer into a working studio.
In addition, she also has the help of IL resident Pam Mitchell, who is custodian of Priscilla’s portfolios. Pam choses from the collected work, mats it and places it on the Main Street wall.
Recently, Priscilla realized an artist’s dream – a one-person exhibit of her calligraphy was held in Clearwater.
Clearwater invited all KoH residents to view Priscilla’s calligraphy last June.
Nadine’s Team May Call on You
By Muriel Fox
KoH‘s Director of Human Resources will draw on the experience of residents.
Nadine Sbezzi, our Director of Human Resources, says she plans to enlist KoH residents in new staff programs. Drawing on the rich expertise in our resident community, we would support employee learning, engagement, and education in a wide range of areas. This plan reflects the successful resident-use experience of another KoH Department, Marketing, which enlists us frequently to help woo new prospects. Residents are especially equipped to spread the word that Kendal is a vibrant place to live. Our involvement adds authenticity and warmth to the project.
Nadine has an unusual background for the position she now holds. Unlike most colleagues in her field, she did not study Human Resources in college. (She majored in Modern Languages at Fairfield University in Connecticut.) Until the age of forty, she worked in the travel industry, serving clients at American Express, Alitalia Airlines and other multinational corporations. After twenty years in the corporate world, Nadine switched to non-profit employment, with an emphasis on Human Resources, “I wanted to spend the rest of my life in work that’s meaningful,” she told me.
Nadine’s journey with Kendal on Hudson is deeply rooted in her hometown of Tarrytown, where she was born and raised and where she re-located after studying in Madrid, and living at International House in Manhattan. She shares a unique connection with our community— she attended high school alongside the children of Kendal residents like Liz Laite and Jane Beers and graduated with current KoH driver Frank Occhipinti. Her close relationship with her grandparents sparked a lifelong passion for supporting older adults, which led her to volunteer at the Tarrytown Hall nursing home, where she delighted residents by offering pet therapy with her miniature dachshund.
In 2022, Nadine joined Kendal on Hudson as our first-ever Recruitment Manager—a role born out of necessity during the severe staffing challenges of the post-Covid era. “Covid changed everything,” she reflects, recalling the loss of unvaccinated workers and the fierce competition for talent from nearby facilities like Phelps Hospital. Rising to the challenge, Nadine introduced new recruitment strategies and helped implement salary adjustments, positioning Kendal as a more competitive employer in Westchester County.
In May 2024, Nadine was promoted to Director of Human Resources. She brings energy, empathy, and a forward-thinking mindset to this pivotal role. She’s passionate about building a diverse, engaged workforce and works closely with managers across Kendal to strengthen teams, cultivate leadership, and support employee development.
With deep roots in the community and a heart for service, Nadine is helping to shape the
future of Kendal on Hudson—one hire, one conversation, and one partnership at a time.
Sleepy Hollow and nearby towns have large Hispanic populations. It’s valuable that Nadine is fluent in Spanish and Italian and speaks some French. All members of the HR team speak Spanish, and all share her dedication to Kendal’s Quaker Values. The crew consists of Diana Arias, HR Manager; Brian Hayes, HR Generalist and Joana Zuluaga, HR Coordinator.
The team recently introduced Employee Appreciation Week, and various special events offering food treats that range from Jamaican specialties to hot dogs and ice cream sundaes. A couple of times each week, the team goes mobile and visits employees, armed with a big bowl of candies.
Nadine has collaborated with managers to expand benefits for employees. “Our tuition program is valuable, and employees have expanded their horizons or advanced their careers by taking courses with the assistance of Kendal scholarships,” she explained. Employees enjoy discounts on local attractions, recreational opportunities, and a robust health insurance plan. Flexible work hours are an invaluable benefit for many who are students or parents of young children.
Nadine and her team want the workforce to know that they’re valued. Residents can now thank employees by sending a grateful email to hrcomments@kohud.kendal.org. The email should include the resident’s name, the name of the staff member they want to recognize, and a short paragraph describing the positive action, behavior or contribution that deserves our thanks. Residents can also obtain a special Shout-Out form to spell this out. The forms are available in the Human Resources office or outside the Residents Services office. Human Resources will present a goodie bag to the honoree and will notify his/her manager of this recognition. The Shout-Out recognition will also be showcased during the semi-annual meeting when Staff Appreciation Fund checks are distributed.
Kendal Values are intertwined with our adherence to Quaker Values. All new hires receive our Quaker Values booklet and watch a twenty-five-minute film about these ideals. This spirit of friendly kindness nurtures a close family relationship here. Employees call residents by first names, and pride themselves on knowing us individually. (I marvel at how many waiters in our Dining staff know that I prefer decaf tea with two sugars.)
The contentment of our staff is evidenced in Kendal’s retention rates. Of our 211 employees, fourteen have been with us since KoH opened twenty years ago. And fifty-four have been with us between five and ten years. I was impressed to learn that our total of 211 personnel matches exactly the number of 211 occupied apartments in Independent Living.
How does Nadine’s varied experiences equip her for HR work at Kendal? Here’s a quote from Kelly Duggan, executive assistant to our senior management: “Nadine was the first person that I interacted with at Kendal on Hudson, and her innate warmth and people skills were inherent — even over the phone! She is truly a caring and dedicated employee and person, and I feel lucky to be working alongside her now.”
Enjoyment of Life Continues in Adirondack
By Valerie Wolzien
“If you’re in an environment that supports you, you are going to be successful and independent longer.” Lisa Wacht, Health Services Administrator.
“Spotlight events are open to our residents, and many of our residents from Assisted Living go to the programs in the Gathering Room as well.” Sandra Sindaco, Director of Therapeutic Recreation and Community Volunteers.
“I’m very pleased to be here. I consider myself a very lucky lady.” Nita Last, Adirondack resident, who recently moved from Independent Living.
Helene Isaac represents Adirondack residents at meetings of the KoH Residents Council
The numbers tell us just how fortunate we all are to be in a place like Kendal on Hudson. There are only about 2000 Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) in the United States. And in New York, the State Department of Health lists only twelve accredited CCRCs, two of which are in Westchester County. Kendal on Hudson is one. The Knolls in Valhalla is the other.
Unlike many adult communities, KoH has a full continuum of care with multiple levels of licenses from New York State beyond Independent Living (IL). Kendal maintains a Skilled Nursing license for Clearwater and the highest levels of Assisted Living Licenses: Enhanced Assisted Living Residence (EALR)) for Adirondack and Special Needs Assistant Living Residence (SNALR), for our Sunnyside Memory Care unit. Residents can physically move between units as their needs evolve; they participate in the same KoH community .as long as they are able. Many other CCRCs may not provide as broad a range of care as Kendal on Hudson.
The professionals who run KoH, like Lisa Wacht, see it this way: “The only difference here is where you put your head at night. You can move to assisted living, but you can still participate in all Independent Living has to offer.”
That includes meals in the Bistro and Formal Dining Room with friends who still live in Independent Living, the Gathering Room events and many of the activities listed in Spotlight. Adirondack and Sunnyside maintain their own monthly activity schedules and many of those are open to Independent Living residents. They include fitness classes, walks, games, musical performances, religious services and programs, visits by animals (like bunnies, birds and burros), and art therapy. At Adirondack, art is much more than therapy. In the annual Leading Age art competition involving 47 New York senior living facilities, Kendal’s Adirondack artists won three top honors.
The Assisted Living residents have their own Council as well as a representative on the KoH
Residents Association Council (see photo). About one sixth of Kendal’s residents live in the 34 apartments in Adirondack and 12 rooms in Sunnyside (including one reserved for a couple). Adirondack is open for visits. If you haven’t been there, check it out.
Every week the Tuesday Morning Club officially brings the entire KoH community together. The Gathering Room is filled with laughter and chatter as Independent Living residents join with those from Adirondack and Sunnyside to share singing, crafts, games and snacks.
Twenty five Independent Living residents currently volunteer in Adirondack, Sunnyside and Clearwater to maintain social contacts across the campus. Residents who once were nextdoor neighbors still come together to admire the flowers in the Healing Garden, read in the Library, or work on puzzles in the elevator lobbies.
The unique concept of CCRCs means that needing more care and help doesn’t prevent friends from continuing to enjoy life together. That’s what Kendal residents signed up for, and that’s what Kendal delivers.
Or as a pillow on a couch in Nita Last’s apartment in Adirondack says:
“The most valuable antiques are old friends.”
The Indefatigable Nick Robinson
By Hubert B. Herring
It’s probably no exaggeration to say that Kendal on Hudson might not exist without Nicholas Robinson. Before Kendal was built, he was instrumental in saving the site for Rockwood Park by defeating proposals for a Hudson River Expressway. This highway (thankfully, never built), was the brainchild of Governor Nelson Rockefeller; it would have run along the shore of the Hudson and closed two village marinas, a bathing beach, disrupted the river’s ecology, and cut off access to the shore. Later, as head of the Sleepy Hollow Planning Board, Nck was instrumental in approving the Kendal site plan.
Nick’s love of nature and passion for conservation go back to his days camping on California’s Mendocino coast. He spent a dozen summers there, first as a camper, then as a counselor. “Then I came to a mill town in Massachusetts. and on the other side of the mill, the river was white and gray. There was none of that in California. It was shocking to see such waste. I’d spent most of my life in a bubble of a clean natural environment, then discovered that a lot of the world where most people live was polluted.”
Since then, he has had an impressive and varied career, all devoted to conservation. At Columbia Law School, where environmental law was not yet a recognized field, he created the Environmental Law Society and drafted the state’s Tidal Wetlands Act. After law school,
he was active across the globe. In 1972, he prepared papers for talks with the Soviet Union on environmental protection. He was twice elected chair of the World Commission on Environmental Law and introduced the field into law school curricula of 15 Asian nations.
In 1977, recognizing his wealth of talent and experience, Pace recruited him to launch a specialization in environment law; he has designed and taught more than 30 courses. At Pace, Nick led a seminar on the treaties of the Lenape nations. He and his students compiled more than 40 treaties, including the first one, dating to 1682, with William Penn.
As if that weren’t enough, Nick plays the viola, often accompanying his wife, Shelley. And he is a top-notch cook, with specialties like Julia Child Fluffy Omelets. (Yum!) And don’t forget the annual Burns night festivities in January, a kilt-wearing Nick presiding.
Earlier this year, in one of the many accolades to come his way, he was honored with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from Pace University. He is a treasured member of the Kendal community, and of the Pace faculty, and his work on conservation worldwide is unparalleled.
Rockwood Park
By Norman J. Sissman
Our bucolic neighbor to the north, Rockwood Park, had always been a place for many residents to calm and recharge. But during the coronavirus restrictions, it has become more and more crowded. I hope the following rundown on some of its lessknown features will enhance your appreciation of it.
The park was previously the estate of William A. Rockefeller, Jr., bygone executive of Standard Oil and brother of the better known John D. Rockefeller, Sr. In contrast to John, who was ascetic, Bill was a bon vivant; he was an avid student of nature, and thoroughly enjoyed the physical pleasures that his wealth afforded him. In 1889 he constructed a mansion in the park patterned after a Scottish castle. Clad entirely in granite, it had 204 rooms, a fireplace in every bedroom, a primitive elevator, and a rudimentary air-conditioning system, among other luxurious features.
The original landscaping was done by Frederick Law Olmsted, the illustrious designer of Central Park. After William died in 1922, the estate became an elite golf club, but this failed
The 204-room granite mansion built by William A. Rockefeller, Jr. in 1889 was patterned after a Scottish castle.
during the Depression, and in 1941 the mansion was demolished. The grounds began to be used as a state park in the early 1970s.
Let’s stroll along the river path and observe a few of its features. First are two benches facing the river. Did you know that the original benches were donated by the Kendal Residents Association and were sited and installed by two redoubtable founders, Tom Loemker and Jim Wood?
About a hundred yards north, you can observe a geologic phenomenon of interest. A few dark outcroppings of rock protrude above the soil; note the linear streaks and furrows on their surfaces, running in a north-south direction. Believe it or not, these were inscribed in the rocks about 12,000 years ago by the great Wisconsin glacier that extended, during the last ice age, from northern Canada as far south as Long Island. As the glacier melted and retreated northward, its massive weight pressed down its lowest level of pebbles and rocks to scour out these furrows.
Further along, west of the path, notice an aspect of the woods that is not obvious at first glance. There are few, if any, of the invasive vines that climb and kill so many trees in Westchester County. The absence of these vines is due entirely to the hard work of another Kendal founder, William Shore. Bill Shore was an avid conservationist. Almost every weekday morning after moving to Kendal, Bill would take his heavy bag of tools, climb down the slopes of the river shore and extirpate, by hand, the site’s vines. As a tribute to Bill, his family planted an oak in his memory: the young tree a few hundred yards north on the east side of the path.
Along to the east, in spring the stroller can view random rows of wild daffodils in bloom, delights to the eye and spirit – as were their ancestors to William Wordsworth in England about two hundred years ago.
Near where the Lower Path is joined by the Middle Trail, two very tall stately white pine trees shelter another bench. Originally there were three, but one was struck by lightning a few years ago, a reminder of how sudden destructive events may destroy even the strongest and most handsome. A few dozen yards further along is the most magnificent oak in the park. Spreading over a hundred feet in diameter, it always reminds me of the oak under which the Magna Carta was signed in the thirteenth century.
Rockwood Park’s trees are among its greatest glories; various evergreens, oaks, maples, beeches, poplars, locusts, dogwoods, and yews.
Reprinted from Kendal View July-August 2020
Arthur Ash: Past Poet Laureate
No One Ever Told Me Which Craft
To me it really is a pity That the fabled Art Committee In guise of staging a reception Would ever resort to cruel deception.
“Bring all your craft! Bring all you’ve got!” Though difficult, I brought my yacht. I brought my rowboat and canoe, My submarine and kayak, too.
“Bring any craft!” Aye, there’s the rub; Jumbo Jet or Piper Cub?
I hesitate before I switch craft Until I know which craft is witchcraft.
But in the end it mattered not Whether I brought Jet or yacht. When reviewing all my craft, The fabled Art Committee laughed.
Reprinted from Kendal View October 2010
Mail Call
My mailbox bulges, overflows, A stream of junk that never ends. But for reasons only Heaven knows There are no letters from my friends.
It’s crammed with offbeat magazines Which try to teach me offbeat trends. And catalogs like L.L Bean’s — But never letters from my friends.
From Bed and Bath and far Beyond Come coupons that a seller sends. They never move me to respond As would some letters from my friends.
Jacob Burns leaves me underjoyed, The A & P can’t make amends. And Macy’s just creates a void Without letters from my friends.
My mailbox bulges every day, Will junk mail never, ever end?
I’d gladly trade it all away For just one letter from one friend.
Reprinted from Kendal View February 2008
Dentistry, as with other health services, is rapidly changing. Technology is constantly improving, allowing us to deliver quality care in less time and with less stress. Most importantly though, dentistry is still an art as well as a science. As a health service, the patient care is provided not only by the doctor, but by the entire office staff. Dentistry as a health service means properly placed restorations and courteously answered phones. Rapidly changing technology will not change this philosophy of service.
• Both Large and Small Chapels And we are Centrally Located
• 5-Star Google Rated Business
Reduce stress...PrePlan today
Walk-Ins Welcome
We are Available 24 hours a day. You will always be handled by our family & staff. We fully support Kendal on Hudson.
Enrico Hair Care, Inc.
Enrico Hair Care, Inc.
Yolanda is available for pedicure by appointment
MondaysEnrico cuts and styles and Tatiana consults on color
Wednesday
KIm does hair color/cut and styling
Wednesdays
Hairstyling by Kim
Friday
Wednesdays through FridaysMaria does manicures
Maria does manicure and waxing
Sandra does hair color/cut and styling
Thursday and FridaysHairstyling by Toni
Saturday
Fridays -
Enrico does hair color/cut and styling
Christina does pedicures, manicures and hair.
Call for appointments 914-523-6382 or 914-922-1057
Call for appointments 523-6382 or 922-1057
FYO Accounting & Tax Services
• In-home service
914-962-5475
• Tax Preparation & Planning
• Bookkeeping
• Filing & Organizing
• Bill Paying
Seniors Transition Services, LLC
Owner: Jean Mayer, EA
strans1@gmail.com Reduce the Stress of Downsizing
Serving residents at Kendal on Hudson since its opening.
914-862-2305
jeanmayertax@gmail.com
• Assist You/Your Family in Vacating Apartments
• Pack Charitable Donations
25% discount to Kendal residents.
• Obtain Estimates from Movers
• Achieve Maximum Tax Benefit
• Work Within Your Time Frame Insured Call for Free Estimate 914-962-5475
Off-Season Tax Special: Provide your prior year tax returns and receive a free review, consultation, and fee quote. No obligation.
Owner: Marco Araujo
914-703-0501 Or 914-631-2277
Transforming Care for Parkinson’s & Dementia
At Angels on Call
At Angels on Call, we provide award-winning care tailored to those living with Parkinson’s disease and dementia, ensuring comfort, dignity, and purpose at every stage.
Parkinson’s Care:
Certified Excellence
As a Certified Parkinson’s Disease Care Business, our specialized team provides informed, compassionate care. Led by a trained CPDCTM Advocate, we focus on navigating challenges while empowering you and your loved ones to live fully.
Dementia & Memory Program: Reimagining Care
Our innovative Dementia and Memory Program honors individuality. Our Certified Dementia Care Partners empower those with cognitive changes to rediscover joy and purpose, ensuring enriching experiences and fulfilling interactions throughout their journey.
Contact us today to learn how our award-winning services can support you or your loved one in their journey toward a better quality of life!
