VOL. NO. Visit TapIntoMahopac.net for the latest news. THURSDAY, JANUARY ,
Christine Picone named business person of the year
Mahopac-Carmel Chamber also honors Stephanie Bellofatto and Justin Kilian
BY EMILE MENASCHÉ the Year Christine Picone of Wil- not selling.But after she took some While 2022 was a busy year,
EDITOR
liam Raveis Real Estate started her time o to have her second child, Picone sees no signs of slowing
career, she probably never imag- she decided to shift gears. down in 2023 and looks forward
e Greater Mahopac-Car- ined she would be spending her “When I was ready to return to continuing to serve the commu-
mel Chamber of Commerce an- working life helping people nd to work, I decided to sell real es- nity through the chamber. “ is
nounced its 2022 award winners homes. tate instead of do admin,” she said. past May I was asked to serve on
this month. Businessperson of the e longtime Mahopac resi- “Having a schedule that I could the Community Cares board of
Year Christine Picone of William dent was working as a bank teller make myself while raising my two directors,” she said. “We are a local
Raveis Real Estate, Emerging Pro- when a customer told her about a children was very important to nonpro t organization that helps
fessional Stephanie Bellofatto of job opening at the Je erson Valley me.” local families in need who are go-
ServPro, and Justin Killian of Ar- o ce of Houlihan-Lawrence Real In sales, Picone gets to help ing through a medical crisis. Also,
lington Financial will receive their Estate. families nd their most important this past December I was asked to
awards at a gala dinner on Tuesday, “I reached out to the broker and asset. “I love helping my clients sit on the Advisory Board of Di-
January 24 at the Putnam County started working as an o ce admin- COURTESY CHRISTINE PICONE nd their dream home and navi- rectors for Putnam County Action
Golf Course in Mahopac. Ma- istrator shortly after,” Picone said. Christine Picone
gate them through this di cult Partnership.”
hopac News caught up with them Eventually, her broker suggested and stressful process,” she said. Picone has chaired the Mahopac
before the event. she get her real estate license.“Even plained. “So I took the course and “ e most satisfying part of this Street Festival and Carmel Street
if I didn’t want to sell, it would be got my license.” job is seeing my clients happy to Fair for the past ve years and has
CHRISTINE PICONE good for referrals and understand- Still, for the next 10 or so years, purchase their home--especially
When 2022 Businessperson of ing the business better,” Picone ex- Picone’s focus was administration, rst-time buyers. SEE CHAMBER PAGE
Mahopac Library is heading home
Main building gets set to reopen on January 23
BY EMILE MENASCHÉ day, January 23. e Book Barn is library trustees Eugene Boesch, Library director Michele Capozzella PHOTO: EMILE MENASCHÉ
EDITOR scheduled to reopen the follow- John Battista, and Joseph Mon-
ing day. tuori.
After a months-long reno-
vation to address air leaks that As the project neared comple- While most of the work, fund-
played havoc with temperatures tion, library director Michele ed by a $3.1 million bond, will be
inside the building, Mahopac Capozzella took Mahopac News invisible to patrons once the proj-
Public Library will reopen its on a tour accompanied by con- ect is completed, Capozzella said
doors at 668 Route 6 on Mon- struction manager Allen Shel-
ton of the Palombo Group and SEE LIBRARY PAGE
Rooney Orthodontics BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE
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LEISURE MAHOPAC FALLS VFD
MAHOPAC MUSINGS
OPINION O cers Sworn In
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Mahopac
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THURSDAY, JANUARY , OPINION MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE
Here’s to the Mahopac Blues
In 1910, a young Presbyterian minis- e English settlers enlisted the Wap- rst had to subjugate and oppress, strip between the siege on Ferry Island and
ter came to Mahopac in the service the siege at Wounded Knee. Yet Na-
of God. pingers to help them ght the no-good of rights, demonize, make drunk, the tive Americans were still ghting for
Astonished that no history had been the same thing: justice. If you want to
written about its rich French settlers in Albany. e minister people whose land they intended to steal. blame someone for the loss of the Indian
and tumultuous past, the mascot, blame the U.S. Department of
inspired minister took on reported that the Wappingers distin- e good minister must have known Justice.
the calling.
guished themselves that his candor would be met with I don’t have strong feelings for either
I came across a copy of abolishing the Mahopac Indian mascot
his book in the Mahopac in battle. e English indignation. Much of the literature and or keeping it. On the one hand, stripping
Library in the early Mahopac sports of its original mascot
1970s. As far as I know, OF HUMAN soldiers admitted that newspaper reporting of that era depicted would be like taking the water out of the
it’s the only full-length INTEREST they couldn’t have native peoples as savage, no better than lake. On the other hand, all you have to
history ever written won without them. animals. Worse were the images pro- do is drive past Ferry Island and think
about Lake Mahopac. about what happened there and all across
LORENZO Yet when the Wap- jected on the big screen. What would America and you can feel the absurdity,
I remember the minister seemingly GARO pinger braves returned all those cowboy westerns be without a the malice even, of naming sports teams
running out of adjectives when he de- from battle, they saw yelping, hatchet-wielding Indian coming after a race of people your country tried
scribed the lake. In the early 1900s, its to exterminate.
waters were considered curative. Some of that their teepees had for your scalp?
the wealthiest people in the world came e Mahopac Patriots or how about
to Lake Mahopac, especially for the “wa- been pushed back Matters didn’t change much until the Mahopac Lakers? e Mahopac Blues?
ters.” Picture horse drawn carriages on Every time someone asks why “Blues,”
dusty boulevards ferrying rich resort go- from the lake. e birth of the American Indian Movement Mahopacians could say, “Because think-
ers to one of the three colossal hotels that ing about what happened to the Wap-
adorned the shores of Lake Mahopac. English assured them that they would (AIM) and Wounded Knee. Leaders of pinger Indians in Mahopac gives us the
blues.” Or, if you like, “Because our guys
As most Mahopacians eventually nd justice in the courts. the AIM were determined and revolu- make Brewster and Carmel black and
discover, there were no Mahopac Indians. blue.”
e Wappingers should have got a tionary in their ideas. ey wanted repa-
e only Native Americans living in Ma- Trying to show readers the correct
hopac when the British began building lawyer. eir chief, David Ninham, sailed rations and some of their lands back. e pronunciation, the minister wrote, Ma-
settlements in this area were part of the ho’-pac, deliberately stressing the middle
Wappinger Tribe. e treachery of the to England to argue his case before the FBI and CIA took notice. Determined syllable. Take note, there’s no “may” or
English settlers, unsparingly depicted by “ya” in Mahopac. You say “Ma” like your
the minister, epitomizes how things went King. e chief contended that the lands to crush the movement, they were sum- calling for mother and “ho ” just as loud
for Native Americans in this country at as you like.
that time. had belonged to the Wappingers since moned to a small Indian community in
“time immemorial.” I guess what he 1973, in Wounded Knee, SD. When the
meant was, “We were here rst.” FBI agents were dispatched to remove
He lost. Not all of the Wappingers the AIM occupiers, a stando ensued.
took the news without a ght. On what e resulting siege drew worldwide
is known today as Ferry Island, a war- attention to the plight of the American
ring band of Wappingers fought a bloody Indian in this country. e siege lasted
battle that went on for one night, until T:9.5"71 days. Two people were killed, 12
the last Indian brave was killed. wounded and 1,200 occupiers arrested,
e history of Lake Mahopac re- including all of the movement’s leaders.
garding its treatment of native peoples e trial was considered a seminal event.
re ects the history of America. European It lasted eight months. All the occupiers
settlers eeing subjugation and oppres- and leaders were found not guilty.
sion found the land of their dreams, but Nearly a century and a half had passed
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THURSDAY, JANUARY , MAHOPAC NEWS PAGE
CHAMBER
FROM PAGE
Carmel Chamber of Commerce.
“I immediately felt like I
found a family when I joined
the chamber with my former
company,” Kilian said. “So when
I went out on my own, I retained
the relationship. I decided this
was my community. I have a
chamber membership in my
own name.”
As a loan o cer with a young
family, Kilian says he feels a
strong connection with his cli-
ents and the community. “I’m
very passionate about my work,”
he said. “I’m helping people with
the largest purchase in their life.
I help to guide and educate my
clients through the entire home
buying process. In my downtime
I love spending time with my
Putnam Arts Council gets two state grants wife Kristen and my two chil-
dren James and Erin.”
Serving as the chamber’s vice
chair, Kilian is involved with a
range of committees. “I try to be
New York State Senator Pete support of artistic endeavors and ($30,000), Town of Southeast Harckham represents the 40th as active as possible,” he said. “I
Harckham announced $280,000 the continuous development of Cultural Arts Coalition ($10,000). Senate District, which includes help with the street fairs, Holi-
in state grants to arts organization local arts groups and artists.” Support for Artist grants also the towns of Carmel, Kent, Pat- day in the Park, events and fun-
in the 40th Senate District, which e NYSCA funding is sepa- went to Peekskill’s Daisy Jopling terson and Southeast, and the draising.
includes Mahopac and other parts rated into three categories: Sup- Music Mentorship Foundation village of Brewster in Putnam “I met so many great people,”
of Putnam, Northern Westches- port for Organizations, Support and Bethany Arts Community. County; the town of Stony Point he continued. “I want to stay in-
ter, and Rockland Counties. e for Artists, and Special Oppor- “NYSCA preserves and ad- in Rockland County; and the city volved, and the chamber o ers
Putnam Arts Council will receive tunities, which helps to support vances the arts and culture while of Peekskill, the towns of Bed- me a way to give back.
nearly $35,000 across two grants apprentices and performing arts upholding the right of all New ford, Cortlandt, Lewisboro, New For tickets to the award dinner
as part of the program. residencies. Yorkers to experience the vital Castle, North Salem, Somers and and other information, visit ma-
In a statement, Senator Harck- Putnam Arts Council will re- contributions the arts make to our Yorktown, the town/village of hopaccarmelchamber.com.
ham said the grants are part of a re- ceive a $10,000 Support for Or- communities, education, econom- Mount Kisco, and the villages of
cord level of state funding through ganizations grant and a $24,750 ic development, and quality of Briarcli Manor, Buchanan and To advertise in Mahopac
the New York State Council on Support for Artists grant. life,” Harckham said. “Created in Croton-on-Hudson in West- News, call Brett
the Arts (NYSCA) to support 1960, NYSCA is an agency that is chester County.
over 1,200 organizations and 426 Other nearby arts programs part of the Executive Branch with Freeman at 845-208-
artists statewide as they return to to get organization funds in- a budget approved by the State —Information provided by the of- 8151 or email freeman@
pre-pandemic levels of activity. clude: Caramoor Center for Legislature.” ce of State Senator Pete Harckham
the Arts ($40,000), Copland halstonmedia.com.
“Funding for the arts enriches House ($40,000), Hudson Val-
the quality of life in our communi- ley Center for Contemporary Art Keep the lights on.
ties in so many ways, and it is also ($25,000), Katonah Museum of
a proven economic multiplier in Art ($30,000), KinoSaito Arts
terms of an investment,” Harck- Center ($25,000), Paramount
ham said. “I truly appreciate and Hudson Valley Arts ($49,500),
thank the New York Council on and Southeast Museum Asso-
the Arts for its strong and steady ciation: ($10,000), Taconic Opera • GENERATORS
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PAGE MAHOPAC NEWS THURSDAY, JANUARY ,
Mahopac BSA Troop 1 marches on
Holiday gift drive sets the tone for 2023
BY EMILE MENASCHÉ Club’s Columbus Day celebration and Back Row (from left): Veronika Bachleda, Sam Grimm, Max Head, Ryan Murphy, Michal
EDITOR marched in the Veteran’s Day parade. Mazur, Jackson Grimm, Daniel Azzinaro, Jozef Bachleda, Aiden Buehl, Cooper Grimm. Front
Row: James Grundman, Peter Schoen, Dylan Fumusa, Marco Delia, Timothy Kennedy, Liam
For 10 years, Mahopac Boy Scouts “ e troop looks for opportunities Mortimer, Michael Lara, Logan Buehl, Frederick James, Ryan Tedesco
Troop 1 has collected holiday donations for scouts to work on skills and team-
for the Putnam Northern Westchester work in outdoor activities,most recent-
Women’s Resource Center (PNW- ly at the District Klondike Derby held
WRC). Scouts and guests attending the on January 14,” Davis said. “Focusing
troop’s 2022 annual holiday party were on leadership skills, the troop tries to
asked to bring donation items to and “it ‘pay it forward’ whenever possible by
worked out perfectly,”said Troop 1 trea- supporting area Cub Scout packs and
surer Gwen Davis. “Around 30 items Webelos dens, volunteering at their
were collected, mostly toys, games, gift meetings and helping them with skills
cards, and delivered to PNWWRC be- needed for their Arrow of Light Rank.
fore Christmas.”
“ is year Troop 1 has three new
Davis said the holiday e ort is just Eagle scouts,” she added. “Two more
one of the Troop 1’s many commu- should reach this rank in the next few
nity-focused activities, which include months.”
supporting the Mahopac/Carmel
Chamber of Commerce, assisting with Troop 1’s charter organization is the
street fairs, and taking part in other Lake Mahopac Rotary Club. Troop
local events. e troop served as color meetings are held at the First Pres-
guard at last year’s Italian American byterian Church of Mahopac. Email
[email protected] for
more information.
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