2020 Supporters!
AND ALL THOSE WHO SOLD STARS!!!
Adele Chefridi Jewelry
Amsterdam
Beekman Arms
Hudson Valley Vintage
Hummingbird Jewelers
Iconic Hair
Land of Oz
Merriweather’s
Mirbeau of Rhinebeck
Paper Trail
Periwinkles
Rhienbeck Depatment Store
Rhinebeck Artist’s Shop
Samuel’s
Sapling Shop
Sunflower Natural Foods
Willimas Lumber
Willow Wood
Winter Sun/Summer Moon
Zimmer Brothers
AND ALL THE FOLKS WHO BOUGHT STARS!!!
$5000 +
The Stinchcomb
Family Fund
Robert C. Duffy and
his children Victoria
and Caldwell
The Frost Memorial Fund
$2,500+
Foster’s Coach House & Heermance Farm
Rhinebeck Rotary
Thomas Thompson Trust
$1000-$2499
Arts Mid-Hudson
Douglas Baz Photography
Sarah Bissonnette-Adler Production Coordination
Carolyn Marks Blackwood
Cale Communications
The Courtyard
ENTA Education Network for Teachers and Artists
Matthew Fass Website Design
Jeanne Fleming and Wonderworks
Dal LaMagna
Mid Hudson Federal Credit Union
Mirbeau of Rhinebeck
M. Suzy Morris Costume Design
Omega Institute
Foster & Tricia Reed
Richard Prouse Stage Scenery
Albert Shahinian Fine Art
Stewart’s Shops
ThinkingPartners
Iliana Van Meeteren
Martha Tobias Special Events
Williams Lumber
Winter Sun & Summer Moon
$500 – $999
A. L. Stickle Variety Store
The Art of Building
The Beekman Arms
Betsy Jacaruso Studio & Gallery
CO: A Co-Working Space
Enjoy Rhinebeck
Hammertown Rhinebeck
Haven Spa
Margaret C. Howe
Hummingbird Jewelers
Jordan Matthews
Paper Trail
Rhinebeck Bank
Rhinebeck Farmers’ Market
Ruge’s Automotive, Inc.
Tatiana Serafin
Sue Sie
Renee and Craig Snyder
$250 – $499
Aroi Thai Restaurant
Sandra and John Blair
Buns Burgers
Karen Burke
Central Hudson
Charny and Wheeler P.C.
College Planning Connections, LLC
Mike and Cecily Frazier
Vicki L. Haak, CPF
Haggerty Law Offices
Jen Hammoud
Hetta Glogg
Katharine Malaga
Wendy Bush Lyons, Esq.
Monique Martin
Maya Kaimal Foods LLC
Fr. Richard McKeon and Tim Lewis, Church of the Messiah
Merriweathers
No Sugar
Roger and Cheryl Norton
Oblong Books & Music
Kimberly and Brian Orcutt
Felicia Keesing and Rick Ostfeld
Phyllis G. Palmer
Paula Redmond Real Estate, Inc.
Susan Ragusa
Warren S. Replansky, Attorney at Law
Rhinebeck Animal Hospital
Rhinebeck Architecture
Rhinebeck Department Store
The Rogovic Family
Samuel’s Sweet Shop
James and Abby Saxon
Sunflower Market
The Turpin Foundation
Andy and Linda Weintraub
Al and Aida Wilder
Al Boutin and Lindy Wright
Emily Houpt and
Victor Zelek
$125 – $249
Aba’s Falafel
Anonymous
Atelier Renee Fine Framing
Ellen Bowe
Assemblyman Kevin A. Cahill
Hannelore Chambers
CJ’s Italian Restaurant and Pizza
Clear Yoga
DF Craft Construction
Darryl’s
Dr. Tom’s Tonics
Anne Moehle Ferrara
Sarah Hill and Guillermo Fesser
Fraleigh & Rakow Insurance
David and Joanne Gelb
Veronique Guccione
Edward J. Haas
Hudson Valley Pottery
Hudson Valley Vintage
Iconic Hair
JSA Sustainable Wealth Management
Christine Kurlander
The Kroeg
Andrew Stewart and Cricket Lengyel
Continued next column…
The Milky Way Continued
Liberty Public House
Robby Long
Greg and Sheila Lynch
Mark and Gretchen Lytle
The Mabreys: Vicki, Sienna & Grant
Mike and Sally Mazzarella
Momiji Hibachi & Sushi
Montgomery Row
Patricia O’Connor
Olde Rhinebeck Inn c. 1745
Thomas Ostrofsky
Peter Amendola and Jerry Pagliari
Pegasus Footwear
Periwinkles at Rhinebeck
Georgia Dent and
Jeff Perry
Susan Phillips
Pilates Center, Beth Graziano
Pizzaria Posto
Diana Devlin and David Reynolds
Rhinebeck Convenience Store
Rhinebeck Yoga Center
Rikert’s Auto Body, Inc.
Smoky Rock BBQ
Staley Read Estate LLC
Twin Ponds Nursery
Zimmer Brothers
$75 – $124
Jill Lundquist and Doug Baz
Ed Bergstraesser
Mike and Colleen Bloxham
Elaine Collandrea
Dodd and Dorothy Crane
Peter Dolese
Joseph and Nancy Drago
Ryan Fortwendel
Oliva! Gourment Olive Oils & Vinegars
Ruby Palmer Studio
The Pelosi Family
Kurt and Lisa-Sue Quackenbush
Hector and Debbie Rodriguez
Dorna Schroeter
George Reskakis
The Tourtelot Family
The Wollens Family
Van Norstrand & Hoolihan CPA
Chiling Weng
Justin Watrel
Linda Woznicki
$20 – $74
Gail Bennek
Liza Berdnik
Charles Buehler
Geraldine, Jeff, Giancarlo and Michaelo Calvo-Kirby Calvo
Deborah Duke
Nancy Ebel
Linda Faber
Steven and Susan Gauspohl
Howard and Jane Korn
Anne McGrath and Stephen Mosto
Joe and Pat Phelan
Barbara Pokras
M. Christine Shaffer
The Sullivan Family
Jon Wechsler
Each year hundreds of people help create this spectacular community-wide event. How can you be part of it?
It takes a whole HOST of folks to come together in a beautiful way to make Sinterklaas happen. It includes everyone, those who donated time and money for sure and all those who sat in meetings, answered millions of questions, made extraordinary suggestions, cut a branch, served up tea, and everyone who comes to the event. Sinterklaas forms a close and sweet community as it gathers steam throughout the year. We thank all of you who form this creative community! Here are some who deserve special mention! We thank…
County Executive Mark Molinaro and Dutchess County Sheriff Butch Anderson, Sue Serino and Kevin Cahill for their support!
The Village Board, Mayor Gary Bassett for all you do! Sgt. Pete Dunn continues to be extraordinary! And the Rhinebeck Fire Department for inviting us into your home! Kyle and Crissy Eighmy! The Town Board, Elizabeth Spinzia, Supervisor, and the Rhinebeck
Family! The Rhinebeck Rotary and Interact Club for Puppeteers and Parade Marshals. Thank you, Rotarians for your vast and deep support! We truly can’t do it without you!
To the Frost Memorial Fund!! Never forgotten.
to Elijah Bender whom we have gotten to know!
Holders of the Flame & the breath 2019, The Terranova Family: Lucas, Maureen, Saxton, Sterling and Sabine. Keep breathing.
The Wright/Pearson Family 2018; The Hoolihan/Kruger Family 2017; The Hewitt Family 2016! The Cruikshanks 2015! and The Stickles, 2014!
George and Phebe Banta for showing up and believing in us!
Fortitude, Courage and Love! Elena Erber who designed ALL our graphics, including this beautiful book and a lot
Queen Triggerfish: Martha Tobias!
(Help!!! They won’t let us out!!! Can you hear us???) After 12 years: The Wonder Women of the Sinterklaas Committee: Endless energy, the extraordinary TEAM: Lila Pague, Pat Sexton, Elena Erber, Lindy Wright, Sarah Bissonnette-Adler, Martha Tobias, Joanna Hess, Tricia Reed, Jill Lundquist, Joanne Gelb, Suzy Morris, Dorna Schroeter, Joanna Hess, Debby Franke Ogg, Nancy Karimi and Colleen Bloxham who keep stirring the pot all year long.
Actually there’s nothing secret about how much we love the Great Leader of the Crowns and Branches Workshop, Joanna Hess.
Sarah Bissonnette-Adler and Matthew Fass. Surface!
The Toy Theater and Roberto Rossi!
She Who Does Not Quit! Empress Becky Holt! And special thanks to the well-known trinket lady extraordinaire, Laura D’Attore and her Mermaid Jeniece Schroeter for making sure all the creative needs of the wee kings and queens are met. And to Jeff Newman: solid ground.
The Swap Team strikes again! Lindy Wright, Jill Lundquist, Linda Helbing, Nancy Karimi, Mel Dean, Debby Franke Ogg, Cheryl Norton, Dorna Schroeter, Suzy Morris, Anne Ballantine, Tina Shaffer, Dee Ballantine, Jillian Ballantine, Gail Benneck and Joanne Gelb.
Bea Lambert for continued inspiration.
To Paul O’Connor for our GIANT FISH. Abby Saxon, Jane Resnick and Lila Pague for our Little Fish.
The Exquisite Lila Pague
Lauree Ostrofsky, our Crescent Moon!
Joanna Hess, Coordinator, and her marvelous team: Johanna Bard, Mary Burns, Nina Doyle, Maribeth Feinberg, Karen Hinderstein, Melisca Klisanin, Robbie Puglisi, Sarah Miller, Tess Miller, Dorna Schroeter, Oona Shain, Loretta Spence, Saira Sukthankar, Linda Helbing, Norma Dolan and Cecily Frazier.
To those who swoop in at the end and make it work: The Rhinebeck Rotary and Daytop.
Colleen Bloxham. She’s all ours, OURS!
Julia Haines, Harp and accordion. Gigi Alvare for Don Gato! Blessings on you both!
Cait Johnson and Terry O’Keefe. Pearls of Girls! With wisdom to share.
Mark Perez and Jeniece Schroeter.
Robin and Dan Shorstein for years and years and years.
We thank the Rhinebeck Fire Department for their generosity for the Crowns and Branches space! We thank the United Methodist Church for the SWAP, the Workshop, and Horns a’plenty! And the Bantas for our Star Party and Green Room at the Beekman Arms. Betsy Jacaruso Gallery for the Grumpus Hideout! Connie Bathrick and the Courtyard! Liberty Public House for our fabulous After Party! And Ruby Star for the bird’s eye views. Foster’s Coach House for opening the heart of our Village (the White Corner!) and forging a Town Green for all our performers and folks to gather. Our Vaudeville House and Cirkus Tent: DeDe Leiber and Upstate Films.
CO: Co-working + meetings + events in an inspiring space in Rhinebeck! That’s exactly what CO did for Sinterklaas by providing a space for our Grumpus to dance!
Special Thanks for Connie Bathrick for comfort and grace!
To the United Methodist Church and Pastors Steve and Nan Ernst for our Celebration Space, Workshop, SWAP and Toy Theater and the Hornatopia!
Doug Baz for his 32 years of wonderful photographs that make it possible for us to tell the story and Dave Tobias and Michael DiPleco who have joined his ranks!
presented by the Dancing Gelbs, David and Joanne, and all the artists and crafts people participating in the Fair! Special thanks to Dorna Schroeter and Bobby Fitzpatrick.
]Our Ask Me Ladies! These women know what they are talking about! Dorna Schroeter, Fearless Leader. Gwen Bardon, Joanna Hess, Kiki Steele, Mary Burns, Ana San Juan, Cecily Frazier, Garnette Arledge, Amy Tully, Val Kilmer, Diana Devlin, Marie Dynes, Nancy Suthhard, Risa Getman and Janice Hulst-Murphy. And for set up and tear down: David Gelb, Al Boutin and Rudy Younger.
It’s a fish!!! Given joyfully by our Pocket Lady Carla Carbone, with Dani Reuben and retired Grumpus and Pocket Mate, Wally Carbone.
Dorna Schroeter! (notice how many times her name appears in these thank you pages!)
Tricia Reed and Ana Sanjuan for reining them in and to all those who animated puppets! Now you are 300 strong!!
Mike Bloxham, , Andy Crispell, Kurt Fisher, Matthew Gelfer, Chris Gilbert Clifford Hart, Richard Kopyscianski, Jamyang Lodoe, Robby Long, Harlan Matthews, Nick Matsakis, D. Miller Terrance McCorry, Mark Perez, Stephen Robin, John Schmitz, Steven Young, Andy Weintraub and Victor Zelek. And Grumpus Emeritus: Ricky Aldrich, Wally Carbone, Dodd Crane, David Gelb, Arun Lahiri, Bruce Lubman, , Steven Pague, Richard Prouse, Heinz Sauer & Bob Wills. Trained by Martha Tobias.
The 500 kids in the Chancellor Livingston School who made fishy pictures!
Abby Saxon, the Wildest! Thanks to June and Charlie Schreck for their beautiful work decorating the Wild Women sound cart (and pulling it!!)
Bear Beauty Contest. Samuel’s John Traver and Judge Hillary for keeping the tradition alive.
Cynthia Baer and Kathy Giles, and at Rhinebeck High School—Fawn Johnson and the Art Club for their original paintings that hang in the trees!
You can finally lay down your cross.
The Snow King, Queen, and Star Child: Stefan Handl, Suzy Morris and Lark Wright.
The utterly talented and relentless Suzy Morris creator of The Mermaid, the Sea Star, the Snow King, Snow Queen, Star Child, the Owlettes, the Owl Queen of the Night and her Mouse, the gorgeous Sinterklaas Robe, those crazy Kukeri, African and Indian Elephants & the Caterpillar!
Cindy Kubick, formerly Mrs. Beekman, creates a new role as Mother Holly with her house made by Ania Aldrich and Terry O’Keefe.
The brilliant actor and artist Richard Prouse whose performance as Poseidon will live forever in the minds of all who saw it and whose painting genius for our stage always takes us into different worlds. And Mr. Barry Cohen who keeps it real. And the Village of Red Hook for the loaner!
David Gelb. Long Live Drone David! And his consort, Joanne!
always there… Harlan Matthews.
(to MFTA) Lindy Wright, Suzy Morris, and David Gelb
The Church of the Messiah, the Reformed Church of Rhinebeck, The United Methodist Church, and the Third Evangelical Lutheran Church — we will say it again—folks filled with love and generosity in their hearts: Rev. Richard McKeon Jr., Fr. Luis Perez, Pastor James Miller and Pastors Steven and Nan Ernst, and Anna Pavord, Liz Irwin and the ever gracious and generous Bonnie Reyero. The Jewish Alliance of Northern Dutchess, Rabbi Yael Romer, Kimba Baker and Temple Emanuel for a beautiful and moving Havdalah. And the Dapson/Chestney Funeral Home for hosting.
To Riverkeeper for your vast knowledge and commitment.
Thank you to Johanna Bard and Colleen Bloxham for keeping this army running with good food! Le Petit Bistro, Bread Alone, Maya Kaimal Fine Indian Foods, Sunflower Market, Migliorelli’s, Bubby’s Burritos, the Matchbox Cafe, Gaby’s, Grand Cru, Rhinebeck Bagels, Terrapin, Aba’s Falafels, Aroi Thai Restaurant, Pete’s Famous Restaurant, Samuel’s, Osaka Japanese Restaurant, Tops, and BUNS.
The Starr Library for its warm welcome to all our stars—human and puppet! Stephen Cook and the Board of Trustees, Brooke Stevens, Dave Wanzer, Ed and Veronica Schroeder.
Thanks to Evelyn Avelado for the beautiful designs and to Nan Jackson at the Starr Library for the Coloring Workshops and Joanne Gelb for putting it all together. Thanks to all who colored the 700 beautiful fish masks for the children—especially Roger Norton, Becky Holt, Nancy Karimi and friends .
Grace Schultz, Sarah Bissonnette-Adler, Stephen Kurowski, Jeff Newman, Tom Dressel, Peter Muste, Matt Rymkiewicz, Ricky de Zubiaurre, Alyssa Greenway, JJ Muste, Jen Hammoud, Vicki Rivera, Mark Schuyler, Mike Dunlap, Peter Muste, Susan Bissonnette, Barry Cohen, Michelle Rafferty Cary Kittner, Mary Pat Davies, and Francesca Hoffman.
Omega Institute’s Ken Kuter and Skip Backus for letting us hear!
Howie Callies for driving the puppet truck!
Scott Cruikshank, man with a golden heart.
Alex Kahn and Sophia Michahelles whose vision and dedication to the work is unmatched anywhere, who hosted the workshop and taught so many in the skills of pageant puppetry and who made that magnificent Horse and the Fox, Crow, Bear, Goose, Turtle, Hummingbird, the Bees, the Owls, the Elephants, Butterflies…and now the STURGEON!
To Ania Aldrich and Gigi Alvare for the original work and setting us on the path.
Jordan, who has taught us much and Samantha Strong for keeping spirits alive.
Those patient, long-standing, and supportive husbands: Al Boutin, Steven Michael Pague, Bernard Greenwald, Mike Bloxham, Peter Muste, David Gelb, Doug Baz, Donald Corrin, Dave Tobias, Albert Shahinian, Foster Reed and Harlan Matthews who play greater roles than anyone could ever imagine.
12 years!!! Who could have imagined it! Well, we ALL did! We imagined it minute by minute and idea by idea. Sinterklaas continues to be an ever astonishing achievement and shows what a community can do working and dreaming together. Thank you again to the greater Rhinebeck community for the privilege of being allowed to do the work.
It’s widely said that Sinterklaas is magical.
How does one create magic? Is it hocus pocus?
I say: it’s hocus FOCUS!
It’s paying attention to every detail and caring for everyone along the way. That’s what makes magic.
The Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland says: “Imagination is the best defense against reality.”
I say it’s the best offense. Our imaginary mystical Creature—the Mermaid—and her half magical and half real companion—the Sea Star—inspire us to become more aware of the reality around us and how we can make it more like what we imagine or dream. They call to us to save all the endangered species—from the exotic, ancient and magnificent Sturgeon to the smallest, most expendable menhaden. Our imaginations allow us to live magnanimously, generously, creatively and hopefully IN our world.
Here’s the clue to Sinterklaas magic… Keep your imagination going at every moment of every day that you have on this earth and create an world that is safe, abundant and loved, where we can all breath freely.
Let’s bring about a Sea Change.
—Jeanne Fleming, Designer and Coordinator
SPEAKING FOR All of US at Sinterklaas!!