Invited to be a featured speaker at The Millbrook School’s launch of The Firefly Environmental Arts Project on Friday, Feb. 21, Eileen Fielding, Director of the Sharon Audubon Center, paused for a photo with Bob, the American Kestrel, a long-term resident at the Center due to respiratory troubles.
MILLBROOK — Inspired by hope and resiliency found in nature, the Millbrook School is launching The Firefly Environmental Arts Project, assembling area artists, naturalists and environmentalists, seeking to build community through shared experiences in nature and the arts. The project will kick off at the Millbrook School on Friday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m.
In the event of snow, the date will move to Sunday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
Guest speaker will be Eileen Fielding, Audubon Center of Sharon Director since 2018, preeminent expert, active in the protection of wildlife within the regional landscape. The title of her talk will be “Bending the Bird Curve.”
“There are so many environmental and sustainability issues that it’s a challenge to decide where to focus,” Fielding commented on Saturday, Feb. 1. “For this talk, I’ll discuss climate change, and how we can address it in part through natural climate solutions as they can be applied in the Northeast,” she added.
Pleased to have been asked to participate in the Millbrook School’s environmental work and the current project, Fielding said, “There’s a rising cohort of young people who are capable, creative, concerned over the state of the planet, and motivated to do something about it. Audubon is one of the organizations offering pathways for young leaders to take action. I welcome this opportunity to invite their participation and encourage them. They have a lot to give.”
Tim Good of the Good Gallery in Kent was responsible for curating the art and artists. Students from eight area independent schools are expected to participate in the Firefly Project, along with 15 prominent visual artists from the region, all combining talents and energy to environmental issues.
“This event will allow young artists to display their work alongside established artists. That invitation is an important vote of confidence, a recognition that their work and their perspectives are valuable,” Fielding said.
“In the same way, the event recognizes a connection between art and advocacy for the environment. In my talk, I hope to highlight how these two endeavors can inspire and strengthen each other,” Fielding said.
Fielding earned a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Connecticut and a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources from the University of Massachusetts.
Before becoming the Sharon Audubon Center’s director, she volunteered to help with the bird rehabilitation department and contributed actively to the Center’s advisory board.
WINSTED — Gilbert Kenneth Schoonmaker, of Monroe, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on July 24, 2025, at the age of 77. Born on Jan. 18, 1948, in Winsted, Connecticut to Gilbert and Alta (Bierce) Schoonmaker, Gil spent four decades enjoying life on Highland Lake before settling in Monroe.
He is lovingly survived by his wife of 56 years, Sally (Gustafson) Schoonmaker, and his two daughters, Lynn Sindland and her husband Lee of Lead Hill, Arkansas, and Deb Pikiell and her husband Tim of Bristol, Connecticut. Gil was a proud grandfather to Ozzie, Tommy, Betsy, Katie, George, Lucy, Maddie, Joey, and Julia, and he cherished his time with his eight great-grandchildren. Gilbert leaves behind his siblings Ann, Gary, Gail, Jan, and Tim.
Gil met Sally, the love of his life, while attending Housatonic Valley Regional High School.He went on to attend Northwest Community College before serving in the United States Air Force. Professionally, he was the longtime owner of Universal Business Equipment in Bridgeport, a role he held with pride for more than 20 years.
Gil had a lifelong passion for the outdoors and was an avid golfer and fly fisherman. He also enjoyed birdwatching and gardening. Perhaps more than anything, Gil will be remembered for his love of cooking. He took great joy in preparing meals for family and friends. Right up until his final days, he was finding joy in discovering new ways to cook the vegetables he grew in his garden.
Friends and family are invited to attend a funeral service at Stepney Baptist Church, 423 Main Street in Monroe on Tuesday, July 29at 11:00 a.m.
To leave an online message of condolence, please visit Gilbert’s tribute page at www.OBrien-FuneralHome.com
The Millerton Village Offices on Route 22 north of the intersection with Route 44.
MILLERTON — The anticipated follow-up to the May 21 special meeting regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement will take place Tuesday, July 29, at 6 p.m. Legal counsel for the village is expected to attend.
At the May meeting, nearly 20 residents and community members urged the village board to adopt a local law limiting cooperation between Millerton’s police and ICE, aiming to protect immigrants, including undocumented individuals. While no resolution was reached, Mayor Jenn Najdek committed to holding a follow-up meeting where village legal counsel would be present to help clarify questions and explore the proposal in more depth.
The May meeting featured passionate community input stressing the moral and legal importance of clear local guidelines on ICE cooperation, balanced against concerns from officials about potential budget strains and the risk of losing federal infrastructure funding.
According to the agenda released by the village, the ICE discussion is slated to occur early in the meeting. Other key items include a public hearing on Local Law X — intended to expand eligibility for planning and zoning board positions to residents of Dutchess County — and a resolution to approve a recreation contract with the Town of North East.
The meeting is open to the public and will take place at the village offices at 5933 N. Elm Ave.
Author and cartoonist Peter Steiner signed books at Sharon Summer Book Signing last summer.
The 27th annual Sharon Summer Book Signing at the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon will be held Friday, Aug. 1, from 4:45 to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 3, at noon.
Friday’s festivities will honor libraries and the power of the written word. In attendance will be 29 locally and nationally recognized authors whose books will be for sale. With a wide array of genres including historical fiction, satire, thrillers, young adult and non-fiction, there will be something for every reader.
The event will include a selection of hors d’oeuvres and drinks, followed by eight festive author dinners where writers will read and discuss their work one-on-one with attendees.
Saturday will feature a new Page to Plate program that merges the literary and culinary worlds. Just as writing is a practice of patience and love, so too is the art of cooking. Cookbooks and food writing make cooking teachable to those excited to learn and celebrate the art of a perfect meal.
Through a combination of demonstrations and conversations, acclaimed cookbook authors and chefs will cover a variety of delicious topics. Highlights include a discussion with Chris Morocco, food director of “Bon Appetit” magazine and “Epicurious.” Sharon resident and chef Jessie Sheehan will demonstrate recipes from her cookbook “Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes: 100 Easy-Peasy, Savory Recipes for 24/7 Deliciousness.”
With the combination of vetted recipes and thorough discussion from food experts, attendees are sure to leave knowing how to cultivate the ultimate act of service: the gift of a full stomach.
Sunday will be brunch at a private Sharon residence hosted by Graham Klemm and Cody O’Kelly to celebrate author Carolyn Klemm and her cookbook “Culinary Collection: Favorite Country Recipes.”
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit hotchkisslibraryofsharon.org
All proceeds support the programs at The Hotchkiss Library of Sharon.
Ukraine Emergency Fundraiser at The Stissing Center in 2022 raised over $120,000 for Sunflower of Peace.
The spirit of Ukraine will be on display at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains on Sunday, July 27. Beginning at 5 p.m., the “Words to America from Ukraine” fundraiser is set to showcase the simultaneous beauty of Ukrainian culture and the war-time turmoil it faces, all the while fundraising in support of Ukrainian freedom.
“Words to America from Ukraine” aims to remind and spread awareness for the suffering that often gets forgotten by those who live in comfortable worlds, explained Leevi Ernits, an organizer for the event. “We are trying to make an attempt to remind people that we are human, and we are connected with human values,” she said. “With very few words, poetry can express very deep values.”
Sponsored by the Town of Stanford, Friends of Ukraine, L.E. Design LLC, Bartelby & Sage, Oblong Books and Borshch of Art, the fundraiser will host the recitation of war-time Ukrainian poetry. Readings will include the works of Vasyl Sagaydak, Oksana Lutsyshyna, Serhiy Zhadan, Victoria Amelina, Marjana Savka, Ostap Slyvynsky, and Mariana Harahonych.
“Poems are fishhooks into our souls,” added Mark Lagus, another event organizer, explaining why poetry was chosen for the main event.
Guests will also enjoy a performance by Ukrainian Village Voices, a New York City- based band dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional Ukraining Folk music. The evening will also feature speakers Jed Sunden and Maria Genkin, along with a live auction. Food and drink will be provided by Bartelby & Sage, a sustainable, local and female-owned company.
All ticket proceeds, bids, and donations will go directly to Razom for Ukraine, a U.S.-based nonprofit. Razom, meaning “together” in Ukrainian, has the mission of “contributing to the establishment of a secure, prosperous and democratic Ukraine,” through “creating, inspiring, and collaborating on initiatives that motivate people to think, partner and do.”
Tickets, donation opportunities, and more information are all available by visiting www.wordsfromukraine.org
