MILLBROOK — It seems like everything that happens lately is done virtually, and the Scholastic Art Awards are no different. The awards program, first implemented in 1919, is a visual arts competition open to students in grades seven through 12; it is a national competition. There is also a portion of the program devoted to literature.
This program looks to identify students with exceptional artistic talent. The Millbrook Central School District is part of the Hudson Valley Art region. The awards allow students the opportunity for recognition, scholarships and the chance to publicly exhibit their work. Silver and gold medalists also get to show their work at the Rotunda at SUNY New Paltz, but this year there was a virtual showing instead due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gold Key winners will have their work judged nationally. That can lead to a national medal and their art being shown in a national exhibition. That competition originated in 1929, and some very prestigious scholars have competed over the years, including Andy Warhol, Ken Burns and Robert Redford.
Millbrook art teachers Jillian Barnes and Michelle Cring were proud to announce that 11th-grader Callie McGuire’s digital artwork, “Close Up in Nature,” was nominated for the American Vision Award. Thousands of pieces were submitted in the region, and McGuire’s was one of only five to be selected as an American Vision Award nominee. It will be on exhibit until Wednesday, March 17, when the winner will be announced.
Other Gold Key winners from the Millbrook district were Alexis Anderson, grade 12; Madeline Marchant, grade 11; and Brennan McGuire, grade eight. Silver Key winners were Callie McGuire, grade 11; Anna Bonelli, grade 10; and Madison Krueger, grade eight. There was a virtual ceremony on Friday, Feb. 5 for the winners. All of their artwork can be viewed at www.barnesart.weebly.com/scholastic. The artwork is listed in many different categories: painting; drawing and illustration; digital art; sculpture; fashion; glass and ceramics; cartoons; and several others.
Callie has studied at the Art Effect in Poughkeepsie, and will be looking at colleges, maybe applying for an art scholarship. She enjoys working in more than one medium, and especially likes working with colored pencils. Her subjects vary, but she really likes doing portraits and drawing animals.
Her brother, Brennan, who is in eighth grade, also won a Silver Key award with his photography, for a piece entitled, “Balance.”
Asked if artistic ability runs in her family, Callie mentioned that her grandparents were into crafts, and they were very close to each other. They moved to Myrtle Beach, S.C., two years ago, and she recently lost her grandmother to COVID-19.
Callie said she knows that art is definitely in her future and she will be choosing some type of art as her major in college; she’ll look into studio art, art therapy or possibly illustration.
Callie is also accomplished in sports, and plays on the Varsity Volleyball team at Millbrook High School; she started playing in seventh grade. She likes English, but math, not so much.
Over the summer Callie brightened the days of many of her neighbors during the pandemic by doing paintings on sea shells and leaving them in people’s mailboxes while out riding on her bicycle.
The Millbrook Central School District said it is proud of all those who entered the art competition and congratulated those who won Gold or Silver Keys. It noted those who earned honorable mentions: Isabelle Rubbo, Sadie Krueger and Devin Jarvis.
Teachers Barnes and Cring said they were very pleased with the efforts of their students, and are very proud of them all.
NORTH CANAAN — Dr.f Donald Terance “Doc” Martin, 86, of North Canaan, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at his home in North Canaan, which was his last wish. Dr. Martin was a dentist in Canaan, retiring in 2014. He served the community and their needs whether they could pay or not, and at all hours of the day and night. They do not make men like Don “Doc” Martin anymore.
Born on Aug. 27, 1938 in Walla Walla, Washington, he was the youngest of George T. and Anna Mae (McGrath) Martin’s eight children. Don proudly served in the US Navy with the Seabees during the Vietnam War. He adopted the Seabee’s “Can Do” attitude that served him for the rest of his life. Don married Lynne Horner in 1964.
Don was a 50-year friend of Bill W. He sponsored numerous others through his devotion to Alcoholics Anonymous. When people asked how he managed to stay sober for five decades, he said, “Don’t drink. Go to meetings. And don’t die.” And, “If you’re going to get old, you should do it in the program.”
Don fiercely loved his family, and he embraced his community. Wherever he went, people shouted, “Hi, Doc!” He enthusiastically supported local causes. In the early 1980s, he founded Friends of Football, a booster club for the Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s football team. He was a regular at Housy athletic events during his children’s years as students there, and continued to support the teams even after his youngest child graduated.
In addition to his loving wife of 60 years, Don is survived by a son, Rick Martin of Canaan, and two daughters, Kelley Marshall and her husband, Bill, of Hyde Park, New York, and Laura McCarthy and her husband, Neil, of Berlin, Connecticut. He is also survived by four grandchildren; William Marshall, V, Meagan Marshall and her fiancé, Cameron Jones, Maxim Martin and Meave McCarthy; a special friend, Jeff King, cousins Ann Kaufman, Jay Martin, Kathy Horner, Dan Horner, John Horner, Katherine Edlund, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at the North Canaan Congregational Church, 172 Lower Rd, East Canaan, with Pastor Mark Brady officiating. The repass follows from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at the VFW Post #6851, 104 S. Canaan Rd., Canaan, CT. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Doc Martin should be made to the Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, P.O. Box 306, North Canaan, CT 06018 or VFW Post #6851, P.O. Box 913, Canaan, CT 06018. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home, 118 Main Street, Canaan, CT.
Busy as he is these days, Santa took a bit of time to join in congratulating Wassaic’s Citizen of the Year, Ana Hajduk, following a presentation ceremony at the Wassaic Fire Department on Saturday, Dec. 14, all in conjunction with the 2024 Wassaic Parade of Lights.
WASSAIC — Wassaic residents turned out to celebrate the 2024 Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 14, enjoying the traditional parade and festivities with refreshments at the firehouse.
One of the highlights was the naming of Wassaic’s Citizen of the Year, Ana Hajduk, honoring her many contributions to the improvement of community life.
Presenting the award certificate was Amenia Town Supervisor Leo Blackman who spoke of Hajduk’s talents as garden designer and her work with designing and faithfully tending the small garden in front of the post office where a veterans’ memorial stands.
She also looks after the needs of the newly planted pine tree which has replaced the old Wassaic Christmas tree. She also lends her talents to tending the beds planted by the Amenia Garden Club. And, she has successfully conquered the mugwort infestation at the Borden plant.
Blackman praised Hajduk also for her work with the Fountain Square plantings, and her willingness to lug buckets of water to a variety of growing things.
Hajduk lived for a time in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where her mother had rehabilitated an abandoned rail line to create a six-block long public park over a period of 20 years.
“Ana has it in her blood to improve the places where she lives,” Blackman said.
Mary Albasi, resident of The Fountains at Millbrook, knitting for one of the community’s donations.
MILLBROOK — A long-established tradition of giving to deserving community organizations is continuing throughout the holiday season at The Fountains at Millbrook.
Three area charities were selected for this year’s charitable giving. The Center for Compassion in Dover Plains has received 26 bags of food and several boxes of clothing collected by Fountains residents since the Thanksgiving season and continuing through the holidays. The extensive history of giving was described on Wednesday, Dec. 11, by Lisa Rieckermann, community life director at The Fountains.
Infants housed at the Care Net Pregnancy Center in Poughkeepsie are being kept warm by hand-knit items produced by the Knit/Crochet Group at The Fountains. Resident Mary Albasi was praised by Rieckermann for her dedication, having created more than 100 pieces for the center.
“Mary’s passion is truly shown through the dedication she has for her work,” Rieckermann said.
Families at the Grace Smith House, a domestic violence support center in Poughkeepsie, are also being assisted by residents at The Fountains. This month, Rieckermann reported, Terri Smith, a staff member in The Fountains’ Café, is raising funds for gift cards to be provided to the Grace Smith House. Skilled at crafting, Smith is using her talents to create centerpieces for Café tables. Residents purchase the centerpieces, thereby raising the funds to purchase the gift cards.
“It makes my heart happy to give back,” Smith said.
Residents also maintain an ongoing interest in supporting the Holiday Toy Drive with the American Legion and the Hudson Valley Animal Rescue organization.
Dutchess County Legislator Chris Drago and Town of North East Councilwoman Meg Winkler help welcome Habitat for Humanity homeowners Anthony and Vanessa Macagnone (center) to their new home on Rudd Pond Road in Millerton, Wednesday, Dec. 18.
