Millerton parents create ‘neighborhood’ — finding support and community

MILLERTON — What began in the warmth of the NorthEast-Millerton Library as a small group of young parents exchanging information and ideas has grown into the internet equivalent of a friendly neighborhood with plenty of room to welcome newcomers.

Founded in conjunction with the now retired Youth Services Director Lynn Buckley, the informally named Millerton Parents Group, uses the messaging program WhatsApp instead of chats over backyard fences as they build community.

Anyone with the common interest of family is welcome to join, de facto leader of the group Kimberly Yarnell said. Through laughs she said that while there is no head, “I’m the bossy Mom in the group ... I try to synthesize group communications, activities and opportunities to team up and meet up.”

She says the group formed “after the height of the Pandemic when we were all kind of crawling out of our holes and sort of having gone through a shared experience, many of us with 3, 4 and 5 year olds. We emerged with a real hunger for connections in a way that wasn’t really being serviced by the area.”

Yarnell, who has “two great kids,” 4 year old son Mathew and 1 year old daughter Margo said, “we can laugh about it now,” but it was difficult, especially for those who gave birth during the Pandemic.

With access to the Library and support in developing programming, the group brought in speakers for topics of general interest such as sleep issues and doulas.

But as children and family sizes grew, crowded schedules evolved. It became difficult to attend meetings, so connections moved to the internet where families now swap information on critical issues such as the best babysitters, pediatricians, dentists and the like.

They also provide support when someone has a sick child and set up play dates, walks on the Rail Trail and share information about interesting events. Each Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., interested members gather at Eddie Collins Memorial Park where they take turns bringing pizza and the children romp while the parents find adult companionship.

Recently, members looked “into their closets” to find outgrown clothing for it’s second and hopefully continuing clothing swap. Because of scheduling conflicts at the Library where Buckley had helped to organize the initial event, the Northeast Community Center provided the needed space for some 25 participants.

As can be the case with that sort of event, some items were not chosen, but following the spirit of reaching out, Yarnell said those were donated to Ben and Gracie’s Thrift Shop in Poughkeepsie. The shop determined the value of the merchandise and presented vouchers in that amount to the Grace Smith House in Poughkeepsie which provides shelter and support for those facing domestic violence.

Yarnell says the vouchers, in turn, were given to residents who can gain a sense of “empowerment” as they are able to use them at the shop to make purchases for their own families instead of being handed a bag “of stuff” chosen by someone else.

Anyone interested in joining is welcome to email kimberlyyarnell@gmail.com for an invitation to the group’s WhatsApp.