MILLERTON — Families who are relying on the Sunday in the Country Food Drive (SITCFD) to provide traditional meals for Thanksgiving and Christmas will not be disappointed, according to program Director Bill Anstett, despite it being something of a struggle this year for the organization to meet its funding goals.
The group, which distributes holiday baskets at food pantries throughout the Tri-state region, traditionally relies on private donations and fundraisers. Anstett said plainly, the funding is “not as good as last year.”
At that time, many responded to COVID concerns by reaching into their pocketbooks and sending in donation checks.
“We have those who donated for years and they’re [still] donating, but things are slow to come in at this time,” he noted.
The challenge could be daunting. But Anstett, who volunteered with SITCFD for years when his predecessor, NASCAR Dave MacMillan, ran the program. Anstett then took over the charity when MacMillan retired to Florida; he's now remaining optimistic.
“It is what it is, but we’re definitely doing Thanksgiving and Christmas again,” said Anstett. “We’re looking for the donations, but I ordered turkeys on the first of August — have them set up ahead of time. I ordered 4 tons of dry goods that we give out as well. I got ahead of the game there. I wasn’t sure of the availability this year.”
Noting some of the difficulties facing the food supply chain due to the pandemic, he added, “There are a number of issues — trucking and probably a gap of a number of items at certain times. I’m not sure how it’s going to play out, but hopefully we have everything in line and ready to go.”
Sharing credit with all who make the decades-long holiday meal program run, Anstett said, “It’s the whole community. Everybody pitches in — anyone that sends money.”
Anstett acknowledged that there have been changes over the past few years — especially since MacMillan, who founded the SITCFD program after experiencing hunger first-hand and deciding to do whatever he could to make sure as few in his community went through the same pain, moved South.
“We have a very small core group now,” said Anstett, who runs SITCFD with his wife. And even though he said they are not as worried about transmission of the coronavirus as they were last year, he said, “We set a lot of things aside with COVID. We’ve managed to do it with less help, and we’re probably going to stick with that for now.”
Changes included cancelling some of the regular fundraising events such as the annual golf tournament, but the group did manage to pull off some activities at a few locations to help raise critical funds.
They cooked food and sold tickets for their annual raffle sale at the Salisbury Winter Sports Association (SWSA) Brew-Ski Fest on Oct. 10 in Salisbury, Conn.
At the Maplebrook School in Amenia, they raised $10 per car with a Drive Thru Spooktacular from Oct. 28 through Oct. 30, which featured decorations, ghost stories and “candy and Halloween trinkets.”
Tickets for the SITCFD’s upcoming annual raffle, which cost $5 each or six for $50, were sold at the Nov. 7 Millerton Farmers Market. They continue to be available at Herrington’s in Millerton, the Amenia Steak House and the Sharon Valley Tavern, from Millerton Mayor Jenn Najdek or by calling someone affiliated with SITCFD; the drawing will be on Saturday, Nov. 21.
Working with several food pantries in the region, SITCFD serves hundreds of families stretching from Amenia, Ancram, Dover, Millerton, Pawling and Wassaic in New York and in Lakeville, Sharon, Cornwall and Canaan, Conn. It’s also served numerous pantries in Massachusetts throughout its time.
In addition to the holiday baskets, Anstett said the organization responds to individual needs that might arise during the year.
To donate to the raffle or purchase raffle tickets, go to www.sundayinthecountry.org; email sundayinthecountry@gmail.com; phone 518-267-9865; or send checks to SITCFD, P.O. Box 789, Millerton, NY 12546.
One of the entries in this year’s Community Day Scarecrow Contest, Ichabod Hiccup, at left, seems to be particularly enjoying the solo performance of Wil Greenstreet, whose strolling pop-up saxophone performances delighted visitors to the village on Saturday, Sept. 20. For more photos, turn to Page A8.
A popular feature of the Millbrook Library lawn area was a carpet of children’s books being given away for free. Appealing to little Julien Gulbrandsen, 3, of Pleasant Valley was the story of a pancake, being read by her mother Lauren Gulbrandsen. It is likely that the little book went home with them.Photo by Leila Hawken
Family fun and community were the order of the long-planned Community Day, on Saturday, Sept. 20, as village turned out to welcome visitors from throughout the region for a day of activities, contests, parades, displays, sales and the joy of being together.Photo by Leila Hawken
Top row, left to right, Caroline Kinsolving, Christopher McLinden, Dana Domenick, Reid Sinclair and Director Hunter Foster. Bottom row, left to right, Will Nash Broyles, Dick Terhune, Sandy York and Ricky Oliver in Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”
Opening on Sept. 26, Agatha Christie’s legendary whodunit “The Mousetrap” brings suspense and intrigue to the Sharon Playhouse stage, as the theater wraps up its 2025 Mainstage Season with a bold new take on the world’s longest-running play.
Running from Sept. 26 to Oct. 5, “The Mousetrap” marks another milestone for the award-winning regional theater, bringing together an ensemble of exceptional local talent under the direction of Broadway’s Hunter Foster, who also directed last season’s production of “Rock of Ages." With a career that spans stage and screen, Foster brings a fresh and suspense-filled staging to Christie’s classic.
The Playhouse’s casting includes Dana Domenick of Falls Village who leads the cast as Mollie Ralston, the newlywed innkeeper with a secret. Reid Sinclair of Norfolk plays Giles, her husband and partner in hospitality — and maybe in something more sinister. Will Nash Broyles from Lakeville plays the eccentric and enigmatic Christopher Wren, and Sandy York of Sharon will play the role of the imperious Mrs. Boyle. Dick Terhune (Litchfield), Caroline Kinsolving (Salisbury), Ricky Oliver (Pawling), and Christopher McLinden (also Lakeville) round out the cast as the play’s increasingly suspicious guests — and one very determined detective.
As always, Sharon Playhouse has gathered a top-tier creative team to match its cast. The Swader brothers (Christopher and Justin) return with their signature scenic designs, while Kathleen DeAngelis’s costumes and Bobbie Zlotnik’s wigs promise to anchor us firmly in postwar England, even as the plot spirals into timeless psychological suspense. Lighting by Wheeler Moon and sound design by Graham Stone will help turn the cozy theater into a stage crackling with tension.
If you’ve never seen “The Mousetrap,” here’s what you need to know: it’s the murder mystery that truly defined the genre. Premiering in London’s West End in 1952 and still running strong over 30,000 performances later, Christie’s ingenious puzzle unfolds in a snowbound manor house where everyone has something to hide, and no one is safe from suspicion. Its final twist is famously kept secret by audiences — a tradition of theatrical discretion that only deepens the sense of shared experience.
“The enduring success of ‘The Mousetrap’ lies in its suspense, yes, but also in its structure,” said the Playhouse’s Artistic Director Carl Andress. “It’s a masterclass in storytelling. And with Hunter Foster leading this incredible cast of local artists, we know our audiences are in for an evening of mystery, laughter, and yes, plenty of gasps.”
Tickets are available now at SharonPlayhouse.org.
