PINE PLAINS — Motivated by an inspirational mix of food, music, speeches and generosity, area residents seemed more than happy to attend the Ukraine Emergency Fundraiser in support of Sunflower of Peace at The Stissing Center in Pine Plains on Sunday, June 5.
Organized by Stanfordville residents Mark Lagus and his wife Leevi, 100% of the funds raised through ticket sales and online donations went toward Sunflower of Peace, a nonprofit committed to helping Ukrainians affected by the Russian military invasion.
As his parents fled from the advancing Russian army in World War II, Lagus, a first-generation American-Estonian, said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 significantly shook him.
Leevi added, “In this day and age, for the tanks to be rolling across Europe was unfathomable to us.”
After spending the first night in shock, the couple immediately thought about what they could do to help. By early March, they became involved in community events to support Ukraine and encouraged their neighbors in Bangall to write to their congressmen.
Taking action
Inspired by local fundraisers organized by Millerton residents André Wlodar and his wife Kim, Lagus and Leevi gathered a group of friends and neighbors to start a fundraiser.
“It’s just that I worry people will get tired of the story and all the people deported and killed will become just numbers,” Leevi said. “We are trying to keep it alive, the interest and attention, even though the war seems so far away from America.”
They were able to get in contact with David Byrne, the Scottish lead singer and guitarist of the iconic American ‘80s rock band Talking Heads. Byrne was quick to get on board with the fundraiser.
“David has connections with people in the area, became aware of the event and graciously agreed to be part of it,” said Mark.
The couple reached out to the local chapter of the Ukrainian National Women’s League, who connected them to the Ukrainian folk band, Korinya.
The main event
The 5th was a lovely summer day for the fundraiser, which began with an opening reception at 1 p.m. Guests mingled over national Ukrainian dishes, drinks and a rolling slide show on stage.
A two-part live auction listed a number of local items, including dinner for four at Champetre in Pine Plains, a membership to Troutbeck and VIP tickets to see Bernie Williams & Band at the Millbrook Winery.
Stepping on stage at 2 p.m., Lagus welcomed everyone and had them rise for a heart-stirring performance of the Ukrainian National Anthem.
Leevi then reminded everyone ready to enjoy the entertainment, “We cannot dismiss and never forget why we are having this event. The free world cannot sit back and decide the war is too far or too complicated. It seems too common that the world finds it easier to get along with evil than to work against it.”
Words of thanks
Thanking the Laguses for their help and everyone for paying attention to the news, Sunflower of Peace Treasurer Olga Yasinnik said she initially anticipated 2022 as the year she’d see her family in person again after the COVID pandemic. Even after learning of the war, she remained hopeful it would resolve peacefully.
Once the shock that her homeland was a war zone wore off, Yasinnik said she became determined to help the Ukrainian people and became involved with Sunflower of Peace.
“Three months into the war, we were able to raise more than $7.5 million,” Yasinnik said, commending the nonprofit for being “a bridge for donors and volunteers eager to help send a message to the Ukrainian people that they are not alone.”
Tuning in via Zoom, Estonian politician and keynote speaker Eerik Niiles Kross said he was honored to say a few words about Sunflower of Peace.
In light of how often Russia has tried to invade Estonia over the years, Kross spoke of Estonia’s efforts to help Ukraine. He commended the Ukrainian people’s heroic efforts to fight for their freedom and spoke of how people have been drawn to their TVs and Twitter feeds, triggering a movement to support Ukraine.
“What Ukrainians need most right now is to feel that the world is with them,” Kross said. “They need to know we will not tire, we will not ask for concessions… Yes, they need peace, but they can’t have peace before they win, so what they need is for us to help them win.”
During the intermezzo, the floor opened to bids for the live auction. Korinya then took up its instruments and the band rendered its audience wonder struck as it performed an uplifting tune.
Though the language was foreign, the lyrics were captivating. The music celebrating Ukrainian traditions through song.
After the second intermezzo, which featured a special Stissing Center prize, Lagus welcomed Byrne to the stage.
The famous musician with the distinctive voice and musical style performed original pieces and songs by fellow artists and shared moments of light of laughter. As he exited the stage, the audience gave a wild standing ovation that continued until Byrne returned for one last song.
Before parting for the day, the Laguses stepped onto the stage to give thanks to their team, Sunflower of Peace and everyone from the restaurateurs and entertainers to their guests for their contributions.
“Lives will be changed by what we’ve done today,” Leevi said, before Korinya returned to the stage sing the Ukrainian song, “Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow.”
Known as lead singer and guitarist for the iconic band Talking Heads, David Byrne performed original music, familiar tunes, country hits and other songs at the Ukraine Emergency Fundraiser. Photo by Kaitlin Lyle
Dan Cohen, left, dispenses whipped cream on a plate of maple syrup treats during a demonstration on the making of maple syrup at Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo on Millbrook School’s campus.
“This is a very seasonal activity, and you’ve got to go while you can,” Tousignant said of the labor-intensive process.
Alan Tousignant stokes a fire in a maple evaporator, a machine that turns maple sap into syrup with heat.Photo by Aly Morrissey
Tousignant first experimented with making maple syrup in a backyard over an open campfire under the stars — a method he said required long nights and wasted much of the heat.
Today, he uses a specialized maple evaporator, a large stainless-steel pan heated by a wood fire from below that allows sap to boil efficiently and continuously.
Sap collected from the trees begins as a clear, watery liquid that contains only about two to two and a half percent sugar, Tousignant explained. Before boiling, the sap is run through a reverse-osmosis process to concentrate the sugar slightly. The liquid then enters the evaporator, where heat gradually removes the water as the sap flows through a series of channels.
By the time the liquid reaches about 215 degrees, the sugar has concentrated enough to become maple syrup.
Tousignant said he is currently collecting sap from around 50 maple trees, some of which have multiple taps. He said one gallon of maple syrup requires around 40 gallons of sap, a process that requires a lot of patience.
“That’s what I call ‘almost syrup,’ he laughed, pointing to a container of darkening liquid that had already been boiled and was completing a filtration process.
“Typically, the early season syrup is lighter, and as the season goes on, it gets darker,” he said. “Toward the end of the season, it can be really dark, almost like walnut syrup.”
Tousignant collects chunks of naturally formed ice that float in the sap buckets when the weather gets cold enough as a way to keep a 300-gallon tank of sap cool to prevent it from spoiling until it can be processed.
Alan Tousignant adjusts the water level in his maple evaporator at the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo on Millbrook School’s campus on Saturday, March 7.Photo by Aly Morrissey
“I love trying to use Mother Nature to its fullest in a sustainable way,” he said.
He employs the same philosophy in his woodworking, using trees that have already died or fallen or collecting discarded wood pallets from Amazon deliveries to the Millbrook School, saving them from the burn pile.
Raised near the Canadian border in upstate New York, Tousignant said he has always enjoyed working outdoors. As a graduate student, he supported himself with a variety of hands-on jobs to make extra spending money.
“Raking leaves, washing houses, painting, anything to make a little cash for eating and paying the bills,” he said.
It was during this time when Tousignant developed an acronym that now serves as the label for his maple syrup — Hayibaco, short for Home and Yard Improvements by Alan.
This will mark his first year selling his own maple syrup under his custom label, which features an illustrated photo of him in his signature outfit — a plaid shirt and a fleece vest — against a backdrop of his syrup bottles. Syrup will be sold in the gift shop at the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo and possibly at the Millerton Farmer’s Market in the future.
In addition to Hayibaco, other locally made maple syrup and maple products were available for sale at the tasting, including nearby Soukup Farms in Dover and Russell Farms in Rhinebeck.
Dan Cohen, Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo’s Director of Media, said that zoo attendance typically dips during the winter months. But for many of the zoo’s animals — particularly those who prefer the cold weather — winter can actually be one of the best times to visit.
Animals like Stanley the lynx, Cohen said, are far more active in the cold weather.
Cohen and his colleagues began brainstorming ways to encourage winter zoo visits and were pleased with the success of both a hot chocolate event earlier this year and the maple syrup weekend.
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