Garth Kobel, Art Wall Chair, Mary Randolph, Frank Halden, Ruth Giumarro, Project Chair, Maria Bulson, Barbara Lobdell, Sherry Newman, Elizabeth Frey-Thomas, Donna Heinz around “The Green Man.”
In honor of National Quilt Day, a tradition established in 1991, Hunt Library’s second annual quilt show, “Quilts of Many Colors,” will open Saturday, March 21, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. The quilts, made by members of the Hunt Library Quilters, will be displayed through April 17. All quilts will be for sale, and a portion of each sale goes to the library.
At the center of the exhibit is a quilt the Hunt Library Quilters collaborated on called the “Quilt of Many Colors,” inspired by Dolly Parton’s song”Coat of Many Colors.” Each member of the Hunt Library Quilters made two to four 10-inch squares for the twin-size quilt, with Gail Allyn embroidering “The Green Man” for the center square. The Green Man, a symbol of rebirth, is also a symbol of the library, seen carved in stone at the library’s entrance. One hundred percent of the sale of this quilt benefits the library.
Ruth Giumarro, who led the Hunt Library Quilters in this project, explained that the quilting group started last year with the theme “Playing With Art,” which was inspired by children’s book illustrator Eric Carle. Giumarro said, “We had so much fun last year that everyone said, ‘Let’s do it again!’”
“This has been exciting,” said Giumarro. “We started off small with seven people. This year more people came, and there are more who want to come.” The range of experience varies from none to years of sewing and quilting. All are welcome; be a resident of Falls Village is not required.
“It’s all practice,” explained Giumarro, who has been sewing since she was in seventh grade. “Getting a straight line is hardest.”
On March 6, the quilters gathered at Hunt Library to bring their own creations for the show and admire the finished “Quilt of Many Colors.” After looking at each other’s quilts and pricing them, they celebrated with cake.
The Hunt Library is located at 63 Main St. in Falls Village. More information is available at huntlibrary.org
Millerton News
EAST CANAAN — Pauline K. (King) Garfield, 94 of 77 South Canaan Rd. formerly of East Canaan, died Sunday May 24, 2026, at Geer Village.She was the wife of the late Duane Garfield who passed August 14, 2017. Pauline was born April 3, 1932 in North Canaan, CT in the former Geer Hospital. She was the daughter of the late Charles and Rose (Van Vlack) King.
Pauline spent her career at Becton Dickinson in Canaan, after being a stay-at-home mother for many years.She was employed at Becton Dickinson for 23 years. She enjoyed bus trips with her late husband Duane to the Casinos, spending time with her family watching the grandchildren grow up. Recently she made a comment to care givers that was “wait until I see that husband of mine for leaving me here, I am going to read him the riot act.” Over the years she enjoyed many crafts, but her favorite was crocheting gifts for everyone.
Pauline is survived by her daughter Paula Ducharme and husband Tom of York, Pennsylvania. Her son Michael Garfield and wife Joann of Winchester Center, Connecticut. Her granddaughter Koren Garfield and her great grandchildren, Alyssa Jade, Addison Jacob and Brennden Leo of Colebrook, Connecticut.
Pauline is also survived by her sister, Althea Marshall and her husband Corky of North Canaan, Connecticut. She was predeceased by her brothers, Everett and Alan King.
A Celebration of Pauline’s life will be held on Monday June 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in the North Canaan Congregational Church 172 Lower Road East Canaan, CT 06024.Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in East Canaan, CT. Memorial Donation can be sent to the North Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps P.O. Box 178 North Canaan, CT 06018. Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. Canaan, CT 06018.
Millerton News
Last Week’s Question
What is one change you’d make to your town center to make it more welcoming?
“Town centers that want to be welcoming this day and age should provide free wifi and plug points amongst seating and parks since everyone is on their phones nowadays. Especially in Millerton there is no service for anyone using T-Mobile towers.”
— Andres Vialpando, Millerton
This Week
Bear encounters are being reported with increasing frequency across the region — rummaged trash cans, damaged bird feeders, and face-to-face surprises.
Have you had a run-in with a bear? What happened, and how did you handle it? And what do you think towns and neighbors should be doing to keep both people and bears safer?
Send your responses to publisher@lakevillejournal.com by Monday, June 1, at 10a.m. or comment on Facebook or Instagram.
We’ll publish a selection in next week’s paper.
Leila Hawken
MILLBROOK — A long-vacant landmark in the center of the village is one step closer to a major transformation after the Planning Board unanimously approved renovation plans for the historic Thorne Building on Monday, May 18.
The project, proposed by the Millbrook Community Foundation, would convert the former school building — vacant for roughly two decades — into the new Thorne Center, a multi-use arts and community hub designed to host performances, educational programming, music instruction and public events.
Conditions attached to the approval were limited, according to board engineer Richard Rennia. They included minor revisions to the site plan to more clearly define the area that will be disturbed during construction and to clarify parking. The plan calls for 56 parking spaces, along with overflow parking on a grassy area. A final condition bars childcare services from being offered in the building.
The Millbrook Community Foundation, led by Millbrook native and building namesake Oakleigh Thorne, submitted a formal application earlier this year. A number of public hearings drew mostly favorable comment.
Plans call for converting the existing auditorium into a full performance space while restoring the building’s exterior and modifying the carriage arch on the east side of the structure in keeping with its historic architectural design. The project also includes accessibility improvements and construction of a room to accommodate a loading platform.
Envisioned as an active community arts center, the Thorne Center will host music, lectures and a variety of programs. The basement level will include an education center with a kitchen that could accommodate cooking classes, along with an arts lab, digital instruction space, music practice rooms and a recording studio.
The Planning Board also unanimously approved plans for a new two-family residence behind Reardon Briggs Hardware despite objections from neighboring residents who said the project would reduce privacy and sunlight near their homes.
The approval marks the second phase of renovations to the property, which fronts Franklin Avenue and Merritt Avenue. The first phase included renovations to the second-floor apartments above the hardware store and updates to the retail sales floor.
Plans presented by engineers from Day Stokosa of Wappingers Falls call for demolition of an existing single-family home on the 0.66-acre lot and construction of a new two-family residence containing two 2-bedroom units. The new building would occupy a footprint of 1,347 square feet, replacing a smaller 630-square-foot home currently on the site.
Before discussing the application, Planning Board Chairman Frank Redl noted the board had received additional written comments following the April 20 public hearing. Four submissions supported the project, while five opposed it.
Neighboring residents argued the new building would sit too close to adjacent homes and reduce privacy, airflow and direct sunlight. Some suggested moving the building farther back on the lot and placing parking spaces closer to the street.
“We understand that they have a right to build,” adjacent property owner Arthur Kascsak said, “but we also have a right to privacy. We’re asking them to allow us to have air and direct sunlight.”
Redl said the proposal complies with village zoning requirements, though parking remained a concern.
“The applicant is proposing something that is perfectly legal, conforming with code,” Redl said. “The parking is the only problem, always an issue in the village.”
Redl also noted the applicant reduced the building footprint by approximately 500 square feet in response to neighbors’ concerns.
“This is a tough one; I feel sorry for the neighbors,” Redl said.
As part of the approval, the board required the applicant to seek review from the Dutchess County Planning Board, define the two permitted rear parking spaces and submit architectural plans for the new building.
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Millerton News
A ceremonial firing party honored fallen soldiers at Millerton’s American Legion on Route 44 on Monday, May 25. Legion representatives originally planned a parade down Millerton’s Main Street and a ceremony at the Veterans Park monument in front of the Methodist Church, but rain forced the events inside at American Legion Post 178.
Wet weather this past Memorial Day weekend cast a hazy drizzle over much of northeast Dutchess County, forcing holiday ceremonies inside in Millerton and Amenia.
Pine Plains and Millbrook pushed on with parades in those towns, attracting thronging crowds to Main Streets to mourn and reflect on the sacrifice of fallen soldiers.
Check out photos from the ceremonies on Monday, May 25:
Photo by Nathan Miller
A group of veterans and their loved ones observes a moment of silence inside American Legion Post 178 on Route 44 in Millerton.
Photo by Leila Hawken
VFW Post 5444 Commander Nick Woodard opens Amenia’s Memorial Day ceremony at Amenia Town Hall on Monday, May 25. The traditional ceremony, featuring remarks from local officials and religious leaders, was held inside the Route 22 building due to the threat of rain.
Photo by Natalia Zukerman
Onlookers of all ages crowd the sidewalks along Franklin Avenue in Millbrook on Monday, May 25, for the village’s annual Memorial Day parade. Festivities included a parade, a military flyover and a period of reflection at Millbrook’s Tribute Gardens.
Leila Hawken
AMENIA — The Town of Amenia has approved a shared maintenance agreement for the Harlem Valley Rail Trail with Dutchess County and the Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association.
Town Board members accepted the agreement by unanimous vote at the regular meeting of the Town Board on Thursday, May 21.
Under the five-year renewable agreement, the county and the town will each engage in monthly inspections. The county will trim trailside vegetation at least twice a year or as needed, and the town will assist with light trimming at trailheads, road crossings and parking lots.
The town agrees to maintain the parking areas and may install and service trash cans at trailheads, as well as winter clearing of the parking lots, including the areas surrounding electric vehicle charging stations.
The annual costs in connection with the EV charging station services are to be borne by the town, including electricity costs, software and hardware maintenance and upgrades.
For its part, the county will mow the trailsides at least four times each year when the trail is open between April and November. The county will also remove any graffiti, but the town would need to report the graffiti to the county. The county will also be fully responsible for portable toilet facilities and their servicing.
During public comment, resident Judy Moran asked the board which entity is to be responsible for trash pickup along the trail, as well as the town’s estimated costs associated with the agreement as they are to be included in the town budget.
The Harlem Valley Rail Trail Association is to provide insurances for the trail including Workers’ Compensation, general liability, commercial liability and commercial umbrella.
In other action, the Town Board voted unanimously to allow the Parks and Recreation Commission to suspend its park rules against alcohol consumption, but only for the hours during the Summer Music Series concerts.
Board members gave Judy Westfall a consulting position to the offices of the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Westfall will assist and advise in office duties on an as-needed basis. The move comes after Westfall chose to retire from her position as Planning Board secretary.
Natalia Zukerman
For many pet owners, animals are family. On Saturday, May 30, that bond will be celebrated in a uniquely practical and heartfelt way when the Blessing of the Animals returns to Third Lutheran Evangelical Church in Rhinebeck alongside a free rabies vaccination clinic hosted by Hudson Valley Animal Rescue & Sanctuary.
The event, scheduled from noon to 4 p.m., is free for Dutchess County residents and open to dogs, cats and domestic ferrets three months and older. While the clinic itself provides an important public health service, organizers say the day has become about much more than vaccinations.
“It’s a very simple afternoon of kindness,” said event curator Rosemary Joyce. “I think of it like a gardener — you go someplace, you learn how to plant seeds and then you take those seeds home and grow them in your own community. Except these are the seeds of kindness.”
The annual blessing is now entering its fourth year, with each event honoring a different theme. This year’s celebration pays tribute to renowned primatologist and animal behaviorist Jane Goodall.
“Most people know her from her work with primates,” Joyce said, “but she also taught us to understand that animals are sentient creatures — they feel like we feel.”
Joyce pointed to recent scientific studies that scanned dogs’ brains using MRI technology.
“When dogs are presented with the scent of the people they love, the part of their brain that lights up is the exact same part of our brain that responds to love,” she said. “So not only do they love us — dogs love the way we love.”
Unlike larger ceremonial blessings often held around the feast of St. Francis, Rhinebeck’s blessing is much more personalized.
“This is not where everyone gathers and gets blessed all at once,” Joyce said. “This is individual and hands-on. You walk up to Pastor Jim Miller, and he talks to you and your animal.”
Past participants have brought everything from dogs and cats to chickens, parrots, reptiles and even an iguana “draped around someone like a scarf,” Joyce recalled.
The event also features more than a dozen rescue and animal welfare groups, each bringing “ambassador animals” for visitors to meet.
Among the most anticipated returning guests is Lazarus, a 9-year-old Eurasian eagle owl with a six-foot wingspan.
“He’s the wow factor,” Joyce said. “I watched a father hustling his two boys to leave last year because they had another appointment. I told him, ‘If you haven’t seen what’s over there, you haven’t seen this event.’ He walked over, looked at Lazarus, and his mouth just dropped open. The little boy came out in him.”
Other participants include rescue horses from the Southlands Foundation, adoptable dogs from Animal Farm Foundation, reptiles from Two by Two Animal Haven, small animals from 4-H and rescued farm animals from Hope Farm Animal Sanctuary, including Rosie, a 200-pound potbellied pig.
Joyce said one of her favorite aspects of the event is watching it create unexpected connections.
“I’m always amazed that people who would never talk to each other on the street are suddenly sitting on the lawn talking like old friends,” she said. “Animals are great catalysts for human connection.”
This year’s rabies clinic, provided by HVARS, adds a critical public service component.
Rabies vaccinations are required by New York state law for all dogs, cats and domestic ferrets by four months of age. Owners who fail to comply can face fines of up to $200.
“A lot of people don’t realize that,” Joyce said. “And they also don’t realize how affordable this clinic makes it.”
Vaccinations are free for Dutchess County residents with proof of residency and $15 per pet for non-residents. Vaccines are valid for three years with proof of prior vaccination, or one year without it.
Microchipping will also be available for $45, and one-year distemper vaccines for $25.
“It’s the size of a grain of rice,” Joyce said of the microchips. “It’s tiny, safe, affordable and permanent. If your pet is lost or stolen, all someone has to do is scan it.”
She noted that the service can be especially important as pet thefts have risen in recent years.
The clinic was made possible through a donation from the Estate of Charles Svatek, whom Joyce described as someone “known for true acts of kindness and a loving desire to make the world better for all living creatures.”
For Joyce, the event reflects a larger message about compassion — for animals and for each other.
“If this event does anything,” she said, “I hope it reminds people that kindness ripples outward.”
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged at hvars.org, though walk-ins will be accepted as space permits. Dogs must be leashed; cats and ferrets must be in carriers. The event will be held rain or shine.
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