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RCBJ put out a call for 250-word mini essays to help celebrate our seventh year of publication and you responded! You’ve told us what you think. You’ve shown us what you’re passionate about. Every single essay embodies what it means to live productively and consciously in a community. Here are the first nine. We will publish a second round later this month and have a call for another round soon. Stay tuned!
- Local Press Coverage Raises Historic Preservation Awareness, by Peter M. Bush (Founding Member of The Friends of Harmony Hall-Jacob Sloat House Jacob Sloat Descendant)
- Doing Business Right, by Ivan Rudolph-Shabinsky, CFA, (Director – Division of Business, Innovation, and Leadership, Dominican University)
- When We Give, We Get, by Julie Sadowski (Executive Director at Rockland Community Foundation)
- Rockland Homes For Heroes Builds Dreams, by John Allen Murphy (Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and President Of Rockland Homes For Heroes)
- College Education Is Needed More Than Ever to Invest in Our Future, by Ken Daly (President, St. Thomas Aquinas College, and former President of National Grid)
- Housing Crisis Adversely Affects Everyone, Including Homeowners, by Rick Tannenbaum (Houlihan Lawrence Commercial Real Estate)
- Supporting Organizations That Support The Community, by Walter Goldman (President of Goldcap Consulting)
- College Still Counts! by Matt Schiering (Full-Time Faculty, Division of Business, Innovation, & Leadership, Dominican University)
- Hooked, by Harry Vetter (Upper Nyack Green Committee)
Local Press Coverage Raises Historic Preservation Awareness, By Peter M. Bush
When Harmony Hall—Jacob Sloat House, a historic house in my hometown, Sloatsburg, faced the imminent threat of demolition, I advocated to save it! Historic preservation projects are perseverance missions. The significant loss of historic sites in Rockland in favor of urban sprawl makes press coverage even more important. Local press was crucial in saving Harmony Hall in 2004. The practical progress of such a project is directly proportional to raising interest and awareness.
The RCBJ’s article “$100,000 Grant Moves Jacob Sloat House Closer to Restoring Deteriorated Front Porch” covered the exciting news of a private foundation grant award realized by the Friends! The success of our 501c3 is attributed to the ongoing work of an all-volunteer board and essential local press coverage of restoration projects!
Our membership and event attendance at our year-round events and music festivals have increased because people learned about the project and were motivated to visit Harmony Hall, a testament to the power of the local press. I have witnessed the decline of once-vibrant local publications. We are all connected in Rockland County by the myriads of local business owners’ services. Not-for-profit organizations remain essential to economic growth, cultural vitality, and quality of life in our villages and towns. The RCBJ offers an invaluable service to residents by covering the ever-changing landscape of our community! The Friends of Harmony Hall-Jacob Sloat House remain grateful to our valued media colleague for its collaboration that has raised awareness and made historic preservation exciting and relatable.
Peter M. Bush, Founding Member of The Friends of Harmony Hall-Jacob Sloat House Jacob Sloat Descendant
Doing Business Right, By Ivan Rudolph-Shabinsky
“Doing Business Right” (DBR) is the motto for the business programs at Dominican University New York (DUNY). DBR combines two important concepts: business success with improving our community.
Successful businesses are profitable, or they don’t last. But those who do business right also serve our community and improve people’s lives. Finding a balance that serves customers, employees, and the communities they live in while still making a profit is difficult. This issue needs the focus of Rockland’s business community and educational institutions.
We believe that DBR requires innovation, leadership, and cooperation. We have partnered with numerous local businesses and organizations to bring the learning that takes place in our classrooms to our broader community. For instance, our introductory evening course on entrepreneurship was forged through a partnership between DUNY, M&T Bank, and Bridges, and was open to all members of our community – not just DUNY students. The nearly 30 participants included a local high school student, DUNY students, and adults served by Bridges in their various programs. This collaboration led to an amazing learning experience for all.
Also, our Public Health Informatics & Technology program placed nearly 40 interns this summer with local organizations serving Rockland and surrounding areas. These interns used their understanding of technological innovations in data management to help organizations improve services. With advances in AI coming daily, such collaboration between educational institutions and business will become even more important in the future – to the benefit of both – and if done right, to our community.
Ivan Rudolph-Shabinsky, CFA, Director – Division of Business, Innovation, and Leadership, Dominican University
When We Give, We Get, By Julie Sadowski
“I gave at the office”. Remember that term? It was popular when I was growing up and basically said (in more gentile terms) “I have no interest in supporting your cause because I’ve already given, begrudgingly of course”.
I always found that to be a curious statement. To me charitable giving is not a done and dusted action, met with eye rolling and resentment. I would argue that charitable giving is an opportunity. A way to give thanks. A way of showing gratitude.
Rewind to Halloween’s of yore when we scampered around our neighborhoods (wearing with pride, cheap plastic masks that nearly suffocated us) holding cardboard banks whilst chanting “Trick or Treat for UNICEF”. It was my first introduction to the world of charitable giving. Sure, I was also hyper-focused on how many Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews I could get (if you know, you know), but it was a thrill to be able to go to school the next day with what felt like a 100-pound cannister of coins. I remember my third-grade teacher explaining how our efforts would make a difference in other children’s lives. Kids who couldn’t go to school, let alone march around their neighborhoods negotiating candy vs. trickery.
Think about the causes that are important to you. Can you give a monetary gift to help make someone else’s life better? Do your kids understand the concept of giving back? I’d like to believe that philanthropy is alive and well in Rockland and the epitome of “Good News”.
Julie Sadowski, Executive Director at Rockland Community Foundation
Rockland Homes For Heroes Builds Dreams, By John Allen Murphy
Almost 15 years ago, our Federal Government offered the “Rockland Homes For Heroes, Inc.,” a not-for-profit charity, more than eight acres of the former historic “WW II Camp Shanks” property to build and operate homes for homeless veterans
Eight homes were immediately built on Western Highway in Tappan with Federal financing and County help. It was so successful that “Rockland Homes For Heroes. Inc.” decided five years ago to build 14 more homes on the property with state grants. Now we have 22 homes.
The homes are permanent, affordable and supportive. Our former homeless residents come from every branch of the military and are of different ages, genders and race.
What is remarkable and worthy of attention is how the people/residents, families, businesses, nonprofit organizations — every possible outreached-hand — came to us and said we owe it to our veterans, we are a veteran County, we will help. And they did!
John Allen Murphy, Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and President Of Rockland Homes For Heroes
College Education Is Needed More Than Ever to Invest in Our Future, By Ken Daly
While there has been understandable debate about the value of a college education this past year, I have learned firsthand that there is no better investment than a college education and no more critical time than right now.
College is not for everyone — nor should it be — and there are many other paths to success in life. I was blessed to attend college and receive numerous degrees and have a long and successful business career.
We first need to ensure that we eliminate barriers so that all individuals have access to an affordable college education. The best approach is to provide today’s students with a well-rounded education, which provides a liberal arts foundation while also preparing them for tomorrow’s careers in business, education, STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — and other growing fields.
We need to provide these students with a relevant and rigorous academic curriculum inside the classroom while providing experiential learning outside the classroom — mentoring, career prep, internships, and ultimately first jobs.
We also need to ensure that students are actively engaged in their local communities — volunteering in support of important causes, safeguarding the environment, and ensuring their young voices are heard — as we prepare them to become the civic-minded leaders we’ll need in the future.
A college education matters more now than ever as we prepare today’s students to become tomorrow’s leaders. As a business-leader-turned-educator, I take this commitment seriously and am optimistic about our future — and, especially, our future leaders.
Ken Daly, President, St. Thomas Aquinas College, and former President of National Grid
Housing Crisis Adversely Affects Everyone, Including Homeowners, By Rick Tannenbaum
Rockland’s Housing Crisis is one of both availability and affordability. Basic economic theory says that when demand increases faster than supply, prices rise. If the housing supply stays flat (no increase in new housing options), then prices (rents, purchases) increase dramatically, which is what is happening here in Rockland. And, while we cannot legally limit demand (we can’t close Rockland’s borders or turn away potential residents), we can increase the supply of available housing.
There are a number of options created by New York State, but each requires concerted action by local governments to opt into the programs.
The Pro-Housing Program (only Ramapo and three villages are participating) makes tens of millions of state dollars available to municipalities that commit to open and expand their housing options. Four of the five Rockland towns have closed the door on state funding from multiple programs based on their refusal to provide additional housing options, revise their zoning, and provide housing data to the state.
A new program passed as part of the state budget created incentives for new construction and rehabilitation of under-utilized or derelict properties by creating generous tax incentives for developers to build affordable units. Another program creates tax exemptions for ADUs provided they are not used for short-term rentals.
Good cause eviction laws prevent price gouging in tight housing markets and provide security to quality tenants that pay rent on time and comply with their lease terms, while insuring a reasonable return to landlords.
But, all of these and other programs require much-needed action by local governments. Local laws must be passed to opt into these programs. The refusal to participate, to be part of the solution, is a failure of local leadership, for which local residents and voters should take notice.
Rick Tannenbaum is a commercial agent with Houlihan Lawrence Commercial Real Estate and an Affordable Housing Advocate
Supporting Organizations That Support The Community, By Walter Goldman
I am always surprised that we don’t see more people buy from organizations that build social enterprises with for-profit goods and services businesses in Rockland County. What better way to show support to the wonderful not-for-profits in our community than to meet them at the brick- and-mortar stores where they make the individuals they serve productive citizens?
Here are three impressive enterprises that remind the general public that buying here not only makes a statement of what is good in this county but contributes to the wellbeing of individuals with special needs.
- Bridges has two businesses that address this component with the Unique Boutique in the Palisades Mall and the multiple Independence Cafe supporting our veterans located at the Suffern Library, The Yeager Center in Pomona and the courthouse.
- Venture Together employs those that they serve at Just-A-Buck in Garnerville with a host of low-cost, high-quality gifts and merchandise for a variety of uses.
- Jawonio recently opened Brick it Again, a Lego resale retail storefront business in Valley Cottage that offers everything Lego that includes the sale Lego products along with innovative programs and classes to stimulate all ages.
These places are not asking for handouts but provide real life goods and services to people in our community that are being provided with invaluable experience in business services.
Stop by and show you care. Remember “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
Walter Goldman is president of Goldcap Consulting
College Still Counts! By Matt Schiering
Despite the rise of alternative paths, college remains a key factor in achieving long-term economic success. A college degree opens the door to better job opportunities, higher salaries, and greater job security. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with a bachelor’s degree earn about 65 percent more per week than those with only a high school diploma. Over a lifetime, this wage gap translates into significantly higher earnings, allowing college grads to achieve financial stability more quickly.
Higher education also provides critical skills such as problem-solving, communication, and adaptability – highly sought after in today’s evolving job market. Graduates tend to have more opportunities for upward mobility and can pursue a wider range of career paths, including those in growing fields like STEM, healthcare, and finance. Moreover, most professional roles, particularly in management, science, and engineering, still require a college degree as a minimum qualification.
Beyond economic benefits, college fosters personal growth, expands one’s worldview, and helps build valuable professional networks. These factors often translate into better, more enduring career prospects. While trade schools and self-education can offer success for some, college remains the most reliable pathway for consistent, long-term economic success and career flexibility.
Three institutions of higher learning remain in Rockland County – Dominican University, STAC, and RCC. Combined, they offer hundreds of degree programs, and myriad opportunities to grow one’s network at a cost that represents a fraction of graduates’ lifetime net worth. Support our community and your own intellectual growth by checking them out today!
Matt Schiering, Full-Time Faculty, Division of Business, Innovation, & Leadership, Dominican University
Hooked, By Harry Vetter
I’m a new Rocklander. Well, I’m kinda old, but that’s another story.
Four years ago when I wanted to move to Nyack for its vibes, views and proximity, I shrugged at the real estate agent’s question, “Uhm, which Nyack?”
By now I’ve sort of got the hang of it, there’s South, West, Central, proper, Upper. I found a place where over the fence it’s Nyack. Go figure. Retired and quite active in community matters, I enjoy the walkable-village idea. Same goes for the dog.
I even learned about Orangetown and Clarkstown. So when there are overriding issues of concern, how do I find out, more often than not? RCBJ. The initials may not roll easily off the tongue, but you get the news and you get the picture. That local touch, married with some graspable accounting of what’s up, what’s down — it all comes in handy like a thermometer or a compass. To the point, no fluff, no gore, no BS. Like a roadmap for how things work and a nudge to help figure out things that don’t. So you can show up at Town Hall, to learn and be heard. Our county is not tops in the media pecking order. It’s the smallest in size in New York State, yet the third most densely populated outside of NYC.
Hook Mountain jutting high in our backyard adds to a beautiful vibe, as does the knowledge that there is free, fair press at our finger tips that has our back.
Harry Vetter is Chair of the Upper Nyack Green Committee and a proud team member of ‘Nyack 2030’
