MINUTES
SENIOR & YOUTH RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING
November 20, 2024
Present: Marjorie Bogert, Melissa Guimaraes, Jessica Knapp (late, 10:08 am), Deborah Martin/Chair, Manuela Michailescu, Ashley Sweeney/Director of the Recreation Dept.
Absent: Pam Stocking.
The meeting started at 9:35 am. Chair Deb Martin called the meeting to order after establishing that we have a quorum (with 4, later on 5 out of 6 members being present).
The Minutes of the October 16, 2024 meeting were reviewed — Marjorie Bogert made a motion to approve them as corrected, motion was seconded by Melissa Guimaraes and minutes were unanimously approved.
Ashley Sweeney presented the (written) DIRECTOR’S REPORT; among the highlights:
• Halloween Party — Date (October 25th) was changed due to scheduling conflicts with other organizations in town and not many sign ups. We ended up having a party during the After School Program on October 28th. We had a lot of fun. The children painted pumpkins, had lots of Halloween themed snacks and went trick or treating in our Halloween Hallway. Thank you Jessica Knapp for DJ-ing the event.
• Medicare Consultations — are on going at the Community Center. They are offered by the Ulster County Office for the Aging (Peggy Eiffler is the consultant coming to our town).
• Basketball — going well so far. Approximately 120 kids registered in the program.
• Veterans Day — Manuela would report under “Open Issues/Discussions”; thanks to her for taking photos and submitting some to Blue Stone Press.
NEW BUSINESS — UPCOMING EVENTS (from the Director’s Report)
• Thanksgiving Luncheon — this week, on Friday, November 22nd, 11 am—1pm; today we will be wrapping silverware for the event.
• Youth Holiday Party — will be on December 6th from 5:30 pm—7:30 pm. Please come if you can, we will present the “Sue Matson Distinguished Youth Award” at this event.
• Holiday Wreath Workshop — December 9th, 1 pm — sign ups will begin next week.
• Holiday Pancake Breakfast — December 13th, 10 am — 12 noon. The “Mary Lee Friend of Youth Award” will be presented at this event.
AWARDS NOMINATIONS
Ashley Sweeney suggested the following people:
— Peter Nelson for the “Mary Lee Friend of Youth Award”
— Cleo Gebert and Farrah Gebert for “Sue Matson Distinguished Youth Award”
Manuela made a motion to nominate these people, Marge seconded the motion and motions were approved unanimously.
Melissa Guimaraes (mother of Cleo & Farrah Gebert) abstained from the vote for the “Sue Matson Distinguished Youth Award.”
CHAIR’S REPORT
Chair Deb Martin asked about the status of the repairs behind the Community Center — Ashley indicated that the project is moving forward, with an in-house Committee being created for this.
OPEN ISSUES / DISCUSSIONS — was the last point on the agenda:
• Veterans Day — Manuela reported that after the SYRC October meeting she contacted Town Supervisor Erin Enouen and provided her contact information for Troy Dunn in order to help organizing the ceremony on Veterans Day; a very nice ceremony (followed by refreshments) was organized on 11/11 at 11 am, at the Veterans Park, as in previous years, with Supervisor Enouen as MC; among the speakers and participants: Troy Dunn, Councilman Michael Coleman, Town Clerk/Town Historian Kate Gundberg, Lene Fornino (who sang), Thomas Davis-Hall (one of the volunteers who worked to create the Veterans Park 15 years ago) and SYR Commission member Marge Bogert.
Two of the photos submitted by Manuela were published in the November 15, 2024 issue of Blue Stone Press (on page 15).
The rest of the meeting was hands-on help with silverware for the Thanksgiving Luncheon.
ADJOURNMENT
Marjorie Bogert made a motion to adjourn, which was seconded by Melissa Guimaraes and approved unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 10:40 am in thanks to: Jessica Knapp (DJ/Halloween Party), Manuela Michailescu (Veterans Day).
Next meeting takes place on December 11th, 2024, 9:30 am, at the Community Center.
Submitted by
Manuela Michailescu
Secretary