“Carbon Nation” film to be shown at BSP in Kingston

By Kingston Land Trust, on April 18th, 2011%

What does an entrepreneur in Alaska, a cotton farmer in Texas, a civil rights activist in California and the CEOs of Stonyfield Farms and Duke Energy have in common? They are saving energy, creating jobs and boosting the economy; all the while turning a profit in the process.

You can see the stories behind these people in Peter Byck’s latest film “Carbon Nation” showing on Tuesday April 19th at Backstage Studio Productions (BSP) in Uptown Kingston. Doors open at 7:00 PM. There will be a cash concession, offering hot and cold beverages, including beer and wine. The film will begin at 7:30. Continue reading “Carbon Nation” film to be shown at BSP in Kingston

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The Kingston Land Trust plans clean-up of rail bed as part of Clean Sweep event.

By Kingston Land Trust, on April 13th, 2011%

“Clean Sweep” April 30th at 9:00am
REGISTER NOW!

The Kingston Land Trust plans a cleanup of rail bed as part of the Clean Sweep Event presented by the Friends of Historic Kingston and Kingston’s Parks and Recreation Department on Saturday, April 30th 2011 at 9:00am. Volunteers are asked to meet at the Rondout Savings Bank parking lot on lower Broadway.

Kingston – The Kingston Land Trust and its Rail Trail Committee, in collaboration with the Trolley Museum of New York, invite volunteers to help clear the upper section of the old rail bed that runs parallel to Hasbrouck Avenue from East Chester Street to the old railroad tunnel that passes under Livingston Street on Saturday, April 30th.

Participants are asked to register online by visiting the Kingston Land Trust website and will meet at the Rondout Savings Bank parking lot, 300 Broadway in Kingston at 9:00 am. As a sponsor of the Kingston Land Trust’s effort, the Rondout Savings Bank will provide supplies and their staff to lend a hand.

The original rail bed runs from Midtown Kingston in the vicinity of the Kingston Hospital to the Trolley Museum on the Rondout Waterfront area and out to Kingston Point. The Kingston Land Trust Rail Trail Committee is proposing a multi-use trail to accommodate non-motorized modes of transportation and pedestrian traffic down to the Trolley Museum from Midtown in order to connect neighborhoods and afford the residents of Kingston and visitors to the region a recreational amenity and improve the quality of life in the City of Kingston. This event is the first step in transforming the corridor into a trail.

“We have dubbed this new trail the ‘Kingston Point Rail Trail’ since it used to be the route vacationers would take on their way by train up into the Catskills after they got off the steamboat at Kingston Point. This cleanup allows us to better see what is there and to kick off a campaign to transform an underutilized right-of-way in the city to an active, accessible trail,” said Gregg Swanzey, Kingston Land Trust Rail Trail Committee Chair.

With the entrance of the proposed KPRT in his ward, Ward 9 Alderman Hayes Clement enthusiastically supports the effort.  “The rail trail initiative is a critical one in terms of improving our quality of life and Kingston’s appeal to new families, and I’m confident the cleanup effort will help highlight those benefits while sprucing up neighborhoods. I’m very excited to take part”.

Participants should wear boots since there are wet areas, bring gloves, and wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts. The work will involve moving brush and general trash. To register and get more information, click this LINK

For more information, contact Gregg Swanzey, Chair of the KLT Rail Trail Committee at  gregg@kingstonlandtrust.org or Rebecca Martin, Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust at 845/877-5263 or rebecca@kingstonlandtrust.org?

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About Clean Sweep -  In its second year, Clean Sweep is a program created by the Friends of Historic Kingston in collaboration with the city of Kingston Parks and Recreation  Department. www.fohk.org

About the Kingston Land Trust – The Kingston Land Trust is a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to the protection and preservation of open space, historic sites, wetlands, scenic areas, and forests in the City of Kingston and the surrounding region to include the Town of Ulster and the Town of  Kingston. www.kingstonlandtrust.org

About the Trolley Museum – The Trolley Museum of New York is a non-profit educational museum founding in 1955. The goals of the museum are to offer a ride to the public through exhibits and educational programs to share the rich history of rail transportation and the role it played in the Hudson Valley region.  www.tmny.org

About the Rondout Savings Bank – Rondout Savings Bank is a hometown bank currently celebrating 140 years of excellence in service to the community.  www.rondoutbank.com


Leave a comment   Kingston Rail Trail Connections

Family of Woodstock Makes Donation to “The Dig Kids” allowing additional ‘Garden Mentors’.

By Kingston Land Trust, on April 9th, 2011%

Family of Woodstock makes a donation to “The Dig Kids”-  an Urban Farming Program created by the Kingston Land Trust. The additional funding will allow two more youth to be hired bringing the total “Garden Mentors” from three to five in midtown Kingston.

Kingston – “The Dig Kids” – An Urban Farming Program for Youth will launch this year at the Everett Hodge Center 15-21 Franklin Street in the city of Kingston. Created by the Kingston Land Trust with a grant from the Columbia Foundation, ‘The Dig Kids” is charged in working with Kingston youth to grow food, learn farming practices, encourage entrepreneurship, beautification, pride and good health through hands on farming experiences.

Throughout the five month program (May-September), youth will be paid a stipend to work 10 hours a month after school at their garden site at the Everett Hodge Center. Youth must be 14 – 19 to participate, although each selected ‘Dig Kid’ will enlist a youth 13 or younger to ‘mentor’ as ‘Jr. Gardeners’ throughout the program. In addition to growing vegetables and tending the gardens, “The Dig Kids” will learn culinary skills, visit farms and sell some of their crops to the community under the stewardship of Farmer Jesica Clark, the creator of the South Pine Street City Farm.

According to the Kingston Times, Megan Weiss Director of Kingston Cares, a program of Family of Woodstock whose office is located in the Everette Hodge center on Franklin Street, ‘Jr. Gardeners’ are “Drawing pictures of what they want their community garden to look like, including zany, colorful flowers, watermelons and more. More than farming, the kids will also learn how to mentor, do public speaking and employ good work ethics such as being on time. More than 20 applications have already been handed out.”

With Family of Woodstock’s donation, two additional ‘Garden Mentors’ will be hired to participate in the program bringing the total of paid youth from three to five.

“I couldn’t be more pleased.” says Rebecca Martin, Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust. “As an urban trust, it’s important to us to partner with other organizations with the programs that we develop to provide educational opportunities utilizing open space in this way. Family of Woodstock and Kingston Cares are important organizations that we are proud to collaborate with in bringing stability to neighborhoods for the families who we serve.”

If you would like to make a donation to “The Dig Kids” or to any of the Kingston Land Trust’s programs, contact Rebecca Martin, Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust at 845/877-5263 or email rebecca@kingstonlandtrust.org www.kingstonlandtrust.org

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About the Kingston Land Trust: The Kingston Land Trust is an urban trust committed to the protection and preservation of open space, historic sites, wetlands, scenic areas and forests in the City of Kingston and the surrounding region to include the Town of Ulster and the Town of Kingston.

About the Columbia Foundation: The Columbia Foundation’s broad philanthropic purpose responds to changing social conditions. Long-standing interests in world peace, human rights, the environment, cross-cultural and international understanding, the quality of urban life, and the arts have evolved to reflect current conditions and opportunities.

About Family of Woodstock: Family of Woodstock Inc. is a network of individuals, paid and volunteer, whose mission is to provide confidential and fully accessible crisis intervention, information, prevention, and support services to address the needs of individuals and families. The scope of the agency’s vision allows us to bring to bear resources to address a broad spectrum of human problems.

About Kingston Cares: Kingston Cares is a community collaborative sponsored by Family Of Woodstock. Their mission is to bring all sectors of the community together to prevent and reduce substance abuse among youth in the city of Kingston and Kingston School District.

 

Leave a comment   The Dig Kids: An Urban Farming Program (Sponsored by the Columbia Foundation)

The Kingston WellSpring Festival on Sunday, May 1st 2011

By Kingston Land Trust, on April 3rd, 2011%

The Kingston WellSpring Festival will take place on Sunday, May 1st 2011 in Cornell Park off of Wurts Street in the Rondout section of Kingston from 11:00am – 3:00pm

The Kingston Land Trust in partnership with Shakti Yoga Studios, MAC Fitness and the City of Kingston’s Park and Recreation department hosts festival to launch a free ‘Yoga in the Park’ series from May – September of 2011.

Kingston, NY -  The Kingston Land Trust in partnership with Shakti Yoga Studios, MAC Fitness and the City of Kingston’s Park and Recreation Department will host the first annual “Kingston WellSpring Festival” in Cornell Park off of Wurts Street in the Rondout in Kingston on Sunday, May 1st 2011 from 11:00am – 3:00pm.

The event will feature free adult and youth yoga each hour by Shakti Yoga Studio instructors, over a dozen different health practitioners on site to discuss their work that will include Acupuncture, Feldenkrais, Kinesiology, Naturopaths and other specialties and a drum circle to begin at 2:30pm.

All yoga participants are encouraged to dress comfortably in exercise attire and to bring mats, blocks and belts.

For more information, contact Rebecca Martin, Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust at 845/877-5263 or visit www.kingstonlandtrust.org

 

Event Schedule

11:00am – 3:00pm

Visit dozens of alternative and conventional local health practitioners throughout the event.

 

11:25am – 12:00pm

Shakti Youth Yoga  (5-8 years old)

 

11:30am – 12:10pm

Shakti Adult Yoga – All Levels

 

12:25pm – 1:00pm

Shakti Youth Yoga (9-12 years old)

 

12:30pm – 1:10pm

Shakti Adult Yoga – All Levels

 

1:25pm –  2:00pm

Shakti Youth Yoga (5-8 years old)

 

1:30pm – 2:10pm

Shakti Adult Yoga – All Levels

 

2:30pm

Kingston WellSpring Festival Drum Circle with Special Musical Guests

 

About the Kingston Land Trust -  An urban trust, the Kingston Land Trust is a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to the protection and preservation of open space, historic sites, wetlands, scenic areas, and forests in the City of Kingston and the surrounding region to include the Town of Ulster and the Town of Kingston. www.kingstonlandtrust.org

About Shakti Yoga Studios – Shakti Yoga Studios helps students increase their flexibility, strength, alignment and confidence through an intelligent, dynamic and safe yoga discipline. Founder Linda Lalita Winnick has created an insightful approach to the yoga  practice drawing from her 25 years experience as a student and teacher.  A rich knowledge of yogic philosophy, anatomy, and physiology, and intensive ayurvedic  background adds a deeper dimension shared during  classes at Shakti Yoga of Woodstock, Saugerties, and Kingston. www.shaktiyogawoodstock.com

About MAC Fitness - A top rated award-winning facility with fully certified professional training staff to custom design fitness programs built entirely around their clients lifestyle.    Two state of the art facilities are located on 9W and the Kingston Plaza in Kingston, NY.   www.macfitness.net

About the City of Kingston Parks and Recreation Department - Led by Director Kevin Gilfeather, the Kingston Parks and Recreation Department oversees Kingston’s park system and organizes many programs for residents and tourists that include boating, kayaking, youth, adult and senior programs, environmental education, adult sports and more.  www.kingston-ny.gov

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