Hello New Windsor. My team and I are always looking for ways to grow Recreation Programming. We strive to offer as many programs and events as possible, with the goal of keeping them free or affordable for families. But to add new programs and to make existing programs bigger and better you need ways to pay for them. So in order to keep growing and getting better we have to find other ways to pay for things. The main way we have been able to offer more and more every year in New Windsor is because of New Windsor Community Day.

New Windsor Community Day which takes place in the end of August had our tenth anniversary in 2018 and it continues to grow every year. The one day event is sponsor driven which allows us to offer free parking, free admission, and a host of free activities and entertainment.

And because of our amazing sponsors when the event is done any money left over goes right back into other Community events in New Windsor. Community Day gives $10,000 towards the Town’s Nancy Pullar Summer Concert Series every year which pays for all of the bands and some other expenses of the eight week series (which starts Wednesday June 26), $2,500 towards our Summer Camps that allows us to bring in outside entertainment for the camp kids in our three locations of camp, $2,500 toward the Memorial Day Parade to cover expenses towards the Marching Bands, as well as additional money towards extras for our Christmas Tree Lighting, Menorah Lighting, Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween Party, etc. Community Day is also giving two scholarships in the amount of $1,250 to graduating High School students this year who excelled with Community involvement.

Community Day revenue was also used to purchase a new outdoor movie system for the Town so we could start up the Friday Night Flix Movie in the Park Series which begins this month on June 21st. So for six Friday nights (June 21, July 12, July 26, August 9, August 16, and September 13) families can enjoy a free movie in the park on a huge screen at Kristi Babcock Memorial Park which starts at 8pm.

This new event and all of the others mentioned above are only possible because of New Windsor Community Day and all of the amazing sponsors that we have. As New Windsor Community Day continues to grow and our sponsorship revenue grows we will continue to offer more and more Recreation programming and events.

Thank you to all of our sponsors of Community Day and to Supervisor George Green and all of our elected officials in town who allow us the ability to continue to grow Community Day which directly benefits what the Recreation Department can offer the residents of New Windsor. If you know of any businesses that would be interested in becoming a sponsor of New Windsor Community Day, they can reach out to me at mveronesi@newwindsor-ny.gov. We work extremely hard on giving the most promotion possible to our sponsors in hopes they will continue to support this wonderful event, which in turn will allow us the opportunity to continue to add more events and programs.

The Town of New Windsor Recreation Department is accepting registrations for Summer Camp Programs. There are different options for children ages 3-15 years old with half day, full day, and a Counselor in Training Program. Please visit the Town of New Windsor Recreation Department Website at nwrecisfun.com or call 845-565-7750 for more information.

Join the Town of New Windsor Recreation Department and the professional instructors from Ms. Claire’s Music Cupboard for a four week once a week 45 minute music class where participants will sing, learn, say rhymes, play instruments, and move to the beat of lively songs. They will discover new words, build important listening skills, gain confidence speaking, and overall becoming more rounded individuals. Each participant will receive digital materials for home use.

This program is for school age and under and will take place on Friday’s from 10am to 10:45am starting on Friday June 7 at the New Windsor Recreation Hall. (Newly acquired Town Building that used to be the Masonic Hall at 18 Snake Hill Road in New Windsor across from Devitt’s)

The price for the class is $70 per child.

The Senior Matinee movie is held every Tuesday at the Marasco Center at 11:30am. The movie for Tuesday June 11th is “American Hangman.” An unidentified man posts a live feed that shows his kidnapped victims and says he plans to kill one before the day ends. It eventually becomes clear that the people online are the ones who will act as the judge for this “trial.”

For more information on the programs above or for all Town of New Windsor Recreation programs visit nwrecisfun.com or call 845-565-7750.

Birthday shout outs this week go to Kevin Thompson and John Tucci whose birthdays are both on June 5th, to Chuck Wilson whose birthday is on June 7th, to Claire Benson whose birthday is on June 8th, to Nick Bergeron and Rich Bittles whose birthdays are both on June 10th, and to anyone else out there celebrating birthdays this week Happy Birthday!

If anyone has a birthday or other special event you want mentioned in my column, or have anything going on in New Windsor that you want the world to know about you can reach me at mveronesi@optimum.net or by calling 845-629-1260. Have a great week.