Winter 2014-15 Newsletter

Click here for a printable version of our Winter 2014 – 15 newsletter.

 

FROM THE CHAIR

So much has happened since our last newsletter, it’s hard to know where to start. The holidays and first snow have arrived. We’re very much on our way to a successful future, but have a long road ahead in order to make that future completely stable. Please think of us as you arrange end of year donations.

I want to thank the heirs of Bill Carey, the Wm. P. Carey Foundation and Wm. P. Carey Estate for their generous gift to carry out Bill’s vision–we received the bequest at the end of the summer, along with ownership of the property — we are very grateful and very energized in our ability to move ahead.

Shortly after receiving the gift from the heirs of Bill, we embarked upon an internal reorganization. A committee of the Board received over 75 resumes from around the country (and several international) in response to our request for applications for a new Executive Director position. As a result of the several month process, the Board named Gareth Crawford to be Executive Director. His first day on the job was November 18, and I think you all join me giving a round of congratulations to him. He brings to the job over 15 years of non-profit management, where he led women and children focused humanitarian and development programs across Africa and Asia, including Somalia, Kenya and Pakistan, and most recently leading relief efforts to bring aid to the victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

I invite all of you to stop in and say hello. We all wish him great success!

In addition to an Executive Director, a Development Director will join our ranks. This new person will provide the much needed fundraising skills that we will put to good use as we embark on a $10 million fundraising effort over the next two years.

This is the moment for me to climb into the position of Chair of the Board of the Institute. For me, my personal challenge is to assure that our funding stream for programs is strong and continuing. So, I will spend most of my time, not in Florida, but pounding the streets telling funders about our wonderful programs, our destination weddings, and what a distraction-free beautiful place the Institute is. I will enjoy every moment of it.

Our program areas remain the same: Journalism and Public Policy, Art and Music and Agriculture. In the next few pages, you will read about our successes so far, and the challenges that lie ahead.

I want to thank the community and those who have contributed to us for their staunch support over the last three years. At every turn you helped us out – filling the Guggenheim Hall for our events, participating in our Pleasures of the Palate and Agriculture workshops, and volunteering for the Bicycle Festival.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE – THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAYS!

– Carol Ash, Chair

Continuing a tradition of superior group hospitality

The Carey Institute for Global Good is proud to continue the same tradition of exceptional customer service and gourmet dining for which we are so widely reputed.

Overlooking Lake Myosotis and the Catskills on a 100-acre estate in Rensselaerville, the Carey Institute for Global Good combines a 50-year tradition of superior group hospitality with 21st century convenience and technology.

The familiar faces of event planner, Sue Shufelt, and Executive Chef, John Murray, are here to make your meeting, conference, destination wedding or special event a memorable success. Call 518-797-5100 to inquire about dates and rates.

 

World renowned classical musicians to visit Rensselaerville

The Carey Institute for Global Good Arts and Music Program aims to develop the next generation of great performers by offering a hands-on education program that pairs Masters in Residence with young talented emerging artists. Chamber Music and Bluegrass Residencies are offered.

Our inaugural program, The Helderberg Chamber Music Residency, will take place December 10 -14 under the direction of internationally acclaimed cellist Yehuda Hanani. Hanani will be accompanied by pianist Jeffrey Swann, Artistic Director of Italy’s Dino Ciani Festival & Academy.

Our winter Residency program is designed for pianists and string players of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment. Student artists will interact with Masters for a personal journey to greater depth of musical expression through master classes, group discussion, informal and formal performance opportunities.

In celebration of our inaugural program, the Carey Institute presents for the public an evening of classical music with cellist Yehuda Hanani and pianist Jeffrey Swann. Join us on Friday, December 12 @ 7pm. Tickets $15. Please RSVP at 518-797-5100.

Carey Institute to partner with Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival

The Carey Institute is proud to announce our 2015 summer Bluegrass Residency for Emerging Artists, held in conjunction with the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, providing a unique learning experience. In addition to pairing students with bluegrass and new acoustic Masters, this program offers students placement at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival which draws the Who’s Who of Bluegrass.

During the Residency, students interact with Masters in an intimate setting, participating in seminars, demonstrations and discussions on aspects of performance, improvisation, composition and songwriting.

We are honored to work with the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival and look forward to presenting a variety of affordable musical experiences to our local and regional communities.

Journalism Residency receives grant from Charles Stewart Mott Foundation

We are pleased to announce that we have received our first grant from the Stewart Mott Foundation. We are grateful to them for their confidence. The Journalism Residency is one of the most important programs the Carey Institute offers. No other residency program supports only non-fiction reporters and writers.

License pending for Helderberg Brewery

We are excited to announce that the Helderberg Brewery is nearing completion. With the generous support of our funders, The Bender Family Foundation, Workforce Development Institute, Hudson River Valley Greenway and our community, we have created a small scale, educational brewery on our campus. Those of you who joined us at our Open House in September got a sneak peak of the new space and the brewing system. We hope to be licensed as a fully operational farm brewery and open to the public in early 2015. Keep your eyes open for the announcement of our grand opening!

This winter marks the third season of our Farm-to-Glass Classroom workshops. With more farm breweries and distilleries starting up in the region, the demand for NYS grown hops and malting grains continues to increase. These workshops bring together farmers, brewers and distillers from the Hilltowns and Greater Capital Region to learn about crop production and farm-to-glass marketing. In early November we hosted over 40 people from the region for “Starting a Small Scale Hop Yard” with HopRidge Farms.

Three more workshops are planned for 2015, focusing on business planning for farm-to-glass enterprises, small grains production and hop yard management. The brewery will also host a series of workshops designed specifically for established and prospective brewers. To learn more about these workshops and other farm-to-glass programs within the Helderberg Brewshed, visit our website or contact Rebecca at 518-797-5100.