Rona’s Rock’n Memorial Toy Drive
Lindsey Wahlstrom-Edwards and Samtubia Edwards are holding a very special event tomorrow 10 – noon at Marydell, Rona Rockin’ Memorial Toy Drive. People can bring a boxed toy or visit the online registry (details below).
The event is in memory of their daughter Rona, who died from complications from a stem cell transplant for Aplastic Anemia, an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to stop making blood cells.Samtubia Edwards fondly recalled Rona always “I want to help kids who look like me,”
Toys will go directly to the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital and the associated out-patient clinic.
“We want to bring as much joy as possible to children and their families. The child life team helped us get through each day of our 4-month stay and make magic for Rona in the least magical place on earth. We can think of no better way to honor her birthday than to help them with their critical work,” said Lindsey.
In March, Samtubia and Lindsey held a blood drive at the Nyack Library that secured 102 pints of blood that saved 282 lives. 52% of participants were first-time donors. To find out how you can donate blood, which is critically needed, visit nybc.org.
Lindsey and Samtubia hope to make both the memorial blood and toy drive annual events.
For more information on the needs of each toy drive recipient, visit:
You can find the Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Hudson Valley’s list here. If you are more inclined or able to support a local organization, please consider donating to Marydell’s programs.
Maria Fareri Wish List (here, ignore counts). Highest priority items:
- Wireless headphones and earbuds
- Wireless speakers
- Legos – big and small sets
- Playdoh (Both cans and sets with tools)
- Barbies
- Matchbox Cars/Hotwheels
- Crayon Packs (8, 16, 24)
- Colored Pencils
- Coloring Books
- Adult Coloring Books
- Sketchbooks
- Fleece Blankets
- UNO cards
- Playing cards
- Nail polish
- Wet brushes
- Detangler
- The Invisible String
Marydell Faith & Life Center is located at 640 North Midland Avenue
Nyack Farmers Market Concert Unites Father, Daughter with Banjos, Tomatoes
On Thursday, August 15, The Bossy Frog Band will return to the Nyack Farmers Market for a concert.
What makes this show so special is that Bossy Frog’s founder and director of Music for Life Creative Arts Therapy, Jeffrey Friedberg is going to be accompanying his daughter, who recently joined the market as a owner of Little Gem Farm.
This special concert was reported about in nyacknewsandviews.com and The Nyack/Piermont Patch.
“I am so proud to share the market with my daughter Zoe on August 8 and to perform for children and families at the market again. We always have a blast. Bring the kids and the beach blanket and I’ll bring my banjo and a frog,” Jeffrey Friedberg said.
“It was exciting spending time at the market as a kid, interacting with vendors and trying new products. Since then, I’ve loved learning about and supporting my local food systems,” said Zoe Friedberg.
Little Gem Farm is a small-scale diversified vegetable, herb, and flower farm on the fertile black dirt in Chester, NY was founded by Zoe in 2023. Her farm dream was born out of a desire to provide high quality, diverse, and sustainably grown produce to her community in the Lower Hudson Valley.
The Bossy Frog band will perform at the Nyack Farmers Market on Thursday, from 11:30am until noon.
Summer of Soul Nyack
An uplifting evening of film, music, singing, dancing and history as we celebrate and reclaim once forgotten stories of community pride, power and art on the site of a once forgotten neighborhood.
Longtime Nyack resident Sam Waymon, brother of Nina Simone, (nee Eunice Waymon) will make an appearance before the Drive-In style screening of “Summer of Soul.” Waymon, who recently moved south to his family’s hometown in Tryon, North Carolina where a Nina Simone museum and Sam Waymon archive are under development is in town to celebrate his 80th
6:30pm, Sunday, Aug. 18 (rain date Aug. 25) ‘My House Once Stood Here’ Hezekiah Easter Square Veterans Park.
A multimedia exhibit by Kris Burns featuring archival images of the neighborhood that once surrounded Hezekiah Easter Square. QR codes on each image will be linked to video and audio excerpts from the documentary “What Happened to Jackson Avenue: A story of Urban Renewal” by Hakia Alem and Rudi Gohl.
7:30pm, Sunday, Aug. 18, (rain date Aug. 25)
Community Soul Sing-a-Long
Municipal Lot behind Hezekiah Easter Square Veterans Park
Former Nyack Village Clerk Mary White and the non-profit mentoring program Diamonds & Pearls Inc bring a DJ and the sounds of Soul to the gathering in the Municipal Lot behind Hezekiah Easter Square. Sing, dance and get ready for a screening of “Summer of Soul”.
8:30/8:45pm, Sunday, Aug. 18. (rain date Aug. 25) Artopee Way Drive-in- ‘Summer of Soul’ Artopee Way Municipal Parking Lot- South of Main Street
The Artopee Way Municipal Parking Lot will be converted into a pop-up drive-in theater as we project “Summer of Soul” onto a 6 story building across from the parking lot. This free screening of the Oscar-winning, epic concert film celebrates the music and art of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. You can tune into a radio station for movie audio from your car or bring lawn chairs/blankets and view from a designated area and listen to audio from surrounding speakers.
6:30pm, Wednesday, Aug. 21, Nyack Library, Screening What Happened To Jackson Avenue
A free screening about a Nyack neighborhood that no longer exists told by those who once lived there. Discussion with Bill Batson
This program is made possible with funds from Arts Alive, a regrant program of Arts Westchester, with support from the office of the Governor, New York State Legislature, and the New York State Council on the Arts and the Support of the Village of Nyack.
Summer of Soul Sunday is presented by Rivertown Film. Additional sponsors are: The Village of Nyack, Wright Bros., Nyack NAACP, Nyack Center and Angel Nyack
