“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
– Arthur Ashe
FRIDAY | APRIL 17
Free one-month Healthy Ulster passes at Mohonk Preserve
The Mohonk Preserve’s “Toddlers on the Trail” walks are a delightful way to experience nature with your child in a fun, safe and engaging way, and familiarizing yourself with some of these favorite pathways means the freedom to go back over the years again and again. On Friday, April 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, you and your crew from ages 2 to 6 can be a part of the “Signs of Spring” 1.5-mile ramble to the historic Van Leuven Cabin.
Meet at the Mohonk Preserve West Trapps Trailhead on Route 44/55 in Gardiner. This event is free for Mohonk Preserve members and free for children age 12 and under; there is a $12 day-use fee for adult non-members. Space is limited. For reservations or more information, call (845) 255-0919 or visit https://mohonkpreserve.org.
And mark your calendars for your free monthlong day-use passes! Healthy Ulster Spring at Mohonk Preserve means that visitors with proof of Ulster County residency can score free monthlong passes at the Mohonk Preserve, good through May 21. Passes may be picked up at the Preserve Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Thursday through Sunday, April 23 to 26, and at the Spring Farm Trailhead from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 26.
Empty Bowls at Rondout Valley High School
I like a charity event with local emphasis and accessible price points, and when young people are involved, it’s a must-share, so I want to let you know about Empty Bowls. On Friday, April 17 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Rondout Valley High School cafeteria, take the night off from cooking and take a break from pizza: Treat your family to dinner out at Empty Bowls, and you can even keep your bowl! You simply choose from the array of handcrafted bowls made by Rondout Valley High School students and professional artists, all $15 each, or choose a paper bowl for $5, and fill your bowl with soup or ice cream. Proceeds benefit the Rondout Valley, Rosendale, Rochester and ARCS of Kingston food pantries.
I encourage you to take a look at the Empty Bowls website to read about some of the history behind this 12th annual event. Rondout Valley High School is located at 122 Kyserike Road in Accord. For more information, visit https://emptybowls.webs.com.
Day of Silence, evening of partying at LGBTQ Community Center
Two of the top three reasons that youth are bullied at school are due to actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. To draw attention to the problem of anti-LGBTQ name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools, students around the world are participating in a Day of Silence on Friday, April 17. To learn more about how to be a part of a Day of Silence, visit www.dayofsilence.org.
After a Day of Silence, LGBTQ youth and ally-identified youth ages 14 to 18 are invited to make some noise at the Breaking the Silence Dance, including a live deejay, icebreaker activities, great dance music and refreshments. Proof of age is required. The dance takes place on Friday, April 17 from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Apuzzo Hall of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center, located at 300 Wall Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-5300 or visit https://lgbtqcenter.org.
SATURDAY | APRIL 18
Iza Trapani at Rosendale’s Creative Co-Op
I enjoy Iza Trapani and her children’s books so much, and she’s doing an extra-special event this weekend that you should check out. On Saturday, April 18 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Creative Co-op, all ages of aspiring artists are invited to learn how to create picture books, as well as enjoy storytime. The cost for this session is $10 for adults, $7 for children ages 4 and up and free for ages 3 and under, with proceeds supporting the Hansen family as well as future programming at the Creative Co-op. Remember to bring a few extra dollars to add to your Trapani book collection as well.
The Creative Co-op is located at 402 Main Street in Rosendale, behind the Big Cheese. For more information or to register, call (845) 527-5672, e-mail cbcofrosendale@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/creativebcrosendale. To learn more about the author/illustrator, visit www.izatrapani.com.
Magic show at Kingston Library
Regular readers know how much I enjoy magic shows, especially with their all-ages appeal. Here’s one this weekend that looks terrific: On Saturday, April 18 at 10:30 a.m., head over to the Kingston Library for Mr. Twisty’s Super Silly Magic Show, including comedy, magic and family fun, and it’s free!
The Kingston Library is located at 55 Franklin Street in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 331-0507 or visit www.kingstonlibrary.org. To learn more about the performer, including free directions for some magic tricks and directions to make balloon animals, visit www.mrtwisty.com.
Bianca Rell reads at Inquiring Mind in Saugerties
Local Saugerties author Bianca G. Rell knows pets: She has large Brutus, a mastiff-and-Rottweiler mix, 8 years; small Bella, a Yorkshire terrier, 4 years; and silent cat, Stinker, 13 years. These resident entertainers for her family resulted in a children’s book, A Lesson in Big and Small, where the attempt to persuade Brutus he is not a puppy, Bella that she is not a big dog, results in the lesson that what really matters is how we see ourselves.
You can hear Rell read from her story this Saturday, April 18 at 3 p.m. at Inquiring Mind, located at 65 Partition Street in Saugerties. For more information, call (845) 246-5775 or visit www.saugertiesbookstore.com. To learn more about the author, visit https://alessoninbigandsmall.tateauthor.com.
Japanese culture program at Gardiner Library
Where can you learn the art of wearing a kimono, practice origami skills, learn to eat with chopsticks and experience a form of storytelling using a paper theater called kamishibai? You and your family can do it all at the Gardiner Library’s “Kimono, Kibuto & More: A Hands-On Japanese Culture Program for Children and Adults.” The event takes place this Saturday, April 18 from 1 to 2:30 p.m., and it’s free!
The Gardiner Library is located at 133 Farmers’ Turnpike in Gardiner. For more information, call (845) 255-1255 or visit www.gardinerlibrary.org.
Join the family! 
