$200,325 for Rockland Tourism-related Nonprofits

NEW CITY, NY – A total of 21 not-for-profit organizations in Rockland County will split $200,325 to boost tourism.

The funding comes from a combination of county money and grants from the statewide I Love New York program, Rockland County Executive Ed Day said Thursday as he made the announcement at the Edward Hopper House in Nyack.

"We want people to come here to Rockland to spend the day and to spend their money," he told representatives of nonprofits that were awarded grants. "We have every confidence that all of the organizations receiving this money will use it to bring tourists here to see all that Rockland has to offer – from the Edward Hopper House, to the Garner Arts Center to the downtowns in Suffern and Nyack and the Haverstraw River Arts festivals."

The grants were awarded on a competitive basis, with accompanying performance expectations. The funds will be used to attract visitors from outside Rockland County.

Executives of non-profits awarded the grants said the funds will help pay for advertisements in Metro-North trains and for print, radio and television marketing and other activities to get the word out about Rockland attractions.

Lucy Redzeposki, Rockland's director of Economic Growth and Tourism, also unveiled a new map of Historic Rockland County. The map will be placed at rest stops and at other tourist attractions in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to encourage people to visit Rockland.

Grants were awarded to:

• Piermont Historical Society: $3,425
• ArtsRock: $6,500
• N. Rockland Chamber of Commerce: $5,000
• Nanuet Chamber of Commerce: $6,500
• Penguin Players: $9,000
• Suffern Chamber of Commerce: $19,700
• Hopper House: $7,000
• Keep Rockland Beautiful - Underground Tours: $2,000
• Keep Rockland Beautiful - 20th anniversary: $3,500
• Antrim Players: $5,000
• Rockland Rivertowns Coalition (Visit Nyack): $7,000
• Visit Nyack Inc: $50,000
• Garner Arts - marketing support: $10,000
• Garner Arts - Garner Arts Festival: $10,000
• Piermont Straus Foundation: $4,000
• Big Mytts Media: $5,000
• Historical Society Rockland County: $6,000
• Hampton Velo Club (Supercross) : $10,000
• Haverstraw RiverArts - Music Festival: $2,320
• Haverstraw RiverArts - Food Crawl: $1,380
• JCC Rockland: $5,000
• United Latin Festival of Haverstraw: $7,000
• Rockland Center for Arts: $5,000
• RockBergen Music Festival: $10,000

PHOTO: Lucy Lucy Redzeposki, Rockland's director of Economic Growth and Tourism and County Executive Ed Day at the Edward Hopper House/ contributed