Blue Mountain Artists' Work Appears in Coalition Calendar

On Saturday, Nov. 15, the Town of Cortlandt, the Cortlandt Community Coalition and the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce hosted a Holiday Gifts, Crafts & Wellness Fair in the lobby of the UA Cinema and the Cortlandt Community Room at the Cortlandt Town Center, in Mohegan Lake. The fair was free and open to the public.

The kick-off event was the Cortlandt Community Coalition’s Launch Party, where the group unveiled its student-designed 2015 calendar featuring monthly messages and warnings about drug and alcohol use. The artwork, created by students from the Blue Mountain Middle School, was selected to appear in the calendar from entries submitted earlier in the year. Each of the students’ artworks was enlarged on poster-sized boards for easy viewing during the launch party.

“We want Cortlandt families to have a daily reminder about the dangers of drug and alcohol use. The artwork is especially meaningful because the young artists are local middle school students. The calendar is designed around messages that will help us keep our community safe, healthy, and drug-free,” said Linda Puglisi, Cortlandt Town Supervisor.

The Coalition also offered fun craft activities for youth throughout the day. Copies of the calendar and other “freebies” were distributed, including stress balls furnished by the Hen Hud chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions.

The Hendrick Hudson School District is an active participant in the Cortlandt Community Coalition, along with a number of other parent, medical, and community groups. The Coalition’s vision is for Cortlandt to become a culturally aware, deeply bonded community in which children can prosper and grow into healthy, resilient members. The Coalition is focused on underage drinking and drug use by working with community business and residents to change adult attitudes about this problem.

Photo Caption: Calendar artwork by Nina Tagliabue

Photo credit: Bill Powers, Powers Public Relations