The first Community Builders class, launched as a new program at Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress, recently graduated its first class.
Graduates were Maria Bruni, director of community development for the City of Middletown, Ali Church, city planner for the City of Newburgh, Valerie Maginsky, director of the Port Jervis Community Development Agency, Jeff McHugh, president of the Mount Beacon Incline Railway Society, Michele McKeon. CEO of the anti-poverty agency RECAP, Suzanne Reider, senior project manager of the City of New Rochelle, Lisa Silverstone, executive director of Safe Harbors of the Hudson, and Christopher St. Lawrence, director of waterfront development for the City of Yonkers.
In addition to learning skills and making connections across the Hudson Valley, the program is designed to increase the knowledge and capacity of participants as they seek to advance specific projects to help their cities and urban centers.
The classes were conducted by Pattern President Jonathan Drapkin and senior Vice President Joe Czajka. They were every other week, January through June, at the Pattern office at 3 Washington Center in Newburgh.
Registration is open for the next Community Builders class. Government officials, staff at nonprofit organizations and community leaders with a project idea for their locality are welcome to apply. For information contact Joe Czajka at 565-4900 or .
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Barbara Bedell is the community news columnist for The Times Herald-Record, based in Middletown, NY.
