ROSA’s Presence at Clearwater Festival and a Fundraiser in Grand View-on-Hudson Broadens Grassroots’ Appeal and Outreach Across the Lower Hudson Valley
RAMAPO, NY, June 21, 2011: On the heels of ROSA’s two recently filed lawsuits against the Town of Ramapo and expert testimony which cast serious doubt as to the efficacy of what ROSA calls “the ill-conceived and inappropriate development plan for Patrick Farm”, this community-based nonprofit is gaining broadened support across the Lower Hudson Valley. Over the past two weeks, ROSA’s outreach has included a sold-out fundraising event at the landmark Waterfall House in Grand View-on-Hudson (NY) as well as participation at “The Clearwater Festival” in Croton-on-Hudson (NY).
ROSA welcomed 150 new members to their organization on Sunday, June 12th when they hosted a “Wine and Gourmet Food Tasting” fundraiser featuring the generously donated specialties of local chefs with the compliment of fine wine. The tasting was accompanied by the performances of area musicians who contributed their time and talents. Event guests had the opportunity to meet the leadership team of ROSA and discuss details of the organization’s efforts.
Suzanne Mitchell, ROSA’s director, stated, “The weekend’s fundraising was tremendously successful in giving a voice to those opposed to the proposed project and aligning them with ROSA. ROSA’s strategy in securing experts in the fields of engineering, hydrology, wetlands management and planning is essential to stopping the planned, multi-family, high-density housing development currently slated for the environmentally-sensitive Patrick Farm property. This strategy appears clearly supported by people from all parts of Rockland County. We will continue to represent the interests of Ramapo and regional populous as well as work to protect drinking water, quality of life, community character, and ensure an appropriate outcome for Patrick Farm.”
Donations of wine, food and staffing are credited to Hudson House of Nyack, Drop By Gourmet, Liquorland, We Wait for Your, Airmont Eats, rävi continental cuisine, Culinary Concepts of Elsa, Lariaia’s Cheese Shop and Olé Tapas Bar. Musicians included Arizona Rehab, whose bass player, David C. Gross of “144 Music and Arts”, was “excited to be able to perform to support ROSA’s efforts to protect our community.” A trip to Lake Tahoe was raffled and two framed photographs of rural New York were also provided for raffle by the two-time “Visual Artist of the Year” and winner of the Rockland County Executives’ Award, photographer, Ken Karlewicz. Onsite, Ken Karlewicz spoke in support of ROSA and about the disappearance of farms in Rockland County as well as the subsequent impact to the surrounding landscape. He urged residents to continue to fight back and protect the Patrick Farm.
Along with thousands of environmental activists and music lovers, ROSA was on hand at the 2011 “Clearwater Festival” (June 18th & 19th). This year’s festival theme was ‘generations’. Performances featured well-known acts such as Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Dar Williams, the Indigo Girls, and Jackson Brown. ROSA handed out printed material describing its advocacy and engaged with like-minded attendees by familiarizing them with the issues facing the Town of Ramapo, and those NY/NJ counties dependent upon drinking water that would be affected by the overdevelopment of the Patrick Farm. ROSA again raffled off valuable donated gifts, including NY Yankee tickets and the trip to Lake Tahoe, in order to stress the organization’s dependence on donations to continue paying for the expertise necessary to protect the area’s shared water supply, the environment, and aspects of community character such as population density, view shed protection, traffic flow, road safety, property values, and historic preservation.
ROSA’s mission is to represent the interests of area residents in their demand for safe, legal, sustainable, and well planned land use solutions for the Patrick Farm property that protect our shared water supply, the environment and the character of the community. Since November 2010, ROSA has galvanized citizen volunteers, formed a nonprofit organization, retained Albany-based attorney William Keniry and filed Article 78 lawsuits that to date have prevented even one tree from being cut down on the Patrick Farm property.
WHO: ROSA, Ramapo Organized for Sustainability and a Safe Aquifer
WEBSITE: www.rosa4rockland.org
EMAIL: info@rosa4rockland.org
PHONE: 646-470-ROSA (7672)
LINKS: www.clearwaterfestival.org
http://airmonteats.wordpress.com/
ROSA’s mission is to represent the interests of area residents in their demand for safe, legal, sustainable, and well planned land use solutions for the Patrick Farm property that protect our shared water supply, the environment and the character of the community.
ROSA 4 Rockland Strengthens Support as Opposition Grows
Against High-Density Development of Patrick Farm