North East Community Center celebrates 20 years

MILLERTON — There’s a birthday to be celebrated and there’s no denying it’s a notable one. The North East Community Center (NECC) is turning 20, and it’s a milestone worth commemorating.

“I’m very proud of that,†said one of the center’s founders, Sam Busselle, who said he was inspired by the fact that the area had a real need for services but got very little attention as it was in the far northeastern corner of the county. “The fact that it can exist in a town of 3,000 and stay in the black for 20 years, and stay in continual existence is really heartwarming. I don’t think there’s another center in Dutchess County with that record, except maybe in Poughkeepsie and Beacon, so I’m very proud to see it thriving.â€

And thrive it has, under the leadership of Executive Director Jenny Hansell. Hansell has been at the center for the past decade, developing programs and initiatives that have served not only Millerton residents but those living throughout the Harlem Valley and over the border in Connecticut and Massachusetts as well.

The Millerton Farmers Market, in its fourth year, is a prime example of one of the center’s regional success stories. It also incorporates another program, the Community Partnership with Schools and Business, which secures jobs for roughly 40 students every year, who are paid through NECC, to work with local businesses, which mentor the students at the workplace.

Then there’s the Care Car program, which provides transportation to doctor’s appointments, supermarkets and other destinations. That core program has been running continuously for 20 years, mainly thanks to NECC volunteers.

Another core program at the center is its after-school program, which is one of its biggest and most intensive programs. There’s also the middle school arm of that program, which offers numerous clubs for students to participate in, as well as the more recent “Teen Teams,†which provide extra support to those going through the more traumatic teenage years.

The center also provides toddler programs and family support programs, programs for moms and seniors and many offerings in between.

“There are almost too many programs to count, in a way,†Hansell said. “There are our core major programs and then a lot of initiatives that are smaller that arise as the need or opportunity present itself.â€

One such example: The community center was just awarded a $170,000 grant to start a bus service in northeastern Dutchess County to help make up for the disappearance of the county’s LOOP bus service.

The county itself has replaced the LOOP with a rotating schedule that serves the Harlem Valley once a week. To supplement that, NECC will be given two years to develop an on-demand bus service that will run day and night to get people where they need to go. Hansell said she’s thrilled at the opportunity.

“By 2012 we’ll have a couple of buses ... to get people to work, doctors, and to other transportation, like the trains, as well as to shopping, GED and ELS classes, etc.,†she said. “We can really address an absolute critical need that’s been an unresolved critical need here forever. If you don’t have a car here, your options are next to none. Even with all of our volunteers and cars at our disposal, we have to say no sometimes, so this will really close the gap for people. This will be the biggest expansion of NECC’s programs in five years or more. It’s huge and we have to raise matching funds in order to get it.â€

Grants and fundraising lead one to the topic of how the center supports itself. It’s a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and relies heavily on community support. Donations come primarily from individuals, ranging from $5 to $500 and up, and they give the center the flexibility to address various needs as it sees fit.

“I just feel honored to have a part in an organization that has become so woven into the community and that people feel so connected to that they want to contribute to it what they can, and they want to make sure that it carries on,†Hansell said. “We are unbelievably grateful to all donors who keep this place open and thriving.â€

That gratitude is part and parcel of why NECC wants to invite the community to its birthday celebration. The celebration is really a benefit for the center, on Sunday, Sept. 26, from 4 to 6 p.m., at No. 9 restaurant at Simmons’ Way Village Inn in Millerton.

The event will also include the third annual Community Service Award, which is being bestowed upon Caroline McEnroe this year. For nearly 10 years McEnroe has led the center’s senior citizen exercise class, a free class open to all that helps seniors maintain their strength, balance, mobility and general fitness to keep them independent longer. The class is also a great social outlet, according to Hansell, who also said its leader is phenomenal.

“She’s very down to earth and straightforward and genuine,†she said. “She’s incredibly reliable and sensible and radiates common sense, and in her kind way makes sure people stay focused and excited and strong.â€

The benefit, which Hansell said will be fashioned after a festive birthday party, will have live music and entertainment, as well as food, birthday cupcakes and a live auction. Tickets, which start at $50 (half-price for senior citizens), and information are available at 518-789-4259 or necc
millerton.org.