Giving Rye is a function collection highlighting non-profits and group teams in and across the Metropolis of Rye. At this time meet Suzanne Clary of the Jay Heritage Middle.
Your Title: Suzanne Clary
Group: Jay Heritage Middle (JHC)
Your function: President, Board of Trustees, and Interim Govt Director
MyRye.com: Inform us your group’s mission.
Clary: Our mission is to remodel the 23-acre Jay Property right into a vibrant academic campus, internet hosting revolutionary applications about American historical past, historic preservation, structure, social justice, and environmental stewardship. Consider us as a smaller model of the New York Historic Society and the New York Botanical Gardens rolled into one in your yard.
How lengthy have you ever operated in Rye?
Clary: We had been chartered by the NY State Board of Schooling in 1990. Thirty + years later, we might be a significant venue for the 250th celebration of American Independence in 2026 and the 2 hundredth anniversary of Emancipation in New York in 2027.
What programming or work in Rye is the group greatest identified for?
Clary:
- Historic Preservation and Environmental Stewardship.
We’re greatest identified for safeguarding historical past and habitat and sharing the nuts and bolts of that course of. Folks love our earlier than and after images and understanding what occurred in between.
Within the 80s, when improvement threatened to pollute Lengthy Island Sound and perpetually change the historic character of Rye’s most vital stretch of land, our group spearheaded the nomination of the Boston Put up Highway Historic District to the Nationwide Register which incorporates three pre-Civil Conflict mansions and their grounds; a ten,000-year-old Indigenous web site and nature protect; and a personal cemetery. In 1993, we made certain this distinctive part of the nation’s oldest freeway was designated a Nationwide Historic Landmark District (NHLD), the one one among of Westchester County and one in every of simply over 100 within the nation (different NHLDs embody Nantucket and Charleston).
Now different organizations and college students come to our web site to learn the way we did that. With tutorial companions at Columbia College’s Graduate Faculty of Structure, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), we’re coaching the following era of preservationists and environmental advocates.
- Free Writer Talks, Displays and Concert events
We’re referred to as the place to listen to famend students, scientists, naturalists and changemakers discuss trendy points which have their roots within the founding of our nation. We bought our very first Better of Westchester Award for Occasions this yr with the encouraging remark “What a stunning setting to mirror upon our society’s previous and future.”
Our “Jams at Jay” music collection on the entrance garden and indoors on the Wachenheim Middle have featured bluegrass, jazz, opera, a cappella and classical artists. Consider Tanglewood or Caramoor simply steps out of your door.
- Faculty Journeys and Group Excursions
For over 17 years, we now have provided free college journeys to teams of as much as 150 4th – eighth grade college students and chaperones from colleges all through Westchester County. Free bus transportation is offered by the New York State Parks Join Program and all different bills paid by means of a grant from Con Edison. Youngsters study our nation’s flawed however valuable democracy, adopted by excursions of our buildings and gardens.
They study being good stewards of our pure assets and learn how to distinguish between native and invasive species utilizing iMapInvasives and iNaturalist. We’ve been coaching younger citizen scientists since 2007.
Wanting ahead to 2025, what might be your prime initiatives?
Clary:
- The Wachenheim Exhibit and Efficiency Middle
Working with Beyer Blinder Belle (BBB) and Evergreene Architectural Arts, we now have began eradicating the darkened and aged lacquer from the mahogany ceilings and doorways to disclose the true heat coloration of the wooden and reveal the grain. Unique terra cotta brick surfaces, porcelain enameled partitions and moss inexperienced mosaic tile flooring might be cleaned and refurbished through the winter. Three units of huge pocket doorways might be faraway from their tracks and refinished as we restore visibility of the 1907 entrance configurations. Outdated monitor lighting might be changed with new museum high quality fixtures. New cabinetry and wall coverings will improve a “inexperienced room” for the consolation of visiting artists and performers. A refreshed pantry and loos will improve the venue for public occasions.
- Finishing the 1838 Jay Mansion
Because of donors to the Wachenheim Problem Grant, the Wachenheim Basis and members of the family, a $500,000 CREST grant facilitated by Sen. Shelley Mayer, and grants from the Margaret “Marge” Sullivan Fund and the Jay Cemetery Affiliation, we at the moment are able to renew development and full restoration of the Jay Mansion.
The foremost structural duties that stay are shifting the geothermal system parts to the third flooring, extra ADA loos and repair areas on the primary flooring, historic portray and plaster finishes for remaining interiors and exteriors, and restoration of the veranda together with new roofing and reinstallation of the unique 1838 rear piazza columns. The renewed mansion will home a brand-new American Historical past Middle, and a Horticulture Research Middle each full with AV enhancements, archival cupboards, and furnishings.
Because of our Board of Trustees, Advisory Board and workers, JHC has earned a status as an authoritative physique within the fields of preservation, American historical past, social justice and environmental stewardship. To proceed this optimistic trajectory, we’re actively working to draw extra board members, workers and funding.
Each JHC Trustee and workers member is an envoy. We want to elevate vital funds for salaries, working bills and applications funds to enrich our capital initiatives. JHC wish to elevate no less than $1,000,000 in direction of this within the subsequent 1-2 years. Management presents are welcome.
Inform us in regards to the inhabitants you serve and the way they will get entangled along with your programming and providers.
Clary: We serve everybody particularly by means of partnerships with different nonprofits and tutorial establishments. Our longest non-profit companions have been the African American Males of Westchester (AAMW) and the American Ladies of African Heritage (AWAH). Now we have been on the African American Heritage Path since 2004 and Black Historical past is a pillar of our programming.
Our companions embody the Blue Skies Campers Program, The Port Chester Youth Bureau, Rye Sustainability Committee, Carver Middle, Japan Society of Better Fairfield County, NY Courts Historic Society, Westchester County Historic Society, Princeton College, The Clark Middle at Manhattanville.
Are you a 501(c)(3) non-profit with tax exempt standing?
Clary: Sure, we’re a 501 (c) (3) non-profit with tax exempt standing (EIN 13-3585332) and registered with the Charities Bureau of New York State. We’re proud to have repeatedly obtained prime scores from Charity Navigator and GuideStar. We’re most proud to have been acknowledged by NY State Parks with an Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Achievement.
Wanting again throughout 2024, what had been your group’s prime achievements?
Clary:
We made our park extra accessible. We accomplished a $165,000 Parks & Trails NY grant to create new, wider paths and facilitate entry to our gardens. Guests in a wheelchair or walker or Pleasure scooter can simply navigate the area and revel in this serene refuge.
Expertise opens extra doorways too. We’ve partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies to create a free digital information powered by an app known as Bloomberg Connects. At the moment there are about 650 guides of necessary cultural websites around the globe together with the Met, the Louvre, and the Smithsonian. The Jay Property information launched this month – attempt it out! As a result of it’s a international platform, “guests” an ocean away can study what we do.
- First Fantastic Artwork Exhibit within the Gardens.
We’ve all the time dreamed about bringing artwork to the Jay Property panorama (a la Storm King) and this previous September, our dream got here true. Kristine Mays, whose work is within the collections of Mellody Hobson, George Lucas and Reggie Browne, chosen our web site for the New York debut of her sculpture exhibit Wealthy Soil.
Twenty-nine life-sized wire sculptures impressed by Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece Revelations drew tons of of tourists. Quite a few applications together with a contemporary dance presentation by Alvin Ailey dancers and a poetry workshop with Iain Haley Pollock had been layered with the show. The artist was type sufficient to supply the items on the market with proceeds benefiting future exhibitions. We’re already in discussions with a brand new artist for 2025.
- Elevated Tutorial Fellowships
We’re coaching younger students in preservation and environmental stewardship and hands-on expertise is invaluable to placing them on a profession path. We make introductions for them to the most effective students of their fields.
This yr, we doubled the variety of Margaret Nolan O’Neill Fellowships that we provide in reminiscence of Maggie O’Neill, who studied Political Science and Authorities at Columbia College. We tripled our variety of Haub Legislation fellowships and three regulation college students studied authorized points associated to sustainability, accessibility, environmental hazard remediation and the SEQR course of. An extra pupil from Colgate studied GIS mapping of the Boston Put up Highway Historic District together with its watercourses.
How can native residents assist your group?
Clary:
Since we now have by no means obtained, and nonetheless obtain no annual tax {dollars} from the Metropolis of Rye, Westchester County or NY State, monetary assist of our normal working funds is all the time on the prime of our want listing. Our annual enchantment needs to be hitting mailboxes this week and contains an envelope – please put one thing in it and mail it again to us! You may also donate on-line.
Each novice and skilled gardeners can volunteer in our gardens and assist us with pruning roses or harvesting contemporary greens for our weekly donations to the meals pantry at Meals on Major Road. We love working with highschool college students interested by group service.
What native Rye residents and space companies have been the longest, steadiest supporters of your group?
Clary:
We’re enormously grateful to the Wachenheim Basis and household for his or her generosity. Their problem grant to the group has been a exceptional catalyst.
Con Edison, which has workplaces in Rye has been our longest company supporter courting again to the early 90s.
Rye resident and NY State Assemblyman Steve Otis helped JHC safe grants to rehabilitate the gardens and the 1916 Palmer Tennis Home.
Our latest Rye associate is the Rye Skilled Firefighters (Native 2029) – cool reality – do you know John Jay was a volunteer fireman?
Inform us about you:
How lengthy have you ever been in your present function?
Clary: I’ve been a volunteer since 1999. “For of these to whom a lot is given, a lot is required.”
Is the function full time or half time? Paid or volunteer?
Clary: My function is just about full time. I additionally serve on a number of different non-profit boards and advisory boards together with the Pals of American Artwork at Yale, Preservation Motion, the Preservation League of New York State, The Cultural Panorama Basis, the Slave Dwelling Venture, and the Rye Sustainability Committee.
How would your family and friends describe you in a single phrase?
Clary: Persistent
What’s your favourite unimportant factor about you?
Clary: I’m a reasonably respectable welder and really snug with an acetylene torch.
If the following 5 years is a chapter in your life, what is that this chapter about?
Clary: I’ve all the time liked writing and plan to do extra of that.
What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
Clary: This query makes me chuckle – what’s that line in True Lies? Worry just isn’t an possibility. I’m most afraid of not doing issues.
The place do you reside in Rye and what number of years have you ever lived within the Metropolis?
Clary: We moved to Rye in 1992.
Thanks Suzanne!
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