EMT Marie Castagna: Service is All in the Family

Marie Castagna’s energy is full-on, all the time. And it radiates out of her in many directions, with the community at its core.

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For 15 years,  Linda Castaldi has been welcoming people to Noble Horizons. “I’m the first voice people hear when they call Noble,” Linda describes, “I’m always in contact with residents’ families, helping them feel at ease and providing them with information.”

When you ask Laurie Frey what she does at Noble Horizons you quickly realize there is very little she doesn’t do. From personnel to housekeeping, laundry to the reception desk, Laurie Frey does it all ... with boundless energy, an infectious smile and a deep fondness for Noble residents and their families. “I like to do different things, and I love to do anything that brings me in contact with the residents. I enjoy having a bond with them.”

Today’s birding blog brings me back to Massachusetts, more specifically the town of Sheffield. The location is Bartholomew’s Cobble, a property owned by the Trustees of the Reservation (the same organization that maintains Field Farm), a location that was chock full of birds and one of the most beautiful locations that I have visited for this blog series.

In 2007, community leader Karen Kisslinger, a local acupuncturist, organic gardener, and meditation teacher first proposed the idea of a farmers market in the village of Millerton, NY. Around that time, Mrs. Kisslinger also ran a popular youth program at the North East Community Center called “Partners for Children." Karen, who was married to physician Rob Dweck, had been nurturing and nourishing the community for many years and recognized the need to promote local farms and healthy food sources within rural communities. Karen went on to approach then Executive Director of the NECC Jenny Hansell who — as fate would have it — had experience with Greenmarkets in New York City. Ms.Hansell expounded on Karen’s idea by promoting the use of teen interns in farming and marketing. Today, Karen’s contributions and legacy live on in the 13 continuous seasons of market operation on the grounds of the Millerton Methodist Church.