The Sylvia Center Packs A Picnic And A Virtual Paddle Raise

“We’ve got an entire farm to spread out, so we thought, let’s make this work for us,” said Cindy Edelson, The Sylvia Center’s board chair, speaking of planning the annual farm-to-table benefit. On Saturday, August 8, the board and staff certainly did make it work, converting the usual seated dinner model to a farm-to-picnic blanket event beside the fields of Katchkie Farm in Kinderhook, New York. After temperatures were checked and health surveys completed, guests received a capacious tote filled with box upon box of delicacies, from cheese and charcuterie to the rhubarb crumble prepared by Great Performances, and were invited to sit at tables scattered on the hillside or between the rows of flowers and plants.

It was the best possible reincarnation of the fundraiser, which supports The Sylvia Center’s programming that provides opportunities for young people who learn how to identify, prepare and prioritize fresh, healthy food —a toolkit of life skills. For obvious reasons, The Sylvia Center has recently introduced virtual classrooms and digital content of cooking classes and d-i-y activities for kids and their families at home. About the only thing that was missing was the presence of the Sylvia Center kids themselves, who in most years greet guests and speak of their newfound interest in where food comes from and their facility preparing it. Despite their absence, the Center’s mission was not lost on those who attended (and contributed via a virtual paddle raise). We hope we’ll be able to break bread together, unmasked and face to face, again next year.