The Joy of - Inside Chappaqua

Meet Dawn:
The Quintessential Altruist with a Pulse on the Town
By Sarah Ellen Rindsberg
When Dawn Greenberg was looking
for a retail concept to open in Chappaqua,
she sought a model which
would incorporate her spirit of giving
and provide a positive addition to the
existing retail mix. She visited several
fair trade shops–which proffer only
items created in a safe and equitable
environment–and decided that going
in this direction was the viable vehicle
for her and the town.
One of the factors in her strong
belief in fair trade stems from the
finding that most of those employed
in this capacity are moms. “A lot of
the fair trade artists are moms; this
spoke directly to me, she observed.
A popular item at Aurora is a
beaded bracelet crafted by women in
Guatemala. At least $8 of the retail
price goes directly “into the hands of
the artist,” Greenberg mentioned. In
addition, Dunitz and Company (the
firm which distributes the product)
also contributes funds to the hospital
and library in the area where its
workers reside.
About 75% of the products on
display at Aurora are classified as fair
trade. A significant portion of the
remaining 25% are created by craftswomen
in the hamlet. Laurie Berg’s
bracelets and Buddah necklaces are
prominently displayed. Leslie Weissman’s
abstract paintings adorn the
walls. Charitable donations are often
tied in to sales from both Berg and
Weissman’s works.
Greenberg’s sensibility toward giving
is strongly rooted in her desire
to help those who are less fortunate.
Her family sponsors a child in Guatemala,
through an organization called
Mayan Families which covers the cost
of school fees, supplies, uniforms,
shoes and backpacks. Affection from
the Greenberg household is sent long
distance to Pedro Fernando.
In her personal life, the caring begins
at home. Greenberg is the proud
mother of two sons, Jackson, 10 and
24 Inside Chappaqua May 2013
Photo by Isabel Greenberg
Ben, 4. Jackson’s Asperger’s is another
motivating factor in her character.
“Something very special to my identity
is being a special needs mom,” Greenberg
related. The support systems
offered in the schools were a major
factor in her decision to move to the
community.
Dawn with her youngest, Ben.
Spearheading the October 5th
Chappaqua Children’s Book Festival
One of Greenberg’’s largest endeavors
to date is the Chappaqua Children’s
Book Festival. When she heard about
the demise of its predecessor, the
festival at Sunnyside, her reaction was
quick and effective. Greenberg saw the
opportunity to continue the idea in
downtown Chappaqua and proceeded
to assemble a team of volunteers. “She
certainly is a visionary in terms of
coming up with new ideas and trying
to attract business to the town,” fellow
merchant Erik Nicolaysen noted. On
October 5, over 55 authors will come
to the festival. The roster includes
several illustrious authors from the
hamlet: Barbara Dee, Mara Van Fleet,
Matt Van Fleet and Jean Van Leeuwen.
A recent post by Greenberg on the
Chappaqua Moms Facebook page:
another brainchild–exhorted members
to bring in bras. She laughed and
said: “I call myself the Robin Hood of
Chappaqua. I gather things to give to
others.” The idea brought a smile to
many faces and over 300 bras were
donated. The bras will be sent to Free
The Girls, an organization which
gives used clothing to women
who in turn sell it to support
themselves. Bras are particularly
valuable because they command
a superior price. A previous post
by Greenberg on Facebook (after
Hurricane Sandy) brought in
over $11,000 in gift cards for
the residents of Barnegat, New
Jersey, Long Beach Island and
the Rockaways.
When tropical storm Hurricane
Irene flooded the town,
Greenberg knew that small
businesses were going to suffer
irrevocably unless someone
stepped in to help. As a small
business owner herself, she
knew the potentially damaging
effect of having to close for
several days. Greenberg rallied
the town and organized an event
to bring residents in to provide
emotional and financial support.
Refreshments were donated and
local art teacher Quincy Eggenton set
up an arts and craft table.
Town Administrator Penny Paderewski
has had the opportunity
to work with Greenberg on several
projects–including the festival–and is
thoroughly impressed with her intelligence.
She had stopped by Aurora
recently to purchase a ticket for a fundraising
tea for the festival and to wish
the proprietor a very happy birthday.
Plenty of patrons were browsing and
chatting. “She’s got the pulse of the
town,” Paderewski said. “I like being
associated with her,” she continued.
Sarah Ellen Rindsberg pops into Aurora
regularly and is always rewarded with a
warm greeting and a smile.