Chappaqua To Continue Community Day Tradition

CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. – A September tradition longer than many residents can remember will return to Chappaqua next month.

Chappaqua’s annual Community Day will be back on Saturday, Sept. 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Chappaqua train station. The Rotary Club of Chappaqua is the organizer of the event.

Chappaqua Library Director Pam Thornton said there will be rides for children, games, entertainment, food, free books from the library and information about services available to the community. Many of the rides are sponsored by local community businesses.

“It's a time for local vendors and community organizations to come together and celebrate as a community,” said Thornton, who is a Rotary Club member.

There also will be a blood drive, and the Westchester County clerk's office is sending a mobile passport unit to accept passport applications and help members of the community obtain passports.

According to event organizers, Community Day began generations ago with the hope that it would bring people to the downtown. Before the Rotary Club began sponsoring the event, it was organized by a longtime resident who would host a pig roast in the downtown area to draw crowds.

The Rotary Club began solely sponsoring the event in September 1984. As part of the club’s mission of service, Community Day will be a fundraiser to help support local organizations. The Horace Greeley Scholarship Fund was the main beneficiary of last year’s event.

“All the proceeds from the day will be used to fund local nonprofit organizations,” Thornton said. “It's what the Rotary does. As our motto states, ‘Service Above Self.’ ”

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