Community

The Rockland Arts Festival Calls For Artists Deadline December 1st 2024

Published

7 months ago

October 31, 2024

A unique opportunity to experience outstanding local arts
The Rockland Arts Festival has been built on the core values of community, inclusivity, and acceptance. These values are very important to the festival team and have been considered across all areas of the event. We are committed to providing safe and welcoming spaces and events where everyone can happily connect through the arts. We believe it is the shared responsibility of organizers, volunteers, artists, sponsors and patrons to help create an enriching and inclusive festival.

– The Rockland Arts Festival has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards incidents of intimidation, violence and physical or verbal harassment, related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age or religion.

– The Rockland Arts Festival supports cultural change within the arts by promoting an ethic of care among artists and patrons, encouraging conversations and providing gender-equality and diversity within the festival program.

– The festival organizers strive to improve the festival experience by reaching out to diverse artistic groups and individuals, and we encourage people with disability or access needs to get in touch with our team prior to the festival so that they may participate or if we can assist when possible.

– The Rockland Arts Festival recognizes that we would not be able to enjoy the wealth of artistic talents without the creations of diverse communities and cultures. Along with our engagement with local artists, we aim to encourage people from all backgrounds to come together to share the festival’s free experiences.

APPLICATION: https://tinyurl.com/raf2025

ROCKLAND ARTS FESTIVAL will run from January 31 – February 9, 2025.

ELIGIBILITY: Open to all artists (all mediums) age 18 and over and arts organizations in the United States.

Community

Everyday Hero: Ice Cream Man Stops Traffic to Rescue Missing 2-Year-Old

Published

22 hours ago

May 15, 2025

Rockland Report Admin

Today we recognize John from SweetGuy Ice Cream Truck for his quick actions that helped reunite a missing child with his family.

Full story from John:
*“15 years in the ice cream truck has taught me to ALWAYS be on the lookout for kids in the road. Never did I think that would be tested the way it was tonight.

Around 8:30 p.m. on Route 9W, I saw something no one wants to see—a barefoot 2-year-old in a diaper, alone and running down the side of the road. I was terrified, but it was clear the little boy was even more scared.

I quickly pulled the truck across the road to block traffic and ran after him—forgot how fast those little legs can move! When I caught up, I found he was nonverbal and immediately called the Haverstraw Police Department.

Thank you to HPD for your quick response. They were able to reunite the boy with his father before I left. I’m just so grateful I was there. Not only did my experience help me notice him in time, but sadly, not a single other car stopped. Dozens of people drove past a clearly dangerous situation. I don’t even think anyone else called 911—HPD said mine was the first they heard of it.

It felt like an eternity between jumping out of the truck and getting help, but in the end, I’m just thankful that boy is safe.”*

Thank you, John, for your courage, quick thinking, and for always keeping kids’ safety top of mind—even after your shift is over. You’re a true hometown hero.