Hilltown Conversations Volunteers
Hilltown Conversations
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Hilltown Conversations Turns Talk Into Action We have been moved and gratified by the number of volunteers who have generously phoned in to offer their services. Now, we need to locate those who need us. Please call us at (518) 797-3459 and leave a clear, detailed message: -- If you are unable to get out and need someone to deliver groceries or medical supplies; -- If you would like a check-in call on yourself or someone you know to be housebound; -- If you want to volunteer to deliver groceries/supplies. -- If you are in need of entertainment and would enjoy a free Jigsaw Puzzle Drop-Off. Pass this message along to as many people as you know, and hopefully those in need will reach out to us and/or to the other organizations listed below: Food Pantry Hilltown Community Resource Center (HCRC), 566 CR 143, PO Box 147, Westerlo 12193; 518-966-7380. Open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm or by appointment. Call to request what you need. They will put together a bag of groceries for pick up, or deliver if needed. Also, HCRC has a grant program for those 65 years and older for the purchase of small appliances, such as a freezer or laptop. HCRC gratefully accepts donations of checks, gift cards, and food. Monetary donations are directed specifically for use by HCRC, a division of Catholic Charities. Free Mental Health Guidance NYC WELL Talk/Text/Chat 24/7 Call 1-888-NYCWELL Text WELL to 65173 Together, we will be the Community we want to be. Together we will make it through this crisis. Stay well. In friendship, your neighbors, The Hilltown Conversations Facilitators: Netta Dickerson, Gail Haines, Craig Miller, Linda Miller, Bob Tanner, Emileigh Tanner, Dennis Winslow Rensselaerville Library and Conkling Hall are Proud Co-Sponsors of Hilltown Conversations 
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Saturday, September 21, 2019
2:00 pm Rensselaerville Library A Living Room Conversation is a simple way to heal divides. It is a conversational model developed by dialogue experts in order to facilitate connection between people despite their differences and identify areas of common ground and shared concerns. This program is a follow up to the July American Creed program held at the Carey Institute. Whether you’ve seen the film or not, all are invited to join the conversation. You can visit the website to view the film. Additional Resources for the Program can be found at: www.rensselaervillelibrary.org/american-creed.html
Conversation AgreementsBe curious and open to learning.
Conversation is as much about listening as it is about talking. Enjoy hearing all points of view. Maintain an attitude of exploration. Show respect and suspend judgment. Human beings tend to judge one another; do your best not to. Setting judgments aside opens you up to learning from others and makes them feel respected and appreciated. Find common ground and note differences. Look for a common ground you can agree on and take an interest in the differing beliefs and opinions of others. Be authentic and welcome that from others. Share what’s important to you. Speak authentically from your personal experience. Be considerate of others who are doing the same. Be purposeful and to the point. Notice if what you are conveying is or is not pertinent to the topic at hand. Own and guide the conversation. Take responsibility for the quality of your participation and that of the conversation. Be proactive in getting yourself and others back on track if needed. Source: https://www.livingroomconversations.org/conversation_agreements/ August 26, 2019
Dear Neighbors, We are writing to invite you to a second round of “conversations,” based on the belief that our democracy depends upon the thoughtful exchange of ideas. If we spend time talking with each other, respectfully and patiently, we may discover the common values we share. In the 1977 book People Made it Happen Here, the editors describe the efforts and goodwill of Hilltown residents who lived and worked for the common good of our community for more than 150 years. We believe that spirt of cooperation still exists in the Hilltowns today (as evidenced in the volunteer Firemen and their auxiliaries, the Good Cause Club, the Senior Van, Preston Hollow Beautification Committee, and the endless list of kindnesses that neighbors perform for each other matter-of-factly, whether it’s shoveling the walkway of an aging neighbor, or driving someone to a doctor’s appointment, or starting a fundraiser for someone whose house has burnt down, or helping each other find lost pets or children, or planting flowers in front of the library… the list goes on and on). We are proposing that we build on that history of cooperation by engaging in a series of conversations based on the documentary film American Creed (Click on the Full Film Button on Right side of this page.) which some of you saw at the Carey Institute on 7/28. In this film a prominent Republican (Condoleeza Rice) and a prominent Democrat (David Kennedy) discuss and examine values we share as Americans. Please join us for a “Living Room Conversation” in the Rensselaerville Library on 9/21 at 2:00, where we’ll engage with neighbors in small groups, in order to get to know and understand each other’s points of view and concerns better. Similar initiatives are going on in communities around the United States, as we all struggle to find a way to move forward based on our shared values. If you are interested in joining us on 9/21 at 2:00 at the Rensselaerville Library, please email us at: director@rensselaervillelibrary.org, or just show up! Hope to see you there. Sincerely, Gail Haines Linda Miller Dianne Sefcik Dennis Winslow Kim Zimmer |
Sunday, July 28, 20194:00pm - 6:00pmCarey Institute for Global Good
Guggenheim Pavilion Auditorium A FREE Screening of American Creed A documentary examining the values and beliefs that hold Americans together, followed by a Community Conversation, facilitated by Paul Grondahl, Director of the NYS Writers Institute.
The idea for this film grew out of conversations between two Stanford University professors, political scientist and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Pulitzer Prize- winning historian David M. Kennedy. Kennedy was drawn to history in large part to determine whether the United State has a “national character”, and if so, what defines it and how it changes over time. The film is an outgrowth of these enduring questions. The screening will be followed by community conversations and refreshments. A FREE event at the Carey Institute for Global Good Guggenheim Pavilion. Watch a 30 second video of the program below.
Book Groups Interested in this Topic
Check out this Reading List 
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Special Thanks to the following organizations listed below for making the
American Creed program possible.
American Creed program possible.
