Oct. 13 Rest Haven program to highlight preservation and restoration efforts

CENTRAL VALLEY — Rest Haven will celebrate its preservation and restoration on Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Monroe-Woodbury High School Auditorium in Central Valley from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) will take part in this event.
Rest Haven, located at 236 High St. in Monroe, had strong ties to the blind community it once served and October is Blind Awareness Month.
Rest Haven’s addition to the State and National Registers of Historic Places is a significant accomplishment.
William Krattinger, the Historic Preservation Program analyst (Division for Historic Preservation) from New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, will be attending, along with speakers Adrianna Montague and Helen Selsdon from the American Foundation for the Blind.
The items to be on display as part of the program are a historical map, historical newspaper articles going back 115 years, pictures dating as far back as 1903 and stories of lives that have come and gone over time.
Helen Keller, who overcame the adversity of being blind and deaf to become one of the 20th century's leading humanitarians, is closely associated with Rest Haven.
“Learn about the families in our community that had relationships with Rest Haven; learn about many local entities that still exist today that were part of Rest Haven’s long history here in Monroe, such as the blind ladies visits to the Roscoe Smith House, trips to Museum Village, boating at Round Lake, or the boat races at Greenwood Lake,” Timothy Mitts, the project manager who is restoring Rest Haven for HRR Corp., said.
“Learn about the local entities that sponsored many events in our community," Mitts added, "like Monroe Lions Club, Monroe Jewish Council, Monroe Community Ambulance, Monroe Chamber of Commerce, The Captain’s Table, Monroe Taxi, Colonial Theatre, Monroe Laundry, Monroe Pharmacy, Camp Monroe, Carpenter & Smith and Orange & Rockland Electric Company.”
To learn more, visit: www.helenkellermonroeny.com/community-events.html; or the Helen Keller Monroe Connection on Facebook.
- Christine Urio