Radio Chatskill

Nestled in the rolling hills of Wayne County, the Himalayan Institute stands as a beacon of yoga, wellness, and spiritual growth—not just locally, but on a global scale. In the latest episode of Chamber Chats, hosted in partnership with the Chamber of the Northern Poconos, retreat center director Brian Fulp joined Radio Chatskill to share the Institute’s mission and its deep roots in the Honesdale community.

A lifelong member of the Himalayan Institute community, Fulp first visited the center as a 14-year-old from Indiana. His journey from teenage volunteer to retreat center director spans decades of service, innovation, and leadership. “I came out for a program in 1983,” he recalled. “And in 1997, I helped launch the Institute’s first website—back when the internet was still a big question mark.”

A Mission to Inspire, Educate, Empower

The Himalayan Institute is home to a year-round community of about 110 residents spanning multiple generations. Their shared mission? “To inspire, educate, and empower those who wish to reach their full potential,” said Fulp.

That mission is brought to life through a rich array of programs rooted in a 5,000-year-old yogic tradition. The Institute adapts these ancient teachings—such as breathing practices, meditation, and nutrition—to modern life, making them accessible and practical for today’s world.

“This isn’t about religion,” Fulp emphasized. “It’s a scientific approach to well-being. We’re a spiritual organization, yes, but our community is incredibly diverse—people from all backgrounds working together toward the same goal.”

Local Roots, Global Reach

From Honesdale to India, the Himalayan Institute’s impact extends far beyond its picturesque Pennsylvania campus. Through its “Yoga in Action” humanitarian mission, the Institute supports initiatives like water access, food security, and education at its international community centers.

Fulp shared one memorable story from India: “We dug a well in a region with no water, and it quickly became clear that this was just the beginning. Other communities started asking, ‘Where’s our water?’ We had to develop a fair process. It was a challenge, but a beautiful example of service.”

Community Engagement and Volunteerism

Locally, the Institute thrives on volunteerism. A recently launched Volunteer Getaway Program has drawn nearly 75 community members who help with tasks from painting to trail maintenance—all while enjoying the natural beauty of the Institute’s campus and participating in educational offerings.

“We found after COVID that people just wanted to be in nature, to be of service, and to learn,” said Fulp. “That’s what these programs provide.”

Youth engagement is also a priority. Through the Rotary Interact Program at Wayne Highlands School District, the Institute collaborates with local students on service projects that foster leadership and community awareness.

“These kids are incredible,” said Fulp. “They’re passionate, intelligent, and totally networked. It’s inspiring to see.”

A Welcoming Space for All

For those considering their first visit to the Himalayan Institute, Fulp offers simple advice: “Come as you are. No special clothes, no expectations. Just show up and start from wherever you are.” Visitors can explore everything from beginner yoga classes to advanced programs—and even enjoy a treat from Moka Origins, the on-campus bean-to-bar chocolate café.

With a growing online presence and hybrid programs that combine digital learning with in-person experiences, the Institute continues to expand its reach while staying grounded in its Honesdale home.

Looking Ahead

Reflecting on his decades of service, Fulp hopes to leave a legacy of sustained community impact. “We’re over 50 years old now,” he said. “And I see us becoming a foundational institution in the area—something like Rodale Press. A place where people can build careers and families while staying true to our mission.”

For more information, upcoming events, or to get involved, visit himalayaninstitute.org.

Chamber Chats is produced in partnership with the Chamber of the Northern Poconos, highlighting stories of leadership, service, and innovation across the region.

Ellenville, NY — As spring returns to the Catskills and the Upper Delaware region, the warm weather invites residents and visitors outdoors. But it also brings back some unwelcome guests: ticks and mosquitoes. These small pests carry serious health risks, including Lyme disease and other vector-borne illnesses that are becoming more common across the region.

Dave Williams, an emergency room clinician at Ellenville Regional Hospital, joined a local broadcast this week to discuss what to expect this season, how to protect yourself and your family, and when to seek medical help.

Why Spring Is Peak Season

Ticks become especially active in spring and early summer, particularly the black-legged deer tick, which transmits Lyme disease and anaplasmosis. Many ticks that didn't feed in the fall become aggressive in the spring, and a single female can lay up to 3,000 eggs.

Mosquito activity also rises with increased rainfall, which leads to more standing water — the perfect breeding ground.

“Wet springs make things worse,” Williams explained. “Mosquitoes thrive in stagnant water, and ticks love moist, shaded areas like leaf litter or tall grass.”

What to Watch For

Early symptoms of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses can be deceptively mild — and easy to dismiss.

“It often looks like a summer cold,” said Williams. “Fever, body aches, fatigue. Only about a third of Lyme patients get the telltale rash, so it’s easy to miss.”

Symptoms typically appear 7 to 10 days after a bite. If left untreated, Lyme can progress to more serious complications, such as joint swelling, neurological symptoms, or even Lyme carditis, which affects the heart.

Williams emphasized that if symptoms linger — especially fatigue, aches, or fever — it’s important to seek care.

Pets and Kids at Higher Risk

Children and pet owners face increased exposure. Young kids often play in grassy areas and are more likely to come into contact with ticks. Similarly, pets that spend time outdoors can bring ticks inside.

“We see a lot of children under seven and older adults come in with Lyme,” said Williams. “Parents should do daily tick checks, especially behind the ears, around the neck, and at the hairline. Those are the common hiding spots.”

Dogs can also show symptoms such as limping or lethargy — signs that should prompt a visit to the vet.

Prevention Tips

Williams shared several tips to reduce the risk of bites:

• Dress smart: Wear light-colored clothing to spot ticks more easily. Tuck pants into socks when walking in grassy or wooded areas.
• Use repellent: Apply EPA-approved repellents like DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Clothing and shoes can be treated with permethrin — but never apply permethrin directly to skin.
• Check yourself: Do thorough tick checks after coming indoors, including under arms, behind knees, along the hairline, and in the belly button.
• Eliminate tick habitats: Keep lawns mowed, remove leaf litter, and drain standing water to reduce breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If symptoms persist beyond a few days, or if you notice a rash or know you’ve been bitten, don’t wait.

“Lyme disease is very treatable if caught early,” said Williams. “We often treat based on symptoms alone, because you can’t wait days for test results when someone’s sick.”

Treatment typically involves a 10–14 day course of antibiotics like doxycycline.

Don’t Let Illness Ruin Your Summer

Williams’s biggest piece of advice? Be vigilant, but don’t be afraid to enjoy the outdoors.

“Spring and summer in the Catskills are beautiful,” he said. “You just have to be smart. Check yourself and your kids, spray your clothes, and don’t wait to get help if something feels off.”

More information and resources are available at Ellenville Regional Hospital’s website.

At an age when many are content to settle into retirement, Elvira Tortora is just getting started — on stage, under the spotlight, and telling the story of a life that defies convention. Her critically acclaimed one-woman cabaret show, The Bookmaker’s Daughter, makes its way to The Parlor in Narrowsburg this weekend, offering audiences a heartfelt, humorous, and musically rich journey through her unconventional Brooklyn childhood and beyond.

Tortora, who grew up in Brooklyn with her sister and their parents — including a father who was a neighborhood bookmaker — draws on a lifetime of stories, seamlessly weaving them with a repertoire of songs ranging from Bobby Vinton’s “Blue Velvet” to Luther Vandross’ “Dance With My Father.”

“I grew up in a not-so-traditional home,” Tortora says. “But there was so much love, and the music I sing helps bring those memories to life.”

After a long career in the fashion industry, Tortora returned to her first passion — singing — in her early 60s, discovering a welcoming community in New York’s vibrant cabaret scene. “I didn’t know anything about cabaret,” she says, “but it gave me a space to sing songs that told stories. So I started writing patter — short stories from my life — and choosing songs that matched.”

Those efforts blossomed into The Bookmaker’s Daughter, a full-length cabaret memoir that premiered at the iconic Don't Tell Mama in Manhattan and is now hitting the road. The show has garnered a Bistro Award and a MAC nomination — honors that, Tortora admits, she never imagined receiving at this stage of life.

“On my 70th birthday, I was performing in a cabaret club on West 46th Street,” she recalls. “At 26, that was the dream. And it took until 70, but I did it.”

The show spans decades — musically and emotionally — from Tortora’s eighth-grade graduation gift (a night at the Latin Quarter to see Bobby Vinton) to her second marriage at 46. Along the way, she pays homage to greats like Stephen Sondheim and Richard Rodgers, infusing each number with personal resonance.

Audience reactions have been deeply moving, Tortora says. “Even people who didn’t grow up anything like I did — no Brooklyn, no bookie dad — still connect. They find their own memories in my stories.”

And now, she’s bringing those stories closer to home — to her second home, in fact. Tortora owns a house in Lackawaxen, PA, and when friends there asked her to bring the show upstate, she obliged. This weekend’s performances in Narrowsburg mark an expansion of her tour and a full-circle moment: her sister, a retired teacher from nearby Wawarsing, will see the show alongside many locals.

For anyone considering a creative leap later in life, Tortora offers simple but powerful advice: “Just do it. Paint, act, quilt — whatever it is, don’t wait. I waited a long time, but I made it happen. And so can you.”

Elvira Tortora appears in “The Bookmaker’s Daughter” tonight and tomorrow at The Parlor in Narrowsburg, NY. More information at the venue's Instagram page or www.elviratortora.com.

Are you "foster curious?”

Happening this Monday in Narrowsburg, Foster Curious is an open conversation about foster care in Sullivan County, which was created to foster understanding, ignite dialogue, and build support.

Abby Mortensen, a social worker and mom of five through foster care and adoption, and Susan Mendoza, a former foster mom and lifelong advocate, spoke about the gathering and their fostering experience.

Their shared experiences and passion for supporting children and families led them to create a space where the community could learn more about the realities of fostering in a casual, welcoming setting.

“Fostering is one of the most powerful ways to strengthen the fabric of a community,” Mendoza said. “Even if you’re not ready to foster yourself, there are countless ways to support the families who do.”

The event is meant for anyone—whether they are exploring the idea of fostering, supporting friends who foster, or simply want to understand the foster care system better. Attendees will hear firsthand accounts of fostering, including the challenges and joys it brings. One of Mendoza’s former foster children, now an adult and active-duty military member, will speak at the event, offering a rare perspective from someone who experienced the system firsthand.

Mortenson addressed a common hesitation she often hears from potential foster parents: “People worry about getting too attached, but that’s exactly what these children need—someone to love them deeply and provide a safe, stable environment, even if only for a time.”

The event is hosted in collaboration with Big Eddy Brewery, whose co-owner, Jake Johnson—a family court lawyer in Monticello—offered strong support. "Family court depends heavily on willing and qualified foster parents," he said. "They often become the most important figures in a child's life."

While there’s no formal registration required, families are encouraged to attend. Childcare will be available on site, provided by the Tustin Youth Commission, and local nonprofits such as DVAA and Chi Hive will be present to offer resources and support.

“There’s no pressure, no expectations,” Mendoza added. “Just real stories from real people—and maybe the spark for someone to take that next step.”

Foster Curious
📍 Big Eddy Brewery, 93 Main St, Narrowsburg, NY
🕕 Monday at 6:00 PM
🎟 Free | Kids welcome | Childcare provided

Inspired by Rolling Stone's "100 Best Protest Songs of All Time," local singer-songwriters—and artists from the surrounding areas—are coming together Sunday for “Sing It Loud,” a live concert dedicated to songs of protest and social impact. 

The goal? To spark inspiration both locally and across the country, encouraging people to raise their voices through music.

Musician Scott Palermo and co-organizer Kathy Geary appeared on Radio Chatskill to discuss igniting musical activism and community engagement at the event. 

Spring is here and that means one of the Upper Delaware’s most distinctive fish is returning, and so is the festival that celebrates it: ShadFest. 

What started as a grassroots celebration of the American Shad’s annual return to the Delaware River has evolved into a multi-town festival showcasing local culture, cuisine, and environmental awareness.

Tim Bruno caught up with Johnny Pizzalato, one of the main folks behind ShadFest, to chat about how it all started, what’s coming up in 2025, and why this festival is about way more than just fish.

Now in its 10th year, Hudson Valley Gives was created by the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan, or CFOS, to help nonprofits in Orange, Sullivan, Ulster, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, and Westchester Counties connect with online donors and raise crucial funds and awareness for their life-changing work.

Last year alone, this initiative raised over $795,000 — pushing the total impact since its inception to a remarkable $4.5 million for local nonprofits.

Andrea Bedrosian from CFOS talks about this year’s milestone event and how local nonprofits can still get involved.

One of the Hudson Valley’s most cherished traditions is back—Ellenville Run Like the Wind returns for another year of community, movement, and meaningful impact. 

Since 1983, this annual 5K has brought people of all ages and abilities together to run or walk a scenic course that winds through the heart of Ellenville.

We caught up with Marcus Guiliano, owner of Aroma Thyme Bistro where the race begins and ends to talk about the race’s legacy, its impact on local causes, and what makes this event such a standout in the region.

Pennsylvania is home to roughly 70,000 Bhutanese immigrants – the second largest Bhutanese community in the country. Local advocates say this community is facing unprecedented deportations under the current Trump administration.

Bhutan is a small country in Asia landlocked between China, Nepal, and India. In 2008, Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees immigrated to the United States as part of a resettlement program after the Bhutanese government implemented a 'one nation, one people' ethnic nationalist policy and stripped thousands of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees of their citizenship.

Radio Catskill’s Kimberly Izar spoke with Mohan Seshadri, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Islander Political Alliance in Pennsylvania, about the surge of deportations facing the local Bhutanese community.

If you’ve scrolled through local social media lately, chances are you’ve seen the name CATS pop up again… and again. No, not the Broadway musical or your neighbor’s tabby—it stands for Catskill Arts & Theatre Space, and it’s tied to an effort to revive one of Sullivan County’s most iconic buildings: the Liberty Theatre.

What exactly is happening behind those historic doors? Is it another theatre company, or something more? To find out, Ellouise Kidman artistic director of CATS and Harold Tighe, talk about plans, progress, and why they believe Liberty deserves a stage of its own.