9th annual Sisters in Support Kwanzaa Ball brings community together

By Dave Mueller

December 21, 2023

The 9th annual Sister’s in Support Kwanzaa Ball will take place on Saturday, December 30, from 6:00-11:00 pm at the Peekskill Central Firehouse. This event brings the community together to celebrate and educate on the principles of Kwanzaa which include self-determination, collectivism, and faith in ourselves and each other. This year Sisters in Support will Award the 2023 Champion of the People award to Westchester County Legislator Colin Smith and Entrepreneur and CEO of Aero-Ba-Soul and COO of G&K Sweet Foods, Kecia Palmer-Cousins. Receiving the 2023 Rising Star Award will be Micah Benson, an artist, speaker, and minister at Mt Olivet Baptist Church.

As in past Kwanzaa Balls, there will be scholarships presented to Peekskill High School students to help them alleviate some of the costs of college as they pursue their education. The Kwanzaa Ball will have live music by The Jam Syndicate Band, a funk/fusion band, as well as lots of dancing, dinner, and raffles. Tickets for the event must be bought in advance and will not be sold at the door. Tickets for the 9th annual Kwanzaa Ball can only be purchased at the Fern Tree located at 13 S. Division Street in downtown Peekskill or by calling 646-765-8819. The Fern Tree is open only this week from 12:00 – 6:00 pm this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. So grab your tickets fast! Tickets are $60 per ticket and organizers are hoping that everyone will dress in the theme of the evening: African Elegance.

Sisters in Support is a nonprofit group that aids minority women & families here in Peekskill and the surrounding communities. The organization provides environments, opportunities, and/or publications sharing information and education about parenting, healthcare, career development, budgeting, housekeeping, housing, human development, childcare, and the like.

For the past 19 years, Sisters in Support has also sponsored the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Tour in Peekskill. Peekskill has a long and storied history of the Underground Railroad and has many historic sites. For more information about Sister’s in Support, visit their website sisterinsupportinc.org.

Please remember December is Peekskill Herald’s big annual fundraising campaign – where every dollar we raise is matched, dollar for dollar, by major national funders through our partnership with NewsMatch. Every dollar counts and helps keep this 501c3 organization thriving.

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About the Contributor

Dave Mueller

As a Peekskill native, Dave is thrilled to be working with the Peekskill Herald showcasing featured calendar events. A 1999 graduate of PHS, he remembers reading and enjoying the original weekly print edition of the Peekskill Herald every Thursday. He especially liked the political stories, local features and sports coverage when it was written by Peekskill Runner columnist Jack Burns who always managed to weave history into the running times. An avid hiker, he enjoys exploring the local trails as well as the concrete ones in his job as a conductor for Metro North Railroad. He’s a former teacher and co-founder of the Friends of the Peekskill Dog Park, where he frequently can be found with his Koda. He’s happy to be part of the Herald’s growth as the source of local news for Peekskill and looks forward to highlighting a few of many of the events and happenings in Peekskill and the surrounding communities. Reach Dave at [email protected]