The City of Peekskill celebrated Irish American Heritage Month on Monday, March 10, by celebrating the enduring contributions, cultural heritage, and civic leadership of three residents.
Proclamations were presented at Peekskill City Hall by Mayor Vivian McKenzie to Peekskill Herald publisher Regina Clarkin, health care professional Karen Kelley, and community and youth leader Kevin Riley.
“This evening the City of Peekskill congratulates Regina Clarkin, Karen Kelley, and Kevin Riley for their personal and professional achievements, civic contributions and good deeds that have favorably impacted our community,” McKenzie said.
Regina Clarkin
Regina Clarkin, founding publisher of the digital, non-profit news site Peekskill Herald, was recognized for her outstanding contributions to local journalism and to the civic life of the community.
Upon receiving her proclamation, Clarkin said growing up on Howard Hill, she knew Peekskill was a special community.
“When I started the first Peekskill Herald in 1986, I was determined that people’s stories would be told,” Clarkin said. “I had worked at the Evening Star when I was in college and I knew that there were a lot more stories out there than were being told in the local newspaper. When we founded the Peekskill Herald in 1986 it was with that mission to be a voice for the voiceless and power for the powerless.”
Clarkin’s proclamation reads, in part…
Regina, a lifelong resident of the City of Peekskill and a graduate of Fordham University, has dedicated decades of her life to strengthening and informing her community through the power of local journalism.
In 1986, Ms. Clarkin co-founded the original weekly Peekskill Herald, establishing an essential source of local news and civic dialogue that served residents and fostered a deeper connection within the community.
Continuing her commitment to accessible and community-centered journalism, Ms. Clarkin serves today as the Founding Publisher and a journalist for the Peekskill Herald, a nonprofit digital news organization launched in 2021 to ensure that local, independent reporting remains a vital part of Peekskill’s civic life.
Through her reporting and editorial leadership, Ms. Clarkin has chronicled important local issues including waterfront development, the vitality of small businesses, and the compelling human-interest stories.
“Here we are, all these years later, doing it as a digital operation,” Clarkin said. “And now we’re running as a nonprofit, which means we need you to support us in order for us to continue to tell those great stories.”
Karen Kelley
Karen Kelley, a health care professional and chair of the Westchester Library Board System Nomination and Board Education Committee, was recognized for her professional accomplishments and dedication to the community.
She dedicated her award to her late parents, who had lived through the Great Depression.
“The values that they instilled in me, I think, pushed me along to community service, to dedication to helping those less fortunate than I,” Kelley said. “I was very fortunate to be supported throughout my life by them both, going to graduate school, travel, etc. And I just have to say they come back to me at a time like this, as do the rest of my Irish family.”
Her proclamation reads in part…
Karen, a dedicated resident of Peekskill for twenty-two years, has exemplified a lifelong commitment to public service and community engagement.
Karen has devoted more than forty years of distinguished service to the health care field in management. Her career has encompassed a wide range in both the public and private sectors, ranging from the establishment of accessible reproductive health services for teens in an underserved area to her role as First Deputy Commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Health, where her leadership and dedication helped advance the health and well-being of residents throughout Westchester County.
Her commitment to community service continues through her current role as a member of The Field Library Board of Trustees and as a member of the Westchester Library System Board of Trustees, where she serves as Chair of the WLS Nomination and Board Education Committee, helping to strengthen and guide the mission of public libraries in our region.
Karen’s life is further enriched by her loving partnership with her husband, Joseph Schuder, a former member of the Peekskill Common Council.
Through her professional accomplishments, and commitment to public service, Karen Kelley embodies the values of service, perseverance, and community spirit celebrated during Irish American Heritage Month.
“I don’t think there’s a non-Irish name among all my Irish-cousins. And that’s why I couldn’t give up Kelly for Schudder when Joe and I got married. The family would have disowned me,” Kelly joked. “I accept this on behalf of them also because they gave a lot of their lives to other people both as a teacher and as a community service person. And I thank you all for this honor.”
Kevin Riley
Kevin Riley, a community and youth leader described as the “biggest leprechaun in Peekskill” by his wife (Peekskill Deputy Mayor Patricia Riley), was honored for “representing the very best” of community heritage, faith, service and pride.
Upon accepting his proclamation, Riley shared that his parents set an example for him by dedicating hours into volunteer work in school, at Assumption Church, and for the Peekskill LaPolla Little League, where they were founding members.,.
“I’ve always loved my hometown of Peekskill, New York, and my Irish heritage,” Riley said. “Whether it’s helping children of my school on the baseball diamond or at a wrestling match, giving back is the most gratifying experience a person could ever ask for.”
His proclamation reads in part…
Kevin, born to Irish parents John and Janet Riley and proud to share his life with his spouse, Deputy Mayor Patricia Riley, is a lifelong resident of Peekskill whose love for his hometown is woven into every aspect of his life and whose heritage is reflected in his warmth, generosity, and unwavering commitment to others.
Kevin, who is an Alumnus of Peekskill High School, maintains strong ties to his classmates and is currently serving on his 50th class reunion committee.
Kevin dedicated 30 years of faithful service to General Motors before retiring, exemplifying the strong work ethic and perseverance long associated with his Irish roots.
Even in retirement, Kevin continues to serve the youth of Peekskill as a part-time lunch monitor at Woodside Elementary School. He has devoted countless hours as a coach,mentor for the LaPolla Little League, and local wrestling coach. Currently, he serves as an umpire for youth baseball and as a referee for the annual Peekskill kickball tournaments at Depew Park.
He has demonstrated deep compassion for those in need through his service on the board of CHHOP and through years of support and donations to the Keon Center.
Kevin has further strengthened the civic life of Peekskill through his longstanding volunteer service as a district leader for the Peekskill Democratic City Committee.
Riley, a member of the Peekskill High School’s 50th class reunion committee, said he is trying to find 250 people all over the country and encouraged those wanting more information to contact him. He also thanked his wife.
“I want to thank my beautiful wife Patrica, who I love dearly,” Riley said. “She’s been there for many years for me, for my ups and downs. She’s been behind me all the way. She’s the greatest person in the world. I love her.”
