Announcements
Moment in Time: Celebrating 75 Years of Green Chimneys on Founders Day
October 27, 2022The entire Green Chimneys community gathered to officially celebrate our 75th anniversary, and honor our late founders, Sam and Myra Ross. Staff and students enjoyed an animal parade, food and games, and buried a time capsule to be opened on Green Chimneys’ 150th Founders Day on October 27, 2097.
A special highlight was an original skit commemorating the founding of Green Chimneys. Recreation Director Zac Staszak and Associate Executive Director of Human Resources Donna Kessler played the roles of Sam and Myra with great humor and admiration.
As a young man, Sam, known by many as “Rollo,” dreamed of opening a school on a farm. Rollo knew the significant role animals played in his own childhood, and he wanted to help students foster the same connection with the natural world.
In 1947, with the help of his family, Rollo purchased a dairy farm in Brewster, New York, named “Green Chimneys.” For the next seven decades, Rollo and his wife, Myra, led an agency built on the foundation of organizational excellence in education, mental health services, and human-animal interaction. With the expertise and dedication of staff, along with much-needed support from funders and friends, Green Chimneys continues to grow and innovate.
Scroll through photo highlights by clicking on the arrows above or click here to view the photo album on Flickr.
Over the last 75 years, Green Chimneys has served countless children and families. Today, Green Chimneys leads therapeutic education and residential treatment for children with special needs. The organization is also recognized worldwide as an innovator in animal-assisted activities and therapies. Green Chimneys also provides enriching recreation and clinical support to the community.
We are truly grateful to Rollo and Myra for their vision, dedication, and extraordinary leadership. And we look forward to continuing to serve children and families for decades to come!
