“Local people doing local things to make the community better.”
Those were the words of Village Trustee Jim Ramus on Monday evening as he spoke about spending a few minutes at Lisa Sibley’s ‘Happy Brain Day’ event on Main St. Saturday.
Ramus wasn’t the only person who enjoyed stopping by the event … there was a steady stream of community residents — and visitors — from noon to 4 p.m. as the first-ever event went on. Most everyone attending sought out Sibley — she couldn’t be missed because of her huge smile — and people availed themselves of crafts, coffee, companionship and more.
“I am still on cloud nine from how well everything went,” Sibley said on Sunday. “So many people helped and I could not have done it without all of those people and all of the donations I received.”
Sibley has so many thanks to give, and she said she’s so afraid she’ll forget someone, but wanted to give a shout out to:
“Joannna Weyer (who was busy over at the WinterMarket too), Liz from Lion’s Brew, my friends and family, Lisette from Your Favorite Candle, the amazing people from my Second Chances group, Michelle Birkenstock, Sharon Murphy, Finnegan and his parents Peter and Barbara Schumacher, a lady from Marlboro who heard about the event and came, Kristen Lerch, Barbara Stone (from the Hudson Highlands United Methodist Church – the space used by Sibley that day), Stella, Chevy, Annie, my dad, Devon, and everyone just stopped by to make their brains happy!”
Again, she said she knows she is forgetting people.
“I am so thankful for all the help to try to make a difference to protect brains from injuries and make brain injuries part of normal conversation,” Sibley said.
On that note, a big part of the day was giving out new bicycle helmets to children who needed or wanted them. While Sibley’s own brain injury was not due to a traumatic event like a fall from a bicycle, she wants to be a part of protecting children from ever having to go through a brain injury.
“One family I didn’t know said they came because they saw it in the newspaper and their two little ones got new helmets,” she said. “We gave away 50 helmets that day, and can’t thank those who donated them enough.”
So, Brain Day is over. Now what?
Sibley’s Second Chances support group continues on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month, at the same location, 316 Main St., from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
In addition, on the third Sunday of each month, from noon to 2 p.m., also at the same location, she will have activities for anyone who wants to stop by, and bicycle helmets available.
“Through all of this I have met some great people and I have a lot of great people supporting me,” Sibley said, still smiling. “I am on a mission. I want to try to reach anyone who might be struggling.”
Mission accomplished in her first try.