Meet The Volunteers Behind a More Beautiful Pine Plains

Change is unfolding quietly in Pine Plains’ business district — in the form of matching planters replacing weathered barrels, new garbage cans, freshly painted lampposts. Taken together, these details mark something larger: a town deciding that how it looks matters.

At the heart of that effort is the Pine Plains Beautification Committee, a volunteer group operating under the Town Board’s umbrella. It’s stated mission is to “enhance the appearance of the streetscape and public spaces of Pine Plains and work with local businesses and individuals to create and sustain a strong, vibrant, appealing community.”

Revived in late 2024 after years of dormancy, the committee has taken on the work once handled by a now-defunct business association — and for a time, by no one at all.

The group traces its roots to a former Park Committee led by longtime resident and Garden Club member Vicki Sorraco, which helped create the small park off Main Street where the committee now meets. “Then COVID happened,” she said, “and the committee kind of went into hibernation for a while.”

Sorraco rejoined in 2022, helping restart meetings after the pandemic. Today she serves as co-chair alongside Elena Meccariello, with members Lenora Champagne (a volunteer reporter at the Herald), Jean Valentine Chase, Thayer Durrell, and Town Board liaison Jeanine Sisco. Together, they have become Pine Plains’ unofficial caretakers.

For each of them, the work is personal. “I joined the committee because I love our town,” Meccariello said. “It has some really great architectural aspects to it. I just felt that people didn’t recognize it, and the town needed to be revived again.”

The committee recently repainted 51 lampposts, installed 22 planters, added four garbage cans (by the Bank of Millbrook and in the park), refurbished one bluestone planter, and scraped and repainted the information kiosk in the town’s park by hand. At its urging, a dumpster that had occupied a parking space behind the bank was moved to a less visible spot. The committee consulted on library landscaping, advised the Council of Churches on signage, and is working to relocate the Welcome to Pine Plains sign near Stewart’s to create a less cluttered entry into town.

The next goals look beyond cosmetics. The group plans to make the park’s sidewalks accessible for strollers and wheelchairs and to organize a Pine Plains Community Day in June 2026, drawing on additional volunteers to turn beautification into civic celebration.

Every project must go through the Town Board for approval. “We function under the auspices of the town,” Chase said. “Even though we’ve raised a large sum of money, we still need to get approval and three bids for everything — planters, trash cans, painting.” The committee’s role, Sorracco added, is care and presentation: “In the absence of a business association, we’re trying to help keep the downtown area looking good.”

The effort runs on volunteer time and generosity. Members estimate spending six to 10 hours a month on committee work — not counting the weeding and phone calls. Donations, routed through the Town of Pine Plains and earmarked for Beautification, come from both residents and local businesses.

“You can tell when there’s love and care in a town,” Chase added. “That’s the goal.”

For Meccariello, who once didn’t know the committee existed, the work has become a pact with her neighbors. “I used to complain about things and say, ‘Why isn’t someone doing something?’ Then someone told me, ‘There is a committee!’” she said. “You can’t criticize your town if you’re not trying to help it.”

The committee is looking for volunteers to help with ongoing projects and fill two available seats. If you’d like to get involved, please email a letter of interest to Brian Walsh (brianwalsh@pineplains-ny.gov) or Jeanine Sisco (jsisco@pineplains-ny.gov).