Chuck Newman is virtually a household name in Peekskill. And for good reasons.
One is that his family has been an integral part of the City’s business-and-social fabric for generations.
Another reason is that no sooner does Chuck meet someone than he is figuring out how to help that person, through a far-reaching network of professional and personal connections that this gregarious model citizen has cultivated for decades offering his services of videography just like this Austin video production company.
He decided to start helping out the local community with his professional skills, which include street photography, videography with excellent editing skills and depending on your business, underwater videography may even be an option that you’ll be interested in.
So it was no surprise that Chuck Newman was the first to jump on a generous offer extended to our community a few days ago by Jeffrey Cobelli.
GIVING BACK
Jeffrey is owner of videography company Good For You Productions — headquartered at The Hat Factory in Peekskill — and serves as chair of the AIM (Art Industry Media) committee of the Hudson Valley Gateway Chamber of Commerce.
Like Chuck, Jeffrey, who runs Good For You with business partner Natalie Chau, always has “community” on his mind, as their company name implies. Last week, Good For You Productions told local business owners it was donating its services through the end of this week “to document how you’re doing some good with respect to COVID-19.
“We are all in the midst of change and it will take community for us to pull through. So let us know if we can film your effort [at no charge]. Let’s show people what we are made of. We could all use some good right now.”
The first couple of pro bono videos made by Good For You can be seen at its YouTube channel here .
HELPFUL WEBINAR
On Chuck’s video, he talks about how he reached out to clients of his Charles J. Newman Co. — an insurance agency and brokerage that specializes in employee benefits and many forms of coverage — to host a webinar where he offered his expert advice on how to navigate the crisis as a business owner. To request a copy of his webinar, contact service@charlesnewman.com.
You’ll also see a charming Good For You video that gently teaches kids — through Sesame Street-style puppetry — how to stay germ-free. It’s hosted by the Child Abuse Prevention Center.
GIVING AWAY FOOD
Other videos in the series — titled A Piece of Good News — are on CHHOP (Caring for the Hungry and Homeless of Peekskill), which will be posted Monday, March 23, and Mohegan Lake restaurant Wild Fusion, which has been giving away free food. That video is due to go up on YouTube Tuesday, March 24.
All the videos run under three minutes.
From Peekskill to Poughkeepsie, and points in between, if you’re bringing good to others at this challenging moment — from donating time or resources to volunteering or educating — now’s the time to take up Good For You on its unique donation to the business community, by contacting Jeffrey Cobelli at jeff@itisgoodforyou.com.
In the meantime, as Chuck Newman advises his clients at this unprecedented time, “Use the caution button. Not the panic one.” To which he adds, “Out of adversity you see the best in people come out.”
Bruce Apar is Editor + Associate Publisher of River Journal North.
