Ball Honors Generous Owners of Celtic Corner

Nicholas Bell and Brian Doyle—proprietors of the The Celtic Corner in Dobbs Ferry and J.P. Doyle's Restaurant and Public House in Sleepy Hollow—will be honored with the Laurance S. Rockefeller Award at the Family YMCA of Tarrytown’s Annual YMCA Halloween Masquerade Ball on Friday, Oct. 19. The ball will be held at Trump National Country Club in Briarcliff.

The restauranteurs are being honored for their local community service and generosity, much of it behind the scenes. They expressed gratitude and humility at the YMCA’s taking note of their good works.

“The YMCA is amazing,” said Doyle, who has owned the Celtic Corner since March 2001, and the two Tarrytown restaurants for the last 13 years. “We are so excited to be part of this great group.”

Besides being owners of J.P. Doyle's since September 1999 they have owned Celtic Corner in Dobbs Ferry since March 2001.

In turn, YMCA Board Member Kiran Batheja had this to say in praise of these "local legends":

While Brian Doyle and Nicholas Bell’s visible individual and joint support of large and small community groups and initiatives, including youth organizations, is well known, their consistent “behind the scenes” impact in our diverse community is even more meaningful and important. When you think of the Y’s rich history and unfailing commitment to community service, I cannot easily think of any other “Local Legends” who embody the YMCA’s values and mission in the way that Nick and Brian do. They are very deserving of 2012 recipients of the Family YMCA at Tarrytown’s Laurence S. Rockefeller Award. 

Both men explained that charity and community involvement have always been essential to their business plan. 

“We have kept our doors open through the September 11th attacks and an economic disaster that has been ongoing for five or six years now,” said Bell. “Very early on, we understood that if our surrounding community was strong, we would greatly increase our chances of being sucessful at Doyle’s.”

After all, it was the history and community (and the promise of new development at the General Motors plant at the end of Beekman Avenue) that drew them to the Sleepy Hollow in the first place.

Doyle is past co-president of the Tarrytown Sleepy Hollow Chamber of Commerce and currently sits on the chamber’s board of directors. He serves on the Sleepy Hollow Police Advisory Committee and has recently been apointed a board director for The Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Hudson Valley Chapter.

“Finding the ways to grant the wishes of young kids with life threatening illnesses is one way to we can spread hope, strength and joy in the world,” said Doyle. “The Chapter is located right here in Tarrytown and those involved at MAW are some of the best, and most dedicated people you will ever come across.”

Doyle is also a New York City firefighter at FDNY’s Ladder 45 in Washington Heights, where he has served since 2001. He and his wife Jennifer are the proud parents of Caleigh, Elizabeth and Michael Thomas.

Bell has had his hand in generating support for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Relay for Life, and The Foundation for the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns. He also serves on the Sleepy Hollow St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee and supports youth soccer in the community. Nick is married to Adrienne and they are the proud parents of Jack Paul Bell.

“We just feel that if we help and promote those around us, it will eventually benefit us also!” said Bell. ”I'm certain that it's this thinking that has resulted in us now having more repeat business than at any other time in our 13 years.”

“We’re pleased to honor Brian and Nick for their significant and lasting generosity to so many groups and charitable organizations in Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow,” said Gerry Riera, CEO of the YMCA. “The ball will be a fun, exciting event to raise funds for our Strong Kids Campaign, which provides support for over 1,100 local children and families who otherwise could not afford Y membership or programs like our extended day Infant and Childcare and after school programs.”

Riera expressed gratitude to ball sponsors such as Abbott & Price Inc. and Met Life, Marshall & Sterling, Provident Bank, among many others.

In a nod to the Tarrytown's YMCA ever expanding Childcare Department, the theme of this year’s ball is “Fairy Tales." Entertainment includes Hank LaneMusic’s “Park Avenue” band, Y Dance students interpreting Cinderella, LifesizePuppets, and silk aerialists interpreting Alice in Wonderland.

Tickets for the event are $160 each, and must be obtained in advance by October 12. Purchase tickets online at www.ymcatarrytown.org, or contact Barbara Turk, Vice President of Marketing and Community Development, atbarbarat@ymcatarrytown.org or by calling 914-631-4807.

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