The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

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Spring Foraging And Other Programs At Petersburgh Library

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The Petersburgh Public Library will hold a “Spring Foraging” program on Saturday, May 9 at 10 am. Danny Schnoop will lead this workshop.  He will lead a group to places where baby dandelion greens, fiddlehead ferns and other spring plants can be foraged.  Afterward, the group will return to the PVMCC for some pointers in preparing and preserving our finds.  Please sign-up at the library if you will be attending since space in the kitchen is limited.  In the event that there is inclement weather or the plants are not out yet, the workshop will be held on May 16 from 1 to 3 pm.

Story hour is held Tuesdays at 11 pm.  Preschoolers and their care givers are invited to join us for stories, games, crafts and snacks.  On April 28 stories will be from “Favorite Authors” and on May 5 “Folk and Fairy Tales”.

The annual library Plant, Book and Bake Sale will be held on Saturday, May 16 from 9 am to 1 pm.  Donations of plants, books and baked goods would be appreciated to support the library programs.

The book discussion group will meet on Wednesday, May 13 to discuss “The Testament of Mary” by Colm Toibin.  Copies of the books are available at the library for anyone who would like to read it and join the discussion.

Letter To The Editor – Farewell To Helen Ellett

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To the Editor:

With heavy hearts, the current members of the Grafton Trail Riders feel a deep sorrow about the passing on April 12 of Helen Ellett.  Helen, Chet (her husband)  and a few friends were the inspiration in creating the Grafton Trail Riders horse club. Since it was incorporated in 1950, there have been hundreds of members who have enjoyed the camaraderie of horse people. I am sure Helen and the other members who have passed, will be with us in spirit as we trail ride, camp out and tell our stories around the campfire.

Keep the Lord as your riding partner and you will never ride alone.

-Connie Madigan, on behalf of Grafton Trail Riders

Wood Memorial 5K

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The Town of Hoosick Lions Club is proud to announce that the 30th Annual Wood Memorial Road Race and Fun Run will be held on Saturday, May 16.  The Race is a 5K run following the same course as in previous years.

Registration is from 7 to 8:40 am at the bandstand with the race starting at 9 am.  Trophies and medals will be awarded to the top finishers.

Registration is $15. Those registered by May 5 are guaranteed a commemorative t-shirt: late registrants will also receive shirts as long as the supply lasts.

The Fun Run is a 1 mile race for those ages 13 and younger.  There was a good turnout by our younger runners last year and we hope to see even more runners this year.  $50 cash prizes will be awarded to the fastest boy and girl runner in each age category. The categories are; under 5, 5 to 7, 8 to 10 and 11 to 13.  The cost to register is $7 and all runners will receive a Fun Run t-shirt.

For those wishing to see the village at a more leisurely pace, there will be a 1 mile Fun Run/ Walk.  Pre-registrants will also receive a commemorative t-shirt. More information, registration forms and the  map of the race route  may be found at townofhoosicklions.org, Thorpe’s Pharmacy, Hoosick Federal Credit Union or from any Lion. You can also  call Rosemarie Smith at Hoosick Federal Credit Union at 686-4504.

Painting With Wool Workshop In Grafton

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Set your imagination free! The Grafton Community Library will present an introductory Painting With Wool Workshop on Saturday, May 16 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Everett Wagar Senior Center. We will explore the ancient, alchemical craft of hand-felted wool. Pursuing the creation of beauty, you will be invited to play with a full palette of wool fibers to create images and abstractions that are unique to you. Spontaneity will be encouraged as you get to experiment with a variety of surface embellishment techniques.  Prepare to be delightfully surprised, as we incorporate unexpected materials into our wool works of art that reveal magical textures upon felting.  Please bring two bath size-towels, scissors, a plastic garbage bag, and a dish sponge. Optional supplies: scraps of yarn, ribbon, sheer fabrics.  No prior felting experience necessary.

Instructor Jeannie Thomma has been teaching the art of hand-felted wool to artists of all ages as a workshop leader, private instructor, and artist in residence for more than a decade.  Her hand-felted wool works of art have been widely shown throughout New England in private, public and non-profit venues, including the award-winning galleries at Silvermine Arts Center where she has been a guild member, The Kershner Gallery, Ironwood Gallery, Wesleyan Potters, Erickson Davis Gallery and Zoe & Flloyd Gallery which she founded in 2006.  With numerous solo and group shows to her name, she is recognized for both her sculptural and wearable art works.

Jeannie is also the author of several books, including “Meditations for Artists,” and speaks about the importance of living a happy life by finding your purpose and pursuing your passion. Visit her website at www.jeanniethomma.com.

Class size is limited, and advance registration is required.  Register at the Grafton Community Library, located at 2455 NY Route 2, during open hours on  Monday, Tuesday 3 to 7 pm, Thursday, Friday 3 to 8 pm, Wednesday and Saturday 10 am to1 pm .

Connect with the Grafton Community Library via Facebook, by phone at 279-0580, or visit www.graftoncommunitylibrary.org.                                                                                                               This project is made possible in part through a Community Art$ Grant,  a program funded by The Arts Center of the Capital Region through the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency.  Each year The Arts Center delivers grants to local individual artists and arts organizations to create high quality arts and culture programs that engage the communities within Albany, Rensselaer and Schenectady Counties. This year’s awards total nearly $75,000 and were granted to 25 artists and organizations.

A Talk On Stephentown Cemeteries

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Pat Flint, Stephentown Town Historian, will give an illustrated talk on Stephentown cemeteries on Monday, May 4, 7:30 pm, at the Stephentown Historical Society’s Heritage Center, Garfield Road (County Route 26),  Stephentown, New York.  The program is free and the building is handicapped accessible.  For directions, telephone (518) 733-0010.

The Stephentown Historical Society’s Cemetery Committee has made some interesting discoveries in recent research on the over seventy burial spots in town;  Pat Flint, Marilyn Osgood, Linda Sullivan and Dave Cummings have contributed to this work.  Flint will highlight some of the customs of long ago and tell of those memorialized.  In addition to local doctors and innkeepers, even abolitionist John Brown gets some mention.

A Day At The Races

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The Derby Club’s 80th Anniversary Celebration and annual pre-Kentucky Derby Fund Raising Party will include the auction of a day at the track with trainer Gary Contessa. Meet Gary at the Contessa stables for an in depth tour showing the inner workings of a racing stable and a meet and greet with the equine athletes. After that you will be escorted to your lunch table for up to four people for a day of enjoying the races. (Liquor not included.) You will have the opportunity to come to the saddling paddock and meet the jockeys if a Contessa horse is running and, if the horse wins, you are in the winner’s circle with the Contessas. A great day to be had by all!

The Celebration will be held on Friday, May 1, at Brown’s Brewery in Walloomsac. Admission is $5. Food and drink will be available for purchase. There will be prizes for the greatest Derby Hats, a door prize, a 50/50 raffle and a Chinese Auction. Music will be provided by Three’s Harmony. Post time is 6 to 9 pm. Tickets are available in advance at Thorpe’s Pharmacy in Hoosick Falls, Brown’s Brewery in Walloomsac and Foggy Notions and O’Hearn’s Pharmacy in Cambridge.

BCS Alumni Association 75th Reunion

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Please help us celebrate the 75th Alumni Reunion on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Troy, NY.

All alumni, staff, faculty and retirees of Berlin Central School are cordially invited.  We will be honoring the classes of 1935, 1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015.

Join us for an evening of good food, friends and entertainment.  There will be several retired teachers in attendance this year including Joanne Pederson, former choir teacher.

For more information visit www.berlincentral.org and click on  District and Alumni. To update your mailing address, please like us on Facebook or email BerlinCentralalumni@yahoo.com.

Erika Pelletier Of Berlin Honored By Phi Theta Kappa

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Erika Pelletier of Berlin was one of two members of the Hudson Valley Community College student body named to the Phi Theta Kappa All-New York Academic Team in March.

Pelletier serves as president of the Early Childhood Club, Student Senate Senior Senator, Student Life Committee Representative, Phi Theta Kappa and Cheerleading squad member. She hopes to transfer to Russell Sage College to pursue a bachelor’s degree in special education and aspires to be an early childhood intervention specialist. She also was one of just seven Phi Theta Kappa students in the SUNY and CUNY systems statewide to be a recipient of the Coca Cola Bronze Scholarship. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation sponsors the Coca-Cola Community College Academic Team program by providing nearly $200,000 in scholarships annually. Each Bronze Scholar receives a scholarship and a special medallion.

Nominees for the honor must demonstrate academic excellence and notable service to the college and community. Those who are named to the All New York State Academic Team are eligible for scholarships at transfer colleges and universities.

Phi Theta Kappa is the largest honor society in higher education, serving nearly 1,300 colleges in all 50 states and nine countries. Members of the All-New York Academic Team are recognized for the academic achievements, leadership accomplishments and engagement in community service.

The Phi Theta Kappa Award Ceremony recognizes outstanding community college students throughout the state. In addition to academic achievement, recipients of the award also are evaluated on their leadership and community service involvement.

The ceremony is sponsored annually by New York Community College Trustees, the New York Community College Association of Presidents, and the Faculty Council of Community Colleges.

Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers more than 75 degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Science; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and an Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training. It has an enrollment of more than 13,000 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and workforce training. Hudson Valley has more than 75,000 alumni.