The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

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The St. Mary’s Academy Duck Race

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A fun, family friendly event, hosted by Brown’s Brewery, 50 Factory Hill Road, Hoosick Falls, is the First Annual “Quack” which will be held on Saturday, May 31, from 12 to 7 pm. This event features a quarter mile rubber-ducky race down the Walloomsac River.

Ducks will be sold for $10 each, or three ducks for $20. First place wins $1,000, second place, $250, and third place, $100. The carnival atmosphere will include games, carnival food, live entertainment and the greatest attraction – the duck race! Being fun for our families, this event holds great promise of becoming a new tradition for our wonderful Hoosick Falls community in which to take part. The ducks will be launched at 5:30 pm.

While playing the games and eating some great food you can enjoy the sounds of Three’s Harmony (Krissy, Sherri and Wayne).

For more information please call St. Mary’s Academy at 518-686-4314.

Hoosick Grange News

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Hoosick Grange had its regular meeting on May 14. Master David Cornell conducted the business meeting.

Kendall Baker was in charge of the Lecturer’s program. He introduced his speaker, Mr. Rick Porcoco, who does Appraisals and Forestry for Farm Credit East. He told us he is an American Forestry member and is a consultant on woodlots and logging. He started his talk by telling us a joke. Then he told us how he likes to talk with farmers and woodlot owners at the kitchen table. He said most people are attached to their lands. He then likes to take a long walk around the perimeter of the woods and survey the boundary line. If you’re a long term planner, five or ten years, you pick what is good or bad in trees – the different variety of trees, how large or small they are and if you have a larger area for the trees to expand on the top. Then if you have a bid on the wood from mills or logger companies, it depends on the demand and supply how much you get paid. Before anyone comes onto your property, make sure you are paid in full. Then be sure the contract is fulfilled. Consultants are paid a percentage per acre. If you have a forester manage your wood land, you can get your Town, County and School taxes reduced by 80%. After this, Rick answered many questions. The Lecturer thanked him for a very informative program.

We had some delicious refreshments served by Marion Brenenstuhl. Our next meeting was on May 28. Norma Brenenstuhl was in charge of the program. The Philpotts were in charge of refreshments.

Berlin JV Masterminds Heading To Chicago

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submitted by Erin Clary, Communications Specialist, Berlin Central School District 

A team of four Berlin High School students is heading to Chicago, IL, June 7-9 to join teams from all over the country for the Questions Unlimited National Academic Championship. The team was invited to the academic competition after their impressive 11-1 run in the regional Masterminds competition this year.

Kodi Day, Colin Love, Andrew Shoemaker and Emma Woolly, the four members of the Berlin JV Masterminds team, will have their knowledge tested through an academic trivia competition, not unlike the game show “Jeopardy” but with far fewer pop culture questions.

According to their teacher and coach, Matt Christian, the students have worked hard all year and will benefit from the experience. “This is an honor for them to be invited, and it would be so prestigious if they win,” said Christian. “And it’s a rare opportunity for them to get out and see the world.”

The students credit their success thus far to their ability to work as a team. Each student specializes in his or her own category and together they have easily defeated their competitors.

“We all have our strengths, and it’s one of the reasons we’ve been so successful,” said Woolly. “It’s exciting that we made it this far. We’re going to learn a lot from it, and I hope it brings attention to the Berlin JV Masterminds so that other people will want to join.”

All four students said they are looking forward to the big trip.

“Masterminds has been a great experience, and now we’re getting a trip out of it,” said Shoemaker. “It’s also really good motivation to keep your grades up and to continue good academic practice.”

Stephentown Food Pantry Helped By Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

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The Stephentown Food Pantry has added to its shelves nearly 1,000 lbs. of food collected in the recent Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers. Thanks go to all the local carriers, post office staff and the generous people of Stephentown and East Nassau who donated food. The collection from the East Nassau post office was split between the Stephentown Food Pantry and the pantry in East Nassau. This broad community support allows the pantry to provide food assistance for 8 to 14 families per week.

The Stephentown Food Pantry offers short term assistance to residents of Stephentown and Hancock, MA. The pantry is open every Saturday morning, weather permitting, from 9 to 11 am at the Stephentown Federated Church, Garfield Road (County Route 26). Appointments are not needed, but new clients should bring identification showing their street address, such as a current utility bill. As always, requests for help are confidential. For information, call 518-487-8606.

This volunteer group has been serving the community since 1983. If you missed the food drive and wish to donate money to help stock the pantry, you may send checks to the Stephentown Food Pantry Treasurer at P. O. Box 387, Stephentown, NY, 12168. The pantry is also a member of the Food Bank of NENY in Latham, NY. You may request any contribution you make to them be applied to the Stephentown Food Pantry account as part of their Adopt-A-Pantry program.