The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

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It’s Not Too Late To Support The Karen McGovern Fund

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The annual Karen McGovern Volley Ball Tournament benefitting the Karen McGovern Fund will take place on Saturday, September 7, at 10 am at The Sand Bar.
You can support the efforts of the Karen McGovern Fund Volleyball Tournament in the following ways:
Send A Team
The requested donation is $30 per participant or $175 per team. Teams may consist of four persons including one woman or 5/6 persons including two woman – adults only. Each participant receives a T-shirt, a buffet lunch and keg beer.
Sponsor A Team
The cost is $175, and sponsors are recognized through signage during the tournament.
Donate An Item For Our Raffle
Please call 518-857-8117, and a committee member will be happy to pick it up.
Make A Donation
All donations help support the fund! There are no administrative expenses. Funds are raised throughout the year through bequests, memorials and additional fundraisers including many poker runs organized by Don Armstrong. The committee has selected Don Armstrong as this year’s recipient of the Karen McGovern Award, which will be presented on September 7. Don has been an active supporter of the organization and has demonstrated Karen’s admirable perseverance and strength.
Funds raised help individuals and families currently battling cancer and living in Hoosick and in the surrounding areas. Each year thousands of dollars are raised. Funds help individuals and families with expenses related to their medical condition and provide assistance with purchasing fuel or groceries. The fund also provides assistance to people who need transportation to area hospitals and doctor appointments.
Checks can be made out to Rural Rensselaer County Council for Health and Human Services c/o Karen McGovern Fund and mailed to P.O. Box 132, Hoosick Falls, NY, 12090, or stop at the Sand Bar on Saturday, September 7. Questions? Please call 518-857-7115.

An Illustrated Talk About Stephentown Schoolhouses At The Stephentown Historical Society

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Pat Flint and Marilyn Osgood will give an illustrated talk about Stephentown Schoolhouses at the Stephentown Historical Society meeting on Monday, September 9, at 7:30 pm. The meeting will be at the Stephentown Heritage Center on Garfield Road (County Route 26), Stephentown. The program is free and open to the public. The building is handicapped accessible. For directions or information, phone 518-733-0010.
The Town had as many as sixteen school districts up until the consolidated Berlin Central School District completed Stephentown Elementary School in 1948. Some of the schoolhouses are gone, but many have been put to new uses as homes, the Town Hall and the Stephentown Memorial Library. Several former students at these schools will attend to share their experiences. One is bringing a school bench to show. The Heritage Center houses a large blackboard from School No. 4.
Pat Flint is Town Historian for Stephentown, and both women are past presidents of the Stephentown Historical Society and active explorers of the Town’s past. Flint has researched and prepared the program; Osgood assisted with photography and in the presentation.

Grafton Community Co-Op Accepting New Members

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Are you interested in purchasing a wide variety of gluten and dairy free products, grains, coffee, tea, bulk organic nuts, baking supplies or spices? If so you may enjoy becoming a member of our community buying club. By doing so, you support your local community, get to know your neighbors and get great access to natural and organic products without driving all the way to Albany to shop.
Our group orders on a monthly basis from United Natural Foods National Products companies. Currently ten families participate, and we are looking for a few more members to join our group. The monthly job is simple – roll out of bed early Saturday to meet the delivery truck at the Grafton Community Library on Rt. 2 in Grafton, help unload and divide members’ products and gather up your order that you placed online prior. It usually takes less than an hour.
Our co-op also has access to personal care items, cleaning products and pet supplies. Also, we can introduce you to the local farm community. If you have family, buying in bulk is a great way to get your products economically. Members can share products that are available only in bulk through our order splitting process. To find out more, please contact Maureen Gallagher, Coordinator Grafton Community Co-op at 518-279-1498.

Letter To The Editor – Unwarranted Political Agenda Or Bona Fide Concerns?

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To the Editor:
In reading a letter to the editor of The Eastwick Press by the Petersburgh Town Supervisor on August 30, there was some concern as to whether “statements about the Highway Department and other offices were made public just for the sake of elections.”
Statements about townspeople made publicly by Town officials and reported in news media in a Town Board Meeting can always be tricky, particularly when it involves a local business owner who finds out there are concerns that have not been directly addressed.
It is wise to discuss issues with your elected officials as suggested in the Petersburgh Town Supervisor’s letter to the editor. In fact, I met with Siegfried Krahforst earlier in August to discuss my thoughts, concerns and desire to run for the Town Highway Superintendent. I shared with him many of the concerns addressed to me by Petersburgh residents while campaigning for the position.
One such concern I addressed was why the Petersburgh Highway Department is purchasing material from other places when we have a local supplier. As a long time heavy highway superintendent, I have had the pleasure of working with many municipalities across the state. The process is simple – requests for bids are publicly advertised, competing companies submit bids for specific projects and/or materials and the lowest bidder is given the contract. Most municipalities also request pricing for specific equipment and hourly labor rates pertaining to emergency or unforeseen circumstances.
It is my understanding that our local supplier was the lowest bidder and was awarded the contract to supply the sand, gravel and stone for Petersburgh. Ethically speaking, this low bidder protocol should be followed eliminating any bias or personal preferences.
As a community, we all need to work together to ensure that we are spending our limited tax dollars responsibly. Asking questions and being informed while attending the Petersburgh Town Board Meetings the third Monday of each month is a great way to reinforce this process!
Gene Kluck
Johnnycake Hill Road, Petersburgh