Angeles T. Hall, 88, passed away on July 14, 2014 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy. Born in Cabagan, Isabella in the Philippines, she was the youngest of ten children born to the late Fausta & Jose Taggueg. A World War II survivor of the Japanese Invasion, she graduated from the University of Santa Tomas in Manila with a degree in nursing.
Berlin
Upcoming Events At Grafton Lakes And Cherry Plain State Parks And The Bennington Battlefield
• August 1, Friday – Star Watch at Cherry Plain State Park at 8:30 pm. Meet at the main parking lot.
• August 2, Saturday – Kids in the Creek at 3 pm at Cherry Plain State Park. Hike up the stream and see what critters we can find! Meet at the Park Office.
• August 2, Saturday – Storytelling by the Fire at 7 pm at Cherry Plain State Park. We’ll share ancient tales and new ones. Come hear stories of wild creatures and other wonders.
• August 7, Thursday – Outdoor Tykes at 10:30 am. Explore Grafton Lakes State Park in this free program series for toddlers and pre-k aged children. Please pre-register by calling 279-1155.
• August 7, Thursday – Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park Summer Potluck and Meeting at 6:30 pm. Meet at the Park office for a barbecue and good time with great people. Trails, new events and volunteer opportunities are on the agenda.
• August 10, Sunday – Run for the Roses 5k Race at GLSP at 9 am benefitting the Grafton Community Library. Entrance fee is $10 per runner. The Nature Hike is at 8 am, and the Kids Fun Run is at 10 am. Call 279-0580 for more information.
• August 16 and 17, Saturday and Sunday – the 237th Anniversary of the Battle of Bennington at the Bennington Battlefield Historic Site in North Hoosick. Living history enthusiasts, encampments and tactical reenactments will be offered at this free event. Experience the sights, sounds and smells of 1777. For a detailed schedule, find Bennington through www.nysparks.com/events.
Kendra Kares
submitted by Karen L. Roberts
Kendra Roberts, 11, of Berlin participated in the June 21 Relay for Life in Bennington. After five years as a team participant, Kendra created and led her own team, Kendra Kares, raising an impressive $1,304 to support Relay for Life’s fight against cancer. As part of her fundraising efforts, Kendra made a quilt to raffle off. Of the total support brought in by the team, Kendra raised $963 on her own, $463 of which was brought in by the quilt raffle.
No One Marches Alone! Ruck March
Did you know…? The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are 52,000 Veterans living in Rensselaer County and the surrounding five counties. Members of the military, from World War II to the War on Terror, experience a myriad of challenges, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injury, substance abuse and mental health problems and problems associated with reintegration, such as finding employment and stable housing.
Heroes at Home, a Rensselaer County peer support program, has scheduled a Ruck March (army style march with backpack) on September 20 to help raise awareness of the challenges that military personnel experience.
No One Marches Alone! is the slogan for this inaugural Patriot Ruck March, a 26.4 mile march that will go from Poestenkill to Grafton and back again. Prizes will be given for top marchers in male and female carrier categories, with 35 pound ruck or no ruck.
If you or anyone you know would be interested in marching, or if you would like to sponsor someone who is marching, make a donation or assist on September 20, contact John Holmes at 518-545-6781 or stop in at the Hoosick Falls American Legion on Tuesdays from 2 to 8 pm or on Fridays from 12 to 5 pm, and he can sign you up, get you a sponsor packet, plug you in to help and answer any questions you might have. Donations will go directly to projects that help prevent veteran suicide and conduct veterans’ outreach in Rensselaer County.
Heroes at Home is one of eleven NYS funded PFC Joseph Dwyer Peer to Peer Programs. They provide peer support to anyone who has served in the military, as well as their families, regardless of discharge status, era in which they served or combat experience. Since 2012, we have partnered with the VA, the VFW and American Legion and community providers to ensure that Veterans have access to services, and to provide support as they navigate the reintegration process.
Details of the march are being finalized so watch the newspapers for more information, and if you can’t march, then come on out and cheer on those who are!
Berlin Town Board Action – Gratitude
by Kieron Kramer
The regular Berlin Town Board meeting, held on Thursday, July 10, was filled with gratitude – gratitude to Highway Superintendent Jim Winn and his department for installing two flag poles at the Municipal Center in time for the Fourth of July, gratitude to the volunteers who planted, placed and watered the flower barrels along the route of the Berlin July 4 Parade on Main Street and gratitude to the anonymous donor who purchased the pricey, antique Berlin Band drum and donated it to the Berlin Historical Center and to Billy Hammersmith “for bringing it up.” [Read more…] about Berlin Town Board Action – Gratitude
A Successful Berlin July Fourth Parade
submitted by the Parade Committee
With a crowd as big as ever, hundreds of people lined the parade route despite the threatening weather. The parade brought families, friends and communities together to celebrate our nation’s birthday in spirited hometown tradition. The morning rain subsided before the 11 am start and held off for pretty much the duration of the parade. The only July 4th parade in Rensselaer County was led by local American Legion Taconic Valley Post #937 with Color Guard. They were followed by Grand Marshal, Dianne Mosher with her husband Bruce, driven by John Kellar in his 1950 Jeepster. [Read more…] about A Successful Berlin July Fourth Parade
Taconic Valley Historical Society Meeting
The program for the July meeting will be “Native American Folklore” presented by Gil Payette, interpreter and storyteller. Drawing on his experiences while living in Arizona, Payette, now a local resident, has been telling Native American folklore for over ten years. His stories are educational, entertaining and appropriate for all ages. These traditional stories are meant to be told aloud and come alive in the imagination of the audience.
The meeting is Monday, July 21, at 7:30 pm at the Methodist Church on South Main Street, Berlin, and is open to the public free of charge. You do not have to be a member to attend. Refreshments will be served.
Berlin Library News
Over the next three weeks, several summer reading programs are planned for the Library:
• Tuesday, July 22, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm – Bedtime Stories with The Oxcart Man by the Bennington Museum for ages pre-school to 7.
Wednesday, July 23, from 1 to 2 pm – Incredible Pockets presented by Charlotte Neaton for ages 8 and up.
• Thursday, July 24, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm – Family Night with Jody Scalise, a mime, dancer, comedian and juggler, entertainment for all ages.
• Wednesday, July 30, from 1 to 2 pm – Mirror Magic, the how’s and whys of reflection, and make your own kaleidoscope – presented by the Scotia Glenville Children’s Museum.
• Thursday, July 31, from 6:30 to 8 pm – Drawing Class with Greg Winterhalter for ages 10 to adult.
• Thursday, August 7, – Closing Ceremony for Summer Reading. Everyone is invited for certificates, prizes, refreshments and entertainment.
Book And Bake Sale
The Library Book and Bake Sale is coming soon. August 23 is the day for one of our biggest fundraisers. We can accept baked goods on the morning of the sale, and we can accept books only when the Library is open. Sadly, when some people left books on the porch, they were damaged by rain. We are looking for donations of gently used books in good condition. We regret to have to say we cannot accept damaged, moldy or mildewed items nor can we accept textbooks, encyclopedias or technical books. These items will not sell and moldy items are a threat not only to our employees’ and volunteers’ health but also to our book collection. We no longer hold a boutique sale; we have returned to our tried-and-true Book and Bake Sale. Hope to see you there!
Upcoming Events At Local State Parks
• July 18, Friday – Flood Plain Explore on the Walloomsac River from 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Join Ecologist David Hunt in the Bennington Battlefield on an exploration of the rich flood plain along the Walloomsac River. We’ll tramp through flood plain forest and peer into backwater sloughs. This is a very special opportunity to learn more about the ecology of this beautiful river and its surroundings. Please meet in the driveway of the Barnett House, 30 Caretaker Road, in Hoosick. To pre-register call 279-1155.
• July 19, Saturday – Skyhigh Triathlons at Grafton Lakes State Park – 8 am – adult triathlon and 11 am for youth. For more information, visit www.skyhighadventures.com.
• July 19, Saturday – Touch ‘N Explore Wildlife Display at Cherry Plain State Park from 2:30 to 4:30 pm – a birds and feathers program with live birds in attendance! Learn from wildlife educator Bernie Hoffman.
• July 23, Wednesday – If These Rocks Could Talk – A Geology Walk with David DeSimone at 4 pm. We are very pleased that local geologist David DeSimone will be joining us for a special geology tour of Grafton Lakes State Park. We’ll explore the signs of over 500 million years of geologic change found in the rocks you walk by every time you visit the Park and the Rensselaer Plateau. Call to register and for details at 279-1155.
Grafton Lakes State Park is open from 8 am to dusk, with swimming open 10 am to 6 pm. Gate fees are $8 per car. Cherry Plain State Park is open for camping through Labor Day, with swimming also open 10 am to 6 pm. Gate fees at Cherry Plain are $7 per car. The Bennington Battlefield is open daily from 10 am to 7 pm.
Angeles T. Hall
Berlin – Angeles T. Hall, 88, formerly of Berlin, NY, passed away on July 14, 2014, with her family by her side at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY. She is pre-deceased by Tony Hall, her husband of 45 years.
A resident of Berlin for over 30 years, Angie worked as an RN in Bennington, VT, and as an LPN instructor in Troy for BOCES (now known as Questar). Upon retirement from BOCES she occasionally worked as a substitute teacher for the Berlin Central School District and volunteered her time at the Berlin Senior Center and Our Lady of the Snow Parish in Grafton.
Surviving Angie are her three children, Audrey and husband Scott Vanderhoef of Grafton, NY, Albert and wife Kim Hall of Latham, NY, and Alan and wife Michelle Hall of East Greenbush, NY. She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Christine, Andrew, Annie and Lydia Hall. Angie also leaves behind her dear friends, Bob “Murph” Anderson and his daughter Amy, Valerie Bulson and Michael Kneutter.
Angie’s remains will be donated to the Albany Medical College’s Anatomical Gift Program. A memorial service is planned for 11 am on Saturday, August 2, at Our Lady of the Snow Parish in Grafton.
To honor Angie’s memory, those who wish may make contributions, in lieu of flowers, to the Parish of Our Lady of the Snow, P.O. Box 234, Grafton, NY, 12082.