The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Grafton

Dyken Pond Center News

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Tree ID
Join us at the Dyken Pond Environmental Eduction Center on Sunday, September 22, from  1 to 3 pm, the first day of fall, for a tree identification adventure.  This program will teach you ways to identify the different tree species that could be in your back yard. A short hike on the Dyken Pond Center’s trail systems will be included so please dress appropriately.
Free Wood Duck Boxes
The Dyken Pond Environmental Eduction Center is giving away free wood duck boxes.  Averill Park Elementary students in a service learning project built these wood duck boxes during a program co-sponsored by the Rensselaer Plataeu Aliance and the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center.  We are offering a limited number of wood duck boxes to those who own land on the Rensselaer Plataeu with suitable habitats for wood ducks (one box per land owner).  Please let us know if you are interested in a wood duck box as soon as possible because they will go fast! Call the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center at 518-658-2055.

Grafton Man Participated In National Historic Event

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by Alex Brooks
Fifty years ago last week, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech to 250,000 citizens crowding the Lincoln Memorial and all adjacent parts of the National Mall. On the stage with him were such renowned civil rights leaders as Bayard Rustin, Julian Bond, Andrew Young, Dr. Ralph Abernathy and John Lewis, age 23 at the time, who also spoke. [Read more…] about Grafton Man Participated In National Historic Event

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.

Grafton VFD And Ladies Auxiliary Breakfast

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The Grafton Volunteer Fire Department along with the Grafton Ladies Auxiliary will be holding an All You Can Eat Buffet Breakfast on Saturday, September 28, from 8 to 11 am at the Grafton VFW – Fire Hall on South Road (County Route 85).
Belgian waffles, pancakes, French toast, eggs (made to order), sausage gravy & biscuits, bacon, sausage, home fries, toast, orange juice, coffee and milk are on the menu. The cost is $9 per adult, $4 for kids 12 and under and free for kids five and under.
We look forward to serving you.

Upcoming Rensselaer Land Trust Outings

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• Cemetery Restoration Volunteer Work Day on Saturday, September 14, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Come for part or all day. Immerse your hands in history as we restore a 200 year old local cemetery on RLT’s Randall Brook easement in Stephentown. An expert restorer will be at the site to guide us. Call Francille Egbert for detailed directions at 518-674-3214 or email fran.egbert@gmail.com.
• Fourth Annual Plateau Traverse Hike, September 14 and 15. This is your chance to see some beautiful areas of the Plateau that are not open to the public. This hike is co-sponsored by the Friends of Dyken Pond, the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center, the Rensselaer Land Trust and Pineridge Cross Country Ski Area. A $5 per day donation  is suggested to offset fuel costs of shuttles. Preregistration is required; contact info@rensselaerplateau.org or call Jim at 518-794-9160.
This will be a very strenuous hike (15 miles each day) with some bushwhacking and significant elevation changes. More information is available at www.renstrust.org/outingsandevents/listing.

Ronald L. Hasbrouck Jr.

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Grafton – Ronald L. “Skip” Hasbrouck Jr., 59, of Old Road, Grafton, NY, died Sunday, September 1, 2013, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Troy, NY, after a long illness.
Born in Troy, he was the son of the late Ronald L. Hasbrouck Sr. and Malvina Durivage Hasbrouck and the husband for 37 years of Shirley A. Thurber Hasbrouck. He had resided in Grafton all his life and was a graduate of the Berlin Central School District.
Skip was an operating engineer for Callanan Industries at Clemente Latham Concrete for over 30 years and formerly worked for Duncan’s Poured Foundations and the Rensselaer County Highway Department.
“Poppy” loved spending time with his grandchildren. He was a past member of the Grafton Fire Company and Rescue Squad and loved camping at Lake Lauderdale in Cambridge, NY, camp games, NASCAR and the Liars’ Club.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, include two sons, Ronald R. and wife Jennifer Hasbrouck of Grafton and Jonathan L. and wife Heather Hasbrouck of Grafton, eight grandchildren, Alyssa, Carissa, Kaitlyn, Michael, Anthony, Lillian, Caleb and Colin, a brother, Herbert S. and wife Maxine Hasbrouck of Grafton, two sisters, Suzanne M. and husband David Baker of Colonie, NY, and Robin M. Hasbrouck of Grafton, special friends, Jack and Terri Kaschak of Brunswick, NY, and several nieces and nephews.
At Skip’s request there will be no services.
In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in memory of Ronald L. Hasbrouck Jr. to the Lake Lauderdale Campground, RR#1, Box 256-12, Cambridge, NY, 12816.
For a private family guest book, visit www.brycefh.com.

The Grafton Democratic Caucus

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submitted by Bill Middleton
The Grafton Democratic Committee held its caucus on August 14 and endorsed Frank Higgins for Town Supervisor, Stacy Reinhard and Eric Buckley for Town Council and John Pagono for the vacant Town Justice position formerly held by current Town Supervisor Higgins.
Town Democratic Committee Chairman Bill Middleton commented that Frank Higgins is very well qualified for the Supervisor’s job and he is well known and respected throughout the Town.
Of the two Council candidates, Middleton said, “Both are young, well educated and known to most residents. They come with that fresh energy and passion which has long been needed.”
He described Pagono as well known and well qualified for the Town Justice position.
Middleton urged everyone to get behind these citizens and neighbors in the upcoming election.
The two Town Council seats up for election this year are those occupied by Republican incumbents Marie Claus and Mike Crandall.

Rensselaer County Author Event At SML

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submitted by Laurenne Teachout, Library Director
The public is invited to the Stephentown Memorial Library’s first Rensselaer County Author Event on Saturday, September 7, from 11 am to 1:30 pm at the Library, 472 State Route 43, Stephentown.
Meet three local writers and enjoy light refreshments.  The authors will present brief descriptions of their books, read passages  and be available to sign copies of their books if you’d like to purchase them. Other area writers are encouraged to express their interest in future events of this type.
Born and raised in Stephentown, author and speaker Norma Williams Lasch will be returning to the Stephentown Memorial Library with her 345 page collection of inspirational songs and poems penned with colorful rural New England memories, spanning five decades, with Tassels Of Blue, Weaving Threads of Devotion. Readers will be captivated as they stroll through these delightful eight chapters, “Winding Yarns” through “Seasons of Life” from reflections on building a home to the pain of losing a child. Her faith remains intact with strong “Borders of Hope” for life’s unending challenges. Come laugh at her poetic tales of employment in Family Court and the frustrations in the Public Defender’s and the State Reporter’s Office. She shares her anxieties of becoming a published author to being in the Secret Place where there comes a Song in the Night, making this encouraging book, Tassels Of Blue, one of your favorites.
Randy Kneer, Grafton resident and author, will be presenting his book The Untold Story Of Helen Ellett, relating this first  time story about an intriguing woman and her memories of small town life in upstate New York.  Kneer is also working on three other books, The Retired Forest Rangers Of New York State, The Firetowers Of The Hudson Valley and a personal biography called My Favorite Adirondack Memories.
William Middleton grew up in West Sand Lake and now resides in Grafton. He has worked most of his life in real estate and construction. Now retired, he writes and illustrates his whimsical children’s books of stories told to his six grandchildren. Following his high school days, he studied illustration at the Art Students League in New York City under Frank Reilly. Bill has published four delightful children’s books to date, including Gordon The Goldfish, Autumn Ball, Stanley And Henrietta and The Chipmunk Jamboree. Descriptions of the books can be found at Amazon.com.
For more information on this program, call the Stephentown Memorial Library at 733-5750 or stop by during our Library Hours.  Also check our website, www.stephentownlibrary.org for regular updates.

Twilight Kayak Tours At Dyken Pond

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The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center is offering twilight kayak tours on September 3 and September 11 and a full moon kayak tour on September 19 from 6 to 8 pm.  These programs are limited to 12 boats so pre-registration is required and can be done by contacting the center at dykenpond@fairpoint.net or 658-2055.  Kayaks can be rented for $10 or you can bring your own.
The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center, located at 475 Dyken Pond Road, Cropseyville, is a Rensselaer County Park open daily during daylight hours for hiking, fishing and non-motor boating. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent each day from 9 am until 3 pm. Call for more information and a complete schedule of our summer events. A complete list of programs can be found at www.dykenpond.org.