The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Grafton

Wildlife Tracking Field Intensive At Dyken Pond

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Experience a full or half day field intensive with Alcott Smith, tracker, naturalist and veterinarian at the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center. Three wildlife tracking sessions are offered – Saturday, January 18, from 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday, January 19, from 9 am to 12 noon or 1 to 4 pm. Sign up for one or all sessions. In past programs we have followed tracks to a porcupine in its den, found kill sites with tracks emanating in all directions and have found mouse tracks that end at a set of wing marks. The possibilities are truly endless.

Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Each session will explore a different area of the Rensselaer Plateau. Please register by contacting Lisa at dykenpond@fairpoint.net or 518-658-2055. There is a fee of $30 for the full day program and $20 for a half day program with a $5 discount for members of the Friends of Dyken Pond. Participants must dress appropriately for being outdoors and be physically fit.

The Dyken Pond Center, located at 475 Dyken Pond Road, Cropseyville, is a Rensselaer County Park open daily during daylight hours for hiking, fishing. cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Call 658-2055 or visit the website www.dykenpond.org for more information, directions and a complete schedule of our winter events.

Local Students Named To Fall 2013 President’s List at Hudson Valley Community College

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A number of local students were recently named to the President’s List at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy for the Fall 2013 academic term.

Each fall and spring term, the College’s President’s List honors those students who have a term grade point average between 3.5 and 4.0. Local students include:

Berlin

Clarice Derosia of Berlin – Derosia is in the Liberal Arts and Science: Humanities and Social Science academic program at the College.

Judith Galusha of Berlin – Galusha is in the Early Childhood academic program at the College.

Kazie Homiak of Berlin – Homiak is in the Early Childhood academic program at the College.

Samantha Schmidt of Berlin – Schmidt is in the Chemical Dependency Counseling academic program at the College.

Grafton

Joann Fowler of Grafton – Fowler is in the Accounting academic program at the College.

Hoosick

Lauren Giumarra of Hoosick – Giumarra is in the Liberal Arts and Science: Humanities and Social Science academic program at the College.

Kaitlyn Snyder of Hoosick, – Snyder is in the Individual Studies academic program at the College.

Kayla Snyder of Hoosick – Snyder is in the Liberal Arts and Science: Humanities and Social Science academic program at the College.

Petersburgh

Chantel Bink of Petersburgh – Bink is in the Individual Studies academic program at the College.

Tonya Brock of Petersburgh – Brock is in the Theatre Arts academic program at the College.

Matina Patsos of Petersburgh – Patsos is in the Computer Information Systems: Web Design and WWW Programming academic program at the College.

Erika Pelletier of Petersburgh – Pelletier is in the Early Childhood academic program at the College.

Isaac Share of Petersburgh – Share is in the Liberal Arts and Science: Humanities and Social Science academic program at the College.

Stephentown

Ryan Carpenter of Stephentown – Carpenter is in the Biological Sciences academic program at the College.

Tyler Chartrand of Stephentown – Chartrand is in the Automotive Technical Service academic program at the College.

Matthew Coleman of Stephentown – Coleman is in the Non-matriculated academic program at the College.

Kelsey Demick of Stephentown – Demick is in the Criminal Justice academic program at the College.

Taylor Hale of Stephentown – Hale is in the Heating/Air Conditioning/Refrigeration Technical Services academic program at the College.

Kali Rieman of Stephentown – Rieman is in the Nursing academic program at the College.

Kalina Swann of Stephentown – Swann is in the Liberal Arts and Science: Humanities and Social Science academic program at the College.

Big Chill Making Ice For The Ice Fishing Contest At GLSP

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Current ice conditions are safe on all six bodies of water at Grafton Lakes State Park, and fishermen are braving the cold temperatures for their chance to make a chilly catch. The rapid ice formation also bodes well for the 29th Annual Ice Fishing Contest, scheduled for Saturday, January 25, from 5:30 am to 3 pm.

Offered on the same day as the Winter Festival, the annual ice fishing contest draws several hundred fishermen to try their luck on any of the ponds in the Park. Participants can register starting at 5:30 am until 11 am on January 25 at the Park’s pole barn, accessible via the Winter Entrance. A $10 entry fee for individuals 16 and older is required to participate in the fishing tournament. First place fish will receive a $300 cash prize this year, awarded for the longest length catch in all three categories of trout, walleye/chain pickerel and yellow perch. Children may enter at no charge, and their winning entries will receive gift certificates and other prizes. Please remember that all participants 16 and older must have a New York State fishing license to fish in the Park at any time.

Due to preparations for the Winter Festival, ice fishing is not permitted adjacent to the beach on Long Pond.

Certified bait will be available on site from Graftonondack Outfitters in the registration area. Bait is also available from Conroy’s Bait Supply in Watervliet.

The Berlin Girl Scout Troop 1170 will sell fresh breakfast sandwiches for fishermen at registration from 5:30 to 9 am. Proceeds will benefit an international service project trip that the middle school-aged troop plans to take in 2016.

For those hungry after a long day of fishing, Brunswick Barbecue and Brew invites participants to bring their catch down the mountain after the contest. They will smoke it for you while you warm up by the fire.

The ice fishing contest is sponsored by twenty-four community businesses and the Natural Heritage Trust. Please let these businesses know you appreciate their sponsorship: Averill Park Septic, Beecroft’s Shooters Supply, Conroy’s Bait Supply, Eastern Mountain Sports, Graftonondack Outfitters, Hoosick True Value, John Ray & Sons, Lakeview Inn, L.L. Bean, Marpe’s Country Store, Marra’s Pharmacy, Poestenkill Auto Supply, Rifenburg Construction, Stewart’s Shops, Stone Industries, Taconic Plastics, The Towne Tavern, Tremont Ace Hardware, Uniferst Uniforms, Yankee Trails, Warren Fane, Wiley Brothers and Young’s Pharmacy.

The Ice Fishing Contest is part of a full day of Winter Festival activities, with offerings that include a Polar Plunge, snow bowling, live animal exhibits and hot food. Please call the Park office at 279-1155 for details and for updates on ice fishing conditions.

January Events At The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center

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Please check our website at http://www.dykenpond.org throughout the season as additional programs may be added based on snow conditions.

January 15 – Wildlife of the Renssealer Plateau: Slide Presentation of Tracks and Signs with Dan Yacobellis from 7 to 9 pm. Learn what evidence to look for on your next hike and learn about wildlife monitoring efforts on the Rensselaer Plateau. The cost is $10. This program will be held at the Pineridge Ski Center, Poestenkill and is co-sponsored by the Rensselaer Land Trust, the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance and Friends of Dyken Pond. Pre-registration is encouraged.

January 17 – Full Moon Trek from 7 to 9 pm. Cross country ski or snowshoe in the natural light of the moon. This is a free program. Snowshoe rentals available for $10. Call for updated snow conditions.

January 18 – Wildlife Tracking Full Day Field Intensive with Alcott Smith from 9 am to 4 pm. Spend an entire day outdoors. Pre-registration is required. The cost is $30, $25 for members. This program is limited to 15 people. Space fills quickly.

January 19 – Wildlife Tracking Half Day Field Intensives with Alcott Smith. Choose from either session or attend both. We will travel a different path for each session. The cost is $20, $15 for members. Pre-registration is required. This program is limited to 15 people. Space fills quickly.

January 19 – Paying Attention Among the Trees: A Winter Walk and Nature Writing Experience with Diane Kavanaugh-Black from 1 to 3 pm. Conscious attention outdoors feeds us on many levels. Writing about the experience helps us to absorb, remember and relate it to our lives. This workshop will inspire the creative process whether you are a novice or already working on your own writing project. Sign up for one or all three sessions; the additional sessions are on February 16 and March 16. Pre-registration is required. The cost is $15, $12 for members.

To pre-register, please contact Lisa Hoyt at dykenpond@fairpoint.net or call 518-658-2055.

Please visit our website for a complete list of Winter 2014 Events at http://www.dykenpond.org. The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center is located at 475 Dyken Pond Road, Cropseyville.

January Programs And Events At Grafton Community Library

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The Grafton Community Library is pleased to announce the following programs for the month of January. All programs are free and open to the public. They will take place at the Library, which is located at 2455 NY Route 2 in Grafton. For more information contact the Library at 518-279-0580 or email director@graftoncommunitylibrary.org.

Stay up to date with everything that is happening at the library by liking us on Facebook and visiting our online events calendar at www.graftoncommunitylibrary.org/whats-happening-at-your-library.

• January 8 – Weekly Story Time at 10:30 am, January 16 at 4 pm, January 23 at 4 pm and January 29 at 10:30 am. Bring your little ones to the Library for story time fun including crafts, stories, snacks and more.

• Weekly “Sit & Knit” – a knitting and needle arts group every Saturday from 10 am. All skill levels are welcome. Come work on your projects and learn about all the needle arts including knitting, stitching and crocheting.

• Weekly Game Days at the Library every Tuesday starting at 3:30 pm. Come to the Library to play your favorite board games with friends – Scrabble, Bananagrams, Scattergories and more. Use the Library’s games or bring your own.

• January 29 at 12:30 pm the Grafton Community Book Club will discuss The Richest Woman in America by Janet Wallach. It is the fascinating story of Hetty Green, America’s first female Wall Street tycoon. The Grafton Community Book Club meets on the last Wednesday of every month.

Winter Wow – Polar Plungers At GLSP To Benefit The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

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Applications are now being accepted for participants in the 7th Annual Polar Plunge in Long Pond, Grafton Lakes State Park, as part of the Park’s Winter Fest.  The Winter Fest is in its 29th year with outdoor and indoor events occurring all day, January 25.  The plunge happens promptly at 1 pm with check-in beginning at noon at the beach.

[Read more…] about Winter Wow – Polar Plungers At GLSP To Benefit The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Snow Shoe Trek At Dyken Pond Center

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If you can hike, you can snowshoe. Try it out at the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center on Saturday, January 4, from 1 until 3 pm. Snowshoes may be rented for $5 with advanced registration.  Snowshoes may be rented any day with advanced registration for a fee of $10 per day or $5 for a half day, and there are special group rates. For more information please contact the Center at 658-2055 or dykenpond@fairpoint.net.

Dyken Pond Center, located at 475 Dyken Pond Road, Cropseyville, is a Rensselaer County Park open daily during daylight hours for back-country snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and ice fishing. Visit www.dykenpond.org for directions and a schedule of our winter events.

Full Moon Trek At Dyken Pond Center

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Enjoy the stillness of the full moon at a free guided cross-country ski and snowshoe trek at the Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center on Friday, January 17, from 7 to 9 pm. The trek will cover two miles and is designed for the intermediate skier or snowshoer. No beginners, please. Snowshoe rentals are available with advance notice. Please contact the Center for updated snow conditions at 658-2055 or dykenpond@fairpoint.net.

Dyken Pond Center, located at 475 Dyken Pond Road, Cropseyville, is a Rensselaer County Park open daily during daylight hours for back-country snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and ice fishing. Visit www.dykenpond.org for directions and a schedule of our winter events.