Mkayla Sonnet, Lexi Martin and Brittany Poitras love animals. Together they organized a bottle fund drive and held a home baked dog cookie sale at Pawfection on August 23 to benefit SOCS (Support Our Canine Strays). SOCS coordinator and Pawfection owner Aimee Allen said, “These three girls took it upon themselves to put this event together.” They made signs, baked and spent from 9 am until 2 pm on Saturday, raising over $100. “They are great role models for other kids,” said Allen.
Hoosick Falls
Karen McGovern Memorial Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament
The ninth annual Karen McGovern Memorial Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament will be held Saturday, September 13, at the Sand Bar, on Lyman St. in Hoosick Falls.
Registration will begin at 8 am, and play will commence at 9 am. A round robin format will be played for both Division A (competitive) and Division B (recreational) players. Engraved beer mugs and glasses will be awarded to members of the winning teams in both divisions, and the Division A team’s name will be engraved on the permanent plaque maintained at the Sand Bar.
The donation per team is $150 and non-players are asked to make a $25 donation to the fund. The fund has raised over $100,000 to help local residents battling cancer and other serious illnesses. Food, keg beer and music will be provided throughout the day.
Call Matt Philpott at 802-384-0262 or Bill McGovern at 518-686-9371 to reserve a spot for your team. Join us for a day to remember our friend Karen.
Chris’ Wish
On June 10 at 3:30 pm Chris Luciano left work with a few friends and went to their regular swimming spot in North Hoosick. There they were jumping off a platform that had been built over the years and where many folks jump and dive into the river. This particular day was not Chris’ day. Somehow when he went off the platform something went terribly wrong, and he never made it to the water. Instead he hit rocks 35 foot below. The result is that Chris was left paralyzed from the waist down.
Chris is a 19 year old HFCS 2007 graduate who loves being outdoors. He is a hard worker and has held a number of jobs over the last five years. Those jobs have included playing guitar in a couple of rock bands, fixing bikes at All Seasons Outdoor Sports, prep cooking at Helvi’s and a number of labor jobs. But his real passion was teaching snow boarding, which he has done every winter since he was 15. He was recently nationally certified at Level II (a difficult feat) as an instructor. He had been toying with making this a major part of his career path, and he had a number of mountains recruiting him. While there is no reason that this dream cannot happen, it may be very different than what he envisioned.
While Chris can no longer walk, his ultimate wish is to get out of the wheel chair and snowboard again. Project Walk (www.projectwalk.org) an organization in San Diego offers an opportunity to help get him out of this chair. It is a boot camp designed to regain any movement. Chris and his family would like to send him to this program.
A committee has been formed to help raise money to send Chris and a trainer to San Diego to learn this proven methodology and to work on Chris’ legs with the hope of regaining some movement or feeling in his lower body. The first event will be a bottle drive this Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm. Bottles can be dropped at the Rite Aid parking lot or at Nickel Back in Chris’ name. If you would like your bottles picked up, please call Karen Smith at 686-9036.
If you would like to follow in Chris’ progress or find more information see www.eenable.net/chris.
The Legacy Lives On! – Tribute To Football Coach Legend Baker To Be Shared By Rival Schools
by Irene Baldwin
Longtime sports rivals and neighboring schools, Cambridge Central and Hoosick Falls Central, will begin a new football tradition on September 5 at 7 pm, a Friday evening under the lights on the football field on the campus of HFCS. The Indians and Panthers varsity football teams will face off and, as usual, play hard, the victors taking home a tangible reward for winning, The Ken Baker Jug. The Jug will remain on display throughout the coming school year inside the victorious school’s trophy case. Next year the KBJ may or may not make a trip up or down Route 22. Wherever the Ken Baker Jug holds court, the honor it represents will be a coveted one.
Although Coach Baker will not be physically present for the auspicious football match-up, his indomitable spirit, which has imbued the CCS and HFCS football programs since 1972, will surely be felt on this night by all who knew and loved him. Former students and players of Coach Baker are invited to assemble on the football field during the game’s half time to offer a solemn moment of silence in his memory. Ken Baker, a member of the State High School Football Hall of Fame, is known and respected as one of the best coaches Section II has ever produced.
Since the unexpected, untimely and sad passing of Coach Ken Baker in the spring of 2008, HFCS Superintendent Ken Facin and CCS Superintendent Dan Severson have collaborated to create a special and meaningful way to offer tribute to the man who was integral in creating success within both schools’ football programs.
Coach Baker was the varsity football coach at Hoosick Falls from 1972 to 1986 and then at Cambridge from 1986 to 1995. Baker’s philosophy, which both schools continue to follow in their programs, is a simple but powerful one – respect your opponent; be physical; hustle.
The Jug, produced in the area over 110 years ago, has been donated by Jack’s Outback Antiques of Main Street, Cambridge. The large ceramic vessel features paintings of the two school mascots, a fearsome black panther on one side and a majestic Indian on the other, symbolizing two diverse but connected teams. Around the top of the vessel are emblazoned the words, Ken Baker Jug.
Each football player will be given a commemorative Route 22 Rivalry T-shirt featuring both the blue and white Panthers and the orange and black Indians. How fitting that Ken Baker’s love of healthy competition and positive play will be exemplified in the yearly awarding of The Ken Baker Jug.
Nearly 600 Signatures On Petition To Strengthen VT Sex Offender Laws
According to County Legislators Lester Goodermote and Stan Brownell the Rensselaer County Legislature has collected nearly 600 signatures in support of efforts to change sex offender laws in Vermont and will be submitting the signatures to Vermont Lt. Governor Brian Dubie this weekend.
The collection of the signatures follows a resolution that was adopted by the County Legislature calling for a strengthening of sex offender laws in Vermont. The resolution came after the killing of a young girl in Vermont and the attempted abduction of two young girls by a Vermont man in Hoosick Falls.
“We were able to collect a significant number of signatures from New York State and Rensselaer County residents who recognize the need to strengthen sex offender laws in Vermont. We believe this will help efforts to enact tougher and more effective laws,” said Goodermote.
The signatures were collected during the month of August on the petition, which is titled: “Help Make Vermont Safer For Our Children Now!” The petition supports legislation introduced by Dubie to strengthen sex offender laws in Vermont, including longer sentences for repeat offenders, civil confinement, new policies for monitoring of sex offenders and tougher requirements for parole of offenders.
Goodermote and Brownell noted that some of the proposals by Lt. Gov. Dubie mirror legislation enacted in New York State to protect children and families from sex offenders.
“A significant portion of Rensselaer County borders Vermont. It makes sense for both New York and Vermont to have laws and restrictions that are compatible because that kind of an approach strengthens the defense against sex offenders,” said Brownell.
Goodermote and Brownell said they expect to meet personally with Vermont state officials to discuss joint efforts to improve the safety of children and families and enacting the legislation proposed by Lt. Gov. Dubie.
Hunter Safety Course
The Pioneer Fish & Game Club on Route 7 and Potter Hill will be holding a Hunter Safety Course beginning September 18. All sessions must be attended. Sessions will be Thursday and Friday, September 18 and 19, from 6 to 9 pm and Saturday, September 20, from 8 am to 2 pm. You must pre-register by calling Gary at 686-4072 (after 6 pm) or Dan at 686-4767 as limited spaces are available.
Albert W. “Babe” Waytkus
Hoosick Falls – Albert W. “Babe” Waytkus, 90, died Saturday, August 23, 2008, at home with his family tending to him in his own bed. He was also under the tender care of Hospice. Babe resided on Scott Street in Hoosick Falls, NY, with his wife Rose (McEckron) Waytkus. Babe and Rose celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary last November.
Born on January 16, 1918, in Hoosick Falls, Babe was the son of the late John and Beniga (Blinstrub) Waytkus. He graduated from St. Mary’s Academy in Hoosick Falls. Babe had many jobs in the Town, County and State. He was particularly happy with his school bus driving at Hoosick Falls Central, St. Mary’s Academy and the Howard Kinnicut School.
He belonged to the Elks Lodge # 178, the Derby Club, the St. Stanislaw Society and the Home Guard, all in Hoosick Falls. He was a communicant of the Immaculate Conception Church for 85 years.
Survivors, other than his wife Rose, include his eight children, Cynthia Salvi of Schenectady, NY, Rosemary Waytkus of Troy, NY, Neil Waytkus of Hoosick Falls, Michael Waytkus of West Sand Lake, NY, Steven Waytkus of North Petersburgh, NY, Patricia La Bombard of Manchester, VT, MaryAnn Anderson of Franklin, NH, and Donald Waytkus of Cambridge, NY. Babe is also survived by fourteen grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by four sons, John, Paul, Albert and Thomas.
Funeral services were Tuesday, August 26, at 9 am from the Mahar Funeral Home, 43 Main Street in Hoosick Falls. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at 9:30 am from the Immaculate Conception Church on Main Street in Hoosick Falls. Burial followed the Mass at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Relatives and friends called at the funeral home on Monday from 4 to 7 pm.
Memorial contributions may be made to either the Hoosick Falls Fire Department or the Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad through the funeral home.
Hoosac School Hosts Girl Scout Day Camp
In early August the Hoosac School athletic fields became a campground for the Hoosick Falls Girl Scout day camp. Fifty area girls attended the camp. The theme this year was TV game shows. Girls made games, played TV game show games, hiked, made crafts, enjoyed the outdoors between storms, had a cookout, did a clean up project for part of Tibbits Forrest and concluded their experience by having an American Idol show with scouts being the performers and scout leaders being the judges. Everyone had a great time. Special thanks to the Hoosac School who hosted this event. This camp is usually held at HF Central School but because of construction at HFCS it had to be relocated. Thanks to all the volunteer leaders, helpers and first-aiders volunteering their time and talents so the program was affordable for the girls. This camp operates yearly under Rensselaer County guidelines and permits for all HF girls grades 1 through 6 to attend.
Cheney Library Teddy Bear Picnic
On Tuesday, August 19, the Cheney Library held its annual Teddy Bear Picnic. Librarian Carol Gaillard (center) encouraged a shy youngster and her bear to join the gathering. The Picnic included story reading, lots of fun and refreshments. (Bea Peterson photo)
Free Gas Raffle!
The Hoosick Falls Kiwanis is having a Gas Raffle. For a $5 donation you get the chance to win either $350 (First Prize) or $150 (Second Prize) in free gas from Stewart’s. Or use your certificates for food. This fund-raiser is going to assist the Kiwanis Club of Hoosick Falls in sponsoring a Holiday Party for local children. The Kiwanis Club believes that with the tough economy the children feel it first. For your chance to win, contact any Kiwanis Member or call Roberta Breese at 686-7217.