New Lebanon

Local author Debby Mayer will read from her memoir, RIPTIDES & Solaces Unforeseen, at the New Lebanon Library on Thursday, August 21, at 7 pm. The reading will be followed by Q & A and discussion, after which she will sign copies of her books.

Part mystery, part love story, part report from the medical front in the United States today, RIPTIDES relates the fast onset brain cancer that ripped through a strong, healthy man and led to his death four months later at the age of fifty-six. The book is a searing chronology of the effects of devastating illness, of being caught in the maw of hospitals, of unthinkable decision making and small, unexpected solaces. Tightly written, fact based, it is never maudlin, and it offers an element of hope without sentimentality.

In addition to her memoir, Debby Mayer is author of Sisters: A Novel (Putnam’s, Berkley). A blogger and journalist, her work has been widely published. She retired from the Publications Office at Bard College as Editorial Director and is now a Contributing Editor at The Columbia Paper. She lives in Hudson, NY.

The public is welcome to this free event. For more information, please call the Library at 518-794-8844. The Library is located at 550 State Route 20, ¼ mile north of the yellow blinking light at the intersection of Routes 20/22.

The New Lebanon Library will hold its annual used book and bake sale on Saturday, August 16, from 9 am to  5 pm and Sunday, August 17, from 10 am to 2 pm at the Midtown Mall, Routes 20 and 22 in the center of New Lebanon. Admission on Saturday and Sunday is free. There will be a special preview sale on Friday,  August 15, from 2 to 6 pm. Admission to the preview costs $5.

Available for sale will be baked goods, a large assortment of hard and soft cover books, including children’s books, audiobooks, DVDs, and music CDs. Most items will be priced from .25 to $5. Proceeds benefit the Library.

Donations of items for the sale are welcome. Gently used books (excluding text books and encyclopedias), CDs, audiobooks and DVDs may be dropped off at the Midtown Mall from  Tuesday,  August  12,  through Thursday,  August 14,  between the hours of 10 am and  5 pm. Prior to  August  12 donations will be accepted at the Library.

For more information, please call the Library at 518-794-8844. The Library is located at 550 State Route 20, ¼ mile north of the yellow blinking light at the intersection of Routes 20/22.

submitted by JJ. Johnson-Smith 

A new group has formed in the Town of New Lebanon as an offshoot of PACT/Community Caring. The group is called, Stone Soup and will be addressing the needs of the community as a whole and how to reach goals without the aid of government grants which come with strings attached.

Stone Soup will focus on uniting residents to address needed projects and programs within the Town such as keeping the Food Pantry’s shelves filled, setting up a Community Activity Center, reaching out to Seniors and shut-ins, providing activities and volunteer opportunities for youth, for adult education, for local government accountability and awareness, for beautification projects, civic education, etc. Unlike most municipal improvement groups, Stone Soup aims to accomplish these efforts through volunteerism, donations of time, talent and materials, and old fashioned sweat.

Organizer JJ. Johnson-Smith said that the complications and regulations that come with government grants are intrusive and often limit the rights of property owners to use and enjoy their properties as they see fit. Johnson-Smith said, “People see grants as free money, but there is no such thing as free money. There is always a price to paid in the end.” Stone Soup will encourage a return to the once successful methods used by small towns in growing and caring for their own communities through sharing of responsibilities and giving from the heart.

All residents are encouraged to join the group and unite with their neighbors in keeping New Lebanon a rural and self-sufficient community and preserving its historical and agricultural integrity. Interested parties can sign on at the Facebook Page – pactny or by emailing K9Sheps@yahoo.com or by speaking to JJ. Johnson-Smith, Wayne Martin or Scott Larabee.

The Ladies Auxiliary Ukulele Orchestra will perform at the New Lebanon Library on Friday, August 15, at 7 pm. This event is free and open to the public, although donations for the performers are appreciated.

Formed in 1994, The Ladies Auxiliary Ukulele Orchestra includes songwriter and educator Bernice Lewis and educator Bernie McMahon. They perform both originals and reinvented standard favorites. Their set list features songs from every musical era, ranging from Mozart to the Andrews Sisters, from Led Zeppelin to Radiohead.

For further information, please call the Library at 518-794-8844. The Library is located at 550 State Route 20, ¼ mile north of the yellow blinking light at the intersection of Routes 20/22.

The New Lebanon Library’s Summer Reading Program ends with a bang on Thursday, August 14,  at 1 pm. The Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center will be at the Library to present a wildlife program  in which children will have a chance to  get up close and personal with some of the animals.  Participants will learn more about and touch a giant rabbit, a chinchilla, an armadillo, reptiles and more! The event will conclude with an ice cream social  and balloon animals made by a clown.

Space is limited  for this free event  and registration is required.  To sign up, call 518-794-8844  or email leb@taconic.net . The Library, at 550 State Route 20, is located ¼ mile north of the yellow blinking light at the intersection of Routes 20/22.

The New Lebanon Library announces the following August events. All of these events are free and will take place at the Library which is located at 550 State Route 20.

• August 1 – Coffeehouse Night with Linda Worster – 6 pm. Enjoy an evening of acoustic music with this Berkshire favorite. Donations for the performer are appreciated.

• August 3 – New Lebanon Book Group – 11 am. The book to be discussed is The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan. Newcomers are welcome.

• August 5 – Block Party: Legos in the Library! – 1 pm. This is a Lego club for kids. We’ll display their creations in the Library until the next club.

• August 6, 13, 20, 27  (event is on Wednesdays) – Small Wonders Storytime – 10 am. There will be songs, movement activities and age-appropriate stories for our younger patrons and their caregivers, for toddlers up to 35 months.

• August 6, 13, 20, 27 (event is on Wednesdays) – Preschool Story Hour – 11 am. Story hour includes crafts, songs and movement activities for kids from 35 months to 5 years old.

•August 6 – Cut-Ups! Collaging Workshop! – 4:30 pm. Participants will explore the techniques and methods used in collaging. The workshop is suitable for anyone age 3-100 who can cut paper and use paste. Everyone will leave with a collage.

• August 7 – Simple Science – 1 pm. Join us and explore fun and simple science experiments. All materials will be provided – for ages 7-12.

• August 7 – Author Janice Goldfrank – 6:30 pm. Goldfrank will discuss her iBook Field Guide to the Seasons.

• August 8 – Outdoor Concert with Divinitress – 6 pm. Enjoy acoustic rock, originals and sing-along favorites with these two talented songstresses. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and join us on the lawn. Rain or shine; the performance will move indoors if the rains come. Donations for the performers will be appreciated.

• August 12 – Bingo for Kids – 1 pm. Bingo, prizes and fun for kids aged 5-12.

• August 12 – Teen movie night – 6:30 pm. Join us for a free screening of a current film suitable for teens.

• August 14 – Zoo on the Go! – 1 pm. This is a wildlife program in which participants get up close and personal with animals and reptiles. An ice cream social and balloon animals will follow.

• August 14 – Family Crafts Night – 6:30 pm. Join us and make a sunflower wall hanging. All materials will be provided for ages 5 and up.

• August 15 – The Ladies Auxiliary Ukulele Orchestra – 7 pm. The Orchestra includes Bernice Lewis and Bernie McMahon, who perform songs from every musical era, ranging from Mozart to the Andrews Sisters, from Led Zeppelin to Radiohead. Donations for the performers will be appreciated.

August 19 – Simple Science – 1 pm. Join us and explore fun and simple science experiments. All materials will be provided.

• August 21 – Author Debby Mayer – 7 pm. Author Mayer will read from her memoir Riptides & Solaces Unforeseen after which she will answer questions and sign books.

• August 22 – David Grover and Linda Worster in concert – 6 pm. Enjoy an evening of acoustic folk, rock and originals with these acclaimed Berkshire musicians. In case of poor weather the concert will move indoors.

• August 23 – Paws-to-Read – 9 am. Therapy dogs come to the Library and children read to their furry friends. And, of course, the dogs listen! Please call 518-794-8844 to register.

• August 28 – Rick Leab in concert – 6:30 pm. This acclaimed Berkshire musician performs works for guitar, mandocello and rhumba box. Donations for the performer will be appreciated.

• August 29 – Family Movie Night – 6:30 pm. A current film suitable for the whole family will be shown. Call for title. Popcorn and juice will be provided.

For further information on any of these events, please contact Jeannie Bogino at 518-794-8844.

Local acoustic folk duo Divinitress will be performing at the New Lebanon Library on Friday, August 8, from 6 to 8 pm. Their blend of harmonies and acoustic instruments give the duo a unique and uplifting sound. Weather permitting, the duo will perform on the Library’s patio. Should the rains come, they will move the concert indoors. This event is free and open to the public, although donations for the performers are welcome.

Divinitress consists of singer-guitarist Tistrya Grace, who has spent ten years performing at coffee houses and festivals, and versatile Berkshire singer-songwriter Erin Laundry. They play a combination of original songs along with popular covers that encourage the audience to sing along.

For further information on this event, please call the Library at 518-794-8844. The public is welcome, and the event is free. The Library is located at 550 State Route 20, ¼ mile north of the yellow blinking light at the intersection of Routes 20/22.