The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Local News

Public Meeting On Draft Hoosick Land Use Law

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The Zoning Commission of the Town of Hoosick invites residents of the North Hoosick area to a workshop at the North Hoosick Firehouse on Monday, October 6, at 7 pm.

The purpose of the workshop will be to review the text of the document and receive public input into drawing up the zoning district map. Town of Hoosick Supervisor Marilyn Douglas encourages residents of the area to attend, as this document will provide direction for further Town development, and public participation will be the key to drawing up a zoning district map which provides for the protection of Hoosick’s farmland, historic sites, scenic vistas and natural resources for future generations. 

Future meetings for other areas are at the Hoosick Firehouse, October 15, and the West Hoosick Firehouse, October 22. The meeting for Buskirk and Eagle Bridge was held on September 18 in Buskirk. All meetings start at 7 pm. Copies of the Draft Land Use Law are available at the Town Offices located in the New York State Armory in Hoosick Falls.

Bowling Pro Am And Coaching Clinic Raises Funds For Cystic Fibrosis

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(l-r) Professional bowlers Len Reyngoudt, Ryan Shafer, Brian LeClair and Nick Miseno helped (kneeling) Jack Fitzsimmons of Barbecue Recreation raise funds to fight Cystic Fibrosis, a disease that afflicts about 30,000 children and adults in the US and, close to Jack’s heart, his nephew little Matthew Kempf. (Bea Peterson photo)

by Bea Peterson

Close to 100 people turned out for the Cystic Fibrosis Pro Am and Coaching Clinic at Barbecue Lanes on Sunday, September 28. League bowlers had a chance to bowl side by side with professional bowlers Brian LeClair of Hudson, Nick Miseno of Amsterdam, Len Reyngoudt of Schenectady and Ryan Shafer of Horseheads, NY. “Everyone had a great time,” said Barbecue Recreation’s Jack Fitzsimmons.  Between entrance fees and the after lunch raffle, which raised $870, Fitzsimmons will send a $3,571 donation to Northeastern NY Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Albany. Barbecue Recreation would also like to thank Saratoga Eagle, DeCrescente Distributing, Hannaford Supermarkets and top ticket seller and statistician Michelle Hayner for their help and support in making the day so successful.

The Adult Division was won by Rich Bennett (813 w/hdcp) and the Youth Division was won by Joe Wolfrum (883 w/hdcp). Fitzsimmons hopes to make the Bowling Pro Am and Coaching Clinic an annual event to raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis.

According to information available at the Northeastern website, Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections and obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.

About 1,000 new cases of cystic fibrosis are diagnosed each year. More than 70% of patients are diagnosed by age two. More than 40% of the CF patient population is age 18 or older.

Food Pantry Thank You

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The Stephentown Emergency Food Pantry wishes to thank the Stephentown Senior Citizens for their recent generous food donations. For those who also wish to donate nonperishable food items, there is now a collection box in the entry way of the Stephentown Memorial Library.

The Stephentown Emergency Food Pantry provides assistance to families in need throughout the year. Help can be reached by phoning the volunteers at 733-5278, 733-6813, 733-5923 or 733-5726. These numbers are posted in various locations around Stephentown. If you wish to donate money to help fund the pantry, you may send checks to the Stephentown Emergency Food Pantry Treasurer at P. O. Box 387, Stephentown, NY, 12168.

The pantry has a supply of pet food so that family pets are not neglected. If your pet needs dry food and you will accept a torn bag, please contact Lynne Burns directly, 794-0602.

Remembering Nazi Germany At The Stephentown Historical Society

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Dr. Stephen Sell will tell some of his experiences “Growing Up In Nazi Germany” to the Stephentown Historical Society on Monday, October 6. The meeting is at 7:30 pm at the Heritage Center on Garfield Road in Stephentown. It is free and open to the public. The building is handicapped accessible. For directions, telephone 518-733-5675.

Sell was only five when the Nazis came to power. His family lived in Potsdam. When his father was pressured by his employer to join the Nazi party, he resigned and started his own small firm. His parents sheltered many Jews, both at home and at the business and then helped them escape to Switzerland. Helmut and Annemarie Sell were honored posthumously with a tree planted at Yad Vashem in Israel and are listed among the Righteous Among Nations.

Stephen Sell lived and studied medicine in West Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1957. He practiced medicine in Schenectady, NY. He moved to Stephentown in 1996 after his retirement.

H.A.P.P.Y. Names Five More Board Members

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The Hoosick Area Partnership for Parents and Youth, also known as H.A.P.P.Y., added five more members to its Board of Directors this past month. H.A.P.P.Y. is a private, non-profit coalition focused on prevention of alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse in youth within the Hoosick area.

The new Board members include Ken Facin, Superintendent of the Hoosick Falls Central School, Matthew Harrington of Media Logic, Anne Helft of Hoosick Tire, Barbara Lancour of St. Gobain and Eileen Wood of WCW., Inc.  The H.A.P.P.Y. Board of Directors represents the many different sectors of the Hoosick Falls community.  Mike Benoit, Board Chair of H.A.P.P.Y., said,  “As H.A.P.P.Y. enters its fifth year of serving the community the mission remains the same – we want to foster an asset-building community that includes caring neighborhoods, strengthening the integrity of the family, supporting effective education and providing a safe, drug-free environment where youth will reach their full potential.  We are confident that the new Board members will only strengthen this cause.”

In addition to grants, the Hoosick Area Partnership for Parents and Youth relies on charitable contributions to fund its programs and services.  To learn more about H.A.P.P.Y. visit www.hoosickhappy.org.

Hoosick Grange News

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The Hoosick Grange met on Wednesday, September 24, with Master David Cornell. It was supposed to be Birthday Night but was changed to a workshop on planning next year’s programs. The Grange plans to have Christmas Shoe Boxes as gifts for the children in our community. Please plan to have them done and in by November 12. The Grange worked on planning the meetings and refreshment committees for the year. They are still to be confirmed.

Our next meeting is on October 8 with Marion Hynick in charge of the program. She will be having a speaker, Mr. Glen Hynick, speaking on Antarctica. Refreshment Committee is Kendal Baker. Refreshments for the evening were provided by Helen Filkins.

Nuts And Bolts Of Wood Stoves

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Hubbard Hall Projects and the Community Partnership present the third in their series on sustainability and “green” preservation and building practices. Forests, Trees and Woody Biomass – A Source of Fuel will take place this coming Monday, October 6, at 7:30 pm in the Beacon Feed Building, behind Hubbard Hall. This is a free program of special interest to home owners, builders, architects, real estate brokers, engineers, property developers and others.

The first two programs of this series explored integration of sustainable development and green design and construction practices and materials which save energy, conserve resources and increase comfort. This third program will offer contemporary perspectives on an old fashioned way of heating one’s home. Join us for an evening of discussion among experts in wood fuels. Speakers will cover everything from the big picture of sustainable forest management to the nuts and bolts of wood stoves and chimneys. How is wood fuel sustainable regionally?  How are emissions from wood stoves regulated, and how bad are they? Just what does it take to build a chimney, and how is it maintained?  What is the latest and greatest wood burning technology?

John Wiley, a consulting forester and woodland owner, will speak about forest management, timber stand improvement, markets for timber/firewood and wildlife habitat improvement through forest management.  Bob Somers, a woodland owner and forester, will provide a testimonial on the residential wood heating systems utilized in his home.  He will provide an overview of clean burning, gasification technology, summarize the performance of these systems and discuss outdoor wood boiler regulations.

Rich Klebes, a wood stove and insert specialist, will speak about the nuts and bolts of wood burning.  He is a National Fireplace Institute Gas and Wood Burning Specialist.  Rich will talk about the science of wood combustion, different types of burning appliances (e.g. stoves, inserts, etc.) and the details of good chimney design and system operation.

A round-table discussion and question-and-answer period will follow the presentations. Participants will make themselves available to speak about individual concerns and projects following the formal session.

For more information or to offer suggestions for presenters and topics for future sessions, please email Jeff at goldstone@nycap.rr.com. This is a free program.

Stephentown Seniors Celebrate 40 Years

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At the 40th Anniversary celebration last Saturday are (l-r): Club Vice President Ronnie Demick, NYS Assemblyman Roy McDonald, Club President Cathy Lawless, County Legislator Lester Goodermote, Club Secretary Edie Beach and Club Treasurer Morgan Lawless. Photo courtesy of Cathy Lawless.
At the 40th Anniversary celebration last Saturday are (l-r): Club Vice President Ronnie Demick, NYS Assemblyman Roy McDonald, Club President Cathy Lawless, County Legislator Lester Goodermote, Club Secretary Edie Beach and Club Treasurer Morgan Lawless. Photo courtesy of Cathy Lawless.

by David Flint

Friday, October 11, 1968:  “Our Senior Citizens held their first meeting at Stephentown Fire Hall. Meeting opened 7:30. Six were present.”

So begins the log book of the Stephentown Seniors. At the following meeting on October 25 the log indicates that Ulysses Sweener was elected President, Fred Hanlon Vice President and Chaplain and Mrs. Hanlon was elected Secretary and Treasurer.

The Seniors celebrated their 40th anniversary last Saturday, September 27, with an Open House at the new Fire Hall on Grange Hall Road. Current President Cathy Lawless said it was well attended with about 100 people dropping by during the afternoon. Among the visitors offering their congratulations and enjoying the festivity and refreshments were State Assemblyman Roy McDonald, County Legislator Lester Goodermote and members of the Stephentown Town Board. The Club officers and members present were pleased to accept from Goodermote a Certificate of congratulations from the Rensselaer County Legislature. 

On display were the minutes of all meetings of the Club from its inception, along with picture boards depicting numerous birthday and holiday celebrations, the “Senior of the Year” from 1992 to the present and a memory board of past members. Town Supervisor Tom Sherman remarked, “It is really great to see so many seniors having such a wonderful time.”  

Lawless said that Ulysses Sweener was not only the first President, he was also the driving force behind the founding of the Club. Morgan Lawless, the Club’s current Treasurer, noted that the Stephentown Seniors was the very first senior club in the area. It included members from “up and down the valley.” Later on members from other towns split off and formed their own clubs in Berlin, Petersburgh and Grafton, but Stephentown was first and gave birth to the others. 

“The Club has really progressed in the last five or six years,” Morgan said. Cathy said there are currently 125 paid members, the highest number in a long time. The Club this past year dropped the age at which people can join to 50 years. And with people retiring earlier, the Club now has attracted a “younger” group, and they have brought their friends.  

The interesting trips the Club organizes each year have helped also to attract new members. An average of 32 members attend the biweekly meetings, though if food is involved, Morgan said, as at the occasional dinners, attendance doubles. Only the Stephentown club, he said, has two meetings a month and most of the time is spent in socializing and just having a good time. 

Cathy Lawless said the Club is now working closely with Mary Linton, a registered nurse with the Capital District Senior Issues Forum. She has conducted a seminar on falling and will be holding another along with some area pharmacists on safe use of prescription drugs and medication. Starting in November there will be blood pressure screenings held monthly. Cathy pointed out that the Club also has access to a collection of useful equipment that can be loaned out to assist the elderly and handicapped. It is available to everyone and includes canes, crutches, wheel chairs, walkers, commodes, tub seats, etc. Another thing the Stephentown Seniors are working toward is to get the County Department of the Aging to establish a Senior Center in Stephentown. 

Regarding the 40th Anniversary celebration, the Lawlesses expressed their thanks on behalf of the Club “to all who have contributed to making this event such a wonderful success.”

A New Research Study In Petersburgh On Schizophrenia

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Imagine going through the day without the ability to concentrate and focus on the things you enjoy and important tasks that you need to complete. Think what it would be like, struggling to remember what you just talked about or learned a short time ago. Consider how you would feel if you couldn’t even accomplish simple tasks, such as making a phone call, grocery shopping or scheduling an appointment. We all have challenging moments . . . but for people suffering from schizophrenia, these frustrations are a way of life, virtually every day. These deficits associated with the thinking process are called cognitive impairments, making it difficult to accomplish the demands of everyday life, both big and small.

Managing the demands of daily life is made easier when individuals with schizophrenia maintain a stable regimen of medication – even more so for those with trusted family members or caregivers to help oversee the individual’s personal affairs and coordinate care. Despite the challenges, most people with schizophrenia and their caregivers are searching for a better quality of life. 

Fortunately, there is hope, thanks to a new investigational drug research study now underway in the Petersburgh area. The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of an investigational drug in improving cognitive functioning for people with schizophrenia, using a new evaluation tool called MATRICS (Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia). This study is unique because participants are not required to change their already-stable medication regimen. Rather, the new investigational medication is added to their currently established treatment.

Candidates for this study must be 18 to 65 years old, diagnosed with schizophrenia at or before age 35 and currently taking one of five medications for schizophrenia which include olanzapine, risperidone/paliperidone, quetiapine or aripiprazole. Participants must also be considered outpatient (living in the community). Qualified study participants will receive all investigational medication and study-related care at no cost and may also receive compensation for travel.

Zerrin Emel Kayatekin, MD of Berkshire Medical Center seeks participants for this new study. If you or someone you know suffers from schizophrenia, please contact us for additional information at 888-988-6736. Further details about the study are also available at www.cognitivestudy.com.

Blessing Of The Animals

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Hooper, accompanied by Joyce Brewer (r), was one of the many dogs blessed by Rev. Donna Elia on Wednesday. Also receiving blessing were (l to r) Mango the cat with Cassie Crucetti, Bo the parrot with Mike Crucetti, little kitten Mambo with Sue Harper and Mackenzie LePage. (Bea Peterson photo) 

by Bea Peterson

At least 24 dogs, four cats and a parrot were together in Wood Park early Wednesday evening for the annual Blessing of the Animals. Rev. Donna Elia of the First United Church, Presbyterian conducted the service. Representatives of SOCS (Support Our Canine Strays) were on hand with information on responsible pet ownership. Many Girl Scouts in uniform brought pets to be blessed. 

The Blessing of the Animals is conducted annually near the October 4 feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi, founder in the 1200s of the Franciscan order of priests. He is known as the patron saint of animals, birds, the environment and Italy.