On Wednesday, May 22, Hoosick Grange held it’s Baking Powder Biscuit Contest. Martha Babbitt was the winner. She now has to make them for the Rensselaer County Contest. It was an open meeting, and Kendal Baker was in charge of the program. He introduced his speaker, Mr. Gordon Fricke. Mr. Fricke told us he was a graduate of Hoosick Falls Central School. After graduation, he went to Germany during the 70s and the 80s. He studied Volkswagen cars. When he came back to the United States he worked a while and then went to college. Later he went in business with Barber, in the old Haynes Garage. He told us he has a Car Talk show on WAMC-90.3. People call in with questions regarding their car or truck, and he tries to answer them. He also writes an article for the Bennington Banner on cars and trucks. He writes once a month. He talked about the technology of cars and trucks – relating it to farm machinery. He said they all have transistors, electric switches and electronics in combines and tractors. They all have control modules – one runs the engine, one the heater and so on. He told us repairing cars and trucks is nothing like it used to be in the early years. With all the new things, you have less time getting greasy and dirty because computers are doing the work These computers are expensive but extremely reliable. He answered questions regarding hybrid cars. He doesn’t see many problems, but if you want economy you should drive them just so, the way they tell you.
The Lecturer thanked Mr. Fricke and Kendal for a very interesting program. Our next meeting is on June 12, and the Lecturer is in charge of the program. David Cornell is in charge of refreshments. The Grange had strawberry short cake for refreshments.
Local News
The Coach Baker Fund Weekend Draws Close
The Coach Baker Fund is set to have a record breaking weekend as they host an auction, dinner and tournaments galore at the Hoosick Falls Country Club. The Sixth Annual Coach Baker Fund Weekend will be June 14-15 and will consist of a silent and live auction, a dinner, a golf scramble and a basketball tournament.
Friday’s events will feature a festive dinner for friends and family of Coach Baker, as well as the larger community of Cambridge and Hoosick Falls. A cocktail hour will kick off the night at 6 pm with a mouth watering dinner, hosted by the Hoosick Falls Country Club, to follow. The buffet dinner will include London broil, chicken teriyaki, sausage & peppers, baked beans, corn on the cob and other delicious items. The evening will also include a live auction with Ron Seifert as auctioneer starting at 8 pm. The proceeds from the auction will go to the Coach Baker Fund. The cost per dinner is thirteen dollars, but the community is encouraged to come up and enjoy the other events free of charge.
Saturday’s events will consist of a 3 on 3 basketball tournament, open to boys and girls grades 4-12; it will be held at the Hoosick Falls Central School starting at 8:30 am. A sponsor of the event, Under Armour®, is providing T-shirts for the basketball tournament.
The Saturday Golf Scramble will once again include a double shotgun start with the morning group teeing off at 8 am and the afternoon group at 1 pm. All spots for both morning and afternoon tee offs are currently filled. This year we will recognize both gross and net champion teams. A small tournament presentation will conclude after the tourney between 5 and 6 pm.
The funds raised by this weekend will go to the continued mission of The Coach Baker Fund which is to financially support students through scholarship and communities through activism.
Additional information on the weekend’s events are available at the website www.coachkenbaker.com or by contacting Mike Baratto at mpb416@gmail.com.
West Hoosick FD Fathers Day Pancake Breakfast
The West Hoosick Fire Department announces an All You Can Eat Fathers’ Day Breakfast at the firehouse on Sunday, June 16, from 7:30 to 11 am. The menu includes pancakes, French toast, eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, juice, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. There were a lot of you who brought out your mom last month for a great breakfast, don’t leave dad out!
The firehouse is located on Pine Valley Road near the intersection of County Routes 109 and 103. Please call the firehouse at 686-1814 if you have any questions.
A Little Night Music Party To Benefit The Stephentown Memorial Library
Join the Friends of Stephentown Memorial Library for an evening of A Little Night Music on Saturday, June 15, from 7 to 10 pm at the Berkshire Mountain House Bed & Breakfast, 150 Berkshire Way, Stephentown. Music for the party will be provided by Doug Schmolze, performing a varied repertoire of solo guitar and vocal music.
Tickets for the benefit cost $25 per person and include two glasses of wine, plentiful delicious hors d’oeuvres, decadent desserts and hot and cold beverages. Tickets are available at the Library, at the door or from any of the Friends of Stephentown Memorial Library. There will also be the opportunity to purchase “mystery” bottles of donated wine for $10 each and take part in a 50/50 raffle. Proceeds will benefit operation of the Stephentown Memorial Library. Call Mona Berg at 518-733-6923 for more information or directions.
Doug Schmolze, tenor and classical guitarist, studied at the Berklee School of Music and is also a Certified Music Practitioner, trained in the Music for Healing and Transition Program. His music for this event will come from the greats of the decades of the 20s, 30s and 40s such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Harold Arlen. Schmolze will also play some international music and classical guitar solos.
Berkshire Mountain House Bed & Breakfast is a spacious contemporary inn, situated on a hilltop with incredible views of the mountains from its broad decks and many windows. The location is reached from Route 22 via Wyomanock Road.
Hooray For Summer Celebration At The New Lebanon Library
The New Lebanon Library will host a fun filled Hooray For Summer celebration on Friday, June 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Library. The celebration will include music, pot luck and stories and crafts for kids. Participants are encouraged to bring treats or a covered dish to share.
Music will be provided by jazz duo DBX2 which features bassist Dan Broad and pianist David Bartley. Broad, one of the most sought after bassists in western New England, has performed in nearly every state in the union and as well as in Europe. Bartley’s musical career includes scoring original music for film, video and radio productions, performing in various popular music groups and composing and performing several performance art pieces in association with the Washington Performing Arts Society.
This program is free, and all are welcome. 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 and 22.
Mountain Dulcimer At PVMCC
There will be a special feature, from 7 to 9 pm on June 14, at the Music and Art Café in the Petersburgh Veterans Memorial Community Center. CarolLynn Langley will sing and play traditional and original music on mountain dulcimer, accompanied by her husband, Gene, on autoharp. They will bring several mountain dulcimers, assembled from kits, for the audience to try playing, and they will explain the assembly process as well.
If you are interested in learning to play and in building one of these dulcimers, a medium-sized stringed instrument held in the lap, you can sign up for an upcoming 3 to 4 session workshop. The workshop can be a family activity, since no experience is necessary and anyone from fourth grade through adult can participate.
Stay tuned for workshop details – dates, times, etc. Meanwhile, come join us for the performance on Friday, June 14, at 71 Main Street (Rt. 2) at the Petersburgh Veterans Memorial Community Center. Admission costs $5 for adults and $8 for couples. Kids under 18 enter free, courtesy of the Stewart’s Holiday Match Grant. For more information, call Jeanne at 518-658-3953.
Rev Tor Performs At New Lebanon Library
Berkshire musician Tor Krautter will perform at the New Lebanon Library on Thursday, June 13, at 6:30 pm. With the use of a looping unit, Rev Tor creates tasty yet infectious grooves and performs a large repertoire of well crafted original tunes and classic rock/folk covers.
Krautter (aka Rev Tor) is best known as front man for the popular Rev Tor Band. Since the early 90s he has been a powerful presence on the east coast club and festival circuit, performing in venues from Maine to Florida. Rev Tor has worked with members of The Grateful Dead, Phish, The Allman Brothers and New Riders of the Purple Sage and has performed at concerts with The Jerry Garcia Band, Los Lobos and Leon Russell. He has toured regularly with Grateful Dead keyboardist Tom Constanten.
This event is free and open to the public. 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 and 22.
Cheney Library Events
On June 8 Pam Fricke will present a scrap-booking workshop at the Library at 10 am. Please register for this program and make a payment of $5 so that we have enough material for everyone.
On July 9 Michael Russert will be at the Library at 7 pm to talk about the Battle of Gettysburg and the involvement of Hoosick Falls in the Civil War. Michael is a former elementary teacher at Hoosick Falls Central School who has studied the Civil War in depth. Be sure to join us for his talk.
Cheney Library is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 1 – 8 pm, Tuesday 10 am – 5 pm, Friday 11 am – 4 pm and Saturday 8 am – 1 pm. Our phone number is 686-9401.
HAYC3 Texas Hold’em Tournament
Shuffle up and deal! Join us at the Hoosick Falls Armory for the Texas Hold’em Tournament on Friday, June 7. Texas Hold’em is every first Friday of the month at the HAYC3 Armory. The doors for the Tournament open at 6 pm, and play starts at 6:30. The buy-in is $35.
Whether you are new to the game or not, come and have a great time! The Armory is located at 80 Church Street, Hoosick Falls.
For further information, visit the website HAYC3.org or contact HAYC3 at 518-686-9050.
Hoosick Has Talent
No doubt there is plenty of talent in the Hoosick area. Often there is nowhere to exhibit that talent. You are invited to bring your best voice, instrument, comedy, poetry, art or skits to the Immaculate Conception Church dining hall, 67 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, on June 7, from 6 to 9 pm.
Talent can’t shine without an audience, so bring friends and family along to enjoy a great night out and enjoy some laughs and good wholesome fun. There is no charge for this event, and there will also be free raffle prizes.