Local News

submitted by Tammy Osterhout
Under the direction of Tammy Osterhout the Arts and Recreation Program will run Monday-Friday, July 8-July 26, from 9 am to 12 noon at our new facilities at the Berlin Town Complex on Route 22.  As always ages are from entering pre-k to 18. We will be engaging in some fun activities, creative art projects and many opportunities for outside play. There will be light snacks available, and children are able to bring their own snacks, but we have to maintain a nut free environment. Since it is a new facility we will also be practicing fire drills so that everyone knows two ways out.
Our main theme this year will be “Trash to Treasure.”  It is, once again, focusing on reduce, reuse and recycle. We will need some supplies from your “trash,” but we ask that everything be cleaned. We will be collecting plastic tubs, such as yogurt, cottage cheese and baby wipes. We cannot accept anything that may have traces of nuts. Basically we are accepting any plastic container that is not accepted by the transfer station however, we will not accept motor oil or any automobile fluids bottles. We will also need plastic jug lids of various sizes and colors. We will also need baby food jars, worn out jeans (all sizes), egg cartons, Styrofoam meat trays and old T-shirts (to be used for art smocks). If you have any questions or recyclables to pick up (they cannot be left at the transfer station), please call Tammy Osterhout.
Children will also have an opportunity to learn weaving, jewelry making, collage art and macramé. We have a new supply of pre-fired ceramics to paint.
Under the direction of Annette Bell the Swim Program will run Monday-Friday – August 5-16. The bus will pick up at the Berlin Fire House parking lot. Applications are currently being updated and will be available on the Town of Berlin website at berlin-ny.us.

As part of RecruitNY, on Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28, between 9 am and 3 pm the Berlin Volunteer Fire Co., Inc. located at 11 Community Avenue will join volunteer fire departments all across the State at their respective firehouses for a unified  recruitment drive, as part of National Volunteer Week 2013. Not only will RecruitNY be an opportunity to highlight the duties and rewards that come with being a volunteer firefighter, it will also raise public awareness about the need for volunteers.
The Berlin Fire Co. will open its doors to area residents so they can learn about what it takes to be a volunteer firefighter in their community. Over the last several years, it has been very tough for many fire departments throughout New York State to recruit and retain volunteers for a variety of reasons. Like most volunteer fire departments, the Berlin Volunteer Fire Co. needs to bolster its emergency responder numbers so it can continue to provide the optimum level of protection for its residents.
Throughout the day, the Berlin Volunteer Fire Co. will conduct tours of the station and firefighter apparatus, allow visitors to try on firefighter gear and provide activities and stations throughout the firehouse for visitors. The fire department will discuss the requirements to be a volunteer as well as conduct demonstrations, answer questions and let visitors know how to get involved in the fire department.
Last year, over 430 fire departments in 55 counties across the State held recruitment open houses. FASNY is hoping for an even higher turnout this year.
Come on out and join the Berlin Fire Company for this unique recruitment day at our firehouse.  This is a great opportunity for our neighbors to observe the exciting tasks of a firefighter. Our current members love what they do; they are everyday heroes who help neighbors in need. We hope our recruitment day will inspire other area residents to join our fire service family.  Check out our website for upcoming events http://berlinvolunteerfirecompany.webs.com/.
The goal of RecruitNY is that the collaborative effort among volunteer fire departments statewide will turn the declining number of volunteer firefighters around. RecruitNY is one example of FASNY’s key initiatives to recruit and retain volunteers. Over the last year and a half, FASNY has worked exceptionally hard to build and deploy a multi-tiered plan for helping New York State’s over 1,700 volunteer fire departments recruit over 15,000 new volunteer firefighters across the State by utilizing federal SAFER grant funds for programs including the “Fire in You” advertising campaign, FASNY HELP community college tuition reimbursement program and recruitment training classes.
Established in 2011, RecruitNY is a joint undertaking by the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC), the Association of Fire Districts of New York State, the Volunteer Fire Police Association of the State of New York and the County Fire Coordinators Association of the State of New York. Last year, fire departments in more than 50 counties across the State participated in the first annual RecruitNY weekend.
For area residents looking for more information, visit www.recruitny.org or contact your local fire department via a non-emergency phone number or its website.