Stephentown

submitted by Bev McClave

The day was beautiful, the donated goods usable and clean and the crowd plentiful – all making for a very successful Community Tag Sale. There were ten booths in addition to anchor sites for the Stephentown Historical Society and the Federated Church on the field so generously donated by the Gardners.

The Historical Society would like to thank everyone who contributed to that success by working in preparation or at the sale, donating good, usable items or just coming by and purchasing something. It is certainly true that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. A steady stream of customers passed through during the morning hours, having found something they really could use.

Emily Baker of Stephentown received a Bachelor’s Degree during the 2014 Commencement Ceremonies of Hobart and William Smith Colleges held on Sunday, May 18.

Baker, the daughter of Brian Baker and Nancy Petersen, majored in Psychology and Media & Society.  Baker studied abroad in London while at Hobart and William Smith.

Brad Falchuk, ’93, Emmy award winning writer, producer and director, delivered the 2014 Commencement Address.

Brandi Hoffman of Stephentown was named to the spring 2014 Dean’s List at SUNY Buffalo State. Hoffman is majoring in psychology. To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Matthew Morse from Stephentown was named to the Dean’s List at The State University of New York at Geneseo for the spring semester 2014. To be on the list, a student must have achieved at least a 3.5 grade point average while taking a minimum of 12 credit hours.

Samantha Lefavour of Stephentown received academic honors from the Harpur College of Arts and Sciences at Binghamton University by making the Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester.

Binghamton University is one of the four university centers of the State University of New York. Known for the excellence of its students, faculty, staff and programs, Binghamton enrolls close to 15,000 students in programs leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

The Stephentown Volunteer Fire Department will hold a Texas Hold’em Tournament on Saturday, August 9, in the Stephentown Fire Hall, located at 35 Grange Hall Road in Stephentown. The doors will open at 5:30 pm and close at 6 pm. Play begins at 6:15 sharp.

No advance registration is required. A donation of $35 per player will be accepted and give the player 6,000 in chip value. Players can make an additional $10 donation at the door for 2,000 extra in chip value. This tournament will pay one place for every ten players with a minimum of four places and a maximum of nine places.

A free buffet will be served at the first break, and refreshments will be available.

For further information, please call John Linton at 518-733-0469.

The Stephentown Community Tag Sale, sponsored by the Stephentown Historical Society, will be held on Saturday, July 26, from 9 am to 3 pm at the field next to Gardner’s Coffee Shoppe on Route 22 in Stephentown. The rain date is Sunday, July 27.

Spaces are available for individuals or other organizations to set up for a fee of $20; no equipment is provided. Please call 518-733-5170 to arrange to donate items ahead of time. Items may also be delivered to the site between 8 and 9 am. Large appliances and clothing cannot be accepted.

Numbers are up at the Stephentown Food Pantry. For the first half of 2014, pantry use has increased by 14.5% compared to the first half of 2013. That’s food for 5,760 meals, and that is a pile of groceries! The pantry currently serves fifty-nine households representing 162 folks. All of this is done with a team of hard working volunteers and generous community donations of money and food items. This year’s increase in “business” means that donations are more than welcome.

The Stephentown Food Pantry has been serving the community since 1983. If you would like to donate money to help stock the pantry, you may send checks to the Stephentown Food Pantry Treasurer at P.O. Box 387, Stephentown, NY, 12168 or drop a contribution into the Pantry jar at the Stephentown Memorial Library. The pantry is also a member of the Food Bank of NENY in Latham, NY. You may request any contribution you make to them be applied to the Stephentown Food Pantry account as part of their Adopt-A-Pantry program.

The Stephentown Food Pantry offers short term assistance to residents of Stephentown and Hancock, MA. The pantry is open every Saturday morning, weather permitting, from 9 to 11 am at the Stephentown Federated Church, Garfield Road (County Route 26). Appointments are not needed, but new clients should bring identification showing their street address, such as a current utility bill. As always, requests for help are confidential. For information, call 518-487-8606.