submitted by Judy Frost, Public Information Specialist
A group of incoming Hoosick Falls eighth-graders spent a week in August exploring the great outdoors learning about the environment and a range of environmental careers.
Sports Outdoors
Lake Lauderdale Young Angler Fishing Tournament
Forty-nine young anglers and their families spent Sunday morning, August 17, fishing on the shoreline of the Washington County Park on Lake Lauderdale in the Lake Lauderdale Improvement Association’s 18th Annual Fishing Tournament. They caught and released 105 fish.
[Read more…] about Lake Lauderdale Young Angler Fishing Tournament
Upcoming Programs At GLSP
Grafton Lakes State Park’s Beach Nature Center is open 12 to 2 pm daily through Labor Day. Come visit some local critters, explore animal tracks and look at our nature artifacts.
August 30, Saturday – Gentle Fresh Air Yoga with Kat Abrams from 9:30 to 10:30 am. This is the last class of the summer. The cost is $12. For more information, call Kat at 233-1717.
August 30, Saturday – Dance in the Park for Summer’s Last Swing, 5 to 10 pm at GLSP. Enjoy live swing music with the Nisky Dixie Cats and dance lessons under the Park’s big sky. Call Laura Sears at 279-1155 for details.
September 1, Monday – Last Day of Swimming for the Summer and the Labor Day Sand Sculpture Contest at GLSP. Registration is at 12 pm, judging at 3 pm. Sign up is free. There will be prizes for all participants, but extra points will be awarded for originality. Join us on Long Pond beach.
September 6, Saturday – Tom Conklin Dedication Ceremony at Grafton Lakes State Park – Grand Opening of Conklin Pass, our new trail and the Conklin Program Tent. The ceremony will be followed by a barbecue and live music from 12 to 4 pm.
September 6, Saturday – International “Observe the Moon” Night. Join people all over the world in looking up at our nearest neighbor, the moon. Bring your binoculars if you have them and come enjoy the glow.
September 13, Saturday – If These Rocks Could Talk Geology Tour with David DeSimone at 10 am at GLSP. Grafton’s original name was Roxborough. Come find out why in a tale that goes back over 500 million years. Pre-register by calling 279-1155.
September 14, Sunday – Love the Lakes Shoreline Cleanup Day from 1 to 3 pm at GLSP. Along with thousands of volunteers worldwide, join in a shoreline cleanup effort sponsored through the Ocean Conservancy and American Littoral Society. Collect data as you go that aids in litter prevention campaigns. Scout troops are welcome. Pre-register at 279-1155.
September 19, Friday – Star Watch at 7:30 pm ay GLSP. Enjoy a free tour of the night sky with the Albany Area Astronomers. call Bernard at 658-9144 to confirm as cloudy skies may cancel. The rain date is Saturday September 20 at 7:30 pm. Please use the Winter Entrance and follow signs to the program.
September 20, Saturday – Pets in the Park from 11 am to 2 pm at Deerfield pavilion at GLSP.
Bring your four-legged friends for a day of pet friendly fun an adoption clinic, vendors, agility course, a costume contest and more. Call for a detailed schedule of events. There will be a Nature Hike at 10 am.
September 27, Saturday – Fall Foliage Hike to the Fire Tower at 10:30 am at GLSP. Pack a lunch and join us for a three mile round trip hike to the Dickinson Hill Fire Tower. We’ll break for lunch and a view before returning around 1 pm. Please call to pre-register at 279-1155. This hike is part of the region-wide Hudson River Ramble.
For more information check www.nysparks.com.
Horseheal
GLSP To Hold Dance In The Park
Grafton Lakes State Park, the Dance Flurry Organization, Capitol USA Dance and the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park will host Dance in the Park on Saturday, August 30. Dance in the Park is open to dancers at all levels of experience with or without a partner. The event will take place at the Deerfield Pavilion from 5 to 10 pm, starting with a lesson and a swing dance following. All proceeds from the night will benefit the Friends of Grafton Lakes State Park.
The lesson will be taught by Jason Fenton and will cover the basics of East Coast Swing. The main swing dance will feature a live band, the Dylan Perrillo Orchestra, and Fenton will DJ during the break between sets. There will also be food from Brunswick Barbeque and Brew and a raffle with prizes including a gift certificate from Saratoga Savoy, a gift basket from Capitol USA Dance and CDs from Ms. Patti Melita, a local musician.
Registration costs $15 per person for the dance only and $25 per person for dinner and the dance. Both fees cover the dance lesson and a night of live music. Pre-registration for those who want dinner is required by Wednesday, August 27, but drop-ins for the swing dance are also more than welcome.
For more information about Dance in the Park, please call the Park Office at 518-279-1155.
Remaining Summer Programs At The Dyken Pond Center
• Full Moon Paddle – September 9, 7 to 9 pm. Join us for the full “Harvest” moon paddle on Dyken Pond. This event is limited to 15 people. Kayaks or canoes can be rented for $10 per boat. Pre-registration is required; call 518-658-2055 or email dykenpond@fairpoint.net to register or find out more information.
• Hike Across the Rensselaer Plateau – Sept. 13 and 14. This two day, 32 mile hike will take serious hikers from end to end across the Rensselaer Plateau. The event is co-sponsored by the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. Pre-registration is required. Please call us at 518-658-2055 for more details.
Jr. Naturalist Program
• Lake Ecology – August 27, 1 to 3 pm. Our final Jr. Naturalist program of the summer will give students some experience in one of their favorite places – the water. We will be exploring the animals and plants that inhabit Dyken Pond by hiking the shoreline. We will discuss water quality and give students a chance to test the water conditions in the lake. A $1 donation is suggested.
Behind The Scenes
This summer the Forest Conservation Corps took place the last two weeks of July. Twenty-one teenagers from Rensselaer County volunteered time out of their summer to do trail work and maintenance at the Center. The teens worked on over six miles of hiking trails and paved the way for a brand new trail at the Center. The Forest Corps teens also helped prevent shoreline erosion on Dyken Pond by piling up rocks along the shoreline. The staff at Dyken Pond is very proud of these teens and would like to say thanks again for all of their hard work.
Winners Of The Mt. Chapel Fishing Derby
29th Annual Run For The Roses
submitted by Liz Wagner, Park Naturalist
Sunshine and beautiful weather greeted this year’s participants for the 29th Annual Run for the Roses. The Grafton Community Library and Grafton Lakes State Park were happy to host 154 runners for this year’s event on the 5k course that is renowned for being “up hill the whole way.”
Dude!
Panther Football Opens At The Dome – Tickets Are On Sale Now
submitted by Judy Frost, Public Information Specialist, Hoosick Falls CSD
The Hoosick Falls Panther Football team will open its season against the Owego Indians, a Class B school, in a game at 1 pm on Sunday, September 7, at the Syracuse Carrier Dome. Tickets for the game cost $7 and are on sale in the main office of the high school and also will be available for purchase during Code of Conduct Night on Tuesday, August 26, from 6 to 8 pm.
The Panthers are one of 20 teams from across New York State invited to play in the annual Kick-Off Classic at the Syracuse Carrier Dome the weekend of September 5-7. The Kick-Off Classic is a Section III sponsored event that raises money for the Central New York Chapter of the National Football Foundation Scholarship. This year, for the first time, Section III is opening the competition to other divisions in the state.
Hoosick Falls has twice competed at the Carrier Dome in State Championship games in 2003 and again in 2012 when the Panthers won the State title after defeating Hornell, 34-21.
Coach Ron Jones said the team has approximately 300 general admission tickets for the September 7 game. Tickets cost $7 each, and a spectator bus is being offered by the School District for students and staff who purchase tickets to the game. The Hoosick Falls cheerleaders and the Pep Band will travel to Syracuse to support the Panthers on game day.
Local businesses are invited to show their support for the Panthers by placing ads in the Kick-Off Classic program. Half page ads may be purchased for $50, and full page ads cost $100. For more information, email Coach Jones at jonesr@hoosickfallscsd.org, or contact Athletic Coordinator Tom Husser via email at hussert@hoosickfallscsd.org or call Hoosick Falls High School at 518-686-7321, ext. 1500.