The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Be A Part Of Hoosick Rising

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by Bea Peterson 

There are many people who will tell you how great Hoosick and Hoosick Falls used to be – when there were stores on John and Church Streets and plenty of manufacturing jobs and restaurants. Times have changed, and efforts are underway to revitalize the community. It will never be what it was; it will become something different and better. And it will require a community effort. Step forward, be part of the action. New voices and actions are needed. Every single person can make a difference.

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New Youth Summer Camp In Stephentown

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Stephentown’s summer youth day camp program will operate under the direction of the Stephentown Memorial Library this year. Join camp director and certified physical education teacher Laura Hunt for four weeks of science, sports, arts, environmental education and lots of play and fun. The camp is open to children entering first grade through sixth grade.

Each day campers will spend time exploring new ideas and activities, such as trying out backyard chemistry with the Darrow School’s resident backyard scientist, building playing skills with Berlin High School’s varsity sports players, exploring new art forms with local resident artists, applying conservation principles through activities with environmental educators, experiencing physics and engineering principles through play and experimentation and more. Camp activities will take place at the Library, the Town Hall and the Library’s new green fields property.

Camp Begins July 7

The summer camp will take place beginning Monday, July 7, through Friday, August 1, this year. Campers will be served free breakfast and free lunch, provided through the Rensselaer County Office of Family Services. Camp hours will be 9 am to 2 pm Monday through Friday. The camp is free for residents of Stephentown. For families who would like to drop off their child early, 8 am drop off is available for $15 per week with a discount available for multiple children in a family. Non-Stephentown residents can participate at a cost of $75 per week, 8 am to 2 pm, space permitting.

No Swim Program

The Stephentown swim program will not be available this year due to closure of the Town of Hoosick pool for repairs.

Positions Open

The Youth Camp also provides opportunities for Stephentown teens to gain employment experience. Teens may apply for the following positions: counselor – minimum age 16; counselor-in-training – minimum age 15; volunteer – minimum age 13.

Register Now

Campers will be accepted on a space available basis. Camp registration forms and teen employment applications are available at the Stephentown Memorial Library and the Town Hall. Please call the Library if you have questions or for other information at 733-5750.

Seventh Annual Coach Baker Fund Weekend Tees Up

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The committee for the Coach Baker Fund is pleased to announce this year’s date for the seventh annual auction, Golf Scramble and Basketball Tournament in honor of the late Coach Ken Baker.  This year’s weekend will be June 13-14 at the historic Hoosick Falls Country Club in Hoosick.

For the past six years a committee of friends and family has organized the weekend to raise donations for the fund which awards scholarships to deserving students from both the Cambridge and Hoosick Falls school districts, as well as deserving programs in both communities.

Beginning with the Ken Baker Golf Scramble, the weekend has grown by adding a 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament and a Live Auction with a dinner.  This weekend has become a reunion of family, friends, students, recipients, finalists and former athletes.  With the funds raised by this weekend, the Coach Baker Fund continues with its mission to give financial support to students and communities.

Friday night’s celebration of players and open to the general public will be held at the Hoosick Falls Country Club starting at 6 pm and will feature casual dining and an exciting live and silent auction with tickets available at the door.

The Saturday 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament will be held at the Hoosick Falls Central School gymnasium at 8:30 am on June 14 and is open to fourth to twelfth grade divisions with registration.

The Saturday golf event will once again have a double shotgun start with the morning group teeing off at 8 am and the afternoon group at 1 pm. A small tournament presentation will conclude after the tourney between 5 and 6 pm.

Additional information on the weekend’s events and applications for golf and basketball are available through www.CoachBakerFund.org or by contacting Mike Baratto at mpb416@gmail.com.

 

Junior Girl Scout Troop #1101 Helps Animals

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The Junior Girl Scout Troop #1101 of the Berlin Central School District is collecting donations of linens, heating pads and dog food, as well as collecting five cent refundable bottles, to benefit the Rensselaer County Humane Society.

The bottles that are collected will be used to buy the few remaining pieces of necessary medical equipment, including a Pulse Ox machine, and also help fund a new roof, which was damaged over the winter, for the Mobile Spay and Neuter clinic. RCHS is hoping to have the Mobile clinic available to residents by the end of the summer.

Drop boxes are located at the Berlin Free Town Library, the Stephentown Memorial Library and the Berlin Elementary School. Please place donations in the appropriate marked containers. If you would prefer to make a monetary donation, you may send check or money orders to:

Rensselaer County Humane Society

c/o Pondview Kennels

48 Pondview Way,

East Nassau, NY. 12062.

Berlin Middle School/High School June Schedule

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During the month of June, the Berlin Middle School and High School will operate on an alternative schedule to accommodate final and Regents exam testing. The dismissal schedule for both schools is:

Berlin Middle School 

June 12 – June 20 – 12:10 pm dismissal. The last day for Middle School students is June 20.

Berlin High School

June 12 – 12:10 pm dismissal; required Regents Exam review for English and Science until 2 pm.

June 13 – 12:10 pm dismissal; required Regents Exam review for Math and Social Studies until 2 pm.

June 16 – normal school day.

Regents Exams

The following Regents Exams will be administered June 17 to 25:

June 17

US History & Government, 8 am

Living Environment, 12 pm

June 18

Global History and Geography, 8 am

Algebra 2/Trigonometry, 12 pm

June 19

Comprehensive English, 8 am

Earth Science, 12 pm

June 20

Integrated Algebra, 8 am

Geography, Physics, 12 pm

June 23

RCT Global Studies, 8 am

RCT Reading, 12 pm

June 24

Chemistry, 8 am

RCT Science, RCT US History & Government, 12 pm

June 25

RCT Writing, 8 am

RCT Math, FLACS Spanish Exam, 12 pm.

Hoosick Grange News

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Hoosick Grange met on May 28. Master David Cornell presided over the meeting. During the meeting the new Farm Bill was discussed. Also the news of Veterans not being cared for properly. The Master brought up about Brunswick Grange Anniversary meeting to be held at Brunswick on June 8 at 2 pm. He hoped a lot would attend. The fair booth was also brought up.

Norma Brenenstuhl was in charge of the program. She read the “Meaning of Memorial Day.” To a lot of the public, it’s a day off from work. It’s attending ceremonies and parades. In the beginning Memorial Day was known as Decoration Day, a time to decorate the Civil War dead monuments with flowers. In May 30, 1971, New York was first in changing the day’s name to Memorial Day.

Norma told about the Arlington National Cemetery where many soldiers are buried. The cemetery is 150 years old. It is made up of 624 acres. It has 170 full time employees. It buries 20 to 30 a day, which is around 7,000 a year. They also have 20,000 cremation plots. Three million tourist go to see the cemetery every year. The cemetery needs another 27 more acres. Norma had a picture game after her talk and a closing thought. “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched: they must be felt with the heart.”

We thanked Norma for her great program. Our next meeting is on June 11, and Martha Babbitt is in charge of the program. Refreshment Committee is Louise Ciuk and Mary Remancus.

Grafton Senior Center Flea Market And Bake/Food Sale

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Rensselaer County’s Everett Wagar Senior Center, 2 Roxborough Road, Grafton, is holding a Flea Market and Bake/Food Sale on Saturday, June 14, from 9 am to 3 pm. Please join us.

Tables are available for rent – inside $10 per table, outside $5, bring your own table. Donations are being accepted for the bake sale, white elephant table, holiday items, household and children items. Proceeds from the sale will benefit Rensselaer County’s Everett Wagar Senior Center.

For more information or to donate an item for our sale, contact Penny at the Senior Center 518-279-3413.

Stephentown Library Book Group Meeting

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The Stephentown Library Book Group will be discussing André Brink’s powerful novel, Philida, the story of a female slave and her fierce determination to survive and to be free. In 1832, Cape Town, now part of South Africa, where the story takes place, is rife with rumors about the coming liberation of the slaves. The title character, Philida, is the mother of four children by François, the son of her master. Philida decides to risk her whole life by lodging a complaint with the Office of the Slave Protector against François, who has reneged on his promise to set her free.

The meeting will be Tuesday, June 17, at 1:30 pm at the Library. Copies of the book are available at the Library desk. New readers are always welcome. The Stephentown Library Book Discussion Group meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Library. For more information, call 518-733-5750.

An Evening Of Classical Violin At The New Lebanon Library

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Classical musician Katherine Liccardo will be performing at the New Lebanon Library on Friday, June 13, at 6:30 pm. She will perform a program of works for violin at this event, which is free and open to the public although donations for the performer are appreciated.

Liccardo, a native New Yorker, began her violin and piano studies at age 3. Her passion for music started at home, growing up in a household of music teachers and performers. She received her Bachelor of Music Degree from Mannes College The New School for Music and is currently pursuing her Master of Music Degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Liccardo has served as concertmaster at both of these prestigious institutions.

An active chamber musician, Liccardo is a founding member and first violinist of NEXTquartet. One recent highlight for the quartet was working with Parsons School of Design and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on conductor Marin Alsop’s project to create new orchestral garments for the modern orchestral player. She has a special interest in new music and has premiered works by Elliott Carter, Lowell Lieberman and Robert Cuckson. Liccardo is a certified Suzuki teacher and holds teaching positions at the Center for Preparatory Studies in Music at Queens College and the Saint David’s School. She has had a teaching studio based in New Hyde Park since 2009.

For further information on this event, 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 20/22.

Tick Talk At The Cheney Library

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Nice weather is back and so are the ticks. Are you concerned about Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses? Join us Wednesday, June 18, at 6:30 pm at the Cheney Library for a program on ticks and Lyme disease. The program, presented by Jennifer Mahoney, Senior Public Health Educator from the Rensselaer County Health Department, will cover the life cycle of a tick, the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses, the current levels of Lyme disease in our area, how to prevent tick bites and what to do if you get bitten. The program is free, and no RSVP is needed.