Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper
submitted by Lynda Johnson
The five children of the late Carl and Charlotte Johnson of Berlin gathered together for the first time in nearly nine years, celebrating with a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner, in which they were joined by many nieces, nephews and extended family.
On Sunday, December 15, Hoosick Falls’ big band, The Stardusters, will perform a Christmas program at the Community Alliance Church at 3 pm. The public is cordially invited.
On Wednesday, December 18, the Hoosick Falls Community Band will present its 31st annual Christmas Concert at the First United Presbyterian Church at 7:30 pm.
The Petersburgh Public Library invites the public to decorate cookies on Saturday, December 7, from 10 am to 12 pm. Children of all ages are invited to drop by the Library to decorate holiday cookies to take home. Cookies and decorating supplies will be provided.
On Saturday, December 14, between 10 am and noon everyone is invited to make a Rudolph holiday decoration or pin.
Story Hour
Pre-school Story Hour continues on Tuesdays at 11 am on December 10 when the letter “M” will be featured with stories about manners. On December 17 there will be a holiday story hour. There will be no story hour on December 24 or 31. Story hour will resume on Tuesday, January 7.
Crocheting classes will continue on Tuesday, December 10 and 17, at 2 pm and then will resume on January 7 and will meet monthly on the first Tuesday of the month. Knitting continues Wednesdays at 4 pm, but will not meet on December 25 and January 1. Everyone is invited to join in these activities.
• Toddler/Preschool Story Time.Join us for stories, songs and an art project each Wednesday at 9 am. This is a great opportunity for children to socialize and parents to connect with other parents.
• Zumba Classes – weekly on Wednesdays at 7 pm. Zumba is an exhilarating Latin inspired dance fitness class designed to benefit anyone, regardless of age or fitness level. Zumba Instructor Kim Conley is also a Certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher, Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer who works with people of every age and ability all over the Berkshires. Each one hour class costs $5 per participant. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. Zumba is a blast. Come join the party!
• Easy, Restorative Yoga on Thursdays from 10 am to 11:15 am. Limber up your body and have fun doing it. Enjoy gentle yoga in a supportive atmosphere with music and easy asanas. Have aches and pains? Jules has trained with Dr. Richard Brown, MD, and Dr. Timothy McCall, MD, to teach yoga as a part of a restful and healing life journey. Classes cost $10 each, with a portion of the proceeds going to benefit the Stephentown Memorial Library. Please sign up in advance, as space is limited. Contact Jules Harrell at 265-2808 or leave message at the SML front desk.
• Annual Mitten Tree at SML – from December 2 through December 20. Bring your gently used or new winter accessories (mittens, gloves, hats, scarves) and hang them on the Mitten Tree at Stephentown Memorial Library. Collection will run through December 20. We will donate them to a local agency for distribution to families in need. Children’s items are especially useful.
• Book Discussion Group. The Stephentown Library Book Discussion Group meetings are held monthly in the Community Room at the Library from noon to 1 pm. Bring a lunch if you like. Copies of the books are available at the Library desk. New readers are always welcome.
• Family Movie Night. Come in from the cold and enjoy a showing of the film “Man of Steel” on Friday, December 6, at 6:30 pm. The movie is rated PG-13. Running time for this movie is 2 hours, 23 minutes. Popcorn and juice will be served. This event is free and all are welcome!
• Watershed Stream Spotter Informational Session – Tuesday, December 10, at 6:30 pm. Volunteer environmental monitoring can be a great family activity, a good excuse to get outdoors or simply a good way to learn about pollution of water and how to protect your favorite water body. No previous education or training is required in order to participate. All you need is a desire to learn and help out. Equipment, materials and training provided. This session will be led by Fran Martino of Stockport Watershed. Come learn more!
• Make Your Own Mini Gingerbread House. Join us on Monday, December 16, at 6:30 pm as we make mini-gingerbread houses from graham crackers. This is a great activity that is suitable for all ages, including very young children. Led by Rebekkah Corbett, this is a free activity, but we ask that you call ahead for reservations.
• Holiday Duct Tape Fun. If you’re looking for something fun and free to do, plan to join us on Friday, December 20, at 6:30 pm. Create wonderful holiday gifts for your friends and family. We will provide an awesome array of duct tape colors from camouflage to the elusive plaid. We’ll provide a few patterns, but you’re only limited by what you can create in the time period! This activity is for middle and high school students. Refreshments will be served. Bring your friends!
• Family Movie Matinee. Are the kids climbing the walls after the holiday excitement? Bring them to the Library for a showing of the beloved film “Finding Nemo” on Thursday, December 26, at 2 pm. Juice and cookies will be served. This event is free, and all are welcome! Parents or caregivers must accompany children under 12.
• Pajama Story Time. Wear your pjs and bring your favorite stuffed animal, along with a parent or caregiver. We will listen to some holiday stories, sing a few holiday songs and enjoy hot cocoa and cookies. Join us Thursday, December 26, at 6:30 pm.
For more information on any of these programs or to register for programs, call the Stephentown Memorial Library at 733-5750 or stop by during our Library Hours. Also check our website, www.stephentownlibrary.org for regular updates.
Holiday Closings
The Stephentown Memorial Library will be closed Tuesday, December 24, and Wednesday, December 25, for Christmas. We will also be closed Tuesday, December 31, and Wednesday, January 1, for New Year’s. We wish you all a joyous and safe holiday season.
The New Lebanon Library announces the following December events. All of these events are free and will take place at the Library which is located at 550 State Route 20, New Lebanon. For further information, please contact Jeannie Bogino at 518-794-8844.
• December 8 – New Lebanon Book Group – 11 am. The book to be discussed is Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain. Newcomers are welcome.
• December 11, 18 (event is on Wednesdays) – Tales for Tots Story Hour – 10:30 am. Story hour includes crafts, songs and movement activities.
• December 11, 18 (event is on Wednesdays) – Hug-A-Bye Babies – noon. This includes age appropriate stories, songs and movement activities for our youngest patrons and their caregivers.
• December 11 – Eat Smart New York – 1 pm. This is a free nutrition program for families, presented by the Cornell Cooperative Extension. Learn ways to stretch your food dollars, prepare quick and healthy meals and snacks and receive food safety tips.
• December 12 – Tor Krautter in concert – 6:30 pm. The popular Berkshire musician performs a wide variety of folk / rock classics and original tunes. Donations for the performer are appreciated.
• December 13 – Family Movie Night – 6:30 pm. A current film suitable for the whole family will be shown. Call for the title. Popcorn and juice will be provided.
• December 19 – Family Crafts Night and Cookie Swap – 6:30 pm. Join us and make clay dough ornaments. All materials are provided. Following the craft, we will hold a cookie swap. Participants should bring four dozen cookies, a recipe and a container to hold your cookie haul. The swap will take place at 7 pm. This is suitable for the whole family.
• December 20 – Community Holiday Celebration – 6:30 pm. The celebration will include pot luck, caroling, crafts for kids, a tree lighting and a visit from Santa. 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. All are welcome.
• December 21 – Paws-to-Read – 9 am. Therapy dogs come to the Library, and children read to their furry friends. And, of course, the dogs listen! Please call 518-794-8844 to register.
• December 27 – David Grover and Linda Worster Together in Concert – 6:30 pm. Enjoy an evening of delightful acoustic music with these two Berkshire favorites.
• December 30 – Bingo for Kids – 1:30 pm. There will be Bingo, prizes and fun for kids aged 5-12.
Just in time for the holiday season, the Grafton Community Library will raffle a super Holiday Cheer basket to benefit the Library. The winning ticket will be drawn on Wednesday, December 11, at the Library. Ticket prices are one dollar each or six tickets for five dollars.
The basket features fifty dollars in gift certificates to the Grafton Town Store. Not only is the basket brimming with an assortment of tasty treats, including marmalade, wines, salsa, tapenade, tea and chocolates, it includes festive holiday items – Yankee Candles, Mary Kay and more! Along with some books and a cozy fleece throw for snuggling, there is something to please everyone.
Give the basket as a gift, keep it as a treat for yourself or use the goodies as individual gifts.
Stop in at the Library located at 2455 NY Route 2 during regular hours to peek in the basket and purchase your raffle tickets. The Library is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 3 to 7 pm, Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm.
The Hoosick Falls Soccer Club is now organizing spring travel teams. If we do not have enough players on a team, we will not be able to register that team in the league. We hope to have enough players to register all six teams. If you are interested in registering please go to https://hoosickfallssoccer.sportssignup.com//Login.
We are forming teams for:
• Fourth Grade Boys
• Fourth Grade Girls
• Fifth Grade Boys
• Fifth Grade Girls
• Sixth Grade Boys
• Sixth Grade Girls.
The Club registrar and contact for travel soccer is now Hoosick Falls Soccer Club Board Member Justin Caywood. You can reach him at 518-944-1498 or at cicerorey1919@gmail.com.
Registration period ends December 14.
The Tsatsawassa Protective Fire Company, serving Brainard and East Nassau and the surrounding community, will hold its monthly Breakfast on Sunday, December 15, from 8 until 11 am at the firehouse on Firehouse Lane behind the post office near the intersection of Routes 20 and 66N in the hamlet of Brainard.
Breakfast, for a donation of $6, offers your choice of pancakes or French toast together with bacon or sausage, eggs cooked to your order, applesauce and an assortment of breakfast beverages. Children five and under are served free.
Included during the breakfast hours will be a Santa’s workshop offered by the Cub Scouts sponsored by the Fire Company which will give children an opportunity to purchase inexpensive gifts and have them wrapped………it is even rumored that Santa might be visiting during the morning so bring your camera for that smile on the face of your favorite little one as he or she chats with St.Nick.
On Friday, December 13, the Berlin HS Class of 2014 will be holding its next Pizza Night fundraiser, and we are combining it with Shop on the Avenue. We are still looking for local crafters and vendors to register for spaces. The cost of each space is $10 and the money will be donated to the high school Student Council Operation Support Our Troops. Shop on the Avenue is from 5 to 8 pm. If you are interested in reserving a space, please contact Karen Day at the high school at 658-2515 or by email, kday@berlincentral.org.
As for Pizza Night, you can order hot, fresh pizzas by emailing Karen Day up to 2:30 Friday afternoon and then by phone at 658-2515 ext. 209. Pizzas cost $8 and toppings cost $1 each. Toppings include pepperoni, sausage, ham, bacon, mushrooms, black olives, peppers, onions, pineapple, broccoli and jalapeños. Pizzas are available from 4 to 7 pm.
Story Time at the Berlin Free Town Library will take place at the Library on all four Saturdays in December starting at 10:30 am. The Library welcomes children from preschool age and up for Story Time on December 7,14, 21 and 28. For questions, please call the Library at 658-2231.
