Thursday April 25, 2024 
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Poestenkill Residents
The Poestenkill Bread of Life Food Pantry expresses our sincere appreciation to all those Town Residents who graciously donated to our Pantry on Election Day at the Fire House. Your donations enable us to provide complete Thanksgiving & Christmas Holiday Meal Baskets to Poestenkill families experiencing economic difficulties. Your generosity also allows the Bread of Life Pantry to function as a viable local provider of basic nutritional food supplies & related items throughout the year to Town Residents in need.
Happy Thanksgiving to all and thanks again!
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Wynantskill Fire Department Dedicates New Utility 42
On Tuesday, October 29th, 2019, the Wynantskill Fire Department dedicated their newest piece of apparatus, Utility 42, to deceased member Tom Goyer. Tom lived his entire life in Wynantskill – spending 45 of those years volunteering with the Wynantskill Fire Department. Tom was the driving force behind the purchase of the first district-owned fire police vehicle, and original Utility 42, a 1997 Dodge van. The new Utility 42 is a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado.
In addition to serving our town through the fire department, Tom married his wife, Judy, in 1965 and raised a family. He also served in the United States Navy, and was a long time usher at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Troy, NY. A heartfelt thank you to all the members of the Goyer family, members of the American Legion Post 1489, members of the North Greenbush Fire District Board of Fire Commissioners, and Deacon Paul Carney of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Troy,NY, for joining us on this special occasion.
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Castleton-Schodack Kiwanis along with Castleton Road Racing Commission Support the Anchor
Sara Westcott, Race Director of the Ken Morgan Memorial Clove Run, proudly presented a check in the amount of $4,450 to Paula Sancomb, manager of The Anchor, Northeast Regional Food Pantry on November 11th, 2019. The Castleton-Schodack Kiwanis, in collaboration with the Castleton Road Racing Commission, was proud to sponsor / host the annual Clove Run. The 2019 event, held in August, was well-attended and supported by many local businesses. That support results in the ability to provide much-needed financial aid to The Anchor, Castleton’s food pantry.
Save the date:
Sunday December 8, 2019 the Castleton Kiwanis will be selling Bells of Life as a Fundraiser for Albany Medical Center Pediatric ER. We will be at Crossgates Mall from 10:00am to 6pm. Please come out, say hello, and purchase a Bell! Can’t get out? Some area local businesses will be selling the Bells as well. For more information visit www.castletonkiwanis.com.
The Castleton-Schodack Kiwanis Club wishes you all a Happy Thanksgiving!
04/16/2019
France Magnifique
La Fédération Franco-Américaine du NY is sponsoring a trip to France, featuring the 75th Anniversary of D-Day & Normandy, April 23 – May 7, 2020. Rates include round trip air from New York, air taxes and fees/surcharges, hotel transfers, and 20 meals. Highlights of the trip: Paris, River Seine cruise, Normandy, Omaha Beach, Le Mont St. Michel, Loire Valley, 2-night Chateau stay, winery tour, Lyon, Les Halles de Lyon, Paul Boscuse Market, Avignon, Creme Brûlée Cooking demonstration, Nice, Monaco. Plenty of time to explore on your own. For more information, pricing or a brochure, call Lisa at Plaza Travel at 518-785-3338 or lisa@nullplazatravel.net.
Anytime
Rensselaer County Recovery Helpline
1-833-467-3123
Do you need help with substance use issues? Are you interested in volunteering for the helpline? The Rensselaer County Recovery Helpline offers information, local resources, and referrals for individuals and their families regarding substance use issues. The toll-free line is available 7 days a week from 9am-9pm. Each volunteer chooses shifts of 4 hours at a time to be on-call. When someone calls the number, a volunteer answers on their own smartphone, and can enter information to a database on their own computer, allowing for easy and quick access to resources. The information is sent to one of the 9 leaders, who will then assist the caller. If you or someone you know needs information, resources, or a referral for a substance use problem, call 1-833-467-3123. For more information, or if you are interested in volunteering, contact Renscohelpline@nullgmail.com
Feel Good
Run Once
Thinking Of Thanksgivings Past
There were times when both
The mashed potatoes and gravy
Were lumpy.
The carving of the turkey
Was often less than artful…
Raggedy, actually.
Sometimes, the pie crusts
Were a little overdone and too browned
Even after Grandma trimmed them.
Sometimes, the men….
After a morning of deer hunting
Were tired and sleepy.
The youngsters most always
Complained about being seated
At the “kid’s table”
Nevertheless, this annual family gathering
Always turned out well;
It was a special gathering, to be sure.
Nothing can compare with a Thanksgiving dinner
With family…immediate and extended
Joined together to give Thanks!
Grandma & Grandpa,
Aunts, uncles and cousins
All together for this special occasion…
As always, at this time of year
I close my eyes and enjoy once again
An old time family Thanksgiving dinner !!
– Lloyd Barnhart
West Sand Lake 12196
Letters to the Editor
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Memoirs of an Amnesiac: The Simple Life
When my brother and I were kids in the 1950s, we decided one day to run away from home. It was a cold morning in November when we broke the news. Mom was just sliding our Sunday roast into the oven. She looked up and said, “OK, but be home in time for dinner.” If we didn’t have a grievance already, we did now: Clearly, Mom did not grasp this concept called running away. More determined than ever, Bill and I set off for the woods down by the pond, armed with a miniature hand-saw from Junior’s First Toolkit. Long before our log cabin was finished, we dragged ourselves back home, cold and hungry–but not late. Our warm kitchen and the aroma of roast beef helped soothe the agony of defeat.
Ever since those days, I’ve been intrigued by hermits. It was a thrill to visit Walden Pond a while back and see what was left of Thoreau’s cabin. As a kid, I remember a Thoreau or two around Averill Park. Along Route 150 roughly across from Hart’s Fuel there lived an old man with just a goat for company. When my family drove by, we looked for smoke rising from his chimney, which reassured us that the old guy was probably still OK.
Vacationing in England several years ago, I caught sight of a tiny trailer parked in the corner of a farm field, almost hidden by hedge-rows. It was so small, you’d have to climb outside just to change your mind. I was told that an old man lived there and spent his days designing crossword puzzles for the London Times.
When there’s a power outage, I’m reminded how dependent we are on technology. To the extent that hermits aren’t so helpless, I admire them. Still, I wouldn’t want to part with my friends and the good things of civilization. So I keep betting that the lights will stay on.
Ron McKee
Averill Park