Friday April 19, 2024 
Capital District Fly Fishers Fly Tie-A-Thon
CAPITAL DISTRICT – On February 1, 2020 the Capital District Fly Fishers and VFW Post 8692 of Colonie, New York held The 3rd Annual Fly Tie-A-Thon at the post for the benefit of Project Healing Waters. Project Healing Waters is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and disabled veterans through fly fishing and associated activities including education and outings. This event continues the desire of the members of both organizations wanting to do what they can for our veterans. The Veterans Administration has realized the benefits of fly fishing and fly tying as therapy for veterans.
Each year the Tie-A-Thon continues to draw more interest and participants. While the first year was a blow out, with one individual donating 102 dozen flys due to retirement, the fly tying community is stepping up in a big way to make sure the Tie A Thon lives on and continues to prosper to insure that we continue to provide the much needed flys to Project Healing Waters. Flys collected will be distributed to veterans nation wide and wherever they are needed. Just look at what we have done to date, working together for a common cause.
2018 – 200 Dozen; 2019 – 146 Dozen; 2020 – 164 Dozen.
The Capital District Fly Fishers, goes one step further, and purchases fly boxes, loads them up with a broad selection of flys so that each veteran that participates in the PHW fly fishing program will take home a box of flys to start them on their way, enjoying and healing thru Fly Fishing.
Mark your calendar, the 4th Annual Fly Tie-A-Thon is already scheduled for February 6, 2021, at the VFW Post 8692 – Colonie, 140 VFW Drive, Albany, NY 12205. If you are interested in more information about our program, wish to contribute flys or how you can help, contact John Prokorym at jjpflytyer@nullyahoo.com or Tom Passarelli at AJPLMP@nullaol.com.
Russell Sage the Money King
TROY – History comes alive when the Esquatak Historical Society presents Michael Barrett, Executive Director of the Hudson-Mohawk Industrial Gateway and Burden Iron Works Museum in Troy on Friday, February 21, 7:00 p.m. at the Castleton Fire Department. Mr. Barrett will share the story of Russell Sage the quintessential Robber Baron of the Gilded Age. Born into poverty, Sage died one of America’s wealthiest men. His widow’s reaction is one of the greatest stories of philanthropic retaliation in U.S. history. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. The Castleton Fire Department is located at 11 Green Avenue in the village of Castleton. For more information visit www.esquatak.com.
Farm Animal Welfare Workshop for Law Enforcement
RENSSELAER COUNTY – Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County is excited to offer an Animal Welfare Workshop for Law Enforcement officers and employees on Saturday, February 22nd at 10 A.M at the CCE Office in Troy (61 State St.). This program will be tailored to those in this career field who are involved with animal welfare and cruelty cases. Please join us as CCE Educators along with Sue McDonough, a retired New York State Trooper who focused on animal cruelty cases and a previous board member for the NYS Humane Association, discuss topics such as: observing an animal’s body condition as well as its surroundings and cases seen in Rensselaer County. To register, email Kayela at kls342@nullcornell.edu or call the CCE office at 518-272-4210 by Tuesday, February 18th. There is a registration fee of $5 payable at the class. Cornell Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity employer and programmer.
Hike for Hemlocks at Thacher Visitor Center
VOORHEESVILLE – Saturday, February 22, 10:30a.m. – 1:00p.m. New York’s eastern hemlocks provide food and shelter for wildlife, help cool streams, and provide erosion control. Sadly, our beloved hemlocks are under attack by the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). HWA is an invasive, aphid-like insect that attacks our hemlocks and can kill trees within 4 to 10 years. We need your help tracking eastern hemlocks and HWA across NYS. Learn how to identify eastern hemlocks and how to look for signs of HWA infestation, and learn how to report HWA into iMapInvasives, NY’s invasive species database. After a lunch break, we’ll go outside and inspect nearby hemlocks. Bring a lunch and dress warmly. Note: Please download the iMapInvasives app prior to the workshop. The app is available for download from Google Play or iOS App Store (search for “imapinvasives”) for free. Call 518-872-0800 for more information. Adventure Game where the Characters Come to Life
TROY – On Saturday, February 22nd at 7:30pm. Beth Tephilah synagogue will have a special event , an adventure game where the characters come to life. Imagine that you are part of a team to help Jews that have been imprisoned in Portugal during the time of the Inquisition . Relatives approach you and ask for your help. Each part of your team has special functions to help get this person out of prison and out of Portugal. Each team has only 5 members. Every group that is playing will have a special person to help out .
This game is not for the faint-hearted and the excitement will be very real. Admission is $5, no one under 12 will be admitted.
Please reserve your spot to play, 518-894-3490.
The Capital District Genealogical Society Invites You to Our Monthly Meeting
LOUDONVILLE – William K. Sanford Town Library (Colonie). 629 Albany-Shaker Road, Loudonville. Saturday, February 22, 2020. Christopher White Gravestone Conservation for the Genealogist. Remember that gravestone that was so dirty that you could not read it or the one that was tipped over? Learn what to do and what not to do so that you help preserve gravestones for the next generation without damaging them. Our speaker is a genealogist, historian, and gravestone conservator with over thirty years of genealogical research. He holds a Bachelors and Master’s degree in History from the University at Albany. His focus is on local genealogy, cemeteries, and German-American history in the Capital District area. Read more from Christopher at www.albanygravedigger.com and findingyourpast.blogspot.com. 1:00 Starting with Speaker. Computer Resources Group meets at 3:00 PM. The meeting is free and open to the public. Capitaldistrictgenealogicalsociety.org
Farm Animal Welfare Workshop for Law Enforcement Employees
RENSSELAER COUNTY – Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County is excited to offer an Animal Welfare Workshop for Law Enforcement officers and employees on Saturday, February 22nd at 10 A.M at the CCE Office in Troy (61 State St.). This program will be tailored to those in this career field who are involved with animal welfare and cruelty cases. Please join us as CCE Educators along with Sue McDonough, a retired New York State Trooper who focused on animal cruelty cases and a previous board member for the NYS Humane Association, discuss topics such as: observing an animal’s body condition as well as its surroundings and cases seen in Rensselaer County. To register, email Kayela at kls342@nullcornell.edu or call the CCE office at 518-272-4210 by Tuesday, February 18th. There is a registration fee of $5 payable at the class. Cornell Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity employer and programmer.
Classic World War Soviet Film “The Cranes are Flying”
ALBANY – Saturday, February 22. 2pm-4pm. Opalka Gallery. 140 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208. Admission: Free To commemorate the 75th year of the end of World War II. All films are in Russian with English Subtitles. Post-screening discussion with expert panelists and community members. Admission: Free. www.newrussiacenter.org/winter/festival-events/russian-war-films
February Mindful Nature Walk
AVERILL PARK – Sunday, February 23, 10 am – 12:30 pm, Rensselaer Plateau Alliance’s Poestenkill Community Forest, 200 Legenbauer Rd, Averill Park (in East Poestenkill) — February Mindful Nature Walk. Join Kripalu-certified Mindful Outdoor Guides Molly Freiberg and Moriah Cutro-Kelly for our February Mindful Walk. We will be walking slowly, sometimes sitting, to take in the forest atmosphere, so we will not be building much heat. Bundle up in your warm winter layers and then add 1 or 2 more! Please no cotton layers as these will not keep you warm. Wear extra socks and boots with good tread or microspikes. We’ll warm up with tea and a fire at the end of the walk. Contact molly@nullrensselaerplateau.org or 978-239-8105 to register ahead of time in case of weather-related cancellation (drop-ins also welcome.). Ages 12 and up. $5 – $10 suggested donation goes directly to support conservation on the Rensselaer Plateau.
Averill Park Community Education New Free Program
AVERILL PARK – “Why Diets Fail and What You Can Do About It” is a new free program offering on Monday nights beginning February 24, 2020. The instructor is Robin Pugliese, a Certified Nutrition Coach. Classes begin at 5:30 p.m. at Miller Hill Elementary School in Room 120. Weight loss doesn’t start in the gym or in the kitchen. Successful weight loss starts in the mind. We will look at all the ways your brain has kept you from losing weight and/or keeping it off. Change your mind, change your body. Each class will last between 30 to 60 minutes depending on the topic. Registration is required. You can find program topics and register online at https://www.familyid.com (you do not have to be an Averill Park resident to attend Community Education classes). Contact AP Community Education at communityeducation@nullapcsd.org or 518-674-7191 with questions.
Men’s Garden Club of Albany Meeting
COLONIE – The Men’s Garden Club of Albany will meet on Thursday, Feb. 27 at 7:30 pm in the Dining Room at the Beltrone Living Center, 6 Winners Circle, Colonie, NY. Amy Castillo from The Gade Farm, Guilderland, will present her program. ‘Go Native.’ She will speak about why native plants are important and which plants are native to our area. This will include lots of pictures of native plants that can be used in home landscaping.
The meeting will be preceded by dinner at 6:30 pm. As always men and women are welcome at both the dinner and the meeting, or if you prefer just the meeting. For information and dinner reservations contact Russ Greenman at 518-477-8321 by Monday, Feb. 24th.
Foundation Bowl-a-Thon
RENSSELAER COUNTY – The Southern Rensselaer County Rotary Club will host a bowl-a-thon on Sunday, March 1, 2020 in support of two medical foundations. The event, open to the public for bowlers of any age or skill level, will benefit the Oley Foundation, aiding people living with home intravenous nutrition and tube feeding, and the Freedom From Fistula Foundation, aiding women in sub-Saharan Africa suffering from obstetric complications. The event, to be held at the East Greenbush Bowling Center, 570 Columbia Turnpike, will be divided into two sessions: noon to 2 p.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. The entry fee is $15 for an all-you-can-bowl experience.To reserve a session, simply email SRCrotary@nullgmail.com no later than Monday, February 24. Thereafter, lanes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Bring friends, family, colleagues, classmates or anyone else who wants to do good while having fun. And, you can email us to sponsor a lane for just $100. You get lane signage at the event plus a listing on our club website’s sponsors page for a year.
All checks should be made payable to SRC Rotary. (Questions? Call Terry Brewer at 518-221-4050.)
The Ferris Wheel comes to Poestenkill
POESTENKILL – Mr. Ferris was born in 1859. He left Nevada and came to Troy where he graduated from RPI in 1881. Ferris began his career in railroad and bridge engineering. News of the 1893 Columbian Exposition drew him to Chicago since the exposition had issued a challenge to Americian engineers to conceive a monument that would surpass the Eiffel Tower. He proposed a wheel from which visitors would be able to view the entire expo. He met with much opposition in the beginning. So here is your opportunity to find out the how and why of Mr. Ferris and his wheel. Please join us on Tuesday, February 25th at 7:00 PM at the Poestenkill Town Hall. The lecture will be presented by Tom Carroll Phd who taught at RPI and later served as Executive Director of the Burden Iron Works Museum from 1998 -2013. It will be an interesting meeting. Questions? Call (518) 283-4890. Poestenkill Historical Society.
Understanding Shakespeare – Pericles
TROY – Join us at the Troy Public Library on Thursdays, February 27th – March 26th from 6:30PM – 7:30PM for our Understanding Shakespeare workshop
This will be a five-session program on how to understand Shakespeare’s plays. We will start our discussion with Act 1 of Shakespeare’s comedy “Pericles.” Then in the following four weeks we will discuss the play one act at a time. This program will allow the participants to put the play in a variety of contexts, such as its relationship to his other works and to the modern existential world. Tom Bulger, Shakespeare Scholar and retired professor from Siena College will lead this workshop. Please have Act One read for the February 27th discussion.
Glendora Vegetarian Club
This is February the 20, 2020 jubilation jubilation, my friend Amanda and her bestie rescued a mother cat and four babies from the bitter cold. All five are in a toasty warm cuddle spot. I have nothing else to ask for.The Glendora Vegeterian Club – Feb 26 the last Wednesday of this Month at Berben Wolfs, Lark St., Albany. Join us. Our club thanks The Advertiser for providing our community announcements. Bobby, piano teacher, will be here in 15 minutes. Did you wash your hands and face? Yes! Did you wash your ears? Yes, I washed the one next to her. — Glendora 518-610-5810.
Sand Lake Garden Club Presents “ Beekeeping”
SAND LAKE – Sand Lake Garden Club Presents “Beekeeping”.The Sand Lake Garden Club will meet on Thursday, February 27 at the Sand Lake Town Hall. All are welcome. The meeting starts at 7 pm. This month’s program, “Beekeeping” will be presented by Dan Welsh who will lead an informal discussion of his experience with beekeeping, and take questions. Refreshments will follow the presentation. Upcoming presentations include Garden Pests on March 26.
Highlight Acting Troupe Presents Once Upon a Pandora’s Box
BRUNSWICK – The Highlight Acting Troupe presents “Once upon a Pandora’s Box” written by Monica Flory and Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com). A clever comedy that demonstrates the importance of villains in every story. Once upon a time in New York City, Tabitha and her sibling discover a box sitting in the hall of their apartment. When Tabitha opens the box, five imprisoned fairy tale villains escape, and bring havoc to the tiny apartment and Manhattan! Will Tabitha be able to harness the power of her storytelling? Performances will be held at the Brunswick Grange Hall on Friday February 28th at 7:30PM , Saturday February 29th at 7:30PM and Sunday March 1st at 2:00PM
Tickets are $15 for Adults and $12 for Seniors and Students. For Reservations please call Ethel at 518-237-6936.
Cabin Fever Day – Fly Tying Expo 2020
CAPITAL DISTRICT – The Capital District Fly Fishers is co-sponsoring Cabin Fever Day / FLY TYING EXPO, at Field & Stream, Latham, NY, Saturday, February 29th 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. The event is open to the public at no charge.
Cabin Fever Day has long been a tradition in the area. Come in and watch the transition of Fur, Feathers and Synthetics in to Fly Tying master pieces. Chat with local & professional fly tiers and get the scoop on how they are made and how and where to use them.
For additional information, contact Capital District Fly Fishers at CDFlyFishers@nullnycap.rr.com or go to our webpage CDFlyfishers.org contact us.
12th Annual Russian Winter Festival
ALBANY – Saturday, February 29, 2020. 11am-5pm. Polish Community Center 225 Washington Ave. Ext Albany. It’s a day of Russian traditional food, music, costumes, exhibits, performances, crafts and contests.
The festival’s headliner is a folk ensemble “Barynya” from New York, NY. It’s a well-known group that enjoys exalting stature as the premier Russian folk ensemble outside of Russia. Barynya presents Russian, Cossack, Ukrainian, Jewish and Gypsy Roma traditional dancing, music, songs, and virtuoso performances on instruments including the balalaika, garmoshka (Russian folk button accordion), and Gypsy guitars.
Children Dance ensemble “Kaleidoscope”, Brooklyn, NY, provides a selection of thrilling and colorful Russian folk dancing, enchanting Russian folk music. Group performs Russian, Ukrainian, Gypsy, Armenian and Georgian folk traditional dances.
The contest “Best Braided Hairdo Contest” at the Grand Finale at 3pm is open to girls and women of all ages for modeling and to any non-professional hair stylists including students of hairdressing schools for designs. Russian braid – girl’s pride and glory! A “Russian braid” is something like a myth in Russia: the word means a girl who owns an especially long and thick braid, which always belongs to a true Russian beauty.
Registration: Free.
www.newrussiacenter.org/winter/festival-events/braided-hairdo-contest
Exhibitions at the Grand Finale:
Soviet Historical Posters. 15 posters. The exhibition provides an opportunity to enjoy some wonderfully creative, playful, visually exciting Soviet posters which are undoubtedly works of art in their own right. Their work would be much copied, inspire and be influential to modern art movements of the 20th century.
Russian Porcelain Decorative Plates. 30 beautiful Villeroy & Boch – Germany – Heinrich porcelain limited edition plates depict Russian fairy tales with an amazing illustration by Boris Evorykin.
3rd Rifle Division Red Army. Reenacting group portrays a squad of a Russian rifle division in the Great Patriotic War.
Festival Sponsors. Support for the Russian Winter Festival 2020 by placing an ad in the Festival Program. www.newrussiacenter.org/winter/festival-sponsors
Vendors’ opportunities are available at the Grand Finale of the Russian Winter Festival 2018.
www.newrussiacenter.org/winter/craft-vendors
Admissions: Adult: $7, Children: $3 from 5 to 12, children < 5 – Free
www.newrussiacenter.org/winter/festival-events/grand-finale-2020
Averill Park Announces Kindergarten Registrations for the 2020-2021 School Year
AVERILL PARK – The Averill Park School District has begun the process of registering boys and girls for the 2020-2021 Kindergarten Classes. If you, or someone you know, has a child who will be five years of age on or before December 1, 2020 please contact the district registrar at 674-7050 extension 7201 to make sure that the child is listed on our school census. This will guarantee that you will receive all upcoming kindergarten information by mail. Registration paperwork should be hand delivered by the parent or guardian to the district registrar at the district office at the Averill Park High School during the month of February. Registration hours are Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 3:30 PM. Registration forms are accepted by appointment. All paperwork must be completed by 02-28-2020.
New York State Public Health Law, Section 2164, requires certain immunizations (shots) to enter kindergarten and attend school. Please check with your health care provider as soon as possible to make sure your child has all the needed immunizations. They are listed below.
Required Immunizations for Kindergarten – Immunizations Number of Doses; Polio 3-4; Hepatitis B 3; Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis 4-5; Measles/Mumps/Rubella 2; Varicella (Chicken Pox) 2.
Pamela Dalton Will Speak on Scherenschnitte, the Art of Paper Cutting
STEPHENTOWN – Pamela Dalton, will present a talk on Scherenschnitte, the Art of Paper Cutting, on Sunday, March 1. The 2:00 p.m. Stephentown Historical Society meeting will be at the Stephentown Heritage Center, 4 Staples Road (corner of Garfield Road), Stephentown, New York. The program is free and the building is handicapped accessible. For directions, telephone (518) 733-0010.
Pamela Dalton’s Scherenschnitte have delighted collectors worldwide for almost twenty-five years. Her work is created in the tradition of early American paper cutting popular in the Pennsylvania Dutch regions of this country in the early nineteenth century. She will tell of the history of paper cutting and the diversity of styles worldwide.
Dalton’s original designs are influenced by popular historical themes: patriotism, biblical and religious motifs, and scenes from rural life. Each piece is sketched freehand by the artist and then cut by hand, so no two are exactly alike. Each work is cut from a single piece of paper and framed in a false grain frame.
Dalton, a Ghent, New York, resident, has also illustrated many books, including “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” and “Under the Silver Moon.”
Keyes Scholarship for Tamarac Seniors
CENTER BRUNSWICK – The Finance Committee of the Center Brunswick United Methodist Church has announced that it will award $500 to a student to be selected from the Tamarac High School Class of 2020. The money may be used for any type of expenses related to further education. Students do not have to belong to this Church, any other church or religion to be eligible for this award.
Interested students must apply for this award no later than March 1, 2020. The application can be obtained from the school’s guidance department or from our website at (www.CenterBrunswickUMC.company).
This award is given in memory of Harold and Mabel Keyes through a trust funded by their last will and testament. Mabel taught in the Brunswick schools and continued teaching Sunday School at Center Brunswick UMC for many years after she retired. Through this award, her love of helping young people learn and grow will continue to reach the youth of our community.
The Center Brunswick United Methodist Church is located at the intersection of Routes 7 and 142 in Troy.
Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County Offers Volunteer Information Session
TROY – Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County needs volunteers, and you can help! As a volunteer you can develop new skills, make friends, and see how your efforts make a difference in your community. Would you like to help someone to read and write, or to speak English as a new language? We can train you. To find out more, join us for a Volunteer Opportunities Information Session, Wednesday, March 4 from 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. at the LVORC office, 71 First Street, 3rd Floor, Troy, N.Y. Call (518) 244-4650 to reserve a place. Visit the website for additional dates and times: www.lvorc.org
Korean War Veterans Association March Meeting
CAPITAL DISTRICT – The March meeting for Ch. 60 Korean War Vet. Assoc., will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thurs., March 5th, at the VFW Home, which is located off the arterial, just North of Saratoga Springs. Veterans who served anywhere during the Korean War, in Korea at any time, spouses, widows, families and friends are all welcome to attend. New members are always welcome. For further information or an application to join the organization, please contact Charles Walter at 518-884-0396. Annual dues for veterans are $10, $5 for all others.
Guest Speaker on Estate adn Medicaid Planning Essentials
GRAFTON – Rensselaer County’s Everett Wagar Senior Center, 2 Roxborough Rd, Grafton, will host Louis Pierro, Esq, of Pierro, Connor and Strauss, LLC, as our monthly guest speaker on Friday, March 6th at 12:40. Learn how you or your loved one can take control of your estate and ‘age in place’ with step-by-steps instructions. Mr. Pierro will speak on how to preserve your retirement assets, minimize your taxes, prepare for long-term care, obtain home care that you can afford if needed, avoid moving into the nursing home, and much more. You never know what your future will hold. You don’t want to end up incapacitated, nor do you want to end up with your assets at risk and facing potential losses due to high nursing home costs. You also don’t want to be without money in retirement, or leave your family in a bad financial position if you pass away unexpectedly. This free presentation should be attended by all residents 60 and over. Call to sign up for lunch at 518-279-3413.
The Fresh Air Fund to Bring Summer to The Troy Waterfront Farmers’ Market This Winter
TROY – The Fresh Air Fund’s Albany, Ny Volunteers Will Attend The Troy Waterfront Farmers’ Market Held In The Troy Atrium. 49 4th Street, Troy, NY 12181.
The Troy Waterfront Farmer’s Market has returned for its 20th season in downtown Troy, NY, where the community is able to shop and browse over 100 local, producer-only vendors every Saturday from November to April, from 9 am – 2 pm. The market takes pride in creating and maintaining a sense of community, as it provides opportunities for community outreach and education. On Saturday, March 7, 2020, and Saturday, March 21, 2020, the Albany, NY Friendly Towns volunteers will have a community table, where they will be available to answer questions about volunteering as a Fresh Air Fund Host Family and share their experiences.
Attendees: Cynthia Mangione, Local Volunteer Fund Representative. Local host families from The Fresh Air Fund’s Friendly Towns Program.
Extension Holds “Spring Garden Day” March 7
RENSSELAER COUNTY – Spring starts March 7 with “Spring Garden Day,” a program of gardening classes and fun for gardeners, held at Tamarac High School in Brunswick. Attendees can choose from ten classes covering pollinator gardens, perennials, vegetable growing in small spaces, hydrangeas, container gardening, birding basics, creating garden art, flowering trees and shrubs, avoiding ticks, making a cutting garden and more. Lorraine Ballato will encourage re-thinking garden maintenance in her keynote presentation, “Smarter Gardening: Let’s Talk!” A plant sale, garden book sale, Pick-A-Prize Auction, and fabulous door prizes are other highlights. Participants also receive a delicious homemade lunch featuring soups, Stromboli and desserts. Program fee is $30 per person and pre-registration is required. Pre-register early as this event always sells out. Call Cornell Cooperative Extension at (518) 272-4210 and ask for Marcie, or visit www.ccerensselaer.org for details.
Transfiguration Parish Book Nook News
SPEIGLETOWN – The Book Nook at Transfiguration Parish on Hillview Drive in Speigletown is open on Saturday morning, March 7 and 21, from 9:00 am until noon. March half-priced specials are on some of your top authors. Debbie Macomber, James Patterson and Danielle Steel. All biographies, historical, religious, cookbooks, self-help and large print books are $1 each. Children and young adult books are 6/$1. Our inventory keeps getting better with all the new donations! Please stop by and check us out. Thanks for your continued support. See you at the Book Nook!
Donny Elvis Romines at American Legion
WYNANTSKILL – Put on your blue shade shoes and join the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary at 111 Main Ave, Wynantskill on Saturday March 7. Doors open at 6, show will be 7-9pm. Advanced tickets are available at the bar for $10 and $12 at the door. Reserved seating is available with the purchase of 8 tickets. There will be a cash bar and 50/50 raffle. Our kitchen is now open and will be available for guests to purchase food. Outside food or beverages will not be permitted. Proceeds from this show will be used to support our Veterans and Community projects. Please call or text 518-265-6967 or email us at ladiesauxiliary1489@nullgmail.com if you have any questions. Check us out on facebook “American Legion Auxiliary Post 1489”
Famous Ladies’ Tea
TROY – Celebrate women’s history month and support literacy programs in Rensselaer County at the annual Famous Ladies’ Tea, Sunday, March 8, 1:00-4:00p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 235 Hoosick Street, Troy. While guests enjoy tea, coffee and gourmet sandwiches, local actresses will visit each table, depicting historical women. This year, the Famous Ladies will include Julia Child, Dr. Emmeline Moore, and Aloha Wanderwell. Tickets are $45 (or $315 for a reserved table of eight). Advanced payment is required and tickets can be purchased from Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County, 65 First Street, Troy, N.Y., 518-244-4650, or soon online at www.lvorc.org. All proceeds from this event will benefit Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County’s programs.
HVCC Announces “Voices” Lectures for March
TROY – Voices: A Library Lecture Series is offered each semester at Hudson Valley Community College to broaden and enrich the scope of studies at the college by presenting speakers on timely and enduring issues, and sharing these lectures and discussions with the community. All lectures are held in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium on the Troy campus. The public is welcome to attend; admission is free.
• Shining the Light on Government – Your Right to Know
Tuesday, March 10 from 11 to 11:50 p.m.
Our founders envisioned and created a government that would serve its citizens. Mark Mahoney, editorial page editor for The Daily Gazette in Schenectady and winner of a 2009 Pulitzer Prize for his editorials against government secrecy, returns to campus to discuss the ways government keeps information from the public. Audience members will learn what they can do to protect their right to know.
• The Birth of Baseball’s Grand Slam – Thursday, March 26 from noon to 12:50 p.m.
The first grand slam in Major League Baseball history was hit on Sept. 10, 1881 in a game between Troy and Worcester. Discover the twists and turns of how one of baseball’s greatest games ended up on the banks of the Hudson River in Rensselaer. Matt Malette, local sports historian, gives a play-by-play of how he corrected baseball history.
The college’s full Cultural Events Calendar is available at www.hvcc.edu/culture. Please call 518-629-8071 or email d.gardner@nullhvcc.edu for more information.
Senior Chair Yoga
EAST GREENBUSH – The Town of East Greenbush Community & Recreation Department is happy to announce that the Senior Chair Yoga program will begin on Wednesday, March 11th and run through the end of May. To sign up today please contact Lisa O’Brien
at 518-477-4775 or by email lobrien@nulleastgreenbush.org. Seating is limited, so please reserve your seat today.
Castleton-on-Hudson Farmers & Artisans Market Spring Fest
CASTLETON-ON-HUDSON – We got approval from the groundhog, so the Castleton-on-Hudson Farmers & Artisans Market (COHFAM) will hold Spring Fest on Friday, March 13, 2020 from 4:30 to 7:30 PM at the Castleton Fire Department, 11 Green Avenue. Repair Café and many of the winter and summer vendors are returning. Space is still available for new vendors, email cindytimlovemoore3@nullgmail.com or gina.giuliano@nullgmail.com for an application or private message the COHFAM Facebook page for details. Come to COHFAM and shop local
for St. Patrick’s Day!
Repair Cafe
CASTLETON-ON-HUDSON – What do you do with a broken lamp? Or a sweater with a hole? Toss it? No way! The next Repair Café in the Village of Castleton-on-Hudson will be Friday, March 13, 2020 from 4:30-7:30 PM during the Castleton-on-Hudson Farmers and Artisans Market Spring Fest at the Castleton Fire Department, 11 Green Avenue. People visiting the Repair Café bring along their broken but beloved items. Volunteers try their best to make repairs, and it’s free of charge! Services include electrical, sewing, and “jack-of-all-trades!” Do you like to fix things and want to volunteer? Contact us via email at gina.giuliano@nullgmail.com or stop by Repair Café. For more information about global Repair Café,
visit Repaircafe.org.
Rensselaer County Home Bureau
RENSSELAER COUNTY – Our Spring Luncheon will be Tuesday, March 24 at Pittstown United Methodist Hall, with deadline of March 13. Please check your newsletter for further info. There is also a website: Newyorkfederationofhomebureaus.com
St. Henry’s Irish Night
AVERILL PARK – St. Henry’s Church in Averil Park will be holding an Irish Night on Saturday, March 14th at the Wynantskill American Legion Post, 111 Main Avenue, Wynantskill. Doors will open at 6:30 PM, with Irish entertainment featuring “Who’s Your Paddy” from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Tickets are only $10 per person, which covers soda, snacks, entertainment and door prizes. Beer, wine and refreshments will be available at reasonable prices. Due to State regulations no outside alcoholic beverages can be brought into the event. Tickets can be purchased by calling the parish offices at 518-674-3818.
French Film
CAPITAL DISTRICT – “Belle Et Sebastien”, March 21, 2020 1pm, Troy Public Library, 100 Second Street, Troy, NY, free, presented by La Fédération Franco-Américaine du New York. Taken place in the French Alps during World War II, a quiet little boy meets a stray dog and begins a friendship. The boy and his dog prove to be heroes when they help defend their village from the Nazis. For additional information, call the Troy Public Library at 518-274-7071. Follow La Fédération Franco-Américaine du New York at www.albanyareafrenchclub.com and Facebook.
Hudson Valley Writers Guild Showcases Prose Writers
ALBANY – (hvwg.org) – The Hudson Valley Writers Guild will present a reading to showcase local prose writers. Reading and presenting at this second event in the series will be Moriah Hampton (stories), Keith Willis (romance/fantasy), and Richard Matturro (stories.)
Each of the writers will take 20 to 30 minutes to read from and discuss their work. Members of the Guild and the general public are invited and encouraged to attend to hear these varied works. Light refreshments will be provided.
This event will take place on Sunday, March 29, 2020 between 1:30 and 3:00 pm. It will be at the Washington Avenue main branch of the Albany Public Library in the Community Room on the second floor.
Note: this event is rescheduled from a previous date.
Gilead’s Body & Soul Pantry New Dates for 2020
CENTER BRUNSWICK – I know 2019 was confusing as far as what date we would have pantry and the dinner. As of January 2020 and through April of 2020, we will return to the old schedule of the last Thursday of each month. The hours will be the usual 3:00-6:00 pm.
Last year many of you enjoyed a delicious Chicken Parmesan and Ziti Dinner in February. You are in for a treat because last year’s guest chefs have agreed to recreate the same meal for you this January. Should there be questions about being open due to inclement weather please call 518-279-3576.
In case you have not visited us before, we are located in the Fellowship Hall of Gilead Lutheran Church. The church is at the intersection of Routes 7 and 278 in Center Brunswick and is handicapped accessible.
Tuesday Treks at Dyken Pond
GRAFTON – Every Tuesday: 1pm-3pm. Join Leonard Tremblay at the Dyken Pond EEC for a hike through the forest. We will hike or snowshoe about 2-3 miles depending on conditions every Tuesday afternoon in February. Please call or check the website for updated conditions and possible cancellations. For adults and older teens. Snowshoe rentals available for $5 at (518) 658-2055 or dykenpond@nullgmail.com.
Beatles Concert Cabaret, Burnt Hills Oratorio Society
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Treat yourself to a great all-in-one experience as the Burnt Hills Oratorio Society Chorus entertains you with the iconic songs of the Beatles. Set in the elegant Vista Ballroom at the Van Patten Golf Club in Clifton Park, 924 Main Street, Clifton Park, this grand affair begins with a delectable Chef’s Buffet and cash bar, followed by a choral cabaret featuring solo voices from the BHOS family. Tickets sold only in advance. Due to popular demand, BHOS is now offering three performances, Fri. Feb. 28, 2020 and Sat. Feb. 29, 2020 at 5:00pm, and Sun. March 1, 2020 at 1:00pm. This event has never failed to sell out, so buy your tickets early. Seating is limited and the last day to purchase tickets is Monday Feb. 24. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the Society’s website at www.BHOS.us
or call 518-416-4060.
Albany-Tula Alliance seeks entries for Annual Essay Contest
CAPITAL DISTRICT – The Albany-Tula Alliance is seeking Capital Region students from high school to first-year college to research and write an essay expanding on what young adults, specifically in Russia and the U.S., are doing to help mitigate climate change.
Essays must contain at least 1500 words and include a bibliography. The deadline for registration and essay submission is March 1, 2020. The writer of the winning essay will win $1,000; second prize is $500, and third prize is $250.
For the past quarter-century, the Albany-Tula Alliance has been a cooperative sister city initiative between New York’s Capital Region and the Tula Region in Russia. Through the years there have been many cultural, educational, scientific and business exchanges between the two. Even though government relations remain strained the friends of the Alliance continue to work together as citizen diplomats.
For complete rules and detailed information on the Albany-Tula Alliance Essay Contest visit www.albanytula.org/essay.
Trout Unlimited Clearwater Chapter Banquet
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Banquet Chair Scott Parker announced that The Century House, Latham, NY, will be the site of the Clearwater Chapter’s 48th annual Conservation Banquet on Saturday, March 7, 2020.
The Trout Unlimited Conservation Banquet is open to everyone. Tickets for the Conservation Banquet are on sale now on the Clearwater Chapter’s website www.clearwatertu.org . Reservations can be made up to March 1st by contacting TU members Chris and Erika Cook, 565 Grand Ave., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, or emailing Chris at communications@nullclearwatertu.org
Dinner, cash bar, hors d’oeuvres and award recognition are planned for the Conservation Banquet, along with a live auction, silent auction, bucket raffles, card raffles and door prizes. A Grand Prize Drawing of a 12 ft. Kevlar Hybrid Canoe by Hornbeck Boats will be drawn at the Conservation Banquet. All proceeds from this event benefit local “on the ground” conservation projects that support coldwater fisheries resources.
TU is actively seeking donations of goods and services, as well as fishing gear and fly tying materials from their members and the public for their Conservation Banquet. If you are interested in donating, please contact Chair Scott Parker at 518-894-4661 or sgparker149@nullgmail.com
Saratoga Automobile Museum NYIAS Bus Trip
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Please join us Monday, April 13 or Saturday, April 18 for our annual pilgrimage to the New York International Auto Show held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Trip includes: round trip motor coach transportation and admission to the New York International Auto Show. Depart Saratoga Automobile Museum promptly at 6:45 a.m. Depart New York City at 6:30 p.m. at 11th Avenue between 34th & 39th streets. There is plenty of time to explore the New York International Auto Show and enjoy some of the sights of New York City.
Purchase Early Bird tickets before March 1, 2020. Member Price: $75 Non-Member: $90. After March 1: Member Price: $85 Non-Member: $100. To purchase tickets or additional information contact Megan Hennessey at 518.401.5185 or megan.hennessey@nullsaratogaautomuseum.org
Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District 2020-2021 Kindergarten Registration
BRUNSWICK – The Brunswick (Brittonkill) Central School District is currently updating census information for those children residing in the district who will be eligible for Kindergarten for the 2020 – 2021 school year. Your child must be 5 years of age on or before December 1, 2020 to be enrolled.
If you have a child who will be entering Kindergarten at Tamarac Elementary School in September 2020, you may complete a form online at www.brunswickcsd.org
On this website click on “Register a Student” under the Quick Links at the right top of the webpage. Complete the Kindergarten Registration Survey Form.
We will be holding a Kindergarten Information Night at Tamarac Elementary School in March. Notices will be mailed to everyone in the census.
Please share this information with anyone to whom you feel it may apply.
HVCC’s Teaching Gallery Presents Landscape Exhibition
TROY – The Teaching Gallery at Hudson Valley Community College announces The Production of Place, a two-person exhibition featuring landscapes by Leah Beeferman and Jen Hitchings that was organized by Thomas Lail, a professor in the college’s Fine Arts Department,
on view through March 7.
Lail will moderate a conversation with the artists from 3 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 6 in the Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium, followed by an opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. in The Teaching Gallery, located in the Administration Building on the Troy campus. All events are free and open to the public.
Leah Beeferman is a New York City-based artist, using digital image-making, photography, text, sound and video to explore relationships between observation and abstraction, natural and digital, physical and experiential. A Brooklyn-based artist and curator, Jen Hitchings received a Queens Council on the Arts’ New Works Grant in 2018. She’s had solo exhibitions at MEN Gallery in New York City, and PROTO in Hoboken, NJ.
Exhibitions in The Teaching Gallery are installed and assisted by students enrolled in Gallery Management courses and supported by the Department of Fine Arts, Theatre Arts and Digital Media, the Cultural Affairs Program and the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation. Associate Professor Tara Fracalossi is gallery director. Gallery hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 1 to 7 p.m. Wednesday; noon to 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday, Feb. 26. Directions and more information: www.hvcc.edu/teachinggallery
Volunteer Fire Company of Center Brunswick Bus Trip
CENTER BRUNSWICK – The Volunteer Fire Company of Center Brunswick, Inc. is sponsoring a bus trip to the Tanger Outlets and Foxwoods Casino. The bus will leave the firehouse at 1045 Hoosick Road on Saturday, March 21, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. and will arrive at Foxwoods Resort and Casino. The bus will be departing Foxwoods at 8:00 p.m. returning to the firehouse at approximately 11:30 p.m. The cost of the trip is $40 per seat, which includes $15 Slot Play and a $10 Food Voucher or Free Buffet. There is something to do for everyone – Shop in the Tanger Outlets, play in the casino or take the shuttle to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum (additional cost but worth it). There are no refunds for cancellations. To make reservations or for more information, contact Jenn Simmons at (518) 858-7285 or email jennsimmons@nullcenterbrunswickfire.com.
NYSSA Sheriff’s’ Institute Summer Camp Applications Being Accepted
RENSSELAER COUNTY – The Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for the New York State Sheriffs’ Institute Summer Camp.
The Summer Camp is for boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 12 who, because of economic reasons, would not have an opportunity to attend a summer camp or enjoy a summer vacation. Campers must be up-to-date on immunizations and have received a medical physical after May 1, 2019. This year’s camp session runs from Sunday, July 26 through Saturday, August 1, 2020.
Detailed information about the camp may be found on the New York State Sheriffs’ Institute website at www.sheriffsinstitute.org.
Applications may be obtained by contacting the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office at (518) 266-1903. Qualified campers will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Deadline for submission is March 30, 2020.
Vendors Wanted Flea Market
EAST GREENBUSH – Looking for vendors for our VFW Auxiliary Spring flea market. 100 Hays Rd East Greenbush NY. Saturday April 4 2020,
10 am to 3pm. Table rental is$ 20.Questions please contact Maureen at 518-653-3539, or email mojoty2003@nullyahoo.com.
AARP/Taxaide Services
CAPITAL DISTRICT – The AARP TaxAide program will begin providing FREE tax preparation services for low and moderate income residents in Saratoga, Washington and Warren Counties. The TaxAide program is sponsored by the AARP Foundation in cooperation with the IRS. TaxAide preparers are trained in federal and state tax regulations and are certified by the IRS.
FREE tax preparation services will be available from February 1 through April 15. To find the location nearest you, go to www.aarp.org/findtaxhelp or call 1-888-227-7669 for assistance.
Get a Heads-Up on This Year’s Trout Season! Fly Fishing 101, A Fly Fishing Mini-Course
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Have you always wanted to learn to fly fish? Need a little tune-up? Here’s your chance with a fly fishing mini-course offered by Clearwater Trout Unlimited. The course will cover all the basics: equipment, knot tying, casting, presentation, and reading the water. we will have equipment available or bring your own.
Day one will be held at St. Joseph’s Parish Center: 45 Mac Arthur Drive, Scotia. An optional day two will be held on the water at one of our local streams or ponds. (probably Cobleskill Holding Pond)
Here’s your chance to catch your first fish on a fly.
Saturday, April 25, 2020 (classroom) and Sunday, April 26, 2020 (optional). Saturday 9:00am — 5:00pm (lunch provided); Sunday 12 noon. Cost: $15 members, $35 non-members (includes a 1 year tu membership). For more information or to register for the class contact: john morrette jmorette@nullnycap.rr.com – home 518-393-6443 cell 518-275-9288 or Mike Walchko – mwalchko@nullnycap.rr.com – home 518-234-4192
cell 518-231-3276.
The Kiwanis Club of Troy Chicken BBQ
TROY – The Kiwanis Club of Troy is having their annual Giffy’s Chicken BBQ Friday May 8th from 4-6PM at St. Michael’s Church, Next to HVCC, in Troy. You get a freshly cooked & hot full ½ Chicken Dinner with all the trimmings for only $12.00. Take out or Eat in. Call Dean at 518-322-0826 to reserve tickets for that day!! Treat yourself to a great meal, while helping the Kiwanis Club assist many needed kids projects in the Troy area!!
Capital District Genealogy Society Conference
CAPITAL DISTRICT – The Capital District Genealogical Society (CDGS) will hold a one-day Conference “Improving Your Skills: What Do You Need?” on May 30, 2020 from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Desmond Hotel in Albany, NY, the Saturday after Memorial Day. Are you looking to take that first step into the genealogy world? Perhaps you are an avid genealogist who has published your own family history. Maybe you have been involved in the field for awhile and want to improve your skills. Have you received a genealogy DNA kit and want to understand what it means? Join us for an educational day of six sessions with nationally known speakers. Our Keynote is Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist, JD, CG, CGL; with co-presenters Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNG, author of the textbooks Mastering Genealogical Proof and Mastering Genealogical Documentation; and Meryl Schumacker, CG.
Sessions include: “After The Courthouse Burns: Rekindling Family History through DNA,” and “Don’t Forget the Ladies: A Genealogist’s Guide to Women and the Law” presented by Judy Russell; “The Jones Jinx: Tracing Common Surnames” and “Out-of-State Workarounds for In-State Record Shortages” presented by Thomas Jones; and “Let’s Make Trying New Things in Genealogy Less Scary” and “Strategies for Urban Research” presented by Meryl Schumacker. Your registration includes lunch, morning and afternoon breaks with refreshments. Registration closes May 20, 2020. Visit https://www.capitaldistrictgenealogicalsociety.org for details and to register. Questions may be sent to cdgsconference@nullgmail.com.
The Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake Fundraising Drive
SAND LAKE – The Kiwanis Club of Sand Lake is supporting a charity fundraising drive within the Averill Park Central School District to benefit the Capital Region’s Ronald Mc Donald House. The drive will run from now until October 31st with the goal to collect enough pull tabs from soda, beer, soups and pet food cans to fill a school bus!
We ask that parents of our school children and other interested citizens join this effort by removing and collecting as many pull tabs as possible during the months ahead and taking them to the office of one of our three elementary schools, the Algonquin Middle School’s office or to the office at the Averill Park High School.
Please join us to help the Ronald McDonald House as it continues to offer a haven of comfort, love, hope and support – free of charge – for critically ill children and their families. Thank you.
Books for Troops Needs Comics and Graphic Novels
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Books for Troops has been receiving numerous requests for comics and graphic novels. While we had a source in Illinois, he is no longer able to attain them in the numbers we need. If anyone has comics and/or graphic novels that they are willing to donate to our troops, we would be thrilled. The comics are a wonderful source of escape for the troops. One doctor deployed in Kuwait wrote us saying that the first time he saw smiles on his severely injured patients was when he saw they were reading comic books. If you have comics you would like to donate to the troops, please contact us at ekeegan3@nullnycap.rr.com. Help us put smiles on those who need something to smile about. Ellen Keegan, Director
Vaping – Public Service Announcement
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Vaping has become almost more common today then cigarettes. Originally marketed as being more safe than other tobacco products recent events have made it clear that this is not the full story. One study found that those who vape the equivalent to a pack of cigarettes a day had a 70% higher risk of stroke. This is only one of the health risks that can arise from vaping. For more information visit: https://www.narcononnewliferetreat.org/blog/vaping-linked-to-serious-health-problems.html
Addiction Screenings – Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for free screenings or referrals.
1- 800-431-1754.
Fentanyl – Public Service Announcement
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Fentanyl has been making headlines recently, this is because the incredibly potent chemical has been contributing to the increase in overdose deaths across America. Most people however do not know much about the chemical. For instance many don’t know that one of the things that makes fentanyl so dangerous is the fact that it can be absorbed into the system through skin contact. Meaning getting it on your skin could cause a potentially fatal overdose.
To learn more about Fentanyl visit: https://www.narcononnewliferetreat.org/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-fentanyl.html
Addiction Screenings – Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for free screenings or referrals.
1- 800-431-1754.
Faith In Action Care Team’s Need Your Help
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Do You Have 2-3 Hours Per Month To Help Someone In Your Community?
* 1 in 8 persons over 65 and nearly a third of those over 85 will be
diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.
* 80% of Alzheimer’s patients are cared for at home by family.
Caring for someone with memory loss can be both isolating and exhausting for family members. These Families Need Your Help!
Belonging to the Care Team at your church, you only give the time you can when you can because there are several of you to share the role of helping the family.
The average volunteer offers just 2-3 hours per month. The team provides non-medical support and friendship.
All volunteers are offered training and continued support from the staff at Eddy Alzheimer’s Services.
If you would like to receive more information about our Faith In Action Care Team Program, please contact Sandy Monahan at Eddy Alzheimer’s Services-238-4167 /e-mail Sandra.monahan@nullsphp.com
Veterans Breakfast Clubs
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Veterans and their friends are welcome at the following Veterans Breakfast Clubs:
Tuesdays: 8 a.m., Alexis Diner, 294 North Greenbush Road, North Greenbush, 518-286-2603.
First and third Wednesdays each month: 9 a.m. Bellevue Cafe, 2630 Broadway, Schenectady, 518-393-7720.
Thursdays: 8 a.m. Schodack Diner, 1842 Columbia Turnpike, Castleton, 518-477-5014.
Thursdays: 9 a.m. IHOP, 611 Plank Road, Clifton Park, 518-348-1892.
Third Thursday every month: 9 a.m. Malta Diner, 2476 Route 9, Malta, 518-899-5099.
Fridays: 8 a.m. Gateway Diner, 899 Central Ave., Albany, 518-482-7557.
Refugee Welcome Center Looking for playgroup volunteers
ALBANY – The Refugee Welcome Center, located at 104 Ontario St. in Albany, is looking for playgroup volunteers Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:15 – 1:15. Would you like to play with a few preschoolers while their moms are in ESL class? If you are interested please call Wayne 518-369-5053 or email wayneroberge@nullgmail.com. Thank you.
Rensselaer County Recovery Helpline
RENSSELAER COUNTY – 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
What is the Nassau Sunshine Fund Emergency Loan Program?
NASSAU – Are you a resident of the Town or Villages of Nassau? Has your household budget taken a hit? Got a car repair with nothing to spare? Or, are you having to choose between heat or eat? We know it happens, we’re here, we can help.
Norman Young, a well-known Nassau resident and antique dealer, had a birds eye view of the Great Recession of 2008. As his business involved buying household items from individuals needing to sell such items, he was struck by how hard hit many in the town were by the financial crisis. Norman came across an old cookbook that had been used as a fundraiser by a local organization called Open Porch Sunshine Society, which was around the early 1990s. While that organization had long faded away, he loved its neighbor-helping-neighbor philosophy. He conceived of a new Nassau Sunshine organization in which local residents would provide emergency financial assistance to other town residents dealing with a personal financial crisis.Norman and two friends agreed to reach out to others as well as religious and locally based organizations.
At its first meeting the attendees approved of a simple plan – create a non-profit that would offer interest-free loans to residents of the Town and Villages of Nassau facing a financial crisis that exceeded their resources and for which local agencies, public and private, were unable to offer assistance. As our first chairman, Sam Whaley said, “We decided on no-interest loans instead of just giving money away because it provides dignity, not a handout.
Entering our eleventh year, the Nassau Sunshine Fund has made 54 loans totaling over $21,000. Please contact us to ask about a loan or to make a donation. Nassau Sunshine Fund, PO Box 10, Nassau, NY 12123 (518) 256-2878; Please leave a message. www.nassausunshinefund.org;
info@nullnassausunshinefund.org
We remain faithful to our motto: Neighbors – Helping – Neighbors!
NAMI Connections Recovery Support Group
ALBANY – NAMI Capital Region, NY the local organization of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, offers its NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group the Second Wednesday of each month from 5p.m.-6:30p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 420 New Scotland Ave., Albany, NY 12208. NAMI Connection is a recovery support group program that offers respect, understanding, encouragement and hope. NAMI Connection groups are:
• Free and confidential
• Held weekly for 90 minutes
• Designed to connect, encourage, and support participants using a structured support group model
• Led by trained facilitators living in recovery themselves.
Stephentown Historical Society is creating Welcome To Stephentown package
STEPHENTOWN – Welcome to Stephentown! We can help you with that!
Moving is always stressful, and a hassle, and, let’s face it – a lot of work! And once you’ve moved to your new location, you have a whole new set of situations and obstacles to overcome. You need to find out where to send the kids to school, or where to find someone to fix your plumbing or wiring. Or maybe you want to check out the local organizations and get involved in area groups. So………. in order to help make all of that just a little easier to navigate, the Stephentown Historical Society is creating a “Welcome to Stephentown” package.
We envision this package having lots of informational “stuff”, like names and contacts to help people find just about anything in town. We’d like to provide information from our local organizations, such as the Fire Department, Library, Historical Society, Veterans, Seniors, local churches and synagogues, and any others that exist. We would like to provide a listing (along with business cards where possible) of all local tradespeople and businesses. We want to include any groups in town – for instance, the Heavenly Quilters and Boy & Girl Scouts. We’d love to have menus from restaurants and maybe “new customer” discounts or other coupon-type discounts.
As you can see, this is a formidable task and we do not want to leave anyone out! So, we are asking for your help. If you are a local business or tradesperson and would like to be included in this package, please contact us at shs@nullfairpoint.net. Let us know who you are and what you have to offer – be sure to leave us your contact information so that we can get back to you!
This project has been in the planning stages for quite a while and we’d like to get it off the ground in early 2020, so please act now!
We expect this project to be hugely helpful to new families, but also to our townspeople!
Six Center Redemption is partnering with Alzheimer’s Association
WYNANTSKILL/RENSSELAER – Return your bottles and cans and help The Northeastern New York Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Through an arrangement with: Six-Center Redemption.
Two Locations – 461 Main Ave Wynantskill (Corner of Sharpe and Main Ave) & 550 South Street Rensselaer.
The Alzheimer’s Association will receive six cents for every container you donate to the cause. Simply drop off your containers and say “These are for the Alzheimer’s Association.”
No need to count the cans or bottles, no waiting or standing in lines to feed your cans or bottles in to a machine. The mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.
The first survivor of Alzheimer’s is out there, but we won’t get there without you. Join the fight with your bottles & cans!
Capital Dist. Chapter of the Embroider’s Guild of America
CAPITAL DISTRICT – Do you enjoy needlework? Would you like to stitch with others that have similar interests? Whether you are a beginner or have experience, come join us. The NY Capital District Chapter of the Embroiderer’s Guild of America meets in various locations and at various times. The Day Group meets every 3rd Wednesday of the month at Blooming Grove Reformed Church in Defreetsville. Evening meetings are offered in two locations: The Community Room at The Terrace at Beverwyck in Slingerlands from 7p-9p on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month and from 6:30p-9p in the Fellowship Hall of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Clifton Park on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. In addition, there are specialty interest groups that also meet. For more information, check out our website at http://www.nycapega.org or on facebook.com/nydcega. Come Join Us!
Grafton Fitness Opportunities
GRAFTON – Rensselaer County’s Everett Wagar Senior Center, 2 Roxborough Road, Grafton, has several opportunities to keep our residents 60 and older in shape. Chair Yoga is offered 3 times a week at no charge. This is a low-impact workout for the body and mind. Aerobic Swimming is available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Bennington Rec Center with transportation. Water aerobics offers a resistance and buoyancy that cannot be experienced on ground. The center has a small exercise room with a treadmill and stationary bikes. Regular exercise reduces the risk of injury, decreased symptoms of depression, and improves mobility. Regular exercise can lower blood pressure, strengthen muscles, correct body posture, relieve pain and promotes weight loss. Residents 60 and older are encouraged to get into a good exercise routine. For more information, call the center at 518-279-3413.
Living With Cancer
TROY – If you are affected in any way by cancer, yourself, as a caretaker or having suffered a loss, you are welcome to join us for our Living With Cancer Group at Brunswick Church. Hosted by Pastor Ted Wright, the group meets the first Friday of each month in the Lobby outside our Old Sanctuary on 42 White Church Lane, Troy NY 12180. We share stories, struggles, hopes, hurts encouragement, and faith. Questions? Email Pastor Ted at twright@nullbrunswickchurch.org.
New York State Commission for the Blind
CAPITAL DISTRICT – The New York State Commission for the Blind (NYSCB) provides free vocational rehabilitation and other services to legally blind New York State residents, including children, adults, and older adults. NYSCB assists participants in achieving economic self-sufficiency and full integration into society. Call toll-free (866) 871-3000 or visit our website: visionloss.ny.gov
Hudson-Mohawk Search & Rescue is Looking for Volunteers to Join our Team
CAPITAL DISTRICT – If you enjoy being outdoors in the wilderness, working with others to help people, follow directions well and have a willingness to learn, then our SAR team might be for you! Prior knowledge is helpful, but definitely not required as we provide the training. Check out our website at: www.humsar.org for more information.
Search and Rescue Volunteers Needed
CAPITAL DISTRICT – the Tri-State Emergency Team is recruiting volunteers to provide wildland and underwater searches within a 100 mile radius of Waterrford, NY. This includes all aspects of field and underwater search. The Tri-State Emergency Team responds when requested by NYS Forest Rangers and other police agencies throughout New York State, Western Vermont and Massachesettes. We are looking for certified scuba divers, experienced boat handlers, and people who enjoy hiking and the outdoors in general who wish to help people in need. The team will provide training and complete support as needed. Our headquarters is located in Waterford. Applicants need not live in Waterford to volunteer. If interested, please call 518-237-6744 or visit our website at www.tri-stateemergencyteam.org
Rensselaer County NY Connects
RENSSELAER COUNTY – Rensselaer County NY Connects provides long term services and supports which includes a range of services and supports that can help people of all ages remain independent in their daily lives. Long term services and supports are both medical and non-medical services that help to maintain or improve daily functioning and health. Finding the right services and supports to meet your needs can be very confusing. NY Connects is a trusted place that gives you information about available options whether you are paying for services yourself, through insurance, or are eligible for a government program. NY Connects serves anyone who needs information on long term services and supports. NY Connects staff can also help link you to available long term services and supports. Contact Rensselaer County NY Connects at 270-2767.