With farmers, butchers, employees and friends alongside, Carrie and Doug Thompson cut the ribbon on their new business venture, Tthe Green Cow, as Steve Grubb and Brian Fassett, who work on the farm, hold the ribbon. The butcher shop, at 21 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown, features grass-finished beef raised on 450 acres near Richfield Springs. “This project has been 10 years in the making,” said Doug. “It’s been a fantastic journey for myself, Carrie and our two girls. It’s so special to bring it all together.” Following the ribbon cutting, the couple invited their neighbors to stay for some hamburger sliders, cooked by Grill Master Steve Gotwald and served up by store manager Karen Slowik, at right inset. (Libby Cudmore/AllOTSEGO.com)
Tara Burke, new Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce executive director, pauses for a photo on her first day on the job, Monday, April 1. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
By LIBBY CUDMORE • The Freeman’s Journal & Hometown Oneonta
COOPERSTOWN – Even before she was named executive director for the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, Tara Burke was a big fan of the business community.
“My family loves the Fly Creek Cider Mill, and we always go to brunch at The Otesaga,” she said. “My brother is a big fan of ‘Game of Thrones,’ so we always have to go by Brewery Ommegang and get beer for him.”
Pathfinder Village‘s contingent last evening accepts the plaque marking the community’s entry into the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame with elation, but also reflection on the accomplishment of its founder, Marian G. Mullet, 91, who passed away on March 17. Pathfinder President/CEO Paul C. Landers holds the plaque, surrounded by his Senior Leadership Team. From left are William F. Streck, MD, chair of the Pathfinder Village Board of Directors;Kathleen Gozigian, chair of the Pathfinder Village Foundation Board of Trustees; Sally Trosset (behind Gozigian) development associate & executive assistant;Brittany Goodrich, Adult Day Services & Mobile Market coordinator (behind Landers); Kelly Meyers, senior director of admissions; Maura Iorio, Sr., director of education, and Tina Heyduk, senior director, support services. Pathfinder was one of six honorees at the chamber’s annual meeting at the new Ommegang Cafe, where Stacey Grady, Springbrook director of development, was elected board president. Also at the meeting, Tara Burke was introduced as the Chamber’s new executive director. (Jim Kevlin/AllOTSEGO.com)
COOPERSTOWN – Tara Burke, director of communications and program development for the Chemung County Chamber of Commerce in Elmira, has been selected at Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce executive director, effective April 8, it was announced today.
She plans to attend the annual meeting on March 28 at Brewery Ommegang, so members will get a first chance to meet her then.
COOPERSTOWN – In all, six business, including the Baseball Hall of Fame, the Cooperstown Farmers Market and Stagecoach Coffee were selected from 25 finalists to be the 2019 inductees into the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Chamber Business Hall of Fame.
Also named to the Hall of Fame were Pathfinder Village, The Cooperstown Bat Company and the Cooperstown Fire Department.
COOPERSTOWN — Voting is now open to decide which of the 25 finalists will be named to the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Chamber Business Hall of Fame.
Last year, the Chamber honored Brewery Ommegang, the Cooperstown Graduate Program, The Farmers’ Museum, the Susquehanna Animal Shelter (now the SPCA), and Spurbeck’s Grocery. Voting is open to the public, and the winners will be announced in the spring.
COOPERSTOWN – Matt Hazzard, Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce executive director for almost five years, today announced he is resigning to concentrate on his family business, Leatherstocking Trolley Co., effective in April.
The three-month notice “will allow the board to do a full search for a new executive director,” he wrote in an email to members. “In the meantime, the chamber will continue to operate in the best interests of our membership and the business community.”
PARADE – 5 p.m. Showcase your Halloween best with Cooperstown Central School band leading the way. Followed by cider and treats at Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, then trick-or-treating at around Cooperstown. Start at Cooper Park, Cooperstown. 607-547-9983 or visit cooperstownchamber.org/halloween-2/
PARADE – 7 p.m. Celebrate Halloween. Costumes encouraged, includes Oneonta High School Bands. Line-up at 6:15. Main St., Oneonta.
TREES OF COOPERSTOWN – 5:30 p.m. Tour Cooperstown with Otsego County Conservation Association, learn benefits of street trees, threats to urban forests, basics of tree anatomy, identification. Free, open to public. Pre-registration preferred. Meet at Pioneer Park, Main St., Cooperstown. 607-547-4488 or visit occainfo.org/calendar/the-trees-of-cooperstown/
GARDEN CLUB – 6:30 p.m. Public meeting hosts Don Urtz presenting photographs of work done by the club over the years. Free, refreshments provided. Richfield Springs Village Library, 102 W. Main St., Richfield Springs. 315-858-0230 or visit www.facebook.com/Richfield-Springs-Public-Library-1068210423236404/
Matt Hazzard, executive director, Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, center rear, poses for a photo of the Chamber’s Hall of Fame inductees for 2018. From left, Phil Leinhart and Rick DeBar, Brewery Ommegang; Joe Sirracusa , Danielle Henrici and Todd Kenyon, The Farmer’s Museum; Gretchen Sorin and Cathy Raddatz, Cooperstown Graduate Program; Randy Smith, Spurbeck’s Grocery; Sarah Lucas and Stacie Haynes, Susquehanna Animal Shelter, and Hanna Bergene, executive associate, Cooperstown Chamber. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO)Val Paige, director, Clark Sports Center, accepts the Business of the Year award from Matt Hazzard during the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame induction awards ceremony this evening at The Farmer’s Museum.
COOPERSTOWN – The Farmers’ Museum, Brewery Ommegang, The Cooperstown Graduate Program, the Susquehanna Animal Shelter and Spurbeck’s Grocery were honored as the 2018 class of the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce’s Hall of Fame during a ceremony at The Farmers’ Museum earlier this evening.
“In the four years that I’ve been with the Chamber, this is my favorite day of the year,” said Matt Hazard, executive director. “We live in a very special place, and it’s fun to recognize these organizations that contribute so much for our community.”
Also honored were five winners in the Business of the Year category.
Chamber President Hazzard announces new Hall of Famers.
COOPERSTOWN – Brewery Ommegang and the Cooperstown Graduate Program were among the five local businesses named to the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce’s second annual Hall of Fame, class of 2018.
The Susquehanna Animal Shelter, The Farmers’ Museum and Sperbeck’s Grocery were also named as honorees. The five were picked from 25 nominees, with 1,000 people voting.
Jane Forbes Clark told Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce members this morning that the village’s downtown, which lost the CVS and Cooperstown General Store in recent months, is at a crossroads, and she adopted the chamber’s 2018 of “togetherness” as a way toward a solution. The Hall of Fame chairman said store rents – as high as $7,000 a month – are “too high” to achieve mixed retail offerings, and that there are too many baseball stores. While suggesting no specific solutions, she detailed the hundreds of thousands of visitors Clark entities – The Hall, The Fenimore and The Otesaga among them – attract to Cooperstown annually, potential customers for downtown establishments that can figure out how to bring them in the doors. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)
Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Matt Hazzard addresses an audience gathered at the theater in the Fenimore Art Museum, with Senator Jim Seward, R-Milford, looking on. Seward announced a $100,000 State Grant for the Chamber of Commerce to help renovate the Visitor’s Center on Chestnut Street. Hazzard hopes to have some renovations completed by the beginning of the upcoming tourist season, but is aiming to have all of the renovations completed by the end of 2018. (Parker Fish/AllOTSEGO.com)
Anna Fredriksen, Utah, Stacey Grady and Amanda Chase, both of Cooperstown, look through stationary by Laura Bremer at Paper Wolf Designs during the first Cooperstown Artisan Festival, going on today and tomorrow on the lawn of the Otsego County offices. Also ongoing throughout the weekend is the Cooperstown Art Association’s Art on the Lawn festival at 22 Main Street. (Ian Austin/AllOTSEGO.com)
FINE ARTS SHOW – 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Outdoor sale of fine are by over 40 CAA members includes art in oil, photography, printmaking, water color, pen & ink, drawings, pastel, more. Cooperstown Art Association, 22 Main St., Cooperstown. Visit www.cooperstownart.com/special-events.html
COOPERSTOWN ARTISANAL FESTIVAL – Open to the public, area artisans will show and sell their work. Craft demonstrations will be ongoing and training for both adults and children will be available. Outside the Otsego County Office Building, 197 Main St, Cooperstown. Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce (607)547-9983. Visit cooperstownchamber.org/events/cooperstown-artisan-festival/
With farmers, butchers, employees and friends alongside, Carrie and Doug Thompson cut the ribbon on their new business venture, Tthe Green Cow, as Steve Grubb and Brian Fassett, who work on the farm, hold the ribbon. The butcher shop, at 21 Railroad Ave., Cooperstown, features grass-finished beef raised on 450 acres near Richfield Springs. “This project has been 10 years in the making,” said Doug. “It’s been a fantastic journey for myself, Carrie and our two girls. It’s so special to bring it all together.” Following the ribbon cutting, the couple invited their neighbors to stay for some hamburger sliders, cooked by Grill Master Steve Gotwald and served up by store manager Karen Slowik, at right inset. (Libby Cudmore/AllOTSEGO.com)
