DONATIONS – 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Weekdays. Check your closets for gently used artworks to donate to the CAA Spring Cleaning Bazaar. Support the local art association, clear some space at home. Drop off weekdays through March 5. Cooperstown Art Association, 22 Main St., Cooperstown. 607-547-9777 or visit www.cooperstownart.com
OTSEGO OCTET – Feb.1 – Apr. 30. Explore local trails at the state parks, forests, and land trust sites. Once you’ve completed eight of the 12 trails send in a form & $5 to receive the Otsego Octet Patch. Participants are encouraged to post pictures. Visit otsegooutdoors.org/our-challenge/ for info.
To the Editor:
On behalf of the Cooperstown Fire Department, I would like to let you know we will not be doing our annual Equipment Fund Drive this year. Due to COVID-19 and the economic impact it has had on us all we feel that we should forgo asking for donations.
Through your generous past donations we have been able to purchase the most necessary equipment we needed to replace. Although the prices of goods continue to skyrocket during this pandemic time, we felt this was the right decision to make.
We thank you for your past donations and, of course, the department will continue to gratefully accept donations if your circumstances permit.
JIM TALLMAN, Chief
Cooperstown Fire Department
(Editor’s Note: Regardless, donations may be mailed to Cooperstown Fire Dept., P.O. Box 1, Cooperstown NY 13326)
By IAN AUSTIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
ONEONTA – The end of the Christmas season will mark the end of an era for a Southside Mall mainstay.
For over two decades, Vera Stewart, aka Mrs. Claus, has been volunteering for the Salvation Army by ringing bells and holding doors at her station outside of JCPenney, spreading cheer to holiday shoppers. Dressed in red velvet with white trim, the Southside Mrs. Claus has become a mainstay of the Christmas season to many visitors young and old.
“When they first asked me to be a bell ringer for the Salvation Army, I decided to try it.” said Stewart, “I began doing it only on weekends, then I went to five days a week.”
FIREWORKS – Dusk. Celebrate the declaration of Independence. Lake Front Park, Cooperstown. Visit cooperstownchamber.org/calendar-of-events/#!event/2018/6/30/fireworks-in-cooperstown
BOOK FAIR – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Find rare, interesting books and ephemera the Cooperstown Antiquarian Book Fair. Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. Call 607-547-2800 or visit www.cooperstownantiquarianbookfair.com/
SPAGHETTI DINNER – 4 – 7 p.m. Donation dinner to benefit the Milford Class of 2019. Milford Central School Cafeteria, 42 W. Main St., Milford. Call 607-286-3349 or visit www.web.milfordcentral.org
TINKERING TUESDAY – 10:30-11:30 a.m. Design and Print a custom fidget spinner. Material fee applies. Registration required. Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut St., Oneonta. Call 607-432-1980 or visit hmloneonta.org/adult-programs/
FAMILY GAME NIIGHT – 5-10 p.m. Bring Family and Friends to Board Game Night. Serenity Hobbies, 254 Main St, Oneonta. Info, serenityhobbies.com
CHRISTMAS DINNER DONATIONS – 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Donations of food to the Friends of Christmas Dinner should be dropped off at First United Methodist Church, 66 Chestnut St., Oneonta. Accepting baked pies, fruit breads, Christmas cookies, fresh fruit, apple and cranberry juice. Volunteers needed as cooks, drivers, servers and cleaning. Info, Ann Steen 432-1283 or Kelly Ahlqvist 432-1871
SOUTHSDIE MALL SANTA – 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Southside Mall, 5006 State Highway 23, Oneonta.
COOPERSTOWN SANTA – 1-4 p.m. Christmas Cottage, Pioneer Park, Cooperstown. Info, cooperstownchamber.org/santas-house-in-cooperstown/
ONEONTA SANTA – 4-6 p.m. Muller Plaza, Main St., Oneonta.
MUSIC – 6-9 p.m. Come de-stress with Dan Schilling. Timber Creek Saloon and Restaurant, 2957 ST. HWY. 23, West Oneonta. Info, www.facebook.com/TimberCreekLLC
KARAOKE – 8 p.m. With DJ Donna. Empire House 136 Marion Ave, Gilbertsville. Info, www.facebook.com/theempirehouse
We still have 6 families in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program in need of a benefactor this holiday season. CLICK HERE to learn how you can help them.
CONCERT – 3 p.m. “Christmas in the Catskills: Songs of the Season” the winter concert of the Catskill Chamber Singers. Unitarian Universalist Church, 12 Ford Ave., Oneonta. Info, Emma Kirsch (607)433-0999, or visit www.catskillchambersingers.com
YULETIDE CELEBRATION – 1-4 p.m. Hunt for the Yule log and then settle in for an afternoon of arts and crafts for the whole family. SUNY Oneonta College Camp, off upper East St.,Oneonta. one mile from intersection of Bugbee Rd. and East St., Oneonta. Info, 436-3455
WASSAIL WEEKEND – 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Demonstration on how to make Wassail, the traditional holiday drink. Savory spices blended with sweet cider at The Fly Creek Cider Mill, 288 Goose St., Fly Creek. Info, 1-800-505-6455, flycreekcidermill.com
To Learn How You Can Help Area Families This Holiday Season CLICK HERE.
UGLY SWEATER RUN – There’s still time to take in the Ugly Sweater Run: It departs at 3 p.m. from Pioneer Park in downtown Cooperstown. (The listing incorrectly reported 1:30 p.m.) Info, clarksportscenter.com/events/rockin-around-cooperstown-ugly-sweater-run-walk/index.php
CONCERT – 7 p.m. Juice Newton performs her greatest hits. Foothills Performing Arts Center, 24 Market St. Oneonta. Info, foothillspac.org List to “Angel in the Morning.”
HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR – 9 a.m.-4 p.m. featuring quality, handmade crafts by local and regional crafters. Free admission. Hunt Union Ballroom, SUNY Oneonta, 108 Ravine pkwy, Oneonta.
PTA HOLIDAY BREAKFAST/MARKET – 8 a.m.-Noon Cooperstown Elementary School, 21 Walnut St, Cooperstown. Info, www.cooperstowncs.org