The Fly Creek Fire Company has announced their new annual fundraising campaign. The inaugural Holiday Card has been painted and donated by local artist Tracy Helgeson. “Ms. Helgeson’s barn paintings are a true reflection of Fly Creek and our surrounding communities, and we are honored that she has contributed her talent to the Fly Creek Fire Company,” officials said.
“My family moved to Fly Creek in 2003. I had taken a break from painting until I saw the beauty of barns in this region,” Ms. Helgeson said. “I’m proud to donate my work to the fire department.”
Pre-order forms are available on the Fire Company website, flycreekfire.com, and on the Fly Creek Volunteer Fire Company Facebook page. Pre-ordered cards and holiday cards for purchase and will be available for pick-up on Sunday, October 9 from noon to 2 p.m., during Junior Firefighter Day, in conjunction with Fire Awareness Month.
The original Tracy Helgeson oil painting will be sold in a “silent auction” on that day.
THEATER – 7:30 p.m. The SUNY Oneonta Theater department presents ‘Nord-Ost’ (North East) by Torsten Buchsteiner, with translation by David Tushingham. A play in 3 parts about the 57-hour hostage crisis in Moscow’s Dubrovka Theatre and it’s shocking conclusion as told by 3 women present for the action who find their lives and families forever altered. General admission, $5. Hamblin Arena, SUNY Oneonta. 607-436-4500 or visit suny.oneonta.edu/theatre-department/season-shows
FUNDRAISER – Now Available. Stock up on bird seed and support the programs of the Delaware Otsego Audubon Society. Now through 5 p.m. October 23. Visit doas.us/2022-bird-seed-sale/ to order.
The “gang” getting ready to start off on the 100-mile Legacy Run. (Photo by Kevin Brown)
On Sunday, September 11, the American Legion Riders based out of Oneonta, had their Legacy Run.
“We do four to five runs a year,” said Chris Chase, Director of American Legion Riders. “We raise money for vets, pets or kids,” he said.
Every year they hold the Legacy Run on or around 9/11. “The American Legion Riders have a scholarship fund for kids of veterans who have passed away, or are 50% or more disabled since 9/11,” he said.
Catskill Choral Society’s Grand and Glorious Fall Fair saw several thousand people come down to Oneonta’s Neahwa Park for a day of live music, splendid offerings from 72 vendors, a performance by the Oneonta Community Concert Band, and great fun. (Photo by John Willis)
CONCERT – 6:30 p.m. Come enjoy a performance by the band ‘Lazy II’ for the Independence Day weekend. Followed by a bonfire and s’mores at 7. Under the Large Shelter, Gilbert Lake State Park, 18 CCC Rd., Laurens. 607-432-2114 or visit www.facebook.com/GilbertLakeStatePark/
FUNDRAISER – Noon – 4 p.m. Stop by for Chili bowl cook-off & fundraiser. Featuring delicious chili & hand-decorated bowls. There will also be live music from Hanzolo, Jump the Shark, and the Mansion Jam Band. Help support our local artists. Wilber Mansion, Community Arts Network of Oneonta, 11 Ford Ave., Oneonta. 607-432-2070 or visit www.canoneonta.org
We can think of no one other than Vladimir Putin, conspiracy theorists, or tin-foil-hatters who doesn’t support Ukraine these days. Otsego County has stood up large for a nation thousands of miles away, a noble testament to our region’s inherent benevolence.
This newspaper has published several reports about people doing good things on behalf of Ukrainians everywhere and, we’ll be honest, we’ve reported only after hearing about the events almost by chance. Maybe we saw a social media post or a flyer taped to a storefront and thought we could amplify the cause with a notice in our paper.
We rejected the one proactive release we’ve received to date: one dated April 4 from the Otsego County Democratic Committee announcing they had raised $5,000 to send to World Central Kitchen — that’s the group preparing hot meals for Ukrainian refugees.
A worthy cause and, well done for raising the cash. The release (now deleted from the party committee’s site, by the way), finished with this nugget: “Of course, our role as the County Party is to register Democrats, and support and elect Democratic candidates, but it’s also important that we help in non-partisan ways that make our community and world a little better. We are Democrats and we support Democracy here at home and abroad, in words and deeds.”
The make-the-world-a-little-better message, we thought, was a good one — until partisan politics reared its omnipresent head. We cringed a little at the blatant grandstanding and took a pass.
EASTER BUNNY – 10 a.m. – Noon. Bring the kids out to celebrate spring and meet with the Easter Bunny. Take pictures, enter to win an Easter Basket, enter the coloring contest, and each kids brings home a goodie bag. Foothills Performing Arts Center, Oneonta. 607-376-7599 or visit www.destinationoneonta.com/calendar
The Mamaroneck Historical Society succeeded in its ambitious quest to raise the funds needed to save James Fenimore Cooper murals from destruction, but more work remains as the group strives to rescue the artwork from the walls of Mamaronek High School.
The Freeman’s Journal / Hometown Oneonta first reported on the endangered murals as word spread of the high school’s plan to cover – and in some cases, destroy – eight Depression-era murals depicting scenes from James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking novels and his life as a resident of the Westchester County town. The murals stand in the way of the Mamaroneck High School’s plans to build new computer learning labs, and the Historical Society leapt into action to spare them from the wrecking ball.
“It’s good news but it’s different news,” Mamaroneck Historical Society’s co-president John Pritts said of the group’s success to date. “We had no idea until we started how complicated it would become to save the artwork.
ICE HARVEST FEST – 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Enjoy a traditional ice harvest featuring a chance to get on the ice and help saw away some blocks, ice carving, blacksmithing demonstrations, local exhibitors, more. Event depends on the thickness of the ice. The will not be a hot soup buffet this year due to the Pandemic. Check website for updates on ice conditions. Hanford Mills Museum, 51 Co. Hwy. 12, East Meredith. 607-278-5744 or visit www.hanfordmills.org
FUNDRAISER – 3 – 7 p.m. Raise funds for schools in the Dominican Republic and Santa Cruz while enjoying dinner of chili, cornbread, and chicken burritos. Available on a dine-in or take-out basis. All welcome, masks required. Cost, $7/adult. St. James Episcopal Church, 305 Main St., Oneonta. 607-432-1458 or visit www.facebook.com/stjamesoneonta/
BLOOD DRIVE – 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Briggs Hall, Main Street Baptist Church, 333 Main St., Oneonta. 1-800-733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org
CHRISTMAS – Be an Angel. Sign up to give the gift of Christmas to local families in need with this years Angel Tree Program. Visit www.allotsego.com/angel-tree-program/ for details.
FUNDRAISER – 8:30 – 10 a.m. Spin to support the Cooperstown Food Pantry. Sign up online with a minimum donation of $10 to go to the pantry. Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. 607-547-2800 or visit www.facebook.com/clarksportscenter
Gillian Spencer (back), Adaline Spencer (front), and Director Janet Erect (right) in front of Adalines favorite wreath at the Adorn-A-Door wreath festival. The festival continues through 4:30 p.m. when the drawing for the silent auction will take place. (Larissa Ryan/AllOtsego.com)
Milford fundraiser rescheduled for Saturday at park
A community fundraiser for Milford Central School graduate Caleb Radulewicz, who was in a serious car accident in Ohio last month, was rescheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, July 24, in Milford’s Wilbur Park.
There will be a raffle, free activities and food available from Big Al’s. Raffle winners will be announced at 2 p.m.
Railroad announces reopening event
The Leatherstocking Historical Railway Society has announced a resumption of service beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7.
There will be a special train robbery reenactment on that date, as well as again during several weekends in August and September.
Go to Cooperstowntrain.com for event dates and other information.
BOAT PARADE – 3 p.m. Get out for the annual decorated boat parade. This years theme ‘Here Comes The Sun’ song by the beatles. All boats welcome from human powered to motor powered and all in between, decorated or undecorated. Covid protocols will be in effect. Parade assembles at 3 Mile Point and proceeds on West Side of the Lake to Lakefront Park, Cooperstown. Rain or Shine. 518-542-6630 or visit otsegolakeassociation.org for info.
