ONEONTA MEMORIAL DAY PARADE —10 a.m. Commemorate our country’s fallen soldiers. The day will begin with a parade (line-up at 9 a.m. and step off at 10), to commemorate Chief Warrant Officer 3 Christopher Robert Eramo. A riderless horse will be included as a salute to the fallen, with CWO3 Shawn Hubner, who serves in the deceased’s unit, hand carrying the battalion colors from Fort Wainwright to Oneonta and marching in the honor guard. After the parade will be a ceremony of remembrance at 11 a.m. on the Veterans Memorial Walkway in Neahwa Park. Parade held on Main Street, Oneonta.
CHERRY VALLEY MEMORIAL DAY PARADE—10 a.m. Honor the sacrifice of our nations fallen heroes. Parade kicks off from the Cherry Valley Library and marches to the Cherry Valley Cemetery where a memorial service will be held. Parade is followed by a chicken BBQ at 11 at the Tryon Inn. Library is at 61 Main Street, Cherry Valley. Historic Cemetery is at 20-36 State Route 166, Cherry Valley.
RICHFIELD SPRINGS MEMORIAL DAY PARADE—10:30 a.m. Celebrate the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The parade departs the Richfield Springs Veterans Club and continues down Main Street to spring park where a remembrance ceremony will be held. Followed by the Memorial day chicken BBQ at the Veterans Club, Spring Raffle of a John Deere riding lawn mower, an electric powerwasher, and a blower/trimmer combo. Presented by the Veterans Club of Richfield Springs, 13 Lake Street, Richfield Springs. Visit facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064752966604
UNADILLA MEMORIAL DAY PARADE—10:30 a.m. Celebrate our nation’s fallen heroes. The day will begin with a wreath laying ceremony at the Veterans Monument on Main Street, followed by the parade to Saint Matthews Church Cemetery. Additional services at the Evergreen Hill Cemetery. A wreath for those who died at sea will be dropped off the I-88 bridge. All veterans are invited to march; uniforms not required. Meet at Unadilla Village Hall, 193 Main Street, Unadilla.
COOPERSTOWN MEMORIAL DAY PARADE—10:30 a.m. Join the Cooperstown Vets Club to celebrate the sacrifice of our nation’s fallen heroes. The parade lines up at 10:30, steps off at 11 and marches up Main Street to the County Clerk building where a memorial service will be held. Main Street Cooperstown.
ONEONTA—Alice Marie Sloan, 84, of Oneonta passed away on April 17, 2023 at Chestnut Park Nursing Home. Alice was born on February 22, 1939 to Ray and Anna (Pickett) Dean, the youngest of 11 children. She attended Masonville Elementary School, Sidney Central High School, then went on to earn a degree in business through Syracuse University.
During her life, Alice worked for NYSEG, Corning, helped to create the Delaware County Best Program, participated with federal and county elections, assisted with the Census in Otsego County, and was a mentor/provider for adult education and job skills.
Two women met in Oneonta a few Fridays ago, old friends and workmates reconnecting over dinner. One, a bit of a Luddite, remembered her phone but had very little battery remaining. The other, a bit more of one, forgot her phone entirely. They had made arrangements to meet at a restaurant, the Indian Grill on Main Street. The first woman—we’ll call her Sarah—did not visit Oneonta’s Main Street very often. Her trips to the City of the Hills were largely limited to grocery shopping and maybe now and then to Southside Mall. The second woman—for our purposes, Mary–was more social and knew her way around. The Indian Grill was a favorite eatery of hers.
Ah, youth…There is nothing as entrepreneurial as a youthful spirit; or as willing to invest itself in potential. The future lies ahead, and it is filled with possibilities. That there are well-advertised obstacles to be navigated is a blessing and curse. A way around can be charted, and a better way plotted, but it requires attention to the possibilities.
And that is where we come in. We are signaling, “If you aren’t happy with your prospects…Here we are.” Oneonta is a charming little city with as much heart as you’ll find anywhere. And living here could be an idyllic option for anyone unsatisfied with the quality of their life.
ONEONTA—Andrea N. Moore, 88, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home in Duanesburg on February 1, 2023.
Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. on Friday, June 2 at the Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, 51 Dietz Street, Oneonta.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 3 at the Charlotte Valley Presbyterian Church, 15673 State Highway 23, Davenport, with the interment in the North Kortright Cemetery.
Donations may be made to the Charlotte Valley Presbyterian Church, PO Box 184, Davenport, NY 13750 or to your local hospice.
NATURE GROUP—Noon. Join the Otsego County Conservation Association for a fun day exploring the state forest and looking for signs of spring. This group, geared for homeschooled students but open to everyone, will look for signs of animals foraging, buds on trees, and see if anyone can spot the local beaver. Please dress for the weather. Meet at Texas Schoolhouse State Forest, Mount Vision. (607) 547-4488 or visit occainfo.org/calendar/homeschool-nature-day-texas-schoolhouse-state-forest/
MOUNT VISION—Wayne K. Bush Sr., a life-long area resident, passed away at his home in Mount Vision Tuesday morning, April 11, 2023. He was 82.
Born January 16, 1941 in Laurens, Wayne was a son of Walter K. and Olive W. (Spoor) Bush. He attended schools in Laurens and Hartwick.
On June 12, 1960, he married Joan L. Raimo in a ceremony at the First Baptist Church of Hartwick. They enjoyed 40 years together until she passed November 12, 2000.
He was first employed for Lyncoach & Truck Co. in Oneonta. He then went to work as a welder for the Delaware and Hudson Railway at their yards in Oneonta. After 28 years with The D&H he started W.K. Bush & Son Welding in Hartwick, which is now owned and operated by his son, Wayne Jr. He also had a trucking business that hauled livestock for farmers throughout the State of New York.
HUMAN RIGHTS—9-11 p.m. Enjoy a screening of “Uýra: The Rising Forest,” as seen at the 2023 Human Rights Film Festival, about the travels of a young, indigenous trans woman through the Amazon where she uses performance art to spread her message to the Indigenous youth that they are the guardians of ancestral messages of the Amazon Forest. Free, open to all. Hunt Union Red Dragon Theater, SUNY Oneonta. (607) 436-3012 or visit connect.oneonta.edu/organization/activities
The decision by Bassett Healthcare Network to close FoxCare Fitness Center by the end of May is a travesty for the community and the over 700-plus current members of the healthcare facility. Bassett’s mission is, and should always remain as, to support wellness and fitness programs designed to encourage nutrition, exercise, and preventative health measures which ensure the health and well-being of people of all ages—this is especially important for adults living in our rural community.
Adults who are physically active and at a healthy weight live about seven years longer than those who are not active and are obese. And the important part is that those extra years are generally healthier years! Staying active helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging. So active adults maintain their quality of life and independence longer as they age.
Regular physical activity can relieve stress, anxiety, depression and anger. It is that “feel good sensation” you get after doing something physical. Exercise serves as a pill with no side effects. Most people notice they feel better over time as physical activity becomes a regular part of their lives. Isn’t this what Bassett should be advocating for their patients and the community at large?
In addition, the therapy pool provides natural resistance and buoyancy that reduces the stress on joints. Many adults who live with arthritis find that water therapy is a great way to stay active and lessen the pain on their joints. Many adults find that they are able to do certain exercises in the water that they are not able to in a traditional exercise class. Many times the social setting increases confidence, cardiovascular health and reduces overall mental stress all the while enjoying a relaxing atmosphere. Again, all the more reason to maintain the aquatic facility at FoxCare Fitness.
The members have come to trust, appreciate and value all the hard work that the dedicated, professional staff at FoxCare has done over the years to develop relationships with their members—from the minute we walk in the door until the time we leave. We are met with a sincerity that we matter, and that is just one of the many reasons many of us have joined there. The staff is well-trained and willing to help in any way, from answering questions about wellness goals to designing personal fitness training programs in a relaxed, non-judgmental atmosphere.
FoxCare Fitness adds immeasurable value to the Bassett Healthcare Network and A. O. Fox Hospital, and it should continue to play a greater role in preventative health maintenance. It is time for Bassett to give FoxCare Fitness the promotional attention that is long overdue and that it deserves—to promote health fairs, continue to encourage employees to become members, and engage in and financially support FoxCare to continue as an extension of community health. It is vital to this community to keep this premiere center open at any and all costs.
“Spray paint for me is just a medium. It’s fast and you can get a nice airbrushed look when blending,” said artist James Mcilroy of his mural work in the City of Oneonta. Photo provided
On a 2015 visit to San Francisco, James Mcilroy stopped to observe a work by Austrian urban and graffiti artist, Nychos. The split animal anatomy in a spray paint medium left an impression on the curious Mcilroy that opened a new thought process—and inevitably would result in a major public artistic contribution to the community back home in Oneonta, bringing new life to the historic Ford Sales Building on Market Street.
“This was before I was doing any kind of serious painting,” Mcilroy recalled. “I was so impressed by the scale and started to pick the process apart: ‘okay, Nychos sketched this first and then came in with a flat color here and separated the values and did a complementary color scheme here’.”
I have been a member of FoxCare Fitness for many years. I am asking Bassett to reconsider the decision to close the facility for the following reasons:
• It is an extremely valuable asset to our senior community, who rely upon it for essential exercise and fitness training.
• All of the staff are personable, professional, and extremely helpful and kind to all.
Through cardiac rehab, I came to FoxCare gym. The program changed my life after open heart surgery and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Graduating cardiac rehab on December 12, I immediately joined with my husband, paying for a year with lockers.
FoxCare gym is safe. Like so many members, I have illnesses that cause severe discomfort at regular gyms. FoxCare gym is routine, purpose, safe haven. I’m 53, with Celiac disease, chronic nerve pain, anxiety, depression, no balance from GBS, and a compromised immune system. FoxCare equipment is spaced apart, most wear masks, we clean machines. Nurses and physical therapists available for questions add to safety.
Having heard the news of our fitness center closing, it brought a lot of emotion and wondering why, after all this time, it had to happen. I am in my 90s and I doubt I would have made it this far without my regular exercise classes at FoxCare Fitness. The employees and all my fellow members are a wonderful group and enjoy being at the FoxCare facility.
It makes me sad to think that I may no longer have any classes to attend and the uncertainty of finding another fitness center is too much of a burden for me at this point. After all is said and done, I’m hoping to hear that the classes will continue at the FoxCare Fitness Center.
FoxCare Fitness closing has a hidden downside to the percentage of us who cannot just “go to another gym.” I and several like me can ONLY exercise with the therapool and were given PT instruction on what to do when in there. We cannot go to endless PT to keep using the pool, insurance does not allow that. There are no other local options with a warm pool. It will be a huge loss for me health wise, and many like me. There should be a way those of us with long term health issues can still use the therapool. PT doesn’t use it often. I’m very upset and very disappointed and don’t think we were considered in this.
As many have seen, there has been quite a bit of pushback regarding the announcement of FoxCare Fitness closing. I am among those who are a little dubious about my local healthcare provider when they decide that preventative care is not worth investing in. Particularly when that investment pays off most to senior citizens and other more vulnerable people in our community. I am hopeful with the pushback and news of collaboration with the YMCA that Bassett will be able to keep the facility open as is (or revitalize is so it can fully recover from the pandemic restrictions). Anything less, in my opinion, would be a failure to our community.
