THEATER – 7:30 p.m. Get your golden ticket to a world of pure imagination with the cast of ‘Willy Wonka Jr.’ presented by Orpheus Theater. Cost, $15/adult. Foothills Performing Arts Center, Oneonta. 607-432-1800 or visit www.facebook.com/OrpheusTheatre/
CLEAN UP – 9 a.m. – Noon. Morris residents are invited to join the Butternut Valley Alliance, others, to show your love for our Earth and help clean up the local roadways and streams, donate to the food bank, more. Parking Lot, Morris Central School, 65 W. Main St., Morris. Visit www.butternutvalleyalliance.org
RECYCLING – Noon – 3 p.m. Celebrate Earth Day and recycle responsibly. Bring your hard to recycle items including rigid expanded polystyrene containers and packing material, natural wine corks, paper shredding for residents, a clothing and textile collection, and more. Participants will receive a coupon for 10% off at the Ommegang Tap House. Pre-registration required to avoid congestion. Brewery Ommegang, 656 Co. Hwy. 33, Cooperstown. 607-547-4488 or visit occainfo.org/calendar/earth-festival-drive-through-drop-off-recycling/
RECRUITNY – Local fire stations open their doors to the public to recruit community members to the local volunteer fire department. Visit with the:
• West Oneonta Fire Department, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. featuring tours, demos, Q&A. 2865 Co. Hwy. 8, West Oneonta. 607-432-1310
• Wells Bridge Vol. Fire Department, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Open House. 114 Co. Hwy. 4, Wells Bridge. 607-988-2542.
• Richfield Springs Vol. Fire Department, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. open house. 3026 St. Hwy. 20, Richfield Springs. 315-858-0863.
• Unadilla Fire Department, Hours TBD. Open house, come meet the members, see the equipment, more. 77 Clifton St., Unadilla. 607-369-9150.
• Worcester Hose Company Inc., 1 – 3 p.m. Open house with equipment displays, demonstration, and refreshments. 36 Church St., Worcester. 607-397-8032.
• Morris Fire Department, Noon – 4 p.m. Open house. 117 Main St., Morris. 607-263-5500.
BLOOD DRIVE – 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Burlington Flats Baptist Church, 101 Arnold Rd., Burlington Flats. 1-800-733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org
SPRINGFIELD READS – 4:30 p.m. Celebrate Chinese New Year and Valentines Day together with stories, snacks, and crafts with members of the Springfield community. Sponsored by Hyde Hall. Springfield Community Library, 129 Co. Rd. 29A, Springfield Center. 315-858-5802 or visit hydehall.org/springfield-reads-feb-23-2022/
WINTER WALK – 10 – 11:30 a.m. (Rescheduled from 1/17 due to winter storm Izzy) Enjoy the beauty of winter on this tree ID walk while you stretch your legs, get some fresh air. Dress appropriately for weather on this , bring your own water. Free, registration required. Presented by Otsego County Conservation Association at Robert V. Riddell State Park, Davenport. 607-547-4488 or visit occainfo.org/calendar/winter-walk/
By Kevin Limiti
An invasive species with an odd name is causing concern in Otsego County after conservationists discovered the destructive insect at parks in Cooperstown and around Oneonta.
The Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) is a tiny bug that infests hemlock trees, which experts warn could cause catastrophic environmental damage.
The insect in question came from the Far East in the 1920s and was discovered in New York State in the 1980s, and gets it name from the wool-like mask it generates around itself and looks like a cotton ball in the trees when an infestation is bad enough.
Now, it has been found ravaging hemlock in Fairy Springs Park in Cooperstown and Robert V. Riddell Park in Davenport.
CONSERVATION WEBINAR – 7 – 8 p.m. Learn about the Woolly Adelgid, an invasive insect which targets hemlock trees which are an important part of our ecosystem. Seminar will cover the biology & impact of this insect as well as surveying and management options. Learn how you can volunteer to spot this invader and help protect our local forests. Presented by the Otsego County Conservation Association. 607-547-4488 or visit occainfo.org/calendar/hemlock-woolly-adelgid-spotters/
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY
WINTER WALK – 10 – 11:30 a.m. Enjoy the beauty of winter on this tree ID walk while you stretch your legs, get some fresh air. Dress appropriately for weather on this , bring your own water. Free, registration required. Presented by Otsego County Conservation Association at Robert V. Riddell State Park, Davenport. 607-547-4488 or visit occainfo.org/calendar/winter-walk/
Octet challenge underwayOtsego Outdoors presents a winter challenge to all adventure seekers looking for fun and exercise this winter.
The Winter Octet Challenge, the fourth of its kind, consists of cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, and hiking to highlight accessible trails for those seeking outdoor activities.
Participants choose 8 of 13 trails to complete at state parks, state forests, town parks, Otsego Land Trust properties, and private properties open to the public. A “Choose Your Own” option opens the door to different activities such as sledding, tubing, ice fishing, and more.
Board Chair Sharon Oberriter (right) pack boxes
for pick-up at the Cooperstown Food Pantry. (Tara Barnwell/AllOtsego.com
By PATRICK DEWEY • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
Groups from around the world joined in 2012’s inaugural “Giving Tuesday” on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, encouraging people to step outside the more commerce-driven post-holiday “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday,” and give back to do good in their communities and in the world.
Now an annual event, “Giving Tuesday” takes place this year on November 30.
For those looking to give back right here in Otsego County, we highlight here some organizations to consider:
VETERANS DAY!
FOREST WALK – 9 – 10:30 a.m. Enjoy a pleasant stroll and learn about ‘The Forest from the Ground Up’ with Jeff O’Handley. Walk will focus on the forest floor and how it supports everything above. Registration required. In conjunction with Glimmerglass Film Days. Presented by Otsego County Conservation Association. Meet at gate of Clark Tower Trail, Beaver Meadow Rd., Cooperstown. 607-547-4488 or visit occainfo.org/calendar/forests-from-the-ground-up/
ARCHITECTURE WALK – 2:30 p.m. Join Cindy Falk, Prof. of Material Culture at SUNY Oneonta, for a walking tour of Cooperstown’s spires, towers, and turrets. Tour is about 2 miles, please dress for the weather. Will conclude with complimentary hot cocoa and cookies. Meet at Otsego County Courthouse, 193 Main St., Cooperstown. 607-547-8881 or visit www.glimmerglassfilmdays.org
CONSERVATION WALK – 2 – 4 p.m. Learn about the conservation effort by the Otsego Land Trust at their waterfront property from stream restoration, native plantings, and invasive species removal. Free, registration required. Brookwood Point, 6000 St. Hwy. 80, Cooperstown. 607-547-8881 or visit www.glimmerglassfilmdays.org
ASTRONOMY – 7 p.m. Join the Otsego County Conservation Association to explore the night sky in04 the autumn. See the milky way, spot Jupiter and Saturn, and see if you can see the Andromeda galaxy. Bring a comfortable chair and blankets. Binoculars helpful, but optional. Come dressed for the weather. Hot chocolate and snacks will be available in the workshop after the viewing. Free, registration required. Mohican farm, 7207 St. Rt. 80, Cooperstown. 607-547-4488 or visit occainfo.org
FALL FLING – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. A spring tradition is happening in the Fall this year. The Cooperstown Rotary Club presents their annual craft fair featuring a growing list of vendors, artisans, food, drink, crafts and much more. New this year is the Utica Zoomobile. Returning is the ever-popular Basket Auction. Proceeds help to support variety of local foundations. On the Lawn, The Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. Visit www.cooperstownfallfling.com
by CHAD G. WELCH • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
The Rotary Club of Cooperstown is hosting the Fall Fling fundraiser at the Clark Sports Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday Oct. 9.
Fall Fling is replacing Spring Fling. which the club has hosted annually in May since 2017, event chairperson Sydney Sheehan said. It was canceled in 2020 and postponed this year.
“We decided to hold this event in the fall because we felt that a fun and festive fall event might be just the thing to bring everyone together,” Sheehan said. “Cooperstown has so much to offer in the autumn and year-round and it’s a great time to celebrate our community.”
WALTZ IN THE PARK – 2 – 4 p.m. Join the Otsego Dance Society for fun evening with live music by Peter Blue and friends. Blue is a local musician, caller, & composer. The music will mostly be contradances with a selection of Waltzes. Covid precautions will be observed, bring a mask and be prepared to social distance. This is not a contradance but dancing between couples is allowed. Bring a chair, snacks and prepare for a fun afternoon. Pavillion, Neahwa Park, Oneonta. 607-965-8232 or visit www.facebook.com/OtsegoDanceSociety/