This Saturday, October 15, the world will recognize, as it does every year, the importance of the contributions of rural women and girls, including indigenous women, who live and work in remote and rural, often poverty-stricken, communities of the world. These strong women and girls play a key role in enhancing agricultural development, managing natural resources, adopting climate-resilient agricultural approaches, and planning against malnutrition and food insecurity.
The International Day of Rural Women was officially proclaimed by a resolution adopted by the United Nations in December 2007. The day celebrates and honors the role, often stereotyped but extremely substantial, of rural women who continue to face historic discrimination in many areas, including land and livestock ownership, equal pay, participation in meaningful decision-making, and access to resources such as credit and markets. This U.N. proclamation was the outgrowth of the Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, 12 years previously, wherein the idea of celebrating and supporting women was put forth. The date, October 15, was determined because, since 1945, World Food Day has been celebrated on October 16 and it seemed entirely relevant to honor rural women for their contributions to agriculture, food production, and food safety around the same time.
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 enacted into law June 23, 1972
Billie Jean King wins the Battle of the Sexes against Bobby Riggs in 1973.
I was playing tennis with someone recently who asked if I had played when I was growing up. I replied yes, and he asked if I had played for my high school tennis team. He was the same age as I, and of course had played on a tennis team in high school. Our experiences, however, were quite different.
We have just celebrated the 50th anniversary of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 which passed a year before I graduated from Cooperstown High School. At a time when there seem to be so many steps backwards in women’s rights, I know firsthand that that legislation has been a critical success in leveling the playing field for young girls. And decades of sports programs for girls created the pathway to this Spring’s equal pay settlement awarded to the US women’s soccer team.
What was it like growing up in our community, pre Title IX? It involved watching your brothers participate in organized sports — T-ball, Little League, and school athletics. Girls were not allowed to participate.
Justice Alito’s opinion is based on the fact that the right to abort is not mentioned in the Constitution. Guess what, no womens’ rights, either natural, such as the right to abort, or political, such as the right to vote, are mentioned in the Constitution. But every state that ratified the Constitution allowed a woman the right to abort — as a natural right.
SCHENEVUS – Ms. Shirley Ester Skinner, 106, passed away peacefully in her home in Schenevus, NY, on February 16, 2022.
She was born on her family farm on Badeau Hill, in Westford in the Town of Maryland, NY. She is the descendant of Pierre Badeau who homesteaded in the area in the 1700’s. Shirley is predeceased by her father, Stanley Wing Skinner, her mother, Pearl Gardner, her sister, Marjory, and her friend, Virginia Brady. Shirley’s grandparents were Fred and Jessie Stewart Gardner, and Amzy J. Skinner and Bertha Wing.
Shirley graduated in 1932 from The Town of Maryland Union School, then graduated from the Draper Schenevus School in 1934. She attended the Ballard School for Business in New York City for 2 years.
She had a remarkable life that included her love of nature, animals, politics, and travel. In the 1950’s, her trips to Europe, included sailing on ocean liners like The Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, The Constitution US, and the Mauretania. She also sailed on the last successful trip of the Andrea Doria before she sank off the coast of Cape Cod. She was proud of her ancestry as a Huguenot descendant from France.
Rebecca Bonker holds up a ‘Trust Women’ sign at the women’s reproductive rights rally at Muller Plaza in Oneonta on Saturday, Oct. 2. (Kevin Limiti/AllOtsego.com).
ONEONTA — About 100 people gathered in Muller Plaza at a rally for women’s reproductive rights Saturday, Oct. 2.
The rally coincided with the Women’s March happening across the country as thousands marched in support of Roe v. Wade.
The event featured music and speakers as well as pizza and lemonade.
The looming issue throughout the rally was the harsh Texas anti-abortion laws barring abortions at six weeks and offering bounties to anyone who turns in a person who had an abortion or assisted with one.
Marti Swords-Horrell, a minister at the First United Methodist Church, said she has been a minister for 39 years and came out in support of reproductive health.
“We believe in social principles on every topic you could think of,” Swords-Horrell said on the stance of their church, stating that birth control and abortions “should be available to everyone no matter if you’re rich or poor.”
“It shouldn’t be dependent on anyone else,” Swords-Horrell said.
ONEONTA – Sandra (Sandy) Herzig passed away peacefully, at the age of 97, on August 26, 2021 in Essex, Vermont. Born on July 31, 1924 in New York City, Sandy grew up living with her parents Theodore and Gracia Levy and her siblings Jean, Victor and Murray in the tenements of the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Both Theodore and Gracia had emigrated to this country as teenagers from the land now known as North Macedonia. As Sephardic Jews, whose ancestors had fled the Spanish Inquisition, Sandy grew up in a family whose primary language was Ladino – a dialect of Spanish influenced by a Turkish environment. Proud of her Sephardic heritage, Sandy loved to cook traditional meals including such favorites as borekas (spinach and feta in phyllo dough), baklava and many more.
BOWLING LEAGUE – 1 – 3 p.m. Bring the kids to have fund & learn to bowl with instructor Gus Lampo, professional bowler, Art Rigas, long-time high school bowling coach. Cost, $10/child for shoes & 3 games. Thru 3/28. Holiday Lanes, 5198 St. Hwy. 23, Oneonta. 607-287-2540 or visit www.facebook.com/OneontaBowling/
HARVEST FESTIVAL – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 2 days of music, performances, activities, workshops, meet the animals, learn about old-time trades, participate in the harvest. Entry, $12/adult. The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown. 607-547-1450 or visit www.farmersmuseum.org/Harvest-Festival
BENEFIT JAM SESSION – 3 – 10 p.m. “Play it Forward” all day jam session with musicians from Florida, Long Island, Brooklyn mix with local musicians. All instruments, genres, vocalists invited. Enjoy raffles, BBQ, music. All proceeds go to American Legion Legacy Run, helping children of fallen heroes since 9/11. Oneonta Vets Club, 279 Chestnut St., Oneonta. 607-432-0494 or visit www.alrpost259.org/legacy
HERO RUN/WALK – 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Memorial run/walk for all the heroes who lost their lives on 9/11/01 and honoring the heroes who still answer the call. Fly Creek Volunteer Fire Company., 832 Co. Hwy. 26, Fly Creek. Visit hero5k.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=6181
RODEO – 4 – 11 p.m. Support your hometown baseball team at Saturday Night Showdown. Pre-rodeo features games, food, music. Rodeo kicks off at 7, followed at 9 by party with music, cash bar, snacks. Tickets, $20/adult. Available at SFCU locations, ISD, The Shipping Room, or Online. Oneonta Outlaws, Damaschke Field, 15 James Georgeson Ave., Oneonta. 607-432-6326 or visit www.facebook.com/oneontaoutlawsbaseball/
ARTISAN FESTIVAL – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Artists, Crafters, Makers from throughout the region come together to sell their works. Find handmade jewelry, textiles, soap, furniture, glass art, pottery, photography, more at Otsego County Campus, 197 Main St., Cooperstown. 607-547-9983 or visit www.cooperstownartisanfestival.info
FAMILY SATURDAY – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Field trip for families features hands-on activities for kids, guided tours, demonstrations of the water-powered sawmill, the gristmill, and woodworking shop. Admission, $9/adult. Hanford Mills Museum, 51 Co. Hwy. 12, East Meredith. Call 607-278-5744 or visit www.hanfordmills.org
FOOD TRUCK FEST – 1 – 8:30 p.m. Celebrate Food Truck of Upstate New York. Features food trucks, live music, vendors, tastings of wine, craft beer, ciders, food competition, live performance from ZZ Top! beginning 8:30. 6th Ward Booster Club Field, 7 Scrambling Ave., Oneonta. Visit cahpc.org/food_truck_event
FARM DAY – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Visit family farms around Otsego County to explore fish farming, beekeeping, maple syrup making, more. Find guide at www.familyfarmday.org
HOPSEGO – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Family friendly festival featuring activities, fun, games, opportunities to learn local history and craft brewing. The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown. 607-547-1450 or visit www.farmersmuseum.org/Hopsego
REENACTMENT – 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Civil War encampment featuring soldiers in authentic uniforms drilling, performing maneuvers, singing period songs, more. Battle reenactment planned for afternoon followed by concert. Free, open to public. Lawn, Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown. 607-547-5098 or visit hydehall.org/event/civil-war-weekend-saturday/
ART FESTIVAL – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 11th annual juried art fest celebrating the relationship between artist, landscape. Fest features contest between local artists, food, vendors, music, demonstrations, more on expansive lawn. The Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown. 607-547-1400 or visit www.fenimoreartmuseum.org/calendar-a
ART & MUSIC – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Outdoor street festival featuring outstanding regional artists, crafters, musicians, writers, more. Main St., Oneonta. 607-432-2070 or visit cityofthehillsartsfestival.com
O-COUNTY FAIR – 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. See best Otsego County has to offer. Daily shows, rides, more. Highlights include equestrian Gymkhana, bicycle giveaway, truck pull, livestock parade of champions, Supreme Champion Showmanship, talent contest, more. Otsego County Fair, Mills St., Morris. 607-263-5289 or visit www.otsegocountyfair.org
