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-  Tracing Your Roots in Greene County, The First Fifty Articles from the Greenville Mountain View Pioneer, is a collection of pieces written by Sylvia Hasenkopf for this community newspaper covering northern Greene and southern Albany counties. The book is $24.99 plus $3 shipping. Checks made payable to Sylvia Hasenkopf may be mailed to her at 155 Edison Timmerman Road, Cairo NY 12413. Call (518) 821-3852 or email Sylvia@NorthRiverResearch.com to ask questions or arrange for local pick up.

- The Friends of the Haines Falls Free Library are compiling a cookbook of recipes from our ethnically diverse mountaintop residents and former settlers, everything from appetizers to soups, entrees and desserts. If you have some favorite family recipes, please send them to Donna Bernard, Friends of the Haines Falls Free Library, PO Box 427, Tannersville, NY 12485. Don’t forget to include your name, address and phone number.

- The Hunter Foundation, Inc. is seeking contractors who may be interested in submitting bids for upcoming moderate rehabilitation projects throughout the mountain top area. Contractors must carry liability insurance and worker’s compensation. If interested contact Annie at (518) 589-5050 Extension 10 or email Anne@HunterFoundation.org.

- Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA is asking for donations of food to support their pet food bank. The shelter’s current need is for dry cat and dog food. Donations may be dropped off on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM, or on Wednesday or Sunday from 9 AM to noon. They are also accepting gift cards and cash donations to purchase food. The address is 125 Humane Society Road, Hudson, NY 12534. The Food Bank is open for those in need of assistance on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 AM to 4 PM. For more information call (518) 828-6044 or email RonPerez@cghs.org.

Wednesday 6/19

• The Clematis Garden Club will host a garden tour of six beautiful gardens in the Earlton and Medway area on Wednesday, June 19 from 4-7 PM. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at Maple Ridge Veterinary Office, 1584 Route 81 in Earlton at 4 PM the day of the tour. For more information call (518) 966-4260.
   

• The Gilboa Historical Society will meet at the Gilboa Town Hall on Wednesday, June 19 at 7 PM. Speakers will be Russell Dunn and Barbara Delaney who will talk about waterfalls in New York State and their connection to the Industrial Revolution. Refreshments will be served.
   

• An American Red Cross blood drive will be held on Wednesday, June 19 from 1-6 PM at the Washington Irving Senior Center, 15 Academy Street in Catskill.

Thursday 6/20

• A free wellness clinic for Greene County residents, sponsored by the Windham Rotary and the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, will be held at the Ashland Town Hall, Route 23 in Ashland on Thursday, June 20 from 5-8 PM. Free clinic services to be offered include acupuncture, massage, reiki, yoga, chiropractic services, mental health and nutrition counseling, and feldenkrais (gentle pain-relieving movement). Call Peg at (518) 989-6491 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins will be seen if scheduling is available.
   

• Choreographer Heidi Latsky will offer a free workshop, lecture and demonstration at the Orpheum Film and Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street in Tannersville on Thursday, June 20. The workshop begins at 2 PM and the lecture/demonstration at 4.
   

• The Cairo Historical Society will present Presidents in Our Backyard at the Cairo Public Library, Railroad Avenue in Cairo on Thursday, June 20 at 7:30 PM. Several of our nation’s presidents have ties to New York State including native sons Martin Van Buren, Millard Fillmore, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Roosevelt.
   

• The Greater Stamford Area Chamber of Commerce will meet at the Stamford Railroad Station, 21 Railroad Avenue in Stamford on Thursday, June 20 from 8-9:15 AM. Everyone is welcome to attend and learn what’s going on in the local business community.

Friday 6/21

• The Schoharie Valley Hay Shakers will hold a mainstream level western square dance at the Berne Firehouse, 30 Canaday Hill Road in Berne on Friday, June 21 from 7:30-10 PM. The dance theme is strawberry festival. Casual dress due to warm weather. The caller is Ray Taylor and the cuer is Dolores Randall. Please wear soft sole shoes.

Saturday 6/22

•  An opening reception for Wild America! Wildlife & Nature Photography by Larry Gambon will be held on Saturday, June 22 from 4-6 PM at the Kaaterskill Fine Arts Gallery, 7950 Main Street in the Village of Hunter. The exhibit will be on display until Sunday, July 28. [See Art Exhibits at the end of the Datebook for more information.]
   

• Author Candace Christensen, widow of Thomas Locker, an artist renowned for his paintings of the Catskill Mountains and especially Kaaterskill Clove, will speak about her late husband’s work and his love for the Clove at the Zadock Pratt Museum in Prattsville on Saturday, June 22 at 1 PM. Admission is free.
   

• The Phoenicia Library is hosting a family-oriented stream walk on Saturday, June 22 from 10 AM until noon. Meet at the library, 9 Ava Maria Drive in Phoenicia. Participants can expect to get a little wet while investigating some of the smallest life-forms in the Esopus Creek, so be sure to wear stream shoes if you want to help collect specimens. This free event will be held rain or shine and no registration is required.

Saturday & Sunday 6/22 & 6/23

• The Hidden Gallery Walk of Palenville will take place on Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23 from 12-6 PM both days. Free parking will be available and visitors will be able to walk to most locations. Information and maps will be distributed at the event’s headquarters at the intersection of Routes 32A and 23A in Palenville. This event will feature pop-up art galleries, a live painting event, food trucks, workshops and entertainment. Visit PalenvilleNY.com for more information.

Sunday 6/23

• Join a costumed guide for a trip back in time 350 years to the Dutch colony of New Netherland. Tours begin at the Bronck Museum in Coxsackie at 1, 2 and 3 PM. Adult admission is $6; $3 for children and members of the Greene County Historical Society.
   
• The Bruce Barth/Steve Nelson Quartet will perform with Michael Benedict and Mike Lawrence at Conkling Hall, 8 Methodist Hill Rd. in Rensselaerville on Sunday, June 23 at 4 PM. Tickets are $15.
   
• The Upper Catskill String Quartet will present its tribute to American music – classics from Scott Joplin, the big band sound, Broadway musicals and late 20th century rock ‘n’ roll – at the Maple Museum on the Jefferson Town Green on Sunday, June 23 at 2 PM. The concert is free.

Monday 6/24

• The Hunter Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual mini-golf outing, rain or shine, on Monday, June 24 at Bear Creek Landing, near the intersection of Routes 214 and 23A in Hunter. This event includes a buffet dinner and is open to all Chamber members, their guests, and children of Chamber members age 12 and up. There is a limit of 18 teams of 4. Call (518) 263-4900 to register your team. The cost for golf and dinner is $120 per team. Dinner only is $25 per person. Registration begins at 4:30 PM with a shotgun start at 5:30 sharp.
   
• Join the Greene County Historical Society from Friday, October 11 through Monday, October 14 as they take a trip to visit the Civil War battlefields at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania. The cost is $400 per person for double occupancy; add $75 for a single room. A $25 deposit must be received by Thursday, July 4. The package tour includes 3 nights lodging, 3 continental breakfasts, 2 dinners, guided tours of the battlefields, guided luminary walk to the Jackson Shrine, visit to the Marine Museum, motor coach transportation, taxes, and meal and driver gratuities. Visit GCHistory.org for a reservation form and send it with your deposit to: Fredericksburg Trip, Greene County Historical Society, PO Box 44, Coxsackie, NY 12051. Final payment is due by Sunday, September 1. Call (518) 731-1033 for more information.
   
• An American Red Cross blood drive will be held on Monday, June 24 from 1-6 PM at Jay Gould Memorial Church carriage house in Roxbury.

Tuesday 6/25

• There will be a meeting at the Prattsville United Methodist Church Hall on Tuesday, June 25 at 10 AM to discuss the formation of a long-term recovery group to address the continued, unmet needs of the mountaintop residents affected by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The NYS Disaster Case Management program that is currently in place is scheduled to end in August. Nonprofit agencies, local government, faith-based groups and concerned citizens, including flood victims, are encouraged to attend. If you are unable to attend the meeting but would still like to be involved, please contact Lynn at (518) 989-6332, LynnByrn@gmail.com or Annie at (518) 589-5050, Anne@HunterFoundation.org.

Wednesday 6/26

• A free rabies clinic for Greene County dogs, cats and ferrets will be held at the Earlton firehouse, Route 81 in Earlton on Wednesday, June 26 from 6-8 PM. Donations are highly encouraged. Call ahead for ferrets. The number is (518) 719-3600.

Thursday 6/27

• The June 27 lovers of learning program will focus on artist Charles Schreyvogel. It will take place at the Lexington Historical Society, Church Street in Lexington on Thursday, June 27 at 7 PM. Schreyvogel spent the last years of his life on his farm in West Kill creating, with the help of model Grant Bloodgood, some of his best known paintings and sculptures of the post-Civil War conflicts on the frontier. Hear his story and also about Buffalo Bill spending time on Schreyvogel’s farm. Admission is free
   
• The series Essential Thursdays at the Old School Baptist Church in Denver, NY will begin on Thursday, June 27 at 7:30 PM with a jazz quartet featuring Janelle Reichman, tenor sax and clarinet; Matt Davis, guitar; Bob Sabin, bass; and Gernot Bernoider on drums. Advance tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors, or $20 at the door. Call (607) 326-7908 to reserve your tickets.

Friday 6/28

• The Ashland Fire Department’s annual golf tournament to benefit the Westchester Medical Center Burn Unit will be held at Christman’s Windham House mountain course on Friday, June 28 with a shotgun start at 10 AM. Registration is $85 per person which includes food and beverages on the course, cart, greens fee, dinner and prizes. At least one firefighter or EMS person must be on each team. Send registration and payment to Randy Tuttle, PO Box 553, Windham, NY 12496. Call Randy at (518) 734-5862 for more information.

Friday & Saturday 6/28 & 6/29

• ‎Relay for Life of the Mountain Top will be held at Dolan’s Lake in Hunter from Friday, June 28 thru Saturday, June 29. Visit RelayForLife.org for more information.

Friday-Sunday 6/28-6/30

• The Greenville Festival will take place at Family Dollar Plaza, 11 Garland Lane in Greenville on Friday, June 28 from 6-10 PM; and Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30 from 10 AM to 10 PM. There will be rides, live music, vendors, games, a car show, beer and wine, as well as fireworks at dusk on Saturday.

Saturday 6/29

• A garden fair will be held, rain or shine, on Saturday, June 29 from 10 AM until 2 PM under the tent on the grounds of the Mountaintop Arboretum, Route 23C and Maude Adams Road in Tannersville. There will be plant sale, garden tours, used garden and nature books for sale, soil tests, information on the Emerald Ash Borer, lunch and baked goods. Admission is free. Visit MtArboretum.org for more information.
   
• The Historical Society of the Town of Middletown will present a living history tour at the Clovesville and Irish cemeteries on Old Route 28, 1 mile west of Fleischmanns, on Saturday, June 29 from 5-7 PM. Area residents will portray ten people who are interred here. Tours depart every 20 minutes. An indoor tour for mobility-impaired will take place at 3 PM. Tickets to the one hour tour are $10 and $5 for kids ages 8-16. Reservations are required. Call (845) 586-4736. (Rain date is Sunday afternoon, June 30.)
   
•  Larry Gambon will give an art talk on his exhibit, Wild America! Wildlife & Nature Photography, on Saturday, June 29 from 1-2 PM at the Kaaterskill Fine Arts Gallery, 7950 Main Street in the Village of Hunter. [See Art Exhibits at the end of the Datebook for more information.]
   
• A retirement part for Lexington Town Clerk Rose Williams will be held at the Municipal Building in Lexington on Saturday, June 29 at 1 PM. The town will provide hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks. Please bring a dish to share. RSVP with the dish you’ll bring to Alida [uh-LEED-uh] at (518) 989-6615, JoEllen at 989-6568 or Dixie at 989-6027.
   
• The Roxbury Library Association will host a presentation by Simona David on self-publishing and book marketing on Saturday, June 29 at 11 AM at the Roxbury Library, 53742 State Highway 30 in Roxbury.
   
• John Scarpulla & Friends, featuring Walker Hornung, will be held in the Carriage House Theater at 76 Main!, 76 Main Street in Stamford on Saturday, June 29 at 7:30 PM. Scarpulla and his guest will perform a set of their own music and then end the evening singing together. TP’s Café will be on location serving food for audience members to purchase. Advance tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for students and seniors, or $16 at the door. Call (607) 326-7908 to reserve your tickets.

Thursday 7/4 – Independence Day

• The annual Independence Day parade and fireworks will take place in Windham on Thursday, July 4. The evening begins with live music and children’s activities along Main Street from 5-7 PM. The parade will be followed by fireworks at Windham Mountain.
   
• There will be a holiday pop-up farmers’ market featuring farmers and vendors of Catskills-made products and crafts at Hanford Mills Museum, 51 County Highway 12 in East Meredith on Thursday, July 4 from 10 AM to 4 PM. The day will also include old-fashioned fun, frog jumping contests, a kids’ fishing derby, horse-drawn wagon rides, sack races, 19th century games, children’s activities, food, and live music.

Friday 7/5

• Cabaret Night with the Patti Van Tassel Trio will perform at the Maple Museum, 221 Creamery Street on the village green in Jefferson, on Friday, July 5 at 7 PM. The concert is free.
   
• The Lexington farmers’ market will be held under the pavilion next to the Municipal Building on Route 42 in Lexington on Friday, July 5 from 5-7 PM.

Saturday 7/6

• A History Fair in celebration of Lexington’s bicentennial will be held at the Community Hall in West Kill on Saturday, July 6 from 10 AM until 2 PM. Dr. Edwin L. Ford and his daughter, Ethel Zinck, will be the past persons of interest. See paintings by 91 year old Lexington resident Jaroslawa Stasiuk, the featured artist of the month. There will also be booths for Civil War Heritage Day, Broad Street Hollow, genealogy, and StoryChives Station. Admission is free.
   
•  The Village of Tannersville will celebrate the holiday on Saturday, July 6. Live band and crafts on Main Street from 1-3 PM, parade at 3, and a free jazz concert at the Orpheum at 4. Build a float and join the fun.
   
• The Town of Durham will hold its 18th annual Independence Day parade on Saturday, July 6 starting at 11 AM. The parade route will run from Golden Hill Road to the Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Centre on Route 145. Free kids’ rides and games, fireworks at dusk.
   
• The Flowering Meadows of Summer, a free nature program and easy walk with Rich Parisio, will begin at John Burroughs’ Woodchuck Lodge, 1633 Burroughs Memorial Road in Roxbury on Saturday, July 6 at 1 PM. Donations encouraged.
   
• An opening reception for an exhibit by artists John Jackson and Colin Hart will be held at MURAL on Main, 631 Main Street in Hobart on Saturday, July 6 from 2-4 PM. Food from area farms will be served. The exhibit will run until Monday, September 2. The gallery is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-4 PM.

Saturday & Sunday 7/6 & 7/7

• The Windham Chamber of Commerce will host a summer fair in front of Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School on Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7. It will be held from 10 AM to 5 PM each day and feature craft and food vendors, children’s activities, clowns, a bounce house, petting zoo, and a barbershop quartet. The Windham Arts Alliance will hold workshops on design a flag, build an instrument and construct a hat, followed by a parade with your creations. There will be a classic car show on Saturday.
   
• Free guided tours of Woodchuck Lodge, the summer home of naturalist John Burroughs, located at 1633 Burroughs Memorial Road in Roxbury will be offered on Saturday and Sunday, July 6 and 7 from 11 AM until 3 PM. Donations encouraged.

Sunday 7/7

• The Greater Stamford Area Chamber of Commerce will host an indoor farmers’ market at the Frank W. Cyr Center, 159 West Main Street in Stamford on Sunday, July 7 from 10 AM to 3:30 PM. The Stamford Rotary Club’s 33rd annual antique auto show will take place the same day on the grounds of the Cyr Center.
   
• The New York Volunteers: Songs & Stories of the Civil War will be presented on Sunday, July 7 from 3-4 PM at the Charlotteville Schoolhouse on Charlotte Valley Road in Summit. This free program combines letters, diaries and songs to present a look at New York’s involvement in the war.

Thursday 7/11

• Essential Thursdays at the Old School Baptist Church in Denver, NY will be held on Thursday, July 11 at 7:30 PM with a classical duo featuring Jungeun Kim on piano and Saeka Matsuyama on violin. Advance tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors, or $20 at the door. Call (607) 326-7908 to reserve your tickets.

Saturday 7/13

• Author Dr. Robert Titus will speak about the geology of Kaaterskill Clove at the Zadock Pratt Museum in Prattsville on Saturday, July 13 at 1 PM. This program is free.
   
•  The Catskill Mountain Foundation’s annual benefit will be held at the Orpheum Film and Performing Arts Center, 6050 Main Street in Tannersville on Saturday, July 13. This year’s honorees are Kay Stamer, longtime leader of the Greene County Council on the Arts, and the Orpheum Academy of Dance and its founders, Konstantin Dournev and Julia Vorobyeva. Enjoy an evening celebrating Russian dance and culture featuring a performance of the newly-created Russian ballet, Les Oeufs de Faberge. The cocktail reception and silent auction begins at 6 PM, and the performance and live auction at 7. Everyone who purchases a ticket to the benefit will receive a $20 voucher toward the cost of food to use at one of the following area restaurants: Chateau Belleview, Curran’s, Last Chance Cheese at the Tavern, Pancho Villa’s or Villa Vosilla. [Prices are $135 per person, $85 for those 30 and under, and go up to $5,000. Passes and tickets to other CMF events are included in the higher levels.]
   
• Jefferson’s Heritage Day will be held all day on the Village Green in Jefferson on Saturday, July 13. There will be a parade, vendors, food, pie and jam contests, and various musical acts. Admission is free, however donations to the Maple Museum Restoration Fund are welcome.

Sunday 7/14

• The Gilboa Historical Society will hold an open house for the museum on Sunday, July 14 from 1-3:30 PM. The event will feature local vendors and folk singers Magpie.

Thursday 7/18

• A free wellness clinic for Greene County residents, sponsored by the Windham Rotary and the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, will be held at the Ashland Town Hall, Route 23 in Ashland on Thursday, July 18 from 5-8 PM. Free clinic services to be offered include acupuncture, massage, reiki, yoga, chiropractic services, mental health and nutrition counseling, and feldenkrais (gentle pain-relieving movement). Call Peg at (518) 989-6491 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins will be seen if scheduling is available.

Thursday-Sunday 7/18-7/21

• The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival will be held at the Walsh Farm, 1 Poultney Road in Oak Hill from Thursday, July 18 thru Sunday, July 21. The lineup includes the Del McCoury Band, the Jerry Douglas Band, the Gibson Brothers, the Infamous Stringdusters, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Lonesome River Band, and many more. Visit GreyFoxBluegrass.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

Friday 7/19

• Harmony Street, a Doo-Wop group, will perform at the Maple Museum, 221 Creamery Street on the village green in Jefferson, on Friday, July 19 at 7 PM. The concert is free.

Saturday 7/20

• The Windham Festival Chamber Orchestra, Robert Manno, conductor; Darcy Dunn, mezzo-soprano; Stephen Gosling, piano and Donald Batchelder, trumpet, will perform music by Benjamin Britten, Ralph Vaughn-Williams, Robert Manno, Sir Edgar Elgar, Antonio Vivaldi, Gustav Mahler and Dmitri Shostakovich at the Windham Civic Center on Saturday, July 20 at 8 PM. General admission is $35, $32 for seniors, $30 for contributors and $5 for students. Email Info@WindhamMusic.com or call (518) 734-3868 for reservations or more information.
   
• Lexington resident, historian and Civil War enthusiast Michael Barcone will present the story of Dr. Edwin L. Ford, beloved town physician, Civil War soldier, and prisoner of war in several Confederate prisons including the infamous Andersonville. His presentation will take place at the Lexington Municipal Building, Route 42 in Lexington on Saturday, July 20 at 7 PM. Admission is free.
   
• The Lexington Mission Community Food Pantry on Main Street in Lexington, across from the Lexington post office, will be open on Saturday, July 20 from 9 AM to 12 PM. For further information call (518) 299-3227.

Sunday 7/21

• The Lexington farmers’ market will be held under the pavilion next to the Municipal Building on Route 42 in Lexington on Sunday, July 21 from 10 AM until noon.

Thursday-Sunday 7/25-7/28

• The Greene County Youth Fair will be held at Angelo Canna Town Park in Cairo from Thursday, July 25 thru Sunday, July 28. Visit TheGreeneCountyYouthFair.com for more information.

Saturday 7/27

• Lexington’s Civil War Heritage Day will be held at the Community Hall in West Kill on Saturday, July 27 starting at 3 PM. Lincoln at Gettysburg, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, will feature appearances by re-enactors portraying President Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln. The Patriots Café will offer a light menu from 5-6:30. A concert by the 77th NY Regimental Balladeers begins at 7 PM. Admission to the concert is $12.
   
• John Scarpulla & Friends, featuring Sophie Gault, will be held in the Carriage House Theater at 76 Main!, 76 Main Street in Stamford on Saturday, July 27 at 7:30 PM. Scarpulla and his guest will perform a set of their own music and then end the evening singing together. TP’s Café will be on location serving food for audience members to purchase. Advance tickets are $11 for adults, $9 for students and seniors, or $16 at the door. Call (607) 326-7908 to reserve your tickets.

Thursday 8/1

• Essential Thursdays at the Old School Baptist Church in Denver, NY will be held on Thursday, August 1 at 7:30 PM with a woodwind trio featuring Robert Phillips on bassoon, Pascal Archer on clarinet, and Dr. Mark Snyder on oboe. Advance tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for students and seniors, or $20 at the door. Call (607) 326-7908 to reserve your tickets.
   

Friday 8/2

• The Lexington farmers’ market will be held under the pavilion next to the Municipal Building on Route 42 in Lexington on Friday, August 2 from 5-7 PM.

Friday-Sunday 8/2-8/4

• The annual Civil War Heritage Music Gathering & Encampment will take place in Windham from Friday, August 2 thru Sunday, August 4. Friday’s 1960s folk revival concert will begin at 7 PM. Saturday’s grand concert, There’s a Meeting Here Tonight: 100 Years of a Nation in Song 1863-1963, will begin at 7:30 PM. Both concerts will be held at the Windham Civic Center. Tickets for each concert are $10 and may be reserved by calling John at (518) 734-5655 or emailing CWHMG@webtv.net.
   
• The Tour of the Catskills cycling event will take place throughout Greene and Ulster counties from Friday, August 2 thru Sunday, August 4. Visit GreatAmericanCycling.com for more information.

Sunday 8/4

• The City of the Hills Sweet Adelines will perform at the Maple Museum, 221 Creamery Street on the village green in Jefferson, on Sunday, August 4 at 2 PM. The concert is free.

Saturday 8/10

• Lexington artist Athena Billias’ art talk about her personal relationship to Kaaterskill Clove and how it and its history inspired her to be an artist will be presented at the Zadock Pratt Museum in Prattsville on Saturday, August 10 at 1 PM. This is a free program.
   
• Heart of Catskill Association and 2nd Saturday Stroll will host their 5th annual wine tasting event on Saturday, August 10 from 2-6 PM along Main Street in Catskill. (Rain date is Sunday, August 11.)

Thursday 8/15

• A free wellness clinic for Greene County residents, sponsored by the Windham Rotary and the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, will be held at the Ashland Town Hall, Route 23 in Ashland on Thursday, August 15 from 5-8 PM. Free clinic services to be offered include acupuncture, massage, reiki, yoga, chiropractic services, mental health and nutrition counseling, and feldenkrais (gentle pain-relieving movement). Call Peg at (518) 989-6491 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins will be seen if scheduling is available.

- Join the Greene County Historical Society from Friday, October 11 through Monday, October 14 as they take a trip to visit the Civil War battlefields at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania. The cost is $400 per person for double occupancy; add $75 for a single room. A $25 deposit must be received by Thursday, July 4. The package tour includes 3 nights lodging, 3 continental breakfasts, 2 dinners, guided tours of the battlefields, guided luminary walk to the Jackson Shrine, visit to the Marine Museum, motor coach transportation, taxes, and meal and driver gratuities. Visit GCHistory.org for a reservation form and send it with your deposit to: Fredericksburg Trip, Greene County Historical Society, PO Box 44, Coxsackie, NY 12051. Final payment is due by Sunday, September 1. Call (518) 731-1033 for more information.

- Volunteers are needed, especially in the Windham area on Mondays and Fridays, to deliver meals and to provide transportation to medical appointments. Volunteers generally work one day a week or every other week. If you’re interested in volunteering or need more information, call Ruth Pforte at (518) 719-3555 or toll-free at (877) 794-9266, or email RPforte@DiscoverGreene.com. You can also call Pat Merwin at the Jewett municipal building at (518) 263-4392.

- Family Support Service, an organization that helps families supporting an individual with autism or a developmental disability living fulltime in their home, has expanded their services into Greene, Orange and Ulster counties. Their toll-free number (888) 750-2266 is manned 24/7 to answer questions about the program and the services they provide. Visit Occupations.org for further information.

- The Mid-Hudson Region Small Business Development Center is providing information on the steps small businesses can follow immediately with respect to the effects of Hurricane Sandy in the State of New York. Beginning on October 28, 2012, federal aid may be made available to NY businesses to supplement state and local recovery assistance in the areas affected by the storm. Contact the Mid-Hudson Region SBDC at (845) 339-0025.

- The Hunter Foundation, Inc. is seeking contractors who may be interested in submitting bids for upcoming moderate rehabilitation projects throughout the mountain top area. Contractors must carry liability insurance and worker’s compensation. If interested contact Annie at (518) 589-5050 Extension 10 or email Anne@HunterFoundation.org.

- Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA is asking for donations of food to support their pet food bank. The shelter’s current need is for dry cat and dog food. Donations may be dropped off on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM, or on Wednesday or Sunday from 9 AM to noon. They are also accepting gift cards and cash donations to purchase food. The address is 125 Humane Society Road, Hudson, NY 12534. The Food Bank is open for those in need of assistance on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 AM to 4 PM. For more information call (518) 828-6044 or email RonPerez@cghs.org.

- Are you a home owner in the Catskill-Delaware New York City Watershed who repaired or replaced your septic system during 2012 without help from the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC)? If so, you may be able to recoup those costs now. The CWC Board of Directors recently voted to allow reimbursement under the Septic Repair and Rehabilitation Program for 2012 septic repairs that occurred within the Watershed but outside priority areas. Adequate monies in the program fund allow the CWC to make this assistance available at year’s end. Homeowners who can show proof that repairs were completed before December 19, 2012, were approved by New York City Environmental Protection, and were paid for may fill out a CWC form to request reimbursement. Full-time residents may receive 100% of eligible costs, while part-time residents can get 60% of those costs reimbursed. Call (845) 586-1400 to obtain the reimbursement form.
  The ongoing Septic Repair and Rehabilitation Program can help homeowners located within 250 feet of a watercourse in the Catskill-Delaware Watershed. If you are experiencing difficulties with your on-site system, call the number above for information on how to participate in the program in 2013. Septic systems constructed after November 2, 1995 are not eligible for this program, but their owners may qualify for the Septic Maintenance Program, which pays for half the cost of pumping out and inspecting their systems. To learn more about other CWC programs to assist residents and businesses in the New York City Watershed West of the Hudson River, visit CWCOnline.org.
 

Local Golf Tournaments

• VFW Post 1545 will hold their 5th annual golf tournament at Christman’s Windham House, 5742 State Route 23 in Windham on Friday, June 7. Registration begins at 8 AM, tee off at 9:30 AM. The cost is $85 per person, which includes continental breakfast, 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch at the turn, plus dinner and various awards in Christman’s 1805 Tavern. Please pre-register by calling Chris at (518) 734-5011, Dick at (518) 755-2032, Marc at (201) 741-6534, online at VFWPost1545.org or fill out an application at Christman’s Pro Shop. Various levels of sponsorship are also available. All proceeds benefit the Sgt. James F. Carty, DSC, VFW Post 1545 Windham, NY building fund.
   

• The Hunter-Tannersville Booster Club will hold a golf tournament, rain or shine, on Saturday, June 8 at Colonial Country Club in Tannersville starting at 8:30 AM. Proceeds will benefit the HTC student athletes. For more information call Bobbi at (518) 589-3923.
   

• Golf for Parkinson’s, a Team Fox event to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation, will be held at Christman’s Windham House golf course, 5742 State Route 23 in Windham on Friday, June 14. Registration is at 9 AM, shotgun start at 10, scramble format, rain or shine. The registration fee is $100 per person or $400 per team, which includes continental breakfast, lunch, dinner, golf and cart. Make checks payable to Golf for Parkinson’s and mail to Carol Constable, PO Box 24, West Kill, NY 12492 by Friday, June 7. You may pick up your registration forms at Christman’s Pro Shop or call Carol at (518) 989-6592.
   

• The 6th annual Diane Zipp Memorial golf tournament will be held at the Catskill Golf Club on Friday, June 21. Lunch and registration at 11:30 AM followed by a shotgun start scramble at 12:30 PM. A $90 per person contribution includes greens fee, cart, complimentary gifts, lunch, beer, soda, and chicken barbeque dinner. Checks payable to HOCA may be sent to Heart of Catskill Association, PO Box 248, Catskill, NY 12414. Call (518) 943-0989 for more information.
   

•  The Ashland Fire Department’s annual golf tournament to benefit the Westchester Medical Center Burn Unit will be held at Christman’s Windham House mountain course on Friday, June 28 with a shotgun start at 10 AM. Registration is $85 per person which includes food and beverages on the course, cart, greens fee, dinner and prizes. At least one firefighter or EMS person must be on each team. Send registration and payment to Randy Tuttle, PO Box 553, Windham, NY 12496. Call Randy at (518) 734-5862 for more information.
   

• The Town of Cairo Police Department’s DARE program will hold its annual DARE golf tournament at Blackhead Mountain Lodge Country Club in Round Top on Sunday, July 21. Four player team scramble with a shotgun start at 1 PM. Cost is $85 per person which includes 18 holes of golf with cart, hot dogs on the turn, dinner and great prizes. To reserve your team call the pro shop at (518) 622-3157. Donations of prizes or $50 tee sponsorship can be sent to Cairo Police Department DARE Program, PO Box 728, Cairo, NY 12413. This tournament is a fundraiser for children in the Cairo-Durham school district who participate in the DARE program.

American Cancer Society Relay For Life Events

• ‎Relay for Life of the Mountain Top will be held at Dolan’s Lake in Hunter from Friday, June 28 thru Saturday, June 29. Visit RelayForLife.org for more information.

• Area car clubs and cruisers are invited to the Windham Relay for Life car show on Saturday, August 17 from 10 AM to 3 PM, rain or shine. It will be held at the intersection of State Route 23 and South Street in Windham, on the spacious grounds next to the Chicken Run Restaurant. All proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Call Rick at (518) 734-4281 for more information.

American Red Cross Blood Drives

Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are recommended. Call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit RedCrossBlood.org to make an appointment to donate blood. Individuals who are at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in NY), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements. Identification is required at the time of donation.

• Friday, June 14 from 2-7 PM at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 80 Mansion St., Coxsackie.

• Monday, June 17 from 1-6 PM at the Stamford Baptist Church, 40 Lake St., Stamford.

• Wednesday, June 19 from 1-6 PM at the Washington Irving Senior Center, 15 Academy St., Catskill.

• Monday, June 24 from 1-6 PM at Jay Gould Memorial Church carriage house in Roxbury.

 Town Directory

Ashland

• A free wellness clinic for Greene County residents, sponsored by the Windham Rotary and the Mental Health Association of Columbia-Greene Counties, will be held at the Ashland Town Hall, Route 23 in Ashland every third Thursday of the month from 5-8 PM. Free clinic services to be offered include acupuncture, massage, reiki, yoga, chiropractic services, mental health and nutrition counseling, and feldenkrais (gentle pain-relieving movement). Call Peg at (518) 989-6491 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins will be seen if scheduling is available.

• Sunday services are held at the Ashland United Methodist Church at 9 AM.

• A breaking habits support group meets every Friday night in the Ashland Community Hall, across from the post office, from 7-8 PM. Call Gary at (518) 819-9554 for more information.

Cairo

• Cairo Rotary meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM for a dinner meeting at The Bavarian Manor Country Inn in Purling.

• The women’s group for breast cancer patients and survivors meets every third Monday of the month from 6-7:30 PM at the Cairo Town Hall Court Room, 512 Main Street in Cairo. For more information call (845) 339-4673.

Catskill

• The fitness center, located in the Catskill High School, is open for public use Monday thru Friday from 5-9 PM and weekends from 7 AM to 4 PM. The cost is $1 per use. Please use the entrance located on the side of the building between the auditorium and the gym. An attendant is on duty during the times the facility is open.

• The Community Action of Greene County’s Food Pantry at 53 South Jefferson Avenue in Catskill is open Monday, Thursday and Friday from 2-4 PM.

Coxsackie

• Lighten the Load, a weight loss support group, meets every Monday at 6 PM at the Second Reformed Church, 16 Washington Avenue in Coxsackie. Wear comfortable clothing. Suggested donation is $5. Call Jeffrey at (518) 478-5414 for more information.

Durham, East Durham & Oak Hill

• The Knights of Columbus, Our Lady of Knock Council #6439 meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month at 7:30 PM in the Council Hall located on Route 145 in East Durham. New members are always welcome.

Greenville & Freehold

• The Freehold Church, located on County Route 67 in Freehold, is offering a free soup night on Thursdays from 4-6 PM. Free soup, bread, coffee and tea to anyone in need. All are welcome.

• A 12-Step Workshop for individuals who want help with hurts, hang-ups, or habits they would like to break takes place at the Greenville Christian Life Center on Mondays from 7-9 PM. Sessions are free. Call (518) 966-4519 with questions.

• The Northeast Vietnam Veterans Association meets at the Greenville Library on the first Saturday of each month at 12:30 PM.

Hunter & Tannersville – Elka Park, Haines Falls, Onteora Park, Platte Clove, & Twilight Park

• The Kaaterskill United Methodist Church thrift shop, 7889 Main Street in Hunter, will be open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM from May 2 until October 31.
• First Friday Shabbat services and Oneg (potluck meal) will be held on the first Friday of every month at the Hunter synagogue on Main Street in Hunter at 7 PM. Skiers welcome. Bring a dish if you like. Email Mike Alpern at AlpernM@aol.com for more information.

• Hunter Chamber of Commerce meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month.

• A free creative writing workshop is offered at 2 PM every Saturday at the Village Square Bookstore & Literary Arts Center, 7950 Main Street in the Village of Hunter. Call (518) 263-2050 to sign up.

• The Mountain Top Golden Agers meet at the Tannersville Village Hall the fourth Thursday of the month.

• Earn Money - Share What You Know
  Do you have a skill or knowledge that you would like to share with others, while getting paid for your efforts? Become an instructor in the Hunter-Tannersville Central School District's Adult Education Program. You choose the days and times. We do the paperwork of advertising, registering participants, finding a location for your class, and handling fees. Contact HTC Adult Education Coordinator, Barbara at BSlutzky@HTCSD.org; (518) 589-5400, ext. 1520; or call (518) 263-4061.

• Story time for children ages 3-6 is held at the Hunter Public Library Tuesday mornings from 10:30-11 AM. Call (518) 263-4655 for further information.

• Bunt-Brewer American Legion Post 165 meets the first Wednesday of the month, April through January, at 7:30 PM at the legion headquarters in the Tannersville Firehouse. For information call Jim at (518) 263-5184.

• The Kaaterskill United Methodist Church food pantry, located behind the Tannersville Village Hall, is open every Wednesday from 1-3 PM. If you have an emergency need or would like to donate non-perishable items, please call Bernice at (518) 263-4865.

Jewett

• The Jewett Senior Center, located on Route 23C just off Route 296 in Jewett, holds blood pressure clinics the second Tuesday of the month and also on the fourth Friday of the month at 11 AM. Call (518) 263-4392 for information.

• The Jewett Ladies Auxiliary meets the third Tuesday of the month at 8 PM in the upstairs meeting room in the Jewett Firehouse.

• Sunday services are held at the Jewett Presbyterian Church at 9 AM.

• The Jewett Food Pantry is open every Sunday from Noon until 2:30 PM at the Jewett Presbyterian Church.

Lexington

• Every Wednesday morning a pre-school program will be held in the Lexington Mission food pantry meeting room from 10:30 AM to noon. There are stories, crafts, snacks and lots of fun. Call (518) 299-3227 for information.

• A 12-step support group meets every Friday night in the Lexington Mission food pantry meeting room from 7-8 PM. Call Andy at (518) 487-8270 or Gary at (518) 819-9554 for more information.

• The Lexington Mission Community Food Pantry, in the church across from the Lexington post office, is open on the third Saturday of each month from 9 AM to 12 PM. For further information call (518) 299-3227 or send an email to Lexington-Mission@gmail.com.

• Sunday morning worship services are held at the Lexington Mission at 9 AM.

• Sunday services are held at the Lexington United Methodist Church at 9:30 AM.

Prattsville

• The Prattsville food pantry, in the Methodist Community Church, is open on the third Tuesday of every month from 4-6 PM.

• Rebuild Prattsville magnetic car signs are available for $15 at the Prattsville Town Hall. All proceeds go toward that cause.

• A community dinner is held in the Prattsville United Methodist Church hall on the first Wednesday of every month at 6 PM. Please bring a food dish to share.

• Sunday school classes have resumed at the Prattsville United Methodist Church and are held on Sundays from 9:30-10:30 AM. Ages 3 and up are welcome and there is also an adult class that meets at the same time.

Windham, Hensonville & Maplecrest

• VFW Post #1545 has partnered with the American Clothing Company of Glens Falls to have a clothing drop box located at the west end of the Post property on Route 23 in Windham. Area residents are encouraged to drop off any usable clothing and shoes that will go to needy persons throughout the state. This is an ongoing fundraiser for the Post that also benefits those in need of assistance.

• The Windham Community Food Pantry, located at Hope Restoration Church in Windham, has extended their service to include families in Hunter, Lexington, Prattsville and Tannersville, in addition to the current coverage areas of Ashland, Hensonville, Jewett, Maplecrest and Windham.

• Volunteers are needed, especially in the Windham area on Mondays and Fridays, to deliver meals and to provide transportation to medical appointments. Volunteers generally work one day a week or every other week. If you’re interested in volunteering or need more information, call Ruth at (518) 719-3555 or toll-free at (877) 794-9266, or email RPforte@DiscoverGreene.com. You can also call Pat Merwin at the Jewett municipal building at (518) 263-4392.

• Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene Counties WIC Program will be assisting families the third Tuesday of every other month from 10 AM to 2 PM at St Theresa’s Church in Windham. The WIC program is a nutrition education program available to pregnant and postpartum women and their children under the age of 5. Each family member is eligible for $70-$130 worth of food vouchers per month. Participants need to be income eligible for the program. Please call the Catskill WIC office at (518) 943-9082 to see if you qualify or have questions about your current WIC benefits. The office at 82 Woodland Avenue in Catskill is open 5 days a week.

• A self-help program for young adults will be held at St. Theresa’s Church, Route 23 in Windham every Wednesday at 7 PM. Visit alateen.org to learn more. Anonymity is the basis of this program.

• The Community of Windham Foundation is selling streamers to commemorate all who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. They are $10 each and are available at Legacy Bank, Route 296 in Windham, or by calling Chris at (518) 734-5011. Proceeds will support youth and community programs.

• The WAJPL Golden Age Club meets on the first and third Monday of each month at the Windham Town Hall in Hensonville at 1 PM.

• The Knights of Columbus Council 8533 meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 PM in the church hall of St. Theresa’s Church in Windham.

• Sgt. James F. Carty VFW Post 1545 and the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW meet the second Wednesday of each month at 7 PM at the Dugout, lower Main Street, Windham.

• Al Anon meetings are held every Wednesday at 6 PM at St. Theresa’s Church in Windham.

• St. Theresa’s Women’s Guild meets the first Friday of each month at 11 AM in the church hall at St. Theresa’s Church, 5188 Route 23 in Windham. All parishioners are welcome.

• The Windham Food Pantry at Hope Restoration Church is open every Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM. Call (518) 734-3826 for more information.

• Sunday services are held at the Windham-Hensonville United Methodist Church, St. Theresa’s Roman Catholic Church, Hope Restoration Church, and Mitchell Hollow Missions Church at 11 AM. Mitchell Hollow Missions Church holds Sunday school every Sunday at 10 AM. For more information about Mitchell Hollow Missions Church go to MitchellHollow.org.

 County Directory

Greene County

• Check out the new way to recycle refundable bottles and cans at the Catskill Bottle & Can Redemption Center, 311 West Bridge Street in Catskill, next to the Ambrosia Diner. Currently hours are Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Run by individuals from Ulster-Greene ARC and their support staff, the center takes in refundable bottles and cans and gives immediate refunds of 5 cents per bottle and can. No need to stand in line feeding the return machines at the store, this staff of four employees sorts your returns and pays on the spot.
• The Greene County Historic Register Committee is looking for volunteers to serve on their committee. If you have a love of history, enjoy working with like-minded others, and are looking for a fulfilling opportunity to volunteer in your community, then this is for you. Send your name and interests to the Historic Register Committee, Vedder Research Library, 90 County Route 42, Coxsackie, NY 12051. Individuals wanting to file an application for inclusion of their home, a public building or other landmark on the Register are encouraged to do so. Application forms may be downloaded from Greene County Historical Society’s website at GCHistory.org. Applications are also available at the Vedder Research Library in Coxsackie. The forms are easy to complete and explain the criteria in detail.
• Greene County Department for the Aging operates a Homebound Meal Delivery Program for homebound clients over the age of 60. They are urgently in need of Homebound Meal Delivery Volunteers for the Tannersville and Windham meal routes. Volunteers are needed at 10 AM for one hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Volunteers for the Tannersville area are urgently needed for Wednesdays. Volunteers for the Windham area could be used any day Monday through Friday. For more information about this opportunity volunteers can contact Ruth Pforte, Volunteer Coordinator at (518) 719-3555 or by calling toll free 1-877-794-9266.
• Area home-schooling families seeking to connect with others may want to check out Living Room Learners, an organization open to home-schoolers of all ages, religions, and home-schooling styles. As the new school year begins, Living Room Learners is taking a poll of where interest lies so as to decide upon meeting places for the coming year. It also offers a social directory so that students can seek and find other home-schoolers who share the same interests and age range who live nearby. For more information phone (518) 239-8414 or email LivingRoomLearners-owner@yahoogroups.com.
• Mountaintop Ecumenical monthly meetings start at 11 AM with a speaker, followed by a covered-dish luncheon. All are welcome. Please bring a dish to pass.
     Tuesday, June 4 – Mitchell Hollow Mission Church, Windham
     Tuesday, September 3 – St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Windham
     Tuesday, October 1 – East Jewett United Methodist Church
     Wednesday, November 6 – Windham-Hensonville United Methodist Church, Windham
     Tuesday, December 3 – Ashland Community United Methodist Church

Delaware County

• The Roxbury Library, located at 53742 State Highway 30 in Roxbury, directly opposite the United Methodist Church on Main Street, has new hours. The Roxbury Library, RLA Thrift Shoppe and the Irma Mae Griffin History Room will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 AM to 5 PM, and on Saturdays from 10 AM to 2 PM. Call (607) 326-7901 for further information.
   

• CORE Values Thrift Store in Stamford is located at 112 Main Street, across from the Grand Union. CORE welcomes donations of clean, usable clothing, household items, toys, and furniture. No old computers, please. All donations are tax deductible. Money received through the sale of merchandise is distributed back to the community. Open Wednesday through Friday from 11 AM to 4 PM, and Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM. The phone number is (607) 652-4772.

Schoharie County

• The Gilboa Historical Society meets every third Wednesday of the month at 7 PM at the Gilboa Town Hall on Route 990V in Gilboa. There is a short business meeting prior to a guest speaker and refreshments are served.
   
• The Schoharie Valley Hay Shakers Square Dance Club hold dances at the Middleburgh Central Schools on the first and third Friday of the month from September through June. All dances run from 7:30 to 10:30 PM. Contact them by email at SVHayShakers@gmail.com or call (518) 595-9213 if you have any questions.

Columbia County

• A new breast cancer support group will meet in Hudson on the third Thursday of each month starting May 17, 2012. Meetings will take place at 6 PM in the second floor conference room of the Columbia Healthcare Consortium, 325 Columbia Street. Space is limited, so please call (845) 339-4673 to reserve a spot. If you have any questions call that number or email Hope@BreastCancerOptions.org.
   

2013 Appointments Available For Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus and Medicaid Enrollments

Many working individuals and families experience difficulty finding affordable health insurance. If your children are uninsured, you can talk with an Enrollment Counselor about Child Health Plus, a free or low-cost health insurance program. CHP provides comprehensive health benefits for children from birth to 18 years old. Childless adults and parents without health insurance should also ask about Family Health Plus.

Enrollment counselors offer eligibility screening and application assistance for individuals and families wishing to obtain affordable health insurance through New York State-funded Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus, and Medicaid. Assistance with annual re-certification is also available. These consultations are absolutely free of charge. Eligibility screening can be done by phone by calling (518) 822-9600.

Visit ColumbiaHealthNet.org for more information.
 Walk-in hours at the Healthcare Consortium office, 325 Columbia Street, Suite 200 in Hudson
 are Monday through Friday 9 AM to 4 PM.
 

 Art Exhibits