Kids Invited to Bounce Around the World

Kids Invited to Bounce Around the World

at the Crayon Carnival & Stroll of Nations on March 26

[March 15, 2011, Cooperstown, NY] On Saturday, March 26, the Cooperstown Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will hold the Crayon Carnival & Stroll of Nations at the Cooperstown Middle/High School Gym from 11 am–3 pm. This community festival, now marking its 30^th year, features inflatable rides, international exhibits and activities, games, music, raffles, a silent auction, a cake walk, and food court. All are welcome to attend.

At the Stroll of Nations, kids and adults can see exhibits about Australia, China, Croatia, Haiti, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, and Mexico. The Stroll of Nations features music, dances, crafts, displays, clothing, food, and decorations from around the world. The country displays are being created by school parents and by volunteers from the Cooperstown Graduate Program.

"The Stroll of Nations provides a kid-friendly venue for learning about other cultures,” explains Stroll of Nations coordinator Kim Jastremski. “Each country booth is like a mini museum exhibit, with fun hands-on activities for kids.”

Alicia Chase, Crayon Carnival Chair, said that the school gym will be transformed into a giant playland, with games, face painting, balloons and inflatable rides including a giant slide, a bungee run, a velcro wall, a castle/slide combo, and a wrecking ball, a popular addition from last year. There will also be a ball pit just for preschoolers.

To complement the Stroll of Nations, the food court will offer Indian, Polish, Italian, Jewish, and other international dishes. The food court also will feature pizza, soup, hot dogs, popcorn, snow cones, baked goods and drinks. The Cake Walk, a musical-chairs type game where the winner gets to pick their choice of cakes, also will include cakes with an international theme.

There will be a silent auction of two tickets to all four productions for their 2011 season of Glimmerglass Opera, with a value of $900. The raffle features gift items for adults and children, and gift certificates to local restaurants, shops, and area destinations. Individuals and businesses that have items for the raffle can contact Cari Lifgren, 547-2009.

The Crayon Carnival, a community festival and fundraiser for the Cooperstown PTO, is made possible by generous financial contributions by local businesses and organizations. Underwriters, donating $500 or more, are: The Clark Estates, Inc., Glimmerglass Opera, and the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway Corporation. Sponsors, donating $250-$500, are: Barnyard Swing Miniature Golf, Caruso Orthodontics, Leatherstocking Group, Inc., SEFCU Insurance, and Stewart's Shops. Supporters, donating $100, are: Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home; Gozigian, Washburn & Clinton, Attorneys; John Mitchell Real Estate LLC; Mohican Flowers; Otsego County Deputy Sheriffs' Benevolent Association; and Wilber National Bank. Friends, donating up to $99, are: Bieritz Agency, Inc., Huff Ice Cream, Key Bank, Leatherstocking Region Federal Credit Union, Spurbeck’s Grocery, Leatherstocking Cooperative Insurance Company, Otsego Electric Cooperative Inc., Paul Weber, DDS, and Taylor’s MiniMarts.

The Cooperstown PTO funds field trips, new books for the school library, reading programs, classroom technology, cultural events, enrichment programs, and academic awards. The PTO also supports KidGarden, Red Hot Ropers, and TREP$, the entrepreneurial program for middle schoolers.

Individuals, businesses and organizations who would like to support their community’s schools can send contributions of any amount to Cooperstown PTO, c/o Cooperstown Elementary School, 21 Walnut Street, Cooperstown, NY. For more information, call Peg Odell, 544-1123 or email CoopPTO@rocketmail.com

Hartwick College Theatre Arts Presents Wiley and the Hairy Man

This weekend, Hartwick’s Theatre Arts program will present the drama, Wiley and the Hairy Man on February 18th through the 20th in Slade Theatre, Yager Hall, on the Hartwick College campus.The show has been recommended roughly for ages three and up, depending on the attention span of your child.

Set deep in the mysterious Tombigbee Swamp, Wiley and The Hairy Man centers around a young fatherless child, his conjure-woman Mother, his faithful Houndog, and the Hairy man who haunts Wiley’s days and dreams.

Rhythm and rhyme create the mystery of the swamp. The magic of this play is not fairy dust- it is soil. The magic of earth and mud of the swamp. The magic of survival. In an exciting duel of wits, Wiley learns to rely on his own resources and conquers two villains: the Hairy Man and his own fear.

Playwright Suzan Zeder has been recognized nationally and internationally as one of the nation’s leading playwrights for family audiences. Zeder is the three-time winner of the Distinguished Play Award given by the American Alliance of Theatre and Education and has been inducted into the College of Fellows of The American Theatre in Washington, DC.

The cast is comprised of Hartwick College students. The show features: Frankie Molina’14, Bianca Tubolino ’12, Mark deRoziere ’12, Mike Seeber ’12, Emmanuella Brayke ’11, Kathryn LaForest ’11, and Kyrie McCormick ’14.

Wiley and the Hairy Man is directed by Malissa A. Kano-White, assistant professor of Theatre Arts, assistant directed by Aja Smith, intern for the theatre arts department, and stage managed by Molly Bolton, production manager for the theatre arts department . Gary Burlew, theatre arts’ Technical Director, is the play’s lighting designer. Ken Golden, professor of theatre arts is the play’s set designer. Ruth Trow ’11 and Kristen Wagner ’12 are the play’s prop designers. Jonny Kravetz ’11, and Kristen Wagner ’12 are the play’s technical support.

The play will be performed 3 times, February 18^th at 7:00pm and February 19^th & 20^th at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for Students, Senior Citizens, Hartwick College faculty, and staff. Reservations, while not required, are strongly suggested. They may be made by calling 607-431-4227 or at www.hartwick.edu/x1197.xml

PARENTS DATE NIGHT

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11th

What:

Oneonta Nursery School (ONS) is hosting a babysitting fundraiser for children up to 12 years old. ONS teachers and SUNY Oneonta Education Students will provide playtime and educational activities for the children.

When:

Friday, February 11th from 6-9PM

Where:

ONS is located at the Red Door Church (Main St. & Walling Ave) across from Friendly's in Oneonta.

Cost:

$ 8 first child

$ 4 each additional sibling

Reservation suggested:

Call ONS at 434-6073

Ice Harvest! This weekend!

Community Ice Harvest Festival at Hanford Mills Museum

On Saturday, February 5, from 10 am – 4 pm, Hanford Mills Museum will host its Ice Harvest Festival. The Festival features historic ice cutting, horse-drawn sleigh rides, ice hockey demos and tips from the SUNY Oneonta Hockey team, ice sculpting, outdoor fire pits, as well as children’s games and activities.

Local restaurants are providing soup for a soup buffet; and vendors will be selling fresh roasted peanuts, hot apple cider, and hand knit mittens and hats. In the Hanford House, which recreates home life in the 1920s, interpreters will show how to cook on a woodstove.

“Before there was refrigeration, communities ‘harvested’ ice in the winter so they could preserve agricultural products and keep food cold in the warmer months,” explains Liz Callahan, the museum’s executive director. “We recreate this tradition here at Hanford Mills.”

Children and adults can walk out on the frozen mill pond and help cut blocks of ice using vintage ice saws. A 1922 gas-powered ice saw will also be used. The ice will then be hauled by sled and by a modified Ford Model T snowmobile to a traditional ice house. Callahan said the ice will be used to make ice cream at Hanford Mill’s Independence Day Celebration and other summer events.

“We invite everyone to come enjoy being outside and embrace winter, and help harvest one of winter’s most abundant crops,” says Callahan, who noted that more than 1,100 people came last year. Based on feedback from last year, Callahan said that there will be several outdoor fire pits so visitors can warm up.

Event Features SUNY Oneonta Hockey Team and SUNY Delhi Hospitality Center

Museum staff have cleared a large part of the mill pond for the SUNY Oneonta Hockey team, which is participating in Ice Harvest for the first time. The team will skate and show their skills, and offer visitors the chance to shoot pucks. Returning to Ice Harvest is the SUNY Delhi Hospitality Center Ice Team. The team, which competes nationally, will be making several ice sculptures during the event.

In keeping with the community spirit of the event, Hanford Mills Museum is encouraging visitors to bring canned goods, which will then be given to a local food bank.

The Museum’s gift shop will be open, offering Mill-made crafts, traditional toys, sweets, books and local products.

Local restaurants providing soup for the soup buffet include: Alfresco’s, the Autumn Café, Cooperstown Diner, Corfu Diner, Danny’s Market, Denny’s, Jackie’s Restaurant, Morey’s Family Restaurant, and the Neptune Diner.

Admission and Information

Children 12 and under are free. Adults are $8.50, seniors are $5. AAA and other discounts available. Museum members are free, as are residents who live in the following zip codes that neighbor Hanford Mills: (13757, 13739, 13786, 13750, or 13806). Residents are asked to bring identification to receive free admission to Hanford Mills Museum.

About Hanford Mills Museum

Hanford Mills Museum, listed on the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places, is one of the only operating water-powered mills in the country. It will open for the season May 15.

Hanford Mills Museum is located at the intersections of Delaware County Routes 10 & 12 in East Meredith, just 10 miles from Oneonta, and 15 miles from Delhi. For more information, visit www.hanfordmills.org or call 607-278-5744.

Great day for sledding behind the Oneonta High School.