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.

Leaf insect

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required.

Rescue case, shell still healing.

Mudskipper

This place is cool

At the butterfly conservatory!

This message was sent using the Picture and Video Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required.

Don't steal my magic beans!

Poppy town puppets right now, clinton plaza store front on main st.

This message has been sent using the picture and Video service from Verizon Wireless!

To learn how you can snap pictures and capture videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/picture.

Note: To play video messages sent to email, Quicktime@ 6.5 or higher is required.

First Night!

Don't miss out on all the fun. There are tons of activities planned for First Night, December 31st, 2010 in Oneonta, NY. A majority of the children's activities will happen in the former McLaughlin's storefront in Clinton Plaza, on Main Street. Poppy Town Puppets will perform from 2:30-3:30. Oneonta World of Learning will be there from 3 to 4pm, celebrating the culture of the island nation of Mauritius with a story teller, art projects and games. At about 4 pm, Skip West will perform his locally famous children's songs. The parade will be at 5pm.

Activities are free for children under 12! For more information about everything else that's going on (and the list is extensive), visit imagineoneonta.com!

Weekend events!

Tonight's holiday tree lighting on Mainstreet Oneonta, was even better than ever! The kids were fascinated by the dancers in the display windows and the troupe performing a much shortened version of The Nutcracker for all to watch through the store windows. They were equally fascinated by the gingerbread house displays (one of the themes this year was 'classic toys.') There was wassailing at the history center (which felt like a combination of blues, gospel and holiday music). And of course wagon rides, cookies, cider and hot chocolate. We probably missed something but had to scoot home.

Here are a few of the events going on this weekend:

Sat Dec 4th: Hanford Mills Museum will have a Holiday Open House 1 to 3pm, featuring an exclusive preview of 2011 exhibits and events, complimentary refreshments, hands-on activities for kids, and a sale in the Museum Shop. The shop features Mill-made wood products, books on the region, vintage-style toys, science kits for kids, Yaktrax and more. The event will be held in the Museum Shop and Conference Room, behind the East Meredith Post Office. http://www.hanfordmills.org/

Saturdays in December, take your kids on the Santa Express with the Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley Railroad. Santa Claus and his helpers will be onboard. Complimentary Holiday Refreshments will be served. Details: http://www.lrhs.com/santaexpress.htm Not sure if you want to go? I've done it two years in a row. Email me and I'll give you a short and sweet review.

Santa will be on Main Street this month, so get your Christmas list ready and visit http://mainstreetoneonta.com/ for details about when and where to meet the big man! Too shy to talk to Santa? No one's too shy to talk to Mrs. Claus, who will be there too. My son asked for a pony, but I've been hinting that Santa can't actually make live pets in his workshop(!).

Looking ahead:

Please stop by and vote for the Oneonta World of Learning (OWL) tree this month during the Foothills Performing Arts Center Festival of Trees. It's the smallest one there but looks great with all the ABC’s, numbers, rulers, and etc. on it, with an OWL tree topper! All proceeds of the votes for this special tree go to OWL. Additionally, there is a VIP event on Wednesday, Dec 15 from 6-9pm in the Foothills' Atrium with Silent and Live Auctions, Musical Entertainment, Catering, and Cocktails, $10 per VIP (and everyone's a VIP). Details: http://www.foothillspac.org/fft.html

Orpheus Theatre presents "A Christmas Story" the weekend of Dec 10th - 12th. This holiday classic is sure to please the whole family. Details: http://www.orpheustheatre.org/home.htm

The Nutcracker: Friday Dec 17th, 7pm and Sat Dec 18th at 1pm and 7pm, at the Goodrich Theater, SUNY Oneonta, presented by the Decker School of Ballet. Details: http://www.deckerschoolofballet.org/fokine.shtml

Living window displays

Main st oneonta!

Tonight: Christmas Tree Lighting on Main Street!

The annual Oneonta Christmas Tree lighting ceremony is tonight from 5-8pm, on Main Street. The tree lights up at 6 pm. Don't miss the candle light, Gingerbread display, horse drawn wagon rides, live reindeer, music, dancers in display windows, refreshments, and of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Details: Main Street Oneonta.

Weekend events

I apologize for my two week hiatus from blogging. Let's just say that a stomach flu came around. Happily it has moved on, because there are some great holiday events coming up this weekend.

Santa Arrives in Oneonta! The parade will go down Oneonta's Main Street starting at 11am on Sat Nov 20th! Details: http://www.MainStreetOneonta.com. The Oneonta Theater will be showing a free children's movie before the parade at 9am. Details: http://www.OneontaTheatre.com. It's always a bit chilly (thank goodness for the Latte Lounge!)

Also on Sat, grammy-award-winning jazz composer, arranger, and pianist Jim McNeely performs in Cooperstown with The Jim McNeely Trio: details & ticket prices.

And more music on Sat: bluegrass comes to Bainbridge with Dan Paisley The Southern Grass! Details & ticket prices.

Paintfest - worskhops for Saturday!

Paintfest is next Saturday, November 13th from 10am to 2pm at 63 Lower River St, Oneonta, NY. Lower River St, which is not to be confused with River St, can be accessed by turning onto Cepperly Ave from Chestnut St, and then turning right at Lutz's Feed.

The most fun you can have with paint in one day, Paintfest features a wide variety of fun and unique painting activities for the whole family as well as workshops for children with their grownups. This year's theme features painting three dimensional objects.

Open activities (recommended for ages 2 and up, no pre-registration required) will include ornament painting, stained glass, cookie painting, homemade puff paint, face painting and more. Additionally, the children will be painting a car, courtesy of Five Star Subaru. Workshops include Unexpected Still Life (age 5+), Treasure Box (age 5+), and Tie-Dye (all ages). A $5 donation is suggested, but all of the activities are offered for free except for the Tie-Dye workshop. There is a $10 charge to cover the cost of materials for the Tie-Dye workshop, which includes a new shirt which you get to keep. Registration is recommended for the workshops.

To register for Unexpected Still Life, Treasure Box, and Tie-Dye, email Amy at WorldOfLearning@live.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 607-431-8543. Please note the names and number of your children. There is room for up to ten children in each workshop.

Here are the workshop times:

Unexpected Still Life: Using bubble wrap to paint a still life! The result will be suitable for framing.
10:30am
11:45am
1:00pm

Tie Dye: Make your own tie-dye shirt and take it home with you! Materials fee of $10 applies.
10:10am
10:30am
10:50am
11:10am
11:30am
11:50am
12:10pm
12:30pm
12:50pm
1:10pm
1:30pm

Treasure Box: Decorate gift box in an unusual way.
10:10am
10:30am
10:50am
11:10am
11:30am
12:30am
12:50am
1:10am
1:30am

Paintfest T-Shirts will be given to the children, thanks to our generous sponsors, NYCM Insurance, www.JoeRuffinos.com, Amazable Science Adventures, Brooks BBQ, and Tri-County Glass, while supplies last. OWL would also like to thank Five Star Subaru, Long Island Pizzeria, Directive, Central New York Radio Group, The Daily Star, and Hometown Oneonta for their continued support. Lastly, we cannot thank The Arc Otsego enough for once again co-sponsoring this fantastic event with us.

Oneonta World of Learning (OWL) is a children's museum without walls, in Oneonta, NY. Chartered by the Regents Board of Education and a 501c3 non-profit organization, OWL has been formed by a coalition of volunteer parents, artists, educators and other local professionals dedicated to building our community. Learn more at OneontaWorldOfLearning.org, call 607-431-8543, or email WorldOfLearning@live.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The weekend (woo hoo)

Discover the beautiful score of The Fantasticks, performed Fri and Sat at 8pm, and Sun at 2pm, by Orpheus Theatre at the Foothills. A great show for grade schoolers and teens alike. Details at http://www.orpheustheatre.org/specialevents.htm.

Saturday, October 23, 4 pm The Puppet People present "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" featuring hand crafted marionettes and special effects. Spooky fun for all ages! $5 per family.The Roxbury Arts Center, Vega Mt. Rd., Roxbury.

Saturday at Glimmerglass State Park, at noon, is a Spooktacular Halloween event (that's all the info I have).

Halloween comes to Southside Mall this weekend, Sun Oct 24 from 12 - 3 pm.

Also on Sunday, the First United Methodist Church of Oneonta presents their Annual Community Halloween Party. A dinner of hot dogs and chicken soup will be served at 4pm, followed by pumpkin carving, games, and a haunted house. Pick out a pumpkin at the church, or bring your own. Everyone is encouraged to come in costume. An optional donation of canned or dry foods will go to help the Salvation Army Food Pantry. The Church is located on the corner of Church and Chestnut. For more info call 607-432-4102.

Looking Ahead:

The Sidney Memorial Public Library, in Sidney, is kicking off their after school craft club for ages 8 to 11 on Wed Oct 27th at 4:00 PM.

Hogwarts and Hartwick, a Harry Potter themed feast, is Sat Oct 30th: Sorting Hat Seating at 4pm followed by feasting, music, costume contest and door prizes. For the young and the young at heart. Make Your Reservations now, $8, youth (16 and under) $10, (over 16), call (607) 432-4102. Proceeds benefit Oneonta World of Learning (OWL). Menu: Chicken Tenders, Drumsticks, Veggies, Dinner Rolls, Pumpkin Bars with Whipped Cream, and Apple Cider or Water. Magical music provided by Hartwick College Chamber Music Ensembles.