Views From Our Desks

$25,000 FOR GLENMONT SCHOOL?

Freddie — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:02:21 +0000

Wouldn’t it be nice to get $25,000 for Glenmont school at no cost tothe taxpayers!

Amy Scharf has a post on the Abany Times Union telling how it’s possible. http://blog.timesunion.com/bethlehem/2057/glenmont-gold-or-runner-up/

Or you can just go to http://refresheverything.com/buildingcommunitythroughdance and vote.Contest ends 2-28-10, and you can vote once a day.

YOU CAN BE IRISH, TOO!

Freddie — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:27:20 +0000

Everyone can be Irish at AMERICAN LEGION POST 1040 DELMAR,NY during March, in fact twice over!

First on Saturday March 13^th, 2010 at 6:00pm is the first Irish Night, a Corned beef & cabbage dinner- $8.00 per person.

Contact the post to sign up – all welcome. Blanchard Post 1040, 16 W. Poplar Dr. Delmar NY 518-439-9819

Then again on Friday March 26^th, 2010, Bethlehem’s very own HAIR OF THE DOG will play at Post 1040′s 2^nd Annual ST. Patty’s Day Concert!! $10.00 @ the door to the band.

The international band will be at the Post, and share a bit of magic! The music starts @ 8:00pm – great drink prices – Irish beer(s). Don’t miss out on a fun night at Blanchard Post 1040, 16 W. Poplar Dr. Delmar, NY 518-439-9819

OLDE SALEM GREENS SNOWSHOE CLASSIC: UPDATE

Freddie — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:19:33 +0000

Photo by Bill Woolley For more race information, see Race pics by Bill Woolley.

                    Olde Salem Greens Snowshoe Classic
                       Hollis, NH - January 9, 2010
                    Produced by 3C Race Productions LLC
                   Results by Yankee Timing 978-430-5669

Snowshoe racing's popularity continues to explode in New England --- witness the 191 finishers (and 214
entrants) at the first Olde Salem Greens Snowshoe Classic --- the 2nd largest snowshoe race ever in the
Northeast United States. The team from Salem Recreation Department and Dungeon Rock Racing put on a first
class event; something that snowshoers are used to from it's New hampshire rebirth under acidotic RACING's
Granite State Snowshoe Series.

Ben Newphew led one of the strongest fields in Eastern Mass/New Hampshire snowshoeing history by pulling
away from acidotic RACING's Geiff Cunningham and Charles Therriault for a 22:41 - 23:27 - 24:12 win.

Gail Gordon of the host Dungeon Rock Racing took the women's title in 32:33. Renee Bousquet and Sarah
Phillips took 2nd and 3rd respectively.

acidotic RACING's 70 year old Gary Reuter traveled down from Maine to win the 60+ title in 36:37 - quite
probably the top performance of the day --- well except for the team putting on the race...more

Race awards on Youtube



Waiting to start

Photos by Bill Woolley


Gail Gordon-Women's 32:33, Eileen Dunn-race director, Ben Nephew-Men's 22:41

SALEM, MA. SNOWSHOE CLASSIC

Freddie — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:41:48 +0000

There’s still time to shuffle off to Salem, MA tomorrow, and be part of what could very well become the winter event of the North Shore area. Take your snow shoes and literaly chill out. Who knows, you might even see a witch or two.

My connection there, has been so excited about this, from the very first thought of sponsoring a snowshoe race, to “I can’t believe it! Wow, we have over a hundred entrants.”

Published: January 08, 2010 08:23 am

Snowshoers to race through woods

By Tom Dalton
Staff writer SalemNews.com

SALEM — Everything is falling into place for the big race tomorrow.

The 3.1-mile course has been laid out through Olde Salem Greens golf course and adjacent Salem Woods. The gifts and prizes — mittens, socks and stocking caps — are all lined up. And the hot chocolate is ready to go on the stove.

Even the gods are cooperating: There is snow on the ground.

“Until last week, I thought, ‘Oh, no, it might have to be a trail run,’” said Eileen Dunn, the city’s recreation supervisor. “I’m glad we have snow for it. This is great.”

Not every race director prays for snow, but this is no ordinary race.

This is the Olde Salem Greens Snowshoe Classic, a 5-kilometer hop, skip and, most likely, tumble in the white fluffy stuff that may be the first snowshoe race ever held on the North Shore — or, at least, the first in many years.

Although this is the inaugural event, interest has been high. And that interest seems to peak every time the snow falls.

“I came back Monday (after a snowy weekend), and we had 10 to 12 registrations,” Dunn said.

As of midweek, a total of 119 experienced and first-time snowshoers had signed up.

“It was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be,” Dunn said. “Definitely the word is getting around.”

Word spread so quickly that the 40 pairs of snowshoes loaned by Dion Snowshoes of Vermont have already been reserved. There’s even a waiting list for snowshoes. At this point, it’s a BYOS event — bring your own snowshoes.

The race is being run by the city’s Park and Recreation department with a big assist from a local snowshoe racing team, Dungeon Rock Racing, which was founded by several North Shore residents. The club is giving out gloves, adorned with the Dungeon Rock skull and crossbones logo, to the top finishers.

Instead of medals or ribbons, age-group winners will get knitted winter hats. And in place of traditional road race T-shirts, early registrants will get socks.

Dunn, it seems, has thought of everything.

“I’ve got an ambulance scheduled to be there just in case,” she said.

If you go

What: Olde Salem Greens Snowshoe Classic

When: Tomorrow, 9 a.m. (registration 8 a.m.)

Where: Olde Salem Greens, 75 Willson St., Salem

Fee: $12 pre-race, $15 on race day

More information: Salem Park Department, 978-744-0180

http://www.salemnews.com/punews/local_story_007223157.html

2010 IN 12054

Freddie — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 20:05:18 +0000

The New Year has dawned and set, and dawned again. May it always be better than the year past.

Five of Marlyn’s siblings and their spouses, one of mine, one of our sons, and our next door neighbor, gathered here to welcome in 2010. The party broke up well after 2AM, with everyone still on their feet.

Last evening I saw 6 deer, the most I’ve seen in along time, scrunging for what ever food they could find.

Here’s a vid I took a couple of weeks ago, that I think is cute and funny. The action is in the lower left corner. Let me know if it doesn’t open.

DSCF0865

AND A HAPPY SNOWFALL TO YOU!

Freddie — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:35:56 +0000

While I don’t exactlly call single digits on the thermometer global warming, the snow missing us and catching the mid south and eastern New England, probably deflates their belief in it, too.

Northeast, we ain’t out of it quite yet — Winter arrived today!

But look on the bright side, so did Summer…in the Southern Hemisphere.

KEENAN SANCHEZ

Freddie — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:22:13 +0000

FYI

Update: Keenan Sanchez remains critical after explosion

Donations to the Sanchez family can be made to the “Bethlehem Central High School Sanchez Community Fund.” People can also drop off clothes for the family at the High School, 700 Delaware Ave., Delmar, NY 12054. For more information, call the school at 439-4921 or visit http://www.helpthesanchezfamily.org

SNOW SHOVEL OR SNOWSHOE?

Freddie — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 05:44:54 +0000

My mentor.

My daughter told me that New York and New England weather was a big deal in the Phoenix Newspaper and TV.

During the winter, I like to dress in layers. That way, if you warm up from rigorous outside activities (read: shoveling snow), you can peel something off before you work up a sweat.

The knit hat came out, too. For some reason, the baseball cap wasn’t equipted with ear flaps. George Steinbrenner, we’re in NY, not Aruba.

Met one of the neighbors who was scraping every last trace of snow from his driveway. Thought he needed some cheering up. “Hey, Jerry. I like the philosophy of the late Mayor Corning on snow removal.”

“How’s that. That it’ll go away in April.”

“Almost, guy. ‘The Lord sent it, and the Lord will take it away.’ Gotta go. Catch ya later. ”

I think the mayor had the right idea.

Gosh, why spend money on shovels, snow blowers and plows! Be practical and buy warm clothing, skis, snow shoes…and enjoy yourself. Don’t you deserve a break? Didn’t you mow lawn all summer?

Oh, yeah. My daughter also told me that her family wasn’t all bundled up in their winter jackets, like the Phoenix natives, just because it was 45 degrees. See, there are advantages to growing up in NY and living in Denver, CO.

PONDER THE WONDER

Freddie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:52:04 +0000

: First snow of 2009-10 Winter 12054

The first snow; alway a wonder. Wonder when it’s gonna start. Wonder if it’s gonna snow. Wonder how much snow we’ll get. Wonder how long it’s gonna snow. Wonder how much we’re gonna get. Wonder if it’s gonna stop. Wonder if there’ll be enough to sleigh ride. Wonder if school will be closed. Wonder if we have enought food, if we get a lot of snow. Wonder if the power will go out. Wonder if it’ll be wet. Wonder if it’ll be dry. Wonder if it’ll be slippery. Wonder if the plows will be out. Wonder if we have ice melter for the walk. Wonder where I put the snow shovel. Wonder where the grass went. Wonder if “that” big tree is gonna fall. Wonder where I stored my mittens. Wonder if I need a heavy coat. Wonder if I should wear an extra sweater. Wonder if SallySue and BobbyBill are still coming over. Wonder if I’ll slip on the steps. Wonder if I’ll be able to get up if I go out and make a snow angel. Wonder if the bird feeder is full. Wonder what day in Spring these Forthysia bushes will burst forth like the rising sun.

STILL TIME

Freddie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:45:34 +0000

Jingle, jingle, jingle…sounds made mostly by bells this year. The jingle, jingle, jingle of cash/packages echoing off collection containers, is less frequent then previous years.

You all know what I’m getting at. Almost every where you go, some one is collecting for those less fortunate then ourselves - charities, houses of worship, food pantries, pet shelters, schools, civic organizations, assisted living facilities, service organizations, merchants…large and small, and the list goes on and on.

If you know some one in the East Greenbush area, send them a link toSanta Jim Letzelter’s blog. Amazing, how the grass, or should that be snow, roots effort snowballed.

Back to our little town of Bethlehem, if you see a collection box, basket, kettle or whatever, consider making a donation of cash, a toy, a food stuff, a gift. Doesn’t have to be much. How about skipping that extra cup of coffee,super-sized meal, new issue of a magazine – you got the idea.

While you put a smile on you and yours, think – no act – on putting a smile on someone’s face you don’t know.

A week ago, we had company for dinner. They noticed a picture of a young girl on a shelf. Not recognizing her, they asked my wife who she was. “Oh,” replied my wife, “she’s my Childrens Fund child.”

Please take the time to leave a comment supporting your favorite place to contribute to this year.