The Otesaga Thrives As ‘Place Of Meeting’ for 100 Years
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Otesaga’s history dates back to March 1908 when Edward S. and Stephen C. Clark purchased the Holt-Averill property in Cooperstown for a summer hotel. Ten acres fronted 700 feet on Otsego Lake. Percy Griffin of New York City was architect, and construction began in July 1908. The hotel opened on July 12, 1909, and was “conceded to be the finest summer hotel” Upstate. It was named Otesaga, an American Indian word meaning “Place of Meeting”. The hotel originally had 179 sleeping rooms, including 26 rooms on the top floor for staff. Today it has 135 air-conditioned guest rooms and suites. An “American Plan” hotel, it has a dining room serving breakfast and dinner, plus a lunch buffet that includes seating on the veranda overlooking Otsego Lake. There are nine meeting rooms, the largest being the ballroom which will accommodate 250 guests. Originally built as a social hotel, 60 percent of its business today is group meetings and conferences. During Hall of Fame Weekend, the hotel closes to accommodate the MLB greats. The first business group at the hotel in 1909 was the New York Press Association, which will be meeting there again in September to celebrate the centennial. Twice the hotel was used for other purposes. From 1920 to 1954, it was used by the Knox School, an exclusive two-year finishing school. In 1961-1970, AT&T used it for training. In each instance, the hotel continued to operate as a resort during the summer months. Across Lake Street are the two hotel tennis courts, built in 1961. The other major amenity for the hotel guests is the Leatherstocking Golf Course, which is considered to be one of the most scenic and challenging courses in the Northeast. It was built in 1909 and designed by Devereaux Emmet, one of the leading architects of that period. The course was renovated in 1996 by Bob Cupp, another leading architect, who also added a state-of-the-art driving range. At the height of the season, the staff is 300.
When You Listen To John Irvin, Otesaga’s Prowess No Accident
By JIM KEVLINCOOPERSTOWN
When John D. Irvin was a junior in high school in Virginia, his father Doral – that’s The Otesaga general manager’s middle name – took him on a business trip to the old Hotel Roanoke. Fred Walker, the hotel’s sales manager, asked the tall young man what his plans were. Young John wasn’t sure. “You ought to do hotel sales,” said Walker; his protege can still remember the older man’s raspy voice today. “It’s a great career. I’ve loved every minute of it.” Three weeks before he graduated from high school in Lynchburg, the phone rang. “Johnny, what are you doing this summer?” said the raspy voice. That summer, his mentor got Irvin a job at the Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach, where he said he worked some, but remembers the summer mostly as a good time. The next spring, the phone rang again. Same rasp: “I checked on you. You didn’t work hard enough.” That summer, Irvin worked at the Hotel Roanoke, and Fred Walker made sure he worked hard enough. Monday through Friday, Irvin had a split shift, toiling on the front desk during the crowded check-out time in the morning and the crowded check-in time in the afternoon. On Saturdays, he worked into the wee hours as the night auditor. “That was the job where I fell in love with the business,” said Irvin, top executive at the Cooperstown resort hotel that will be honored Friday, April 3, with the NBT Bank’s Distinguished Business Award at the Otsego County Chamber’s annual Banquet and Celebration of Business at SUNY Oneonta’s Hunt Union Ballroom. The hotel was founded 100 years ago by brothers Edward S. and Stephen C. Sr. of Cooperstown’s notable Clark family. Jane Forbes Clark, Stephen’s granddaughter, is The Otesaga’s president today. In addition to Irvin, other key executives during The Otesaga’s 100th anniversary year include Bob Faller, director of sales and marketing; Katie Sanford, reservations manager; Glenn Schilling, director of rooms operations; Gordon Clarkson, director of catering & conference services, and Chris Stecher, director of restaurants. Irvin’s approach to recruiting the team that seamlessly operates Otsego County’s hub of business and social gatherings on Glimmerglass’ shores: “I believe in letting people do their jobs. I want to have someone in every position who’s smarter in that position than I am.” That approach to running a 300-employee operation – it includes not just the hotel proper but the Cooper Inn and the first-class Leatherstocking Golf Course – was honed in a 40-year career. The centerpiece was two decades with the multi-national Marriott Corp., but Irvin’s love was always historic hotels that The Otesaga exemplifies. He was raised in what he remembers as Lynchburg’s small town atmosphere, where his father had two careers. The first, with the Chapstick company, where Doral Irvin developed the “turn thing” – for lack of a better term – at the bottom of the Chapstick tube. Young John would ride back and forth to Richmond with his dad as he checked the machine shop that was developing the device’s prototype. (Later, every time his father would pass a display of Chapsticks, he would test the tubes to make sure they were working right.) The second was as executive director of the Elks National Home in Bedford, Va. (“We’re in the same business,” he’d tell his son. “The only difference is my guests don’t check out until they REALLY check out.”) John went on to Virginia Tech and, after graduation, two years in the Army, overseeing a program in Texas training soldiers to speak Vietnamese before they were deployed to Southeast Asia. As his discharge neared, he picked up the phone. Soon, he heard that familiar raspy voice at the other end. Four or five interviews and two job offers later, ex-lieutenant John Irvin found himself in sales at the famous Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., where J. Edgar Hoover was a daily luncheon guest in The Rib Room. In the years that followed, he was director of sales at the Spanish-style Hotel Hershey (run by the Milton Hershey Trust to benefit his school for orphan boys); the Sandestin (the innovative resort in Florida’s panhandle went bankrupt before it opened, but – reorganized – flourished in later years), and the historic Homestead in Hot Springs, Va. At the Mayflower, there was a bellman who was so frail guests would carry their own luggage, fearful he would topple over from the weight. Why didn’t he retire? It turns out he spoke 27 languages, making him indispensable to the operation. At Hershey, Irvin was organizing the annual conference of the National Association of Secretaries of State, hosted that year by Pennsylvania then-Secretary of State Dolores Hoffman, when he was summoned to summer training at Fort Indiantown Gap. When Hoffman called to check on progress, she reacted with dismay. At her direction, the reservist soon found himself standing in front of the commanding general at The Gap, who advised Irvin testily that his “special assignment” during his two weeks of training that year was to run Hoffman’s convention. “Lieutenant,” the general barked as Irvin turned to leave, “...and get a haircut.” In 1976, Irvin jumped at the chance to move from sales into management at the Whiteface Inn & Golf Club in Lake Placid. When it was sold at the end of the season, he went back to sales at the Colony Beach & Tennis Resort on Long Boat Key, near Sarasota, Fla. “The best thing that happened” during the Lake Placid sojourn came during a visit to Atlanta, where the 6-foot-4 Irvin met a lively 5-foot young woman. She was “cute,” had “a charming personality” but, best of all, “she laughed at my jokes.” He and Nancy married a year later in Florida, (where her equally petite mother succeeded in cutting the top off the groom’s head in all the photos.) Nancy had worked for the Hyatt on Peach Street in Atlanta, so knew what she was getting into. These careers are 24-7. Their enduring 33-year marriage produced two children. Daughter Nicole, 29, is studying for a second master’s in psychology at The New School, after graduating from Auburn and getting her first master’s from University College, London. Son Ren, 26, is a life support systems operator at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. After his marriage, Irvin managed Dunfee’s Houston hotel and The Lodge of the Four Seasons, Lake Ozark, Mo., before joining Marriott for what would be a 20-year association. He managed its St. Louis Airport site, The Grand Hotel in Port Clear, Ala. (nine years), The Bay Point in Panama City, Fla., and – again – The Grand. Over the years, Irvin had been active in the American Hotel Lodging Association (he is currently on the board of directors) and had made a lot of contacts in the industry. So it was only natural that he heard Frank Maloney was retiring after a successful stint as The Otesaga’s general manager. Before long, Irvin found himself, after an afternoon of interviews, sitting in a rocking chair on the veranda overlooking Otsego Lake, the Sleeping Lion in the distance, chatting with the guests – “The loved it” – as he waited to join his hosts for a business dinner. Irvin was smitten with The Otesaga from the start – the white pillars and brick front reminded him of The Homestead – but it was the level of service – and the multiple layers of service in the diningroom – that sold him. “I want this job,” he said to himself. Today, he says, “I’m really the envy of a lot of my peers.” Irvin calls The Otesaga “the heartbeat” of the community, the way only a hotel in a resort town can be. On any given day, there might be a christening party in the morning, a wedding in the afternoon, and a reception for mourners in the evening. The resort’s many longstanding guests, who come back year after year as their families grow, also create an inviting continuum. And, of course, there’s Hall of Fame Weekend, when The Otesaga hosts baseball legends. This – a place he loves, working for people he admires – will be the last stop in his career, which Irvin nonetheless anticipates will continue for another half-dozen years. He and Nancy have bought a retirement home in the village, and plan to do the same in Atlanta, where they will spend their winters near their son and two of Nancy’s sisters. In recent years, he had been on the board of advisers at SUNY Delhi, which has an ever-more respected hospitality program. “The industry has given me a wonderful life,” explained Irvin. “I like to give something back.” Fred Walker would be proud.
Quietly, Bob Harlem Did Good – And He Honored Rule Of Law
By JIM KEVLIN
Once upon a time, there was a young man who went to Richfield Springs High School who “was in fights all the time.” Lucky for him, his father was a friend of Oneonta’s Robert A. Harlem Sr., the retired state Supreme Court judge. “He was incorrigible,” Harlem said the other day in an interview from his winter home in Venice, Fla. “You couldn’t rein him in.” So dad and friend got the boy into the boxing program at the Oneonta Boys & Girls Club. “If he wanted to fight, let him do it in a organized way, where you have rules,” Harlem told his friend. The boy, as you might expect, turned out to be a pretty good boxer. And “he turned out to be a fantastic kid,” said the judge. To hear Bob Harlem, who will be honored Friday evening, April 3, with the Otsego County Chamber’s Eugene A. Bettiol Jr. Distinguished Citizen Award in a gala at SUNY Oneonta’s Hunt Union Ballroom, talk about his life, a similar dynamic surfaces again and again. As Harlem tells it, he just happened to be there. Then – coincidentally, he’d have you believe – something good resulted. One Saturday morning, Fred Knott called from Goodyear Lake. This was in the late ‘60s. NYSEG, Knott told Harlem, was ready, after resisting all attempts at negotiating, to breach the dam at the lake’s south end. If that had happened, Goodyear Lake would have been an overgrown gully today. Within a half hour, Harlem and Knott were conferring in the lawyer’s office. Over the weekend, state Supreme Court Judge Joseph P. Molinari issued a stay, which Harlem served on NYSEG Monday morning. By the time it was over, the dam was under new ownership and the lake was saved. (Good bass fishing there, incidentally.) Then there was the time Bob Jr., then 17, got a speeding ticket on an errand from his mother to pick up sweet corn at Reynolds’ on River Street. The son asked the father to defend him, and when the case got to City Court, Judge Al Baldo said to the lawyer, “What do you want? Parking on the pavement?” Said Harlem, “Read the charge.” The judge did, then asked, “How do you plead?” “Guilty,” said the lawyer, and he made the son pay the fine. On the way out of court, Bob Jr., now president of Otsego Ready Mix and other ventures, said to his dad: “Next time, I’ll get a better lawyer.” In addition to Bob, they are Ramona Palermo, attorney Richard – his father, at 82, is still doing research for their former firm – Rebecca Lloyd, and Ruth and Rosemary Wood. (In the same vein, Rebecca remembers, when there was something she knew she ought to do but didn’t want to, her father would tell her, “You have to do it; it will build character and instill discipline.” At the time, she bristled; since, she’s used the same strategy on son Derek, now 25 and a sergeant in the Army, and daughter Jaclyn, 23, to good effect.) Robert A. Harlem Sr. was born in Yonkers, one of five children. Their father, a letter carrier, died when the children were young and their mother struggled to make ends meet. “We scrimped,” he remembers. “We didn’t have very much. We never had welfare; we never took a dime. We just had a lot of pride.” After a stint in the Army at the end of World War II, a high school friend got him a job filing papers and doing office work for a law firm in New York City that defended Travelers Insurance Co. It was there, listening to the lawyers tell their stories, that he found his vocation. “It really excited me,” he said. Using the GI Bill and working two jobs, Harlem got his bachelor’s up in Plattsburgh at Champlain College, one of the Associated Colleges of Upstate New York, established by the state to handle the post-WWII demand for higher education, then got his law degree at SUNY Albany. He was the first member of his family to go to college. There was no desk in the family firm waiting for him. But fate intervened. The law students sat alphabetically, so he spent a lot of time next to Bob Hathaway, a student from Oneonta, who, as graduation neared, told him of an opening at Harrington & Bookhout. He’d never been to Oneonta before he came to town for the job interview. Afterward, he went to Mac’s Barber Shop, then on Broad Street, where “the barber was telling me there was nothing here for young people, about the tragedy that young people had to go elsewhere to get a job.” As it happened, Bob Harlem got the job. He lived on Academy Street for a little while, then moved to the Town of Oneonta; within a year, he was town attorney. Within five years, he was county attorney. Meanwhile, at Harrington & Bookhout, which also did a lot of work defending insurance companies, his practice was burgeoning. When attorney Dick Bookhout went on the bench, he handed over a lot of the insurance work to Harlem, who went into practice with Walter Terry. “I did a tremendous amount of trial work,” said Harlem, estimating at times his cases made up half to 2/3rd of the court calendar. His advice to lawyers just starting out is three-fold. One, you have to be better prepared than your opponent; there’s no substitute for preparation. Two, expect the unexpected, as “the unexpected is more usual than the expected.” Three, always be yourself, as “juries can see through people who are trying to play a role.” As it happens, his most memorable case was one of his last. A Delhi school bus had tipped over, and several students were injured. Defending the school, he sued General Motors which, instead of settling, brought in heavy hitters from New York City’s Thatcher Bartlett, then the biggest firm in the world. In the end, GM ended up stuck with three-quarters of the award. It was one of his heroes, Judge Molinari, who by example caused Harlem to seek a judgeship: “I totally admired the way he handled people. How gracious he was. How considerate he was. I felt if I could get on the bench I could do something like that.” Dr. Carson, Democratic county chairman, Oneonta mayor and Fox’s chief surgeon in the 1950s, was another hero: “He taught me more about medical aspects of personal injury law than one could learn in school. A great man.” And Attorney Sheldon Close, “a student of the law” who was up-to-the-minute on changes in the law until shortly before he died at age 100. A longtime friend, attorney Ed Gozigian of Cooperstown, said the same thing about Harlem: He loves the law. (Also, “he hits the long ball.”) So it could be expected that when the opportunity came, he went on the bench, elected as county and surrogate judge in 1972. In 1978, he was elected state Supreme Court judge, serving until 1991, when he went back into practice with son Richard. In the courtroom, Harlem was in charge, Gozigian remembered: “When an attorney objected, he ruled. And as far as he was concerned, that was it.” All the trial work he’d done prepared him well. “Don’t give me an objection like, ‘My client doesn’t know the answer’,” he’d tell the attorneys. “I tried enough cases that I knew all the tricks – or most of the tricks. I didn’t want them tried on me.” Harlem had seen all the tricks. Over the years, he presided in Albany, Rochester, Brooklyn. Only once, in Manhattan, was there a lawyer he couldn’t control. “He kept challenging my rulings. And I warned him this was not his role. If he felt there was something wrong he could always take an appeal,” said the judge. “He kept doing it. I finally had to declare a mistrial, the only one in my years on the bench.” A big part of the job was writing decisions, the most memorable involving Betty Mucha, wife of a Cornell professor, who, although not a lawyer, kept bringing lawsuits in her own name. If she didn’t like the result, she would sue the judge, and it got to the point she had suits pending against every judge in the Sixth Judicial District. Harlem’s turn came. She sued him. And he wrote a decision invoking the “rule of necessity,” concluding Mucha could bring no more suits without the approval of a Supreme Court judge. The ended that. Betty Mucha went on to get an actual law degree and, practicing in Rhode Island, she was disciplined for calling the chief justice of that state’s Supreme Court a member of the “judicial mafia.” “Ironically,” said Harlem, “the chief justice of Rhode Island was later found to be part of the Mafia and was removed from the bench.” Mark Grygiel, who chaired the Otsego County Chamber committee that chose Harlem for the award, said he was surprised and impressed by how much good the judge had quietly done. Few knew, Grygiel said, “because he liked to do things behind the scene, not for the glory, but for the right reasons.” Often, recalled another friend, Geoff Smith of Medical Coaches, they’d be talking and the phone would ring, with someone asking for a donation or to make a call on behalf of a cause. “When I started to practice law, life was a lot simpler than is it today,” Harlem explained. “Every lawyer back in those days did pro bono work. People would come into the office; if they didn’t have any money, we would help them anyway. I never took a fee up front.” He continued, “We didn’t practice law because it was a business; because it was a profession. We wanted to give something back. We wanted to elevate the role of the lawyer in society.” Harlem, Geoff Smith said, would have been successful anywhere. Why did he stay in Oneonta? Why does he continue to come back? “First of all,” the judge replied. “You couldn’t find a better place to raise kids.” Crime is low. Schools are good. The two colleges “ are more than willing to share whatever attributes they have” – the library, the sports facilities. “My family understands this,” said Harlem. Son Rich, the lawyer, has been president of Hartwick College’s citizen advisory board. Bob has been chairman of the school board. “You should create the environment you live in to the degree you can,” said the honoree. “You’re going to be a lot more comfortable, a lot happier, if you help create the environment yourself ... “...and you do it by involvement.”
OHS’ lacrosse team was the first spring sport to take the field, Friday, March 21. It’s only the team’s third varsity season, and they dropped a 8-7 squeaker to Dryden. Here, Oneonta’s Brad Wilson (3), defends his position against Dryden’s Jamie Pastorello. The game was played at Hartwick College’s Wright Field.
Republican Jim Tedisco won Otsego County by 51 votes in the Tuesday, March 31, race to fill the 20th District seat. But here and districtwide, the race was too close to call, and the outcome would likely hinge on still-to-be-counted absentee ballots. In heavily Republican eastern Otsego County, Democrat Scott Murphy won 1,001 votes to Tedisco’s 1,052 votes. Watch for final results on www.hometownoneonta.biz
AID SAFE: It looked like the state budget on the verge of being approved would preserve Oneonta’s $2 million in AIM money (Aid and Incentives for Municipalities) would be preserved, according to Mayor John S. Nader. CHIPs money, for roads, also appeared secure, the mayor said.
FSA CENTENNIAL: The city’s Family Service Association will begin celebrating its centennial with a panel discussion, “1909-2009, A Century of Caring,” at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 3, at the History Center, 183 Main St., featuring president Debbie Chicorelli, executive director Mary O’Conner, and current and past board members.
LET’S ROCK: “Little Stevie” Tsangaras’ latest band, “Chemical Pumpkin,” will debut at 8 p.m. Friday, April 3, at the Foothills Performing Arts Center. Stevie promises “a smoking set of serious rock and roll.”
AT THE CSO: Speaking of music, Hartwick College president Margaret Drugovich will be one of three “guest conductors” at the Catskill Symphony Orchestra’s annual Cabaret Concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at SUNY Oneonta’s Alumni Field House.
OLE! You may have noticed that Oneonta’s sole Mexican restaurant, Fiesta!, is open in Clinton Plaza. Proprietor Jim Baldo, who also operates The Italian Kitchen, is awaiting a liquor license and is planning an official grand opening on the Cinco de Mayo.
Save Oneonta Theater, Fans Appeal By E-Mail, Phone, Even Facebook
Thursday, March 26, 2009
By LAURA COX
Only a dozen backers showed up when The Friends of the Oneonta Theater gathered to map out how to preserve the vintage cinema on Chestnut Street. But the Facebook group formed by organizer Patrice Macaluso’s SUNY Oneonta theater students to garner support may be a better barometer of how the public feels: By Tuesday morning, March 31, 85 people had registered on the site. By that evening, that number had grown to 151. At the meeting in the History Center at 183 Main, Kevin Herrick, Centennial Committee co-chair, urged the Friends to start making phone calls. Find 25 people willing to write $2,500 checks, and the cinema would be saved, he said. Even better, find 10 who would write $5,000 checks. Others present suggested some of Oneonta’s more famed entertainers be approached, such as Jerry Jeff Waller, who must of attended movies at The Oneonta as a boy, and actor Bill Pullman, who once lived in the apartments attached to the cinema. Even Terry Mattison, the cinema’s owner – he attended the Friends meeting because he “wanted to see what they were up to” – said he wants the building to remain a theater. “In my heart, absolutely yes,” he said when asked the question, although he declined to give further details about the transaction. By the meeting’s end, the Friends had agreed to: Start making the phone calls to get $30,000 in cash donations and $20,000 in pledges, to offer Mattison a downpayment. Attend the Planning Commission meeting at 7 p.m., on April 15, en masse, proving to the commission that the city’s residents care about the fate of their theater. The Friends sent out a mass mailing to 200 mailboxes and 150 e-mail addresses in recent days, pleading for donations for the theater. Friends’ treasurer Carol Halter said if for some reason the goal isn’t met, the money would be returned. Donations to the theatre can be made by sending checks made out to Friends of the Oneonta Theater to P.O. Box 346, Oneonta, NY, 13820 or online by credit card at their website http://www.friendsofoneontatheater.org/. The Friends of the Oneonta Theater organized a year ago February, but most of their efforts have been focused on researching how other historical theaters have been saved and transformed into community theaters and preparing for a site-plan review. When news of a buyer for the theater surfaced, The Friends were spurred into action. At the meeting, there was general agreement that a venue such at The Oneonta is needed. Two local dance companies’ spring recitals are at Unatego Central School because of the lack of a local stage. SUNY Oneonta’s Goodrich Theater often has to decline requests. The Oneonta Concert Association and Catskill Symphony Orchestra could use a permanent home. Even college students looking to organize battles of bands could use it. And the space would perfect for film festivals or the showing of old movies and cult classics, an attraction for senior citizens and college students alike who want to see movies like Casablanca and Star Wars on the big screen. Of the 127 events held at the SUNY Oneonta theatre last year, only 30 were college productions, Macaluso said; the rest were community and local events. She explained the theatre would make a great “roadhouse,” a place for groups to book space for their one or two night shows, but who do not need producing venues to do set and costume design. A group of Macaluso’s students asked how they could help, they performed an online survey of more than 200 students asking for input on their feelings about the theatre and how it could be used to serve their purposes. They also started the Facebook group – Saving the Oneonta Theater – to explore fundraising options. The Friends’ business plan includes running the theater as a non for profit, and the profits from renting the front commercial space would act as income allowing them to afford to keep the theater running.
Senior year is arguably the most memorable year of a high school student’s life for many reasons, but none more than the aspect of nostalgia that is instituted the day after graduation. You will always remember your high school friends and if you are on a team, your teammates are as cherished to you as your own family. In some cases, they are your second family. These are the people you sweat, bled and cried with. These are the people whose hands you held while you were waiting in anticipation of a game winning field goal, or layup or penalty kick. These are the same people you laughed with on the long bus rides and the people you played pranks on in the locker room during the week. These are the people you will remember forever. There are a number of senior athletes at Oneonta High School and as teams finished up their winter seasons and students are signing letters for schools there is no better time to appreciate these winter season seniors. Oneonta High School student-athletes show integrity and intelligence both on the court and off. They are not only model students, but model citizens. Drumroll, please. Your Winter 2008-2009 OHS Senior Student-Athletes:
Bowling: Ryan Renwick Eric Coss Boys Indoor Track: Dan Dokuchitz Ian Kelley Nick Madison Girls Indoor Track: Bridgette Aikens Breelin Shea Varsity Wrestling: Dalton Smith Brendan Pidgeon Girls Varisty Basketball: Madie Harlem Nicki Miosky Meredith Ridgway Boys Basketball: Marc Rivera Ben Ehrets Phil Wright Alex Mirabito Tony Burns Ski and Snowboard Team: Roger Ackley KiKi Campbell Josh Frederick Hannah Lawson Lucus Mancuso Chloe Muller Ricardo Obando Scott Platukis Eric Scorzafava Emily Shea Jon Shumway Veronika Siskova
It is spring in Upstate New York. But, as gardeners we all share the frustration that there is just not enough happening in our gardens. Although we search our yards for traces of greenery and blooming bulbs, not much has emerged from under the melting snow. But as April begins, there are exciting flowers popping out of the ground. Spring is inevitable. But in Zones 4 and 5, we must hold back the desire to plant hardy annuals and vegetables outdoors until late April. So, my suggestion to those of you who want instant gratification, is to jump start your garden by starting seeds indoors. With the right supplies and a few instructions you will succeed and give yourself a head start on your garden. New gardeners, choose a selection of ten flowers and vegetables with very large seeds. Easy-to-grow vegetables include anything in the squash family (pumpkins, summer and winter squash), cucumbers, pole beans, peas, broccoli and swiss chard. Annual flowers that germinate easily include nasturtiums, morning glories, cosmos, marigolds, zinnias and calendula. Herbs that will bring gardeners success include basil, parsley, dill and chives. The joy and wonder of starting this project with large seeds, is that many of them will germinate in five days to one week, and leave you breathless with your success. Although tomatoes, peppers and leaf lettuce do not have large seeds, their germination rate is usually good, so give some of the many varieties a try. For a gardener’s first try at seed starting, I try to discourage them from choosing tiny seeds such as petunias, or seeds that take up to three months to reach the transplant stage, such as lavender or rosemary. The most important element for successful seed starting is the proper soil. Although it sounds odd, what you are looking for is “soil-less mix” in which to start your seeds. A nutrient-free mix that includes milled sphagnum peat moss, vermiculite and perlite. There are a multitude of containers available at garden centers or hardware stores. Chose the type that fits your needs and space requirements. Pre-packaged kits that include a plastic flat, cell packs and a plastic dome are useful for up to 50 plants. Recycled materials such as yogurt or milk containers can also be used; simply sterilize and insert drainage holes. Before you fill containers be certain to moisten the soil mixture. Check seed packets for sowing instructions. It is important to sow at the correct depth, and the general rule of thumb is to plant smaller seeds shallowly and larger seeds deeper. After seeds have been sown, mist lightly and cover with plastic wrap or a plastic greenhouse dome lid. Put in a place that’s a constant 65-70 degrees. When seeds have begun to germinate, remove plastic cover and move to a brighter location. After germination, the best location for plants is to place them under a 40-watt fluorescent light for at least 12 hours of continuous light a day. So fellow gardeners, your mission is set. Whether or not you choose to accept it, is up to you! Please give us your feedback and questions by emailing us at info@hometownoneonta.biz. I will be back next week with more information about transplanting those seedlings!
JANO NIGHTINGALE is a community gardener and garden consultant. She has helped to build numerous community gardens in Otsego, Schoharie and Putnam Counties, and conducts local gardening workshops for children and adults.
Best-Selling Author Takes County By Storm, Helps Sell Out Springbrook’s Annual Benefit
By JEANNINE BOHLERCOOPERSTOWN
When Connor Gifford reads from his book, his voice is filled with conviction. When he speaks, his enthusiasm is contagious. The 27-year-old author of “America according to Connor Gifford” is an educated lover of history. He is a passionate follower of politics, is crazy about Broadway shows and loves both the Yankees and the Red Sox. He thanks God for giving him the gift of Down Syndrome – a gift that has helped him become an inspiration to people across the country – as his book has become well known. Gifford, a Nantucket resident, was honored as Springbrook’s Citizen of the Year at the organization’s sold-out gala at The Otesaga Saturday, March 22. He also enjoyed a weekend full of history and literary rich events – from a book signing at the Green Toad in Oneonta to a private tour of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. “America according to Connor Gifford” was published in June of 2008, but caught the eye of the nation when the late Tim Russert praised the book as “A distinctive American perspective from a unique young man.” Gifford has since made appearances on many nationally televised programs. A copy of the book is now a part of the permanent collection at New York State Historical Association Library. Gifford read from his book on Saturday afternoon before presenting a copy to NYSHA President D. Stephen Elliott. Humbled to be standing on the grounds of James Fenimore Cooper, who Gifford dubbed “a very cool author,” he read several passages from the book he penned and illustrated. He read each word carefully and with great meaning – asking for the audience to read along when he wanted to drive his message home. “My biggest hope is that one day, the nation will pick up this book and read this book and start to believe again,” he said. Gifford’s love of American history began when he was a kid back in Perrysburg, Ohio, where he graduated high school in 2002. “I loved history right from the start. When I read about a character or an event, I was right there in those shoes.” It is this perspective – of walking in another’s shoes – which Gifford carries throughout the book. Each brief essay is a poignant retelling of American history, from “The First Americans” to “Iraq.” The simplicity of the words leaves the reader with something more meaningful then the most complex of historical texts. The idea for the book all began when Gifford met Victoria Harris, founder of the Harris Group. The two met at her daughter’s home in 2007 and worked together to create the collection. “I told her we hide behind our freedom,” Gifford said. “She couldn’t get that out of her mind. And that is how the idea for this book actually began.” The rest is Connor Gifford’s own history in the making. While a local leader is usually honored as Springbrook’s Citizen of the Year, this year the community of adults and children wished to honor Gifford for being so inspirational. His accomplishments and approach to life fit perfectly with the gala’s theme, “What Do You Dream?” “Our theme is about realizing dreams, “said Executive Director Patricia Kennedy. “Dreams create our future.” And Connor Gifford isn’t done dreaming yet. “My biggest hope is for our generation. I know we have problems from our past and we can’t change them or overcome them. But what we can overcome is preventing them from happening again so our world can be safe not only for the next generation, but for all the further generations,” he said.
125 Years Ago The new hotel on Chestnut Street is to be called the “Windsor,” notwithstanding reports to the contrary. Stratton the caterer has concluded to call his new restaurant “The Brunswick.” It was the intention to denominate it “The Windsor,” but learning that the new hotel was to be named that, he changed it to “The Brunswick.” C.A. Smith & Co. has received the new label for their Fedora cigar, upon which the engravers have been at work for some time. It consists of a vignette of Fanny Davenport surrounded by four scenes from her play “Fedora.” It is in several colors. Fanny will feel flattered when she looks at herself on the label, as the engraver has excelled in bringing out her good looking features. April 1884
100 Years Ago The new restaurant of T.J. Baker in the Gardner & Falls building is now fully open, though for the past two weeks it had been serving meals to the public. The furniture, however, for the Rathskeller did not arrive until Monday, when it was put in place and the restaurant declared formally open. The new restaurant is a very attractive spot, the walls having been redecorated and the main dining room carpeted while the Rathskeller, with its mission furniture, will no doubt be the gathering place of regular patrons. With all facilities for doing culinary work quickly and well, Baker’s will no doubt maintain and even enhance its former reputation. April 1909
80 Years Ago Dr. E.J. Parish was driving on the Davenport road near the Ford dip three miles from Oneonta about eight o’clock last evening when a young deer darted out in the road ahead of him. With both the car and the animal traveling at a good rate of speed the crash was fatal to the doe but the car did not escape completely, either, the bumper being torn off and one fender crumpled. Dr. Parish, who is an ardent sportsman, notified Game Protector Ralph Rarick and then left the deer at police headquarters. Monday morning, Rarick delivered the carcass to Fox Memorial Hospital where patients are enjoying the venison, a rare treat particularly at this season of the year. April 1929
60 Years Ago Jay Fairchild, Otsego County assistant agricultural agent, has announced a large poultry exhibit to be held in conjunction with the Oneonta Junior Chamber of Commerce Farm and Home Show on April 7-9. The exhibit will consist of baby chicks, eggs and dressed poultry. Eggs and poultry to be exhibited must be in the hands of local committeemen on Wednesday night, April 6 for transportation to the show the next day. All entries will be auctioned off on Saturday, April 9, which has been designated “Poultrymen’s Day.” The receipts will be used to defray expenses. The purpose of the exhibit is to re-educate consumers and retailers to the fact that Otsego County is a great poultry area. April 1949
40 Years Ago Although cancer holds the number two spot in Otsego County among the major causes of death, the chance of surviving a battle with the disease is better now than it ever was. Today, one out of three victims is being cured, according to cancer specialists. And that ratio could be raised to one out of two if everyone saw a physician when the first symptoms appeared. The cancer figures for the local area and the way they compare with those for other sections of the country, are brought out in the latest annual report of the U.S. Public Health Service. They show, among residents of Otsego County, a total of 122 deaths in the year from the various types of cancer. Not included are cases in the local area involving non-residents. Otsego County’s numbers are equivalent to a rate of 222 cancer deaths per 100,000 in population, as against 154 per 100,000 in the United States as a whole and 187 per 100,000 in the state of New York. Lung cancer, and its relationship to cigarette smoking, has been receiving more attention than other forms of cancer due to the rapid increase in lung cancer mortality. With 55,000 victims in the past year, mostly men, the death rate is ten times what it was 30 years ago. April 1969
20 Years Ago More than 200 people recently paid tribute to former Otsego County Clerk June Hotaling at the Holiday Inn in Oneonta. Hotaling was presented with a state of New York Legislative Resolution commemorating her success and achievements and honoring her service to Otsego County by the Hon. Anthony Casale, New York State assemblyman. George Williams, president of the New York State Association of County Clerks, presented Hotaling with a plaque on behalf of Otsego County and the Association. Colleen Murphy of the Office of Court Administration presented Hotaling with a Sixth Judicial District Award for Meritorious Service. Hotaling was praised by Hon. James L. Seward, New York State Senator. Seward also presented her with a gift from her friends. April 1989
10 Years Ago The nation’s unemployment rate fell to a 29-year low of 4.2 percent in March with Hispanics and high school drop-outs showing the most improvement. It’s an indication this is an economy that’s lifting all boats. The improvement in the rate, from 4.4 percent in February, came despite an anemic seasonally adjusted increase in new jobs – 46,000, the lowest gain in three years. Economists attributed much of the deceleration in job growth to bad weather conditions – milder-than-normal weather in February followed by heavy snowstorms and wintry conditions in March in many states. April 1999
Resources for Hometown History have been provided courtesy of the New York State Historical Association Library.
Remember your first bike? The wire basket? The bell? The handlebar streamers? The playing cards clothes-pinned to the spokes? Remember the exhilaration you felt when your parent let go sending you on your first solo flight? That bike gave you your first taste of freedom as you navigated the sidewalks of your block. It gave you a ticket to explore the universe. It was your sole source of transportation for years. Then your hormones kicked in; you learned to drive the family car, and coming of age signaled the end of your bicycling career. Many years have gone by. It just isn’t fun to drive all the time. And driving is expensive; and it’s bad for the environment (and it clogs up limited parking spaces). Not only that, but you’re gaining weight without really trying and your doctor is talking about things like health maintenance. You’d like to choose an alternative form of transportation and you’d like to choose an exercise that’s fun, body friendly (regardless of age) and environmentally green. Bottom line: You’d like to get back on a bike again. There’s just one problem: you don’t know how! You were taught how to ride your bike as a sidewalk toy; no one taught you how to drive your bike safely as a roadworthy vehicle. You’re afraid of traffic and dogs. You don’t know what to do with all those gears. You don’t know how to comfortably perch your adult self on what appears to be a child-sized seat. And since you don’t know how to bike safely, you’ve not taught your kids and/or grandkids about the exhilaration and freedom (and physical fitness/ weight control) that a bike can provide. What if there were a local organization serving as an advocate for bicycling in our area? What if there were a local forum in which bicycle education for children and adults could be taught? What if our village, county, and roads were bicycle friendly? What if there were a Share the Road program? What if there were Safe Streets and Safe Routes to School programs? What if there were reminders about how much fun it is to bike fast (race), or slow (day tour), or far (multi-day bike tour), or to work (commute), or to do errands (utility), or to visit friends at the local coffee shop (cruise), or to explore off-road trails and greenways… Enter The Otsego County Conservation Association. OCCA has convened a standing committee, the Otsego Regional Cycling Advocates (ORCA), whose mission is to promote bicycling as an enjoyable, safe, healthy, environmentally friendly activity for people of all ages and abilities. First on ORCA’s agenda is a series of bicycle education newspaper articles of which this is the first. In addition, ORCA is organizing a Bike to Work Day for Cooperstown on May 13. Everyone is encouraged to bike to work in general and on May 13 in particular. Competition between local businesses for the most employee participation is encouraged. Subsequently, bicycling education courses will be offered for both children and adults. And that’s just the beginning! Rediscover the joys of bicycling. Get on your bike and ride! Anyone in Otsego County who wants to join ORCA or to obtain more information about Bike to Work Day in Cooperstown, May 13, call Martha Clarvoe, OCCA president, at (607) 547-4020.
The Oneonta High School campus will be busting with energy on Sunday, April 5, as the 11th Annual Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) Run/Walk and Health Fair gets under way. “This event is truly a community event for all ages with participants from under 10 to over 70 years of age,” said OHS SADD adviser Cathy Lynch. The day begins with the Health Fair at 11:30 a.m. in the gymnasium at the high school. There are many activities for the whole family including a rock climbing wall, bike helmet fitting, Operation Safe Child, a driving simulator, and many demonstrations by area doctors, massage therapists and organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association, Hospice, LEAD and the American Cancer Society. The day is all about teaching people about making good choices, about more than drunk driving, but also about binge drinking, smoking and illegal drugs, as well as proving a start for conversations between parents and their children about these topics. “Act Smart, Think With Your Heart,” is this year’s slogan. Registration for the 5K Walk/Run starts at 11:30 with the race starting at 1 p.m at the corner of East Street and Bugbee Road. Participants should park in the middle school parking lot. The registration fee is $15 with proceeds benefiting the local SADD chapters and helping to provide students with safe after prom options. Schools participating in this year’s walk/run include Oneonta, Franklin and Laurens. As of Monday night, the organizers reported 250 registrants and they usually get an average of 100 registrants the day of the event. They hope for about 500 participants. This year, all registered participants are eligible to win a bike that has been donated by Otsego County Sheriff’s Department and Corrections Department.
The National Endowment for the Arts defines a “reader for pleasure and enlightenment” as someone who has read one book in a period of 12 months. We agree that that is not a very serious imposition on anyone’s time or attention. All the more disturbing, then, is the NEA’s finding that fewer than 50 percent of Americans read for the aforementioned great rewards of the enterprise. What to do? Nag? No. Force-read under strict surveillance? No. Heave a sigh of resignation and ignore? No. Look into the BIG READ, read the print on the posters all over the place, pick up the little card-flyers on countertops at restaurants and business establishments (bars and doctors’ waiting rooms, too), attend the month-long series of events in the community designed to stimulate interest and desire? YES! Foothills Performing Arts Center has for the second year in a row been awarded a grant from the NEA to conduct a BIG READ April 18 to May 16. The focus this time is Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” The Kick-Off Event is an afternoon of fun and film at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at the Teen Center, 4 Academy St., Oneonta. There will be a double feature (remember those days?): first, the 1938 movie adaptation of the novel starring Tommy Kelly. This was a David O. Selznick production and some of the touches that made his “Gone With the Wind” so memorable are on full display: chiaroscuro dramatic effects, rich musical underscoring, priceless performances, laughter, thought, and some tears as well. A fun-filled intermission will be followed by Academy Award-winning Will Vinton’s feature-length Claymation fantasy, “The Adventures of Mark Twain,” James Whitmore providing the voice of the great writer/satirist/philosopher. Just as with the book itself, these two films appeal equally to younger audiences and adults. Speaking of which, when did you last read “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”? Way back when? Within the last 12 months? Never? Well, don’t delay in reading it again, or for the first time, today. If I may be allowed a bit of personal input, I read it when I was 12. I would wake up early to get in a few pages before getting up and going to school. It was that compelling. I recently reread it, and could not put it down. The adult perspective provides astounding insight into what Twain was getting at. It doubles the pleasure and allows for some deep emotional responses, and I laughed twice as hard as I ever did when I didn’t know much. Or at least when I knew less than I do now. Pick up a copy. For $4.95 at the Green Toad, for example, it’s a steal worthy of Tom Sawyer himself. Or you can read it online.
With all this talk of state titles and national recognition, things can get a bit hectic. However, something that many people overlooked during Yellow Jacket Fever in women’s basketball was that there was a group of Oneonta kids swimming their way to a state crown.
The YMCA Orcas, who have been one of the state’s best swim programs for their class for some time, have just garnered state honors in several different races.
“Our swimmers did a phenomenal job this year” said Oneonta YMCA Aquatics Director Christiana Gomez-Frye, “we sent half of our team to states. This is a very dedicated group of kids and all of their hard work paid off this year.”
Akiva Garfield placed first in the 25 breast with a score of 18.33. His performance was the only first place finish of the day, however several other swimmers put up great numbers.
Alex Miller placed sixth in the 200 IM and second in the 200 back. Alex placed third in the 100 back on Saturday morning with a mark of 55.63, then placed second in the same event Saturday evening with a 55.15 mark.
Akiva Garfield placed fourth in the 100 IM and Joel Levins also placed fourth in his meet, the 50 free.
The Orcas fared well overall, with many swimmers finishing in the top 10, 20 and 30 in a good number of races. With such a small swim team, the production numbers they put up this year were truly outstanding. The girls 13-14 placed twelfth in the freestyle relays.
The New York State Meet, which took place in Buffalo, is nothing new to the Orcas. Oneonta produces great swimmers perennially and this year it backs up that claim. The best part about it is that these kids are young. They are young and have a bright future ahead of them. If they can put up the kind of production they did this early on, just imagine what a little age and experience will bring. The Orcas have set the tone this season for many successful years to come.
"I'm really impressed with their accomplishments," said Meghan Holstead, the exuberant head coach and former SUNY Cobleskill swimmer, "it is impressive, no matter how big the team is, when over a third of your team makes states."
Pressure did not seem to be a factor either. Not only did a large number of a relatively small team make states, but Oneonta swimmers placed in the top 10 in 10 different races.
Holstead, a Junior at SUNY Oneonta now, has been coaching the Orca's the past two years. Since then, their performance has been going increasingly upwards. "You can't expect everyone to place in the top 5," said Holstead, "it just won't happen. However, a lot of teams are very impressed with us and our performance, and what we do for being such a small team. We come out every meet and compete."
A lot of people dropped their time for states. The girls 13-14 freestyle relay placed them 11th, but their time was 4 seconds quicker this time, their time in this race used to be 2 minutes. Their mark this time was 1.56.68.
"Overall I think the season was a success. I know that a lot of people aren't going to come in with the mindset that they are going to go to states, but rather just to have fun, and they did that. I did that. It was a fun year for the swimmers and for me."
When asked if Akiva had some more state championships in him, Holstead's answer was a simple "I hope so. If he stays with it, yes, I think he does."
Garfield, finishing 1st place and bringing home a state title in the 8 years old and under 25 breast event, was 4 one hundredths short of setting a new state record.
Impressive, to say the least.
To the Editor: As a SUNY Oneonta student, I feel that the relationship between the community and the college is improving, thanks to the efforts made by the Inter-Greek Council Community Service Chair, Jason Corrigan. He has been consistent and thorough in his approach, it seems, in establishing events that concern both the local and college community. From his 9/11 candle ceremony, to the letters to soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Hospital, Jason is an excellent representative for our college. And to top it off, he has created a walk for breast cancer in which the mayor will be attending. It’s students like him that put a positive face on college students all around. MORGAN McLAREN
Publicity Helped Hunger Concert
To the Editor: Thank you so much for helping the Oneonta Hunger Task Force Benefit Concert. We are very grateful for the intereview and story and the photographer being there for the evening. Thank you for the support you gave for this event. BENEFIT CONCERT COMMITTEE Oneonta Hunger Task Force
During times of economic stress, many businesses look at giving up their chamber membership as a way to save. This is precisely the worst thing a business can do. As the economy changes, your chamber is working for you and your business. For very little investment, The Otsego County chamber gives you visibility. With your business listing on the website, your company gets valuable exposure to the numerous site visitors and shows up in the business searches done by potential customers. The Otsego County Chamber also has many programs designed to help your business grow and succeed. Not only does the chamber offer many programs and events designed to help you enhance your business, but also studies have shown that when a business is a chamber member, they have more credibility with their customers. If there’s one thing that all businesses want to achieve, it is to maintain and benefit from its good name and a positive image. It’s true for businesses of all sizes! A national study by The Schapiro Group, an Atlanta-based market research firm, revealed these findings about how consumers and businesses perceive the local chamber and businesses that are members: • When consumers know that a business is a member of the chamber, they are 44 percent more likely to think favorably about it. • Consumers who are told that a business is a chamber member are 51 percent more likely to be highly aware of it and 57 percent are more likely to think positively of its local reputation. • Consumers are 63 percent more likely to buy goods and services in the future from a company that they believe are a member of the chamber. • When business decision-makers believe that a business is a chamber member, they are 37 percent more likely to think favorably of the business, 51 percent more likely to be highly aware of it, 58 percent more likely to think positively of its reputation, and 59 percent more likely to buy goods and services from it. • Regarding the chamber’s impact on the local economy, 82 percent of respondents believe that the chamber helps create jobs and promotes economic development. Additionally, the study indicates that the larger companies and organizations also benefit from chamber membership. The biggest advantage is the lobbying power that comes along with being a member of such a large organization. The results are clear: Positive perception increases among consumers and business when a business is identified as a member of the Chamber. And, there’s no better way to make a great name for a company than by becoming an active member of the chamber. Membership in The Otsego County Chamber not only reflects well on your business…it will shine on your bottom line. For more information on membership, contact Pam Ferguson at (607) 432-4500 ext. 201 or pam@otsegocountychamber.com. Take a moment to invest in The Otsego County Chamber and help yourself! Join with The Otsego County Chamber as we face some of the most challenging times most of us have witnessed. Issues caused by greed, lax enforcement and limited personal responsibility. But this is both a threat and an opportunity. At The Otsego County Chamber, our mission is to assist in developing a future that will make our children and grandchildren proud of what we have left them. To be successful at this mission, we must take personal responsibility to return basic logic to the role government plays in the lives of our families, employees and citizens. It is our duty to educate our friends, neighbors and employees how the New York spending glut directly and indirectly effects their paychecks, their ability to advance their careers, the environment they will leave their heirs and our region’s economic stability. You, your family, your neighbors and your employees need to speak up, loudly, and demand that – like all of us – government live within its means and stop reaching into our back pockets. There is nothing that New York is facing that can’t be resolved by government budgetary restraint and freedom for small business to create 250,000 new taxpayers. Let’s practice personal responsibility and logic, work with our leaders to reverse the state’s policies that are driving out 250,000 residents a year, and create the new opportunities for our grandchildren. It is up to you. Will you join the discussion and speak up?
Robinson is president & CEO of the Otsego County Chamber.
Honorees Transformed Jobs Into Doing Good. So Should We All
Those of us raised Roman Catholic remember priests talking about vocations, not just pursuing the priesthood but, according to the Canon, glorifying God in whatever pursuit someone might choose. As with many things, that particular dynamic is valid, whether someone’s perspective is religious – under any creed – or secular. There is honor – or there can be – in every walk of life. Who doesn’t have a favorite short-order cook who helps dozens of people daily start their days on the right foot with perfectly fluffy pancakes, crisp bacon on the side, or precisely done eggs-over-easy, nary a broken yolk? Or the man or woman driving the snowplow. Or the cop directing traffic near the school. Or the butcher, the baker, the banker, the teacher, the son, daughter, parent – in short, everyone. Likewise, as we’ve learned to our dismay in the past year, people can dishonor the highest offices in this land – the bank presidents, the stockbrokers, the billionaire investors, people bearing heavy responsibilities that could have been used for massive good, have instead damaged the futures of so many of us and our fellow citizens. • These thoughts are brought to mind by the profiles of two men in this week’s edition. The legal profession has been in disrepute for decades, but Robert A. Harlem Sr. went a nobler way, quietly helping, unheralded, many people in need, studying, respecting and upholding The Law, the same law that many others have sought to manipulate for lesser ends. At establishments like The Otesaga, we take good service for granted. And yet, such service only results from excruciating attention to detail, and the ability to inspire others – through leadership – to pay excruciating attention to detail as well, as the 100-year-old resort’s general manager, John D. Irvin, clearly has. Both men agreed to lengthy interviews in advance of receiving the Otsego County Chamber’s most prestigious awards during its annual Banquet and Celebration of Business Friday, April 3, at SUNY Oneonta’s Hunt Union Ballroom: Harlem, the fifth Eugene A. Bettiol Jr. Distinguished Citizen Award; Irvin, on behalf of 100-year-old Otesaga and its president, Jane Forbes Clark, NBT Bank’s Distinguished Business Award for 2009. The title of the companion profiles came irresistably to mind: “In Search Of Excellence.” Another quality that came to mind, however, was humanity. A half-century ago, when he was a young lawyer, Harlem made common cause with Carl Delberta Sr. in the creation of the Oneonta Boys & Girls Club, and served on its board of directors for years. He can tell story after story about young people kept out of harm’s way by participating in the club, and he concluded: “It was just great seeing these young people weren’t thrown away. They became good, responsible citizens.” Irvin recalled that he left one sales job because he was moved to the company’s headquarters: “I wasn’t part of the hotel; I didn’t feel the pulse of the property.” He considers hotels like The Otesaga to be “the heartbeat” of resort communities like Cooperstown. Christening parties are held there. And weddings. And, sadly, receptions for mourners after loved ones pass away. To Irvin, The Otesaga is not just a superb enterprise, but the center of community life, a center that enriches community life. • As so it is with Robert A. Harlem Sr. and John D. Irvin: Both men took jobs, but elevated those jobs to vocations. Attendees at the chamber’s annual celebration no doubt will come away inspired to likewise do good in their own jobs, to elevate those jobs to means of serving their fellow humans. And so they should, and so should all of us.
The SUNY Oneonta girls’ soccer team served a packed house at the team’s annual fundraising spaghetti dinner Saturday, March 21, at the Elks Club. From left are Allison Siegel (center mid), Erin Boyle (defense) Lindsey Brechbiel (forward), Christine Marra (center mid), Megan Votke (defensse) and Elizabeth Cherry (center mid). All the girls are from Long Island except Cherry, who is from New Jersey.
Remembering Railroads
Tony Mongiello remembered the time a herd of sheep escaped the railyard at the end of Broad Street and the whole neighborhood pitched in to recapture the wooly escapees. And another time, when the circus came to town, leaving a pile of elephant you-can-guess-what behind as tall as a ceiling. Retired SUNY Oneonta president Alan Donovan and City Historian Mark Simonson, left, monitored the memories during the taping of a radio show on the city’s rail history Saturday, March 28, at the History Center, 183 Main St. Sharing stories included, from right, author Jim Louden, Mongiello, Fred Lewis, Michael Ross and Joe Campbell. The segment will be broadcast on WOUW, SUNY Oneonta’s radio station.
Marist Dean To Join Hartwick As Provost
Michael G. Tannenbaum, dean of Marist College’s School of Science and a professor of biology, will join Hartwick College July 1 as provost, the chief academic officer. With 25 years’ experience in higher education, he will oversee the implementation of Hartwick’s innovative three-year bachelor’s degree program. Before Marist, he had taught biology at Truman State University, Marshall University, Colorado State and Clemson. A native of New York City, he received his bachelor’s from Cornell and Ph.D. from Clemson.
Hartwick Commemorates Dr. Wandersee
Hartwick College will celebrate the memory of Dr. Winifred D. Wandersee with a two-day celebration of women’s history in her honor Friday-Saturday, April 3-4. Washington Post reporter Kristin Downey will deliver a keynoter, “Frances Perkins: Her Continuing Legacy,” at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Stack Lounge, Deward Union. Saturday, a series of student and faculty presentations are planned in Golisano Hall. Wandersee, who died of cancer in 1994, was the first woman elected Hartwick faculty chair, and also served on Oneonta’s Common Council.
ON DEAN’S LIST: Local students on Hartwick College’s Dean’s List for the fall include: Catherine Weigel, Milford, daughter of Diane and Michael Weigel; Justin Pederson, Gilbertsville, son of Jeffrey and Laurie Pedersen; Gabrielle Dello, Mount Upton, daughter of Alice Dello and John Dello; Patrick Zieno, Bainbridge, son of David and Rebecca Zieno; Allison Desmettre, Unadilla, daughter of Robin Ahearn and Alan Desmettre; Kristie Sowle, Franklin; Ben Tomaino, Oneonta, son of Maria Melo and James Tomaino.
TOP PROFESSOR: Philosophy professor Michael Green has won SUNY Oneonta’s 2009 Susan Sutton Smith Prize for Academic Excellence. He will deliver the 15th annual Susan Sutton Smith Lecture, “How Many Investment Bankers Can Dance with Dionysius on the Delta of a Derivative” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 24, at Morris Conference Center. Green is author of “How Do We Create a Philosophical Cosmos for Acting Socially and Being Happy? Four Strategies for Living in an Uncertain World (Hume, Aquinas, Swedenborg, and Kant).”
WIDE VISIBILITY: Dr. Bryan Evanczyk, Fox Hospital OB/GYN and Obstetrics/Pediatrics Division chair, and the hospital’s Maternity Department will be featured 9-10 a.m. Friday, April 15, on a national webcast exploring the administration of TDap vaccine.
TRAINED BY FBI: Lt. Jonathan Bartlett of SUNY Oneonta’s University Police graduated Friday, March 20, from the 236th session of the FBI National Academy Program in Quantico, Va.
