News Briefs: July 6, 2023

Group Beautifies Post Office

COOPERSTOWN—Following a suggestion by member Antoinette Kuzminski, the Community Garden Discussion Group partnered with Carefree Gardens to plant and mulch five hydrangeas in front of the Cooperstown Post Office on Monday, June 26. Formerly known as the Cooperstown Garden Discussion Group, the organization has more than 50 members and promotes local horticulture. It generally meets on the third Thursday of the month from April through December. The next Community Garden Discussion Group meeting, featuring a lecture on ginger cultivation, will be held at the Pierstown Grange at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 13. For more information, contact m.j.joeydier@gmail.com. (Photo by Wriley Nelson)

ONC BOCES Receives Rachael Ray Foundation Grant

GRAND GORGE—The Rachael Ray Foundation awarded the ONC BOCES’ Northern Catskills Occupational Center in Grand Gorge a $5,000.00 grant to support its ProStart culinary arts and restaurant management program. Culinary Arts Instructor Chef Jody Albano shared that she “love[s] seeing students get excited about something they create. Nothing is better than when students ask, ‘Can I take a picture?’ They want to share their dish/creation with friends and family on social media. Having students feel pride is an infectious feeling.”Grant funds will be used to purchase equipment such as mixers, pans, scales, molds, and other implements for the baking and pastry arts program. “The daily investment that ProStart educators make in their classroom as they teach and mentor the next generation of culinary and restaurant management leaders is extraordinary,” said Rachael Ray. “We are optimistic that these grants will give teachers some fresh opportunities to capture the imagination of their students and teach them why our industry is a place where they can build a career.” The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation estimates that this year’s Ray grants will benefit more than 3,500 students nationwide during the 2023-2024 school year.

Richfield Springs Park Concerts Are Now Underway

RICHFIELD SPRINGS—The Richfield Springs “Concerts in the Park” tradition will return this summer at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays in Spring Park on Route 20. The free concerts are sponsored by the Richfield Springs Area Chamber of Commerce. They are held rain or shine, either in the historic central bandstand or under the pavilion. The scheduled lineup is as follows: July 12, Dirt Road Express, country and 1950s/1960s classics; July 19, Helen’s Dixielanders, variety; July 26, The Nelson Brothers, classic country; August 2, The Oldies Show Band, 1950s-1970s; August 9, Double Chase-Matt and Thelma, variety; August 16, Saxalicious Sax Quartet; August 23, New Horizons Barbershop Chorus and Individual Quartets; August 30, Salt City Brass, variety.

Delhi Fair on the Square to Return

DELHI—The annual Delhi Fair on the Square celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The event began as a community fundraiser in 1973 after a major flood. Held in Courthouse Square from 5-9 p.m. each Friday in July, the fair features children’s activities, live music, local food and drink, and craft and artisan vendors. The first night, Friday, July 7, will feature a parade and fireworks at dusk. Although the full schedule has not been set, the annual soapbox derby will take place on Friday, July 28. For more information, visit the Delhi FOTS Facebook page.

Festival Offering Special Events

SPRINGFIELD—Glimmerglass Festival has announced two special summer events with world-famous artists. Multi-platinum-selling American singer-songwriter and producer Natalie Merchant will join Grammy-winning Glimmerglass Artist-in-Residence Anthony Roth Costanzo for a one-night world-premiere concert, “Cantico,” on Sunday, July 30. It will feature music from Merchant’s 40-year career as well as unreleased work and reimagined pieces. Jamie Bernstein, daughter of Leonard Bernstein, will return to Glimmerglass for the first time since 2018 on Tuesday, August 15. “A Candid Conversation with Jamie Bernstein” will explore the life and legacy of Leonard Bernstein, composer of “Candide,” and feature performances of his music by Glimmerglass Young Artists.

Soccer Board to Train Officials

ONEONTA—The Delaware-Otsego Soccer Board will hold classes for new officials for the upcoming fall high school season. They will begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11 in Morris Hall, SUNY Oneonta, and continue through August 1. To learn more or register, contact Rick Shaw at healthandsafety69@yahoo.com or (607) 437-5364.

Tickets for Bananas Game on Sale

COOPERSTOWN—The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will host the Savannah Bananas in a Banana Ball game on Saturday, September 16 at Doubleday Field. It will be the last contest of the Bananas’ 2023 world tour. The Savannah Bananas began play in the Coastal Plain League in 2016 before launching Banana Ball, which is played under modified rules, in 2020. Banana Ball features a two-hour time limit, no stepping out of the batter’s box or mound visits and no bunting, as well as an out when a fan catches a batted foul ball. The team has sold out every game at Grayson Stadium in Savannah for six straight years. At Doubleday, the Bananas will face off against their rivals, the Party Animals. The Bananas and Party Animals rosters will be filled by independent professional players who have been scouted, tried out, and signed contracts for the 2023 Banana Ball World Tour. Tickets are available for Cooperstown-area fans beginning July 3 and for HoF members on July 5. They are limited to four per customer. Tickets will be available to the general public on July 17.