Category Archives: Community Events

About the Bald

Posted on May 26, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Just a brief update on my soon to be bald head, and my ongoing efforts to make it more about children’s cancer research and less about me getting a haircut.

Oh, who am I kidding, this is a personal blog. It’s about me getting a haircut. I don’t really know much about what’s being done in the field of cancer research. I haven’t even read in great detail the links of “where the money goes” on the St. Baldrick’s Day website. I’m just trusting that it is a nationally known organization and they know what they’re doing.

People have been very generous. I’ve had contributions through the website as well as checks and cash given to me. No donation too small! Actually they’ve ranged from two to fifty dollars, although I’ve still never gotten over that uncomfortable feeling that I don’t like to ask people for money.

Yesterday at work, a young man hollered at me as he went by, “Eight more days!” He’s practically bald himself right now, but he’s thinking of growing his hair out just to get it shaved for St. Baldrick’s. Isn’t that delightful? I’ve inspired the younger generation (or do I flatter myself?).

In the meantime, I’m also feeling a little bit guilty about how much I’m looking forward to the shave. My hair is driving me crazy! The longer it gets, the harder it is to manage. I can’t wear it down and it won’t stay up. As it gets hotter, a ponytail isn’t good enough; I want it off my neck. All those little wispy things around my face make me want to SCREAM!

So I guess I am not a very good cancer research fundraiser. I don’t like asking people for money, and I want my head shaved for my own petty comfort and convenience. When you look at it that way, I’m a pretty low creature. Nevertheless, if any of you lovely blog readers would like to make a donation to fight children’s cancer, here is a website: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/642777/2013.

I’m still wondering how I can post a picture of the bald me after June 2.

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Books and Blooms

Posted on May 23, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

On Saturday Steven only worked till two, so we were both able to check out the Books and Blooms fundraiser at the Herkimer County Humane Society. Knowing we would encounter dog lovers there, we took our schnoodle Tabby.

The first things we saw were some lovely hanging baskets, but I was more interested in another perennial. Two years ago I had purchased a Black-eyed Susan at the Humane Society. It has been blooming ever since. Of course I love my container garden, but how delightful it is to have things come up every year.

A nice lady told us all about the various plants they had: what needed more sunlight, what did well in partial shade. We debated a little, but then I wanted to pick out books before I decided which bloom.

You know me and books. It didn’t take long for me to gather an armful. Then I picked the plant I liked best. Its name escapes me as I write this, but I’ll be able to check before I type it into the computer. It wasn’t one I was familiar with, and it wasn’t in bloom so that will be a nice surprise for me when it does.

Steven and I are always happy to support the Humane Society. When it also enhances my garden and my library, what’s not to like? For more information on the Herkimer County Humane Society, you can visit their website at http://www.herkhumane.org/ or you can like them on Facebook. They post lots of cool animal pictures.

NOTE: The plant I purchased was Coreopsis Route 66. I know I only could have edited the above paragraph to include that, but I thought it was kind of funny that I couldn’t remember what I bought.

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“Dirty Work” for a Good Cause

Posted on May 18, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I would like to use today’s post to give a brief shout-out to Habitat for Humanity

Habitat bills itself as a hand up not a hand out. They build homes for deserving, needy families. The families work on the homes as well.

I first encountered the group up north, many years ago when I was in Kiwanis. A member of a neighboring Kiwanis Club also worked with Habitat and saw first hand what a different it makes in the lives of recipients.

At the request of another friend, I participated in a Raquette Valley Habitat for Humanity fundraiser. All I had to do was go bowling. The money I paid to bowl went to Habitat. I know with these bowl-a-thons (not that we bowled that many games), participants usually go around and get people to sponsor them per pin. With my bowling average (if you can call it an average as seldom as I bowl), that could hardly have raised much. Also, my circle of acquaintance at the time was very limited. Anybody I could have asked had probably already been asked or was bowling themselves.

The other knowledge I have of Habitat is that there is a Habitat home near a relative I see one or two times a year. The home has been there for a number of years now and looks just as beautiful as when it was brand new. I see real pride of ownership in such a well kept property.

I write about Habitat for Humanity, because last night they held a fundraiser in conjunction with Ilion Little Theatre (ILT). We put on our play Dirty Work at the Crossroads. They paid our group a set amount to cover our royalties and expenses, then sold tickets to their supporters.

It is a definite win/win situation. Win for ILT because those Habitat people are the BEST audience! They are ready to be pleased. They laughed at all the jokes. They applauded long and loud at the end. They all told us how much they enjoyed the show.

I may try to get more involved with Habitat for Humanity. I think that would be a very good project for Mohawk Valley Girl.

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Bald-Faced Begging

Posted on May 10, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I believe I mentioned my intention to shave my head at a St. Baldrick’s Day event June 2 in Richfield Springs, NY. I thought I’d better start doing something about raising some money for it, or else it might look as if I was just trying to sleaze a free haircut.

I’ve gotten a few donations on my donor web page through StBaldricks.org. I shared it on Facebook, and friends and family helped. Next I decided to hit up some of my work buddies and acquaintances. Armed with my donation envelope the St. Baldrick’s people had sent me, I steeled myself to beg.

In an earlier post I talked about how I HATE asking people for money. I must say, I hate it even more than I remember hating it. It’s not the sort of thing that once I start doing it I feel better about it and keep going. I find that it is just as embarrassing as I had feared it would be and feel even more hesitant to approach the next person.

It isn’t that people are rude. Most people are very nice. It turns out, though, that Monday was the wrong day to pick to start. See, payday at my workplace is Thursday. By Monday most people are broke. My main problem now is to determine when “Ask me again on payday” means just that and when it means “I don’t want to give you any money but don’t feel I can just say no.”

Some people reached into their pockets and gave me a couple of bucks. Others caught me later and handed me a donation. One fellow reminded me to ask him again Friday morning.

In short, I am slowly gaining enough donations so I won’t look foolish in front of the other bald people on June 2. If any of you lovely readers would like to help the cause (um, the cause is actually children’s cancer research, not Cindy not being embarrassed), here is a link to my donor page: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/642777/2013. Perhaps by the time I’m actually bald, I will have learned how to post a picture. Stay tuned!

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The Boxy Purse

Posted on May 8, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

One of my stops on Saturday was a rummage sale at Christ Episcopal Church in Herkimer, NY. This is where I go to when I attend church, so I knew the ladies working. It’s always a pleasure to do business with friends.

I was ostensibly looking for one or two more items needed for the play we’re doing, but I got kind of absorbed in looking at the books. I found a few I wouldn’t mind reading.

My other purchase was an extremely silly one: a purse shaped like a box. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with buying an unusual purse, especially as I have a minor collection. But I laughed at my reason.

You see, many years ago, when the Seaway Valley Footlighters, our community theatre group up north, did Harvey, one actress was searching high and low for a “boxy” purse, such as the one carried by Grace Kelly in Rear Window. It was not really a big deal, and the character made do with the purse we found. Still, all involved agreed that a boxy purse would have been ideal.

“So what?” you might say. “Maybe you’ll do Harvey again sometime. Now you have the boxy purse.”

In fact, Ilion Little Theatre did do Harvey last year (I believe I may have written a blog post or two about it). Now that I think about it, I don’t believe the term “boxy purse” ever arose. The character in question certainly did not carry one.

Well, I suppose one never knows when an unusual purse might come in handy. Besides, it was dollar a bag day. I helped the rummage sale ladies get rid of some stuff.

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Fun at the Bazaar

Posted on May 7, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I had a number of things I was “supposed” to get done on Saturday. Nevertheless, I took the time to check out the Mohawk Valley Spring Bazaar at the Herkimer County Fairgrounds in Frankfort, NY.

Frankfort is one of those handily located villages right near Herkimer, and the fairgrounds are right on the edge of Frankfort, so getting there was no problem. Parking was clearly labeled and plentiful. Parking and admission to the event were free.

I could hear music playing as I got out of my vehicle and made my way to the main building. Some people just inside the door offered me a free ticket to put in for a door prize. I wrote my name and number on it and dropped it into the can next to a box of flavored olive oil. I love olive oil. I proceeded to the vendor tables.

What a lot of tables there were! Not so overwhelming you couldn’t get to them all, but I could have spent a lot longer than I did.

I admired some beautiful jewelry at several tables, had a nice chat with the maple syrup lady, and discovered Evil Sisters clothing (cue speculation on whether I have evil sisters or am one). I also found the flavored oils and purchased some roasted garlic olive oil. Yum! I picked up a lot of business cards, so I intend to check out a few websites and write at greater length about a few of these businesses. However, this is my Week of Lame, so I merely give a brief overview for now.

On my way out I talked to the people who had given me the door prize ticket. The event was organized by Team Janice for Relay for Life. I was so impressed for one team to do such an area-encompassing event. I congratulated them on it and thanked them. I feel it is a real service to the community to put on an event like this, especially with free admission. It not only gives people something different to do, it introduces them to local businesses of which they may not have been aware.

I certainly mean to patronize some of the businesses I talked to. It was also a good introduction to a Relay for Life team. I don’t know much about Relay for Life, but I am always noticing where this team or that team is having a fundraiser. I intend to check more of them out. An excellent resource for blog posts for Mohawk Valley Girl.

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Bald Update

Posted on April 28, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I believe I mentioned in a previous post that I have signed up for a St. Baldrick’s Day event in Richfield Springs, NY, on June 2. I’m going to let them shave my head, and I’m supposed to ask people to donate money to help fight children’s cancer.

And there, as they say, is the rub (actually,I think only Hamlet ever said that; the rest of us would probably say “there’s the problem” or “here’s the thing”) (but I digress). I HATE asking people for money! I am a terrible salesperson. I never won a prize for selling the most Girl Scout cookies (this was back in the day when people were not so nutsy-kookoo about Girl Scout cookies) (and when did Girl Scout cookies become such a big thing? That might rate another blog post) (again, I digress).

Wow, lots of digressions in only two paragraphs. It’s because I’m gearing up to post the link to my St. Baldrick’s Day donor website, to see if any of my lovely blog readers might like to make a contribution. Why in the world do I feel so self-conscious about this? I knew I was going to do it. People read my blog. People would like to cure cancer. Posting a way for people to donate is not that big a stretch. In fact, this is a great way to ask people to donate, because it is not face to face. If somebody doesn’t want to donate, they don’t even have to think of an excuse. What a great situation!

Which I will not encounter at work. I’ve been talking about how I am going to be bald and ask folks to donate, and many people have told me they would be glad to give me something. But I just hate the thought of going around with my little envelope and actually asking. I mentioned this to one co-worker. He had just bummed a ponytail holder from me, so it had come up in a conversation.

“I don’t mind getting my head shaved,” I said. “I just hate asking people for money.”

“Oh, I don’t mind asking people for money,” he replied. “I just don’t want to get my head shaved.”

I did not start out writing this post about my dithering over asking for donations. I was going to tell how I went to the website, because I knew there was a place where I could put something personal. I soon found “Message.” They had already put a generic one in: “I have answered the call to be a hero,” it started.

Good God, who would really say a thing like that? “I’m going to be a hero”? For heavens’ sake, it’s just a haircut! Well, you know computer un-savvy me. I had to click around for a while till I figured out how I could change that. Then I had to think of what to put. What I finally came up with at least sounded like something I would say. I may change it later (and probably write another blog post about it).

Be all that as it may, here is the website: http://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/642777/2013. 642777 is my donor number.

And, you know, now that I think about it, it’s Wrist to Forehead Sunday. Why should I not devote a post to dithering about something? I think once again, I may have backed into something appropriate.

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On With the Wine!

Posted on April 24, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Have I used that headline before? You know, I don’t think I have, and now that I look at it, it kinds of looks like the post is about how I spilled wine on myself. I did not. No matter.

When we last left our intrepid blogger (that’s me), I had obtained the correct location and time of the Crusader’s Wine Tasting Event in Herkimer, NY (I know I usually start that kind of sentence in the third person then switch, but I just wasn’t feeling it this morning). I was set for fun with friends.

Steven and I met the Mills (Jim, Phyllis and Kelly) in the VFW parking lot shortly after one. It is a very popular event; the parking lot was full. We had found a space on the street in the block before the building and grabbed it.

A group of ladies who looked about my age (middle) were on their way in and noticed a sign that said no one under 21 was permitted.

“I can’t go in,” one said.

“I’ll be 21 tomorrow,” another said.

“Just flirt with he guy at the door,” I suggested. “He’ll let you in.” It used to work in the ’80s. Um, not that I ever did such a thing.

When the Mills showed up, I found them a parking space in the lot across the street. I walked over, pointing to it. They were pleased with the “valet parking.”

Donation was $10. The paper had said the first ten people got a free wine glass. I suspect that was a typo, because we all got wine glasses and there were far more than ten people ahead of us. Naturally we got in on the 50/50 raffle. While Jim and Steven filled in our names and numbers, Phyllis, Kelly and I started sampling wine.

I love this event, because you find such a variety of wine makers, from professionals to professional-looking to gallon jugs with handwritten labels that look like something my Italian grandfather would have made (if he had made wine; Grandpa was more of a beer drinker) (but I know a fellow whose Italian grandfather makes great wine).

I had remembered to wear my lanyard with a wine glass holder, purchased at a previous Crusaders event from Bottom of the Barrel. This is a store in Oneida that sells wine making equipment and other fun accessories. I must make my way to Oneida sometime to visit their store for a blog post all their own.

Canal Side Inn from Little Falls was also represented. We sampled some delicious biscuits as well as pate on French bread. Another place for Mohawk Valley Girl to visit in the future.

I was especially pleased to see Domnhall Vineyards, Herkimer’s very own winery located on Shell’s Bush Road.

“When are you opening your tasting room?” I asked. “My sisters want to know!” The guy said he would be sure to advertise when he did. Phyllis told him how I had brought a bottle of his Baco Noir to her house and how much we had enjoyed it. We enjoyed a sample of that as well as his Vignole, which Phyllis liked even better.

The event also had a food table, which I sensibly visited several times. Steven bought tickets for the Chinese Auction (or are they called something different now?). I helped him pick a few things to try for.

Imagine my delight when I got a phone call shortly after we got home. I won the necklace and earrings from Weisser’s Jewelers! When we had put in the ticket for that one, I had shown the ladies at the table the anniversary ring Steven had purchased for me there. Weisser’s is located on North Main Street in Herkimer. I think that’s yet another subject for a future blog post.

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“Dirty” Update

Posted on April 19, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I seriously intended to write an update on how our play is coming along. Well, theatre people know, when you are working on a play, things get real busy, real fast. I spent my blog-writing time this morning working on a press release that Steven (the director and my husband, in case you didn’t know) started but got stuck on (see previous post about Writer’s Block, I suppose). In lieu of a regular post, I offer that release.

Enjoy an evening of romance, intrigue, music and mayhem when the Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) presents Dirty Work at the Crossroads, a gay ‘90s melodrama by Bill Johnson May 10, 11, 12, 17 and 18. Performances are at 8 p.m. May 10, 11, 17 and 18 with a 2 p.m. matinee on Mother’s Day. Tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for students.

Audiences can cheer the hero and boo the villain during a tear-jerking story in which, after many vicissitudes, good triumphs over evil. Like all 1890s melodramas, Dirty Work features extreme situations and an exaggerated acting style. At times the characters address the audience in an “aside,” unheard by others on stage. According to notes in the script, the play was adapted from a melodrama written in 1867. The original script featured many scene changes and far more actors.

“This script makes for a more ‘doable’ production without losing the flavor of an old melodrama,” says director Steven Quackenbush. “This kind of play is just a lot of fun to do and to watch.”

The production features several newcomers to the ILT stage as well as old favorites. Newcomers Stephanie Chimento and Chuck Carr play the innocent country lass and stalwart blacksmith’s son, whose idyllic romance is threatened by the machinations of the villainous Munro Murgatroyd, played by ILT veteran Ron Creighton. Murgatroyd is assisted by the viperish and vampish Ida Rhinegold, played by Julianne Allen, another ILT favorite. Newcomers to ILT also include Penny Zugner as the Widow Lovelace, Kayla Morrell as Leonie Asterbilt, Olivia Klein as Little Nell, and pianist Caroline Gardner. Jim Mills as Mookie Maguggins and Cynthia Quackenbush as Mrs. Upson Asterbilt round out the cast.

For more information on Ilion Little Theatre, you can visit their website at www.ilionlittletheatre.org.

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Lame Hair Anyways

Posted on March 24, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

My original headline was “I Might Be Bald,” but in fact, I don’t think there is a “might” about it: I intend to BE bald! This isn’t exactly a lame post either, but I missed Lame Post Friday (made a post, not too lame), and I like this headline better. So enough about that, on with the post.

Sometime in June, I intend to participate in a St. Baldrick’s Day event. St. Baldrick’s Foundation is an organization dedicated to raising money for children’s cancer. They have events in which participants get their heads shaved after hitting up friends, family and acquaintances for donations. They say it’s like a walkathon only without the blisters.

Usually when I mention my intention, somebody says, “Oh, you’re going to donate your hair?” No, they don’t make wigs. In fact, the last time I was growing my hair out, I checked out one of the wig making web sites, and it turned out they didn’t want grey hair. I got it cut that afternoon. I tell people that this is more along the lines of a solidarity thing: you lost your hair to cancer? I’ll be bald, too!

I think it’s a beautiful thing. I’m not saying I’ll be beautiful, but then again, maybe I will. Perhaps by then I will have learned to include photos in my blog and my readers can be the judge.

I went to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation website, www.StBaldricks.org, and looked at some possibilities. I liked one at the North Syracuse VFW June 16. My sister who lives in Liverpool would probably accompany me to that one, although I believe she would keep her hair. However, that’s Father’s Day, and I may have Dad plans. Then I saw one at Richfield Springs Community Center on June 2.

One may wonder why I do not try to participate in one at Utica College March 27. Closer in distance and time! As it happens, I’m in a play at Ilion Little Theatre in May. The director (my husband, in fact), would prefer I had hair at that time.

I will share more about my bald intentions when I have actually signed up for an event. In the meantime, I thought I’d put it out there. For one thing, the more I say I’m going to do it, the less wiggle room I have to back out. Me back out? Never! We’re going to have a bald Mohawk Valley Girl! Stay tuned!

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