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Greetings from Copake
Copake Connection is an online newsletter brought to you by the Town of Copake. This newsletter will publicize community events throughout the Town of Copake and will be published once a month, on the 15th of the month. The editor is Roberta Roll. All submissions should be sent to roberta.roll@gmail.com no later than the 10th of the month. The newsletter will be distributed to anyone who wishes to subscribe. Simply click the mailing list icon below.
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Table of Contents
From the Supervisor's Desk
Solar Update
Chairman's Proclamation
Slow Down
Leash Law
Copake Bicentennial
Copake Summer Park
Zoning Board of Appeals
Conservation Advisory Committee
Pomeroy Family Railroad
Roeliff Jansen Historical Society
St. John in the Wilderness Father's Day Plant and Bake Sale
Grange Events
Copake History
What's Happening at the Library
Copake Outdoors
Farmers Market
Music in the Park
NYS Internet Access Survey
K.I.S.S.
Red Cross Blood Drive
Memorial Bricks
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From the Supervisor's Desk
Three Towns Join Forces to Revive Copake Rapid Care
At our May town board meeting, I informed the board that I had heard the rumor that Columbia Memorial Health was leaving its Copake location. To be clear, CMH had closed the doors of Copake Rapid Care late in 2022, but I thought we were still discussing its reopening. Now the word on the street was that CMH was closing the primary care office on Mountain View Rd. and abandoning their Copake location completely.
On May 17 we had a meeting at the Copake Town Hall with the executive team of CMH: CEO Dr. Dorothy Urshel, CFO Bryan Mahoney, CMO Cliff Belden, MD, and Ron Pope DO, VP of Medical Care centers. Also in attendance at our invitation was President of the CMH Board of Trustees, Kirk Kneller, and Ancram resident and CMH trustee Hila Richardson. Both have been in our corner as we advocate for the reopening of Copake Rapid Care.
In order to make our case on May 17, we had a three-town coalition. Deputy Supervisor Richard Wolf and I represented our town board and were joined by Tom Goldsworthy, Chair of the Copake Economic Development Advisory Committee and Roberta Roll, Chair of the former Copake Hamlet Revitalization Task Force. Ancram was represented by town board member Amy Gold, and Hillsdale was represented by Deputy Supervisor Tom Carty.
Also at the table were local stakeholders: from the Clausson Raught Community Rescue Squad, Rus Davis, President of the Board; Peter Doty, Operations Supervisor and JoAnn Doty, Secretary. From the Copake Fire Company, Randi Shadic Deputy Fire Chief and Rus Davis, also a Copake Fire District Commissioner, were in attendance.
Tom Goldsworthy presented a compelling PowerPoint which, among other things, made the point that there are no doctors or healthcare facilities in the Roe Jan area or on the eastern side of Columbia County. The closest hospitals are a half-hour away. The demographics show that 14,729 people live within 10 miles of Copake. This represents 25% of Columbia County’s population. The median age is 54, and 40% are over the age of 60. In addition to our permanent population, we have a large transient population. As many as 278,000 people visit the Taconic State Park annually. Catamount has 125,000 visitors a year. The entire Roe Jan area has many second homeowners; Copake has numerous camps, and with over 150 short-term rentals, the highest number of short-term rentals in the county.
Since that initial meeting with CMH, representatives of the three towns have met with Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Didi Barrett. On Tuesday, June 6 we had a second meeting with the executive team of CMH. They have invited us back to another meeting at the end of the month.
Hillsdale Supervisor Chris Kersten and Ancram board member Bonnie Hundt have joined us for these later meetings. We have a strong coalition and our position has been consistent. CMH does not have any facilities east of the Taconic Parkway, and the Roe Jan area is a healthcare desert. Between our permanent population and year-round visitors, the Roe Jan area could certainly support a rapid care facility. Prior to the pandemic Copake Rapid Care broke even in two out of four years. There is certainly a dire need for healthcare here, and a facility with proper management, consistent hours and effective marketing could thrive.
We have not reached any resolution yet, but we have been told by Senator Hinchey that there is money in the budget to support healthcare. She will be meeting with CMH later this month and we hope that their conversations will be productive. We have also been told that Assemblymember Didi Barrett will meet with CMH this week.
None of us are giving up on this cause. We will get back to you as the situation unfolds.
Jeanne E. Mettler
Copake Supervisor
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Solar Report
The next step in Hecate Energy’s ongoing effort get the NYS Office of Renewable Energy (“ORES”) to deem its application to build a 60-megawatt solar factory in Craryville “complete” should happen near the end of this month.
That is when Hecate’s response to ORES’ third “Notice of Incomplete Application” is due, unless the developer seeks an extension and ORES agrees. Once Hecate’s response is filed, ORES has 60 days to make a completeness determination. Should the application be deemed complete, ORES would have one year to grant a siting permit for Shepherd’s Run or to decide to deny Hecate its permit.
One thing is clear: we have gotten ORES’ attention. Among the many deficiencies ORES directed Hecate to address in its upcoming fourth submission are these:
* the Taghkanic Headwaters Conservation Plan — how would a 265 acre solar factory affect the Conservation Plans goals to “protect forests for clean water and wildlife while meeting the needs of local communities and landowners?” What could Hecate do to mitigate the damage Shepherd’s Run might cause?
* the proposed screening is inadequate; ORES made specific reference to routes commonly used by bicyclists, “both local and bicycle tourists visiting the town.”
* ORES demands information about the history of the Rasweiler farm (formerly Niver farm), presumably pertaining to the presence of Native Americans on the farm.
ORES also wants more specificity from Hecate on other areas of concern:
* it is inadequate to offer conclusory statements that Hecate’s consultants have determined that proposed access roads comply with town code requirements — Hecate must present evidence to prove it.
* same demand regarding proving compliance with the “substantive requirements of Chapter 135 (including applicable requirements for elevation and floodproofing) of the Copake code while meeting town solar law height requirements and other applicable local law requirements.”
* details about proximity to wetlands and potential impacts.
* impacts of taking almost 200 acres of land used in agricultural production for Shepherd’s Run; and many, many questions about Hecate’s requests for waivers of local laws.
Copake, five other upstate, rural towns, and seven not-for-profits recently learned that our appeal in a lawsuit challenging the ORES regulations was denied. No town funds were used in our effort to get the regulations, which were written by Hecate’s consultant, tossed out.
Finally, we’ve heard that Hecate’s project manager for the Shepherd’s Run proposal has been replaced. It’s another indication of Hecate’s unwillingness to engage with the town that the new project manager has not reached out to us. Hecate is not the community partner it claimed it would be.
Richard Wolf
Copake Deputy Supervisor
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Chairman's Proclamation
At the request of Chairman Matt Murell, the following Proclamation was read by Supervisor Jeanne Mettler at the June 14 Board of Supervisors meeting:
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Slow Down, You Move Too Fast
Last year Copake purchased two radar signs - signs which reflect the speed of the oncoming car. If you are going too fast, you get a digital reprimand. This year we budgeted for and purchased four more signs. They are transient; you will see them popping up all over town as the highway department moves them from place to place.
Especially in the summer, motorists on local roads have to navigate past cyclists and pedestrians. A reminder: runners should run and pedestrians should walk on the left side of the road, facing oncoming traffic. Bicyclists should travel in the same direction of vehicular traffic, keeping to the right side of the road. It is alarming how many walkers stroll down the middle of the road. Back roads don’t have sidewalks but NYS law tells you where you should walk.
It is not just pedestrians or cyclists whose lives are in danger when cars speed. Deer, woodchucks, chipmunks, birds, and turtles cross country roads in search of food, and water, and to travel through their habitat.
Without much success, the town board has made repeated requests to DOT for lower speed limits. The town is still waiting to hear if DOT will lower the speed limit between the hamlet of Copake and the hamlet of West Copake.
But in the meantime, can we all just “make the morning last”?
(With credits to 59th Street Bridge Song- Simon and Garfunkel- released 1966, Album “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme”. Listen here: Feeling Groovy)
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There is a Leash Law in Copake
There is a Leash Law in Copake. Recently there have been some complaints regarding dogs off the leash, but our Dog Control Officer, Kyle Miller has not been alerted to these instances.
At the June Town Board meeting, the board discussed this issue and agreed that more signage on the Rail Trail may help stem these violations of the leash law. The town will be erecting more signs.
In the meantime, however, Mr. Miller cannot address these issues unless he is notified. If you see a dog off the leash, please call him at 845-407-1367. The penalties for violation of the leash law can be a fine not to exceed $250 or incarceration up to 15 days, or both.
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Copake Bicentennial Gets a Boost from Rheinstrom Hill
The Town of Copake has been promised a contribution of $30,000 from Rheinstrom Hill Community Foundation, to be used to support the town's bicentennial celebration. The generous contribution will be paid in two installments; the town received $15,000 in May and the balance will be paid in 2024.
The Bicentennial Committee, appointed by the town and chaired by Kellie Nardin, is planning a year-long celebration of its 200th anniversary. The celebration is expected to begin with a ceremony in Town Hall in April 2024. Other planned events include the showing of an original play by Carl Ritchie, commemorating the town's first meeting, a "Come Home to Copake" picnic in July 2024, and a parade picnic and fireworks display in August 2024.
At the June Town Board meeting, the board acknowledged the very generous contribution from Rheinstrom Hill. The pledge was made in response to a letter of application which can be read here.
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Copake Park Summer Program is Back
The 2023 Park Season will run from July 5th through August 11th
COPAKE RESIDENTS ($100 per camper or $250 per family)
Registration Runs from May 13th – June 24th
OUT OF TOWN RESIDENTS ($175 per camper or $350 per family)
*If space is available* Registration Runs from June 3rd – June 24th
Applications can be found here or our Facebook Page. All applications must be turned in at the Town Hall.
TO SUCCESSFULLY ENROLL A CAMPER, YOU NEED THE FOLLOWING:
1. Application form filled out and signed
2. Copy of Recent Physical (within the last 18 months from the start of the 2023 program)
3. Payment made
4. Application turned in to the Town Hall no later than return date indicated
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CAC Seeks Members
The Town Board of the Town of Copake will be accepting letters of interest and resumes for the following position(s):
The Copake Conservation Advisory Committee (CAC) is looking for two new members. Members should have a strong interest in the mission of the Committee, the time and willingness to work on CAC tasks, and the ability to work cooperatively with municipal agencies and community organizations. A background in the environmental sciences, forestry, conservation management, planning, or engineering would be helpful, but an eagerness to learn is equally valuable.
Please send letters/resumes by noon on June 28, 2023 to Lynn Connolly, Town Clerk, 230 Mountain View Rd., Copake, NY 12516 or by email to copaketownclerk@townofcopake.org
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ZBA Needs Alternate Member
If you would like to get more involved with town government and town matters, Copake has an opening for you.
The Town Board of the Town of Copake will be accepting letters of interest and resumes for the following position:
Alternate Member needed for the Zoning Board of Appeals
Please send letters of interest/resumes by NOON on June 20, 2023 to Lynn Connolly, Town Clerk, 230 Mountain View Rd., Copake, NY 12516 or email copaketownclerk@townofcopake.org.
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Inaugural Run of the Pomeroy Family Railroad at the Iron Works
Friends of Taconic State Park called “all aboard” on Wednesday afternoon, June 7 at the Copake Iron Works Historic Site, as the community celebrated the grand opening and inaugural run of the Pomeroy Family Railroad. About 150 enthusiastic supporters cheered as the “General Seth” left the station with its first passengers. Enjoying the first ride were NYS Park Commissioner Erik Kulleseid, Bill Pomeroy, Founding President of the Pomeroy Foundation, and Copake Town Supervisor Jeanne Mettler, all of whom spoke during the opening ceremonies.
Built entirely with volunteer labor and private funds, the Pomeroy Family Railroad at Taconic State Park runs on a 950-foot loop. The engine pulls two retrofitted ore carts to carry passengers. The rail line replicates the narrow-gauge railroad that transported iron ore from the nearby mine to the blast furnace at the Copake Iron Works during the 19th century. The railroad is expected to attract many visitors and educate them about the area’s rich industrial heritage. It operates Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October.
In her remarks at the opening ceremony, Supervisor Mettler said, "Copake has not seen a train pass through town since 1972, so we are very excited to see the arrival of the Pomeroy Family Railroad in Copake Falls. This has been a labor of love on the part of Friends of Taconic State Park and we applaud them for their efforts. We know that the railroad will be a great tourist attraction for the town, and residents and visitors alike will delight in this newest addition to the Copake Iron Works. I cannot thank this community enough for all you have done to make this project a reality.”
The Pomeroy Family Railroad is the only full-scale railroad operating in all of New York State’s 180 parks. Friends of Taconic State Park built it entirely with private funding to showcase the historic Copake Iron Works and its Visitor Center, Museum, and Blast Furnace. The completion of construction of the Pomeroy Family Railroad was made possible by a significant contribution from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.
The Pomeroy family has a special connection to the Copake Iron Works: their ancestor, Lemuel Pomeroy, founded the Copake Iron Works in 1845. Lemuel and family members are buried in the nearby cemetery of the Church of St. John in the Wilderness in Copake Falls. In addition to the Pomeroy Family Railroad, several individual components, including the engine and passenger cars, are named for ancestors of the Pomeroy family. Interpretative signage recently installed at the site will inform visitors of the important Pomeroy family history.
About Friends of Taconic State Park
Friends of Taconic State Park was established in 2008 to support cultural, recreational and educational activities within the park, with the preservation of the Copake Iron Works National Heritage Area Site its priority. The group has implemented a 20-year plan to create a pre-eminent iron-making historic site and a national destination for tourists in Copake Falls. The Copake Iron Works Visitor Center features a video documentary chronicling the history of the site and an extensively interpreted trail from the Copake Iron Works to Bash Bish Falls, for which trail maps are available. To learn more about Friends of Taconic State Park, visit www.FriendsofTSP.org or email info@friendsoftsp.org.
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Roeliff Jansen Historical Society
The Roeliff Jansen Historical Society Presents
The First 40: A Celebration of Local History Preserved
This summer marks the 40th anniversary of the dedication of the restored Old Copake Falls Church as the home of The Roeliff Jansen Historical Society & Museum. Their summer exhibit will open on July 15.
RJHS’s mission to preserve the past for future generations is highlighted through a treasure trove of artifacts, documents, and objects from the Copake Iron Works, the hamlet of Copake Falls, the Harlem Railroad, and many new and rarely-seen items from the Society's collection.
The exhibit also chronicles the preservation of sites and traditions central to the history of our five member towns: Ancram's paper mill, Copake's Memorial Clock, Gallatin's venerable Vedder Church, the Pulver family legacy in Hillsdale, and the legendary basket makers of Taghkanic.
Open Saturdays and Sundays 2 - 4pm, from July 15 to October 15.
The Roeliff Jansen Historical Society is located at 8 Miles Road, Copake Falls, NY.
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Father’s Day Plant and Bake Sale
St. John in the Wilderness will hold its third annual Father’s Day Plant and Bake Sale on Sunday, June 18, from 2 to 4pm.
Many kinds of plants will be on sale, including perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetable seedlings, shrubs, and ferns. Perennials include, coneflowers, hellebores, bleeding heart, ligularia, feverfew, astilbe, celandine wood poppy and heuchera. Featured will be colorful hanging baskets filled with annual plants for either sun or shade. Delicious baked goodies will also be on sale.
The Church of St. John in the Wilderness is located at 261 State Route 344 in Copake Falls, on the road to Bash Bish Falls.
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Grange Events
Sunday, June 25, 11am - 2pm - Third Annual Cupcake Celebration. A sweet event! The cupcakes are creative, confectionary masterpieces, and what’s more…they are delicious. All cupcakes are for sale, and prizes will be awarded, including one for the Ultimate Copake Cupcake. Organized by Friends of Copake Grange and sponsored by Kirk Kneller Insurance and Scot Cohen Realty.
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Friday, July 7, 7-9pm - Open Mic Night. Live open mic is on and it’s great! The first Friday of every month. Come on down to the Grange and join us with your instruments, songs, poems, stories, skits, etc. Or just come to relax, have fun and be inspired. We have a piano. For more information, contact copakegrange@gmail.com.
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Saturday, July 22, 6pm - Special 120th Anniversary Dinner. Celebrating the Grange’s 120th Anniversary. Tickets and more information will be available soon via the website copakegrange.org
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Saturday, Sept. 9, 5pm - Ice Cream Social and Square Dance. This popular event has a special theme this year - we are celebrating our 120th Anniversary! Live square dance caller, music, ice cream, food, and lots of fun. Tickets will be available via the website and at the door. More details coming soon. Save the date!
During the summer, Grange events are fewer in number, since there is so much going on in the area during the summer months. However, our first Friday of the month open mics will continue. Stay tuned for more events, including movies, plays, and music starting in September!
For more information about the Grange and events or to join, go to copakegrange.org. The Copake Grange is located at 628 Empire Rd., Copake, NY 12516.
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Copake History
Joe Michaluk’s Memories of the Farm in the Spring
[My late friend, Mike Barbera, a teacher, used to joke about Long Island kids who maybe thought milk was manufactured and then put into milk cartons. For many of them, farming was an alien universe. Below, Joe recalls spring vegetable planting and raising chickens. HB]
My first memories of baby chicks go back to about age 5. We used brooding hens to incubate eggs in the spring. The nests were bushel baskets filled with straw. About a half dozen eggs were placed in the nest, and a chicken was added. To ensure that she stayed on the nest, a peach basket was inverted over the chicken. She was fed and watered twice a day, and after what would seem like an awfully long time, chicks hatched. Then, surrogate mother and chicks were set free in a building. Beware when you go to feed them or put out water for them. The old hens had sharp beaks and defended their "offspring" ferociously! By mid-July the roosters provided the main ingredients for chicken soup dinners, exceptionally tender and tasty meat as well.
After a few years of this routine, we bought chicks from Montgomery Wards. They were shipped 100 to a box and came by Railway Express. The station agent put a slip in your post office mailbox notifying you of arrival. Then we discovered Fingar farms south of Hudson. They hatched their own, and had a huge flock of adults, egg layers. Great advantage to stop by, pick up chicks that were sorted by sex, see that they were all healthy, and bring them home the same day. In those later years, we always bought 100 chicks each year. By the time the young ones were old enough to start laying eggs, the previous generation had gone to chicken heaven via the soup pot! We always had a surplus of eggs, and they were sold to the store in Copake where we got our groceries. The money derived belonged to my mom. My dad always joked that this was a 100% profit, no overhead enterprise. The cost of the baby chicks, all the chickpea feed, and corn came out of farm funds. Not a penny of the expenses came out of my mom's little black change purse.
I don't ever remember seeing a source for tomato plants. I'm sure there were big greenhouses somewhere, but not in our neck of the woods. My mom would buy all of her seeds during the late February banking/shopping trip to Hudson. Back then seed packets (Burpees ) were 5 cents each. When you opened them, you could see SEEDS, not something that looked like a bit of dust in a corner of the packet! At the beginning of March, tomatoes, cabbage, and peppers were sown in wooden "flats." These were simple wooden boxes, about 12" by 24" by 3". Immediately after sowing, the soil was watered very gently and covered with a damp cloth. Then they went under the kitchen stove, a nice warm place. They came out to be watered each day and were covered over with the damp cloth to retain moisture, and [went] back under the stove.
After a time, a big surprise: the seeds had germinated and were being pushed up out of the soil by a fragile green stem. No more germination under the stove. The seed flats went on top of the treadle sewing machine in front of a kitchen window. The seed hulls soon fell off and were replaced by two tiny, green leaves. By now, it had gotten warm enough outside so there was no danger of the seedlings freezing in the kitchen overnight. My mother had a unique technique for spraying these seedlings. A mouthful of water and a big lungful of air were expelled simultaneously through pursed lips. Not a dainty operation, but very effective.
When the seedlings reached the height of about 1 1/2”, it was time to transplant. We had a "hot bed" or "cold frame" in back of the house. This was the next stop for the little plants. First, about a foot of the old soil was removed from the bed and a layer of horse manure added, then covered with about 4"- 6" of the previously excavated soil. As the manure decomposed, it produced heat that kept the hot bed warm. The little seedlings that now had their second set of leaves were transplanted about 3 inches apart and watered. The hot bed was covered with an old window sash at night, uncovered during the mild days of May.
The next stage happened when the young plants were about 4" high and all possibility of overnight frost had passed. We had nice, neat rows of tomatoes, cabbage and peppers. The plants appeared in the garden, courtesy of the whole family. Carrot, bean, string bean, pole bean and cucumber seeds went directly into the ground, as did onion seeds and onion sets. Peas had been sown earlier. The onion seeds produced tiny onions by seasons and the onion sets for next year's crop.
Since there was no running water in the house until we got electricity in 1938, watering the new plants was done with a bucket every day before supper. I was the “waterboy." Come to think about it, sillcocks and garden hoses were foreign objects until after I left for Parris Island! Dad was 66 by that time and decided that he could afford to buy some garden hose and have Nick put in a sillcock for him.
One half of the garden was occupied by Dad's vineyard of Concord grapes. In late September, these and others growing around the house, produced approximately 150 gallons of wine. A story for another time. . .
Anyway, in between the rows of grapevines, we planted our potatoes and sweet corn. We always bought about a bushel of seed potatoes. The first step was cutting the seed potatoes, an operation my dad trusted to no one but himself. The ideal situation is to have at least two, and no more than three, “eyes” on each piece of seed potato. More than this would be a waste, less would run the risk of not producing a viable plant. They would be placed with the “eyes” up, about 30” apart in a furrow made in the prepared ground. As they grew, they were “held up” [hilled up] to ensure that the growing tubers were not exposed to the sun. Sun exposure produced green potato skins and were uneatable. Of course, weeds also got your attention when you were hilling the rows.
[I’m curious. How many of you who are reading this grew up on a farm? If you did please send me a short email with a few words about it. Thanks. Howard Blue copaketownhistorian@gmail.com
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What’s Happening at the Library?
On Display at the Library:
Art Exhibition by R J Rosegarten. The Roeliff Jansen Community Library is delighted to present new work by local artist R J Rosegarten in an exhibition entitled, “Ring Around a Rosegarten.” Mr. Rosegarten’s work recombines and revitalizes the past by assembling familiar, unrelated objects into three-dimensional art, breathing new and whimsical life and meaning into them. The mixed-media compositions in Rosegarten’s new exhibition reflects fascinations he’s had with individual objects at different times and places in his 25-year career.
Rosegarten and his wife, Doreen Rappaport, author of 85 children’s and young adult books, have been full-time residents of Columbia County for 23 years. Rosegarten’s work has been exhibited in galleries in the Berkshires, Columbia County, Long Island, and Maine. The exhibit will run through June 30.
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Thursday, June 15, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Books Marks! Book Club. Join our nonfiction book club, Book Marks!, led by Circulation Librarian Robin Gottlieb. Meets the 3rd Thursday of every month.
For June we are reading An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realm Around Us by Ed Yong (June 2022). Copies available through the Mid-Hudson Library System, Libby, and Hoopla. Email circulation@roejanlibrary.org for more information.
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Saturday, June 17, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.
Cookbook Club. Join our Cookbook Club led by Outreach Library Associate, Fran Colombo. Meets the 3rd Saturday of the month. For our June 17th meeting, we will be preparing any recipe by Marcella Hazan, no specific cookbook required. If you would like to join, email outreach@roejanlibrary.org to find out more information.
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Monday, June 19
Library Closed. The library will be closed in observance of Juneteenth.
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Thursday, June 22, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Tea Time at the Library. Who couldn't use a little tea and conversation? Join us for discussion, crafts, guest speakers, and local brews from Harney and Sons Tea. This month join seasoned travelers Julie Gardinier and Eric Martin for some traveling advice.
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Tuesday, July 4
Library Closed. The library will be closed in observance of Independence Day.
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Wednesday, July 5, 5:30 p.m.
Roe Jan Writers Series: J. Mae Barizo. Hillsdale author J. Mae Barizo will read from and discuss her new book of poetry, Tender Machines.
J. Mae Barizo is a poet, essayist, and multidisciplinary artist. She is the author of two books of poetry, The Cumulus Effect (Four Way Books, 2015) and Tender Machines (Tupelo Press, 2023). Her book of hybrid essays on John Cage and the poetics of sound was a finalist for the Megaphone Prize and the Graywolf Nonfiction Prize. She is also the recipient of fellowships and awards from Bennington College, Mellon Foundation, Critical Minded, Jerome Foundation and Poets House. Recent writing appears in Poetry, Ploughshares, Esquire, Los Angeles Review of Books, Paris Review Daily, Boston Review, BookForum, among others. She is on the MFA faculty of The New School and lives in New York City and Hillsdale.
Spanning two decades, the poems in Tender Machines are set against the backdrop of changing landscapes—post 9-11 Manhattan, Manila, northern Mojave desert—as Barizo considers love and disaster, its impetus and aftermath.
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Tuesdays, July 11, 18, & 25
Write that Story Writing Workshop. The three-session workshop will introduce the participants to the craft and wonder of kickstarting a memoir, short story, novel, or series of poems. Storytelling and writing begins with a life experience or something in the real world that fascinates and inspires the writer. The three sessions are designed to exercise creative writing muscles through immersion in inventive storytelling. There will be close readings of literary fiction, in-class, and weekly assignments from writing prompts that use memoir, fables, visual imagery, poetry, and science to inspire stories that move from a propelling event that incites action through to a surprising resolution. In three sessions the students will have the beginning and scaffolding for the stories they have a burning desire to write.
Emily Rubin’s novel STALINA was a winner in the Amazon Debut Novel Award Contest and was published by Mariner Books in 2011. Rubin’s fiction and essays have appeared in the Red Rock Review, Confrontations, NY Observer, IceFloe Press, Poets & Writers, All the Restaurants in NY, and LitBreak among others. Rubin runs Write Treatment Writing Workshops for people affected by cancer at Mount Sinai Cancer Centers in NYC. She received a BA from Bard College and an MFA in creative writing from the Writer’s Foundry of St. Joseph’s College. For more about Emily, go to www.emilyrubin.net.
This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a program of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and administered in Columbia County by the Columbia County Council on the Arts dba CREATE Council for the Arts.
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Thursday, July 13, 1:00 p.m.
Octagon Club. Are you in or approaching your 80s and looking for a fun and engaging way to share your life experiences with others? Join our library group for lively conversations and camaraderie with fellow seniors! Our group provides a relaxed and welcoming environment for sharing stories, memories, and laughter.
Come join us and be a part of our vibrant community of seniors! Contact us today to learn more about our library group and how to get involved at outreach@roejanlibrary.org.
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Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.
Playtime with Tia. We are remixing our Circle Time with Tia into Playtime with Tia!
Preschoolers and their families are invited to join Tia in the Children's Room to socialize and play! Each week, a special craft will be provided.
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Thursdays, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Qigong & Tai Chi at the Library. Qigong and Tai Chi are approaches to movement that have been practiced for hundreds of years and are particularly helpful for dealing with stress, limited ability to move, those wishing to develop better balance and flexibility, and they can be practiced by nearly everyone, young and old. Although Tai Chi is generally practiced standing, Qigong can be modified to allow participants to be seated.
This weekly drop-in class, open to all, will be taught by David Haines, who has been a practitioner of Qigong, Tai Chi, and mindful movement for 50 years, a teacher for 40 years, and a certified Trager Movement practitioner for 35 years. Since moving into the area in 2006 he has taught at Omega Institute, Simon's Rock college, Columbia-Greene Community College, as well as various libraries, senior centers, and school district community education classes. Classes will be in the Roe Jan Library Community Room or outdoors, weather permitting. Wear comfortable clothes.
This project is supported by a grant from the Fund for Columbia County of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
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Thursdays, 3:30–5:00 p.m.
Chess Club. Chess Club is here at Roe Jan Library! We have boards but feel free to bring your own. For beginners and pros. All ages welcome. Learn how to play or challenge a neighbor! Drop-ins welcome!
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Thursdays, 6:00–7:30 p.m.
English-Language Tutoring by Appointment. Free English-language tutoring will be available between 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. by appointment on Thursday evenings. This tutoring program is intended primarily for adults. Instruction will be one-on-one or in small groups with Yvonne Acevedo and will be geared toward everyday conversational needs. Free childcare will be provided for children ages 3 and up. Please e-mail director@roejanlibrary.org or call 518-325-4101 to schedule an appointment.
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Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Farm Market Kids. All summer long join Tia at the Copake-Hillsdale Farmers Market for stories and crafts! Kids will learn about vegetables, farming, and their local community!
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Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Friends of Roe Jan Library Bookshop Open
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First Saturday of the Month
RJCL Monthly Prose Writers Group: Writers Wanted! Writing can be an isolating experience. This peer-led prose writers group meets on the first Saturday of the month on Zoom. The group is a safe environment that offers support and feedback to writers of all levels working on fiction, non-fiction, memoir, essay and the occasional Haiku. The next meeting will be July 1st.
If you would like to be part of a supportive and helpful writers group, contact Regina Colangelo
at 914-954-3494.
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Copake Outdoors
Copake Outdoors, the local group dedicated to having fun hiking, biking, kayaking and swimming in and around Copake, will have its next outing on Sunday, July 2 at 9:30am at Guilder Pond at the Mt. Everett State Reservation in Mt. Washington, MA.
They will meet at 9:30am at the base of the road to Guilder Pond, just off East Street. There is a sign marking the entrance that says Mt. Everett State Reservation. It’s about a 20-minute walk up the dirt road and a fairly easy 30-40 minute hike around the pond, with a few narrow, rocky places. The Appalachian Trail section has some moderately steep sections, depending on how far the group wants to go. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and bring poles if you need them.
For more information and maps, go to:
Photo caption: Copake Outdoors at Jug End Reservation
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If you wish to submit an article or notice regarding a community event taking place in the Town of Copake to the Copake Connection, please e-mail: thecopakeconnection@gmail.com. All submissions should be received by us by noon on the 10th of the month.
For more and current information on Meetings in Copake and events throughout the Roe Jan area, go to the Copake Website.
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Contact
Copake Town Hall
230 Mountain View Road
Copake, NY 518-329-1234
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