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.
|
|
Table of Contents
Town Board Meeting, Saturday, August 13, 2022
From The Supervisor's Desk
Solar Report
Short Term Rental Working Group
Celebrating Copake's History: Town Hall Exhibit
Covid Test Kits
Farmer's Market
Columbia County Climate Carnival
Golf Tournament
Grange Events
Music in the Park
Memorial Bricks
Copake Falls Day
Winds in the Wilderness
Community Harvest Festival
Copake History
Roeliff Jansen Historical Society
What's Happening at the Library
Copake Outdoors
Eco Tips for Healthy Living
Dementia Conversations
NYS Department of Public Service
|
|
August Town Board Meeting is Saturday, August 13
Every year, the August Copake Town Board meeting is at 9:00am on the second Saturday of August. This year the meeting will be on August 13.
The meeting will be followed by the grand opening of the new exhibit: “Celebrating Copake’s History: A Town Hall Exhibit.”
|
|
From The Supervisor's Desk
It’s Summer and Copake is Busy
We are back to requiring masks in Town Hall, and with the number of cases we were
hearing about, we went remote for our July town board meeting. But that has not slowed
down progress in Copake. Highlights from the July meeting follow:
Highway Superintendent Bill Gregory reported on the paving of the parking lot at the
Park Building. This project, which is being paid for with surplus funds from 2021,
improved the lot, which had never been paved. To increase accessibility, the town
expanded the paved area in front of the Park Building so that drivers can drop off
passengers; there is also now a paved path to the side door. The town has increased the number of handicapped parking spaces adjacent to the building.
The grand opening of a new, permanent historic exhibit in Copake Town Hall is
scheduled for Saturday, August 13, 2022 at 11:30am. “Celebrating Copake’s History: A
Town Hall Exhibit” is the culmination of over two years of work by a very dedicated
team. See below in this newsletter for details.
The town board announced the appointment of a Short Term Rental Working Group.
This is an important effort. More details to follow in an article below. The public should know what an enthusiastic response we had to our call for members. The board interviewed eleven Copake residents who expressed interest. Every single applicant was qualified, and there were several new faces in the group. We tried to appoint a group which reflected a range of perspectives, and it was refreshing to see so many people willing to volunteer their time.
Councilman Stosh Gansowski reported that the generators are installed at both the
Town Hall and Park Building. The town will use ARPA funds to help pay for these
improvements.
Finally, I reported on two Copake-related resolutions passed by the Columbia County
Board of Supervisors at their July meeting. First, accepting the town board’s nomination
of Cara Boyle to represent the Town of Copake on the Columbia County Environmental
Management Council. The county appointed Ms. Boyle, and we give congratulations
and thanks to Cara.
Second, the Board of Supervisors approved the distribution of mortgage tax monies
collected for the first six months of 2022. Copake will receive $148,714.61, which is the
highest amount being distributed to any town in the county.
All good news. Enjoy the summer.
Jeanne E. Mettler
|
|
Solar Update
At present, Hecate’s siting application remains “incomplete,” as deemed by the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES).
ORES issued a “Notice of Incomplete Application” on May 9, one week after the ad hoc “Working Group” — supporters and opponents of Shepherd’s Run, public interest groups (Columbia Land Conservancy and Scenic Hudson), volunteer landscape architects and people from Cornell — pointed out to ORES that the application Hecate had filed was missing important, required information. Hecate quickly responded to the Working Group’s complaint to ORES by submitting 84 additional items to be filed with the application. Even this wasn’t enough.
Unfortunately, we have little reason to believe that ORES will balance the state’s renewable energy goals with the adverse impacts of a utility-size power plant on the character and environment of Copake. Under New York law, ORES can override the requirements and objectives Copake’s Zoning Code, Farmland Protection Law and Comprehensive Plan if their provisions are “unduly burdensome.” Given its decisions in other cases, we are very concerned that ORES will waive Copake’s local laws based solely on Hecate’s request and representations, and without even considering what the town has to say — namely, that our local laws are critical to protecting Copake’s rural and agricultural character.
Recently, Hecate sent Copakeans a “Dear Neighbor” letter. The letter tried to establish Hecate as a community partner collaborating with the Working Group to improve the Shepherd’s Run proposal. It ticks off a short list of actual project improvements: reducing the size from 480 to 220 acres “inside the fence” (it’s actually 228 acres and a total of 255 acres that will be permanently disturbed by the project); eliminating battery storage; and using wildlife-friendly fencing instead of chain-link fencing. Indeed, a reader could well believe that Hecate, Copake and the Working Group are largely in agreement, working together in Kumbaya-like harmony. However, what the letter actually does is present a set of, to use a phrase much in vogue these days, “alternative facts.”
The ad hoc group worked very hard, and made a series of smart, forward-thinking recommendations to improve Shepherd’s Run. Contrary to Hecate’s claims, it has not integrated most of the recommendations into its still-incomplete application. Our attorneys conducted a comprehensive review of Hecate’s application and submitted to ORES and Hecate the results, which clearly demonstrate that Hecate has chosen not to adopt the vast majority of the recommendations. To give you two examples: one of the Working Group’s truly visionary recommendations called for the creation of a 300-acre community-accessible Greenspace to screen many of the solar arrays and turn Shepherd’s Run from an eyesore into a tourist attraction. This recommendation is not included in Hecate’s application. Also, the Working Group recommended financial compensation for homeowners with properties that would be most directly impacted by Shepherd’s Run. This too is missing from Hecate’s application.
We will post our analysis of Hecate’s response to each of the Working Group’s recommendations on the Town of Copake website. The Copake Town Board commends the Working Group for its efforts, supports its recommendations and urges Hecate to adopt them all.
Richard Wolf
Deputy Supervisor
|
|
Short-Term Rental Working Group is Appointed
After completing extensive interviews with numerous candidates, the Copake Town Board has announced the appointment of five individuals to serve as members of the town’s Short-Term Rental Working Group.
The members will be: Signe Adam, Karen Agnifilo, Lindsay LeBrecht, Janice Nelson and Jay Schiff.
The newly constituted working group is charged with reviewing Copake’s current law, as
well as the laws of other Columbia County towns. A fairly recent study showed that
Copake had more short-term rentals than any other town in the county. The town board
has asked the working group to assess any issues or problems presented by this fact,
and to also consider any benefits brought to the town by the existence of these rental
units. The group will gather input from the public and report back to the board with
recommendations within the next three or four months.
Supervisor Mettler said at the Thursday night meeting that the town board does not
have an “agenda.” “This is simply our attempt to find out how, or whether, the town
should be taking any steps with regard to STRs. We are eager to hear what the
working group suggests.”
Supervisor Mettler appointed board members Richard Wolf and Stosh Gansowski to
serve as liaisons to the group.
|
|
“Celebrating Copake’s History: A Town Hall Exhibit” Opens to the Public on August 13
On Saturday, August 13 at 11:30am, Copake's nearly 200-year history will come alive in the Copake Town Hall.
Following a short ceremony outside the town hall, the public will be admitted inside to view a beautiful 24-panel exhibit. This exhibit, which has been over two years in the making, is the work of a three-person committee appointed by the town board in early 2020. The committee is comprised of Town Historian Howard Blue; Copake artist Nick Fritsch, and past Town Clerk Vana Hotaling. The texts for the panels are the work of Howard Blue. Mr. Blue also contributed numerous photographs. Mr. Fritsch spent countless hours in designing and creating the panels.
The exhibit, which will be permanent, was funded by a generous grant from Rheinstrom Hill Community Foundation and additional financing from the Bank of Greene County.
The panels, which are newly installed in the hallways of the town hall, include photos and text covering a wide range of topics in the town's history. One panel depicts the 18th century story, "How Five Kidnapped Germans Became Some of Copake’s Founders." Another one tells of the arrest of Hudson Valley anti-rent movement leader Dr. Smith Boughton after an incident with the county sheriff in Copake. He was given a life sentence.
Other panels tell of Bash Bish Falls, ice harvesting, the beloved, but sad-fated Copake movie theater, the town’s elementary schools, and the origin of the Copake Memorial Clock. Panels feature former postmaster and coach Howard McGee; former Craryville resident Carroll Rheinstrom, "The Man Who Sold Superman to the World;” and Elinor Mettler, the founder and publisher of the Roe Jan Independent newspaper. One panel is provocatively titled, "Winston Churchill, the Battle between the Monitor and the Merrimack, and Copake.” Churchill probably never visited Copake, but he did make a profound comment about a historic event interestingly linked to Copake.
The grand opening will also feature the public’s first opportunity to view two original artworks which are on loan to the town from Mr. Fritsch and will hang in the courtroom. The paintings are “First Town Meeting 1824,” a painting of the house where the first Copake Town Meeting was held on April 4, 1824, and “Depot,” which is a painting of the railroad depot at the intersection of County Route 7A and Route 22.
Also on view in the courtroom will be enlarged postcards depicting Copake landscapes. These were contributed to the town by Robert Callahan. The committee has also hung works by William Clark Vreeland and Donna Louise Vreeland in the Rheinstrom Conference Room.
The entire exhibit can be viewed during the town hall's normal hours: Monday – Thursday 8:00am to 4:00pm and Saturdays, 9am until noon. Large groups may also request to view the exhibit on selected weekend afternoons in August by special appointment. To make an appointment, email Town Historian Howard Blue in advance at Copaketownhistorian@gmail.com.
Masks are currently required for entry into Town Hall.
|
|
Expiration Dates on some COVID Test Kits are Extended
The Copake Town Clerk’s office has been distributing “At-Home” COVID test kits throughout the spring.
At this point, the town still has a limited number of tests available to citizens, but the expiration dates on some of the boxes have passed.
We have been advised by Director of Emergency Management David Harrison that the
expiration dates have been extended by the FDA and that up-to-date information is
available from the FDA website. To check to see if the expiration of a test kit has been
The list of test kits and relevant information is at the bottom of the page.
|
|
Shop Local and Fresh at the Farmers Market
The Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market is going strong every Saturday from 9am-1pm at the Roe Jan Park!
Drawing from vendors in Copake -- Yonderview Farmhouse, Hamlet Hound, Bash Bish Honey, and Taconic Trading -- Hillsdale, Claverack, Philmont, Ancram, Chatham and beyond, your local fresh market remains a terrific source for healthy and handmade foods.
You can shop for produce, plants, meat/poultry/cured meats, eggs, cheese, baked goods, beer/wine/spirits, coffee, honey, maple syrup, jams/jellies, prepared food, pesto, pickles, and a variety of specialty items such as spiced pumpkin seeds, natural body care, bitters, lemonade, breakfast sandwiches, and gluten-free products. There is also a wonderful array of local artisans each week.
Notably, CHFM not only accepts but doubles your SNAP (food stamps). This is an important part of the market’s mission, as they believe healthy food should be available to all. They also accept other assistance programs like Fresh Connect, Double Up, and Farmers Nutrition Program.
With a spacious layout inside Roe Jan Park, ample parking (including handicapped), umbrella tables, live music, hand washing station, weekly artisan crafters, and kids' programming partnered with the Roe Jan Community Library, you and your leashed dog can make the Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market a very special weekly visit.
|
|
Golf Tournament to Benefit Roe Jan Library
The annual Roeliff Jansen Community Library Benefit Golf Tournament will be held Sunday, July 17 at Undermountain Golf Course in Copake.
Two-person teams will compete in a dual shotgun, 18-hole scramble, with the top prize being a round of golf for four at Copake Country Club. Prizes will be given for men’s, women’s and mixed teams and for closest-to-the-pin. Even those not playing in the tournament can participate in the putting contest any time during the day, for donation of $5.
The entry fee of $85 per person, or $70 for Undermountain members, includes 18 holes of golf, homemade breakfast goodies, snacks and a chicken BBQ after the tournament. Non-golfers may attend the BBQ for $25. Carts are available for $10 per person and must be booked in advance. A portion of every entry fee will be donated to the operating fund for the Roe Jan Community Library.
“This is a popular event and many golfers return each year to participate,” said Library Board of Trustees President Pat Placona. “Playing at Undermountain is fun because the course is suitable for both experienced and less experienced players. Plus, the setting is beautiful.”
Entry forms for the tournament are available at rhttps://www.roejanlibrary.org/fundraising-events, at the library, and at the course and must be received by July 10. On the 24th golfers should register at 8 am for the 8:30 am tee off. For more information contact Undermountain Golf Course at (518) 329-4444.
Undermountain Golf Course is at 274 Undermountain Road in Copake.
Roeliff Jansen Community Library, which is chartered to serve Ancram, Copake and Hillsdale, is located at 9091 Route 22, approximately one mile south of the traffic light at the intersection of Routes 22 and 23. For information on hours and events, call 518 325-4101 or visit the library’s website at roejanlibrary.org, on Facebook at facebook.com/roejanlibrary, or on Instagram at instagram.com/roejanlibrary/.
|
|
Getting ready for the Sunday July 17 Roe Jan Community Library Benefit Golf Tournament at Undermountain Golf Course, Trish MacArthur, General Manager of the course, met with tournament chair Jed Luchow to discuss details while golfers practiced their putting in preparation for the tournament. |
|
Grange Events
Sunday, July 24, 5:30-7:30pm - Potluck Picnic. Celebrate summer’s bounty with a potluck picnic. Bring your favorite dish to share. Indoor seating and outdoors, weather permitting. We will provide water and lemonade, but feel free to bring your own beverage - BYOB. Please sign-up for what you will bring on our website
|
|
Friday, Aug. 5 and Sept. 2, 7-9pm - Open Mic Night. LIVE and IN-PERSON! Live open mic is on and it’s great! Come on down to the Grange and join us with your instruments, songs, poems, stories, skits, etc. We have a piano. Masks are suggested except when performing. For more information, contact copakegrange@gmail.com.
|
|
Saturday, Sept. 10 - Ice Cream Social and Square Dance. Mark your calendar and
stay tuned for details for this fun, traditional Grange event!
The Grange is located at 628 Empire Rd.
|
|
Winds in the Wilderness Presents Summer Concert
The local chamber music group Winds in the Wilderness will present a concert on Sunday, August 28 at 3pm at the Church of St. John in the Wilderness in Copake Falls.
The musicians, led by Sharon Powers, flute, will play both jazz and classical works by
Guiseppe Torelli, John Myers, William Grant Still, Claude Bolling, Duke Ellington and
others. The performers include long-time members Judith Danker, oboe; Ronald
Gorevic, violin, viola; Pete Toigo, bass; John Myers, guitar; and guest musician Allan
Dean, trumpet.
The concert will be held outdoors, weather permitting, indoors if raining. Current COVID
regulations will be observed. The recommended donation is $15 for adults; children
and students are free. There will be a reception following to concert to meet the artists
and friends.
St. John in the Wilderness is located at 261 Route 344, Copake Falls, NY 12516
For more information go to windsinthewildernessconcerts.org or email
windsinthewildernessconcerts@gmail.com
|
|
Community Harvest Festival in September:
Food and Drink, Live Music, and a Silent Auction
The historic Church of St. John In The Wilderness will hold its 2022 Community Harvest Festival on Saturday, September 17, 5:00-7:30pm at its beautiful property in Copake Falls, NY.
The event is open to the public and will feature food and drink, live music with Broadway composer Jim Wann and Friends, and a silent auction. Tickets are $75 general admission and $25 for those 12 and under and can be purchased online at https://stjohnw.org/event/community-harvest-festival/.
Jim Wann, best known for “Pump Boys and Dinettes,” a Tony Nominee for Best Musical, will host a program of American Songbook Standards and Irish Traditional Music led by Robbie Haldane, a craftsman who is also creating a new accessible church entrance from local granite. “We look forward to playing and singing outdoors in mid-September” said Mr. Wann. “Robbie plays melodeon and pennywhistle, and the standards will be played on guitar and clarinet (John Myers) and upright bass (Pete Toigo). We might throw in a rockabilly tune just for Pete.” The music is appropriate for all ages.
Dinner will be served buffet-style, and attendees can sit at tables under the big tent. Everything needed for a beautiful fall meal will be provided. Wendy Langlois and her team will be preparing the menu.
Guests will have an opportunity to bid on many silent auction items. Gift certificates to local restaurants and shops, vacations, artwork and food and wine baskets are just some of the items that are expected. Interested in contributing to the auction? Contact Patricia Wann at
All proceeds from this fundraising event will help preserve the historic grounds, graveyard, rectory and church, designed by Richard Upjohn, founding President of the American Institute of Architects in 1857.
The Church of St. John in the Wilderness is located at 261 NY-344, Copake Falls, NY.
Rain date - Saturday, September 24. For more information, contact Jim or Patricia Wann by emailing pjwann23@gmail.com.
|
|
Copake History
The Jensen Family and their Mountain View Inn - Part II
as told by Marilyn Brewster
[The June 2022 installment introduced us to the late Marilyn Brewster’s grandparents, Axel and Mary (Miskell) Jensen, who immigrated from Denmark. This is part 2 of an ongoing series about the Jensens and the Mountain View Inn (in its heyday) on Mountain View Rd.]
Grandpa was an accomplished chef. He previously taught cooking at a girls' school and was also a chef/cook at Matawan Correctional Facility, as well as chef for the executives of Chase National Bank. His career must have been financially rewarding to allow him to raise such a large family and still be able to fulfill his dream. He did all the cooking and baking at the inn. He must have been good, as folks kept coming back.
His kitchen was large (in my child's view, it was huge!). There was a long table/counter where he did his food preparation and a monstrous black stove used for his cooking and baking. I've been told that he didn't like people coming into his kitchen when he was working. There was one exception - ME. I was the first and only grandchild for a few years and as such, received special privileges. I don't recall ever being turned away. One of my fondest memories is of a visit to his kitchen where I found him decorating a beautiful big cake. He lifted me up, sat me on the counter top, raised my left arm and began making birds and flowers out of his icing tube on my arm, covering the area from my shoulder to my fingertips. When he finished, he put me back on my feet, patted my shoulder and said, "Go and play now.” The scene is so vivid in my mind that it seems as if it happened only yesterday. When I think of it, I still feel the warmth and love of that episode.
At the far end of the kitchen there was access to the icehouse, where large blocks of ice were kept in readiness during the hot summer months, for what I don't know, since there were other sources of refrigeration. However, it was a great place for me to pretend that I was going to the North Pole looking for that fella who wears the red suit with the white furry trim around Christmas time.
On the other side of the kitchen was the doorway to the breakfast and refrigerator storage area. There were at least three oversized compartments to the refrigerators lined against the inside wall. On top of them, Grandma kept two or three canary cages, (probably not allowable by the Department of Health these days). There was a small table near the window on the opposite side of the room where we ate breakfast each morning. It was a bright room, had a great view of the grounds to tempt me outdoors, and as soon as Grandma took the covers off the cages, we had canaries chirping in the background. What a way to start a day!
Passing through the breakfast room, one would come to the family dining/sitting area where we ate our big meal of the day. In addition to a large table and several chairs, there were also a couple of comfortable ones where Grandma and I would sit and listen to the radio in the evenings. You have probably seen the type, wood with a tall gothic shape. We didn't have TV or computers to entertain us in those days, but we always could find something to do: play cards, board games, read, tell stories or just chat. On Sunday nights, Grandma especially liked to listen to the Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen program, followed by the soprano Vivian Dellachiasa (sic). While listening, Grandma and I would devour a big dish of ice cream. I'm sure that began my love affair with ice cream. No wonder I've had to diet all these years. An interesting coincidence happened many years later. Around 1966, I was transferred to the New York Telephone Co. Business Office in Huntington on Long Island, NY. A new representative, Sigrid McNair, was assigned to my unit. In getting acquainted, I found out that she had been Ms. Dellachiasa's personal secretary. Small world!
I was a very active child and as a result, would often be a restless sleeper. I still am. If it were today's world, I would probably be diagnosed as having had attention deficit disorder, but there was no name for it way back then. One night Grandma came to find me sitting at the dining room table reading the Sunday funnies IN THE DARK! They said I was sleepwalking! They watched me very carefully after that night.
Another attraction for me was the telephone. It was a large oak wall phone with an ear piece mounted on a long cord to one side of the instrument and a mouthpiece in the front that could be raised or lowered (to accommodate "little people" (like me). On the other side was a handle to turn to signal the operator to place a call. There were eight parties on each line. You were signaled to answer by the number of rings, e.g. one short, one long; two short, one long and so on, until there were the necessary eight combos. Not being sure if it was your ring or not gave you a good excuse to eavesdrop. Local news, naturally, traveled fast in those days. The operator's switchboard was in her home, which was located near the pharmacy in town. She (or someone else) was on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Must have been a light sleeper!
There were two doorways leading from the sitting room. One led to the pantry, where all the dishes (white), glassware (amber) and other utensils for the main dining room were stashed in cabinets on the inner wall. Large double sinks for washing the dining service were on the other side. Large windows were above the sinks providing lots of light and a nice view while doing a boring chore. Sometimes I was allowed to "do" the flatware but never anything breakable. All the food for the guest dining room was served from here. One thing that impressed me was how Aunt Eileen (Smith) was able to carry so many dishes at one time. She'd have one balanced on her left arm and one in each hand. I can't carry one cup of coffee across a room without spilling it!
The other doorway from the family dining/sitting area led to a stairway. Going to the right at the head of the stairs brought you to several small bedrooms used by family when the inn was filled. Otherwise, we could occupy any vacant guest bedroom. Straight ahead was a cluster of baths used by all. I remember my favorite was the largest one. It held a claw foot tub and had white bead boarding around the walls. A large window was covered with filmy white curtains.
That about covers the family part of the Mountain View House. Coming soon: the more public part of the inn.
Howard Blue
|
|
Books for Sale at the "Friends"
The Friends of the RoeJan Community Library bookshop will be open every Saturday through Labor Day from 10am until 2pm. A wonderful selection of books is available.
|
|
What’s Happening at the Library?
Thursdays, 9:00-10:00am
Senior Balance and Strength Class. Dr. Paul Spector is leading his popular Balance and Strength Class on Zoom. These classes introduce exercises that improve postural stability, core strength, spatial body awareness, sensory integration, agility and coordination. For more details, including login information, please visit our website at www.roejanlibrary.org/adult-programs/.
|
|
Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Farm Market Kids. Join Tia at the Copake-Hillsdale Farmers Market all summer long, from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend, for stories and activities. Children will also have an opportunity to learn about the food we grow and eat and earn the opportunity to go shopping on their own at the Farmers Market!
|
Thursday Afternoons, 12 - 8pm
Lego Club. Join us every Thursday for an afternoon filled with Legos and fun in our Children’s Room. Check with us on social media for our weekly themes!
|
First Thursdays, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Memoir Writing Group. Do you have stories to write? Are you writing a memoir, or have you been thinking about writing one? Would you like to pass your stories to a wider audience or to your friends and family? Come join the Roe Jan Memoir Group every month and share your story in a supportive, creative atmosphere and get inspired to keep writing. Whether you have reams of pages already written or have just an inkling of an idea, this is the place to stretch your storytelling muscles, together. This group will meet the first Thursday of each month beginning June 2.
|
Every Saturday from May 28th through September 3rd, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Friends of the Library Bookstore OPEN. Lower Level of the Library. Masks required.
For updates, follow our Instagram @roejanfriendsbookshop or @roejanlibrary.
|
Monday, July 11, 11:00am – 4:00 p.m.
Monthly on the second Monday.
Health Care Navigator Appointments. A Navigator from the Healthcare Consortium will be available the second Monday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Navigators can assist individuals and families in Columbia and Greene Counties with shopping for, comparing, and enrolling in quality, affordable health insurance, including Medicaid, Child Health Plus and the Essential Plan, through the New York State of Health Official Health Plan Marketplace. Navigators can also assist with applying for financial assistance to help pay for coverage. Navigator services are free of charge. You can make an appointment by calling (518) 822-9600.
|
Saturday, July 16, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Columbia County Climate Carnival. Can finding solutions to climate change be…fun?? It can if you make it into a “carnival” for the community. The inaugural Columbia County Climate Carnival will be held at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham, NY. Admission is FREE. The Columbia County Libraries Association will have a booth with information on how libraries help promote sustainability and activities for kids. This is a Columbia County event, put on by the Climate Smart Communities Task Force and organized by a committee of volunteers in several towns across the county, from both public and private organizations.
|
Sunday, July 17, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
Roeliff Jansen Community Library Benefit Golf Tournament. Support the Roe Jan Library while enjoying a day of golf at the Undermountain Golf Course. Included 2-person scramble; men, women, and mixed; putting contest and more. Don't golf? You can still enjoy a BBQ dinner. For information call 518-329-4444 or email service@undermountaingolf.com.
|
Thursday, July 21, 6:00 p.m.
Trivia Night at Roe Jan Brewing. Join us for our second trivia night at the Roe Jan Brewery--this time with the theme of Books to Movies! Reserve a table by calling 518-303-8080.
|
Sunday, July 31, 3:00 p.m.
Concert: Kris Jensen & Co. Come out on Sunday, July 31, for another in the Roeliff Jansen Community Library's summer concert series. Savor the scenic views from Roeliff Jansen Park, in Copake, NY, while enjoying an afternoon of American songbook jazz by Kris Jensen & Co. Kris will be accompanied by Linda Ransom on vocals, Matt Dwonszyk on bass, and special guest Larry Ham on piano. This concert will be at the Hilltop Barn, Roe Jan Park, across the street from the Library, on Sunday, July 31, at 3:00 PM.
This program is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature and administered in Columbia County by the Greene County Council on the Arts dba Create Council for the Arts.
Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs.
|
Saturday, August 6, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Summer Reading Finale: Storycrafters: Oceans of Possibility. Come celebrate the end of summer and all of your fantastic reading well done with a storytime performance by Storycrafters. Enjoy wonder-filled, wave-making folktales about the possibilities and potentials hidden in every-day life.
|
Sunday, August 14, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Roe Jan Library Community Picnic. Come celebrate summer at the Roe Jan Library Community Picnic--featuring free food, games, music, and a program by Birds of Prey.
|
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, August 14 at
9am.
The outing this month is a walk at one of the Columbia Land Conservancy conservation
areas: Hand Hollow Conservation Area. There are three miles of flat trails through both
forests and open meadows. You might see beavers or a great blue heron! It’s easy
walking and the outing will be about two hours.
There are two entrances to Hand Hollow; we will use the Beaver Byway entrance,
which is located at 4079 County Rd. 9, East Chatham, NY 12060. For more information
and to get directions, go to:
and
Meet at 9am at Hand Hollow. Please RSVP if you can. If you would like to be on the
|
Eco Tips for Healthy Living
Let Your Lawn Go Natural
Lawns come in many shapes and sizes, but lawn care routines often focus on eliminating so-called “weeds” and creating a “perfect” look. In fact, when we create
monoculture lawns - one or two types of grass - we waste time, money and energy and contribute to environmental degradation. Every year, about 3 million tons of synthetic
lawn fertilizers and 70 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides are used on lawns.
Approximately 40-60% of this ends up in lakes, rivers and groundwater, poisoning
fish and other aquatic creatures, not to mention the water we drink. These chemicals
are also released into the air we breathe and are one of the top sources of climate change.
Maybe it’s time to go natural! A natural lawn is one that is maintained without synthetic
fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. It is one that contains a variety of native grasses, herbs and wildflowers. Native grasses and plants can withstand extreme temperatures, which are more frequent now, due to climate change. Eliminating the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides allows beneficial microbes and earthworms to live and do their job of creating more organic matter, which feeds and aerates your lawn and retains moisture. If you let your grass grow a bit taller (around 3 inches) the roots can grow deeper, giving the grass more access to water.
Here are some beneficial plants that will thrive in your lawn if you let them.
*Violets and red clover attract butterflies and bees
*Bugleweed attracts ladybugs
*Pennyroyal attracts hoverflies
*Thyme draws parasitic wasps
Pollinators are essential for producing our food and for the reproduction process of many plants. Predators and parasitic wasps help get rid of damaging insects.
Many insects become food for toads, spiders and birds.
So, try letting your lawn go natural this summer and enjoy the wildlife and the dandelions (the greens are tasty and have lots of minerals)!
|
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.
|
Contact
Copake Town Hall
230 Mountain View Road
Copake, NY 518-329-1234
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
