Winter Wings: Birding for Children at Mohonk Preserve
Look, a birding program geared for kids! Just my speed! On Saturday, January 10 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., the Mohonk Preserve presents Winter Wings: Birding for Children. Intended for children ages 5 and up, participants will learn about adaptations that birds make for winter, how to use binoculars and tips on identifying birds.
This program is free, but space is limited and reservations are required to learn the program location. The workshop takes place indoors, with a possible brief outdoor portion. For more information or to register, call (845) 255-0919 or visit https://mohonkpreserve.org/events/winter-wings-birding-children.
Winter Wildlife Tracking for Families at Minnewaska
Here’s a home-run winter event for the family that provides some great skills for the winter months. This Saturday, January 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Minnewaska State Park Preserve hosts Winter Wildlife Tracking for Families, which includes an introduction to animal tracking, an introductory snowshoe hike and creating your own tracking guide to take home. This program is geared for families with children from 5 to 8 years. Registration is required, and participants should meet in the Peterskill area.
Minnewaska is located at 5281 Route 44/55 in Kerhonkson. For more information or to register, call (845) 255-0752 or visit https://nysparks.com/parks/127/details.aspx.
Cold-weather hiking tips at Borden’s Pond in Ghent
Whenever I wonder who in the world wants to hike when it’s this cold out, I am inevitably reminded by my friend Mark that this time of year is delightfully bug-free! Good point. So if you are interested in learning more about how to dress comfortably and safely for winter hiking, register for “The Tricks of Cold-Weather Hiking,” which takes place this Saturday, January 10 at 10 a.m. at the Borden’s Pond Conservation Area. Dress in layers and avoid cotton or jeans.
The Borden’s Pond Conservation Area is located at 1628 Route 203 in Ghent. For more information or to register, call (518) 392-5252 or visit https://clctrust.org/events/328/the-tricks-of-cold-weather-hiking.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11
Oblong Books in Rhinebeck presents Ilyasah Shabazz
“My goal is to empower future generations through understanding the world’s diverse cultures and historic civilizations,” declares Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz. Ilyasah Shabazz appears at Oblong Books & Music this Sunday, January 11 at 4 p.m. as part of Oblong’s Young Adult salon series. Her latest book, X: A Novel, follows the life of Malcolm X as a child to his shift to the faith that shaped his voice, his beliefs and his work.
Reservations are requested. Oblong Books & Music is located at 6422 Montgomery Street in Rhinebeck. For more information or to register, call (845) 876-0500 or visit www.oblongbooks.com/event/hudson-valley-ya-society-ilyasah-shabazz. To learn more about the author, advocate and activist, visit www.ilyasahshabazz.com.
MONDAY, JANUARY 12
Community Sing at Chatham Brewing
This series sounds like a blast for the 21+ crowd, so for those of you looking to reconnect with your college kids during the break, or for parents like me who miss singing in a chorus, head over to Chatham Brewing on Monday, January 12 from 7 to 9 p.m. for a Community Sing of rounds, open to all levels. The next Community Sing is slated for Monday, January 26, same time and place. Admission costs $10, and Chatham Brewing beers are available for purchase during each Sing event.
Chatham Brewing is located at 59 Main Street in Chatham. For more information about the Community Sing, call (518) 392-6121 or visit https://ps21chatham.org.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13
TMIdol Story Slam/Book Party at BSP in Kingston
If you’re looking to recharge your parenting batteries with a smart, fun evening, then it sounds like I’ll see you at the New York City in the Rear-View Mirror TMIdol Story Slam and Book Party this Tuesday, January 13 at 7 p.m. at BSP. Remember how much I enjoyed and recommended Sari Botton’s anthology, Goodbye to All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving New York? Botton recently published a follow-up essay anthology, Never Can Say Goodbye: Writers on Their Unshakable Love for New York, and this evening is a competition for storytellers to reflect on their own experiences of leaving New York. The event is hosted by the amazing Julie Novak; the competitors include Jay Blotcher, Sam Osterhout, Ben Obler, Katy Weber, Brian Macaluso, Holly George-Warren, Sara Eckel, Rachel Bailey, Michael Koegel and Nina Shengold; and the audience chooses the winner. I can’t wait!
Tickets cost $10 in advance, $15 at the door. BSP is located at 323 Wall Street in Kingston. For tickets or more information, visit www.tmiproject.org.
No Name-Calling Week student art show at FDR Library
Heads up that No Name-Calling Week takes place from Monday, January 19 to Friday, January 19 to 23 this year. Silence is seen as tacit approval of cruel or bullying behavior, and my favorite response to inappropriate talk or actions is simply to say, “Not cool.” That disruption alone can create a shift in the dynamic. I also like this website: www.thatsnotcool.com.
The Hudson Valley LGBTQ Center is helping to promote No Name-Calling Week and suggests a variety of resources to draw from, especially intended to share with young people in schools, but also applicable to folks who work with youth in clubs, teams, organizations et cetera. The week culminates with a Student Creative Expression Exhibit featuring work about kindness and speaking out against bullying by students from pre-K through high school.
The art will be displayed at the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Presidential Library from Sunday through Friday, February 22 to 26, with an opening reception on Monday, February 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. All are welcome. The FDR site is located at 4079 Albany Post Road/Route 9 in Hyde Park.
For more information about No Name-Calling Week or to submit work for the art show, call (845) 331-5300 or visit https://lgbtqcenter.org/no-name-calling-week-2015. For additional No Name-Calling Week Resources, visit https://glsen.org/nonamecallingweek/planning-resources.
Skate event for kids at Coppola’s in Hyde Park
Coppola’s rocks! Remember when I wrote about its specially trained staff to help learn how better to welcome and serve diners with autism, including picture menus and adaptive utensils? Here’s another example of its support for local families. On Sunday, January 18 from 4:45 to 7:15 p.m., the Relatives As Parents Program (RAPP) hosts a Legal Seminar & Skate event, an evening at Coppola’s Ristorante for caregivers with a panel of legal professionals covering topics such as custody arrangements, finances and special education. This event provides dinner and beverages for all participants. Youth ages 5 to 18 will be across the street at Roller Magic for skating, eating pizza and meeting new friends, and a special bullying prevention workshop will also be provided. There is no charge for this evening for grandparents or other relatives raising children, and children receive free skate admission and skate rentals.
Coppola’s Ristorante is located at 4167 Albany Post Road/Route 9 in Hyde Park. Roller Magic is located across the street at 4178 Albany Post Road/Route 9 in Hyde Park. For more information or to reserve a place for the RAPP Legal Seminar & Skate, call (845) 677-8223, extension 137, or visit https://ccedutchess.org. The reservation form can also be found at https://ccedutchess.org/perch/resources/rapp-legal-seminar.pdf.
Erica Chase-Salerno is enjoying the unfolding of this New Year. She and her husband Mike live in New Paltz with their two children: the inspirations behind hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.
Join the family! 
