SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1
MUSET Homeschool Orchestra performs in Lake Katrine
For families interested in making musical connections in the local homeschool community, or for anyone who just enjoys good music, come to this weekend’s MUSET Homeschool Orchestra concert. The concert takes place on Sunday, February 1 at 4:30 p.m. at the Fountain of Life Church. Admission is free, but donations are welcome to support the orchestra.
MUSET meets on Monday mornings at the Lomontville Firehouse, which is in Ulster County between Hurley and Stone Ridge. The orchestra is opening to new players of all ages for the spring semester beginning February 9.
Fountain of Life Church is located at 71 Old Kings Highway in Lake Katrine. For more information, e-mail Deb Lundgren at muset@earthlink.net.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4
Valentine Craft Workshop at Elting Library in New Paltz
If you’re short on ideas or cash for your Valentine this year, or you want to do a charitable deed for senior citizens, then check out the Elting Memorial Library’s free Valentine Craft Workshop for all ages. On Wednesday, February 4 at 4 p.m., participants can make cards, paper flowers and heart crafts, do cookie-decorating and more. Plus, Manny’s Art Supplies is organizing a drive to collect Valentines for residents of the Mountain View Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and any cards made at this event can be delivered to Manny’s for distribution at Mountain View.
The Elting Library is located at 93 Main Street in New Paltz. For more information, call (845) 255-5030 or visit www.eltinglibrary.org. If you would like to donate cards on your own, Manny’s is collecting them until February 10, and the store sells all kinds of creative supplies to make them. To learn more about the Valentines drive, call Manny’s at (845) 255-9902 or visit www.mannysart.com.
Lecture on women in ISIS at Vassar
This event just sounds so interesting that I wanted to let you know about it, since it may be of interest to you and your teens. The program, “Understanding the Female Fighter: Women in ISIS,” takes place on Wednesday, February 4 at 7 p.m. in Room 300 of Rockefeller Hall at Vassar College. The event is free and open to the public and features Dr. Nimmi Gowrinathan, an expert on gender and violence, and the creator of https://deviarchy.com, a site that explores histories, pathways and patterns of power and women in the world through collective action. Vassar College is located at 124 Raymond Avenue in Poughkeepsie. For more information, visit https://aauwpoughkeepsie.org.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5
SUNY-Ulster hosts 4-H Veterinary Science Series
Got a future veterinarian in the family? How about some real-life study to explore this path? The 4-H Veterinary Science Series begins on February 5 at SUNY-Ulster. Open to teens ages 13 to 19, the two-unit program includes hands-on learning in a clinical setting with area veterinarians and other speakers.
Unit 1 takes place on five Thursdays from February 5 to March 5 and covers basic animal behavior, health and anatomy. Unit 2 runs on five Thursdays from March 12 to April 9 and explores animal diseases. Classes are held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The cost includes the course book and materials: $50 per unit for non-4-H members or residents outside of Ulster County, $40 per unit for enrolled 4-H members.
SUNY-Ulster is located at 491 Cottekill Road in Stone Ridge. For more information or to register, call (845) 340-3900, extension 340, or e-mail klf37@cornell.edu.
Social skills group for Asperger’s kids begins at SUNY-New Paltz
Parents of adolescents with Asperger’s or high-functioning autism and who need assistance with social skills may be interested in the social skills group beginning this week at SUNY-New Paltz. Open to youth from seventh to 11th grades, the group meets on Thursdays from 5 to 6:15 p.m. in the Speech, Language and Hearing Center and is conducted by students in the Communications Disorders program. The group runs from Thursday, February 5 to April 30 and takes a maximum of nine people. The fee for the program is $100 for the ten-week session. SUNY-New Paltz is located at 1 Hawk Drive in New Paltz. For more information or to register, call (845) 257-3600 or e-mail welshj@newpaltz.edu. Additionally, a new support group for parents of children on the autism spectrum will take place during the social skills sessions. For more information, e-mail connellk@newpaltz.edu.
Learn about Hudson Valley Pathways Academy at Ulster BOCES in New Paltz
If you are a parent of a child who struggles in a traditional school setting but would thrive in an innovative learning environment, please take a deep breath and read on: there is hope! And it’s called the Hudson Valley Pathways Academy, our region’s newest P-Tech High School, which is located at the Carnegie Learning Center at 405 Broadway in Kingston. For Ulster, Dutchess, Orange and Sullivan County students at risk of not being able to achieve their aspirations of attending college, the Hudson Valley Pathways Academy offers rigorous instruction using a variety of methods, including project-based curriculum, direct instruction, online and blended learning, as well as workplace visits, internships and mentoring with industry partners.
In six years, students complete all high school graduation requirements as well as the courses they need for an Associate’s Degree related to their field. And it’s all at no cost to the families.
I am so excited about this new educational offering, “providing a new road to college and career choice,” and I want to let you know about the Academy’s question-and-answer information session taking place this Thursday, February 5 at 6 p.m. in the Jane Bullowa Conference Center at Ulster BOCES in New Paltz. Middle school students and their parents, as well as community members and child advocacy organizations in Ulster, Dutchess, Orange and Sullivan Counties, are invited to learn more about the Hudson Valley Pathways Academy.
Ulster BOCES is located at 175 Route 32 North in New Paltz. For more information, call Dr. Jonah Schenker at (845) 943-3202 or e-mail pathways@ulsterboces.org. To learn more about the Hudson Valley Pathways Academy, visit https://ulsterboces.org, click “Register” and then click on Hudson Valley P-Tech.
Coming up
Herb workshop for kids at Illuminated Baby in Woodstock
Help your children experience the thrill of enchanted gardens in real life by learning how to harness the healing power of plants in a class created just for them! On Saturday, February 7 from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at Illuminated Baby, children ages 4 and up (younger accompanied by a parent) are invited to join herbalist Mandana Boushee to learn about herbal bath teas and creating their own blends to take home. The cost of $20 includes the class and all materials, and no previous plant experience is necessary.
Illuminated Baby is located at 62A Tinker Street in Woodstock. To register or for more information, call (845) 684-7024, e-mail illuminatedbaby@gmail.com or visit www.illuminatedbaby.com. To learn more about the instructor, visit www.nourishingbotanicalsny.com.
Check out Fiberflame’s Rhinebeck studio
Don’t tell my husband, but I crafted a sweet tealight candleholder to give to him for Valentine’s Day. And because of the intensive amount of handholding that I require to gain enough confidence to craft at all, Fiberflame is one of the only places where I feel comfortable enough to do it.
I’ve written before about the “Saugerstock” Fiberflame studio, but last week was the first time I’d visited the Rhinebeck studio, which opened last May. Shea and Rebecca answered all of my (many) questions thoughtfully and patiently, helping to calm my craft-panicky state. The variety of available projects appeals to a wide range of tastes, and in addition to the crafting, did you know that Fiberflame has a sewing machine that you can use? My son also got a huge kick out of using the vintage mechanical typewriter, which is now on his wish list. And the retail space at the front of the studio features fabulous, unique merchandise.
If you’re looking for a special way to celebrate any holiday, or an activity to do with all ages, stop in at Fiberflame for some great fun. Walk-in crafters pay a studio fee of $10, plus the cost of the project, beginning at $1; but as I said while checking out, the fact that I even made a craft is priceless! While you’re there, check out the excellent array of classes and workshops for children through adults, and be sure to get a punch card to earn your free reward after your visits.
Fiberflame is located at 1776 Route 212 in Saugerties and at 18B East Market Street in Rhinebeck. For more information about classes, workshops, retail items or walk-in studio crafting, call (845) 679-6132 in Saugerties or (845) 516-5123 in Rhinebeck; or visit www.fiberflamestudio.com.
– Erica Chase-Salerno
Erica Chase-Salerno calls groundhogs “whistlepigs” in New Paltz with her husband, Mike, and their two children: the inspirations behind hudsonvalleyparents.com. She can be reached at kidsalmanac@ulsterpublishing.com.
Join the family! 
