“Skin Deep” at Olive Library in September
The Olive Free Library Association will present the exhibition “Skin Deep,” showcasing the works of 13 regional artists of color. The show, curated by Nathalie Andrews and Elaine Ralston, will run from September 25 through November 6, with an opening on Saturday, September 25 from 3 to 5 p.m.
The show’s participating artists are Osi Audu, Chee Bravo, Isabel Cotarelo, Ted Dixon, Imani Jones, Nestor Madalengoitia, Emmanuel Ofori, Ransome, Shiho K. Rice, Julia Santos Solomon, Pablo Shine, Renee Zhang and Xuewu Zheng.
The Olive Free Library has created a platform to show and sell the art of regional artists, both established and emerging. This provides art enthusiasts a way to view, appreciate and purchase local and regional artworks.
The Olive Free Library is located at 4033 Route 28A in West Shokan. For additional information, call (845) 657-2482, e-mail helpdesk@olivefreelibrary.org or visit olivefreelibrary.org.
Fireworks over the Hudson August 29
Walkway over the Hudson will be open to ticketholders only on Sunday, August 29 to view the City of Poughkeepsie’s fireworks display. The Walkway will close to the general public at 4:30 p.m. for event setup and safety preparations. The bridge will reopen at 6:30 p.m. to those with valid tickets and remain open until approximately 9:30 p.m. The fireworks are scheduled to launch between 8:15 and 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are available at $20 for general admission and $15 for Walkway members, seniors or veterans. Children aged ten and under get in free when accompanied by a paid adult. Walkway members have been e-mailed a special discount code to receive the discounted rate. If you are a member and did not receive your code, e-mail walkway@walkway.org. To become a member and receive your code, visit join.walkway.org. Memberships start at $40.
25th Buy Local Expo set for Diamond Mills
The Buy Local Expo marks its 25th anniversary at the Diamond Mills Hotel and Conference Center in Saugerties on Wednesday, September 15 from noon to 5 p.m. The Expo is hosted by the Ulster County Regional Chamber of Commerce. The event is open and free to the public and is the ideal event for businesses to showcase their goods, products and services.
The way Chamber Board of Directors chairman John Burlingham sees it, the time has come to get out there and be seen. “We’ve been stuck in the closet long enough,” he said. “It’s time for us to see each other again and find ways to help each other in the marketplace.”
Burlingham, of American Solutions for Business, sums up the very essence of the Buy Local Expo, especially since last year’s COVID-19 restrictions and shutdowns. Though the Expo did happen virtually in 2020, nothing can compare with an in-person event, Burlingham noted. “I’m an old-school sales and marketing guy. I like to get out and see people. We’re all social beings, so to see each other in person certainly is an advantage,” he said.
Tamara Murray, Marketing and Sales director at the Emerson Resort and Spa in Mount Tremper, couldn’t agree more. “We’ll all be thrilled to present our booths in person,” she said. “We all take such pride in our businesses, and I personally have missed mingling with people face-to-face to share everything that makes the Emerson special.” The award-winning Emerson Resort and Spa will be one of the Welcoming Sponsors at the Expo.
John Naccarato from Naccarato Insurance said that he expects a good turnout and renewed vigor among attendees for that reason. “Let’s face it: It’s going to be refreshing to get together again instead of watching it all online. The Chamber did a remarkable job last year livestreaming the Expo and spotlighting the businesses with videos, but the in-person event feels much better. We’ll get to look in the eyes of potential customers and even shake their hands this year.
“Our family has always believed the Ulster Chamber’s Expo is something worth supporting and coming out to,” said Naccarato, whose business, Naccarato Insurance, will again be the Presenting Sponsor. “There’s just something about our Chamber and this event that is so warm and engaging. Our Chamber is like one big, happy family, and the Expo feels like a family reunion.”
Chamber president Ward Todd said that he is always pleased with the turnout and participation by local businesses. “Consistently, the Buy Local Expo has met or exceeded our expectations, in terms of the number and the quality of business leads for our members,” he said. “We are delighted to see our members doing business with other local businesses and organizations and making valuable connections.”
To become an exhibitor or sponsor of the Buy Local Expo, register online at www.ulsterchamber.org or call the Chamber at (845) 338-5100 to speak with Allison Costanzo.
Choreography on the Edge 2021
Choreography on the Edge will present its 32nd performance on Friday and Saturday, August 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, August 22 at 3 p.m. This year, due to the much-awaited ongoing renovations at the historic Byrdcliffe Theater in Woodstock, the performances will be held at the Arts Society of Kingston (ASK) on Broadway in Kingston. Since 1990, this innovative program has given professional choreographers and dancers a chance to experiment and push their boundaries.
The program this year promises to stretch the audience’s envelope as well. The lineup is comprised of choreographers and dancers spanning a wide range of styles and techniques: primarily modern dance, contemporary ballet and cultural motifs. A number of choreographers will be performing their work as solos and others will work as duets and trios. Among this group are Laura Ward with Octavia Cup Dance Theatre, clyde forth with Lokasparsa Dance Projects and Katherine Duke from the Erick Hawkins Dance Company. Local to the Hudson Valley choreographers Laura Seaman, Laura Coe and Arianna Noble will return with new pieces. New this year are Kristen Klein with Inclined Dance Project and Angela Vecchione, both from New York City.
Choreography on the Edge began in the late 1980s when a group of local choreographers decided to present a showcase of new work, the only requirement being that they combine movement and music in a way that was completely new for them. The presentation became an annual event that drew the participation of non-local choreographers as well, moving from the Woodstock Town Hall to its current home at the Byrdcliffe Theater. Keeping the experimental nature of any artistic endeavor alive is always a challenge – one that Choreography on the Edge has risen to time and again. To maintain this focus on fresh, innovative work and a high standard of professionalism, choreographers are asked to dig deep, incorporating elements they haven’t used before. The pieces are not auditioned and most of them will be premiering, giving the work an immediacy that engages the audience in a more energetic and intimate way.
The Arts Society of Kingston is located at 97 Broadway in Kingston. Visit www.askforarts.org for directions. Tickets cost $20 general admission, $15 for seniors, students and ASK members and can be purchased at the door, on the ASK website link to Eventbrite or reserved by e-mail at choreographyontheedge@gmail.com. For more information, call (845) 453-8673.
Movies With Spirit film series returns September 18 with “Soul”
Movies with Spirit returns with Pixar Animation Studios’ animated fantasy/comedy/adventure Soul on September 18 at 7 p.m. at the New Progressive Baptist Church at 8 Hone Street in Kingston. The screening, open to the public, marks the community film series’ return after an 18-month COVID-19 hiatus.
“We’re thrilled to be back. We’ve had a lot of requests to return, but we wanted to do it only when it was safe,” said Movies with Spirit voluntary organizer Gerry Harrington of Kingston. “The series will comply with all federal, state and local health and safety protocols, including those of each screening venue.”
Soul, released by Walt Disney Pictures, tells the story of Joe Gardner (the voice of Jamie Foxx), a middle-school band teacher in New York City who gets the chance of a lifetime to play in the band of jazz great Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett). The 2020 movie won 116 film festival and critic awards, including two Academy Awards: one for Best Animated Feature Film and the other for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Score).
The screening will be followed by a facilitated discussion. Refreshments will be served. Attendees over age 12 are asked to contribute $10 a person.
The monthly Movies with Spirit series seeks to stimulate people’s sense of joy and wonder, inspire love and compassion, evoke a deepened understanding of people’s integral connection with others and with life itself and support individual cultures, faith paths and beliefs while simultaneously transcending them. The films are screened in diverse places of worship and reverence – and this season, in a place for art, too – across Ulster and Dutchess Counties on the third Saturday of every month.
The schedule:
September 18: Soul, New Progressive Baptist Church, Kingston
October 16: The Insult, Rondout Valley United Methodist Church, Stone Ridge
November 20: Pain and Glory, the DRAW, Kingston
December 18: Lost Christmas, St. James United Methodist Church, Kingston
January 15: Indian Horse, Old Dutch Church, Kingston
February 19: Arrival, Woodstock Jewish Congregation, Woodstock
March 19: Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, Episcopal Church of the Messiah, Rhinebeck
April 23: The Father, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, Kingston
May 21: Woman at War, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, New Paltz
June 18: Mission: Joy – Finding Happiness in Troubled Times, Vivekananda Retreat, Stone Ridge
July 16: The Man from Earth, Congregation Emanuel, Kingston
August 20: Blinded by the Light, Holy Cross Episcopal Church, Kingston
For more information about Soul and the rest of the series, contact Harrington at (845) 389-9201 or at gerryharrington@mindspring.com. Details are also available at facebook.com/movieswithspirit.
Saugerties Community Band performs August 22
The Saugerties Community Band will perform its first summer concert on Sunday, August 22 at 5 p.m. (rain or shine) at the Kiersted House, located at 119 Main Street in Saugerties.
Bring a chair. Donations are appreciated.
Seal the Deal National Day of Action: Climate, care, jobs, justice
Protesters, pizza-eaters, singers and community leaders will rally on Thursday, August 19 at 1 p.m. to convince Congress to support necessary and urgent action to combat the accelerating climate emergency by investing in climate solutions, the care economy and justice. The event will take place at the office of congressman Antonio Delgado at 256 Clinton Avenue in Kingston (at the intersection of Main Street and Clinton Avenue).
Constituents of New York’s 19th Congressional District are looking to Delgado to “seal the deal” and pass the proposed $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill. Across the nation, Americans are demanding that Congress take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to tackle the most pressing challenges our communities face by enacting the robust $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill and investing in climate solutions, the care economy, jobs and justice.
The rally is happening shortly after the release of a landmark report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which warns of the urgency government leaders face to curtail greenhouse gas emissions and halt further causes of the climate crisis.
Speakers will include Betta Broad of New Yorkers for Clean Power, Amy Kletter of Ulster Activists (UAct), Janet Appuzzo of Extinction Rebellion and a representative from Citizen Action. The event is hosted by the New Paltz Climate Action Coalition and New Paltz Extinction Rebellion, with support from Resisterhood, UAct, Citizen Action, New Yorkers for Clean Power, the Sierra Club, Nobody Leaves Mid-Hudson and others.
The action is one of eight in New York State and 46 across the country. Attendees will enjoy free pizza, along with music from the Resisterhood Choir.
Summer Sundays at Phillies Bridge Farm
Rivergrass will be performing on Sunday, August 22 at Phillies Bridge Farm in New Paltz. Gates open at 1 p.m.
Rivergrass Revival is a high-energy roots rock band based out of Rifton. The band is led by multi-instrumentalist, songwriter David Chapman and bassist Chris Macchia. As veterans of the Hudson Valley’s vibrant musical community, Rivergrass is known for its eclectic blend of rock, folk, country, funk, R&B, bluegrass, Celtic, gospel and psychedelic rock. From a string trio up to a Last Waltz-style revival full of eye-popping instrumentalists, Rivergrass is committed to touching the heart and soul of roots music.
This event is outdoors and in the event of rain, it will be moved to the open-air barn. Food and drinks available for purchase. Proceeds go directly to the musicians and support Phillies Bridge Farm’s Food Justice and education programs. Visit with the goats and chickens, take a walk on the nature trail and explore the sights and smells in the Discovery Garden.
Tickets can be purchased online at philliesbridge.org/events. Phillies Bridge Farm aims to be Phillies for All. They kindly ask that those who are able to contribute more, please do so to help offset the expenses for those who cannot.
The farm is located at 45 Phillies Bridge Road in New Paltz. For additional information, call 255-9108.
Ulster County Food Fight: The Great Give Back September 1 through October 17; annual book sale September 4
The Gardiner Library will be participating in the Ulster County Food Fight! The Great Give Back 2021 from Wednesday, September 1 through October 17. As part of New York State’s “Great Give Back,” Ulster County libraries are “competing” to see who can get the most donations. All donations to the Gardiner Library will be given to the Helping Hands Food Pantry in Gardiner.
Non-perishable donations can be dropped off at the Gardiner Library, located at 133 Farmers’ Turnpike. For more information, call (845) 255-1255 or visit www.gardinerlibrary.org.
The Gardiner Library will host its annual book sale on Saturday, September 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, September 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Browse a large collection of hardcovers, paperback and classics, DVDs, music, audiobooks, kids’ books and more.
Live music will be performed throughout both days. Get a free book if you apply for a new library card in celebration of Library Card Sign-Up Month or if you bring in a non-perishable food item to donate to the Helping Hands Food Pantry in Gardiner as part of New York’s Great Give Back. Items are priced to sell.
The Gardiner Library is located at 133 Farmers’ Turnpike. For more information, call (845) 255-1255 or visit www.gardinerlibrary.org.
Kingston Library public budget forum
The Kingston Library will hold a public forum on its September 21 budget vote and trustee election on Thursday, August 26 at 6 p.m. in the community room of the Kingston Library at 55 Franklin Street. At the public forum, the Library’s operations, long-range plan, proposed 2022 tax appropriation and overall 2022 budget will be reviewed.
At the September 21 election, voters will be electing three trustees to the nine-member Kingston Library Board of Trustees. The candidates running for those seats will be invited to the public forum to introduce themselves and discuss their candidacy.
The September 21Llibrary election will be held from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Kingston Library, which is the sole polling place for voting. Absentee ballots will be sent to shut-ins in the City of Kingston or can be requested by contacting the Library directly at (845) 331-0507. Absentee ballots must be returned to the Library by 5 p.m. on September 21. All registered voters living in the City of Kingston are eligible to vote.
The purpose of the Library budget vote and trustee election is to seek approval of a tax appropriation of $976,024 to support the operation of the Kingston Library in 2022 and to elect three trustees, each for a term of three years. The $976,024 tax appropriation request is a six-percent increase over the 2021 appropriation of $916,455, or a total increase of $59,569. There was no increase in the 2021 budget from the 2020 budget.
Significant shifts in spending were made in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic to make Library services more accessible for patrons looking for remote access and digital resources. In addition, care was taken to manage staffing to support increased online services and programs and reduced in-person building hours. With the Library fully open to in-person services again, and the resumption of in-person programs for all ages, staffing will be increased in 2022 while also maintaining support for the additional online services that were developed during the pandemic.
For further information about the Library election, call Margie Menard at (845) 339-4260, extension 14.
Takeout chicken BBQ dinner at LUMC in Highland
The Lloyd United Methodist Church is offering a takeout chicken BBQ dinner on Sunday, August 29 with pick-up times between 4 and 6 p.m. The meals are being prepared by Sal’s Catering of Highland and will consist of 1/2 chicken, with sides of coleslaw and baked beans. Corn bread is included. The cost is $14 per meal.
Tickets must be reserved before August 19. For tickets, call (845)255-6447 or (845) 658-3289.
Port Ewen hosts back-to-school backpack giveaway
A back-to-school backpack giveaway is planned for Saturday, August 21 from 11 am. to 2 p.m. at 186-190 Broadway in Port Ewen. Each child will be given a new backpack to fill with school supplies. After they are done “shopping,” children can get a back-to-school haircut, then stop by Mario’s Pizza for a slice of homemade pizza. The community effort aims to support local children as they strive to succeed this new school year.
Organizers need donated book bags, notebooks, pencils, markers, crayons, looseleaf paper, glue sticks, tissues, hand sanitizer et cetera. Items can be dropped off at Mario’s Pizza. Look for donation cans for cash donations, or checks can be mailed to: Esopus Community Foundation, Inc., PO Box 800, Port Ewen NY 12466. Call Laura Petit at (845) 340-1293 for more information or if you are interested in helping.
Kingston Fire Department Chief Mark Brown to retire
Mayor Steven T. Noble has announced that City of Kingston Fire Department chief Mark Brown will retire on September 24.
Chief Brown has been a firefighter for 46 years. After 11 years as a volunteer firefighter at the A. H. Wicks Fire Station, he started as a permanent firefighter with the Kingston Fire Department in 1986. During his career in Kingston, he has served as fire lieutenant, fire captain, municipal training officer, deputy chief and as the chief since 2013.
Brown has been the recipient of numerous certifications and awards; most recently, the Kingston Fire Department won both local and state EMS Awards for Excellence. During his tenure, the department has seen major advances in safety improvements for its firefighters, including a second set of turnout gear; in equipment acquisition, such as two new battery-operated Jaws of Life, a tiller truck and the replacement of Engines 1 and 2; and with advanced training, such as establishing Rope Rescue and Confined Space Rescue teams.
“It is bittersweet that we announce that Mark Brown will be retiring next month,” said Mayor Noble. “Chief Brown has bravely served this community for almost five decades, and we sincerely thank him for his 35 years of service to the Kingston Fire Department. He will be greatly missed, both as the leader of the Kingston Fire Department, but also as a friend and colleague. As a Kingston resident, I know that Mark will stay involved in his community.”
“Being a firefighter was a calling for me; it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” said Chief Brown. “As soon as I could ride a bike as a kid, I would ride down to the A. H. Wicks Fire Station to be near the firefighters. I’m looking forward to my next chapter in retirement, but it’s with a heavy heart that I leave my position as chief. How many people get to have a job they love – working their way up from the bottom to the top – and still love the job after 46 years?”
August 21 hazardous waste collection event
Safe disposal of your household hazardous waste can be done on Saturday, August 21 by appointment only, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Ulster County Resource Recovery Facility located at 1 Clearwater Road in New Paltz
Please note these guidelines:
• Please wear a mask when interacting with staff. For safety and social distancing, participants must remain in their vehicle at all times.
• Put all items in the trunk of your car. This is the safest way to transport hazardous wastes and will allow staff members to unload your vehicle easily and in a no-contact manner.
• No medications. Medications will no longer be accepted at the household hazardous waste events. For a medication dropoff location, visit https://ucrra.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/meds-1.png.
• A quantity limit will be enforced. Each household may bring up to 220 pounds or a 25-gallon equivalent of the accepted items. No containers larger than five gallons will be accepted. UCRRA staff may make a judgment on the quantity of material each household is allowed to bring.
• Unknown waste. If you have any unknown waste (such as containers without a label and/or you are not sure what chemicals are inside the container), please contact apeo@ucrra.org as soon as possible for guidance and program rules.
To sign up for an appointment, visit https://ucrra.org. For additional information, call (845) 336-0600.
Takeout chicken BBQ in Saugerties
The Reformed Church of Saugerties will offer a takeout chicken barbecue dinner on Saturday, August 21, with pickup from 3 to 6 p.m. The menu includes chicken, two sides, roll, dessert and beverage. The cost is $13 per person.
Preordering is recommended by calling Barb at (845) 246-5035. Walk-ins are welcome, but a limited quantity will be available. The event will also feature a book sale.
The church is located at 173 Main Street in Saugerties.
Notice for August New Paltz Town Board meetings
The New Paltz Town Board meetings for the dates/times listed below, will be held at the Community Center, 3 Veterans Drive in New Paltz and at the Park County Public Library, 1500 Heart Mountain Street in Cody, Wyoming. The public has the right to attend the meeting at either of the locations on Thursday, August 5, 7 p.m./5 p.m. mountain time and Thursday, August 19, 6:30 p.m./4:30 p.m. mountain time.
Repair café at Gardiner Library
The Gardiner Library hosts Repair Café on Sunday, August 22 from 1-4 p.m. Repair Café is a free event where community members bring beloved but broken items and fix them together with volunteer repair coaches. Broken items include small appliances, lamps, frames, chairs and more. This month’s repair coaches areas of expertise include jewelry repair, photo restoration, woodworking and mechanical/electrical work.
For more information about Repair Café, visit www.repaircafehv.org. Gardiner Repair Café meets at 133 Farmer’s Turnpike in Gardiner. For more information, call (845) 255-1255 or visit www.gardinerlibrary.org.
Community yard sale in Woodstock
A community yard sale for the Woodstock Ladies Auxiliary will take place on Friday, August 20 and Saturday, August 21 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine, at American Legion Post 1026, located at 10 Sgt. Richard Quinn Drive in Woodstock.
Tables are still available for $25.
Call Amy Panza at (845) 750-4520, (845) 679-8401 or email amy.panza1983@gmail.com Tables going fast! Call to reserve one today!
Racial Equity Initiative Advisory Committee seeks members
The New Paltz Central School District Board of Education Racial Equity Initiative Advisory Committee is now accepting applications for committee membership. There are currently open committee seats available for students, instructional and noninstructional staff and administrators.
Applications are available at www.newpaltz.k12.ny.us, and at the district office. All applications must be received by the district clerk no later than September 10. The committee will be reviewing applications at its September 14 meeting. Those selected for membership will be notified by the district clerk.
For more information, contact the district clerk at sermo@newpaltz.k12.ny.us.
Pathway to the Ballot Box at HHS
Historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz will present Pathway to the Ballot Box on weekends from August 21 to September 4, an immersive theater experience that will guide visitors on a journey through more than 300 years of local women’s history. Visitors will come face-to-face with characters inspired by the real women of New Paltz’s past and learn of their challenges, triumphs, fears and accomplishments. Tour dates are Saturdays and Sundays, August 21 and 22, 28 and 29 and September 4 and 5 at 10:30, 11 and 11:30 a.m. and 12, 3, 3:30, 4 and 4:30 p.m.
This immersive theatrical experience is co-produced by ClockJack Productions and supported by a team of diverse writers, who bring authenticity and diversity to the characters being presented. Each character in the production is inspired by a real woman of New Paltz’s past. Audiences will get to see the ten-acre National Historic Landmark District come to life and peek inside some of Huguenot Street’s historic structures, including the Jean Hasbrouck House, the Deyo House and the 1717 Church and burial ground. Featuring a cast of professional performers, Pathway to the Ballot Box will transport guests backward so we all can move forward.
“I really want the audience to have the autonomy of exploring each space and the way each woman fits into them as we attempt to blur lines between the past and the present,” says P. J. Griffith, co-producer of the program and artistic director of ClockJack Productions. “The piece is a call to arms that will hopefully leave the audience with a sense of how far we have come in the name of representation, and how much further we have left to go before we all share a sense of equity in the decisions being made by our own government.”
“Collaborating with a historic institution in my own community to bring the stories of strong, complicated and interesting women into our current dialogue is a privilege that beautifully combines my interests and experience,” said Andrea Varga, an associate professor of Theatre Design at SUNY New Paltz. “This is not a replication of history, but a window into the lived experience of everyday, extraordinary women through artistic interpretation.”
For those who want to extend their experience, a VIP luncheon at 1:15 p.m. will treat visitors to local catering, provided by Valley Home Dining, and the opportunity to have thoughtful, inspiring conversations with a featured guest. Each luncheon will honor and highlight a different guest host, which will include Pathway to the Ballot Box producers, writers, actors, consultants, local historians, women’s rights advocates and more.
The cost is $25; discounted tickets of $20 are available for HHS members, seniors, active military members and veterans; admission for college students, teens and kids is $10; and children under the age of six get in free. Learn more and register at www.huguenotstreet.org/pathway.
Harvest Home Dinners to highlight Hudson Valley farm food
To celebrate the Saugerties Farmers’ Market’s 20th year, a series of Harvest Home Dinners will showcase the diversity of Hudson Valley farm-raised foods. The intimate dinner market fundraisers, hosted at area homes and prepared by an array of local chefs and talented home cooks, are offered on twelve different evenings.
The dinners may be booked by one, two people or as many as a party of ten guests. “Part of the fun of the evening is that you get to meet new people while enjoying a fantastic dinner prepared by an expert in the kitchen,” said Harvest Home Dinners organizer Diane Congello-Brandes. This is Congello-Brandes’ first year taking over the event from Jamie Fine, who retired from the position after some 15 years of making these events happen.
A dozen homes will host dinners this year and three will offer vegetarian dinners. “When you become a host of one of these dinners, it’s very exciting,” said Saugerties Farmers’ Market Committee Coordinator Judith Spektor, who has hosted dinners every year. “It’s like you’re putting on your best party dress. You do your best to please and show off what’s in season and in the market. It’s very festive and celebratory.”
Each of the Harvest Home Dinner’s chefs designs a special one-of-a-kind menu to showcase area farm foods, and the chefs strive to buy most of their ingredients at the market or from the farmers and other vendors who are market regulars. The dinners are prepared at the peak of the late-summer and early-fall harvest season, so there is an abundance of Hudson Valley produce, meats and poultry from which the chefs can choose.
Dinner tickets are $65 a person and each guest is expected to bring their own wine or other dinner beverage with them. Part of the fun of the Harvest Home Dinner concept is that guests choose the dinner by the date only. The identity of the home, the chef, the home cook and the other guests remains a surprise until all the dinners are sold out and seats are finally assigned. Then, well in advance of the evening, each guest learns who their host will be, as well as the chef for the evening and is given driving instructions to the home.
“Our goal is to raise $6,500 this year,” said Spektor. “The funds help us pay market staff, underwrite Double SNAP (doubling low income shoppers benefits) and fund Kids’ Art Corner and live music throughout our five-month market season.”
Those interested in attending one of this year’s Harvest Home Dinners can call (845) 706-6715 for more information or send an email to harvesthomedinners@gmail.com. For COVID safety, organizers request that all guests show proof of vaccination with the RSVP. This is to make sure everyone feels safe whether indoors or outdoors.
Stamptrotters Stamp Club to meet on August 26
The Stamptrotters Stamp Club will hold its auction meeting on August 26. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. for display and view and the auction will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the VFW, 30 Elizabeth Street in Red Hook.
The meeting is open to all ages, single stamp to small collections, low opening bids. For additional information, call or text (845) 681-9837.
Absentee ballots available
Requests for absentee ballots for the annual Saugerties Public Library budget vote and trustee election will be available at the library beginning on August 17. Residents requesting a ballot will have to sign an affidavit attesting that they will not be available to vote in person at the library at 91 Washington Avenue on Thursday, September 2 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Residents must be registered to vote in the Town of Saugerties in order to cast an absentee ballot or to vote in person.
Two five-year terms and one one-year term are up for election. Candidates running for election are Paul Van Benschoten and Deena Rae Turner.
Voters will also be asked to approve a 2022 library operating budget of $690,510 of which $617,796 shall be raised by taxation. The 2022 budget proposal calls for a tax levy decrease, which comes out to a savings of 1.5 cents per $1,000 assessed property value. Copies of the proposed budget are available at the library.
For more information, contact director Jennifer Russell at director@saugertiespubliclibrary.org.
Join the family! 
