Local garden club members awarded

Several members from local garden clubs won awards at the Montgomery County Fair, held in Fonda September 25 through October 1.

In the design division, the first place winners included Marge DeBlock, Susie Mahn, Kathy Raneri, Janice Winney and Joyce Morley. Grace Downs and Joan Eckler won first places in the arboreal branch division.

In the horticulture division, Dodie Suits, Joan Eckler and Susie Mahn all took first-place awards. In container-grown plants, Janice Winney, Grace Downs, Susie Mahn and Beth Siegle were awarded first place in various categories. In bulbs, Janice Winney and Kathy Raneri took first place awards.

In herbs, Susie Mahn and Grace Downs were awarded first place. In hostas, Susie Mahn, Joyce Morley and Judy Freder took first place awards.

Local students enroll at Oneonta

ONEONTA — Approximately 1,100 new students, selected from more than 12,000 applicants, began their studies at SUNY Oneonta this fall.

The following local students have been admitted to SUNY Oneonta: Danielle Congdon, of Canajoharie; Alexis Izzo, of Canajoharie; Kaylee May, of Canajoharie; Samantha Potter, of Fort Plain; Tara Resch, of Fort Plain; Kelsey Caruso-Sharpe, of Hagaman; Cody Schwab, of Palatine Bridge.

A liberal arts college focused on teaching and learning, SUNY Oneonta ranks ninth among the “Top Public Regional Universities-North” in the 2012 U.S. News and World Report rankings, sits at #58 on the Kiplinger’s magazine list of the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges” and has been recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for excellence in community engagement. The college also has been named to the Princeton Review’s “green” college guide and the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll.

Established as a state normal school in 1889 and incorporated as a founding member of the state university system in 1948, the college is well known for its outstanding faculty, strong academic programs, educational technology, community service and character-building activities, and scenic campus.

Free meditation classes starting

CANAJOHARIE — The Arkell Museum at Canajoharie and Canajoharie Library will host free Sahaja meditation classes for beginners, Tuesdays, September 18 through October 30, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Call 428-4692, email melanie@meditateupstate.com, or visit www.meditateupstate.com for more information.

Church block party Sept. 15 and 16

FORT PLAIN — A Church Block Party will be held September 15 and 16 at Wiles Park. The event will feature live music all day by various groups. The event will also feature inflatables, food, games, face painting, hayrides, volleyball, a horseshoe tournament, a dunking booth, and participation from local ministries.

On Saturday, the event will take place from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. A welcome will be provided at noon, and speakers and bands will perform until 9 p.m. Featured will be headliner Derek Joseph and Isaiah6, playing from 7:30-9 p.m., and offering worship and closing message. Saturday will also feature Frankie’s Barbecue chicken, at $7 a ticket.

On Sunday, the day will open at 10:30 a.m. with an opening prayer call to worship. Various local ministries will partake in 4 ever 1: Sunday Morning Worship, which will be followed by a potluck picnic.

Drive through

barbecue Sept. 15

STONE ARABIA — Trinity Lutheran Church, located on Route 10, three miles north of Palatine Bridge, will hold a drive through chicken barbecue (halves only) on Saturday, September 15 from 3 p.m. until sold out. Proceeds from this event will be used to defray the cost of maintaining the church cemetery.

The cemetery, located on a parcel of land behind the church, contains monuments dating back to the late 1700’s. The earliest gravestone dates to 1752. The cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Anyone wishing to obtain more information regarding the cemetery may contact the church at PO Box 238, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428, attention Margaret Schlotzhauer.

Special needs group to meet

FORT PLAIN — The Fort Plain Autism/Special Needs Support Group will be holding their meeting on Monday, September 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church of Fort Plain, 39 Center St. and Lydius.

The workshop will focus on “What Happens When...?” with William Van Evera, CLU, ChFC, ChSNC and Tara Anne Pleat, Esq. of Mass Mutual.

Parents, guardians, family members, educators, therapists, students, Pastors and Sunday School teachers and the community are welcomed to come and learn, discover, support, share, promote and network with professionals and other parents.

Respite/sitter provided by Liberty ARC.

An RSVP is requested in order to confirm and secure information packets for all attendees.

For more information call (315) 823-0327 or email lprt39@hotmail.com.

First sidewalk chalk drawing event set

FORT PLAIN — On Saturday, September 22, the first of what the Arts Factory hopes to make an annual sidewalk chalk drawing event will be held at Haslett Park from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Arts Factory is looking for artists of all ages and skill levels to participate.

Chalk will be provided, although artists are invited to bring their own if they desire.

The rain date for this event is Sept. 29. For more information, call John Laffin at (315) 269-2198.

Sundae on the Farm planned Sept. 16

FORT PLAIN — The Montgomery County Sundae on the Farm will be held September 16, from 12 Noon to 4 p.m., at Morgandy Farm, 642 Paris Road.

The free program will include games, raffles, hay rides, vendors, milking contest, animals and live music.

For more information, call 332-6958.

Unity Hall volunteer day is Sept. 16

FORT PLAIN — Historic Fort Plain, Inc., will hold a volunteer day at Unity Hall on Sunday, September 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Outside tasks include weeding the gardens, mowing, and garbage pickup. Indoor tasks include removing unused pipes from the basement, removing unused wiring from the basement and first floor, sorting scrap metal and helping to load a truck/trailer, cleaning the rear stairs, cleaning woodwork upstairs, and helping to clean the main room on the first floor.

Pizza lunch will be provided.

Lois McClure to dock for tours

OSWEGO — A complete replica of an 1862 canal schooner will enter the New York State Canal System today at Oswego September 1, embarking on a six-week tour of the waterway.

The itinerary takes the Lois McClure to 40 communities along the interconnected waterways of Lake Champlain, the Richelieu, St. Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers and the Rideau Canal. Following its trip through Oswego Canal, the ship will travel the eastern Erie Canal, the Champlain Canal and Lake Champlain before reaching her homeport at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, VT.

Stops on the ship’s journey include Fort Plain, where the boat will dock Sept. 17, with tours given Sept. 18, and Canajoharie, where the boat will dock Sept. 19, with tours given September 20. In Fort Plain, tours of the Lois McClure will be given at Lock 15, from 3-6 p.m. In Canajoharie, tours will be conducted from 3-6 p.m.

Public tours offer free admission.

The journey of the Lois McClure highlights the maritime heritage of New York and Canada, focusing on the War of 1812.

This year’s bicentennial of the conflict provides an opportunity to explore this important chapter in world and regional history.

Many ports along the tour were significant fortifications during the War of 1812, including Kingston, Ontario; Sackets Harbor, NY; and Oswego, NY.

Benefit for furnace Fund is Sept. 22

ST. JOHNSVILLE — A benefit for “St. Paul’s Furnace Fund” will be held Saturday, Sept. 22, from noon to 6 p.m. at the H. C. Smith Benefit Club.

Hamburgers, hot dogs and sausage will be served all day. A pork roast dinner will be served at 5 p.m.

There will be a live auction before dinner, bake sale, 50/50 and other raffles, Chinese auction, activities for children, face painting, dunking booth and more.

Entertainment will also be on hand.

Something to do for all ages.

The cost is $15 for adults; $7 for children 6 to 12 and free for children five and under. For more information, or to make a donation, contact Wendy at 775-3293.

Chamber sponsors Nov. 18 trip to NYC

ST. JOHNSVILLE — The St. Johnsville Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a bus trip on November 24 to the Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall.

Trip includes bus transportation, tickets and time to shop or sight-see. The cost of the trip is $110.

For more information, call Carmen at 727-6024 or Gail at 706-0736.