Hill Street through Don's father, Harold, a realtor,
who at the time lived on Alplaus Avenue!Alplaus Home Town News June 2004
Editor/Publisher: Art Harris Reporter: Betty Vedder
SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO ALPLAUS DADS
Every family needs the help
and kindness fathers share,
Every family needs the warmth
of knowing fathers care.
Every family needs the special things
that fathers do,
Every family needs the love
of fathers just like you !
HAPPY FATHERS DAY, June 20th
From all your friends and neighbors
Urges You to Register Now!
by Kelly Kissane
We are in the process of registering students for the Homework Clubhouse for the fall and we are anticipating that the program will fill up fast.
If your family needs after school care please call Kelly
Kissane at 884-9185 or at the church at 399-6000. We have an information
and registration packet that we can mail right out to you or you can set
up an appointment to come and visit the Homework Clubhouse located at the
Alplaus Methodist Church.
The April showers came a little late this year, but the May Flowers have been magnificent. Some perennials suffered from the long winter with no January thaw to break the cold, but those that survived are giving a great display of what spring is all about. The miracle of new life is ever fresh and wonderful.
The Alplaus Historical Society would like residents to consider digging into the history of their homes. Bob Culver discuses what they have in mind in his report on Page 3 of this issue of Home Town News. Understanding and appreciation for where we have been (history) can give a sense of direction that will help us see where we are going (the future).
This will be the last issue of the Home Town News until September. The HTN staff and contributors take July and August off. You can always catch up on the latest village news at the Alplaus Post Office. Happy vacations to all.
AWH
Remember the symbol of our country. Let it continue to be a reminder of the freedoms we enjoy.
May we always be proud to display it on Alplaus Avenue and before our homes.
by Vicki Watkins
The Auxiliary has been extremely busy this first week of June. By the time you read this issue of the HTN the Village Wide Flea Market and Garage Sale will be over and we will be preparing for the annual Fire Company dinner.
Many thanks to our Beautification Committee for planting bulbs and annuals around the firehouse and the Ted Schwarz Memorial Park. We appreciate the annual flowers donated to us by the Schenectady County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cornell Cooperative Extension horticulture job training program in Schenectady's Central Park. The summer bulbs that many of you ordered should arrive any day and they will add even more color to our lovely community.
Thanks again to Gary Withey for putting up our new flags along Alplaus Avenue in time for Memorial Day. So many of the flags that we took down last fall were faded and worn that we decided to purchase new ones that should be more weather resistant.
We would like to acknowledge and thank New York State Senator Hugh Farley and New York State Assemblyman Jim Tedisco for their donations towards the purchase of these new flags.
Even though we will be on vacation until September, there are several events we are working on for the fall. Mark Storti, from Schenectady County Planning, has agreed to come and speak to the community about the Alplauskill ecosystem. We are also making arrangements for a CPR class to be offered to interested community members. Lastly, we will be holding a bottle drive in September so please save up your bottles and cans for us.
We will have our first meeting after our summer break on Monday, September 27th at the firehouse. It will be a covered dish supper and will start at 6:30 pm. The Auxiliary is open to anyone who lives within the fire district. We are always interested in welcoming new members. Please feel free to attend any of our meetings. Call Vicki Watkins at 399-0184 if you have any questions.
Best wishes for a wonderful summer.
by Bob Culver
The file cabinet mentioned in last month's article has been joined by a second one donated by Bruce and Fran Marsh. They are being filled as time permits. They give us a place to store articles and artifacts and are located for the moment in the Community Room at the Post Office. Their contents are available to anyone for review or perusal; just contact Kathy during Post Office hours.
At our May meeting there was mention of a "gate" at one time located on Hill Street, while several were aware of the reference, specific data was really not clear. If anyone has a better memory, further information would be appreciated!
The historical Society would like to start a file of homes and buildings in the community. It is planned to distribute a questionnaire requesting any data you know and would care to share on date of construction, previous owners/occupants and any interesting facts about your property. We would also like a photo if possible. Judy Harris, Dede Bell and Emma Spiedel are setting this up.
The next meeting is planned for September 30, 7:00 PM, at the Firehouse. All are welcome.
Spring Happenings from the Alplaus Residents Association
by Barb Casey, ARA President 399-5714; bcasey@skidmore.edu
Fourth of July preparations
Letters of invitation have been mailed to those who've participated in the parade in the past. If you or someone you know of is interested in participating this year, stop by the post office for an entry form or call Mike Sheppeck. We'd love to have you in the parade!
Don't forget that your Alplaus neighbors need you to help with Fourth of July festivities. It requires a small army of people to set up, work at, and break down the various activities for the week. There is a sign-up sheet in the post office (or you can contact me or Mike Sheppeck if you'd like to help out in some way), but please join us. It's not much work, it's a lot of fun to get to know your neighbors better, and it can't happen without you. If you really can't help, but want to show your support, please feel free to make a monetary contribution to the effort. All donations are welcome and can be sent to ARA, PO Box 185, Alplaus, NY 12008. If you'd like it to be a contribution in honor or in memory of someone, please let us know and we'll include that information in the list of activities we publish.
Sunday, 6/27 Church Ecumenical Service at the firehouse pavilion
Saturday, 7/3 Alplaus Block Party at the firehouse pavilion
Sunday, 7/4 30th Anniversary Alplaus Fourth of July Parade
Please join us for the festivities, and watch for our t-shirt contest winner, who will be leading the parade with the Alplaus Residents Association banner. Thanks to Tom Donlon, Trish Abatto, and Alice Culver for judging the entries from local kids. The winner was not yet picked at press time.
Look for your t-shirts on sale at the block party and the parade. Show your Alplaus pride and your support for our young artists by buying t-shirts for everyone in the family.
Sewers
On May 19, Gray Watkins and I presented petitions to the Glenville Town Board. When I last heard, the town attorney and various town agencies were reviewing the petitions.
The next step is a public hearing, but at press time, I don't have information about when that might be scheduled. The public hearing will be followed by a public comment period of 30 days. After that the state comptroller reviews the project and then it moves ahead!
Possible timeframes for beginning range from this fall to next spring-at this point I don't even have a guess. I'll post a notice at the post office (and use my e-mail list) to let everyone know when the hearing has been scheduled.
If you have any questions about the process and what it means for you, I encourage you to call me. I'd be happy to answer your questions about what this will mean for you.
For those on the existing system, moving forward with sewers for the rest of Alplaus comes at a good time since, according to Commissioner of Public Works Andy Coppola, New York State wasn't satisfied with the state of our current sewer treatment plant when they inspected it this spring.
I'm pleased to see it all coming together.
Another development since the last edition is that Town Supervisor Clarence Mosher sent a letter to Clifton Park recognizing that many Rexford residents who live on Riverview Road have expressed interest in joining on. We're also continuing conversations with Glencliff School about adding on as well. The more units included, the lower the cost per household, so we'll continue to pursue that.
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This year the long weekend at Scotts is scheduled for Friday, August 20th until Monday August 23rd. Scotts Resort is on Lake Oquaga near Deposit,N.Y The Meal Center sponsors this special getaway each year.
The price of $309 per person in a double occupancy covers your room, three meals a day along with all your recreation and entertainment. There is unlimited free golfing as well as many other sports and activities, and needless to say there's swimming , boating, fishing and water skiing if you dare.
You can sign up on the table in the Meal Center or call
Betty at 399-0427 for information or sign up.
The Glenville Seniors will welcome in the summer with a pot-luck dinner celebration to be held on Saturday, June 19th at 1:00 p.m. in the Center. Roger Story will be there to play for the dancers as we gather together.
There will be a special program put on by the Glenville
senior entertainers who will be making their debut as "The Grayairs"
Call the Meal Center 393-1946 for reservations and bring a dish of food
to share.
Wednesday, June 30th at 7:00 p.m. Doc. Spring's Rehabilitated Dixieland Jazz Band will be performing. Bring your friends, chair or blanket!
Join others at the Freedom Park Band Stand for great music
and fun. All concerts are free and provide great music for your listening
enjoyment.
The June luncheon is planned for Tuesday the 8th. This is held in the Fellowship Hall at 11:30 a.m. and the meal is served at noon. Everyone is invited to come with a dish of food to share.
Come join us this month for great food and fellowship. We look forward to seeing friends and neighbors there. Many people take vacation in July and August so the next luncheon after this one will be in the Fall.
Our special guide for our blood pressure clinic has been under the weather with a severe back problem. He has decided it would be best if he took it easy and resumed the clinic in September.
We are wishing Harry complete recovery; we shall miss visiting with him each month. You can't keep a good guy down, Harry, so keep your spirits up and we'll see you in the Fall.
This Glenville Senior picnic will once again be held here at the Alplaus Firehouse pavilion. It is scheduled for Wednesday July 21st at 11 a.m. This is the only outdoor picnic which the Seniors have each year.
Many folks look forward to this event which is very well attended. It is held in conjunction with the Meal Center. Roger will be there with his great music and bingo and cards with prizes is being planned.
Reservations can be made by calling 393-1946 or stopping
by the Center to sign up.
April 23, 2004 will always remain in our memories as a very special kind of Alplausian Day. Where else in the universe could we go to a special gathering at a Fire House with Banners, Balloons and so many wonderful friends and neighbors sending us off with love and good wishes. The gorgeous doorknocker welcomes one and all (especially people from our former life) to our new home, and the picture of 8 Hill Street has a treasured place in our living room. It brings special memories every time our eyes fall on it.
May 4th found us bidding our belongings farewell with fear and trembling. In some respects our fears were well deserved. Watching the monster van backing up (or is it down?) Hill Street onto Alplaus Avenue during the late afternoon rush hour was something we dared not do. We thought we would get a start on our trip south after giving the house one more inspection for lost or forgotten items, and we did. We got all the way to Wolf Road before deciding to find a room, order up a pizza, and collapse for the night. The next day found us really on the way, and we arrived at the home of Joann's sister outside Washington D.C. in good time. The rest of the trip was made safely, and we arrived in Davidson on Thursday, May 6, to the not so good news that our possessions did not leave Schenectady as scheduled, and would not be arriving until Monday. Fortunately, our new community has a guest room, which we had reserved for Thursday night, and it was also free for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In a way it was a blessing not to have the stress of furniture arriving on Friday. On Monday all our new neighbors were watching with interest and skepticism as things came out of the van. The universal opinion was that no way was that vanload going to fit in our new home. What they didn't know, of course, was that another family's stuff, bound for Florida, took up at least a third of the space.
Our house (actually _ a duplex) seems larger than we had expected, although we still have a mini-storage unit filled with boxed treasure that sooner or later must be dealt with. We are surrounded by trees, and the quiet is quite striking. (no Bruce Drive, no railroads, no nearby airports etc etc.)
Every one here is so friendly and welcoming. There are
many interesting people, and many of the residents we have met have backgrounds
that lead to the telling of fascinating tales. We will spare you all but
one: As we were walking back from dinner one evening, our paths crossed
with another couple. Upon introducing ourselves the man said "Oh yes,
you are the people from Alplaus. I know about that community. I worked for
several summers as a counselor at Chingachgook on Lake George, and became
good friends with Donald Bolton. I never visited Alplaus but I certainly
know where it is." Small World or what! We actually bought our house
on Hill Street through Don's father, Harold, a realtor,
who at the time lived on Alplaus Avenue!
We thank each and every person with whom our paths crossed in our 47 _ years in Alplaus for making those years very special ones.
Joann and Ted Rautenberg
by Cliff Hayes
From Alplaus to Wall Street; Bobby grew up on 35 Hill Street, educated through 6 grades of the old Alplaus School, and was president of the class of 1956 at Nott Terrace High School in Schenectady. He received a B.S. in Pharmacy from the Albany College of Pharmacy and an M.D. from Albany Medical College.
Bobby became Senior Vice President and Chief Science Officer of Bentley in March 1992 and has served as one of the directors since 1993. Prior to joining Bentley, Dr. Stote was employed for 20 years by SmithKline Beecham Corporation serving in a variety of executive clinical research positions. Dr. Stote was Chief of Nephrology at Presbyterian Medical Center of Philadelphia from 1972 to 1989 and was Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
I had the opportunity to travel across the United States with Bobby & friend Doug Englert after he completed his medical internship in California in the mid 1960's motoring in his '64 Chevy.
Dr. Stote lives in Florida with his wife and has two grown children. His brother, Lynn, also resides in Florida with his wife.
Congratulations to Dr. Stote.
5/12/2004
Bobby on the left
Bentley Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE-Listed BNT, Amex transfer)
celebrates listing on the NYSE. In honor of the occasion, James R. Murphy,
Chairman, President and CEO, rings The Opening Bell on the stock exchange.
Bentley's proprietary drug technologies enhance or facilitate the absorption
of pharmaceutical compounds across various membranes.
As they say, time flies when you're having fun, and believe it or not, the 30th Annual Alplaus Fourth of July celebration and parade is almost upon us! Representatives of the Alplaus Volunteer Fire Company, the Ladies Auxiliary, the Alplaus Resident's Association, as well as the Alplaus United Methodist Church, have all been busily planning their contributions to the holiday festivities!
The schedule of activities is as follows:
Sunday, June 27th 10:30 AM
Ecumenical Community Church Service at the Alplaus Firehouse Pavilion. This is a non-denominational service, open to all.
Saturday, July 3rd 7:00 PM until Midnight
Firefighter Skills Competition always fun and exciting! Block Party at the Pavilion. Food, drink, conversation, music and friends.
Sunday, July 4th 11:00 AM
The Parade. Line-up for marchers, floats and vehicles forms at Glencliff School Road promptly at 10:00 AM. Our Citizen of the Year, Andrew Coppola, will lead the column as Grand Marshall.
Joining the fire companies, ladies auxiliaries, marchers, floats and vintage autos, the Glenville Pipe Band will inspire us with their patriotic live music. Trophies and ribbons will be presented after the parade, the ARA will have available an exclusive new tee shirt design, and Andimo Coppola & friends will be busy in the cook shack, rustling up the usual great food, including plenty of his infamous, mouth-watering "Alplaus Special".
We still have room for you in the Parade, so start making design plans for your float, tuning up your car, and polishing your fire engine! Thanks to all our great volunteers, although more are always needed; there is much to do behind the scenes. Contact Mike Sheppeck, Parade Chairman, at 399-7115, or via email at sheppeck@earthlink.net with questions, to volunteer, or to let him know you'll be there.
Be sure and invite your friends and relatives to enjoy
the hospitality and charm of beautiful downtown Alplaus during our big Fourth
of July celebration!
Contact:
Lt. Mike Sheppeck, Parade Chairman
241 Alplaus Avenue
Alplaus, New York 12008-1014
telephone: (518) 399-7115
email: sheppeck@earthlink.net
The Fire Department has taken delivery on nine new portable
fire radios purchased through a grant from the Federal Emergency Management
Agency. They replace portable radios purchased in 1987, which had become
difficult to obtain parts for due to obsolescence.
Date Time Call Type Location # FireFighters, FireFighter Hours
31 MAY 10:35 Air boat Rrescue Mohawk River
31 MAY 10:03 Medical Emergency Bath Street
25 MAY 22:36 Medical Emergency Pinewood Drive
19 MAY 05:49 Medical Emergency Maple Avenue
19 MAY 05:36 Medical Emergency Bath Street 6, 2.8
13 MAY 07:42 Medical Emergency Pinewood Drive
12 MAY 21:04 Medical Emergency Glenhill Drive 10, 8.0
12 MAY 13:32 Air Boat Search Mohawk River 7, 5.2
12 MAY 09:12 Medical Emergency Maritime Drive 7, 2.6
11 MAY 00:40 Mutual Aid Standby Saratoga Road 9, 11.0
08 MAY 20:59 Medical Emergency St. Anthony Lane 4, 2.1
04 MAY 21:45 Mutual Aid Scene Air Nat'l Guard Rd 9, 5.4
01 MAY 14:49 False Alarm Fire Glenridge
Road 9, 1.8