Alplaus Home Town News November 2003
Editor/Publisher: Art Harris Reporter: Betty Vedder
The time is fast approaching
To enjoy this holiday,
We'll share our nice warm memories
With those who've been away.
It's a day of celebration
With a warming heart to feel.
There's turkey and there's dressing
With a delicious home made meal!
We're wishing you the happiest
A weekend of good cheer,
To spend right here in Alplaus
For a special one this year.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
From Your H.T.N. Staff
The term "Fall Rains" never had as much meaning as it has this year! The Gazette weather summary showed us to be nearly 5 inches above average rainfall for the year to date. The best one can say about this is that we don't face outdoor fire danger and that anyone who put down new grass is doing great.
There are a number of new Alplaus homeowners this fall.
I trust you are making them feel at home. Please invite them to come to
our community meetings at the fire hall. There will be one this Thursday,
November 6th, at 7 pm on the latest news about expanded community sewer
lines. (See below for more about this meeting.)
Thanks from Shirlee Josselyn and Family
To the Residents of Alplaus:
We want to thank Charlie Casey, the ARA and the Alplaus Fire Department for the honor given to Baxter in dedicating the 2003 Alplaus Runaround to him. It was wonderful to see so many Alplaus residents, from the adult workers to the young children running the one mile, enjoying the day as Baxter had always envisioned it - a fun activity for all.
The plaque will be a thoughtful reminder of a beautiful day. Thank you so much.
Shirlee Josselyn, Pamela Josselyn May, Jennifer May Kopacz
Hello, neighbors. There's information elsewhere in this edition about the Alplaus Run-Around, an event the Alplaus Residents Association put on for its 23rd year in late October. I'd like to thank my husband, Charlie, for stepping in to organize the race for the past two years. It's a wonderful, small, hometown race, and as many of you know, it is the reason Charlie and I came to live in Alplaus in the first place.
Our informational meeting to answer questions about the status of sewers in Alplaus will be held at the firehouse on Thursday, November 6th at 7:00 pm, a change from our earlier scheduled time of Monday, October 27th. Recent developments with the City of Schenectady regarding the rate they'd like to charge us for the sewer line to the city mean that it's not possible at this time to circulate petitions.
However, a lot has happened since we all met in March. We'd like to:
I hope to see all of you at the meeting, because we're all affected one way or another by this process. Feel free to call me at 399-5714 if you have questions before the meeting.
Barb Casey, President ARA
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So thx nxxt timx you think you arx only onx pxrson and that your xfforts
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I just wanted to inform the early bird shoppers that the holiday stamps have arrived. I have in stock now the festive holiday music makers and also a more traditional stamp.
The Post Office also now carries a fairly large supply of priority mail boxes in assorted sizes as well as some good condition recycled boxes for parcel post mailings. Please remember to give yourself ample time if you are sending packages internationally.
There has been a more then average turnover of residents in Alplaus these past months. For those moving into Alplaus the hours of the Post Office are:
Monday-Friday 10:00 am - 12:00 Noon
Closed for lunch
Reopen 1:45 pm - 4:45 pm
Saturday 9:00 am - 12:00 Noon
We hope that all newcomers to Alplaus will support the Post Office by opening a Post Office box and by purchasing stamps and mailing packages.
All sales help keep us here!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a convenience!!!!!!!!!
If you have any further questions, please call the Post Office at 399-8048 during hours or leave a message on the answering machine. I'll be sure to get back to you.
Over the holiday season a few Alplaus entrepreneurs will be displaying items at the Alplaus Post Office that they make, bake or craft. They will be leaving information on how to contact them if anyone is interested in making a special holiday purchase.
Happy Thanksgiving, Kathy Boyle
Afternoon Delites - Gourmet Biscotti
My name is Elizabeth Burke and I have lived in the hamlet of Alplaus for 26 years. Recently I started making biscotti (Italian cookies) for family and friends.
My baking has turned into a business. For more information
please give me a call (399-2072) or stop by the post office for samples.
We will be hosting a Bake Sale at the Alplaus Fire Station on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4th. Please stop by when you vote.
Our next meeting will be 7 pm on November 24, 2003 at the Alplaus Post Office. We will be making up Holiday Cheer Baskets for Alplaus shut-ins.
The Community Luncheon will be held this month on Tuesday, November 11th from 11:30 am until 2:00 pm. It takes place in Fellowship Hall at the Alplaus Church.
Everyone is invited to attend, bring a dish of food to
share if you can. There is delicious food, fellowship and bingo to play
if you like. Come join us for the fun of it!
Mary Herrick has once again sent for a special order of pecans. She does this for the United Methodist Women to make them available for the community over the Holiday Season.
The cost is $6.00 a pound, the same as last year. Anyone
may place their order by calling Mary at 399-2113.
The Senior Annual Holiday Craft Fair is scheduled for Saturday the 6th of December from 9:30 am until 3:30 pm. Once again lunch will be available to enjoy with friends and neighbors.
If you are a crafter and have items for sale there is a
registration for the fair in the latest Senior Moments or call Jeanne Story
at 399-6401 by November 28th.
Harry Casey is planning this month's clinic for Thursday, November 13th from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm. It would behoove you to stop by and have your pressure checked before the Holidays.
It's very important for your good health and keeps Harry happy to see you at the Alplaus Firehouse.
Alplaus Fire Station
This event is scheduled for Sunday, November 16th, at 1:00 pm at the Senior Center. Roger Story will be there to start our afternoon with music.
The Tony Riccobono Quintet will entertain following the
meal. We ask those who plan to come to sign up at the Meal Center or call
393-1946, this gives a number to set up for. Please bring a dish of food
to share.
This year's Veteran's Day observance at the Center on Sunday, November 9th at 2:00 pm is particularly significant. It will mark the 50th anniversary of a very cruel war, the Korean "Police Action". The public is invited to attend this program.
It will feature Karl Barbir, Professor of Middle East History at Sienna College and Bob Hull, a Scotia resident and retired history teacher. Dick Lasher, another Korean War Veteran from Scotia, will have an exhibit.
Refreshments will be served - that's very important!!
October 25, 2003 Weather: 45F, sunny, dry
Race Report by Charlie Casey
This year, the Run Around was different. Known as "Baxter's Run" in memory of race founder and community leader Baxter Josselyn, the event celebrated the community spirit that Baxter and his family brought to the Run Around and countless other Alplaus events over the years.
Gray Watkins, himself a veteran runner of all 23 editions of the Run Around, paid tribute to Baxter, who died last October 26th (the day of the 2002 Run Around) on his return from watching a victory by his beloved Syracuse University football team. Baxter's wife, Shirlee; daughter, Pam; and granddaughter, Jennifer all of whom finished the one-mile event accepted a plaque commemorating the race in Baxter's memory. Gray also generously donated "Baxter's Run" T-shirts that were given to runners and volunteers.
A total of 41 runners 21 in the one-mile, 20 in the 5K finished the 23rd annual Alplaus Run Around.
The weather sunny, dry and in the mid-40s -- was ideal for the runners. As always, the residents of Alplaus current and former turned out in force to work the race, tell stories and drink coffee.
In the one-mile, Chris Murphy, 8, took top honors with a time of 6:27, with his mom, Cathy, the first woman finisher in a time of 7:44.
In the 5K race, Victor George, 26, set the pace with 15:24, perhaps the fastest time run in the last decade of the race. Barb Casey was the first female finisher and Alplaus Fire District finisher. Gray Watkins was the first male fire district winner.
The race was made possible by about two dozen volunteers and the cooperation of the Alplaus Fire Department and the Alplaus Residents Association. Goldstock's, Riverview Orchards and Ricitello's Restaurant donated prizes.
One-mile Run
1. Chris Murphy, 8, Male, 6:27
2. Ryan Murphy, 7, Male, 6:54
3. Dominic Weeber, 10, Male, 7:20
4. Joel Landis, 10, Male, 7:32
5. Cathy Murphy, 45, Female, 7:44
6. Kerry Archer, 12, Female , 7:45
7. Bill Shrader, 60, Male, 8:04
8. Ashley Devine, 10, Female, 8:16
9. Leanne Archer, 9, Female, 8:32
10. Patrick Archer, 44, Male, 8:32
11. Adriel Landis, 7, Male, 8:36
12. Dan Flora, 12, Male, 9:04
13. Phillip Weeber, 8, Male, 9:29
14. Conrad Weeber, 42, Male, 9:29
15. Lyndsey Devine, 10, Female, 10:19
16. Cassandra Coppola, 10, Female, 10:23
17. Hananell Landis, 5, Female, 10:24
18. Elise Landis, 9, Female, 11:19
19. Shirlee Josselyn, 75, Female, 16:14
20. Pam Josselyn May, 50, Female, 16:14
21. Jennifer Kopacz, 28, Female, 16:14
5K Run
1. Victor George, 26, Male, 15:24
2. Joe Natalie, 47, Male, 19:49
3. Jim Landis, 39, Male, 20:10
4. Russell Clark, 51, Male, 20:53
5. Jeff Flora, 44, Male, 21:09
6. # Gray Watkins, 52, Male, 21:50
7. Michael Benoit, 14, Male, 21:57
8. Larry Lewis, 49, Male, 23:19
9. Timothy Keegan, 51, Male, 23:45
10. Jeremy Benoit, 13, Male, 23:49
11. Joe Hein, 54, Male, 24:44
12. Ray Lee, 61, Male, 24:59
13. # Barb Casey, 41, Female, 25:03
14. Luke Benoit, 10, Male, 25:06
15. Bruce Marsh, 69, Male, 25:59
16. Carl Filbrich, 53, Male, 26:31
17. Martin Benoit, 43, Male, 26:44
18. Lewis Riccitello, 59, Male, 27:07
19. Gail Hein, 51, Female, 29:10
20. Nancy McKiernan, 49, Female, 31:59
# = first Alplaus Fire District finisher
by Gray Watkins 10/25/03
Our friend, Baxter Josselyn, the founder of the Alplaus Runaround, grew up in our neighboring community of Scotia, New York. He was a leader of his peers even back then and was voted President of his high school class and was considered the person most likely to succeed, which in those days meant becoming President of General Electric Company.
Baxter was always an enthusiastic athlete who played a variety of sports in high school and then in college at Syracuse University. Baxter played quarterback for the Syracuse football team between 1945 and 1950 with a year off in the service at the end of World War II. Baxter played first string quarterback for one of the nation's best teams at a time when pads were not very thick and helmets were just strips of leather. Baxter has been an Orangeman ever since.
Baxter met his wife of 53 years, Shirlee, at Syracuse when Baxter was an upper classman. Shirlee told me that Baxter was a little miffed when she told him that she had not heard his name even though he was then the starting quarterback for the football team.
Baxter and Shirlee spent 37 years of their lives here in Alplaus raising their three children, Pam, Michael and Jerry, and contributing to the community in a variety of ways. Baxter was on the Board of Fire Commissioners for many years and was a founding member of the Alplaus Residents Association. He also operated an Allstate insurance office in the old Post Office which is now the new Post Office, for many years as well.
Baxter was full of life and enjoyed taking his family on camping, canoeing trips in the Adirondacks, mountain biking, skiing and being active in the Boy Scouts and the church school. Baxter also liked to run in order to stay in shape. It was Baxter's idea more than 20 years ago to start a race for Alplaus Residents which he hoped would become a race for all kinds of runners throughout the expanded Alplaus community. Baxter lived to see the race become a success and he participated in the race every year until last year.
Almost exactly one year ago today, on October 26, 2002, the day of last year's runaround, Baxter had a tough decision to make. He had season tickets, of course, to the Syracuse football games and he also wanted to attend the runaround in order to participate in the race which he founded and loved. Baxter chose, however, to attend the Syracuse football game and drove with a friend to Syracuse to attend the pre-game festivities and then to watch the game. Syracuse won that game and while Baxter was driving home, he suffered a fatal heart attack. It was a shock to his family and to all of us, of course, but after the passage of a year, we are able to look back and say that he died a happy man having spent so many warm and loving years with his family and having, on his last day, seen his favorite team win.
So, this year's Alplaus Runaround is dedicated to Baxter Josselyn and we have T-shirts naming this year's race after Baxter. Please note that the lettering on the shirts is orange in order to honor his beloved Syracuse Orangemen. I also have a plaque that I would like to present to Shirlee which I will read to you now:
A tribute to Baxter Josselyn - founder of the Alplaus Runaround.
His athletic zeal and community spirit continue to inspire us all -
2003 - "Baxter's Race"
Alplaus
Fire Department Calls in October
Date Alarm Time Call
Type Location#
Fire Fighters FF-Hrs
01 OCT 21:07 Medical Emergency Glenridge Rd 8 3.9
02 OCT 17:10 Medical Emergency Glenridge Rd. 6 1.5
04 OCT 09:13 Medical Emergency Glenridge Rd. 6 2.8
08 OCT 17:37 Medical Emergency Hill Street 14 8.9
09 OCT 05:17 False Alarm Fire Glenridge Rd. 5 1.3
10 OCT 12:00 Other Emergency Glenridge Rd. 8 32.5
11 OCT 10:37 False Alarm Fire Glenridge Rd. 5 1.3
14 OCT 07:58 Mutual Aid Scene Bradt Road 1 0.1
14 OCT 18:34 Medical Emergency Bath Street 9 3.0
15 OCT 20:13 Medical Emergency Oakwood Drive 10 6.8
16 OCT 09:21 Medical Emergency Glenridge Road 3 3.0
17 OCT 22:48 Other Emergency Alplaus Avenue 4 0.9
18 OCT 04:56 Medical Emergency Mountainwood Drive 5 3.3
21 OCT 06:48 False Alarm Fire Glenridge Road 7 4.0
24 OCT 00:40 Vehicle Accident Maple Avenue 4 1.3
28 OCT 07:30 Other Fire Glenridge road 4 1.2
28 OCT 18:07 Mutual Aid Standby Pashley road 11 11.7
29 OCT 16:48 Air Boat Search/Rescue Alpaus Avenue10 7.7