Alplaus Home Town News October 2001
Don't forget the Alplaus Run-Around coming up on October 27th. This is your opportunity to demonstrate the success of your summer exercise and training program.
Check out the application form on the last page of this
issue of the Home Town News. Talk to Tom Kiernan for information and to
volunteer to help with running the Run-Around.
As I am sure you already know the Alplaus Community Post Office will remain open for business. The window hours will not change. My thanks to every individual who expressed unwavering support of our unique Post Office. Countless people responded with letters and telephone calls to Congressman Michael McNulty requesting his assistance. He graciously accepted our cause and intervened on our behalf. His participation was essential and we remain indebted to him.
If I might request one thing more of our residents it would be to continuously support this Post Office with your stamp purchases, package mailings, and P. O. Box Service. Each of these will help us to remain a viable, profitable business for the US Postal service. The more we sell the more secure we are! In no way do we personally benefit from the sales but it will protect our presence here.
In the upcoming months please stop in with your Campbell's soup labels that we collect for our local Glencliff Elementary School. Enjoy some coffee and look over our expanded selection of books. We also have flag tee shirts for sale with profits being donated to the Fireman's Family Fund.
Finally, my thanks to the individuals who took time to
write editorials and encourage press coverage. It was the final straw; in
fact I believe the Gazette was integral in the entire successful effort.
Best wishes for a beautiful Autumn and thank you again. Lorie
Where were you at a quarter to nine on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001? This is a question each us will have an exact answer to from now until our departure from this veil of tears. It was a day of shock, unbelievable tragedy and deep sadness for all, but especially for those directly involved.
The bravery of the uniformed police and firemen in the first response to the emergency was awe-inspiring rushing into harms way to save the office workers trying to get out of the buildings and then being caught in the collapse themselves. The Bible verse: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." says it all.
It's hard to see where this incident will lead us. President Bush has declared war on terrorists and rightly so. I can't help but recall what Fess Parker said as the frontiersman Dan'l Boone on an old TV show: "Be sure you're right and then go ahead".
Rick Fleming and Robin Driskel both make an excellent suggestion for a personal action to take in response to this tragedy, if you are able and willing: Join the local volunteer fire department. The importance of prepared and equipped emergency workers was very evident in the days following this event.
Bob Culver has given us an article for this HTN that clears up a personal mystery that has puzzled me for years as I drove by it on Maple Avenue. Be sure and read about the dry hydrants of Alplaus in his article titled: Have you Noticed?
AWH
(through 09/27/01)
Date Alarm Time Situation Found Street Respondents Engines Other Vehicles 09/01/01 03:56 Unintentional call Hetcheltown Road 6 2
21:11 Emergency medical Hetcheltown Road 4 1
09/05/01 07:22 Emergency medical Mountainwood Drive 7 1
09:25 Unintentional call "Accidental Alarm" 4
09/07/01 17:15 Emergency medical Mohawk Avenue 9 3
18:26 Emergency medical Woodhaven Drive 10 3
09/11/01 20:00 Hazardous condition Hetcheltown Road 10 2 2
09/15/01 09:30 Hazardous condition Hill Street 8 1 2
13:38 Hazardous condition Air Guard Road 13 1 1
09/17/01 08:01 Malic/mischiev call Glenridge Road 5 1 1
09/18/01 11:33 Emergency medical Maple Avenue 4 1
17:51 Emergency medical Maplewood Drive 13 3
09/22/01 12:50 Emergency medical Maple Avenue 7 1
09/23/01 00:51 Emergency medical Alplaus Avenue 3 2
09/24/01 13:43 Emergency medical Acorn Drive 8 2
ARA News
By Rick Fleming, President Alplaus Residents Association
Many of you may have been wondering when the paving of Alplaus will commence. I have recently spoken with Town Supervisor Mosher, and he assures me that the paving will begin within the next several weeks. We also spoke about the progress of the sewer proposal for Alplaus. Mr. Mosher will be meeting with the architects during the first week of October, and then will set up a date for a community meeting. Hopefully, we can continue the progress that is being made and soon Alplaus residents can decide for themselves whether we want sewer services.
On a personal note, it was five weeks to the day of my last visit to the World Trade Center that terrorist struck and killed so many of our fellow Americans. Having many friends that lost loved ones in the tragedy we can only send good thoughts out on their behalf. Many people have asked, what can we do to help?
Many of us have given to the aid agencies in numerous ways, but another way that people might consider struck me on the morning of the 15th when we had to call the Alplaus Fire Department to evacuate smoke from our house due to a malfunctioning furnace. VOLUNTEER.
The Alplaus Fire Department like all volunteer fire departments
needs bodies. This organization is the backbone of our community and we
should do all we can to support it. I challenge Alplaus residents to raise
the membership by ten members by this time next year as a way of showing
our patriotism and respect for those whose lives were taken.
This is a reminder of this social event of the Scotia-Glenville Seniors. It will be held on Saturday, October 13, at 6 PM.
The festival is open to the public to enjoy good food, fun and fellowship. There will be a great food buffet prepared by Mary Ann's Restaurant.
Roger is coming with his keyboard with his familiar tunes to dance and sing with.
Sophie will be there with music to lead some line dancing for those who enjoy this.
There will be door prizes for some lucky folks. Come join
us if you can at 32 Worden Road. Reservations can be made at the center
by calling 374-0734 where you can pick up your tickets for $10 by October
8th.
On Saturday and Sunday, October 27 and 28, 1 5 PM the Scotia-Glenville Seniors will be holding two days of exhibits of wonderful works by local artists. They invite you and your friends to stop by and observe the many talents of our Glenville citizens. Some pieces will be available for purchase.
Refreshments will be served at no charge. This all takes
place at the center on 32 Worden Road, where everyone is welcome.
On Sunday November 4th at 1 PM there will be a get together at the Senior Center for bingo with prizes or, for those who prefer, to play cards.
Bring a covered dish with food to share; plates, utensils and beverages are furnished. This will be at the Senior Center on Worden Road.
There will be entertainment and dancing with Roger Story at the keyboard.
If you plan to attend please call the meal center at 393-1946
so we can get an estimate of how many to set up for. Come join us if you
can. If you decide to come at the last minute we'll set another place for
you.
At our first meeting since May, we discussed the Flea Market, Firemen's dinner, the Fourth of July Parade and the float, all of which were successful. In particular we were happy about the Garage Sale and Flea Market that had to be rescheduled because of the horrible weather conditions.
I thanked all of those who helped with preparing food for those who helped during the County Compost Facility fire and those who prepared the wonderful meal for the firemen's dinner on June 4th. I also thanked Linda Krodder, one of our new members, for her wonderful work on our first auxiliary float in years.
I would like to make a special welcome to our new members Karen Seminary, Elizabeth Burke, Linda Kroder, Kim Sheely and Catrina Cutting. It's great to have you aboard.
We began our meeting with a covered dish supper and ended with a program by the Sweet Adeline's which was outstanding.
We are planning for the Halloween parade and party that will take place next month as well as our Election Day bake sale for November.
In one of my columns earlier this year I stated that firefighters are our real everyday heroes. The events of this month have proved that more than ever to be true. If you're feeling that there "must be something you can do" you don't have to look further than the firehouse for two great activities: Become a firefighter or a member of the auxiliary that supports them. Hope to see you at the next meeting on October 22nd at 7:30 at the Alplaus Firehouse.
By Robin Driskel (399-4911)
Each year our community of Alplaus has a special day for our children to celebrate Halloween together. This is always the Saturday before Halloween, which is Saturday, the 27th of October this year.
The parade is scheduled at 1 PM with games and refreshments to follow. It is a very special time for the young ones with family, friends and neighbors attending.
Kids and adults can come in costume or casual dress to parade or watch the parade. There are games for the young folks and yummy goodies for everyone through the afternoon.
Come join us for an afternoon of happy fellowship!
Yesterday we [Betty and Bill Vedder] arrived home from a 10-day tour of Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia with the Happy Wanderers. At another time I would like to tell of our travels but not in this issue.
I was so very impressed with the caring attitude of the Canadian people toward us that I had to mention it now. When people found we were from New York they would put themselves out to speak of their sorrow for all of us because of our tragedy.
They seemed concerned just as much as we are in our own country. In many places our flag was flying beside theirs and in other places there were signs sadly referring to our disaster.
It really made me stop and seriously think about my country's relation to Canada. In all my years, and there have been many, I have taken for granted the peaceful concerns for one another between Canada and the U.S.A. There seems to be such a strong togetherness between our two countries.
When you look at the world as a whole with the fighting and wars between close countries you realize how fortunate we are to have our Canadian neighbors. Let us pray that this is a situation that will prevail forever between us.
Alplaus Fire Station
Harry's date for the October clinic is Thursday, the 11th.
Be sure to mark this on your calendar and stop into the
firehouse to say hello and have your blood pressure taken that day. He will
be pleased that the condition of your health is very important to you.
This lovely bit of stonework is Maureen Taylor's effort to beautify a bit of Alplaus History. She converted a brushy pile of rocks near her home at 144 Maple Avenue into a rock garden.
It was built as a Fire Cistern in the 1930's by the Fire Department to provide a water supply for that section of Maple Avenue. It had a capacity of around 10,000 gallons and was kept filled by the members from the stream at Alplaus and Maple Avenue. It was a regular duty to check the level of water here.
It was located on land then owned by the D&H Railroad, from whom the Fire District had an easement to construct and maintain a cistern. As may be seen in the center of the above photo, there was a 4-_ inch steamer connection to which the engine could be connected for drafting.
In the days before Water District 11 there were a total of six "dry hydrants" including this one. The others were located at Glenridge Road at Kline's Lower Pond (now drained) opposite present St. Anthony Lane, at Glenridge Road and the Alplaus Creek, at Alplaus Avenue and the Creek, at Hetcheltown Road at the Indian Kill, and at the Fire House on Alplaus Avenue.
The Hetcheltown Road hydrant is still visible, though unusable, on the left side just north of the bridge.
The dry hydrant is still on the ramp at the Firehouse. It was connected to a 25,000-gallon cistern under the east bay of the building that was replenished by rainwater from the roof. In dry seasons it was sometimes necessary to refill the cistern from the Alplaus Creek since this was also the water supply for the firehouse "non-potable water" (washing trucks etc.).
Contributed by Bob Culver
September 2001 Summary
October Moon Phases
The Old Farmers Almanac for Oct. 2001
Forecasts for Region 6: Upstate New York
Saturday Oct. 27, 2001 10:00 AM
Start and finish at the Alplaus Fire House
Sponsors: The Alplaus Residents Assoc. and Alplaus Fire Co.
Entry Fee: $5 for the 5K, $3 for the One Mile Fun Run
T-Shirts or hats: Will be on sale at the event.
Events: One Mile Fun Run. Course: Flat
5K (3.1 miles) Run. Course: Mostly flat with one short moderate grade.
Awards: One Mile Fun Run: Place ribbons to top 3 male/female finishers each age group.
5K Run: Place ribbons to top three male/female finishers in each age group.
Special awards to first male/female finishers in the 5K event.
Special awards to best male/female finishers from Alplaus Fire District in the 5K.
Divisions: 5K: Age 13 and under; 14-19; 20-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60 and over.
One Mile: Age 12 and under. Age 13 and over.
Start Time: 10:00 a.m. One mile 10:30 a.m. 5K
Refreshments: Cider, Coffee and Doughnuts
Contact: Tom Kiernan, 399-0480
..
Entry Form Enter One Event Only
Mail entry form and fees to: Alplaus Run-Around, P.O.Box 63, Alplaus Post Office, Alplaus, NY 12008. Make checks payable to Alplaus Residents Assoc. (Day-of-race registration is possible at the Fire Station until 9:45).
Name: ____________________________________________________
-
Address: City-_________________ State _____ Zip ________
Alplaus Fire District Resident: Yes No ___
Age: (day of race) ____ Sex ___ Event (one only): 5K _____ 1 Mile Fun Run- ____
I hereby waive and release any and all rights and claims for damages I may have against you and the municipalities through which the run will take place, as well as any other person or groups connected with the run for any and all injuries which I may suffer while taking part in the run or as a result thereof. I also certify that I am in good physical condition and have trained for this event.
Signature: ___________________________________ (parent/guardian if runner is a minor)
Date _____________