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APALACHIN • OWEGO • NICHOLS TIOGA CENTER • NEWARK VALLEY
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YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER • www.CommunityPress.us MARCH 2018
Volume 33
Fundraising for Fireman’s Fountain
Number 3
Apalachin Lions Easter Egg Hunt
“Buy A Brick” Campaign
Owego Hose Team Chicken Wing Eating Contest Winners Steve Bunce, Jon Boland, and Emma Howe. Owego Hose Teams, Inc. continues to raise funding to restore the 104-yearold iconic Baker Fireman’s Fountain in the Courthouse Square in the Village of Owego. Last month, they teamed up with Bill’s Restaurant to host a chicken wing eating contest. Ten people competed for prizes for contestants who ate two dozen wings in the quickest time. First place winner was Steve Bunce from Spencer who ate two dozen wings in 3 minutes and 45 seconds. Jon Boland of Painters Plus came in second place, followed by Owego Free Academy high school student Emma Howe who came in 3rd place. The hose team has also launched a “Buy a Brick” campaign where individuals, businesses, or organizations can purchase bricks to be placed at the fountain. To date, 63 bricks have been purchased and they are currently on display at Tom Ash Agency on Main Street in Owego. Businesses and organizations purchasing bricks have an opportunity to display their brick at their place of business until it is ready to be placed at the fountain. Participating businesses and organizations include Scott Smith & Son, Tom Ash Agency, Ice Cream Works, Ward & Van Scoy, VFW Post #1371, Ahwaga Paints, Taylor Garbage, Field AFAR, Visions Federal Credit Union, Thompson’s Grocery, Mapes Auction, The Owego Pharmacy, and Mister Koffee Service. To participate in “Buy a Brick” go to www.OwegoHoseTeams.com. The hose team will host its 2nd Annual Owego Hose Team Memorial Golf Tournament on Saturday, June 2, at Tioga Golf Club. Last year, 65 teams and 260 golfers participated with more than
100 sponsors making the tournament one of the largest in the Southern Tier. Registration is now open and signups can be made at www.OwegoHoseTeams.com for both morning and afternoon flights. Other upcoming fundraisers include a spring Monte Carlo Night in partnership with VFW Post #1371 and Auxiliary on Saturday, March 24, and Chicken BBQs this spring and summer in partnership with Ice Cream Works. The overall cost estimate of the fountain restoration is upwards of $100,000. Repairs that must be made include cement and concrete replacement, cast iron refurbishment, repainting, pipe, plumbing and pump work, basin liner repair and landscaping. Work on the fountain is expected to begin in April with a completion date of August 2018 contingent upon funding.
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME STARTS MARCH 11th Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead
The APALACHIN LIONS CLUB 63rd Annual EASTER EGG HUNT will be held on Saturday, March 24, at 1:00 pm, behind BOCES West School on Pennsylvania Avenue in Apalachin. The Easter Bunny will be at the hunt. There will also be Free New Digital Vision screening for kids and a Free Kids ID’s by the Tioga County Sheriff’s Department.
The Owego-Apalachin Family Reading Partnership will sponsor a free give away of children's books. All events except the Easter Egg Hunt are inside the TLC-BOCES School from 12:00 to 2:00pm. Please bring a non-perishable food item for the local food pantry. The rain date is March 31. Everyone is welcome!
School Safety Summit
Last month, Senator Fred Akshar brought together local superintendents and representatives from 29 local schools and school districts in Broome, Tioga, Chenango, and Delaware Counties along with members of law enforcement from state, county, and local municipal law enforcement agencies for the first in a series “School Safety Summits.” Through these round table discussions with stakeholders, Akshar seeks to learn more about the safety challenges faced by both educators and law enforcement while identifying and assessing any additional needs to ensure the safety of our local students. Following the initial roundtable with school administrators and law enforcement, Akshar plans on meeting with local teachers and students in the coming weeks as well. “In light of last week's horrific shooting in Parkland, Florida, it’s incumbent upon our community to bring our local stakeholders together and make sure we're doing everything we can to protect our children from these violent tragedies that have become all too common,” said Akshar. “Our educators and local law enforcement do an incredible job every
day keeping our kids safe, but as state senator, it’s important for me to listen to their needs, take that message to Albany and do what I can to help make their jobs easier. Whether it’s assistance through additional funding, legislation or emergency plans, everything is on the table. I'm here to listen, assess and to act.” Topics of discussion included the critical role School Resource Officers play in the daily lives and safety of students, access to mental health and counseling services, the importance of communication between school districts, law enforcement and mental health professionals in dealing with troubled students and the delay in funding from the 2014 Smart Schools Bond Act designed to help schools improve technology, infrastructure and safety measures. “We covered a lot of ground this morning and while ensuring school safety is clearly a complex and multifaceted issue, my team and I are already working on a few action items to get schools the resources they need in a faster, more effective way,” said Akshar. “Today is only the beginning and we’ll continue to listen to stakeholders, assess needs and work to obtain tangible results.”