Music Engages the Soul
By Dave WarnerThe Powerhouse Rock Festival is scheduled for May 20th down at Canal Place in Little Falls, with the food vendors ready at noon and music running from 2:00 pm until 11:00 pm.
Featured bands will
By Bianca Rico
I’m Bianka Rico. I’m a creative, free spirit, animal lover, treasure hunter, extraordinaire, and nature lover. I’m a mom to a wonderful young man that daily reminds me of what is important in life.
Paint is therapy for me, and over the last few years, I had a longing to get back to doing things I love. I have a
sentimentality for so many things that I find on my jaunts, whether it is an old copper container with wood handles used to store wood, a beautiful piece of glass, or a wonderful piece of furniture that has been discarded and needs someone, that being me, to breathe new life to it.
There are so many wonderfully made pieces of days old that
Please See HOME Page 3
be Rev-D from the Saratoga area, with local Phil Scarrano as the drummer, and Walrus from the Syracuse area, whose drummer, Jeff Mosher, also hails from Little Falls. Headliner, Dark Sarcasm is from the Albany area, and they are a Pink Floyd Tribute Band.
Dark Sarcasm is an
eight-piece band, and they focus on providing an authentic Pink Floyd experience, playing songs from a variety of albums, such as The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, The Wall, and more.
Mark Regan came up with the idea for the festival, and he said, “Periodically, I have rock
concerts at my house, and I thought it was time to have another one. Why
not at the Powerhouse and share it with the
Please See ROCK Page 7
By Dave Warner
The Village of St Johnsville is close to completing the installation of over 330 Hometown Heroes banners on poles. The idea came from Julie
Rider Erno in October of last year when she made a post on Facebook talking about the program.
“I only expected to get maybe 50 to fill Main St, and the response
has been amazing,” she stated.
Erno continued, “I have driven thru numerous villages and towns where these Military Banners are displayed and thought what an honor it must be for these communities to have these banners displaying their hometown servicemen and women, so I reached out to the program administrator, and with a group effort the details were all worked out.”
She provided details in the post about how community members could participate and where they could fill out the forms to do so. She intended for the banners to be displayed between Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Months later, the campaign has been an enormous success, with the remaining banners all ready to be installed.
Erno stated, “We were so close to using almost every single utility pole in the Village (and approximately one mile to the East and West of the Village) that we decided to keep going
until we used them all.”
They expect to hang approximately 100+ banners within the next couple of weeks and will have them all up for the beautiful Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony that the American Legion members work hard to put together each year for the community.
Judy Sinner said, “Simply amazing! I have always been proud to be from St.Johnsville, but the hanging of these beautiful banners makes me feel like I ‘won the jackpot,’ all because my parents chose to settle here back in the 30s. Thank you to all who have truly put St. Johnsville on the map!”
Beth Kramer stated, “The only thought that came to my mind was God did bless StJ with amazing heroes.”
The campaign has spurred other communities to take action, and in a recent Facebook post, Mary Puznowski, Mayor of the Village of Dolgeville, stated, “A group has been formed to organize the Dolgeville Military Banner Program to salute our local Veterans, current or former. You may have seen them in other communities. Recently St Johnsville has honored its Vets, and if you’ve
driven through, you will have seen the village decked out with over 300 banners!”
The banners in Dolgeville will be displayed yearround, and the cost will be $225. A picture of your veteran is front and center with their name, military branch, and years served. Wartime soldiers will have what war they served during. A picture in a military uniform is needed.
Application forms are available for pick up at:
Big M Village of Dolgveille Offices
Town of Manheim Office
Dawn’s Dawgs
For more information, you may contact:
Sam Licari, 315-8673931, Slicari@twcny. rr.com
Carmen Licari, 518-7276024, Cal44@mail.com
Julie Rider-Erno, 518225-3872, ernojulie@ gmail.com.
The company that is responsible for creating the banners is now meeting with interested individuals in Fort Plain, so yet another Mohawk Valley community may be honoring their Veterans in this fashion soon.
can be repurposed into something beautiful. You can’t compare the modern technology of today’s newly made furniture with how things were done in the days of old. They just do not make things the way they used to.
Furniture today is mostly pressed board with veneers, made shabbily and not for the long haul. I love pieces that can be passed down from generation to generation. The creative process soothes my soul, allows me to take a breath, focus on the task at hand, and shuts out the noise from a normally chaotic life.
During the past three years, I spent time and energy redoing a beautiful old building, the former Asteroga House on Burwell Street in Little Falls, into an Airbnb boutique hotel. I loved the creative process that unfolded during a time that affected our lives and put us all to the test. That was the birth of Redefined Alchemy LLC….REDEFINED: to define again or differently ALCHEMY: a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination.
Not only was the building undergoing a transformation so was I after losing a career I’d had for just about 40
years.
Redefined Alchemy LLC and Redefined Alchemy
Home was born from a desire to create more than just wonderful spaces for people to stay. I want to create furniture and more. To take discarded or rejected items and use quality materials, imagination, and simple techniques to re-imagine them as items that can be treasured in a unique home setting. Like yours.
Because I find such joy in creating, I want to share this with anyone who wants to learn. I believe everyone is creative at their core, and I want to encourage you to look with new eyes at what’s around you and imagine ways to change and beautify your surroundings because it’s fun. Because it’s empowering. Because it’s good for the soul and the planet to RE-USE and RE-imagine and, of course, to Redefine. To know the value of good stuff and breathe life into what’s old and dusty. To create from simple materials. To create from your very own hands.
I use Wise Owl Chalk paint on my treasures and feature it in Redefined Alchemy Home. The reason I chose Wise Owl Paint is to Redefine my found treasures…. Wise Owl Paint is made in the
USA and is a womanowned and run company. Its focus is on creating something beneficial to the environment and making the earth a better place.
Wise Owl Paint is made from scratch. Many furniture paints are made using box-store latex paint with minerals added. This poses health risks regarding inhaling crystalline silicates but also affects performance. Paint made from scratch has the minerals and chalk added in the beginning and is “part of the grind,” so they are fully incorporated into the paint. This greatly increases the paint’s lifespan and ensures the minerals won’t settle at the bottom of the can, affecting adhesion. You will also experience a much smoother selfleveling finish because of this.
Wise Owl Paint stays very connected to both customers and retailers alike. Karen Chouinard, the owner, is an Environmental Scientist, and it’s important to her that she truly “walk the talk” when innovating the safest products that will not negatively impact our environment.
Wise Owl Paint remains grassroots and plans to stay that way to help ensure hands-on quality
control & safety.
Quality is of the utmost importance to the creators of Wise Owl paint and products. They choose quality over profit, which is why I chose to carry their line and use it on the furniture pieces that I Redefine.
Wise Owl Chalk Synthesis is zero VOC,
and Wise Owl One Hour Enamel paint is very low VOC. Volatile organic compounds are off-gassed into our environment and your home; compromising your health or the environment is not something we would ever consider.
Wise Owl Paint is
Please See HOME Page 6
May 2, 2023
Common Council Meeting - Auditing of the bills: 6:30 p.m. Regular Meeting: 7:00 p.m.
May 3, 2023
Police and Fire Board Meeting - Bills 9:30 am and Regular Session 10:00 am in the Mayor’s Conference room in City Hall.
May 4, 2023
Tourism Committee Meeting 8:30 am in the Mayor’s Conference room in City Hall.
May 4, 2023
Harbor Commission Meeting 9:00 am in the Mayor’s Conference room in City Hall.
May 9, 2023
Recreation Committee Meeting 6:00 pm in the Mayor’s Conference room in City Hall.
May 17, 2023
Golf Commission Meeting - 8:00 am at the Little Falls Municipal Golf Course.
May 20, 2023
Holy Family Parish Garage Sale Event. Multiple family donations, 637 East John St behind academy apartments, 9-6
May 21, 2023
Holy Family Parish Garage Sale Event 10-1.
May 22, 2023
Board of Public Works Meeting - Bills 6:30 pm and Regular Session 7:00 pm in the Mayor’s Conference room in City Hall.
Little Falls Public Library
May 5, 2023
Playdate 10am. Sharon’s bracelet class 3-4:45 pm.
May 6, 2023
Munson summer exhibit presentation 1 pm. Knitting & Crochet 11 am.
May 8, 2023
Teen creative writing 5 - 6 pm.
May 9, 2023
Laurie’s make & take 3:30-5:30 pm.
May 10, 2023
Toddler time 10 & 11:15 am. Flash fiction 5:30 pm.
May 11, 2023
20s & 30s club. Game night 5:30-7 pm.
May 12, 2023
Playdate 10 am.
May 13, 2023
Knitting & crochet 11 am. Death cafe 1 pm.
May 15, 2023
Teen creative writing 5-6 pm.
May 17, 2023
Toddler time 10 & 11:15 am. Flash fiction 5:30 pm.
May 19, 2023
Playdate 10 am.
May 20, 2023
Knitting & crochet 11 am. Book talk on ‘Hot Topic’ 12:30 pm. Kids craft 1 pm.
May 22, 2023
Teen creative writing 5-6 pm. Book Club “The Alice Network’ 5:30 pm.
May 24, 2023
Toddler time 10 & 11:15 am.
May 26, 2023
Playdate 10 am.
May 27, 2023
Knitting & crochet 11 am.
Lunch at the LibraryMexican food 1 pm.
May 29, 2023
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:10am-7pm
Closed for Memorial Day
May 30, 2023
Dream workshop 5:45 pm.
May 31, 2023
Toddler time 10 & 11:15 am. Flash fiction 5:30 pm.
Little Falls Elks
May 5, 2023
Normal Dinner with Cinco de Mayo specials - 5PM start time
May 12, 2023
Last Dinner for the season - 5PM start time.
May 13, 2023
Paint n Sip 7 pm. All paint supplies and 2 drinks included. $45. Proceeds to benefit Little Falls Cub Scouts.
May 20, 2023
The Powerhouse Rock Festival. Doors open at Noon, FREE to the public. Bring a canned good for donation.
Dolgeville
May 4, 2023
Dolgeville Forward regular meetingThursday 6:30 PM, George Ward Memorial Library.
May 4, 2023
National day of prayer service 7 pm in front of Dolgeville Village Hall, 41 N Main St. Sponsored by Dolgeville Ministerium. Bring lawn chairs if you wish.
May 20, 2023
Dolgeville Farmers’ Market - Saturday, 9 AM - 1 PM, Plowe Park
May 20, 2023
Please See EVENTS Page 5
EVENTS From Page 4
Village-Wide Clean Up and Beautification Weekend - Saturday, May 20th and Sunday, May 21st (Check the Dolgeville Facebook Page for specific dates/ times for volunteer opportunities.)
May 27, 2023
Dolgeville Farmers’ Market - Saturday, 9 AM - 1 PM, Plowe Park
May 29, 2023
Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony - Monday, 9:30 AM - Parade
Begins on Main Street, Ceremony in Veterans’ Park on Elm Street following the parade.
Stone Arabia
May 5, 2023
Music will ring from the old rafters at Trinity Lutheran Church, a historic church built in 1792 in Stone Arabia. The church located on Rt 10N in Palatine Bridge will host an Organ Variety Concert on Friday, May 5th at 7 pm.
This year’s exciting program theme is “Nostalgia” and will feature classical music, upbeat music, selections from Broadway musicals Show Boat, Momma Mia, and Brigadoon, use of the original organ hand pump by award winning organist Helen Maksymicz, and much more.
Area musicians are Rev. Mark Fowler, Helen Maksymicz, Martha Regelmann, Irena Garin, Connie Chamberlain, Sidney Chase, Vicente Nunrez, Norma Bowley, Parker Shults, Orion Pratt, and Paul and Jeannette Kling. Refreshments and free will donation.
Join us at The H.A.R.P. Museum at the Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley on Thursday May 11 7:00 PM and with presenter Michael Hoke learn about the life and adventures, real, mystical and mythical, of Ireland’s Saint Brendan the Navigator.
Ask most Americans who discovered North America first and you likely hear it was either Christopher Columbus or Leif Erikson. Ask an Irishman and you will probably hear it was an abbott from Ireland named Brendan predating Columbus by a millennium. While it has been documented
that Brendan sailed to the Hebrides and Faroe Islands north of Scotland, it is his reputed adventures west in the North Atlantic towards Iceland, Greenland, and perhaps Newfoundland that continue to be debated to this day.
Sailing in a boat made of
wattle and oiled leather, Brendan and fourteen monks encounter sights and beasts never before witnessed while searching for the “Blessed Isles” or the “Promised Land of the Saints”. The notes regarding his exploits would be later used by Christopher Columbus on his voyages west in Please See BRENDAN Page 6
Friday, June 9th, 2023
9am Village Wide Garage Sales
6-8pm Dolgeville Manheim Historical Society Open
6:30pm Violet Festival Opening Ceremonies
Welcome at Joe Condello Gazebo in Plowe Park - Presentation of Lyndon Lyon community Award to Big M Crowing of the Violet Festival Queen, Anna “Aunt Annie” Musella, House Decorating Contest Winners
Announced
7pm Violet Festival Princess & little Mister Pageant, Ages 5-8, 9-12, 13-17, information - Taylor
7-11pm Whiskey Creek at Rustic Ties - no cover charge
7:30-9pm Dolgeville Community Band Concert -Plowe Park Gazebo
Saturday, June 10th, 2023
6-9am Vendors SetupMarilyn 315-429-9884
7-10 Pancake Breakfast at Dolgeville Firehouse
Saturday (cont.)
9am Village wide Garage Sales
9am-5pm Dolgeville Manheim Historical Society Open
10am Violet Festival Parade Crystal or Don 315-527-9585
10am-5pm Featured Artist, Ann Contino and Flower Show at the Graystone 10am-5pm Craft Show - Flea Market
12-2pm Critical Path at Plowe Park Stage
12-done Boy Scouts Chicken BBQ at Auskerada Place Basement 12-4pm Horse Drawn Wagon Rides 12-4pm Free Kids Tie Dye T-shirts in front of Military Monument. Limited shirts available, can also bring your own.
1-4pm DCS Student Art Show K-12 plus BOCES Pre-K & Dolgeville Pre-K at The Graystone
2-4pm As/IS at Plowe Park Gazebo
4pm Brookfield Tractor Pullers at the Daley’s on Moore Rd, Free Admission, bring lawn chair
4-6pm Fas4ward at Plowe Park Gazebo
Saturday (cont.)
6-7:30pm Kat & Tyler at Plowe Park Gazebo
7:30-10pm Violet Festival’s Got Talent Contest
10pm Fireworks Display from Summerhouse Hill
Sunday, June 11th, 2023
7-8am Registration/Packet Pick Up “Run for Violets” 5K Run/Walk and 1K Kids Fun Run, Across from Firehouse
7-11am Pancake Breakfast at Dolgeville Firehouse
8:30am Run for Violets 5K Run/Walk USAT+F Certification NY13048JG starts across from firehouse. Some streets will be temporarily closed for the safety of the participants and motorists. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
9:30am 1K Kids Fun Run - free of charge, across from firehouse
10-11am Ecumenical Service at Plowe Park Gazebo
10am-4pm Featured Artist and Flower Show at The Graystone
10am-5pm Craft Show - Flea Market
11-11:30am Poetry Contest at Plowe Park Stage- Joan Lein
12-2pm Dolgeville Cemetary Walking Tour
12-3pm Horse Drawn Wagon Rides
12-4pm Dolgeville Manheim Historical Society Open
1-3pm The Penneystreet Players at Plowe Park Gazebo
1-4pm DCS Student Art Show K-12 plus BOCES Pre-K & Dolgeville Pre-K at The Graystone
3-5pm Northern Outlaws at Plowe Park Stage
Craft Show- Flea Market Horticulture and Food Vendors on Main Street
Garden Flower Show at The Graystone
Featured Artist Show at The Graystone
DCS Pre-K-12 Student Art Show at The Graystone
Themed Basket Tickets sold at Violet Festival Info
Booth - Drawing Sunday about 4pm
Bounce Houses on Softball Field
Village Wide Garage Sales
HOME
committed to protecting the environment & reducing its carbon footprint and takes serious & deliberate action to reduce waste through manufacturing & shipping, but also sponsors projects to benefit wildlife & the environment. Integrity is a huge part of their mission, guiding every part of their business from start to finish.
I have a website that presents my curated market
stamps, & molds created by Redesign by Prima, also a woman-owned business, and of course the full line of Wise Owl along with a selection of quality paint brushes and the most fabulous furniture salve that can be used on almost anything, including your skin. I will expand offerings as we grow together but rest assured, only the very best tools & materials will make the grade.
I also carry Mint by Michelle decoupage papers, which is in Australia, yet another
woman-owned business that has an extensive line of DIY products to Redefine whatever treasure you might have in mind to do yourself.
I hope to bring something special to you and to engage others to get involved with creating for themselves. Classes are in the range of goals I want to get involved with. Decoupage, as well as layering paints, creating textures on furniture or even smalls like boring plant pots or old vases that need a new life, making them look like
To reserve a meal, call the Herkimer County Office for the Aging at least one business day in advance, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 315-867-1204 or 315-867-1634. If you will not be home for meals, call 315867-1204 at least a day in advance. All sites are handicapped accessible.
May 01 - Salisbury steak with muhroom gravy, rice pilaf, garlic spinach, vanilla ice cream.
May 02 - Cream of broccoli soup, turkey sandwich, three-bean salad, brownie.
May 03 - Chicken and biscuits, mashed potatoes, squash, Mandarin oranges.
May 04 - Ham and scalloped potatoes, peas and carrots, pears.
May 05 - Breaded fish on a bun, macaroni and cheese, stewed tomatoes, cupcake with frosting.
May 08 - Chicken marsala, rotini in sauce, Italian green beans, peaches.
May 09 - Sweet sausage on a roll, baked beans, red cabbage, sherbet.
May 10 - Frittata, sausage patty, hash browns, muffin, fruit cup.
May 11 - Roast turkey with gravy, stuffing, Brussels sprouts, pudding.
May 12 - Spaghetti and meatballs, Italian blend vegetables, Italian bread, apple brown Betty.
May 15 - Oriental beef stir fry with vegetables, rice, watermelon.
May 16 - Tuna salad cold plate, macaroni salad, cold beef salad, oatmeal raisin cookie.
May 17 - Roast pork with gravy, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, gelatin.
May 18 - Chef’s choice chicken, baked potato, green beans, pie.
May 19 - Philly cheeseburger, German potato salad, warm three-bean salad, tropical fruit.
May 22 - BBQ chicken, baked beans, mixed vegetables, peanut butter cookie.
May 23 - Layered hamburger cabbage, casserole, corn, waxed beans, strawberry ice cream.
May 24 - Baked fish in dill sauce, confetti rice, spinach, cinnamon applesauce.
May 25 - Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, baked squash, frosted birthday cake.
May 26 - Cream of spinach soup, chicken patty on a bun, pudding with topping.
May 29 - Closed for Memorial Day
May 30 - Lasagna, tossed salad, garlic bread, Italian blend vegetables, carnival cookie.
May 31 - Yankee pot roast, oven roasted potatoes, dill carrots, fruit cocktail.
All meals are served with 8 ounces of milk, a slice of bread, and margarine. Desserts have no concentrated sweets. The suggested donation is $3. Mail donations to Herkimer County OFA, 109 Mary St., Suite 2501, Herkimer, NY 13350. Envelopes are available from drivers.
ancient stone, finishing kitchen cabinets, or applying some beautiful transfers on top of a specially finished piece, are some of the ideas I would like to teach.
I will also be available for custom work if someone doesn’t want to do the work themselves, but if they have a piece of furniture that they are tired of and want to transform into something they will love, I will do that.
With a bit of imagination, we can make the world
more beautiful with our hands.
The store is located at 616 E Main St in Little Falls and will be open Thursday through Saturday from 11 am until 3 pm and by appointment. You can find out more by visiting www. redefinedalchemyhome. com or emailing redefinedalchemy@ gmail.com.
A soft opening is planned for Friday, May 12, 2023, and the grand opening will be the next day, Saturday, May 13, 2023.
BRENDAN From Page 5
the Atlantic. Brendan’s Feast Day is May 16 and he is the patron saint of sailors and travelers.
You can attend this presentation at the H.A.R.P. Museum located on the second floor of the Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley, 623 Columbia St, Utica. All
are welcome to attend this program and the museum is wheelchair accessible. There is no charge for this event but we do ask that you register with Eventbrite. The link can be found on our events calendar at https://www.iccmv.org/ events-calendar/.
The Little Falls Historical Society will partner with the Yellow Church Cemetery Association to host a Patriots Day observance at their historic site beginning at 11:00 AM on Saturday May 20. The rain date is Sunday May 21 at the same time. The event is free and open to the public.
This program will feature a number of short addresses on various local history topics and the laying of a Daughters of the American Revolution wreath. The playing of TAPS will conclude the approximately hour-long
event. This will be the eleventh local Patriots Day observance. As many as fifty Revolutionary War veterans are buried in Yellow Church Cemetery, many having fought at the pivotal August 6, 1777 Battle of Oriskany which was crucial to the eventual defeat of British forces at the Battle of Saratoga later that fall.
At the urging of the Historical Society, the City of Little Falls established
ROCK From Page 1
He approached Mike George with Rock Valley Brewing Company and asked him to get involved, closing the street and making it an all-day festival with craft beer made in Little Falls.
“Let’s invite people locally and around the globe to come here and experience this free event,” he stated.
They also decided to make it a fundraiser for the food pantry, requesting non-perishable items to be donated. “We then decided to have local vendors be within the footprint.”
Seven food vendors are involved, and some other craft vendors will also
appear.
Mike George stated that the reason for the festival was to get the word out about Little Falls and not only the upcoming project at the Powerhouse but also his business and all of the restaurants that are participating.
“We just want to bring people to the area and let them see what Little Falls has to offer. We have people that come from all over for the Garlic and Cheese Festivals, and we wanted to build on that and keep people coming here.”
He said, “It’s just a little reprieve from the dayto-day grind. Both bands that are playing here are fantastic, and they’ve played here a number of
times. They always draw great crowds,” George stated.
George also mentioned that Dark Sarcasm has a little treat for everyone at the end of the concert.
Prep work is ongoing in the area, expanding the parking and leveling the space between the Antique Center, where a berm has been removed, to grading around the Powerhouse. They’re also doing some work in preparation for future site development.
Regan is setting up an outdoor stage on the property, but nothing will happen inside the Powerhouse. “All the headliner stuff is outside. We’ll have tents set up to deal with the weather,
and we’re requesting that everyone bring their lawn chairs.”
The stage will back up to the Mohawk River
and be turned at about a 45-degree angle so the sound will go towards Elizabeth St. “We don’t Please See ROCK Page 14
PATRIOTS From Page 6
a local Patriots Day in 2010 to be observed each year on the third Saturday in May. Then Mayor Robert Peters issued a proclamation recognizing this annual observance.
Seeking to expand this observance to other communities and organizations, the Historical Society has in past years co-hosted annual Patriots Day events at: General Nicholas Herkimer Home, Fort Herkimer Church, Snell’s Bush Church, the former Masonic Temple in Little Falls, the Reformed Church at Historic Four Corners in Herkimer, Paines Hollow Baptist Church, Historic Trinity in Fairfield, Emanuel Episcopal Church in Little Falls, and, last year, at Norway Rural Cemetery.
The first local Patriots Day event was held at Yellow Church Cemetery in 2010. Full circle in 2023.
Patriots Day began in 1894 as a New England regional observance, and, in 1934, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts established the third Monday in April as a state holiday commemorating the April 19, 1775 beginning of the Revolutionary War when American Minute Men and British troops skirmished at Lexington and Concord. The epic Battle of Bunker Hill followed on June 17, 1775.
Anyone who has attended Patriots Day activities in
Boston can attest to the patriotic emotions that are raised. The viewing of the somber bagpipeled procession as it snakes its way through the streets of Boston on route to pay proper tribute at the graves of Revolutionary War heroes with rifle salutes is indeed a moving experience. Patriots Day also includes reenactments at key Boston Revolutionary War landmark sites along its historic red line. The running of the Boston Marathon and the Red Sox home opener add to the celebratory mood.
Local Patriots and the American Revolution
We here in the Mohawk Valley have equally compelling reasons to recognize our ancestors’
critical contributions to the outcome of the American Revolution. Local Revolutionary War Patriots may have lacked the formal education and national stage that produced the oratorical eloquence of New England’s Samuel Adams and James Otis, or Pennsylvania’s Thomas Paine or Virginia’s Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry, but, heroes and Patriots they were, our heroes and Patriots. Certainly, we can safely liken the courage of the Palatine Committee of Safety in drafting its May 21, 1775 Declaration of Independence-like document at Snell’s Tavern in Stone Arabia to the July 4, 1776 decision by our national Founding Fathers in issuing our more famous Declaration of Independence. These were our local founding fathers, and they acted more than a year earlier than our national Founding Fathers!
After signing his name to the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Franklin stated: “We must all hang together,
or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” The same fate would have awaited the Palatine Committee of Safety signers if America had not succeeded in gaining independence from England. They were all traitors alike in the eyes of English authorities. July 4th is one of America’s most treasured holidays. Additional parallels between local and national Revolutionary War era events and people can also be drawn upon for greater regional recognition.
Once the British military evacuated Boston in March,1776, and soon after began the occupation of New York City, the physical threat to New England colonists generally lessened. The physical safety of Mohawk Valley residents was threatened for a far greater length of time than other regions of Colonial America, except perhaps for New York City itself.
went on almost as long as the Revolutionary War itself. Perhaps the most notorious of these actions were the Andrustown Massacre on July 18, 1778, the September 17, 1778 German Flatts Raid, the November 11, 1778 Cherry Valley Massacre, and the Remensnyder’s Bush Raid on April 3, 1780. Death and destruction were a constant presence in Patriot life.
Our ancestors lived on the western frontier of the Revolutionary War. The threat to local safety really did not lessen until the October 30, 1781 death of Walter Butler on the banks of the West Canada Creek. Some historians refer to this encounter as the last battle of the Revolutionary War. The June 1782 Tory and Indian raid that destroyed the Little Falls gristmill occurred some eight months after Lieutenant General George Cornwallis surrendered
British forces to George Washington at Yorktown. Indeed, death and destruction were pervasive in the Mohawk Valley for a long period during our quest for independence.
With assistance from the City Little Falls in 2021, the Historical Society
installed a New York State historic marker near where this gristmill once stood.
No Local “Sunshine Patriots”
During this extended period, no Mohawk
Please See PATRIOTS Page 11
A new business at 561 West Main St is open to take care of all your automotive needs. Andrew and Sam Perkins are the owners, and the brothers are both mechanics.
Andrew stated, “I’ve been a mechanic for eight years and Sam for five. We both went to Morrisville for automotive repair. I worked for Salisbury Motor Car for three, and so did he. I then went to Todd Cable/ First Light Construction
and worked on all their trucks and equipment.”
Andrew also brought his brother there but got the bug to start his own business about a year ago. “We always wanted to run our own garage and talked about it. We picked out the name when we were really young. It’s Andrew Sam Alex Perkins (ASAP), and it fit,” he said. He said that they both then ended up in the automotive field and that they both love selling cars as well. “We’ve done this since we were fifteen
- buying and selling trucks.”
Trucks are really both of the brother’s things, but they handle cars as well. “We do it all.”
“The weight on my shoulders is a little heavier because I’m married and have two really young kids. He’s single with a girlfriend,” but we both work really hard.
They found the location because it was up for taxes, and their dad bought it with the intent
to flip it.
“After a year and a half, we got to talking and decided that we’d keep it and open a garage,” Andrew stated.
The company can handle anything from tires, brakes, suspension work, electrical diagnostics, alignment, or air conditioning work. “We’ll do any engine work other than rebuilds. We won’t do that, but we’ll do a swap out. We also don’t rebuild transmissions. We’re staying away from rebuilding,” Andrew said.
“We’re not scared of anything. We’re doing detailing now. That seems to be a really big hit. It’s not something that we had expected to take off, but we’ve been pretty slammed with it.”
They have also gotten approval for a dealership, so they’ll be selling used vehicles.
In addition, they’ve added a tow truck and are waiting for it to be configured. When finished, they’ll have a 24x7 towing service.
Andrew said they’re also a Rough Country dealer, which is truck and Jeep lift accessory kits. “It’s running boards, tunnel covers, fender flares. We’re also a Wheels Pro Dealer, which also allows us to offer more lift kits. We have after-market tire setups and pretty much anything after-market for cars and trucks.”
If you want more information, you can find them on Facebook or call 315-508-5089.
Valley Patriot felt safe from Tory reprisal. The “Sunshine Patriot” that Thomas Paine condemned in his “The American Crisis,” read to George Washington’s beleaguered and deserting troops at Valley Forge, would seem an appropriate reference. There were few “Sunshine Patriots” remaining in the Mohawk Valley during this time. Incredible courage was exhibited by the individuals and families who took refuge at Fort Herkimer, Fort Dayton, and Fort Klock as the war dragged on.
Our ancestors were brutalized and killed for a longer period of time than any other Americans during the Revolution. Perhaps we need to better recognize and celebrate this courage and these contributions. How better to educate ourselves about our collective heritage and pass this appreciation along to our children than by paying respectful
annual recognition to these frontier Patriots at a local historic site?
It does not require a great leap of imagination to compare Adam Helmer’s heroic 1778 run to warn the residents of German Flatts of the approach of 450 Tories and Indians with Paul Revere’s more famous midnight ride warning the residents of Lexington and Concord of the approach of British forces. Helmer saved dozens of Mohawk Valley residents from brutal deaths.
As we visit historic cemeteries at Fort Herkimer, General Herkimer Home, Yellow Church Road, Norway Rural Cemetery and elsewhere, the emotional grasp of history is powerful. We need to realize that as we stand before the graves of Nicholas Herkimer and Jacob Klock and before the family plots of Bellingers, Petries, and Snells that we are reaching for the legacies of our local founding
fathers. Their names were not Washington, Jefferson, or Adams, but appreciation and celebration are certainly in order.
Our area already does a great job of promoting much of our local history. Each autumn Fort Herkimer holds its living history weekend and the General Nicholas Herkimer state historic site continues to be one of the finest Revolutionary War sites in the state. Additionally, the Herkimer County Historical Society does a fine job with its ongoing efforts in celebrating our Revolutionary War era
heritage. This writing is suggesting more of a focused effort on the annual celebration of a New England-like Patriots Day.
Perhaps the Herkimer County legislature should more formally recognize a local Patriots Day? Local communities and schools could have greater reason for celebration and appreciation for the crucial role that our ancestors played in the outcome of the Revolutionary War. Boston in particular, and New England in general, does a wonderful job of promoting their regional significance in our nation’s
founding. Saratoga also effectively promotes the critical Battle of Saratoga as part of its vacation destination appeal. Is it now time for us to rival these ranks by taking greater local pride in our own Revolutionary War legacy? Happy Patriots Day! Please join us at Yellow Church Cemetery at 11:00 AM on Saturday May 20.
The Case for a Local Patriots Day Observance was written by Little Falls Historical Society member Jeffrey Gressler and published on May 10, 2010. This article is an update of that earlier article.
99.8 percent of New York Businesses are Small Businesses
By Deborah Kaufman
Many would have you think that the demise of small businesses in rural communities is inevitable, considering the tremendous pressure that e-commerce giants Amazon and Walmart place on ‘Mom and Pop’ retailers. At the same time, there is no doubt that there has been a shift in retail buying habits in recent years,
especially when you add the pandemic, supply chain challenges, and a looming recession. But is that the whole story?
While the pandemic sent shockwaves through the economy and shifted retail buying habits for household essentials, it also created an unexpected and surprising surge in small business startups. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020 was a record year for new business formation, with a 20%
increase in applications. 2020 experienced the highest total number of applications by far, double the growth rate in any other year. The largest increases were in the non-store retail sector (accounting for 1 out of every 3 new businesses) and the personal services section. The findings cite the continuation of a gig economy with small businesses also selling their goods and services online.
Small businesses play a vital role in driving local economies as well as the New York State economy. In fact, a 2022 study by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy shows that 99.8 percent of New York businesses are small. That’s 2.3 million businesses that are not likely to go away anytime soon. They also employ 4.1 million employees, 48% of the
State’s employees.
Women comprised 48.5 percent of workers in these small businesses and owned 39.8%. Racial minorities were also a large portion of small business ownership, with 26.3 percent owned by this demographic.
So, why should we care?
Imagine the number of small businesses you interact with each week, including internet-based companies, contractors, plumbers, electricians, hardware stores, lumber companies, co-working spaces, healthcare, real estate, the meat market or bakery, the movie theater,
lodging, hair salons and barber shops, boutiques, law firms, accountants, IT specialists, repair/ refinishing shops, the bowling alley, liquor stores, gas stations, auto repairs, the car wash, restaurants, and bars. Now imagine your community without them.
Small business entrepreneurs offer communities economic sustainability and are not necessarily driven by passing national trends. They bring growth, provide employment opportunities to local residents, and innovation to rural communities. They also generate revenue that converts local taxes into community improvements such as schools, parks, public transit, and healthcare.
The Better Business Bureau’s national statistics show that when you spend $100 at a local business, roughly $68 stays within the local economy, compared to a non-local business where $43 of that $100 dollars stays in the community.
Most small businesses also participate in volunteer work, charitable donations, community festivals, local sports teams, and benefits. In fact, their data shows 52% of small businesses support charitable
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contributions, and 90% donate to local causes.
The vibrancy of any small town can be measured by the economic health of their small businesses. These community assets generate long-term economic development that meets authentic community needs. By supplying jobs to their communities, these entrepreneurs promote economic self-sufficiency to help reduce poverty, according to the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, which supports entrepreneurial efforts in low and moderateincome areas.
Local small businesses
also provide character and individuality to a community. They are a community’s unique brand. Walking along a thriving business district can create a sense of value and identity for visitors. It’s an impression of vitality and wealth, producing a positive image of the overall community.
Building a Robust Small Business Ecosystem
Rural small businesses face several challenges when it comes to launching their startups, one of which is driving traffic to their door with low population density compared to
large communities. This often requires creating a destination marketing strategy to draw customers from surrounding communities.
In an ecosystem model, local organizations interact with each other to create and exchange sustainable value. The collaborative nature of an ecosystem is that different entities come together to accomplish something beyond the scope and capacity of any individual entity.
Take, for example, a small community with a variety of restaurants and entertainment venues.
In a small business ecosystem, these entities would cooperate to deliver goods and services to a target market, generating greater value for their community and visitors. For small towns, this cooperative relationship among businesses can be a competitive advantage for drawing people to their downtowns and providing opportunities for visitors and residents to spend more time in their business/entertainment districts.
While the restaurant and entertainment industry is just one example, one could easily imagine connecting lodging to this ecosystem as well. Creating an ecosystem of businesses can
also be created in other industries, such as manufacturing, healthcare, arts and culture, recreational activities, etc.
Other advantages to creating an industry ecosystem are: attracting similarly skilled labor that is enhanced by workforce training opportunities and shared access to capital, technology, marketing, suppliers, and accounting resources.
Could you be the next Apple, Google, Amazon, or Dell Computer that started in a basement, garage, or car? There is
BUSINESS From Page 12 Please See BUSINESS Page 14
BUSINESS
Page 13
no question that these companies faced hurdles throughout their journey to success, but like most of our grandparents and great-grandparents who started businesses, they found the journey well worth it.
If you’ve been thinking of launching your dream business, the timing may be right to capitalize on the recent national surge of startup interest. And your community is likely to thank you. The impact that entrepreneurs have on their communities in terms of job creation, innovation, and productivity growth helps to revitalize rural
communities. The USDA’s Economic Research Service found evidence that having a higher share of employment at small businesses with 2 to 99 employees was positively associated with local income, employment growth, and poverty reduction. Nothing is more thrilling than coming up with a business idea and seeing it through amid all the unknowns. Suppose your inner entrepreneur has been quietly nagging at you. Why not explore the concept by talking to business owners about the opportunities and
barriers to entering the market in your field of interest?
You’ll also want to research the mechanics of opening a business. At first, this may seem a bit overwhelming, but there are numerous websites, blogs, and videos to get you started.
Herkimer College also made the list of the Best Community Colleges in New York in 2023 by Intelligent.com. Herkimer College was awarded
Most Affordable on the final list and ranked
number eight out of the 22 community colleges scored.
Other affordability initiatives offered by Herkimer College include BookMarket™. In collaboration with Barnes & Noble College, this course-material delivery program lowers the cost of materials. It ensures students have access to all their required textbooks on or before the first day of class.
For more information about tuition and financial aid, visit www.herkimer. edu/pay-for-college.
want it reverberating off the ramp wall or the Powerhouse, that’s why we’ve angled it,” Regan stated.
“The light show and other things will blow your hair back,” he said.
The concert also has a youth, Veterans, and military family component, with American Legion and Herkimer VFW participation.
“May 20th is Armed Forces Day, so that’s appropriate,” he said.
The Elks Lodge will have their BBQ chicken as
a fundraiser for a Little Falls Central School District scholarship. “All the funds from the Elks cooking chicken will go to that scholarship fund.”
Regan said, “We already have people coming in from three continents, seven countries, and twelve states that we know of.”
George reminded people to bring an item for the food pantry. “We’re trying to raise some money and get some donations to help those less fortunate than us.”
In April, the Herkimer Home State Historic Site kicked off its 2023 season with a ‘Sugaring Off’ event in Little Falls. The Home hosted the festivities as visitors learned about the traditional sugaring skills around General Nicholas Herkimer’s colonial manor in the scenic Mohawk Valley.
If you’ve never been there, construction of his residence on the colonial frontier was completed around 1764. General Herkimer’s place in history was assured in 1777 when he assembled 800 militiamen, supported by 60 allied Oneida warriors, and marched to defend Ft. Stanwix against a British siege.
Considered a significant turning point in the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Oriskany fought on August 6, 1777, has been described as one of the war’s bloodiest battles. Although wounded in the leg, Herkimer kept command during the fierce combat. After the battle, he was carried home, where he died ten days later from complications following the amputation of his leg.
Michael Roets, the site manager, said, “We’re getting ready to open up Memorial Day weekend. We’ve been working this winter on a bunch of new living history initiatives. We should have a working blacksmith here throughout the summer, mostly on weekends.”
He also said that they’re
going to do some farming demonstrations. “We’re going to be opening some gardens and improving the formal garden in front of the house with some 18th-century appropriate flowers.”
Roets thinks the most significant change will be the living history demonstrations. “It used to be one of the mainstays of the Herkimer Home, and we’re trying to get back to that.”
One of their new employees, Edward Heinrichs, who had worked at Fort Ontario for years, will lead the events. “He’s been working on the fortifications around the house, and he’s also working on creating that blacksmith shop and demonstrations,” Roets stated.
They are also looking for volunteers who would like to work with Heinrichs,
so if you are interested, call (315) 823-0398. Roets said that Heinrichs is well-versed in getting people involved in living history events.
“He works with them to get appropriate clothing and footwear, and he also has the ability to train people on how to do 18th-century crafts. We’re really looking to get more volunteers to work with him,” he stated.
The Home is also gearing up for the Raid Along the Mohawk event as they did in 2021. “That event will be the first weekend in September. It will be 100+ soldiers camped on the site along with their camp followers doing their demonstrations and some of their battle scenarios.”
“That’s the big thing that we’re doing,
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The Hamilton County Community Services has two (2) anticipated openings for Substance Abuse Prevention Educators in Indian Lake. Starting salary is $43,316 -$46,319. These are full-time positions with an excellent benefits package.
The responsibilities of this position include performance of a variety of duties in a school-based, substance abuse prevention program. The incumbent’s primary function is to develop and implement educational and informational programs aimed at preventing substance abuse. The incumbent will also provide initial informational and assessment counseling and guidance on a one-to-one basis with students making contact with them as a function of their exposure to the curriculum.
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a bachelor’s degree and EITHER:
a)One (1) year of experience in teaching, vocational placement work, counseling, social casework, or as a training specialist; OR
b)Two (2) years of experience in youth recreational programs; OR
c)Thirty (30) graduate hours in social work, education, community health, social sciences, criminology, human services, or a related field; OR
d)An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (a), (b) and (c) above.
Proof of minimum qualifications are required at the time of application. For more information or an application, please contact: Hamilton County Personnel PO Box 174, Court House Lake Pleasant, NY 12108 (518)548-6375
but we’ll also do a commemoration event of General Herkimer’s death, which we do every year. The DAR chapters come out, and numerous local chapters support that. Just honoring and remembering General Herkimer and all the other
By Donna Veeder
militia that fought at the Battle of Oriskany with him. We typically do that the weekend following August 6th,” he said.
For more information, visit https://parks.ny.gov/ historic-sites/14/details. aspx.
Eight young women artists of the Mohawk Valley Region have spun for us their beautiful and unusual artwork stories in glorious colors as they visualize this title. We are used to spring torrents around here, both in winds and waters, experiencing everything from soft, warm breezes to wild snowy gales to roaring surprise floods. Using colors and emotions, warm and cool, as our Northern springs seem to deliver us, these young women will share their recent creations. Their group exhibition, Torrent of Flor, opens at The Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, on May 6, 2023, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM at 401-403 So Ann St., Little Falls, NY, 13365. Katrina Cheney, Gabrielle Huther, Michele Johnsen, Carly Proulx, Lisa Rohacek, Kayla Spivey, Alexandra Tamburro, and Melody Valdivia have all been creating art for some years now. You might have seen their work in various other exhibitions. However, this exhibition is the first to present their work as a specially invited group. We will see animals, flowers, roaring waters, figures, photographs, interiors, landscapes and some exciting three-
dimensional creations. These works are full of emotion. They are each artist’s own personal interpretation of the title. Color and the lift it gives to us abounds!
Moving through the group alphabetically, we touch on some of the works. Katrina Cheney’s tall rectangular depictions of nature use both painted and attached wild plants she has collected from her surroundings to bring a feeling of new growth to our attention. They are both abstraction and reality combined. Gabrielle Huther presents large, free, bright, and joyous abstracts called Desert Rose that lift our spirits. Their light seems to radiate from within. Michele Johnsen takes us on a totally different path. She turns her lifelong pursuit of collecting driftwood into colorful, sassy, strutting creatures: birds covered in beads, grasses, and feathers. She weaves in many textures and colors of other found materials. Carly Proulx paints our Mohawk River in a wild spring flood, flashing by us below her window. Yet she also gives us darker, brooding figures whose thoughts we cannot quite fathom. Lisa Rohacek displays a beautiful golden-yellow trout lily beneath spectacular, roiling sunset skies of
grays, rose, and soft blues. Her giant nest gives a close-up of baby birds guarded by their mother’s watchful eye. Kayla Spivey presents sleek, modern, floral ceramic serving dishes delicately painted for the feasting of our eyes as well as the feasting of our bellies. Alexandra Tamburro’s large photographs bend sunflowers toward us or away from us. Her pink Spanish creeper vines wind themselves around static machines, beautifying the neighborhood. Melody Valdivia’s woman with bright red hair leans forward to dry her hair in the warming sun’s rays. Two horses greet one another in warming colors, nose to nose in their newfound freedom from the dark winter barn. This unusual exhibition of the works of nearby women artists is one you’ll surely want to see and enjoy. It is a Spring Tonic.
May 11 and 25 August 10 and 24
June 8and 22 September 14 and 28
July
and 27
The exhibition will have its Opening Reception at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts 401-403 So. Ann St. in Little Falls, NY, on Saturday, May 6, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This event is free and open to the public. One other event will occur at The MVCA during the tenure of this exhibition. On Saturday May 20, there will be a special free Wine Tasting Event featuring Women-owned wineries. (Wine served to adults only.) Artists will be present for a meet and greet. Regular gallery hours are ThursSat, 12:00 to 4:00, or by appointment. Call: 315823-0808. The exhibition ends on June 17.
Battling sub-zero temperatures and an enemy outnumbering them 20 plus to one, they managed to survive the Battle of Chosin Reservoir despite taking some 15,000 casualties. At the Imjin River and Kapyong, they blunted an offensive by 700,000 Chinese. They distinguished themselves at battles whose names have become iconicHeartbreak Ridge-Old Baldy-Porkchop Hill. They are the Marines and Army infantrymen whose incredible valor in the face of often overwhelming odds prevented a Communist takeover of South Korea.
The price paid with American blood for the preservation of the small democratic state was substantial; 36,940 deaths; 92,134 wounded; 3,737 MIAs. The enemy losses numbered an estimated half million troops. While many local communities suffered losses, one, in particular, was hard hit. My hometown Little Falls. Our city of less than c. 9,000 lost five men: Clifton Avery, Walter Bobak, William Grogan, Thomas Ochar, and Milan Mosny.
The latter’s death was particularly poignant to my friends and me because his brother, Danny, was a classmate. The six Mosny brothers were an institution in the community not only for their prowess on the basketball court but for their values, citizenship, and scholarship. While I didn’t know Milan personally, along with everyone else growing up in the late ’40s and ’50s, I knew of him. Milan Mosny might have been the finest role model ever to graduate from the “purple and white.”
At the end of an exemplary high school career replete with numerous accomplishments (athletic and extracurricular), Milan gave his valedictory address and headed to West Point to join the Class of ’49. There, his record was no less stellar; high scorer of the A-Squad hoopsters, letterman in baseball and cross country, upper-third in his class, Modern Language prize winner in French, etc. He went on to earn his wings as an F86D fighter pilot, honing his skills to the extent that, in the words of his commanding officer, “Mo was one of the most promising officers I
have known. His Academy background and his flying ability were great assets, but secondary to the man he was.”
According to those in the know, the sky was the limit as far as his future was concerned. Ironically, it was in the sky that the life of this exceptional young man was ended. On January 6, 1955, in Japan, during a night intercept training exercise, Milan and his co-pilot were killed in a mid-air collision with another jet.
It seems that memories of the Captain and four other men previously mentioned faded with the passing years until they were known only by a handful of residents. This phenomenon is commonplace. It’s not that people don’t care about those who were lost during our many wars; it’s that they haven’t been reminded not to forget. On May 12th, the people of Little Falls were reminded thanks to several high school students who conducted a food drive while wearing t-shirts with the names Avery, Bobak, Grogan, Ochar, and Mosny prominently displayed. They collected nearly 1500 items of food
and $168 for the local pantry. Along with their peers from Mohawk and Frankfort who conducted similar drives (honored Marine Cpl. David Mills and SSgt. John LaPolla, respectively-both, KIA in Vietnam), the students introduced another dimension regarding how Memorial Day can be observed. We can honor our heroes by doing something in their memories to improve the quality of life of their hometowns.
Earlier, I wrote that Milan Mosny would make a great role model. I mean, what parents wouldn’t want their children to possess his
attributes; integrity-strong work ethic-responsibiltyrespectfulnesscompassion-humilitypatriotic. That said, might I suggest that any of us looking for role models need look no further than our own communities; their names are etched in stone on the memorials, which remain lasting testimonies to their indomitable spirit, their unimpeachable character, and their willingness to give their all for their country.
God bless and keep them always.
If you would like to see your story in the Mohawk Valley Express - email it to news@ mohawkvalleyexpress.com
The Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs are ready to kick off their 2023 season, on June 1st, versus Utica, which means opening night is less than one month away.
Travis Heiser, owner of the team, said that once the season is done, he’s already getting ready for the next one in the middle of August. “We start signing guys for the upcoming season, so there’s really no ‘off’ days at all.”
He said that they first try to lock in players interested in coming back. “Some players tell us before they leave that they’d like to come back, so we try to get those kids signed up.”
Everything moves faster once fall starts because players are playing fall ball. “By October or November, we are done with the majority of our roster.”
One of the hot names in the Valley is Troy Butler,
and Heiser says he’ll be returning in 2023. “Troy is coming back, and this is his third summer with us. He had a good year last year. He’s definitely the number one prospect in the league, and we’re excited to have him back.”
Heiser said, however, “How long he’s actually with us, we don’t know. He could be going back to the Cape after a couple of starts with us, or he could stay for the entire summer or get drafted by Major League Baseball in this year’s draft. Being local, it’s nice to have him back.”
“He’s throwing 96 mph now. I saw him pitch a couple of weeks ago, and the scouts are all over him. I think we’ll have him for two to three starts at least, but if he gets drafted like Jimmy Joyce, it would be nice to get that call with him wearing a Dawgs uniform,” he said.
Heiser said there are many other tasks to accomplish in the offseason, including lining
up the advertisers and sponsors for the team, host families, and afterhome game meals. “It’s a full-time job if you’re going to do it right. A lot of people think we just roll out the ball in June.”
“We really try to lock up all our advertisers and sponsors in the fall for the upcoming season. We’re really fortunate to have most of our sponsors back again from the previous season. The reality is, without them, the Diamond Dawgs would not exist,” he stated.
He also said that he really appreciates the team’s support from the community.
“We have players coming from all over the country, and some like to stay in the apartments, but again there are those individuals who like the host families.”
Heiser also works on what kind of entertainment will be provided during the games, including fireworks nights and giveaways. “It just never
ends.”
There is still housing needed for two more players, and after-game meals are another hotbutton item for Heiser. “I think we have four out of the twenty-five games taken care of, and that’s a big undertaking to get them fed.”
He said that the players appreciate something other than hotdogs or hamburgers when playing at home. “When we have a home game, we try and feed them with something that has a little more nutritional value than what they eat on the road.”
After the games, they eat at the picnic tables at the field.
Heiser said the coaching staff is set and the same as last year. “Coach Lubby has been with me since 2014. He’s been in every role and is now our head coach. John Ferino, the local guy from Fort Plain, is coming back, and then we have Tyler Roper coming back for his second season.”
“It’s nice to have those three back. I think the biggest thing for us in any organization is consistency, and I think having consistent coaches and staff is what sets us apart from a lot of other summer collegiate teams,” stated Heiser.
On paper, he said the team looks good. “I think we have some guys that are really going to be able to swing it. Defensively, I think we are going to be good. The concern is always pitching. Do
we have enough highlevel players that can be consistent day in and day out and keep us in games,” he said.
Heiser said that several of the players are hitting well right now at college, several with multiple home runs. “I think we’re going to be quick as well. We’ve got guys who can steal bases, and we’ll have a pressure offense. We’re going to be able to bunt.”
He said they’re a little soft in the outfield but have some two-way players that can also play outfield because they’re that athletic. “We’re excited to see what we have, and again, it’s not always about the numbers, but putting the team together and having that chemistry.”
Heiser said that the Eastern Division they’re in is the toughest competition, with Utica sliding over into it.
“It’s always a battle, and it goes through Amsterdam. Unfortunately, we only play them two times. It’s a rivalry game, and from a scheduling standpoint, I don’t understand why we don’t play them more. It’s just the way it worked out.”
“Our players and our fans like that rivalry, and it’s no different than when we play Utica. There’s a respect issue between all of us, but when the time comes, we all want to beat each other,” he said.
Heiser said they expect
The Little Falls Alerts, a vintage base ball team, is looking for players to continue building on the success of the past two years. In both 2021 and 2022, the Alerts played vintage base ball games against teams from outside the area. Little Falls native Andy Krutz has been the organizing force behind the Alerts, a number of his former Little Falls Mountie teammates play for the team.
There are two games
scheduled so far for 2023. The Alerts will play the Delhi Pole Cats in Meredith, NY on Saturday, June 10th, and in Little Falls during Canal Days Celebration on Saturday, August 12th. Skill level is of no concern, enthusiasm is the only prerequisite. Both males and females are encouraged to play. If you are interested in playing for the Alerts, please contact Andrew Krutz at 315-867-9078 or krutzy787@yahoo.com.
DAWGS From Page 18
to be competitive and end up in the playoffs. “We’re also here to help these players grow, not only on the field but off the field. We always say we’re in the man-making business. Whether we win a championship or not, we want to send our guys back to their schools as not only better baseball players but better people.”
He said that when it comes to the fan experience, they have a lot more groups booked and that they’re going back
to giving a lot of tickets out in the community to drive more people to the games. “We’ve got some family reunions that we’re doing this year, and we will be announcing a fireworks show that I think is probably going to be the best show that we’ve ever had.”
Heiser also noted that the Thirsty Thursdays would be back. “It’s become a place to hang out with friends and socialize. It kind of breaks up the week.”
Another addition will be live multi-camera streaming of the games by The Creative Outpost, Inc., intern program. If you can’t make the game, you’ll be able to watch it at https:// mvdiamonddawgs.com/ livestream/
He ended, “There’s definitely more to come.”
For those who want to know, the baseball camp will be July 12-14, 2023. If you are interested, email travis@ mvdiamonddawgs.com
