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Events: RCS Community Library

In Events, Events - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald
September 18, 2024
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  • Destash Your Crafts!

Thursday, Sept. 19 to Oct. 11, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Have too much yarn, fabric or other craft supplies collecting dust and taking up space? Give your unused supplies a new home with the library’s Second Annual Destash/Restash craft re-homing event. Drop off your gently used or new craft supplies to share with fellow crafters. Help keep usable items out of the landfill and promote creativity at the same time. The library will be accepting donations from Sept. 16 to Oct. 11. The Restash/Rehome event will be on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Any items that don’t find a home at the October event will be donated to Up-Stitch in Albany. For adults and teens.

  • Family Storytime

Thursday, Sept. 19, from 10-11 a.m.

Family Storytime is a fun, participatory storytime for the whole family that includes songs, fingerplays, stories and movement activities. Early literacy activities are emphasized. No registration is required.

  • Lunchtime Books: ‘Swamplandia!’

Thursday, Sept. 19, from 12-1 p.m.

The novel is “Swamplandia!” by Karen Russell. Thirteen-year-old Ava Bigtree has lived her entire life at Swamplandia!, her family’s island home and gator wrestling theme park in the Florida Everglades. But when illness fells Ava’s mother, the park’s indomitable headliner, the family is plunged into chaos — her father withdraws, her sister falls in love with a spooky character known as the Dredgeman, and her brilliant big brother, Kiwi, defects to a rival park called The World of Darkness. Books are available at the library and new members are always welcome. No registration is required. For adults.

  • Craft: Little Boos

Thursday, Sept. 19, from 6-7 p.m.

Resident needle felting expert Donna Hamilton will demonstrate how to make some adorable, autumnal felted pumpkins. Whether you’re a beginner, or have some needle felting experience, come spend some time with fellow crafters. Registration is required at rcscommunitylibrary.org. For adults and teens ages 16 and up.

  • Romp and Read

Friday, Sept. 20, from 10-11 a.m.

Romp and Read will help get the wiggles out on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. with interactive themes, stories, and action songs with props. No need to register.

  • Chair Yoga for Seniors

Friday, Sept. 20, from 10:30-11:15 a.m.

This gentle yoga class, taught by local instructor Kelley Curran or Well & Kell, is for folks ages 50 and up. No experience or equipment is required. Join in at Senior Projects of Ravena for this series of yoga classes. There is no fee for this class. Registration is required at rcscommunitylibrary.org. Please provide an email address or phone number so the library can notify you in the event of any change to the schedule.

  • Romp and Read

Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 10-11 a.m.

Romp and Read will help get the wiggles out on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m. with interactive themes, stories and action songs with props. No need to register.

  • Last Tuesday Book Group: ‘Anna O’

Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

The novel is “Anna O” by Matthew Blake. What if your nightmares weren’t really nightmares at all? Anna Ogilvy was a budding 25-year-old writer with a bright future. Then, one night she stabbed two people to death with no apparent motive — and she hasn’t woken up since. Dubbed “Sleeping Beauty” by the tabloids, Anna’s condition is a rare psychosomatic disorder known to neurologists as “resignation syndrome.” Dr. Benedict Prince is a forensic psychologist and an expert in the field of sleep-related homicides. His methods are the last hope of solving the infamous “Anna O” case and waking Anna up so she can stand trial. But he must be careful treating such a high-profile suspect — he’s got career secrets and a complicated personal life of his own. As Anna shows the first signs of stirring, Benedict must determine what really happened and whether Anna should be held responsible for her crimes. Only Anna knows the truth about that night but only Benedict knows how to discover it. And they’re both in danger from what they find out. Books are available at the library and new members are always welcome. No registration is required. For adults.

  • Write Together at the Library

Tuesday, Sept. 24, from 6:30-7:45 p.m.

Are you a beginning writer, or maybe working on the Great American Novel? Maybe you’re the short-story type? Prose fiction writers of all types and levels are invited to bring your notebooks, laptops or other writing implements and join in for an evening of writing together. The library will offer writing prompts, sprints, and quiet time for you to get ahead on your writing project, no matter where you are in the process. Registration is required at rcscommunitylibary.org. For adults.

  • Senior Cinema: ‘Galaxy Quest’

Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 2-4 p.m.

Celebrating the 25-year anniversary of this classic sci-fi comedy starring Tim Allen, Alan Rickmand and Sigourney Weaver as the stars of a 1970s sci-fi show who are now scraping a living through re-runs and sci-fi conventions. These actors are beamed aboard an alien spacecraft by a band of aliens who mistakenly believe that the Galaxy Quest episodes they viewed are “historical documents” of real-life space adventures and are relying on these out-of-work actors to save them from disaster. Rated PG. For adults.

  • Even More Drawing: Keeping It Simple and Fun

Wednesday, Sept. 25, from 6-7:30 p.m.

Art does not have to be serious or of museum quality. In these sessions, you will draw from images chosen to be inspiring, exciting and amusing. Drawing, if you haven’t done it before, is a very learnable skill and a very relaxing pastime. It takes your brain in new directions and is a great way to begin other two-dimensional art styles like painting. Both “wet” and “dry” techniques of drawing will be introduced in this series of classes. All skill levels are welcome. Individual instruction and supplies will be provided. Local artist and instructor Thomas Baldovin will return to the library to offer these classes. There is no fee for this class. Registration is required at rcscommunitylibrary.org. For adults and teens ages 16 and up.

NEW FICTION

“On the Hunt” by Iris Johansen

“Entitlement” by Rumaan Alam

“The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife” by Anna Johnson

“The Women Behind the Door” by Roddy Doyle

“One on One” by Jamie Harrow

Related Posts

Fire department looking for Ravena’s bravest

In News, News - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald
April 17, 2024
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By Melanie Lekocevic

Capital Region Independent Media

Trucks and firefighting equipment were on display during Saturday’s open house event. Melanie Lekocevic/Capital Region Independent Media

RAVENA — The Ravena fire department is looking for a few brave souls.

The firehouse held an open house Saturday, seeking new volunteers to help with all kinds of roles in the department.

“This week is Recruit NY, a program that FASNY does in an attempt to recruit more people,” said Fire Chief Kevin Phillips. “We are holding an open house.”

The fire department had equipment and trucks on display as a demonstration of what the department can do, from fighting fires to responding to vehicle accidents and other emergencies.

The goal of the open house was to encourage people to sign up — most volunteer fire departments are in need of a fresh influx of volunteers.

“We are hoping people who have even the slightest interest will come in and see what we are all about,” Phillips said. “We have a lot to offer and there are a lot of programs that New York state offers that people may not know about.”

Volunteer firefighters may be eligible for property tax breaks from the government and even discounts at their favorite shops.

There are dozens of local volunteers who work with the department to some degree, but there is a need for more.

“We currently have about 40 active volunteers — some are more active than others, which proves that there is a job for everyone at the firehouse,” Phillips said. “You could be a little bit active or more active.”

Phillips has been with the department since he was a teenager.

“I have been here for 16 years,” he said. “I started as a junior member and then I became a lieutenant and then I became chief a few years ago.”

Why does he do it?

“Helping the community is the greatest benefit you get out of this,” Phillips said.

The Ravena firehouse held an open house Saturday to drawn in new volunteers. Melanie Lekocevic/Capital Region Independent Media

Second lieutenant Jack Morrow has been with the department for six years.

“I volunteer to give back to my community,” Morrow said. “I experienced a trauma when I was little and since then I have wanted to give back and help other people who need it.”

There are many ways to help — volunteers don’t necessarily have to be the ones rushing into a burning building.

“There are interior and exterior firefighters,” Morrow explained. “Interiors are the ones who go into the building to fight the fire. Exteriors work outside with crowd control and working with the equipment and hoses. It all comes down to helping out.”

There is also a need for volunteers to fill other roles in the department, such as fire police and the auxiliary, which supports the firefighters.

Recruit NY is a statewide recruitment campaign held at firehouses across the state. It was held this year on April 13 and 14, and is hosted by the Firefighters Association of the State of New York, or FASNY, to show prospective volunteers the value and rewards of volunteering with their local fire department.

Headshot of a man named Dick Brooks.

Whittling Away: Old houses

In Columns, Columns - Ravena, The Ravena News Herald
November 11, 2022
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By Dick Brooks

For Capital Region Independent Media

Headshot of a man named Dick Brooks.

I like old houses. I’ve always liked old houses. 

Our current habitation is 165 years or so old and is loaded with what “old house” people call “character.”

New houses are nice, I guess, but lack character. Sometimes I admire them, sitting on their little low-maintenance lots, all straight and square. Well-trimmed bushes, small trees, they look so neat.

A properly aged house, on the other hand, never looks really neat. It looks comfortable. Comfortable is good!

After a hundred years or so of sitting on the same spot, a good house gets broken in. It settles a bit here and leans a little there. It digs its toes into the landscape and makes itself at home. It becomes old sneakers, worn jeans and a well-loved flannel shirt. 

New houses always make me think of ties and white shirts.

Old houses are hard-to-find places for jacuzzis and media rooms to fit in. They lack closet space because folks didn’t collect clothes like they do now. They frequently have only one electrical outlet per room. They have high ceilings and are sometimes a bit drafty. 

They do have things like pantries and sitting rooms, fancy moldings and history. You don’t really own an old house, you’re just the current caretaker.

An old house has stories to tell and things to wonder about. It tries to tell them when the winter winds blow and the house groans and creaks.   Things like: Who built it and what was their reason, how many thousands of carpet tacks were driven into the dining room floor, why was there a bathtub hidden behind the bathroom wall, who plastered the Indian head penny into the wall for me to find a hundred years later, what did they hide in the hallway under the floor board with no nails? 

I’ll probably never know the answer to these questions, but the house knows.

My old house has stuff they should consider putting in new houses. Radiators, for one thing, not those 6-inch-high baseboard heaters but great big honking radiators. There is nothing better on a cold day than backing into one of those — they’ll warm a chilly posterior in a hurry. There is no nicer place for drying soggy mittens or pre-warming a coat before facing the cold outside.

Porches are another feature frequently missing on newer homes. I love our porches, a great place to just sit and watch the world go by. A couple of rockers and a chatty neighbor or two and you’ve got the makings of a pleasant afternoon. The front porch is for looking good, it sets the tone for the house, but a back porch is great, too. It’s for storing stuff — the recycling, coats, boots, umbrellas and kitty litter.

I guess the reason I like old houses so much is that we have a lot in common. As I age, I notice that I’ve settled a bit here and there. Cold weather makes me groan and creak a little when I try to get out of my recliner. My roof could use a few more shingles and my porches are getting bigger.  The porches don’t bother me like I thought they would when they first appeared 20 years or so ago. The front one is really handy for resting a coffee cup on and the back one can make even a rock pile comfy.

I feel that my old house likes having us live within its arms. It’s added us to its history. When I drop things, it even rolls them back to me, — show me a new house that can do that!

Thought for the week — If the Professor on Gilligan’s Island could make a radio out of a coconut, why couldn’t he fix a hole in a boat?

Until next week, may you and yours be happy and well.

Reach columnist Dick Brooks at whittle12124@yahoo.com.

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The Ravena News-Herald is a weekly newspaper reporting on the news in the Ravena, Coeymans and New Baltimore communities of beautiful upstate New York.

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