Riverside Alliance Church, 110 Stockton Avenue, is pleased to welcome a new pastor and wife, Milton and Tammy Cruz. The congregation is excited to welcome them to Walton. Milton will start as pastor Sept. 1 and all are welcome to attend services and meet and worship with them.
Music on the Delaware opens its 2023-2024 coffeehouse season with a free concert Sunday, Sept. 17 at the Walton Theatre from 6-8 p.m. Featured will be popular woodwind quintet Mosaic Winds. Mosaic Winds’ performance is titled “Bach to the Future.” The musicians will take the audience through time and musical genres, including baroque, classical, modern, folk, and even a little jazz. Mosaic Winds’ website: www.mosaicwinds.com
September is library card sign-up month. A library card is a window to the world - you can be transported anywhere when you read a book, and there is no cheaper way to read as many books as you want than with a free library card. Plus, library staff can suggest the newest books or direct you to your favorite subjects. Do you remember when you got your first library card? The library staff is compiling a display called “Which Decade Did You Get Your Library Card?” Some old cards had metal plates with raised numbers for identification, some are faded from lots of use and one still has a 5 year olds’ signatures that they still use today. Current cards are digital, but they still open the same world with one swipe. If you don’t have a library card just yet fill out an application at the circulation desk and go home with one that day.
The Great Give Back Project at the Ogden Library will take place September through October. It is a community service project to help knit or crochet winter hats from 50 skeins of yarn donated to the library. The yarn is to be used to make hats for infants to 8 year old kids, and the library is partnering with the Walton Toy Bank to distribute them. The library has simple patterns available to follow or use your own, but stop at the library to pick up the yarn and return the finished hats to the library by Nov. 1. The Great Give Back is a community service initiative whose mission is to provide opportunities for the patrons of the Public Libraries of New York state to participate in meaningful, service-oriented experiences.
Well, it seems that after fair week, the weather always takes a turn and gets chilly. I’ve seen trees starting to change and sweatshirts are back in the car for evening outings. Along that line, the library is presenting an apple pie making class Saturday, Sept. 9, at 11 a.m. In honor of Grandparent’s Day, if teens bring a grandparent along, we will count you both as one. Come make a pie and take it home to bake. Come to the lower level of the library to cut up your apples, make a pie crust, and put it all together. The library supplies everything. Space is limited and registration is required.
The library’s “Movies by Moonlight” series is back. Bring a blanket or a chair and join them on the Gardiner Place lawn for movies on the new giant inflatable screen. Free popcorn compliments of the Walton Theatre, and hot cocoa will be provided. No movie if it rains. Movies will be shown Saturdays, Sept 9 (Encanto), Sept 16 (A Dog’s Way Home), Sept 23 (Soul), and Sept 30 (Lightyear), at 7:30. For up-to-date information watch the library’s website and Facebook page. Sounds like fun!
Ellie Truman, Laura Dutcher and others are collecting school supplies for WCS students. There are collection boxes in Dollar General and Family Dollar and anyone can drop their donations there. Boxes will be picked up Sept. 6. If you’d rather donate money they will buy things to fill missing needs. Items are being gathered for students UPK- grade 12. Thank you for your support.
Ellie Truman is also spearheading a group to bring back the Community Thanksgiving Dinner in person this year, and organizing the Community Christmas dinner as well. These dinners are to be in person - come in sit down and be served. The Thanksgiving Dinner will be on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 23 and Christmas Day, Monday, Dec. 25. To donate send checks to Wayne Bank, c/o Tim Gutliph, 131-133 Delaware Street, Walton, NY 13856. In the memo specify Community Dinners. This is an ongoing project, so give when and if you can. Many hands make light work, so volunteer if you can, or donate if you’re able. They are looking for volunteers for all aspects. Kitchen help, servers, set-up, clean-up. The dinners are for everyone in our community, there are no income guidelines, and it is just to come together as a community to celebrate.
Walton’s Walk for Hunger is Sunday, Sept 24. Registration begins at 2 p.m., the walk begins at 3. Choose a 1- or 2-mile course, beginning at Walton Veterans’ Plaza, Delaware Street, Walton. People cannot always make it to some events, so this year the committee has set up a Go Fund Me page for a convenient way for everyone to support the cause. Proceeds benefit the Walton Food Bank, the Walton churches that hold community suppers, and the school weekend backpack program which provides weekend food to children in need. S & S Foodtruck will be there and will donate 25% of their proceeds to the event and Don Foster’s BG Tunes will be there with his children’s games. It’s a great community event that you can be involved in at whatever level you want. You can walk, sponsor, come and eat and play games and you can stop at the plaza with a donation if no one asks you to sponsor them. Proceeds distribution: 30% to the Walton Food Bank, 30% to the Weekend Backpack Program (WEB), 30% to churches free community meals and 10% to Clear Path for Veterans in Vestal. Every year 90% of the money raised stays in Walton, and the final 10% goes to a charity voted on by the committee.
The Uplands Center will host several free community events so people can explore themselves and the countryside around us. A guided community hike will take place Saturday, Sept. 2, from 10-11 a.m. on The Uplands Center’s brook trail. The trails are not normally open to the public, so it’s a chance to explore some hiking in Delaware County - meadow, forest, a rushing brook, a scenic waterfall; 1.3 mile-long loop involves some steep incline. The hike is free - no RSVP necessary - and family friendly - bring anyone who loves the outdoors. Meet at the bottom of 2641 Dunk Hill Road by the “Welcome” sign. The group will leave promptly at 10 a.m., so arrive a little early.
Attend the Awakenings Dream Circle at The Uplands Center Wednesday, Sept. 13, from 5:30-7 p.m. To register email renee@uplandscenter.org Since the beginning of recorded time spiritual and wisdom traditions across the world have consulted their dreams for guidance, insight, healing, relationships, spirituality, creative endeavors and all aspects of life. Awakenings Dream Circles support guests in awakening to this sacred intelligence that is available every night. In this program, artist and art therapist Elizabeth Bryan-Jacobs facilitates guests in cultivating a relationship with their personal inner sage. Through contemplative and arts-based practices, guests will awaken to the guidance available through dreams, unearth the vast, collective and personal wisdom of the unconscious mind, discover personal rituals that amplify dream recall and guidance. They will become attune to symbols and metaphor of dream language and come away with a deeper understanding of dream imagery. These experience will allow you to lift up opportunities for lifelong healing and guidance. Attendees - bring a short dream to potentially be explored in the Dream Circle.
The Uplands Center will sponsor a community garden-to-table dinner Sunday, Sept. 17, from 4-6:30 p.m. During this two hour event, you will tour the garden, learn about permaculture, harvest produce, enjoy a cooking demonstration and a garden-fresh meal. Free, but space is limited, so register in advance by email renee@uplandscenter.org
I missed the information about last weekend’s fundraising breakfast at TA’s for the Tour DeForce Memorial Ride. Del Co Sheriff Corporal Jeff Clark will be riding 300 miles in 3.5 days to raise money for this cause that benefits families of law enforcement heroes killed in the line of duty. TA’s still has a donation basket on the counter, or you can donate online at grouprev.com/IDClark1971.
This Friday is not only the beginning of Labor Day Weekend but First Friday as well! There will be specials at many stores who will stay open from 4-8 p.m. The Market on the Green will have live music from Whitehall, two food trucks, food and craft vendors, free books for kids, and more. Vendor that would like to participate - contact Amanda Conkling at waltonmarketonthegreen@gmail.com.
The Walton Historical Society announces their first annual Walton Fall Market at the fairgrounds. There will be a $2 per person admission cost, and vendors for everyone to enjoy. There will be activities for kids, entertainment, and more. If you are interested in being a vendor email the Historical Society at waltonhistoricalsociety@outlook.com or waltonfallmarket@gmail.com for an application or stop in the Historical Society, 9 Townsend Street, to pick one up. Vendor spots are $20 for a 10x15 space and have to be in by Sept. 8.
