Junior iron chefs wanted

POTSDAM - The St. Lawrence Health Initiative Inc. will host the first North Country Jr. Iron Chef Competition March 9, 2013.

A free informational webinar will take place Oct. 16 at 3 p.m. The link will be posted on the website at ncjrironchef.org. Join in to learn more about the competition and ask questions before registration opens Nov. 1. The webinar will be recorded and available for later viewing.

North Country Junior Iron Chef is a competition for teams of middle and high school students from Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. Teams will be challenged to develop healthy recipes using a combination of local and USDA foods that could be prepared in a school cafeteria.

The competition will be held at the Eben Holden Center at St. Lawrence University in Canton. Spectators are welcome.

Registration opens Nov. 1, with one middle school and one high school team per district accepted until Dec. 1, after which any remaining spots will be filled from the waiting list. The competition is limited to 14 teams in each section.

Detailed information, registration forms, FAQs and contact information can be found at ncjrironchef.org or by calling Sarah Bentley-Garfinkel at the Health Initiative, (315) 261-4760.

Medicine Up North exhibit ending soon

Time is running out to view the current feature exhibit “Medicine Up North” at the Goodsell Museum in Old Forge. This exhibit features photographs of our early and current doctors, nurses, modes of transportation for patients, pharmacies and much more.

The Museum Committee of the Town of Webb Historical Association will be closing the healthcare displays at the end of the day on Oct. 31. Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. year round with no admission charge. donations are appreciated. Call (315) 369-3838 for more information or to make an appointment to research our files.

Polar Bears selling pizzas

The Polar Bear Ski Club will be holding a pizza sale fundraiser in the coming weeks. The pizzas are 12 inches and will arrive fresh so they can be baked right away or frozen for later. Cheese pizzas are $6.50 and pepperoni pizzas are $7.

Orders can be placed with any Polar Bear member through Oct. 22. Payment of cash or check is due when the order is placed.

Pizzas will be delivered on Nov. 2. If you need more information, contact Andrea Hollister at (315) 369-8710.

Pumpkin trains are chugging along

The Adirondack Scenic Railroad will be hosting its third annual pumpkin train out of the Thendara Station from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 20 and 21.

The trains will be departing the Thendara Station at 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:30, 1:45 and 3 p.m., rain or shine.  

The train will travel north through the picturesque Adirondack Mountains to the former site of the New York Central’s Carter Station. Along the way children will be on the lookout into the forest for any ghost and goblins that will be haunting the woods along the way to Carter station as well as having the opportunity to win a jar of candy if you guess the closest number to the amount of candy in the jar.

Once at Carter Station, families will have the opportunity to disembark the train and enter Wally’s Pumpkin Patch. All children who arrive at the event and ride the train to Carter in costume will be able to pick one complimentary pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. One lucky child per trip will have the possibility of picking the “Great Pumpkin” This lucky child and one parent will have the opportunity of a life-time, a ride back to Thendara Station in the locomotive with the engineer.  Once this lucky child puts on their complimentary engineer hat and blows the locomotive horn, we will start the return trip to Thendara. On the return trip children will receive candy being distributed by the crew. The approximate time for this wonderful journey is 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Once you return to Thendara you will walk across the street to tour the haunted old Thendara town hall, some of your favorite spooky friends will be in display for memorable family photo’s once you’ve taken a walk through town hall there will be a Halloween costume contest each day. The daily winners will receive four tickets for the Adirondack Scenic Railroad’s 2011 Santa Claus Train ride.

All of the above activities are included in the price of an event ticket, reservations are suggested, but walk-ups are welcome.

Tickets are $15 for adults 12 and up and $10 for children 2 to 12, children 2 and under are free. Ticket price includes train ride to pumpkin patch and pumpkin for children in costumes; candy, cider, photo opportunities up close and personal with our spooky friends and a visit to the haunted town hall.

Women’s Club invites members

The Northwoods Women’s Club invites area women to a New and Returning Member Night  being held at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 17 at Billy’s Italian Restaurant in Old Forge. Club members look forward to meeting anyone interested in the group while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and drinks together.

The Northwoods Women’s Club was founded with a mission to provide financial support to the Kinderwood Preschool Program and other youth-oriented programs in the community. Fundraising efforts provide scholarships for families in need who wish to have their children attend the Kinderwood Preschool Program, as well as a scholarship to a graduating senior at the Town of Webb UFSD. The club also provides donations to the local food pantries, KYAC, Inlet Youth Commission, AYSO, and more.  

Club meetings are held once or twice a month at member’s homes and hors d’oeuvres and drinks are provided. Each meeting is tied to a theme such as crafts, yoga, talks on current topics, or anything members are interested in. The club provides and opportunity to make new friends and to volunteer your time.  

If you would like to attend a meeting but cannot attend this gathering, please e-mail the Club President Meagan Langworthy at mearmington@gmail.com, or Vice President Jennifer Dunn  at dunn6231@frontier.com.

Woodgate meeting has good turnout

WOODGATE — Representatives of the United States Postal Service met with postal customers of the Woodgate Post Office at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 10, with more than forty people in attendance. Michelle Kruhl of the Postal Service informed the group that the post office will remain open, but with hours reduced to four per day. One hundred eighteen surveys were returned indicating a 93 percent preference of keeping the post office. The window hours will be from 8 a.m. - noon Monday thru Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. The lobby of the post office may be open twenty-four hours per day. This proposal will be executed after a security check of the building is done.

The representatives fielded many questions during the 90 minute session. They were asked to investigate longer window hours during the summer months and during the Christmas season. A possible change in the Saturday hours will also be reviewed.

If the lobby is open longer hours to accommodate working residents, an idea to promote a money enhancement for the office by advertising postal box rentals were presented. The postal service will also install parcel boxes in the office for patrons to receive packages when the window is closed. A key would be placed in your regular mailbox indicating the need for a package pickup.

There are over two thousand such community meetings occurring between now and Oct. 18 nationwide, so expect one at your local post office soon. Meeting dates and times are posted at the Post Offices.

The post plan implementation, with the reduced hours, is expected to be in place by Nov. 17. The plan will be placed on hold during the Christmas season and resume in January. Woodgate residents wanted to know if they would be informed of any future adjustments or changes in the plan and if they could expect an update on the progress of the Woodgate office. Kruhl said that she would take that request back for review. Residents made it very clear that they wanted their post office and wanted to know of any surprise changes. Kruhl said that the activities of the Woodgate community played an important roll in saving rural post offices and the need for an alternate plan to closings.

Candidate to speak at library

State Assembly Candidate Joseph Chilelli will be holding a meet and greet event from noon to 1 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Old Forge Public Library.

 Input from the community is welcome. Free apple cider and doughnuts will be served. You can contact Chilelli at (315) 866-3474 for any questions or visit his website at www.Chilellifor-assembly.com for further information on his platform for change.