(Town of Lenox, NY – Feb. 2012) On Feb. 11, the Great Swamp Conservancy will hold its Birds n Bagels program from  9 to 11 a.m. Fred Zufelt will ID winter birds at the GSC feeders, answer birding questions and give bird feeding tips while participants enjoy coffee, hot cocoa, and bagels. This is an informal drop in; donations welcome.

The Great Swamp Conservancy is located at 8375 N. Main St. Road, Canastota.

For more information, call 697-2950.

Canastota Public Library News

By Elizabeth Totten

(Canastota, NY – Feb. 2012) February is a very busy month at the Canastota Public Library.  With several programs and talks beginning, the library also begins its regular children’s weekly programming this month.

The Works of the Canastota Knitters will be on display in the library’s Lawson Community Room during the month. The knitters display will illustrate various stitches, techniques and yarn.  An artist’s reception will be held on Sunday, Feb. 12 beginning at 1pm.

The Canal Museum Talks will continue at the library on Monday, Feb. 13 at 7pm.  Matthew Urtz, the Madison County Historian will talk about “Madison County’s Contribution to US History.” Madison County was the home to some of the most innovative thinkers in American history.

Baby & Me Lap Sit with Miss Angela will begin Feb. 15 through May 23.  The program will run every Wednesday at 10am.

Thursdays at 10am is our Preschool Story Time. Bring your preschooler for stories, games, crafts and a snack. This program will be held Thursday mornings beginning Thursday, Feb. 16 and will continue through Thursday, May 24.

The Canastota Libra-Teens will begin meeting every Wednesday afternoon after school. This group (grades 6 and up) will create fiction, hear speakers, make crafts and a whole lot more. The group meets from Feb. 15 through May 25 at 4:30p.m. If school is not in session there is no Librateen meeting.

The Isle of Man and More will the subject of a presentation at the Library on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7pm.  Director Liz Metzger will offer a presentation on her recent trip to United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.  Liz led a Rotary Cultural Exchange of medical professionals to England. Light refreshments will be served.

The Canastota Coupon Clippers welcome Jessica Jones who will provide an “Extreme Couponing” program Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 6:30pm. This presentation was rescheduled from a January date.  The cost for this program is $10 per person which pays for the binder and handouts. Coupon Clippers meet the first and third Wednesdays of every month at the library at 7pm.

The Canastota Scrapbookers meet the second Monday evening of every month at the library in the Lawson Community Room.  The group meets at 5:30pm. Bring your own photos and supplies and come out to work with us.

The library is home for two Writer’s Groups. One group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday afternoon (3 – 5pm) of each month and is hosted by Tish and Dean Dickinson in the Lawson Community Room.  The second group meets on the second and fourth Monday evening of each month beginning at 6:30pm in the library’s Carnegie Room.

We have two knitting groups that meet at the Canastota Public Library.  The Knight Time Knitters meet every Thursday evening from 6 – 8 pm.  The Friday Morning Knitters meet each Friday at 10am – noon.

The last Wednesday of every month is the library’s Book Chat.  The book discussion begins at 1pm in the Lawson Community Room.  February’s meeting will be on Feb. 29.  The discussion will be featuring, “Lonesome Dove,” by Larry McMurtry.  Books are available at the library.

Elizabeth Totten provides public relations for the library. For more information on these events and our regular weekly programming, visit canastotalibrary.org and click on the Mid-York Calendar of Events.

BHOF News

(Canastota, NY – Jan. 2012) Former undisputed middleweight champion and 1993 Hall of Fame Inductee Marvelous Marvin Hagler will attend festivities planned for the 23rd Annual Hall of Fame Induction Weekend scheduled for June 7 to 10 in Canastota.

“It’s very exciting to have Marvelous Marvin Hagler return to Canastota for the Hall of Fame Weekend,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy. “He’s a legend and a fan favorite.”

Hagler reigned as world middleweight champion from 1980 until 1987. He won the title with a 3rd round TKO over Alan Minter on September 27, 1980 and over the next seven years he successfully defended the crown 12 times with wins over Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, John Mugabi and Mustafa Hamsho. Now an actor based in Italy, Hagler was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1993.

Events planned for the weekend include a banquet, a heavyweight bash, parade, golf tournament, boxing autograph card show, cocktail party and the Official Induction Ceremony honoring the Class of 2012. Living inductees to be honored at the Official Induction Ceremony on Sunday, June 12 are multi-division champion Thomas “Hitman” Hearns, two-division champion Mark “Too Sharp” Johnson, “Let’s Get Ready To Rumble” ring announcerMichael Buffer, trainer Freddie Roach, broadcaster Al Bernstein and journalist Michael Katz.  Posthumous inductees will also be honored.

A list of more than 40 boxing greats from the United States and abroad are scheduled to participate in weekend festivities.

Hagler is excited to be in Canastota to witness the induction of Hearns.

“I watched Thomas Hearns grow from amateur status to a professional, until he became a World Champion, who faced his boxing challengers with courage and determination. I am glad that he finally has retired for good! I believe that Boxing Hall of Fame makes a good choice. Thomas Hearns deserves to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame and be recognized as one of the best. I have tremendous respect for Hearns. My congratulations!” said Hagler.

For more information on the Hall of Fame’s 23rd Annual Induction Weekend, call 697-7095 or visit ibhof.com.

(Canastota, NY – Jan. 2012) The Canastota Youth Wrestling Club, Inc. donated a check for $1,000 to Tim Tyler. Tyler is a former wrestler from Canastota going through his second battle with Lymphoma.

Tyler has traveled to Rochester, New York City and Texas to receive treatments. Tyler has a wife Jenny and two children, eight year old Emma and four year old Andrew.

Adults in the picture from left to right are Coach Will Hook, John Tyler (brother of Tim), John Tyler Sr., Kathy Tyler (parents of Tim) and Jennifer Hook (treasurer of the club). Also in the picture are members of the Canastota Youth Wrestling Club, Inc.

Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers and volunteer Joyce Leinberger present a plaque to Kime Hardware Store Manager Patrick Kime. Kime Hardware in Canastota donated warehouse space to store and distribute 10 tons of dog food recently donated to the shelter.

Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers presents a plaque to Doug Tudman, director of sales and marketing for Isadore Rapasadi & Sons of Canastota, whose truck shipped 10 tons of donated dog food from Tech Packaging Warehouse in Berwick, Penn., to Canastota.

By Martha E. Conway

(Town of Lenox, Canastota, NY – Jan. 2012) Joyce Leinberger grew up in Canastota, and after returning home in July, she brought with her animal advocate connections she had made while living in New Jersey.

“I made a friend there who worked for Del Monte – [Donations Coordinator] Carole Slade,” Leinberger said. “I worked with them to get dog food for people who couldn’t afford it.”

When people fall on hard times and can’t afford to feed their pets, those animals frequently wind up in shelters, said Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers. Helping people feed their pets in times of need helps those animals remain in their homes.

“I asked Carole if there were any distribution centers nearby,” Leinberger said. “The closest was southeast of Wilkes Barre, Penn. She asked me, ‘What do you need?’ They had 15 pallets.”

“But we had to go get it, store it and find those who needed it,” Ivers said, adding that he was skeptical about the effort, which seemed to require so much coordination.

According to Ivers, they really wanted to coordinate the effort with the holidays when people are especially strapped for cash. He credited Leinberger’s coordination efforts and Canastota’s Patrick Kime of Kime Hardware and Isadore Rapasadi & Son’s Sales and Marketing Director Doug Tudman for their unhesitating assistance in the successful completion of the mission.

“Kime’s and Rapasadi’s really came through,” Ivers said, explaining that they were lucky to have Rapasadi’s trucks returning – empty – from that area after making their deliveries there. “Eighteen different agencies received a quantity of the food, and several church pantries have added a dog food section. Thousands of families and their dogs got a little something extra in their stocking this year.”

Agencies Benefiting from Del Monte’s Donation

The 10 tons of first-quality Del Monte dog food brands (Ol’ Roy, Kibbles ‘N Bits, Nature’s Recipe) were distributed during the holidays to:

Angels of Fur Canine Rescue of Central New York; Cazenovia Veterinary Hospital; Dog Daze Pet Food Pantry, Cicero; Dorothy’s Pet Grooming, Canastota; Hamilton Veterinary Hospital; Herkimer County Humane Society; Humane Society of Rome; Humane Society of Syracuse; Kiwanis Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; Pit Bull Rescue of Syracuse; Rescue Me Purebred K-9 Rescue, Oneida; Spay and Neuter Syracuse Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; SPCA of Chenango County; St. Lucy’s Church Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; St. Matthew’s Church Pet Food Pantry, East Syracuse; Stevens-Swan Humane Society, Utica; Village Veterinary Hospital, Canastota; and Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association, Canastota.

Editor’s Note: Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association is an open-admission shelter dedicated to providing the highest-quality care and compassion for the animals entrusted to them while leading the community in creating a more humane society. The Association contracts with Madison County to undertake the housing of stray and impounded dogs picked up by the dog control officers of the various towns and municipalities within the county. The largely volunteer-supported organization always is in need of additional hands. For more information on volunteering or adopting a cat or dog, call (315) 697-2796.

(Canastota, NY – Feb. 2, 20122) The International Boxing Hall of Fame announced its flags will fly at half-staff in memory of trainer Angelo Dundee. He passed away yesterday in Tampa, Fla. He was 90.

Born in Philadelphia, Dundee moved to New York following World War II and learned from many of the great trainers at Stillman’s Gym. He eventually relocated to Miami Beach and was the chief trainer at the world-renowned 5th Street Gym. Dundee went on to guide 15 world champions including Ralph Dupas, Jimmy Ellis, Michael Nunn and Hall of Famers Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Carmen Basilio, George Foreman, Sugar Ramos, Jose Napoles, Luis Rodriguez and Willie Pastrano.

Dundee served as technical advisor for the film Ali in 2001. He also prepared Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe for his role in the 2005 boxing film Cinderella Man. Dundee was named Manager of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association in 1968 and 1979 and was also the recipient of their James J. Walker Award for Long and Meritorious Service to Boxing in 1996.

“The sport of boxing had no greater ambassador than Angelo Dundee. No matter where he went, he was always promoting the sport he lived and loved his entire life,” said Hall of Fame Executive Director Edward Brophy.  “Everyone at the Hall of Fame joins the boxing community in mourning the loss of one of the greats.”

In 1992, Dundee was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

(Chittenango, NY- Feb. 1, 2012) The Chittenango Police Dept is asking assistance from the public in helping identify the white male in this photo.

The subject used a credit card stolen from a residence in the Village of Chittenango on Jan. 7. The subject used the card to make a purchase inside the Nice N Easy Store on Route 5 in the town of Lenox at about 11:19 a.m. on Jan. 9.

The subject did get into the passenger side of late model gray colored pickup.

Anyone with information can contact the Chittenango Police Dept at (315) 687-3930 or (315) 687-3939.

(Town of Lenox, NY – Jan. 2012) My name is Tilly, and I’m a quiet, shy girl looking for her home. Tilly just needs a soft perch by a window to be happy. She has a sweet personality once you win her trust. Come down to our Cat Community Room to meet her. I do need to be the only cat in a household as I am not a cat person.

Well, hello there! My name is Dottie, and I am a very active girl and will need a family who can put up with my puppy antics. Some basic training for manners will be necessary as will a family who is active and likes to walk/run and generally do things to wear a puppy out. If you work during the day, doggy daycare will be great! I do get along with other dogs, but they should be at my energy level. Kids 12 and up are recommended for me just because I am a strong girl. I’m in a foster home right now, so you can call 315-697-2796 for more information.

(Town of Lenox, NY – Feb. 2012) The Great Swamp Conservancy will hold a moonlight skiing and snowshoeing event on Feb. 5 at 7 p.m., weather permitting.  The Great Swamp Conservancy is located at 8375 N. Main St. Road, Canastota. For more information, call 315-697-2950.

CONCORD: I am a handsome buff colored neutered male who can be a little on the shy side. My adoptive family will need to understand that I will need a few days to warm up to them, but once I do, I am the most loving cat. I am a sweet, but very vocal boy. I will talk and talk to my adoptive family. I enjoy lots of hugs and kisses, and maybe that’s what I am trying to tell you. Stop by our Cat Community Room to meet me, or call 315-697-2796 for more information.

MIKKO: I am an absolutely beautiful grey and white long haired boy. I am neutered and declawed. I am very shy and I think a home with older people would be the best fit for me. When I warm up to you, I am very sweet. Be patient and get to know me, I am just looking for a nice soft place in the sun to call my own. Please stop by our Cat Community Room to meet me or call 315-697-2796 for more information.