Editor’s Corner

This issue marks the fourth edition of At Home in Howard, our community newsletter. During our first year we have struggled with the growing pains associated with all new ventures, but most are now happily behind us. Our financing is secure and our mailing label database of over 800 addresses is quite accurate. New addresses will be added from the Town tax rolls prior to the August edition. We continue to receive positive feedback and occasional monetary donations to defray paper costs, and infrequently, some negative criticism. However, by all accounts the newsletter is well received and our mission remains unchanged. We are committed to providing “news you can use” to all residents and property owners in the Town of Howard. To that end we strive to include events sponsored by all Town governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are open to the public, news about residents in the community (birth, marriage, death listings), and Town government information as provided by our various Town officials. While we will not include personal or commercial advertising, we do believe that it is in the best interest of the community to insert the Everpower bulletin entitled Howard Wind Project News oward Wind Project Ne into our newsletter to guarantee that every member of the community has access to this publication. If you have any questions or concerns about our philosophy, please feel free to contact the editor (566-2518). Thank you for your continued support.

The Howard Public Library

From the Director

With a great deal of excitement, I am happy to report that the Library will receive a $3,300 grant from the United Way of the Southern Tier during 2006-07. Our application was favorably received and ranked 4^th in the Small Grant Requests category. These grant funds will be combined with the $1000 grant received in September 2005 from the Arkport Harley Owners Association and $427 in funds from the Steuben County Youth Bureau to fund the creation of a Children and Teen area in the Library. We will also provide after school programming two days each week beginning in September. Grant funding is an excellent way to supplement the Library’s budget for capital improvements and special programs. It enables us to offer you more quality materials and services without adding to the local tax burden. We are considering submission of three additional grant applications in the near future. Wish us luck!

Change is the Only Constant

The approval of our United Way grant application now allows us to move forward with plans that have been under discussion for some time. Children and Teens deserve an equal share of library space designed to meet their unique needs. Ideally, a youth area should be physically separate from the quieter adult section, have shelving the appropriate height for children, and provide open space suitable for story hour and craft activities. This space should be a warm and inviting environment for children. These design guidelines will serve as the basis for the creation of our new children’s space at the Library. The main room of the Library will become our adult/computer/reference space. The new layout will include an adult comfortable seating area. The establishment of separate collections for cookbooks, travel, and career materials will make materials easier to find, and showcase new items. Our Local History collection will be more easily accessible. We will have appropriate bulletin board space to publicize the many events and programs available in the County. The “back” room will become our youth area.

Our transformation begins in August. New shelving will be purchased with United Way funds over a two year time period. The basics of the room should be in place by September. This will allow us to begin after school programming two days each week. We anticipate minimal disruption and great excitement as we watch the transformation progress. Watch for more details in the August issue of the Newsletter.

Position Available

The Library will be advertising in early August to fill the position of Program Coordinator for the after school program funded by the United Way grant. If you might be interested in part-time employment at the Library and have a background in early childhood education, watch for our job posting at the Library, on our website, and in local papers.

Books: a Treasure

The theme of this year’s New York State Summer Reading Program is Books: A Treasure! Our program will run for five weeks from Monday, July 3^rd through Thursday, August 3^rd. Join us to Discover the Treasures found at the Library. Read for prizes and rewards, enjoy crafts, movies and story time. Plan and produce a puppet show or help create a video! Brochures will be available at the end of June and registration begins July 3^rd.

Volunteer Opportunity

We can always use extra help with our ever popular Summer Reading program. If you are an adult or high school student who would like to volunteer once a week during this five week program, please contact the Library.

“Grunts and Growls, Hoots and Howls”

Tom Sieling, widely acclaimed singer and songwriter from Newfield, NY will provide a very participatory family music program at the Library on Tuesday evening, August 1^st, to wrap-up our Summer Reading program. The show will include humorous songs about our natural world that are guaranteed to engage everyone. Tom accompanies himself with guitar, banjo and harmonica. The program is free and everyone is invited. Refreshments will also be served. For more information, contact the Library.

Congratulations

Congratulations are extended to Ariele Sieling as she graduates from Bath Haverling High School in June. Ariele has been on the staff of the Library for the past 24 months and will play an instrumental role in providing our Summer Reading Program this year. We will miss her when she leaves for MCC in August!

Magazines

The Library’s collection of magazines is evaluated annually prior to subscription renewals to determine if each title should be retained or replaced with another title on a trial basis. New 2006 additions to our collection will include National Geographic Kids, New York Game and Fish, Outdoor Life, and Sports Illustrated. Borrowing from the Library is a cost effective way to access more than 20 popular magazines each month.

DVDs

The Library’s Mission Statement includes a charge to provide recreational materials for patrons of all ages. One way in which we fulfill that charge is by providing a large and well-rounded collection of non-print materials, including music CDs, videos and DVDs. The Library boasts a large and well used DVD collection. We currently have over 320 titles in our collection and add an average of 5-7 new titles each month. Our collection includes both fiction and non-fiction titles. We have educational titles for toddlers and yoga and Pilates titles as well as documentariess for teens and adults. We also own hundreds of popular feature films. Our DVDs may be borrowed for 3 days and renewed once. The overdue fine is $1.00 per open day. We produce a comprehensive list of the titles in our collection which is updated regularly. Stop in and pick up a copy.

Check it Out

Twenty new unabridged audio books on CD were added to the collection in March and April. We now have almost 60 titles in this collection for youth and adults. Additionally, we have a collection of audio books on cassette numbering almost 80 titles and the Southern Tier Library System loans us a rotating collection of audio books four times each year. Audio books are wonderful entertainment for traveling and many people enjoy listening to them while walking or exercising. Stop in and check them out!

Reminder

The Board of Trustees meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 PM at the Library. All meetings are open to the public.

Holiday Closing

The Library will be closed on Tuesday, July 4^th in observance of Independence Day.

Howard Community Day 2006

Howard Community Day 2006 will be celebrated on Saturday, September 16, 2006. Plans are underway to repeat many of last year’s popular events. Planning Committee volunteers are needed to make plans a reality. The Planning Committee meets the second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Library. Our next meeting will be on June 12^th. Eight to twelve committee members are needed. For information, contact Marsha Patrick (566-2353) or Mary Jo Sullivan (566-8482).

Community Day

Pumpkin Growing Contest

It’s not too late to get your pumpkin seeds in the ground! The Library is sponsoring a family pumpkin growing contest for Howard Community Day! A prize will be awarded to the family with the largest pumpkin (to be determined by weight). Purchase your own seeds or stop by the Library to pick up Big Moon seeds (110 days) that can grow to 200 lbs.

Howard Historical Society 

Coming Soon! Watch for the announcement of the Open House at the Howard Museum. The new room is almost finished.

We welcome all visitors. Starting July 11^th the hours will be 2:00 – 4:00 PM every Tuesday afternoon through the end of September.

The Howard Historical Society welcomes new members. A lifetime membership is $20.00. One year is $2.00 and a family membership for one year is $3.00. Louella Sharp has the membership cards and is the treasurer. You may call her at 607-566-8480.

HOWARD UNION CHURCH

Did you ever wonder...

Did you ever wonder what the word “Union” means in Howard Union Church? It signifies the union of the original Presbyterian Church and original Baptist church in the town of Howard.

The Presbyterian Church was organized in July 1815. Eventually a Presbyterian Church and manse were built just up the road from where Margaret Franklin lives. The buildings were demolished in 1969 to make way for the expressway. The Baptist Church was organized in February 1826. After years of meeting in homes, schools or barns, the Baptists built a church near where B&D Partners (the Howard School) is currently located. In 1915, a new Baptist church was built on the corner of County Routes 70 and & 70A. Portions of the old Baptist church were used in building the new church. In 1929, the congregations of the Presbyterian and Baptist churches agreed to form a union. The newly joined denominations held services at the Baptist Church and formally changed the name to Howard Union Church. New members of Howard Union Church can join either as a Presbyterian or Baptist, at their own preference. The Presbyterian membership is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. The Baptist membership is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches, USA. Although the union of Baptist and Presbyterian memberships is not a common practice, it is interesting to note that there is another church nearby, the Almond Union of Churches, which is similarly structured. A mission group was formed in the Presbyterian Church in the 1870’s, which later became known as the Josephine Bennett Society and remains active today. The Ladies Aid Society was also formed in the late 1800’s and continues today its fund raising efforts. The Ladies Aid funds are used to support not only the needs of the church, but also local community needs such as local food pantries, the town’s Summer Recreation Program, the Volunteer Fire Department and the Library. Throughout the years, pastors from both denominations have served the church. Currently, Rev. Norma Bond, an American Baptist pastor, leads church services. All are welcome!!!

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m.

Sunday School: 1^st and 3^rd Sundays of each month, September through June, at 9:30 a.m.

A variety of special services and adult Bible studies are held throughout the year.

Special Upcoming Service:

June 18, 2006, 10:30 a.m.: Sunday School recognition during the worship service

MARK YOUR CALENDARS – Plans for Community Day 2006 are underway!

HOWARD’S COMMUNITY CHORUS:

Kim Gardner will again lead the Community Chorus at Community Day, September 16, 2006. We had a great group of singers last year and we had a lot of fun. If you like to sing, please plan to join in. There will be an organizational meeting on Monday, July 10^th, at 7 PM at the Howard Union Church. We will pass out music at this meeting. Regular practices will be Mondays at 7PM beginning July 24^th. If you have questions, please feel free to contact either Lucy Smith at 324-4833, or Marsha Patrick at 566-2353.

The Children’s Chorus was a big hit at last year’s concert. We will again be working with any and all children (grades K-6) who like to sing and perform. Practices will start the week of July 17th. More information will be posted in the Library and local newspapers. Call Marsha Patrick, 566-2353 for more information or if you would like to help.

Community Day Sponsors are needed

Last year the generous donations of businesses and community members made it possible to host a variety of fun activities at Community Day. These activities included the Scavenger Hunt, the 5K Walk/Run, decorating contest, lawn mower races, children’s chorus and so on. We again need everyone’s support! This year, all financial sponsors will be listed in all Community Day advertisements, brochures, t-shirts, etc.

Gold Sponsors: $250.00 and up

Silver Sponsors: from $100.00 to $249.00

Bronze Sponsors: up to $99.00

Businesses that are paid sponsors will again be part of the Scavenger Hunt. Please join us at an upcoming Community Day Committee meeting if you have additional suggestions for activities or would like to include an activity sponsored by your business in the day’s events.

Please contact Marsha Patrick at 566-2353 if you have questions or suggestions. If you wish, donations can be specified for specific activities. Checks can be made out to: Howard Union Church mailed to 3882 Smith Pond Road, Avoca, NY 14809. THANK YOU!

Tales My Father Told Me

By Margaret Franklin

There was an elderly lady by the name of Sarah Briscoe who lived next door to the old District #4 schoolyard. As boys, my dad, Louis Bennett, and a friend, Victor Miller, attended that school.

One day Vic was eating an apple on his way to school and as he passed Mrs. Briscoe’s house, she happened to open the kitchen door just as he hurled away the apple core. His aim was perfect. The core flew right into her kitchen. To put it mildly, she was pretty upset and yelled at him: “I’m going to tell your father on you. Whose boy are you?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Vic yelled back, “Ray Bennett’s!”

Friends of Howard Community Building

7481 Hopkins Road Howard, NY

Round and Square Dancing is the 2^nd Saturday of each month from 8 PM-midnight through June. Admission is $5 per person; children 12 and under are free.

PLEASE NOTE:

The last dance of the season takes place on June 10th, 2006. Dances will begin again in September.

Social Dancing & Instruction

Sundays from 2-4 PM. Sign up at 607-566-3634. Admission is $5 for ages 19 and over, $4 for ages 12-18. Teens, families, single, couples all welcome.

Upcoming Dinner

Our Annual Steak Roast and Gun Raffle is the second Sunday in September- mark it on your calendar!

The Friends of Howard is always seeking new members. There is no fee to join, and meetings are open to the public. Meetings are held every 3^rd Monday of the month starting at 7:30 PM. Come and see what it’s all about. The more the merrier!

HOWARD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT

President: CB Sullivan

Vice President: Mark Kidder

Secretary/ Treasurer: Mary Jo Sullivan

Chief: Rob Patrick

1st Assistant: Mike Kidder

2nd Assistant: Butch Burdin

3^rd Assistant: Phil Margeson

 If you have any questions about the fire department, please feel free to contact any department member.

Howard Volunteer Fire Department’s Annual Captain and Crew Golf Tournament will take place at Twin Hickory Golf Course, August 5, 2006. Play 18 holes of golf and have a great steak dinner- come out and support your fire department! For more details or to register your team of four, contact Rob Patrick at 698-9935 or Mike Kidder at 566-8334. Rookies or seasoned golfers- it's fun for everyone!

The Spring Gun Raffle was a great success! Thank you for your continued support. Summer 200 Club drawings will soon begin, leading up to the big finale party in August. See a department member for tickets.

Get rid of those outdated emergency phone numbers! If you have an emergency of any kind, 9-1-1 is the only number to dial.

Event in Howard, NY

Women in the Outdoors is dedicated to providing new opportunities to women interested in a variety of outdoor activities. Make new friends or have a great time with old ones as you learn to fish, hunt, camp, hike, mountain bike, shoot and take part in many other exciting activities.

The Cohocton Valley Chapter of Women in the Outdoors will host an event on June 10, 2006 at Farmer Phil's Cabins in Howard, NY. For more information, contact Lois Force at 607-324-4024 or email her at lforce@localnet.com.

Town of Howard News

Town Board Meetings

The 2006 regular meetings of the Town Board are scheduled for second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM. All meetings are open to the public.

The current members of the Town Board are Donald Evia (Supervisor), Jeffrey Gardner, William Hatch, Robert Palmer and Lowell Smith

Planning Board Meetings

The 2006 regular meetings of the Planning Board are scheduled for the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 PM. All meetings are open to the public.

The current members of the Howard Planning Board are: Jack Bossard (Chairperson), Elton Badeau, Wesley Coots, David Dockstader, James Fodge, Karen Palmer, and Dale Smith.

Legal Notices

The Hornell Evening Tribune is the officially designation publication for all Town of Howard legal notices. All notices for special or re-scheduled meetings or other business will be published in the Tribune as required by law.

Town of Howard Offices

Phone 566-2554

Fax 566-3871

Town Officials may be reached at the following numbers:

Donald Evia, Town Supervisor 566-2531

Loreen Karr, Town Clerk 566-2016

Tony Clark, Highway Superintendent

566-2007

Bob Riekofski, Building Inspector

and Codes Enforcement Officer

566-2829

Mary Remchuk, Town Justice 566-8335

Jim Henley, Town Assessor 566-2554

Mary Walden, Dog Control Officer

776-2453

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NON PROFIT

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

BATH, NY

PERMIT NO. 35

The Howard Public Library

3607 County Route 70A

Hornell, NY 14843

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