Altamont, Feb. 6, 2014

What an exciting time this is for sports fans. The long awaited Super Bowl is behind us with Seattle Seahawks fans still cheering (I’ve been told they have bragging rights for a full year) and the Denver Bronco fans mopping around the office water cooler where they had hoped to be bragging about their team instead of listening to co-workers say, “I told you so!” 

There is always a chance that next year they will select a team that will give them bragging rites for the following year.

Do you get excited about major sporting events like the Super Bowl? Years ago, Bob and Bev Haviland, former residents on Hawes Road, hosted a Super Bowl party at their home. Everyone was asked to bring a dish to share along with the beverage of their choice.

The Havilands always had enough food, snacks, and drinks on hand to feed any late-comers. No one ever went away hungry. 

If you have gone to a Super Bowl party you know that the fans are all very different. To ensure an enjoyable evening for their friends, Bev or Bob would give the ground rules to newcomers. They had three television sets: one in the kitchen for those who wanted to talk and get the score every once in a while; a second set in the living room for some serious watching with casual conversation; a third set in the basement game room for serious game watchers where there were discussions about the game and players only.

Some of our readers will remember the Green Giants 4-H Club. It was a very active and quite a large club. As a fund-raiser they would make submarine sandwiches to order for Super Bowl fans.

During this year’s Super Bowl we went to a party with some friends. Most of us are retired and moaned, groaned, and flinched every time one of the players was blocked or tackled. We all seem to be more sensitive about bangs and bruises than younger friends.

As we discussed the accidents we saw in the game, it led to a more serious conversation about friends with handicaps and how they handle them. 

On a recent cruise, the ship was well prepared to handle senior citizens and others with handicaps. At one of the pools we were talking with a lovely couple who were both in wheel chairs. They had a few minutes to wait while the staff assembled a lift to take them from the deck, over the low wall surrounding the pool and into the water. 

Dan, the husband, said that they have another lift to help them into the hot tub. He then went on to describe the system that they have in their pool at home that is water driven rather than electric like the one on the ship. After they were both lifted into the pool they spent the remainder of the afternoon swimming and enjoying the pool.

Another gentleman we had lunch with talked about the cabin he was in and how easy it was to get around. He also was in a wheel chair with one leg recently amputated.

The door to his cabin is wider to accommodate wheel chairs and the shower is level to the floor so he can shower and use the bathroom.

The Theater reserved several seats for the handicapped and someone who was accompanying them and the dining room had staff on the alert to help people who needed it either because of a handicap, age, or needing help with children.

There are a large number of people of all ages who need assistance. Most places of business, including airlines and cruise ships are doing their best to accommodate those needs.

Many handicapped individuals are very courageous and ask for as little help as possible. People like the Wounded Warriors and those who compete in the Special Olympics don’t let a handicap keep them from enjoying life. If you see someone who is using a service or parking place that was designed for someone with special needs, please let the  proper authorities know about the abuse because someone who needs that space or service might be blocked and probably would not say anything on their own behalf.

Thanks for being an advocate for those who may not be able to speak for themselves and don’t let anything keep you from doing the things that you want, even if you have a handicap.

Library gala

The seventh annual I Love My Library Gala will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Altamont Community Room in the village hall from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets for this event are $50 per person. Tickets include dinner with a carving station, pasta bar, salad, potatoes, hors d’oeuvres, and homemade desserts. 

There will also be an auction with winners taking home restaurant and store gift cards. Tickets are available at the library.

Second semester

Guilderland High School students are reminded to print their second semester schedule from the School Tool. No paper copies will be handed out. The second semester began on Feb. 3.

Physicals

Sport physicals will be given on  Monday Feb. 24, from 4 to 5:45 p.m.  Appointments may take up to one hour.  

Students are advised to sign up for physicals in advance.  For additional information call the school nurse’s office at 861-8591 ext. 3030 or visit http://www.guilderlandschools.org/district/athletics/springsports.cfm.

Track and field

Students interested in track and field must see Coach Buckley for prior approval before seeing the school nurse. 

Course requests

Parents of children in grades nine, 10, and 11 at Guilderland High School are advised that their student’s tentative course requests for 2014-15 will be available to view on the School Tool parent portal as of Feb. 4. 

Any and all adjustments regarding course requests must be done through the child’s counselor.

All questions and requests should be directed to your child’s counselor. Calls should be made with the guidance office at 861-8591, ext. 3000.  Information can be obtained on the following link: http://.guilderlandschools.org/highschool/news/013014courserequests.cfm.  

Food pantry

The food pantry at St. Lucy/St. Bernadette’s parish center always has needs. This week donations of spaghetti sauce and canned corn would be appreciated.  All donations can be left in the basket inside the Gathering Space at the church.

City Mission

Interested?  Fill a paper bag with your choice of soap, shampoo, conditioner, combs, razors, skin lotion, shaving cream, no- sting shampoo, kid’s soap and lotion and brushes, for men, women and children.  Also, for the kids include small toys such as trucks and cars.

The donations will all go to the City Rescue Mission.

Leave the filled bags labeled child, woman, or man in the Gathering Space at St. Lucy/St.Bernadette Church no later than Feb. 9.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday wishes are extended to:

— Francis Xavier Anetzberger, Bob Richards, and Dennis Schager on Feb. 7;

— Lisa Peck, Lizzy Whalen, and Chris Whalen on Feb. 8; 

— Riley Ableman and Nicole Hoogamp on Feb. 9;

— Nicole Rose Munroe and Sarah Trenasky on Feb. 10;

— Rosemary McGowan and Karen Winters on Feb. 11; and

— Dan Blake, Patricia Boyce, and Mike Liegeot on Feb.12.

 

        

 

                     

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