Cazenovia Republican digital edition - Nov. 13, 2024
tive Resolution recognizing the organization’s 75th Anniversary. During his visit, the Rotary presented
copy of the club’s 2025-26 Cazenovia area phone book.
with
Rotary Club to celebrate 75th anniversary
BY KATE HILL StAFF WRiteR
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, New York State Senator Joseph Griffo visited Cazenovia to present the local Rotary Club with a State of New York Legislative Resolution recognizing the organization’s 75th Anniversary.
The club plans to celebrate this milestone on Friday, Dec. 13, at the Lincklaen House.
The event will begin at 5 p.m., with dinner served at 6 p.m. The evening will include a cash bar, popovers,
BY KATE HILL StAFF WRiteR
salad, filet mignon, garlic potatoes, a vegetable, coffee, tea, and apple crisp à la mode. Non-members and the community are invited to attend the celebration for $35. Reservations can be made by calling 315-439-6791 or emailing lincklaen6@gmail.com
Since its founding, the Cazenovia Rotary Club has proudly lived the Rotary International motto, “Service Above Self.”
Today, the club is led by the following officers: Joe Gugino, president; Fred Palmer, vice president; Bob Conway, sergeant at arms; San-
The first weekend of December, CazArts will celebrate the holiday season by sponsoring a three-day arts and crafts gift sale at the Carpenter’s Barn community arts hub on the southeast corner of Lakeland Park.
The “2024 Carpenter’s Barn Gift Sale” will feature the work of 10 Cazenovia area artisans selected by volunteer organizer Mary Beth Fiorentino, a contemporary jeweler, designer, and educator. All proceeds will go directly to each artist.
“Carpenter’s Barn is an intimate space, so I had no choice but to limit the number of participating artists,” said Fiorentino. “The application process was very simple — an e-mail expressing interest and a few images of [their work] for reference.”
The curated selection of items will include framed photography and monoprinted wall art; hand-fabricated sterling silver jewelry; felted ornaments; pottery with botanical impressions; soy candles and melts; small-scale paintings; photo books with hand-silkscreened Japanese paper; and colorful stained glass works.
dra Patrizio, secretary; Anna Marie Neuland, treasurer and immediate past president; and Chris DiFulvio, president-elect for 2025-26.
“The success of the Cazenovia Rotary Club is in direct correlation to the efforts of its [board] and dedicated members, whose involvement [is], and alwavs [has] been, characterized by an impressive commitment, an unbridled enthusiasm, and an uncompromising standard of excellence in all endeavors on behalf of the organization and the community it serves,” the Legislative Resolution states.
Sen. Griffo l Page 3
Board also adopts 2025 budget
BY KATE HILL StAFF WRiteR
During the Nov. 4 Cazenovia Town Board meeting, Supervisor Kyle Reger introduced a new series promoting the diverse services offered by Madison County.
Reger, who serves on the Madison County Board of Supervisors, plans to invite a different county department head to speak at the beginning of each monthly town board meeting.
“The more work I’ve done at Madison County, [the more it has] really become quite clear just what a well-oiled machine it is and all the different agencies that do so much incredible work,” Reger said. “I feel like it’s a fault of mine that we have not publicized some of the things being done out there as much, so we are going to change that.”
The series kicked off during the November meeting with a presentation by Teisha Cook, director of community services at the Madison County Mental Health Department.
The department is headquartered on the second floor of the Veterans Memorial Building in Wampsville.
Submitted photoS
CazArts is sponsoring an arts and crafts gift sale at Carpenter’s Barn on Friday, Dec. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The main site has 30 full-time staff members: two psychiatric nurse practitioners, two nurses, staff social workers, administrative and support staff, and a contract medical director, who is also a child psychiatrist with a caseload of clients.
According to Cook, the department accepts walk-in intakes ages three and up, regardless of ability to pay, Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“If someone shows up on a Friday, we don’t turn people away,” Cook said. “. . . [Also,] we collect insurance information if there is insurance information, but if there is not, we won’t turn a person away.”
Appointments may be scheduled in special circumstances.
Sessions, conducted in person, via video, or by phone, are mostly individual but sometimes family or group.
According to Cook, the department had around 800 active clients at any time before the COVID-19 pandemic; today, that number is up to about 1,600. The department currently serves 958 clients ages 18-94 and 615 clients ages 3-17. About 50 percent of clients see a medical provider for medication.
The projected number of sessions per year for 2024 is 27,118.
Town board l Page 2
The event will be held on Friday, Dec. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday’s sale will run concurrently with the Annual Cazenovia Holiday Stroll and Village Tree Lighting downtown.
“Many stores along Albany Street will be open later into the evening,” said Fiorentino. “Carpenter’s Barn is a quick five-to-seven-minute walk from the tree lighting, and there are sidewalks along the entire path; just follow the black iron fence [along Lakeland Park], and it will lead you right to it. [On Saturday], there are two other events happening in Caz, so it is the perfect day to hang out in Cazenovia and do some last-minute shopping.”
Shoppers will also be invited to peruse the five permanent artist studios adjacent to the barn’s main event space.
“I think it’s important for people to see an artist’s space to get a glimpse of the process of making art,” said Fiorentino. “A shopper may only see a finished piece and
“Everything is extremely well made and with the best materials,” said Fiorentino. “I thought it was important to have a variety of work represented.”
a price. What they don’t see is the birth of the ideas, the hours of planning and research, gathering just the right materials and tools, the tests that go awry, and the reassessment and redos that just aren’t quite right. Every artist goes through some form of this, and though I might be presumptuous in saying so, I’m pretty sure we all love it. I am excited for these artists to be able to share their work and talk with the community.”
Payment methods may vary depending on the participating artist. Anticipated methods include Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, credit cards, and personal checks.
CazArts is an alliance of artists, cultural organizations, and supporters dedicated to nurturing a community that promotes the creation and appreciation of the arts. For more information, visit cazarts.com
Cazenovia Heritage to present the architecture of Charles Umbrecht
On Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2:30
p.m., Cazenovia Heritage will host a presentation on the architect Charles Umbrecht, whose work was most prevalent in Central New York from the 1930s to the late 1960s.
Umbrecht’s work encompassed whole house design and interiors, while other projects were home additions or the remodeling of specific interior rooms.
Umbrecht undertook about 20 projects in Cazenovia.
The program, which will be held at the Cazenovia Public Library, will focus on identifiable elements of Umbrecht’s designs and the personal craftsmanship
of interior architectural features.
Umbrecht was born in 1888, the son of parents who each had immigrated from Germany and settled in the Syracuse area.
After graduating from Syracuse University in 1910, he apprenticed with Henry Bacon, a Beaux Arts architect with whom he worked on the Lincoln Memorial at Washington DC. There, Umbrecht assisted in designing the columns and frame surrounding the Gettysburg address at the memorial.
He soon turned to residential work, however, where he made his career and found success. Umbrecht would die in Fayette -
ville in 1969.
Umbrecht’s residential designs are unique, reflecting the way he meticulously created Colonial style houses for a wide range of sizes, budgets, and materials.
His house plans are well organized in spatial layouts and split levels, showing an understanding of contemporary design.
He added his trademark brick and stone fireplaces and chimneys, and precisely detailed classical paneling and moldings. Attendees to the presentation will be able to view some of these interiors, thanks to owners of various properties who were willing to share these architectural gems
Caz CSD receives excellent audit score
The Cazenovia Central School District received a clean audit on its annual external audit of taxpayer funds, one of many the district undertakes periodically to ensure it is being a good steward of taxpayer funds and district finances.
For this audit, an outside group, D’Arcangelo and Co., LLC, started the process in May by reviewing random samples of various facets of district financials including such things as accounts payable and payroll to verify whether the school complied with state and federal laws as well as school board policy.
with the public. The exteriors of other properties also will be reviewed, that demonstrate Umbrecht’s individualistic approach.
Umbrecht’s work is openly visible to the public at the Seven Stone Steps tavern at the Lincklaen House. In the 1940s, Umbrecht undertook the interior remodeling, creating custom bench and wall moldings that surround the Merrill Bailey paintings on display.
“Umbrecht has perhaps been under-appreciated and less known, mainly because so much of his work is hidden from the public’s eye. He created a vast va-
riety of distinct Colonial Revival residences and Classically-derived spaces, despite ever increasing interest toward modernism in the 1950s and ‘60s,” said Carl Stearns of Cazenovia Heritage. “This is clearly a significant body of his work, right in our community, that should be treasured.”
The program on Nov. 16 is free and open to the public.
Cazenovia Heritage is a 501 c-3 organization that is dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture, sites, and objects. For more information, visit cazheritage.org.
Town board kicks off speaker series
l From page 1
Another part of the audit is reviewing flagged items from the previous year. One small flag from 2023, was money collected from extracurricular activities at the school.
“Though they’re not taxpayer dollars, our extracurricular activity funds are audited as well. Since business office staff cannot be present at every fundraising cash exchange, we are flagged,” said Finnerty. “Though we agree club activities are an important learning activity, safeguarding taxpayer funds is a more important focus for us.”
“They ensure that we are checking proper authorizations and execution of financial activities,” said Assistant Superintendent and School Business Official Thomas Finnerty.
When the auditing team
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came in, the office staff was available to provide the requested documents, and Finnerty would help review the big picture of operations and provide information such as employee account access.
“Our goal is to keep fiscally sound and use funds effectively and wisely,” said Finnerty. “And we want to make sure it is right and that we use best practices when it comes to taxpayer funds.”
On a separate occasion, the school will also use auditors to train faculty and staff, helping them understand some of the more complex processes when collecting funds and filing expenditures throughout the school year.
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“When I first started, it was not uncommon to have a $500,000 deficit or a $600,000 deficit, and now we generate revenue for the county,” said Cook, who has been with the county for 17 years and directed the department for almost 12 years. “We have really looked at every aspect of the business, top to bottom.”
The mental health department has school clinics with full-time therapists in the Cazenovia, Chittenango, Hamilton, Morrisville, and Canastota school districts.
Its satellite clinic in the Department of Social Services (DSS) building has two full-time therapists whose primary job is to serve clients referred by their DSS caseworkers, and the jail is staffed with a fulltime therapist who offers clinical services to inmates with mental health issues.
The county’s Pathways Peer Recovery Center in Oneida’s Northside Shopping Plaza offers a peer-based program — versus a clinical service — through which individuals get support from employees in recovery from mental health issues. The center also offers monthly movie nights, bowling, meditation, holiday dinners, and creative workshops.
Anyone in the community, not just clients, can call the county’s main number at 315-366-2327 and press “1” to speak with one of two full-time bachelor’s degree-level crisis workers.
The crisis workers can provide de-escalation, resources, and referrals, or help callers and walk-ins to start services at the clinic. They also take calls from the police and 911 and go into the community if needed.
“[Teisha] has totally flip-flopped the whole [department],” said Reger following Cook’s presentation. “Now it is one of the staples of the county and doing tremendously well.”
Reger added that he was amazed by how organized and efficient the department is and how many people its services help.
The supervisor plans to invite the director of Madison County Tourism to present at next month’s town board meeting.
For more information about the mental health department, visit madisoncounty. ny.gov/390/Mental-Health.
The 2024 Madison County Mental Health Resource Guide can be found at madisoncounty.ny.gov/420/Resource-Directory.
Town news
During its regular meeting, the board adopted the 2025 Preliminary Budget, including the special improvement district budgets as changed, altered, and revised, as the Final Budget of the Town of Cazenovia for the fiscal year beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
The board authorized the supervisor to
When I first started, it was not uncommon to have a $500,000 deficit or a $600,000 deficit, and now we generate revenue for the county,”
Teisha Cook Madison
County Mental Health
Dept.
submit a letter of support to the Central New York Regional Economic Development Council for the Village of Cazenovia’s 2024 Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI)/NY Forward Grant application.
“With the closure of Cazenovia College in 2023, this community faced an enormous challenge,” the letter states. “Local leaders acted quickly to convene community and stakeholder meetings, secure funding for market analysis and strategic planning, and begin a thoughtful process to identify future uses for the campus. Now that a path forward is becoming clear, funding for implementation could play a vital role in helping Cazenovia serve as a model as college closures continue around the state. Cazenovia has shown leadership in planning for smart growth that is consistent with community character and is poised to build upon these efforts through needed investment in housing, health care, campus repurposing, and enhanced use of commercial and community spaces. With the assistance of a DRI or NY Forward award, these interrelated initiatives will be a catalyst for growth and allow downtown Cazenovia to continue to serve as a hub for the surrounding rural communities.”
Reger was also authorized to execute a letter of support to the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor for the village’s grant proposal for improvements to the Henry Burden municipal park.
The park is off Mill Street along the historic feeder canal originally developed to maintain the water level in the Old Erie Canal system.
The proposed project involves creating interpretive signage describing the canalrelated history, installing benches, and enhancing trails.
A public hearing on the draft “Town of Cazenovia Comprehensive Plan Update 2030” is scheduled for Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the town office.
Reger will hold his next monthly office hours on Sunday, Nov. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the town office. Community members are invited to sit down with him and discuss any town issue.
For more information on the Town of Cazenovia, visit towncazenovia.digitaltowpath.org or call the town office at 315-6559213.
Sen. Griffo presents Cazenovia Rotary with proclamation
Rotary International is one of the largest service organizations in the world.
“Rotary was the world’s first service club,” said Neuland. “[Today, there are] over a million members.”
According to its website, Rotary International’s mission is to “provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through [the] fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.”
The non-political and non-religious organization has 46,000-plus member clubs that work together to promote peace, fight illiteracy and poverty, help people access clean water and sanitation, fight disease, and protect Earth and its resources.
“Seventy-five years ago, on May 9, 1949, the Syracuse Rotary Club presented our club with their Charter, Bell, and Gavel to open our first meeting with 22 members at the Lincklaen House with President John Ledyard,” said Neuland. “Our official charter was dated May 19, 1949. It had been a men-only organization until 1990 when Rotary International opened membership to women. In 1994, Betsy Kennedy became the first woman member of the Cazenovia [Rotary] Club. Debbie Schafer, Joan Keilen, Lisa Tormey, Sandy Diefendorf, and Susan Clancy became members soon after that. Having women Rotarians was a major change for old members steeped in an all-male environment. [However], we learned very quickly that our women members brought in sorely needed ideas, enthusiasm, and commitment [that] continues today.”
The Cazenovia Rotary Club gathers at noon at the Lincklaen House on the second Friday of every month for lunch meetings. According to Neuland, the “Rotary Four-Way Test” is recited at the close of every meeting.
It asks the following four questions about “the things we think, say, or do.”
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
During Griffo’s recent visit to Cazenovia, the Rotary presented him with a copy of the club’s 2025-26 Cazenovia area phone book.
Over the past 50 years, the Rotary has typically compiled and distributed a new
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phone book with updated community information every two years. However, because of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the last phone book to be released was the 2018-19 edition.
The Rotary phone book covers the towns of Cazenovia and Nelson and parts
of the hamlet of Perryville and contains white and yellow pages.
There is no charge to be added to the white pages, which include personal listings and contact information for clubs, local organizations, and churches.
The Rotary sells advertisements for the yellow pages business directory and the inside and back covers. The phone books also have some free advertising space.
The money raised through yellow page ad sales covers the cost of printing the phone books and advertising their release in local papers. The remaining funds and donations support local organizations and initiatives and serve as seed money for the club’s next phone book publication.
The phone books always featured fonts large enough to be read without a magnifying glass.
The Cazenovia Rotary printed 2,500 copies of its 2025-26 phone book. They are available at Neuland’s office at 95 Albany St. Suite C, Cazenovia; the Cazenovia and New Woodstock libraries; and the Cazenovia Town Office. They will soon be available in the Town of Fenner, the Town of Nelson, and the Hamlet of Erieville.
“I have no doubt that the Cazenovia Rotary will continue to be an active, engaged, and important part of the community for many more years to come,” Griffo said in a Nov. 2 Facebook post documenting his visit.
To learn more about Rotary International, visit rotary.org/en.
For updates on the Cazenovia Rotary Club, visit the club’s Facebook page.
Eagle Newspapers is here to help readers share their milestone celebrations, including birth announcements, engagements, weddings, anniversaries and milestone birthdays. The deadline to submit an announcement is 10 a.m. the Friday before publication. Announcements of up to 250 words with a photo cost just $50, with an additional 15 cents per word over 250 words. Announcements will be posted to eaglenewsonline.com within 24 hours of receipt of payment. To submit a milestone announcement, email Alyssa Dearborn at adearborn@eaglenewsonline.com, or call 315.434.8889 ext. 305.
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Submitted photo
Anna Marie Neuland of the Cazenovia Rotary shows Sen. Joe Griff0 the club’s annual phone book.
OuR vOiCE
Honoring veterans
On Nov. 11, we took time to honor those who served as we commemorated Veterans Day, a day that, according to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, truly belongs to all veterans.
In many local communities, flags were flown and ceremonies were held where patriotic songs were sung and the names of those who served were remembered.
But no matter what took place, in the minds of many people, those who served were at the forefront on this day.
Whether it was remembering a grandfather who served in World War II or Korea or Vietnam or friends and family who served during peace time or in more recent conflicts, this is a day for reflection on what that service means.
This is also a day dedicated to learning about what it means to serve and often over the years area schools have welcomed local veterans, not only to honor them, but to listen to them and learn from them and their experiences and get a better sense of what it truly means to serve your country.
The roots of Veterans Day go back to the end of World War I.
It was on Nov. 11, 1918 at 11 a.m., the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour, when the armistice with Germany went in to effect.
A year later, President Woodrow Wilson reflected on the meaning of the first commemoration of Armistice Day.
Wilson said the service of those who fought in the war and of those who gave their lives and those who came back home, helped bring peace and a more just world into being.
“Out of this victory there arose new possibilities of political freedom and economic concert,” Wilson said in his address to the country. “The war showed us the strength of great nations acting together for high purposes, and the victory of arms foretells the enduring conquests which can be made in peace when nations act justly and in furtherance of the common interests of men. To us in America the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service, and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations.”
It was in 1926, at the urging of President Calvin Coolidge that congress adopted a resolution on June 4 to issue annual proclamations calling for the observance of Nov. 11 in honor of veterans.
And a congressional act followed in May of 1938 which made Nov. 11 a legal holiday as a day dedicated to the cause of world peace that would be known officially as Armistice Day.
It was in 1945, that the idea of Veterans Day as it has come to be known began to take shape.
The idea started with World War II veterans who wanted to see the idea of Armistice Day extend to all veterans.
A veteran named Raymond Weeks led the effort to make this change and in 1947 he led the first celebration of Veterans Day in Alabama and continued to do so the rest of his life.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation into law on May 26, 1954 extending Armistice Day to all veterans and in June of 1954 congress amended the bill to replace Armistice Day with Veterans Day.
For a century since Woodrow Wilson first commemorated Armistice Day to now, more than 100 years later, it is important that we take this time to thank those who have served and reflect on what their service means to our country.
FESTIvE…FOR A TuESDAY
Tuesday has little to set it apart.
It’s kind of like a Thursday, between other days that have garnered some form of personality based on where they land in a work week. And, then, being retired, most days have lost their cache for me. So, today, Tuesday began without fanfare.
First it was a search for yeast.
I have yeast, lots of it.
Do you remember how scarce yeast was during the pandemic?
Well, others scrambled for toilet paper, I stocked up on yeast.
Needless to say, that yeast, still on my pantry shelves, is no longer useful.
We had a tentative plan, and nowa-days most of our plans are tentative based on what malady, ache, pain or unsteadiness is visiting on us … to bake bread. But those ancient packages held only departed fungi that no amount of warm water and sugar could resurrect.
So we shelved that plan, adding it to our tentative plans for some grocery shopping tomorrow. We needed live yeast.
We also had plans to go out to dinner. We kept those plans.
We live about two blocks from St. Johns which is on the corner of Orange and Maple Streets but our physical selves being what they are, we elected to drive only to find that the walk from the car
LET’S
to the dinner was about half as long as a walk from our house.
No matter, it was worth the effort.
We were greeted by a most charming gentlemen in shirt sleeves who sat outside the door and who engaged us in a chat about the unusually warm November weather.
It was the start of a special meal that satiated not only our bodies, but, if I may go further, perhaps our minds and hearts.
Election Day dinner is a tradition in many communities.
St. John’s congregation pulls out all the stops showcasing not only its cadre of cooks but also the willingness of a group of people to spend their time and talents in the effort.
The big room with the vaulted ceiling reverberated with the sounds of happy people enjoying baked ziti, sausages, meatballs, salad and chocolate brownies with assorted beverages including decaf for those of us who need to sleep.
Conversations were lively.
The spirit of the hours was festive …
at least Tuesday festive.
There was this something, much more than the menu, the sense of one part of a community putting itself and its gifts out there and inviting others, individuals and groups, representatives of other communities to join in a celebration, in this case, the democratic process. No matter what the results of the ballot, we were all in this together. Which, if you think about it, is the basis of any good community’s reason to be.
Yes, the food was delicious, the church volunteers were the perfect hosts and the patriotic décor fit the bill. I don’t know how many could sense what was so special.
I thought of my intent to make bread and the need for packages of living yeast and it came to me that this church dinner in our little village represented the life of our nation, a representation of the living essence that is the American people, probably not so different than the people of other nations, but at this time and place, an example of what holds a nation together…the life of its people.
And after such a difficult election cycle it was refreshing to find on an early Tuesday evening on the corner of Orange and Maple Streets in St. John’s Episcopal Church a sense of “us.”
TALK TO EACH OTHER
BY PHIL BLACKwELL
So an election happened, and was de
-
cided. We all know what happened. But it’s what happens next that is far more important.
Wait, how can this be true? How could anything we do prove more crucial than deciding our nation’s course for, oh, the next few years, if not longer?
Ah, but it’s not so simple. We cannot just run back into our corners and into our tight, controlled bubbles where we dictate and control all the information sent to us, true or not. That would be a gigantic mistake.
The only real way out of the predicament to which we have confined ourselves is to drop our shields and seek out one another, not as perceived enemies or rivals, but as fellow human beings.
Yes, it all sounds simple, and to some of you it’s dangerously naïve. Why try and communicate with those who won’t listen to you, or won’t ponder anything you have to say, or won’t consider anything that you might believe?
Well, for the obvious reason that cutting off these channels of communication is a big reason why the divisions we have in our society exist. It’s not enough to oppose someone. They must be wrong in every way, dangerous, immoral, indecent, inhumane.
For the most part this isn’t true. Whether willfully or not, our lives and our experiences lead us to our belief systems and the way we view the world. From our standpoint, of course we are right, honorable, justified.
Consider the American Legion
To the editor:
November is the month to celebrate veterans and their service so I wanted to take the time to let other veterans know about the many benefits of joining the American Legion in general and specifically the Cazenovia Post 88 American Legion.
First, join for camaraderie and the sense of community. When I first exited the military, I felt a little lost because there were very few people that I knew ‘back home’ who could relate to me and my experiences. I wish I’d joined an American Legion at that time. It would have made the transition to civilian life easier. At the legion, you have a sense of, hey, we may not have all been through the same experiences, but there is an understanding that we all had similar experiences to share with one another.
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And due to polarization in all things, especially the way news is gathered, distributed and then interpreted, we only feed ourselves the stuff that reinforces what is already deeply rooted. Which leads us to learn nothing.
Inevitably when an election concludes, the side which won implores the side which lost to reach out and understand why they were not chosen, to perhaps learn and grow from it.
Except that this makes it a oneway street. Why should one side be so blinded by success to forgo a little bit of humility and not do the exact same kind of bridge-building?
Granted, across the ages failure has always proven a wise teacher, and if we’re mature and open-minded all of us take those setbacks and losses and help us grow and mature.
Far more difficult is admitting that we messed up. From what I’ve seen in recent years, there’s plenty of people on one side which admit mistakes and far too many on the other who never, ever thinks they are wrong even if all evidence points otherwise.
You say that we need to respect you, take you seriously, defer to your judgment. Fine, but will you do the same? A truly civil discourse doesn’t involve total deference on one end and total superi-
Second, the American Legion is a voice for veterans in Washington. We are an effective advocate for veterans & for the military regarding everything from military pay to veteran’s health benefits at the national level. Your membership dues make a difference. Your dues also support American Legion Posts and families in need during a time of crisis, support American Legion Baseball, Boys & Girls State, Operation Comfort Warriors (which delivers comfort items to military hospitals, warrior transition units and other facilities nationwide) and scholarships to high school students with exceptional academic and leadership abilities just to name a few.
Third, join for the benefits. Your legion card allows you to have access to many discounts and perks in the areas of travel/vacation, insurance, media/entertainment and so on. You will also receive a monthly magazine letting you know about all things American Legion that is
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ority on the other end. Oh, and macho posturing is not strength – the furthest thing from it, in fact. No true progress can happen if one side requires perfection and the other can do whatever it wants. As we’ve seen, even if someone climbs through all the hurdles society throws at them, they can still get stopped cold by the final wall of prejudices like race, gender or a combination of both.
Too harsh? Not if it’s true, or even if the perception of it is out there, painful and obvious. Some folks just get a mas
sive benefit of the doubt others never get close to acquiring.
But it’s up to everyone on all sides to tone down the rhetoric, quit the fingerpointing and do something that’s constructive rather than continuing to build up real or metaphorical walls.
All of us are flawed, but at the very least we should aspire to learn as much as possible about each other and, through that honest give-and-take, discover common humanity. Then it will be easier to care for one another the way we should.
What happened in the election delighted some of you and infuriated others. But neither condition should be used as an excuse to turn away from one another, only adding to the vast divisions we now confront.
For a change, let’s head in the other direction, toward caring and kindness. This will benefit every one of us. Even if it doesn’t benefit the person in charge.
both interesting and informative.
Here is a link for the American Legion: legion.org/ Lastly, I ask that you consider joining the Cazenovia Post 88 American Legion because we are very active in the Cazenovia community! We hold pancake breakfasts on several occasions during the year (where you can enjoy a delicious breakfast, volunteer to help flip pancakes, serve breakfast, etc.), we march or ride in parades held on Memorial Day and July 4th. We also participate in the 9/11 ceremony, we honor our veterans (and those veterans that have passed on) when we participate in Honor Flight Syracuse (send off and welcome home ceremonies) and also with a wonderful Honor Flight Flags of Our Heroes ceremony at the Onondoga Memorial Auditorium in November and June. We also have a family picnic in August. These are just a few of the great activities
Ramblings from the empty nest Ann Ferro
Random Thoughts Phil Blackwell
FROM THE MAILBAG
that you, as a veteran, can be involved in when you join the Cazenovia American Legion Post 88. For Post 88 Membership, contact Kevin Markowski at 315-7270668.
To each and every veteran, thank you for your service to our great country!
CHARLENE
LONGO, SERvICE OFFICER POST 88 CAzenoviA
Outdoor lighting
To the editor:
Like many people in the Cazenovia community, the town board is committed to protecting our dark skies and preventing night-time glare. Glare is defined as spillover of artificial light beyond the area intended for illumination in a manner that impairs vision or beams light into adjoining properties or toward the sky. With the increase in development and the installing or retrofitting of outdoor LED lighting, glare onto neighboring properties and while driving and walking is worsening, while the ability to see celestial objects in our night sky (like the comet and Aurora Borealis the past few weeks) is diminishing. Property owners can ensure they are in compliance with local codes by doing the following when using outdoor lighting:
Install the lowest brightness (lumens) needed. This reduces the overall light outside and allows your eyes to see better in shadows by reducing the difference between light and dark.
Shield the lens or bulb so that it only shines where you need it. Pointing the light straight down or against the wall reflects a surprising amount of light, and won’t blind you as you approach (just as you would not use a flashlight to walk with it pointing at your face). In general, you should not see the lens or bulb from your property line or street (keeping the light on your property.)
Use a ‘warm, lower’ temperature (measured in Kelvin) light. 2700˚ is similar to a candle flame or incandescent bulb, whereas many LEDs are whiter (4000˚-6000˚ range.) Eyes respond and see in the dark better with yellow/orange light compared to white light. For ex-
ample, red lights inside ships at night aid in preserving night vision. Refer to the lightbulb or fixture description on the packaging or online description (where the Kelvin temperature is listed).
Use motion detectors to provide light if there is any movement. These provide security and automatically turn off after a few minutes.
Turn off the lights, when possible.
An added benefit to these changes is that they can generally reduce energy use and costs.
The town code has ordinances that outline the installation of outdoor lighting to improve dark skies and reduce glare in our eyes. The objective of the ordinances is “to encourage designs and uses that discourage light pollution and which will protect and preserve ‘dark skies’ in the Town.” The ordinances include: “No structures or uses shall have flashing lights or lights which cause glare onto adjoining properties or the public roadway.”
Feel free to contact code enforcement officer, Chuck Ladd, for any questions at codesman71@gmail.com or go to https:// ecode360.com/CA0021 and search for “lighting” and “glare.”
Please take the next opportunity to adjust your existing lighting and be mindful when buying new fixtures. We recognize and are thankful for the many homes and businesses that have incorporated these lighting practices with great success.
Together, we can make our area one of those increasingly rare places where people can enjoy the dark skies above by reducing glare, while maintaining security.
THE CAzENOvIA TOwN BOARD CAzenoviA
Term limits
To the editor:
At the risk of alienating more conservative readers, here’s my remaining arguments against the false solution of term limits.
Term-limiting incumbents out of office won’t guarantee better replacements. Unless the voters are educated in Americanist principles and a correct understanding of the Constitution, they will continue to vote for the same type of candidate as previously. Uninformed
voters would continue to elect powerseeking politicians promising anything to get elected. “Vote for me and I’ll give you free money and government services!” Nothing would get fixed and the vicious cycle would continue.
Sad experience in the states which have imposed term limits on their legislators shows that a term-limited politician will simply seek another office, either elective or by appointment, or become a lobbyist for a special interest group to influence newly-elected officials. This results in control of state governments being transferred to the permanent staff members and lobbyists in the capital, with no improvement in government. The legislators come and go, but the staff and lobbyists remain in power.
Article V of the Articles of Confederation imposed term limits upon congressmen, and it was eventually realized that this didn’t create better congressmen. During the 1787 Constitutional Convention the framers debated at least three times over whether to include term limits in the new constitution. They ultimately decided against it as being both redundant and dangerous.
Redundant, because they knew that short, two-year terms for representatives would encourage them to be more accountable and help keep them honest and re-electable. Dangerous, because a term-limited official would try to gain as much money, power and influence as possible before he was term-limited out. A position in Congress would only be seen as a stepping-stone to greater authority, control and prestige elsewhere.
Maybe we should be relying on the wisdom of our founders instead of attempting to second guess them.
In one of his many letters, Thomas Jefferson stated that education of the electorate was necessary to preserve our Republic. “...if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education.” Once again the key is education of the electorate, not the false chimera of term limits.
MICHAEL T. FRIEND mAnliuS
New Woodstock library to host Paul Silverstein
event is this Sunday
The New Woodstock Free Library is proud to present Paul Silverstein woodturning with mostly local woods as its final exhibit in 2024. A meet the artist reception will be held Sunday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.
No need to register for the exhibit or reception, just stop in the library gallery room.
Silverstein started woodturning in the spring of 2021. While many exotic woods make beautiful projects, Silverstein finds local woods have a beauty of their own and grounds him more closely to the local area.
Much of the wood comes from storm damage, road clearance, construction, or diseased wood.
Silverstein can often be found knocking on doors after seeing a downed tree with chainsaw in the car.
Working in local cherry, walnut, butternut, ash, willow, cedar, maple,
birch, locust, apple, and a few unknowns, Silverstein said he doesn’t really know what beauty is inside the wood until it is finished.
Each tree has its own advantages, strengths, and mystery.
Bowls are his primary interest.
While a variety of finishes are used, all are food safe and easy to refresh after being use.
Silverstein also delights in making pens, kitchen tools, tops, and other turned implements. Many of his creations will be for sale at the exhibit, perfect for holiday gifting.
Silverstein wants to particularly thank his partner, Pauline Cecere, for indulging this avocation by putting up with noise, sawdust, wood chips, lumber, logs, tool purchases, excessive babblings over wood grains, burls, moisture content, and a host of other idiosyncrasies.
For library hours and more information about programs and events, go to newwoodstocklibrary.org/ or call us at 315-662-3134. New Woodstock Free Library, 2106 Main St.
Years Ago in History
BY CINDY BELL TOBEY
110 Years Ago – Nov. 12, 1914
Every year large numbers of Syracuse and Colgate supporters journey to Syracuse to see the annual football game between the two institutions, and this year will be no exception. The game will be called Saturday in the stadium at 2:30 o’clock. There are many former students of the two colleges residing in this section and if they don’t see any other games during the season, they make it a point not to miss being present at the annual drubbing that the Madison County institution gives its larger neighbor. Both teams have been holding secret practices all the week each with the idea of springing some surprises on the other. In the 16 engagements between Colgate and Syracuse, the Maroon team has won 12 times, Syracuse has won three battles and once, 1897 the elevens tied at 6 to 6.
80 Years Ago – Nov. 16, 1944
D. Donald Norton, salvage chairman for Cazenovia Village, announces that there will be another tin can collection by village trucks in Cazenovia Village this week Saturday. Please put your cans (flattened out) in cartons for easy handling on the front porch Friday night. The truckmen will dump the cans in the truck and return the empty carton. People living outside the village are requested to bring their cans to the Lincklaen House barn no later than Friday. This is a very vital war material and our stock pile is fast dwindling. There is no substitute for tin, so we must save out tin cans to recover the one percent of tin they contain. It takes over 400 No. 2 cans to yield 9 ounces of tin. Getting tin in this way is a hard, slow process but it is the best we can do, with everyone cooperating by saving their cans, cutting out the ends, flattening them and turning them over to collectors.
50 Years Ago – Nov. 13, 1974
A shocking crime has just come to light. At an unknown time in June marauders broke through the roof of Lorenzo and entered the rear guest room chamber. Here they murdered four young martins in their bed, wiping out a promising young family. The distracted parents escaped into the night. A pair of racoons are prime suspects but up to this point no arrests have been made. The crime came to light with the removal from its perch in a birch tree in Castine, Me., of the bird house, belonging to Mrs. Francis W. Hatch (formerly Marjory Kennard, long-time resident the village). The pretty little bird home is a creditable copy of the stately home of her great aunt and uncle the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Fairchild. Search will be continued for the culprits.
20 Years Ago – Nov. 10, 2004
“Over the river and through the woods…” fills your head as you approach Old and Everlasting, a unique gift shop where one can find a wide selection of country and primitive style merchandise. The shop, nestled off Route 13 on Ballina Road, sits in a quaint country home. It could be for that same reason that Old and Everlasting was rewarded with an award last month. Country Business Magazine has named the gift store as one of its runners up in the magazine’s 2004 Retailer of the Year contest. Old and Everlasting is one of two retailers to receive the runner-up designation; the other runner-up is a gift store in Crystal Lake, Ill. The first place winner of the award is a gift and home décor store in Lenior City, Tenn.
Submitted photo
New woodstock library will feature Paul Silverstein and his wood turning work.
Barbara J. Johnsen, 91
Former teacher, avid traveler
Barbara J. Johnsen, 91, of Cazenovia, passed away Nov. 3, 2024. She was born Feb. 21, 1933 in Fort Madison, Iowa to Lloyd and Genevieve Peter Parrish, and was raised in Lakeland, FL. After graduating from Florida Southern College, she attended Boston University, where she earned her master’s degree in education. Following graduation, Barbara traveled to California to accept a job teaching high school English and Social Studies in Huntington Beach. She soon met the love of her life, Jim Johnsen, and was married two months later. They moved to Cazenovia in 1979, where Barbara resided at her beloved home at the time of her death.
OBITUARIES
Barbara’s magnetic personality and southern charm filled the room. She adored her grandkids and granddog, and she loved Cazenovia Lake.
Sharon Mosher
Worked as a teacher, librarian
Sharon Mosher (Pratt), Vineland, Ontario, Canada, passed away peacefully on Aug. 17, 2024 due to progressive Parkinson Disease.
Sharon grew up in the Erieville/ New Woodstock areas. After graduating from Cazenovia High School she continued her education to become a teacher and then a librarian, spending many years working with junior high students.
She was a caring person, listening to others’ concerns, showing empathy and sharing her resources with others including many charities.
Sharon is survived by her husband of 63 years, Neal Mosher, her daugh-
ter Elise Mosher, granddaughter Callan Moreton, both from Toronto, Canada. Also her siblings Sarah Insel (Dick), Cazenovia, Shelley Thomas (Glenn), Hornell, Chip Pratt (Kathy), New Woodstock, and Stephanie Randall (Mark), Prattburgh. She was predeceased by her parents Norval and Sara Pratt and her sister Colleen Shoemaker all from New Woodstock. You are invited to a memorial service to celebrate Sharon’s life on Nov. 16, noon, at New Woodstock Community Church. Lunch to follow. Remembrance gifts may go to New Woodstock Community Church, 2065 Main Street, New Woodstock, NY 13122.
She was an avid traveler and visited all seven continents. Barbara was a communicant of St. James Church, and served as vice president of the New York State League of Women Voters and longtime member of the local league. Barbara is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Holly and Thomas Hoehner of Fayetteville, and by her grandchildren, James and Andrew. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, James C. Johnsen in 1999.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in St. James Church, 6 Green Street in Cazenovia. Interment will follow in St. James Cemetery. Contributions in Barbara’s memory may be made to The Loretto Foundation. Condolences may be left at michaelebrownfuneralservices.com.
Dana Stenson
Stenson joins Caz Artisans
Cazenovia Artisans has announced that Dana Stenson will be joining as the newest member of our artist’s cooperative.
Stenson is an accomplished jeweler specializing in metal smithing techniques accentuated with a contemporary design. Sterling silver, gold, natural stones, and occasional found objects are the materials she transforms into unique artisan jewelry.
Stenson, a graduate from Syracuse University, was born to American parents in the Middle East.
She has lived in Iran, Hungary, Virginia, Arizona, and Upstate New York, where she currently resides.
The vast diversity in her work, its richness in color and style is a reflection of the varied cultures she has been exposed to. Her designs draw from all of these experiences as well as her love for the natural world. Each piece is made entirely by hand in her own studio. In her spare time Stenson hikes, bikes, skis, and especially enjoys, snorkeling.
“I love to study insects, plants, and landscapes,” Stenson said. “I strive to honor our Earth in my designs and business practices by using recycled metals and ethically sourced stones from lapidary artists who she knows and trusts.”
SUDOKU
Barbara J. Johnsen
Sharon Mosher
Cazenovia students explore future careers
With the addition of the workbased learning curriculum at Cazenovia High School, students are getting a real-life perspective of future career options. From shadowing medical professionals to marketing projects, high school students prepare to enter the work environment with fresh eyes while helping the community.
When the Greater Cazenovia Chamber of Commerce went fully remote in January 2024, it took the opportunity to rebrand and restructure.
With the change, members adopted a modern marketing approach and pushed to offer more unique local events.
They created a new website and launched with a new name, Caz Life. However, with its decision to dissolve a paid position, the company was disadvantaged regarding staff.
This was also an opportunity in the eyes of board of directors member and school Superintendent Chris DiFulvio and Christina New, a Cazenovia High School business teacher and New York State certified work-based learning coordinator.
“The high school started the work-based internship class five years ago with only five students enrolled; now, 50 percent of the senior class wants to take the
elective,” said New. “Offering a Caz Life marketing and communication student internship was a perfect opportunity for both sides,” DiFulvio added. New established 27 workbased internships with local organizations, businesses, and public entities this year.
She begins interviewing students up to one year in advance
and finds new internships and continuing successful ones to establish student placement for the upcoming school year.
“We have students voice their interests and curiosities, and we match them with opportunities for them to learn more,” said New.
High school senior and Caz Life intern Sally Hughes said she has a passion for sports reporting
and hopes the Caz Life internship helps her advance her marketing skills so she can eventually merge them with sports.
“I can explore my love of marketing,” said Huges. “We plan interviews, questions, record, and edit stories.”
Another Caz Life intern, Ava Vanetti, said, “Being in student government, I wondered if the
Caz Life internship was a good match, but I’m also interested in environmental science.”
New knows that some internships may not lock in a career path, so students can segment the year and try other internships.
“If a student has more than one interest, they can be placed into two or three rotations throughout the year, offering them a view into multiple career opportunities,” New said.
Some other internships in the work-based life class include those at Financial Advisors Leigh Baldwin and Co., Upstate Animal Clinic, New York State Troopers, Upstate Bone and Joint, Crouse Community Rehabilitation Center, Dougherty’s Pharmacy, Marquardt Switches, Cazenovia Police Department, Nicki Donlin Real Estate, and the school district itself.
“This work-based learning curriculum is a chance for students to get out into the community,” DiFulvio said. “At Caz Life, for example, students play an essential role in helping the greater Cazenovia area create fresh ideas, think inclusively, and offer a lively perspective on how Caz Life can progress in many ways. It is a fun and educational way for students to help their community while growing a potential career path.”
Community Memorial introduces new procedures for pain treatment
The Community Memorial (CMH) healthcare network launched a new procedure option for patients with joint pain or injury.
Offered by Dr. Kamal Banga, the PRP procedure can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including joint pain such as osteoarthritis, tennis and golfer elbow, and other sports injuries.
“The PRP process allows the concentrated plasma to be reintroduced into the area of discomfort or injury, stimulating the healing process,” Banga said.
Platelet-rich plasma injections, or PRP, is a treatment now offered at Community Memorial Center for Orthopedics. The outpatient procedure involves drawing blood from a patient and processing it with a machine called a centrifuge to separate the platelets out and then reinject the platelets into the patient at their site of pain or injury.
Rich in growth factors, the injected platelets work to accelerate healing, as studies have shown that increased concentration may shorten healing time for injuries and decrease pain for patients.
“This innovative treatment may provide help in muscle, tendon and ligament pain,” Banga said. “There is also some research that there may be relief in osteoarthritis with PRP injections by reducing inflamantion.”
Community Memorial offers primary care in six locations (Hamilton, Cazenovia, Morrisville, Munnsville, Sherrill and Waterville) and warmly welcomes patients for all services, including specialty care. Regularly check the ‘News and Events’ section of the website for the latest updates as services continue to expand.
To learn more about any of the Community Memorial services, visit communitymemorial.org
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Submitted photo
Cazenovia students are exploring career options through internships.
Caz runners advance to state meet
BY PHIL BLACKwELL
Rested and ready to run, cross country teams from Cazenovia and Chittenango would both make serious marks when they went to Mount Markham High School for last Saturday’s Section III championships.
It was the Lakers going first in the Class C races, and on the girls side it finished third in the team standings and nearly saw junior Lily Kogut claim the individual title.
All race long, Kogut remained in sight of the lead, and by the end of the 3.1 miles she had crossed in 18 minutes 47.8 seconds beating everyone except Skaneateles’ Lucy Fleckenstein, who in 18:45.1 was just 2.7 seconds ahead of Kogut.
With this result Kogut is on her way to this Saturday’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association meet in Queensbury, part of the sectional All-Star side with Fleckenstein, Johannah Northrup (Adirondack), Ella Ridgeway (Oneida) and Cora Hindsill (Adirondack).
Cazenovia’s team total of 120 points trailed South Jefferson (40) and Adirondack (65) as, behind Kogut, freshman Abbie Comeau had the best showing, making her way to 15th place in 20:18.3.
Maeve McGreevy finished 28th in 21:27.8, with Avery Cashatt 36th among team runners in 22:09.2 and Izzy Stromer-Galley 39th on the team side in 22:43.2. Gwen Livington, in 22:44.4, was one spot behind Stromer-Galley as Haylee Stearns (23:15.7), Rylee Stearns (23:32.1), Sorsha Lewis (26:12.8) and Emma O’Shea (28:29.7) followed.
Like Kogut, Cazenovia boys sophomore Jake Woolbert would comfortably earn a spot in the state Class C meet
By posting a time of 16:28.7, Woolbert finished fourth, and the top five individuals advanced so Woolbert joins race winner Tritan Boucher (Skaneateles), Tyson Fuller (Oneida),
Liam Eldridge (Marcellus) and Edward Popp (Westhill) in that group.
From a team standpoint, Cazenovia got 99 points overall, one ahead of Westhill’s 100 and beating everyone except Mexico, who won with 72 points, as the Lakers also were second (60 points) to the Tigers (45 points) in the Class C-1 portion of the sectional meet.
Behind Woolbert, Cazenovia had Will Galton make his way to 18th place in a clocking of 17:41.7, while Kooper Wilmot finished 24th in 17:49.7 and Nolan Campagna was 28th in 18:02.2.
Evan Molloy, finishing 19th in Class C-1 and 36th overall in 18:25 flat, rounded out the Lakers’ scoring column, while Tristan Field-Bradley (18:31.7) and Owen Woodworth (18:38.5) were close behind. Henri Mongeau posted 18:46.1, with Gavin Wagner going 19:36.7 and Andy Franz going 19:52.9.
When the girls sectional Class B race was held later that day, Chittenango picked up 64 points, second only to the 45 from Vernon-Verona-Sherrill.
However, the Bears’ Natalie DiGennaro would post a time of 20:03.5 that put her seventh overall and gave her the fifth and final spot on the sectional All-Star team for the state meet with Ingrid Aagaard (Homer), Joslyn Cantine (Fulton) and New Hartford teammates Alexandria French and Abby Neale.
Ani McCarthy finished 12th in the team event (13th overall) in 21:07.3, with Ava McLean one spot behind her in 21:09.3. Emily Judd (21:35.3) beat out Mariah Stewart (21:38.1) for 18th place as Kyra Congden was 27th among team runners in 22:30.3.
The boys Class B sectional meet had Chittenango fifth in a 13-team field led by Bryce Edwards, whose 13th-place time of 17:29.6 put him one second ahead of Zach Driscoll (17:30.6) in 14th place. Dan Mahle (18:01.9) beat out Ethan Lavier (18:02.5) in 26th place.
Caz football run over in sectional Class C semifinal
BY PHIL BLACKwELL
When the Cazenovia football team took its exit from the Section III Class C playoffs in the semifinal roun in 2023, it was the painful conclusion of a campaign which, to that point, had not featured a single defeat.
Having overcome an 0-3 start to get back to the sectional semifinals in 2024, the Lakers hoped that all the struggles it endured would lead to a special effort when it met Bishop Ludden/SAS last Saturday at nearby Fayetteville-Manlius Stadium.
What happened, instead, was that the Gaelic Knights would take command in the second quarter with 22 unanswered points and not let up until it had handed Cazenovia a 48-6 defeat.
Like the Lakers, Ludden/SAS had overcome an 0-3 start, claiming four wins in its last five games of the regular season, including going to Buckley-Volo Field and beating the Lakers 28-15 in the Oct. 26
regular-season finale.
Just 14 days later the two sides were together again, Cazenovia having avenged one defeat (to Lowville in the quarterfinals) and trying to do so again, though it proved futile.
Neither team scored in the first period, but the Ludden/SAS takeover began when, early in the second quarter, it moved to Cazenovia’s 19-yard line and then had X’Zavion Streiff find Micah Baker in the end zone.
In short order, the Gaelic Knights put together two more scoring drives before halftime. Streiff capped one off with a twoyard run and two-point pass to Jahbari Clarke and then threw 36 yards to J’Shon Goolsby for another score.
Any doubts about the outcome were wiped out in the third quarter.
Despite the Lakers finally getting on the board with Finn Smith’s 51-yard scoring pass to Paul Mitchell, Ludden/SAS
Caz volleyball ousted by Westhill
BY PHIL BLACKwELL
Even with the way it played down the stretch and the impressive poise it showed beating Phoenix in the opening round of the Section III Class B playoffs the Cazenovia girls volleyball team always knew the standard it had to meet.
It was a standard established in recent years by Westhill that’s included sectional and state titles and plenty of state final four appearance in Glens Falls – which it had in 2023 getting all the way to the championship match.
Little seemed different in 2024, as least when measured by Cazenovia’s match with the Warriors in last Wednesday’s Section III Class B semifinal, the Lakers again on the wrong end of a three-set decision.
The first set was a 25-8 romp on Westhill’s part, and the second set nearly similar at 25-12. Only in the third set did Cazenovia string together enough point to extend the contest a bit longer.
Still, the Warriors closed it out 25-16, overcoming another double-double from Lucy Bliss that included 14 assists and 11 digs.
Olivia Pirkl earned 10 digs to go with her team-best seven kills. Alyssa Wardell managed four kills and three blocks, with
Caitee Fenton adding five digs and Elizabeth Enigk adding four digs.
Westhill won with eight aces from Ava Baty to go with five kills as Sophia Johnson dished out 21 assists. Alice Bender got 12 digs and shared team honors with Eva Tarolli who earned nine kills apiece as Emma West got six kills.
All of this followed the Nov. 1 sectional quarterfinal four-set win over Phoenix where defense was the main reason for this win, starting with 19 digs from Bliss and continuing with 16 digs from Pirkl and 14 digs from McKenzie Warman asFenton earned nine digs, Jocelyn Szalach got seven digs and McKenna Weismore had six digs.
Most of the 22 assists Bliss recorded went to Pirkl, who earned 10 kills, and Wardell, who had eight kills and five blocks. Szalach and Sofie Reger had three kills apiece, with Fenton and Weismore each earning three aces.
This would prove to be Cazenovia’s last win in an 11-7 season. Five seniors graduate, including Bliss, Reger, Szalach, Warman and Olivia Ruddy. Top players returning in 2025 include Pirkl, Wardell, Fenton, Weismore and Sophia Wilmot.
added a 42-yard TD on a punt return by Tom Cervantes and Streiff found Goolsby on a 70-yard scoring strike, with Dewan Hunt returning a Cazenovia fumble for another score.
Finishing at 4-5 overall, the
got the most out of a young roster with few seniors. Most of them return in 2025, determined to start better and then have its season go a bit longer, too.
What’s holding you back from success?
Every coach you have ever played for (male or female), has used the term “Mental Toughness” at sometime during pre-season, practice, during a game or at a team meeting. e only di erence has been how it applies to a particular sport. We have all heard the term, but has it ever been clearly explained or de ned to us? Speaking for myself, the answer to the question is NO! It was never explained or de ned in a way that made me focus di erently on a particular skill or outcome of a ball game. It wasn’t clear to me “why” I couldn’t relate to the term until many years later when I saw Jack Nicklaus being interviewed by a golf reporter a er one of his U.S. Open victories. e reporter said to him, “Jack, you seem to play your best golf in the four major tournaments. How much of your success comes from your physical skills and how much from your mental approach? I couldn’t wait to respond to the question before Jack gave his answer. I proudly blurted out, “50/50”, hoping everyone would hear me say what I was expecting Jack to say. When he responded, “It’s not even close, 85% is mental”, I can remember my rst reaction being one of shock. I couldn’t understand how his answer could possibly be true. It wasn’t until I thought about the coaches I played for during my early athletic careers at East High School in Rochester, collegiate career at Ithaca College, as well as my six years with the Chicago Cubs Organization did I make the distinction between a “team sport” and an “individual sport”. Every sport I played before I started to play golf was a “team sport”. Everything was about “the team “ and what “we” could do as a team, to succeed and win. e term “Mental Toughness” sounded good coming from my coaches, but just didn’t resonate with me the way it should have. I blame myself, not my coaches. Because golf is an individual sport, it requires individual skills …both mental and physical. Without “Mental Toughness” in golf, I believe it is almost impossible be to successful.
So, what is “Mental Toughness” and how does your possible lack of mental toughness relate to your golf game?
De nition from Wikipedia: Mental Toughness” is a measure of individual
resilience and con dence that may predict your ultimate success in golf. It also is a measure of your drive and perseverance through di cult challenges.
Dr. Bhrett McCabe says there are a few signs that might indicate you are “ ghting a mental block”:
1. Lack of Consistency in Training and Competition - If you nd it hard to stick to a routine, both in training and in competitive events, it may be time to evaluate the mental blocks in your way. Consistency is the key to progress and without it, your growth stagnates.
2. Giving Up When ings Arn’t Going Your Way - It’s easy to quit when things get tough, but quitting when faced with challenges is a major sign that mental barriers are holding you back.
3. Blaming Others For Your Performance - If you o en nd yourself pointing ngers at others for your struggles or performance levels, it’s a sign that your not taking ownership of your personal development.
4. Fixating On Your Competitors “Good Breaks” - Obsessing over your competitors advantages or lucky breaks can distract you from focusing on your own performance and progress. is mental barrier can be particularly destructive.
5. Losing Mental Discipline in Competitive Moments - If you lose control of your emotions during critical moments, it is a clear sign that you’re struggling to maintain the mental discipline needed to excel under pressure.
Do you su er from any of the “5” above conditions that are holding you back? It might be time to start working on your “Mental Toughness”.
Reminder…Jack Nicklaus said that his success in the game of golf was 85% mental. I believe him.
