The Old Forge Library is looking for volunteers to make this play a reality: school age kids to act in the play and adults to help with costumes and planning.
If you are interested, come to the first planning session from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Nov. 29.
The library is pleased to announce that Anne DeFilipps has agreed to direct this short play. DeFilipps is an Old Forge resident who has been a proud member of Mountain Theater Company for many years, performing in many of the company’s shows. She was also the stage director for the last 10 Town of Webb School musicals, and loves working with young actors.
With your help, a one night performance of the play will take place this Christmas season on Friday, Dec. 16 at the Old Forge Library’s annual Christmas Party.

File photo
Santa and Mrs. Claus make special appearances throughout the weekend and take the time to hear the Christmas wishes of little boys and girls from all around.

By CATHY BOWSHER
Express Staff

Old Forge transforms into a glorious winter wonderland from Friday, Nov. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 27, we got a good start with almost two feet of snow on Nov. 20 and 21.
Starting at 9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, families can make their way to ACE Hardware to craft a keepsake Christmas ornament. Customers will spend less with a whimsical twist and receive a 20 percent off discount if dressed to impress in an “ugly Christmas sweater.”
For the art lovers, the galleries at View will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stick around for a Christmas ornament workshop for a small fee starting from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
After crafts, get back into the streets for a taste of history from the Goodsell Museum. See their new exhibit called, “Extraordinary Things, 100 years of History,” and be whisked away into the past.
Take some time to visit the North Woods Community Center for a Holiday Bazaar. Basket raffles, chili, hot dogs, and gifts for under $10 will be available for purchase.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the fun keeps going at the Mission Boutique at Niccolls Church. They are offering a warm up station with movies, crafts, popcorn, and an open play space for kids for more family fun.
Furry friends can join the celebration this holiday weekend too. Bring them along from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and spend some time at Waggin in the ADK, a dog boutique. Santa just might stop by for a picture with the pooches. All donations go to the Herkimer Humane Society.
Starting at noon, catch a free horse-drawn wagon ride from the Souvenir Village parking lot.
Stay warm with the Old Forge Library while attending the book sale from 11a.m. to 8 p.m. with free cocoa.
Check out Santa’s reindeer and sleigh parked at Point Park on Friday and Saturday and bring your smiles for some photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Forge Motel lobby from 1-4 p.m.
View will be offering a tie-dye Christmas shirt workshop from 1-2:30 p.m. and it’s “all aboard” at 2 p.m. when the Santa Express Train departs from the Thendara Station to the Otter Lake Station and back. It is advised to get your tickets early at the station. This popular event is sure sell to out.  
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Dragonfly Cottage will hold a chainsaw carving demonstration and create snowmen. Everyone can join a “make-n-take” birch bark dragonfly ornament workshop there too. In lieu of payment for the workshop, donations to the local food pantry will be accepted. 
Wilderness Interiors is another place to visit on the holiday weekend. Honey the Clown will be painting faces from 2-4 p.m. and the Utica Zoo Mobile will have their animals on display there from 3-5 p.m.
According to the Old Forge Director of Tourism Mike Farmer, new this year, is a free puppet show starting at 3 p.m. at the Old Forge Fire Hall, sponsored by Souvenir Village. 
For adults, Gallery 3040 is offering a cocktail reception from 3-5:30 p.m. with free jingle bells (while supplies last). They say, only the young at heart can hear them jingle.
At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, the annual Light Parade will begin on Main Street, “Whether you create a float or act for the parade, or enjoy it as a spectator, it’s a jolly time not to be missed,” said Farmer. Following the parade, Point Park will host the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, featuring live music by the Tracy Family.
According to Farmer, most all of these activities will continue into Saturday as well as breakfast with Mrs. Claus at the Front Door Diner from 9 – 11 a.m. Bring your camera and your appetite.
There will be a brief Tree Lighting Ceremony again on Saturday, at 6 p.m.
On Sunday, join others for the Reindeer Run, where kids and families with antlers run, walk, or prance form the Goodsell Museum to Point park to close out the weekend festivities.
The Strand Theatre offers half price admission for the showing of Disney’s “Moana” with a free small popcorn for Reindeer Run participants.
For people looking for alternate transportation, don’t forget that the Adirondack Christmas Train departs Utica Station promptly at 10:30 a.m. Sit back and enjoy a ride from Utica to the Thendara Station where shuttle busses wait to take passengers to Christmas on Main Street in Old Forge. The Adirondack Scenic Railroad runs on Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28.
Ticket information is available by calling the Utica office (315) 724-0700.
These are just some of the great things planned for this fun start to the holiday season.

Photo submitted
MAC’s has a new van thanks to The Community Foundation.

For almost six years, MAC’s Safe Ride has been working to provide safe, effective and alternative transportation to residents and visitors in Old Forge, Eagle Bay and Thendara. More than 5,000 passengers have utilized MAC’s during the past 12-month period. Impaired driving remains a serious public safety issue for northern Herkimer County and local law enforcement has found that MAC’s presents a viable alternative to impaired driving and promotes public safety.
So when MAC’s existing van was approaching 70,000 miles and raising some concern regarding dependability, the organization turned to the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc. for assistance. MAC’s was able to locate a 2016 Ford Transit 15 passenger van with very low mileage, and the foundation provided a grant of $25,000 for the purchase of the vehicle. Over the last few years, the MAC’s Safe Ride has averaged over 8,000 vehicle miles per year. The new larger van will be easier to enter and exit and will allow for more passengers and hopefully less road miles.
Gisele Kress, MAC’s Board President expressed her appreciation to The Community Foundation which through this support “will certainly allow MAC’s to stay viable over the next years and will help us ensure the safety of our residents and visitors.”
Linda Cohen, Community Foundation Board Member, said, “The foundation is pleased to make this investment in MAC’s Safe Ride. The Community Foundation’s constant support for the Town of Webb continues to improve the quality of life for this region, continuing to make it a great place to visit, work and live.”
MAC’s Safe Ride was assisted in the grant application process by the grant writing program of CAP-21, which is sustained by support from the Central Adirondack Association, Herkimer County, and the Towns of Inlet and Webb.
For more information on MAC’s Safe Ride, either to support this organization or to arrange transportation contact (315) 369-8121 or by email macs369.8121@gmail.com.
CAP-21 is a regional not for profit organization serving the West Central Adirondacks. Planning for the future “while preserving and protecting the beauty and benefits of our heritage and our natural resources.”

Photo by Gina Greco

On Saturday, Nov. 19, folks in the Old Forge area were enjoying temps of almost 70 degrees. People worked outside, getting up Christmas decorations and raking the last of the leaves. Some people took advantage of the nice weather by hiking and just being outside. Although the news was calling for snow on Sunday, most of us didn’t really believe that it would happen. It was so warm and sunny out. Well, Sunday morning dawned to a different world entirely. By 10 a.m. we had a foot of snow. On Monday afternoon there was around 18 inches and it was supposed to keep falling throughout the day. It just goes to show that you should enjoy whatever Mother Nature is throwing at you, it could be gone tomorrow. Now it’s time to enjoy our blizzard. Cross country skiing anyone?
— M. Lisa Monroe

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by Megan Ulrich

Oh, Thanksgiving; if the excess of food didn’t give me an ulcer, the calamity surrounding the entire long weekend did.
First off, getting two teenagers, a four year old princess and a husband into the car with all their necessities is a challenge unto itself. Then there is the preparation of the animals; telling them we will be back and to behave like civilized creatures. Sometimes I am sure they are sad and thinking about how much they’ll miss us, but mostly I think they’re plotting a mutiny.
I imagine them standing on each other’s shoulders, balancing precariously to reach the top-shelf treats.
We hit the road. After all the years of traveling as parents, the rest stop thing is pretty easy and fast, as well as the food-getting, gas-pumping, toll-paying and all the other details of the journey itself. The Mission Impossible music plays in my head when I navigate a rest area lobby on the busiest day of the year, toddler in tow.
We got to Connecticut in one piece, unloaded and greeted, and got the pizza ordered. New Haven pizza is necessary upon arriving in the place I grew up; it’s a thing. It’s a glorious, thin crusted, fresh mozzarella, (pronounced ‘mootz,’) thing. Time to send the people to their assigned rooms. The air mattresses are, of course, across town at my sister’s house because we’ve only been attending Thanksgiving for a hundred years and for a hundred years have needed the air mattresses to be where they belong.
Thanksgiving itself was pretty smooth and involved lounging until the extra people began to arrive. It’s a self-service environment with my family and you needn’t fancy yourself up; if you know where it is, get it, and if you walk by and something needs stirring, stir it. It was around the pre-dinner time that, in my head, I began to throw my hands into the air in surrender.
Kid: ‘Mom, are we going to any stores?’
Me: ‘It’s Black Friday; no way.’
Kid: ‘I kinda need socks.’
Me: ‘You have 12 pairs of new socks.’
Kid: ‘I only brought the ones on my feet.’
Other kid: ‘I only have this sweatshirt with me.’
I can easily discern who wants to squirrel his way into the stores and who legitimately didn’t bring any extra shirts for four days away from the place where his clothing lives.
My mother: ‘Will you come to the Honda place with me tomorrow? They want to buy my car back for a lot of money.’
The cartoon bubble over my head is full of red flags and exclamation points. My brother gives me a wide-eyed warning.
Me: ‘Ummm, I guess so?’
Brother’s wide-eyed look turns to narrowing-eyed warning.
On Black Friday at about 2 p.m., I think I might have dodged the Honda place (read: dealership) bullet. At 3 p.m., I realize this is not the case. Off we go across I91 to I95 on a busy Friday. So there’s a couple hours of test-driving and negotiating with Grandell. Grandell earned his Honda stripes on Black Friday.
My mother likes to accelerate before doing the stopping and travels precariously close to the white line at times. Signaling is a last minute thing, like she’s notsomuch going to commit to the direction she’s headed until the last possible second. Ya know, to shake off anyone that’s tailing her. While one of my older kids and I sit in the backseat during the test drive, as Grandell hits his imaginary brakes, I wonder if my mother watched Starsky and Hutch or the Dukes of Hazard a lot. We eventually leave Grandell without committing to anything; he’s a shell of the man that arrived at work that day. I felt like I should’ve tipped him or handed him a free drink chip or something.
On to the sporting goods stores, across I91 and I95, for socks and sweatshirts! Those stores were not painfully busy and we escaped pretty much unscathed for it being the biggest shopping day of the year. At the smaller, lesser known store, the onslaught of helpful sales staff was a bit much, but to each their own. I only need so much assistance with sweatshirts, dude, so back the hell off. The big box electronics stores’ parking lots were packed and I wondered what possesses people to subject themselves to that nonsense. I get upset when there’s someone in line ahead of me in the off-season; the heavy duty shopping is not for me. There’s no sale that is insane enough to lure me to a Best Buy or similar during what is essentially a shopping riot. Nope, nope and nope.
The older I get, the more I realize that an uneventful trip is sometimes the best kind. We slipped out of Connecticut just like we snuck in, under the radar and free of traffic, and rolled north to the mountains; blessed, thankful and in one piece.

Joan Herrmann
Antlers fall off of bucks after mating season.

One of the larger, most frequently seen wild animals of the Adirondacks is the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Perhaps, it isn’t always a pleasure to see one, especially if it is munching on your newly potted container plants. But many photographers enjoy photographing them, particularly the fawns and antlered bucks. Visitors to the Adirondacks are amazed to see them walking down the streets and eating grass from front lawns.
The deer have altered their appearance, gone are the lighter rusty hairs of summer, replace by the darker brownish hairs of winter. The winter hollow-shafted, thicker hairs will keep them warm at temperatures of minus thirty degrees below zero. Just as we adapt for winter by wearing warmer clothing, bringing in wood for wood burning stoves and fireplaces or adding studded snow tires to our vehicles, all of the wildlife has been and still are adapting for the coming of winter.
Surviving winter in the Adirondacks can be a challenge, deep snows, frigid weather and a lack of food can severely impact the deer. Their eating habits will change dramatically. Instead of grazing on grasses and herbaceous plants, the deer will begin to browse on bark, shrubs, lichens and needle-leaf boughs of conifers. A deer can nip off a twig, but the cellulose must be digested differently than the grass. Deer are ruminants, and chewed cellulose enters the rumen, the first of their four chambered stomach, where plant-digesting microbes attack the cellulose before it enters the second chamber of their stomach. The deer assist this breakdown of cellulose by “chewing the cud.” This means that they bring the undigested materials back up and re-chew and swallow them again. This lets a deer “eat and run,” avoiding predators and then re-digesting food in a safer place. Seasonal changes to their diet requires the rumen to adapt also, by lessening or growing, the amount of plant-digestive microbes within it. In winter if a deer is fed corn or leafy greens it can disturb the balance of the rumen’s digestive capabilities. If the rumen is knocked off balance, the acidity may rise and gases may bloat the rumen causing indigestion, which could be fatal. If we feed deer in winter, we may be killing them with kindness.
As the snow deepens, to about a 18 inches, the deer will begin to”yard up” for protection and easier access to food supplies. The “deer yards” may consist of a few acres to several square miles within coniferous woods. The deer will tramp-down trails and bed-down in close proximity, with their heads facing different directions, to be alert for predators. The bedding area will most likely be on a south facing hill.
When the days began to lengthen in late spring the buck deer began to grow antlers. Yearling bucks will grow “buttons” and older buck deer will grow spikes or large antlers which may have many points. A deer is generally as healthy as its habitat, antler size generally increases with age, but genetics and good nutritional health are thought to play an important role. The antlers may grow at a rate of a half an inch per day making it one of the fastest growing bones known to science; it takes human hair about a month to grow that much. The antlers may weigh as much as nine pounds and are grown and kept for about eight months. Antlers are grown by member of the Cervid family that include deer, moose, elk and caribou, and are different from horns grown by Bovid family (cows, sheep and bison). Horns are generally grown for protection and antlers for identification (visual and scent) during mating season. The antlers are used to spar and eventually to single out the dominant buck. Horns are permanent, continually growing projections of living bone protruding from the skull. Horns are not usually branched and may be found on both males and females. Occasionally a doe has been found with antlers, the reported estimate is one in ten thousand.
New antlers are covered with velvet, which is a blood-rich skin that supplies oxygen and nutrients to the growing bone. As the days grow shorter in late summer, hormones are released which change the physical appearance of the bucks. Neck muscles of bucks grow stronger to accommodate the weight of the antlers. The blood supply to the antlers is terminated and the velvet dries up and it either falls off or is rubbed off. Bucks will spar with small trees or shrubs to rub the velvet off and also to leave scents. There are scent glands between the buck’s antlers and below their eyes. There are four major glands which the buck uses for scenting during the rut season when the does become fertile. The breeding season begins mid to late November. At this time the does release hormones and pheromones, to say she is in heat and able to breed. Bucks rarely eat or rest during the rut and most bucks reach sexual maturity at about 18 months.
Some other interesting facts about deer are they can see in color but not quite as much color as humans. Deer are dichromatic which means they have two color vision (yellow and blue), and humans are trichromatic and have three color vision (red, yellow and blue). Deer cannot see orange or red which is why hunters wear orange or red. Deer don’t have top front teeth (incisors) but they have a bony hard pad on the top jaw and rear molars. On their lower jaws they have both incisors and molars. An adult deer needs five to seven pounds of food each day, which means starvation can cause massive mortality rates when we have deep snow for more than 100 days.
Perhaps you may have found an antler in the woods; the buck will shed both antlers once its testosterone levels drop. Usually by the end of December, or at least by early February, the bucks will have lost both antlers. The shed antlers usually disappear very quickly. Mice, squirrels, rabbits and even porcupines as well as other rodents seek out antlers as a source of calcium. White-tailed deer are fun to see and photograph. Even though we are tempted, we may be doing greater harm if we choose to feed deer.
Read more about ruminates guts online, it is a fascinating subject.

Photos by Cathy Bowsher

Christmas on Main Street in Old Forge was full of family fun again this year. Santa’s reindeer were parked for the weekend at the square for photos and the man in red himself, was seen greeting everyone from the steps of Wagging it in the ADK. The horse drawn carriages were in route and smiling faces were found all over town. The Old Forge Ace Hardware was all the bustle and every worker was dressed for the season, “My husband and I come every year to Christmas on Main Street. The snow definitely contributed to the Christmas spirit this year,” said Jackie Englert.

Christmas is just around the corner and the Old Forge Fire Ladies Auxiliary once again has their Warming Tree set up for all your donations of mittens, hats, scarves and socks.
The tree is located at the Old Forge Fire Hall. Anyone wishing to help make someone warm this winter, feel free to drop off your donations.
If you know of anyone that may need any of these items contact Jane Tormey at (315) 369-8382 or any Auxiliary member with the ages and sizes of those needing a warm coat, hat or mittens. To make sure that the items get to all of the good little girls and boys, donations should be made by Dec. 11.
The Auxiliary says thank you and wishes you all a safe and warm holiday season.

By CATHY BOWSHER
Express Staff

The 2017 tentative budget for Herkimer County has been posted for review on the county’s website. The proposed total budget appropriations for 2017 is $99,037,671 compared to last year’s total of $98,486,155. The difference of $551,516 reflects a 0.56 percent increase from last year’s budget.
An appropriation is the act of setting aside money for a specific purpose, according to Investopedia. The county appropriates funds to divvy out cash to the specific departments in need.
Appropriations include, legislature, judicial, finance, staff, share services, education, community services, and more.
The proposed tax levy for 2017 is at $26,498,551, which reflects a 1.13 percent of total tax rate for the county. A tax levy is the amount in property taxes the county needs to collect to balance its budget after accounting for all other revenue.
For more information about of the tentative budget for Herkimer County visit, herkimercounty.org.

Thanks to those who supported basketball clinic

I’d like to thank those of you that donated to the basketball clinic held this past weekend. The cost for 46 Town of Webb Students to attend the clinic was $3,000 and we were able to pay for $2,400.
A special thank you to Zimowski Foods, Carlo Masi Produce, Waters Edge Hotel, the Central Adirondack Association, Mountainman Supply and to those of you who personally donated. I hope our kids realize how lucky they are to live in a town as generous as ours.
It was a great weekend and those that attended really improved in just one weekend, the future is bright. Go Eskimos!

Tom Greco

On Thursday, Nov. 17, during an investigation into a traffic stop on Gilbert Street, Town of Webb Police Department officers arrested Cameron P. Pike, 23, of Taberg on charges of Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 2nd, and Suspended Registration.
The defendant was arranged at the Town of Webb Court and released after posting a $500 bail.
 — This information is an account of the facts provided to by the police agency cited.

by Dave Clark

Boys basketball
The boys’ basketball teams will be starting action this week, Tuesday, Nov. 29, at Little Falls in a non-league game.
As usual for basketball, the schedule is very difficult. We play 12 games in our league, the most competitive
Class D league in Section III and, last year, arguably, the most competitive in the state. The rest of the schedule is against larger schools, so they have no breathers.
Last year’s team was probably the most talented team we have had in a number of years. However, in our league, we ended up tied for fourth place with Poland with a 5-7 record. Trying to beat West Canada, Oriskany and New York Mills is a very difficult task. The entire starting five is gone from last year and Coach, Tom Greco, has to see who is going to be his starting five this year. The good thing is that most of the teams in our league were heavy on seniors last year and should be a bit weaker. However, the top three schools have a history of reloading and we expect them to be very competitive again.
The junior varsity team is very young and it will take some time for them to learn how to play at the high school level and work together. Many of the team are only ninth graders with a couple of juniors coming down to help out. There are only two sophomores out for the team.
What the teams need will be your support, win or lose, to help them become as good as they can be.

Girls modified volleyball
The girls’ modified volleyball team kicked off their season of play and the winter sports season with three matches.
Wednesday, Nov. 16, they hosted a large Remsen team and they played A and B competition. Old Forge has enough girls that they hope to play A and B all season. This gives the entire team some playing time.
The Eskimo A team lost 9-25, 25-9 and 25-20. After a great start, they could not get the all-important second win in this very competitive game. Saige Rowe was 16/18 on her serves with 4 aces, 2 assists and 2 kills. Cameron Gribneau had 2 aces, Alyssa Green had 2 kills and Shelly Manzi had 2 assists.
The B team lost 11-25 and 24-26. Brooke Schweinsberg and Sarah Beck each had 2 aces, Alison Russell was 8/9 in serving with 4 aces.
Next up was a match at Adirondack on Friday Nov. 18. The A team lost in another competitive match. Laura Bogardus, Green, Alana Haehl, Rowe, Reagan Ehrensbeck and Elsa Vellone all had aces.
The B team also lost in a very competitive match, winning one set and losing another set 25-22. A slow start in this game was their problem as they lost the first set 25-12.
Amanda Huber had 3 aces, Skyler Madtes had 4, Schweinsberg had 5, Beck 4 and Russell led the way with 9 aces on 16/19 serving.
Even though both teams lost their matches, coach, Kristin Armendola, feels it will only be a matter of time before they start winning these close matches.
Tuesday, Nov. 22, the A team did just that–they defeated Clinton, 25-22 and 25-4. Clinton had enough girls to field two A teams and two B teams and that can explain why the games were so close in the first and so one-sided in the second.
The top servers in this game were Bogardus who was 15/18 with 9 aces, Haehl was 10/12 with 2 aces and Vellone was 13/13 with 2 aces. Digs were recorded by Russell, Gribneau and Haehl. As a team, they served 47/56 which was the main reason for the victory.
The B team lost, 23-25, 25-9 and 23-25. Old Forge played very well with little separating the two teams.
Like the A team, the B team served very well. Katie Kelly had 3 aces and Madtes had 4. The top servers were Ehrensbeck who was 13/15 with 8 aces and Beck was 11/14 with 8 aces.
Armendola is very pleased with her two teams and is looking forward to more victories after the Thanksgiving break.

Week’s sports schedule

Tuesday, Nov. 29
GMODVB at Holland Patent 4:30 p.m.
BJVBB at Little Falls 6 p.m.
BVBB at Little Falls 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 1
GMODVB at Westmoreland 4:30 p.m.
GJVVB vs. South Lewis at home 6 p.m.
GVVB vs. South Lewis at home 7:15 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 3
GVVB at Dolgeville 10 a.m. (Tournament)
BVBB at Coaches vs Cancer Tournament 2:30 p.m. TBD

Monday, Dec. 5
GJVVB vs. Adirondack at home 6 p.m.
GVVB vs. Adirondack at home 7:15 p.m.
BJVBB at Morrisville-Eaton at 5:30 p.m.
BVBB at Morrisville-Eaton at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 6
GMODVB at Remsen at 4:30 p.m.

The older kids learn new drills.

Photos by Gina Greco

The Bellucci Basketball Academy came to the Town of Webb Union Free School District. The clinic gave the little kids a chance to practice their basic basketball skills and ran the older kids through their paces, teaching them drills and let them work on new talents.

The younger kids are sweaty but happy.

Carter Kelly guards one of the pros.

Photo by Cathy Bowsher
Wagging it in the ADK’s window’s welcomed pets for pictures with Santa during Christmas on Main Street.

By CATHY BOWSHER
Express Staff

Wagging it in the ADK held its first pets with Santa photo shoot during the Christmas on Main Street event. The pictures were free of charge and $520 in donations were collected for the Herkimer Humane Society.
“I’ve met so many wonderful people here so far. They come in with their dogs and I’ve had the most fun,” said owner and operator of Wagging it in the ADK, Judy Lonergan.
“The turn out was amazing,” Lonergan said. Blake, Lonergan’s son, was the photographer of the photo shoot and took more than 197 photos all together.
“He is really good at it, he took a class in high school and well, he did a really great job,” Lonergan said. “I definitely want to say a big thank you to Meggin of Over the Moon Salon for lending me her space, I would not have had enough room here to do all of this.”
Lonergan announced that the Wagging it in the ADK online store would be available by next year.
They are now closed for the season but will open their doors in July.

Photo by Focus Photography

Meet beautiful Boo. She’s a quiet and easy going 14-year-old who was abandoned by her family in October. Show Boo that people are kind by opening your heart and home to Boo or any homeless senior. Boo loves hanging out in her cubby, bird watching and cheering on SU basketball.

For more information call the Humane Society of Rome at (315) 337-1434 or email them at humanesocietyrome@hotmail.com.

Their website can be found at www.humanesocietyrome.comand you can check them out on Instagram and Facebook.

SCHEID

Judith Carol (Cremeans) Scheid, 69, a woman who enjoyed life, her husband, family, grandkids, cooking, Elvis Presley, her NY Yankees, and telling jokes — not especially in that order — died peacefully on Thursday, Nov. 24.
She was born in Peach Creek, West Virginia, on May 2, 1947, to William and Dorothy (Conley) Cremeans. Her mom and dad packed up the car with their five children and moved to Minoa, in the summer of 1957. Judy graduated from Minoa High School in the Class of 1965. She married her high school sweetheart, Edward M. Scheid, in 1967 and raised two sons, David and Brian. The family lived in Canastota, and have enjoyed a second home in Big Moose since 1978.
Judy operated a hair salon at her home, and was also employed at Canastota Central Schools as a bus driver for 25 years. Upon retiring in 2005, she and her husband sold their Canastota home and made Big Moose their primary residence. While living in Big Moose, Judy was a member of the Jolly Moosers, and enjoyed her time spent with her fellow Moosers.
Judy adored her family and always took great pride in her grandkids. They were “Mamaw’s” pride and joy and she always asked for more!
Judy will be remembered for many things, but she will be best remembered for her cooking. It seemed like she always cooked for an army — no matter how many she was serving for dinner. Her southern-fried chicken would put “The Colonel” out of business. Her buttermilk biscuits and gravy were like none other, and kept you full and thirsty all day long. Her homemade fudge was award-winning, and was an annual request for birthday and holiday gifts. Her memory will live in our hearts forever.
In addition to Edward, her husband of 49 years, Judy is survived by two sons, David M. Scheid and his wife, Cristina, of Delmar, and Brian E. Scheid and his companion, Liz Ciotti and her son, Austin, of Brewerton; four grandchildren, Jordan, Jake, Carly and Riley Scheid; and a sister, Susan Hensley and her husband, Odell, of West Virginia. She was predeceased by a brother, David Cremeans, and two sisters, Donna Cremeans Borders and Becky Cremeans Groesbeck.
Friends are invited to call from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Dimbleby, Friedel, Williams & Edmunds Funeral Home, 128 Fern Ave., Old Forge.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation in Judy’s memory to the Big Moose Ambulance Co., 1449 Big Moose Road, Eagle Bay, NY 13331. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. Online messages of sympathy may be left at www.dfwefh.com.

THIBADO

Marlene J. Thibado, 81, of Eagle Bay, passed away at St Elizabeth’s hospital in Utica on Nov. 21 surrounded by members of her loving family.
She was born in Lake Luzerne at the Chadwick family homestead on West Mountain on June 15, 1935, the eldest of ten children born to Royal and Beatrice (Fowler) Chadwick. A member of the first graduating class of Queensbury High School in 1954, she held the distinction of being the first person of either side of her family to graduate high school.
After graduation in June 1954, she came to the Adirondacks for a summer job. It was here in Inlet she met Charles H. Thibado, who had just returned home from four years service in the US Army Air Corps (now, the US Air Force). The love of her life, she and Charlie were married five months later on Nov. 14, 1954. They resided in Inlet, where they raised five children and owned and ran various businesses until moving to Eagle Bay in 1978. They retired in 1993. After 55 years together, Charlie predeceased her in 2009.
She was a member of the Inlet Community Church, the Inlet Historical Society, and SHARP seniors at Old Forge. She had a life-time love of gardening, knitting and feeding birds; and the entire family enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, hiking and boating. She and Charlie vacationed throughout the northeast and Canada, and then their trips branched south and throughout the mid-west. Their one unfulfilled dream was to tour Alaska.
Marlene is survived by five children, three sons: David (Desalyn), Daniel (Laury), and Dennis (Barbara) Thibado; and two daughters: Dianne Thibado (Ron Dearlove) and Deborah (Bill) Morgan; fourteen grandchildren: Nichole (Mark), Jonathan (Lauren), Nelissa (Joe), Nanette (Keith), Noelle (Samm), Jason (Diana), Joshua, Jared (Alexis), Veronica (Aaron), Felicia (Brian), Brandon (Sierra), Andy (Aleesha), Charlie and Owen; and nine great-grandchildren: Gavin, Liam, Adara, Isaac, Victor, Colby, Cadyn, Trenton and Ericka (and another great-granddaughter due any day now).
She is also survived by five brothers: Royal Chadwick Jr of Lincoln, Neb.; Bob (Donna) Chadwick of Gansevoort; Gary (Carol) Chadwick of Louisville, Ky.; Donald (Janice) Chadwick of Queensbury; John Chadwick of Fort Ann; and two sisters: Carolyn (Francis) Martindale of Fort Ann; and Sharon (David) Aminia of Springfield, Mass., as well as by her aunt, Mary Straub (age 95) of Glens Falls; also, her brother-in-law Bernard (Brenda) Thibado of Inlet and Covington, Tenn.; sisters-in-law Margaret Thibado, Elizabeth Tyler and Dora Burnett, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was predeceased by her parents, and also by her infant brother, David Chadwick, and sister, Patricia Lewis; by four brothers-in-law: Alfred ‘Tip’ Thibado, Alfred Tyler, George Cunningham and Jack Burnett; and two sisters-in-law, Alice Chadwick and Ella (Thibado) Cunningham.
The family would like to offer special thanks at this time to the crew of the Old Forge ambulance who took such care of their mom for her last ride to Utica (Danielle, Ed and Jason), and also for the great care and compassion she received from all of the staff at St. Elizabeth’s.
In accordance with her wishes, there will be no funeral. A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring or early summer in 2017, when travel conditions for much of her family will be more favorable. Cremation and arrangements are entrusted to Dimbleby, Friedel, Williams & Edmunds Funeral Homes of Old Forge.
Donations in her memory can be made to the Inlet Historical Society, PO Box 473, Inlet, NY 13360 or local ambulance and fire companies, Old Forge Ambulance Corps, PO Box 1170, Old Forge, NY 13420; Inlet Volunteer Emergency Services, PO Box 300, Inlet, NY 13360.
Online messages of sympathy may be left at: www.dfwefh.com.

The following Town of Webb Union Free School District students have been named to the High Honor Roll for the first quarter: Bailey, F.; Beck, B.; Beckingham, L; Beck, S.; Brownsell, N.; Ehrensbeck, E.; Greene, E.; Haehl, A.; Huber, A.; Johnston, R.; Kelly, A.; LaPorte, M.; Levi, L.; Madtes, R.; Manzi, R.; Palmer, M.; Rudolph, E.; Rudolph, T.; Rundell, J.; Russell, A.; Russell, C.; Smith, R.; Smith, R.; Sutherland, A.; Vellone, E.
The following students have achieved Honor Roll status: Abrial, M.; Aliasso, D.; Barkauskas, C.; Burrell, M.; Clark, C.; DeAngelo, D.; DiOrio, A.; Donovan, C.; Dunn, D.; Dunn, K.; Easton, L.; Ehrensbeck, D.; Eisenhart, M.; Gribneau, C.; Hansen, S.; Heath, A.; Herron, N.; Hodge, L.; Hollister, A.; Huber, K.; Kane, J.; Kelley, R.; Kelly, K.; Lenci, E.; Levi, B.; Liddle, T.; Lutz, J.; Lutz, M.; Madtes, S.; Manktelow, N.; Olsen, N.; Palmer, B.; Payne, S.; Ritz-Kenny, M.; Rivet, J.; Rubyor, L.; Schweinsberg, P.; Slone, V.; Smith, R.; Townsend, J.; Townsend, S.; Uzdavinis, G.
The following students have achieved Merit Roll status: Aliasso, A.; Beal, L.; Bogardus, L.; Brosemer, J.; Capron, M.; Carnell, K.; Connell, J.; DiOrio, M.; Eisenhart, A.; Entwistle, C.; Fenton, N.; Green, A.; Hollister, K.; Huber, J.; Johnston, B.; Jones, C.; Kane, H.; Kelly, C.; LaPorte, D.; LaPorte, R.; Masters, G.; Mayeu, S.; Phelps, M.; Pratt, J.; Quodomine, R.; Rose, C.; Rowe, S.; Schweinsberg, B.; Tormey, C.; Ulrich, C.

Tuesday, Nov. 29
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Ongoing gallery exhibits at View.

3:30-4:30 p.m. Planning session for Old Forge Library’s play. The Old Forge Library is looking for volunteers to make “A Christmas Tree for Kitty” a reality: school age kids to act in the play and adults to help with costumes and planning.

7 p.m. Yoga with Nanette Shovea at the Raquette Lake School.

7 p.m. Raquette Lake Trivia night at the Tap Room in Raquette Lake.

Wednesday, Nov. 30
8:30 a.m. Morning yoga at View.

9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Ongoing gallery exhibits at View.

10 a.m.-noon Sorting donations at the Mission Boutique thrift store at Niccolls.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. SHARPS senior program at Niccolls Church.

5:30-7 p.m. Evening yoga at View.

8 p.m. AA meeting at Niccolls Church, Old Forge.

Thursday, Dec. 1
8 a.m. Kiwanis regular meeting at Walt’s Dinner.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Ongoing gallery exhibits at View.

Friday, Dec. 2
8:30-10 a.m. Morning yoga at View.

9 a.m. AA meeting at Niccolls Church, Old Forge.

5-7 p.m. The Pieces of Heart UCP Art Exhibit opening exhibit reception at the Old Forge Library. Light refreshments will be served and acoustic music will be provided by guitarist Dan Vellone.

7-8:30 p.m. Mission Boutique thrift store open at Niccolls Church, Old Forge.

8 p.m. AA meeting at Niccolls Church, Old Forge.

Saturday, Dec. 3
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Ongoing gallery exhibits at View.

5 p.m. Tree Lighting Party sponsored by the Town Of Webb and the Eagle Bay Fire Dept. Ladies Auxiliary at the Eagle Bay Information Center located at the corner of Big Moose Rd. and Rte. 28 in Eagle Bay. There will be Christmas caroling around the community Christmas Tree followed by the tree lighting. Afterward there will be refreshments and a pot luck supper at the Eagle Bay Fire Hall. Bring your appetites and, if you are able, bring a dish to pass.

7 p.m. Nutcracker ballet at the Strand Theatre. Come watch local talent and the Old Forge Ballet Company bring this holiday classic to life. Tickets are sold at the door, $10 for adults, seniors and teens and $5 for children under 12.

8 p.m.: AA meeting at Niccolls Church, Old Forge.

Sunday, Dec. 4
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Ongoing gallery exhibits at View.

7:30 p.m.: AA meeting at Inlet Community Church in Inlet.

Monday, Dec. 5
8:30-10 a.m. Morning yoga at View.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Ongoing gallery exhibits at View.

10 a.m.-noon Sorting donations at Niccolls Church’s Mission Boutique thrift store in Old Forge.

5:30-7 p.m. Evening yoga at View.

6:30-7:30 p.m. Short story discussion group led by Alison Eyre Albright at the Old Forge Library.

Tuesday, Dec. 6
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Ongoing gallery exhibits at View.

7 p.m. Raquette Lake Trivia night at the Tap Room in Raquette Lake.

Visitor Information
-Old Forge, Thendara, Eagle Bay, Big Moose (315) 369-6983
-Inlet (315) 357-5501
-Raquette Lake, Long Lake (518) 624-3077
-Blue Mountain Lake, Indian Lake (518) 648-5112
Libraries
-Old Forge Library
Open Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (315) 369-6008
-Inlet Public Library
Open Monday 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Closed Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday (315) 357-6494
-Raquette Lake Library
Open Monday 2-8 p.m.; Tuesday 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; closed Wednesday and Friday (315) 354-4005
-Woodgate Free Library
Open Monday 3-8 p.m.; Wednesday 2-6 p.m.; Thursday and Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Closed Tuesday and Friday (315) 392-4814
Organizations
-Herkimer County Department of Motor Vehicles on Park Ave. in Old Forge. Open Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4:45 p.m.; closed noon-1 p.m. for lunch. Call (315) 369-3301
-View: year-round art exhibits, performances, events and workshops. Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday noon-4 p.m. Call (315) 369-6411 or visit www.viewarts.org (Old Forge)
-Town of Webb Historical Association: year-round free museum open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or by appointment. Call (315) 369-3838 or visit www.webbhistory.org (Old Forge)
Services
-Meals on Wheels. Herkimer County Office for the Aging (315) 867-1414
-St. Elizabeth’s Health Center. Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call (315) 369-6619 for an appointment (Old Forge)
-HASCA. A licensed home care service agency. Call (315) 369-6183

By CATHY BOWSHER
Express Staff

Town of Webb Department of Recreation Official, Jackie Englert recently met with the Town of Webb Board on Monday, Nov. 24, at the audit of claims, to introduce herself.
“I attended part of the Town Meeting to introduce myself to the board members that I did not have the opportunity to previously meet and to give an update to all,” Englert said.
Englert announced to the board the town was in need of Playschool camp counselors for the upcoming year.
Playschool is a four-hour activity group that is based at the North Street Pavilion in Old Forge.
This kid-friendly program is made possible by the Town of Webb Recreation Department and runs from Monday through Friday, starting early July until mid-August from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Children from ages four to 10 are welcome to join.
The Playschool program offers numerous activities for children to do. Hiking, arts and crafts, games, and field trips to the beach are all part of the Playschool agenda.
The fees are $110 for the first child and $60 for each additional child. Children should bring their own lunch daily.
If anyone is interested in becoming a Playschool councilor, visit Englert at the Town Recreation Office in Old Forge or call her at (315) 399-0748.