Prattsville 250th Anniversary Parade, Ceremonies, Vendors, Exhibits, and More on Saturday, August 29

PRATTSVILLE – Start reserving the weekend of August 29, Saturday, for our (Prattsville) 250th Anniversary of our USA acknowledgment. A parade, ceremonies, vendors, exhibits, etc. will be available for everyone’s enjoyment.

Due to no Prattsville Scoop being submitted last week, the Purple Heart Day of August 7 was not acknowledged. As of this edition of The Scoop, honors are extended to all our Purple Heart recipients and to be acknowledged herewith is our own Donald Speenburgh. Thank you Donnie for your service. Ken Smith of Windham was also a Purple Heart Honoree who served in Korea during the war. Donnie served in Vietnam. We thank them and all veterans for their service.

From the Zadock Pratt Musuem: “It is with great excitement that we invite you to our second annual Summer Carriage House Show. In This Dark Wood, a group show of regional painters approaching the subject of landscape, opens this Saturday, August 1st, in the Carriage House Gallery located behind the main building of the Zadock Pratt Museum. An opening reception will be held at the museum this Saturday, August 1st from 2pm - 4pm,  with the show running through the end of September. We look forward to welcoming you back to the museum and invite you to explore our surrounding landscape through the eyes of local artists! Drawn in part from the opening lines of Dante’s Inferno, In This Dark Wood presents a group of 8 painters who approach the subject of landscape in an immersive point of view from their homes in the greater Catskill Mountain region. Set in opposition to the subject of the sweeping views favored by both the Hudson River School painters and Zadock Pratt himself, Angela Dufresne, Charlotte Halberg, Jason Kachadourian, Eileen Murphy, Joan Nelson, Alan Prazniak, Lisa Sanditz, David Whelan, and Kristen Wykoff instead explore that same subject from its interior. Rather than depicting the immediate aftermath of the industrial deforestation of the area (much of it brought upon by the commercial tanning industry on which Prattsville itself was founded), these works instead present the same woods nearly a century later - regrown, lush in vegetation and color, and framed in the contemporary lens that feels both inwardly looking and outwardly optimistic. ,,,,,These artists invite us in, to sit alongside them and see not only what they see but how they see it. Through this process, we begin to understand how we are part of the natural world, as our seeing is a type of participation. These works, by focusing on the process of participation, open a lens into the complexity of our environments. Each artist receives different forms from the observable reality they inhabit. Their ability to play with and question the material culled from this, invites our curiosity. The viewer is asked to take part in an entangled encounter with the ecology of our planet, not passively consume the work as a forgone conclusion.,,,,,”

Our Museum has been featuring many diverse and interesting events this year and you are invited to take note of all the events – an afternoon tea is planned for a September event. Stop by during the Prattsville Celebration of our 250th Anniversary and enjoy local history.

Lots of excitement on the moutaintop. A rally was held at the Lexington Post Office to stress the need for having a Post Office in GREENE COUNTY for the residents of West Kill. Our mountaintop residents of neighboring towns were at the rally to support their sister town. West Kill residents, you do deserve your own US Post Office or at the very least, your mail delivered to Lexington. Good Luck

Thankfully the “alleged killer” of a Greenville resident was apprehended and is now out of circulation. Thank you to our law enforcement agencies.

Nancy Kizyma and Ginny Gurley took in the Town Wide Yard Sale in Stamford on Saturday, Agusut 8. Did meet up with Al and Lenore Olivierie of East Jewett. Also Marlena (Mrs. Lonnie) Nickerson and grandson Jackson. Lonnie grew up in Prattsville and Marlena in Grand Gorge.

Have been asked to repeat veterans’ needs for their Cancer Backpacks. Their needs are as follows: sunscreen, water bottles, hats and scarves – but primarily winter hats, and always socks. Call 518 299 3219 if you need more information or want to make arrangements to have the items delivered to the Stratton VAMC, Voluntary Services Units.

There is a “Free Store” in Prattsville at the Prattsville Art Center, 14562 Main Street. “Free Store, Makerspace, Art Shop, and Hunter Community Fridge.” You can buy, donate. exchange items or just browse. Their hours are Thursdays 12 – 4, Fridays 12 – 6, Saturdays 11 – 6 and Sundays 12 – 4. If you can take advantage of their many ways to participate, stop by for at least a browsing session. Good luck.

Happy Birthday to Mary Mundy on August 15. We wish a Happy Birthday to Brett Olson on August 16. It is Happy Birthday on August 17 to Sawyer Elias Petricini. We send Happy Birthday greetings on August 19 to Suzette Donison and Harvey Truesdell. On August 21 it is Happy Birthday wishes to Alanna Ballard and Kathy Sherman. Happy Anniversary to Al and Lenore Olivierie on August 15. On August 18 it is very Happy Anniversary to Pat and Ed Chatfield.

Call 518 299 3219 or send your news to gurleyrv@gmail.com.