UPCOMING CALENDAR

EDITOR’S NOTE: This calendar is being regularly updated to reflect all event cancellations and postponements. However, it is recommended that readers contact event organizers before they attend. For the most updated version of the calendar, please visit or troyrecord.com.

SPEIGLE ELDERS: With restrictions still in place due to the current pandemic, this year’s expansive events’ schedule has been canceled through 2020 with the following exception. The club sponsors a non-sanctioned bowling league which is open to members and nonmembers as well and is held at noon on Mondays at the Green Island Lanes. Fees are $9.00 weekly ($6.00 for bowling and the balance toward prizes and end of year banquet.) This league will follow all COVID-19 protocol while providing exercise and fun on a weekly basis and is currently seeking new and substitute bowlers. Registration takes place every Monday at the lanes or by contacting Mary Riley, 518-469-7782 or Lois Kewley, 518-235-3788.

RACE IN AMERICA READING GROUP: Uncovering and Recovering Race in America: A Reading and Discussion Group - On Tuesday, October 6th & 20th, November 3rd & 17th and December 1st & 15th at 6PM, Dr. Jennifer Thompson Burns will lead a reading and discussion group at the Troy Public Library. This reading anddiscussion group will explore the inception, inculcation, and function of race in American society. We chose this topic to improve our understanding of systematic, and social, inclusion and exclusion in Americansystems. Our goal is to tease out the implicit ways race serves as a real, and imagined, force in the lives of all Americans. This group will explore racial dynamics in America, centering on the intersectional forces imbedded in systematic racism to better understand the racial disparities in economics, health care and mass incarceration in America today. The first book the group will read is Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt. Please have this book read for the October 6th meeting. Copies of the book are available at the check out desk. Registration is required and is limited. For more information and to register call the library at 518274-7071or online at www. thetroylibrary.org. This programwill be presented using Zoom. Joining the presentation will require the installation of the Zoom client on your computer (microphone andspeakers required for audio, camera for video) or the Zoomapp on your mobile device.

FIELDOFHORRORS: Local haunted attraction Field of Horrors is open from 6:30 to 11 p.m. on Oct. 2, 3, 9, 10 and 11 as well as 6 to 11 p.m. on Oct. , 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31. This year’s event will feature five different attractions, including the all-new Dr. Morbid’s HauntedHouse. More information is available online at fieldofhorrors. com, where tickets are available for purchase.

CUT FLOWERS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT: Make Your Business Bloom - Financial Management for Cut Flowers in 2021. Online Zoom webinar from 12:301:30 pm on Tuesday, Oct. 20. When the New York on PAUSE order went into effect in March 2020, the local cut flower industry showed just how adaptable it could be on short notice, but the economic impact was still severe. While there are many unknowns as to what to expect in 2021, market channel analysis can help you identify new customers and innovative methods of distribution, marketing, and sales. Join Capital Area Agriculture & Horticulture Program educators Stephen Hadcock, Dayton Maxwell, and Lindsey Christianson to discuss the 2020 coronavirus repercussions to the cut flower industry, market channel analysis, and what to look for in your budget as you set goals for your cut flower farm in 2021. This is an online, Zoom-based webinar, $20 per farm/business. Visit https://tinyurl.com/CutFlowerBusiness2021 to register (online registration required).

PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST: Albany Diocesan Cemeteries 2020 Photography Contest is now open to the public! With 19 cemeteries located in the Capital District, all feature beautiful nature, statuary, architecture, interesting gravestones, and many have spectacular views. Digital enhancements of your original image is allowed. Participants are invited to submit up to TWO (2) original photographs with their registration. No entry fee. Prize money will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. Photos must be of a subject located in one of Albany Diocesan Cemeteries 19 cemeteries. Visit https://blog.capitaldistrictcemeteries.org/adc-photography- contest-2020/ or call 518-350-7679 for a list of cemetery locations, contest information, rules & registration form. Submission deadline for all photographs and registrations is October 15th, 2020. Good luck shutterbugs!

ZOOM MEDITATION: The Troy Public Library will offer Meditation Classes on Mondays, Sept. 14 – Oct. 26 at 6PM. Learn a surprisingly simple yet powerful practice that can help your reduce stress, get recharged, experience overall improved physical health and possibly get you “blissed-out” all while sitting comfortably in a chair. Led by Michael Fuselli, with over 30 years of meditation teaching and practice experience. Beginners always welcome. Registration is required. This programwill be presented using Zoom. Joining the presentation will require the installation of the Zoom client on your computer (microphone andspeakers required for audio, camera for video) or the Zoomapp on your mobile device. Please register by calling 518-274-7071, online at www.thetroylibrary.org or by stopping at the information desk.

UNDERSTANDING SHAKESPEARE: Join us at the Troy Public Library on Thursdays, September 10th – October 8th from 6:30PM – 7:30PM for our Understanding Shakespeare workshop. This will be a five-session program on how to understand Shakespeare’s plays. We will start our discussion with Act 1 of Shakespeare’s tragedy “Coriolanus.” Then in the following four weeks we will discuss the play one act at a time. This program will allow the participants to put the play in a variety of contexts, such as its relationship to his other works and to the modern existential world. Tom Bulger, Shakespeare Scholar and retired professor from Siena College will lead this workshop. This program is free and open to the public. This programwill be conducted using zoom. Registration is necessary. For more information and to register, call the library at 2747071 or online at www.thetroylibrary.org.

CORNER SHOPPE: Located in Cornerstone Church, 570 Third Ave, N. Troy, Corner Shoppe is having its grand re- opening through the whole month of September. Bargains galore. New hours are: 9 am - noon. There will be a sale each week in September. Masks are required and social distancing is practiced according to the CDC guidelines. Donations to the shoppe are by appointment only at this time—Call 518235-3851.

CLOTHING SHED CLOSED: The Latham Colonie Knights of Columbus and the Columbiettes thank you for your tremendous support of this fundraising activity especially in the past months when our Social Parlor/Council Hall has been closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Our Clothing Shed has been temporarily closed! It is hoped that this is just a temporary situation and we can reopen the shed quickly. For more information, contact the Kof C at 518-783-0572.

LVORC ACCEPTING NEW TUTORS AND STUDENTS:Since 1968, Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County has helped adults to improve their ability to read, write, speak and understand English. We train volunteers to provide two hours per week of free, confidential tutoring in a public setting. New tutors and learners can join Literacy Volunteers of Rensselaer County by calling (518) 2444650 or sending an email to LitVolDirector@aol.com. Call (518) 244- 4650 to register. Visit www.lvorc.org for more information.

REUNION CANCELED: Under the current Covid-19 restrictions on gatherings that are in place, we are unable to hold the Clinton Heights AnnualReunion this year. Please markyour calendar for next year’s reunion to be held Friday, September 10th at Melvin Roads American Legion in East Greenbush.

TROYLIBRARYUPDATE: Troy Public Library is now open with limited services. For your health and safety, the Main Library will be open to the public with limited services available Tuesday - Saturday 11- 6. Masks are required for everyone who enters the building. Please continue to return your items to the book drop near the front entrance - this allows us to quarantine them for safety. Curbside service continues, call the library for details at 518-274-7071. There will be a maximum of 25 people allowed into the building at a time. Please use your time wisely to give others a chance to enter. Public computers will be available for 1 hour per day, see the information desk when you arrive to make a reservation. Fax and copier services are available. Use of the Troy Room will be by appointment only. Meeting rooms are not yet available. Public Restrooms are not available. No CDTA Navigator cards at this time. Not accepting book donations at this time. There will be no browsing available in the young people’s room but a librarian will be happy to assist you in this department. For details and more information, contact us by phone at 518274-7071 or online at www. thetroylibrary.org. The Troy Public Library is located at 100 Second Street, Troy.

VIRTUALHIDDENGARDEN TOUR: Troy’s popular Hidden Garden Tour returns as a virtual tour. Now in its 21st year, the tour is a fundraiser to benefit Troy’s Prospect Park. Ordinarily, tour goers pay an admission fee to receive a self-guided map to more than 40 private gardens which are open for one night only throughout the Historic Sage, Washington Park and adjoining neighborhoods. In previous years, the rain-or-shine event has attracted more than 1,000 tour goers in one day. This year’s virtual tour features 28 gardens, captured in 360-degree interactive photographs that viewers can explore online with their computer or mobile devices. Twelve gardeners recorded personal video messages, which are embedded in their stop on the virtual tour at HiddenGardenTour.com. While most of the gardens are approximately the same size, about 20 feet by 30 feet, they vary greatly in style. Some of the gardens feature charming pathways, fountains and pools. Some are filled with flowers, while others have more plants and vegetables — all lovingly tended by gardeners of all skill levels. The online virtual tour is offered at no charge, but donations are welcomed and will benefit ongoing improvement projects in historic Prospect Park, located on Congress Street in Troy. Friends of Prospect Park, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hopes to provide free event programming in the park in future, when such activities are deemed safe to the public. Donation information is available on the tour’s website. The virtual tour can be accessed through a desktop or laptop computer as well as via tablet or smartphone. Certain gardens have a “play” button that will launch a special video message. The gardens are listed by number and the owners first names in the left hand column and clicking on the circular icon will open that particular garden’s 3Dtour. One upside of the virtual version of the garden tour is that this one is always sunny. It’s also accessible 24 hours per day for at least a month. For more information Visit www.hiddengardentour.com on your desktop or laptop computer.

RENSSELAER PUBLIC LIBRARY UPDATE: The Rensselaer Public Library now has curbside service for checking out library items. Items can be requested online at catalog.uhls.org, or people can call the library to get help selecting items. The bookdrop will be open for returns of any item in our library system. Curbside service hours will be limited, please call the Library at 462-1193 for details. Staff are also available to help with computer questions and can help set up an online video chat for doing interviews or meetings. For more information, visit our website at Rensselaerlibrary. org.

TICK TALK: The Lyme Action Network is taking its message to the online platform. To help people understand about Lyme and other tick- borne diseases, the Lyme Action Network will be offering video presentations, Zoom meetings, and other virtual events to help people understand the dangers of tick bites and what to do if they get bitten. The LymeAction Network has already confirmed three presentations, with more in the pipeline. The first features Professor Holly Ahern, Associate Professor of Microbiology, SUNY Adirondack, presenting Tick Born Disease – Update 2020. In this recorded talk, Holly reviews the essential information about TBD’s and shares her “insider’s perspective” on the status of very promising research. This talk, originally given at a recent meeting of the Lake George Land Conservancy, is currently available on Lyme Action Network’s YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/ watch? v=xHNfY_ htKmY. Additional information can be found at LymeActionNetwork.org.

VIRTUAL ART SHOW: In times of turmoil, art offers a chance for peace. Join ChooseCohoes for Art (CCfA) in their first virtual CAS (Cohoes Artist Showcase). Over 16 artists from Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady Counties share their art in this special show. You can view a sampling of their work, learn about the artists in their ownwords and reach out to them with comments and encouragement. One of the best things about it, is you can check it out on your own schedule. Check out CCfA’s website www.ChooseCohoesForArt.org to learn more about this organization and select the link on the left of the page to go to the virtual show.

STEPHENTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY UPDATE: The StephentownHistorical Society Board has announced that both the June Annual Strawberry Festival and late summer Annual Community Tag Sale will not be held this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Monthly program meetings have also been cancelled until further notice.

BARRE CLASS FOR OLDER ADULTS: The National Museum of Dance is pleased to announce that MaryAnneFantauzziwill be offering The Ageless Dancer Ballet Barre class for older adults again beginning August 17. This popular class was offered via Zoomto over one hundred participants in spring 2020. It will return for two more Zoom sessions on Mondays 2:00–3:00pmfrom galleries within the National Museum of Dance. The class teaches classical ballet technique designed for participants ages 50+. Theclass will use a chair or ballet barre for support. Participants will remain standing throughout the class to promote core stabilization and balance. Ballet slippers or split sole sneakers and fitness attire are recommended. Session 1: August 17 – October 5 (noclass September 28) | 6 classes via Zoom. Session 2: October 19 – November 30 (no class November 23) | 6 classes via Zoom. Reduced class fees are made possible by a grant from Soroptimist International of Saratoga County (SISC). Payment can be made via PayPal at www.nationalmuseumofdance.org/calendar, or by mailing a check to the National Museum of Dance at 99 South Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. Session 1: 6 classes for $30. Session 2: 6classes for $30. Flexible class card: 10 classes for $60. All class cards expire December 31, 2020 and can only be used for The Ageless Dancer class. For questions and to register, please contact Mary Anne Fantauzzi at tours@dancemuseum.org.

JOURNEY TO TRUTH CLASS: Awakening: Journey to Truth Class – eight Tuesdays, beginning October 6, 6:30-8:30 p.m. In this practical spirituality class based on the book The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer, students are invited to get in touch with their true selves and explore their spiritual essence and divine wisdom through experiential exercises, class discussions, and reading. Suggested donation: $20 per class. Hosted by Albany-Saratoga Spiritual Adventures via Zoom. For more information or to sign up, visit www.newthoughtnewyork.org, our Meetup.com group or call (518) 366-9918.

WEEKLY LADIES BIBLE STUDY: Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman DVD Bible Study with Beth Moore. Beginning Thursday, Sept 17 through Nov 19 we will be hosting this 10-week study. Thursdays at 10am both inperson and via Zoom and at 7-8:30pm via Zoom. Contact DeaconLynneat dcnlynne@ gmail.com for more info. and to register. Also, check out the St. Luke’s on the Hill website stlukesonthehill.org for further details.

SHAKER MUSEUM EXHIBIT: The Shaker Museum presents a temporary exhibition entitled Shakers: In Community at 17 Main Street in Chatham, NY. Through an array of photographs, furniture, prints, apparel as well as other objects in the permanent collection of Shaker Museum, this pop-up experience will examine the different ways in which the Shakers sought to forge equitable and inclusive communal bonds. The exhibition will be open Fridays through Sundays until Oct. 4, with the first weekend reserved for Shaker Museum members. Entrance is free for all visitors thanks to the generous support of the Henry Luce Foundation and Columbia County resident Jack Shear. This exhibition is one outcome of a sustained initiative. In 2018, Fordham University in New York City received a $50,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation’s Theology Program to fund a project that explored Shaker art, design, and religion in partnership with Shaker Museum. As a result of this partnership, a group of artists, scholars, and museum professionals was formed to investigate these intersections within the Shaker context. Over 18 months in 2018 - 2019, the fellows explored the Shaker Museum’s extensive collection of Shaker material culture and spent time thinking about and discussing how to incorporate the values and spirit of the Shakers into the Museum’s mission and programming, leading in part to this exhibition. The Shaker Museum stewards the historic site in New Lebanon, New York and has a campus in Old Chatham, New York, which is open year-round by appointment, where the administrative offices, collections, library, and archives are housed. The Museum’s collection of over 16,000 Shaker items is the most comprehensive collection of its kind in the world and may be viewed online at www.shakerml.org.

NATUREFEST: Moreau Lake State Park NatureFest 2020 is going virtual. To help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve cancelled our annual onsite event. With the help of many Friends we have created a dedicated website that will feature individual videos, links and content highlighting local experts and organizations in many areas covering the environment, wildlife rehabilitation, conservation and sustainable practices. We’ll also have games for friends and families to enjoy together. We invite you to visit our dedicated NatureFest 2020 website naturefest2020.org after it launches on Sept.12.