Apprentices team up with non- profits

The Canastota Apprentice teams are kicking it into overdrive for their third challenge: raising money for charities.

Team Jascajad will be raising money for the Make a Wish Foundation. The group has already met with Make a Wish representatives and determined their course of action.

“We’re going to host a teacher versus student basketball game and we’ve partnered with Chuck E. Cheese as well,” said project manager Destiny Swanson.

The basketball game will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 26 from 2: 30- 5 p. m. at the high school. Tickets are $ 1 for students and $ 2 for adults. All of the proceeds from the event will go to the Make a Wish foundation.

The Chuck E. Cheese promotion will take place on Friday, Feb. 22. Anyone who places a dine- in order can use a coupon provided by team Jascajad. Fifteen percent of the cost of the meal will go toward the foundation. The group is still working out the details of the promotion and will provide more information as it becomes available.

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TitleTown has chosen the Canastota Scholarship Fund as their benefactor for the third task.

The fund is used to help students with financial aid should they need school supplies or other services and can’t make up the entire costs themselves.

Project manager Bo June said TitleTown has already organized a hat day at the school to take place on Tuesday, Feb. 26. Students who are interested in wearing a hat throughout the day can pay $ 1 and get a sticker from TitleTown.

The team will have a table set up first thing in the morning for interested students.

“I think more people will be interested in helping out the scholarship fund because it is helping local students,” June said.

TitleTown had planned to sell concessions at the scholarship fund dance on Feb. 8, but the event was cancelled due to the storm that weekend. June said they have been speaking with local groups and businesses to provide another fundraising opportunity.

Both teams have to have their money raised by Feb. 27.

An update on the events and the groups’ progress will follow as it becomes available. Ford continues his quest to teach about local history as an author, starting back in 2005 with a series of town of Madison history books. They were followed by “Pride of Cidertown,” the story of the Bouckville Summits baseball team, and then “Sweet Cider Days,” telling the history of the Motts family in Madison County.

His latest work is the newly- released “Grove: His Life & Legacy in the Madison Area,” a biography of farmer/ businessman Grove Hinman, who made his mark on the area in the early to mid- 1900s. Hinman was loved by some, hated by others, but the tales of his life and work made for some compelling storytelling that Ford says continues to this day.

“Calling him a ‘ local legend’ is mild,” Ford admitted. “They are still talking about him to this day, and a lot of the stories have really stuck with people.”

The book, like all of Ford’s volumes, is researched from first- person accounts and local news items -- arranged in an easy- to- read chronological account of his life. As an added bonus, there is a collection of personal anecdotes at the end of the book from persons who knew Hinman or knew of him ... not all of whom are fans of his.

Hinman, who was born An image of G. W. Hinman c 1935 from Jim Ford’s book “Grove: His Life and Legacy in the Madison Area.” in Deansboro in 1889 and died in Madison in 1961, was a larger- than- life character who sometimes had run- ins with the law, including visits during Prohibition- era parties where he was selling alcohol. He also was once pulled over by a “Good Old Boy” trooper while speeding through the south -- Hinman told the trooper he might as well write up two tickets, because he would be driving just as fast on his way back through.

He was even instrumental in the beginnings of the Vernon Downs Raceway, although the official licensing had to be done in his wife’s name because of his troubles with the law.

One startling story tells of the theft of $ 250,000 from the safe of Hinman’s widow in 1963 after his death. When the police examined the safe, they found a secret compartment inside -- where another $ 352,000 was hidden.

Ford credited the encouragement and resources of local residents Tony Paino and Coralie Friers for inspiring him to do the book.

“Both of them had contact with Grove and loaned me materials to use -- even old bean and pea tickets,” Ford said. “I like being able to use first- hand sources.”

His history tomes won’t end there, as Ford will soon release a history of golf offerings at Colgate University.

“I see that as a payback for what they’ve done for me,” Ford explained. “I worked at Seven Oaks while I went to college and I think it’s nice to give a little something back.”

Ford will discuss “Grove: His Life & Legacy in the Madison Area” with history enthusiasts at the town of Madison Historical Society on South Street in the village on March 18 at 7 p. m.

The book is available in Madison at Kountry Kupboard II and the town hall; in Hamilton at Ray’s Wayside, the Colgate Bookstore, and Parry’s Hardware; in Waterville at Morgan’s Hardware and at the Deansboro Superette.

Ford is available for inperson discussions and autographs -- call him at 8241556 or email: jnford47@ hotmail. com

PHOTO COURTESY JIM FORD