By: Maria Moore

Historical Society Moves to New Home in Center

The Historical Society has sold Greystone, its recent home on Main Street in Pine Meadow and is busy moving to its new location in the center of New Hartford, Historical Society president Pat Casey told our reporter during the Holiday Marketplace at the Beekley Library recently.

'Greystone' which has just been sold by the NewHartford Historical Society. Photo: Maria Moore

The society had put the building on the market this past summer because the building was too expensive for the society to maintain and its location had contributed to a marked decrease in the number of visitors; please see our July 11 report Historical Society Puts Greystone On the Market…

With the Greystone chapter now part of its history, the Historical Society has rented the ground floor of 537 Main Street, the building located between the Little Women’s Bake Shoppe and Attorney Ryan’s previous home that is being renovated at the corner of Route 44 and Church Street North, opposite the New Hartford Post Office. The society’s new home is perfectly located for residents to stop in on their way to the post office, or for walkers who are enjoying a stroll through the center of town.

“We’re really excited with our new space!” Pat Casey told our reporter. He went on to describe the large space in the interior of the building which will be available for exhibits, and several adjoining rooms which will be set aside for research and for the society’s use. At the far end of the space is a large fireplace, which Pat said would be an ideal setting for Santa during the upcoming Light New Hartford celebration. This idea was considered by the New Hartford Business Council Board at their recent meeting; more information will be made available as the details are worked out.

The Society’s Days and Hours Open To The Public: The Historical Society is currently moving into its new home. They hope to have their new space open to visitors in the new year. We will write a News Update to give the date the society will officially open to the public, and also the days and times the society will be open.

For more information: About the Historical Society and how to become a member of the society, please contact Pat Casey, Historical Society President at: 860-379-5438.

The New Hartford Historical Society's new location at 537 Main Street in the center of New Hartford. Photo: Maria Moore

Marketplace Kicks Off Holiday Season In Style

Checking out the numerous items donated to the Penny Auction that was part of the Holiday Marketplace. Photo: Susan Wacht

The Holiday Marketplace at the Beekley Library kicked off the upcoming holiday season in grand style. On a balmy fall evening this past Friday, November 6, the library was a welcoming sight, all brightly lit up and with its doors thrown wide open, inviting residents to the celebration. And what a festive scene it was inside: The main library space was filled with residents of all ages moving from group to group, visiting with friends, filling their plates with hors d’oeuvres, and tasting the wines on offer, while the air was filled with jazzy music provided by the live band. And center stage there were tables overflowing with bags filled with items donated by local businesses and organizations for the Penny Auction. Residents moving through to the adjoining space, the children’s library, found local vendors with tables filled with items for gift-giving.

It was an evening filled with community spirit and the spirit of giving as residents bought tickets for the Penny Auction, and made a start on their holiday gift-buying with their local merchants, and many of the merchants had helped organize the event and had donated items for the evening.

A note from the organizers: More than 200 residents attended the Holiday Marketplace, a fundraising event held jointly by the New Hartford Business Council and BookFriends for the benefit of the library. The evening raised over $1,600 for the library, thanks to the generosity of all involved; see also Joanne Dahill’s update for Business Council members on the NHBC Biz Notes page on NewHartfordPlus.

Corrin Reilly claims one of the prizes she won during the Penny Auction, presented by fellow organizers Corrie Chambrello and Joanne Dahill. Corinn's husband, Mike, is seen here taking a photo. Photo: Maria Moore

Corinn Reilly, a member of BookFriends and one of the organizers of the Holiday Marketplace forwarded us a link to a huge portfolio of photographs which her husband, Mike, took at the Holiday Marketplace. Please check out the Reilly’s marvelous photos to see what a great time was had by all!

Many thanks: To the organizers of the Holiday Marketplace who made the wonderful evening happen: Business Council members Joanne Dahill of Marwin Farm, Corrie Chambrello of While U R Out Home & Pet Care, and Norma Richmond of New Hartford Junction; and to BookFriends member Corinn Reilly.

Grateful Thanks: To the following businesses that donated the delicious hors d’oeuvres enjoyed by all: Chatterley’s Restaurant, Cruisin’ Cafe, Marandino’s Foods, Michel Angelo’s Restaurant, Passiflora Tea Room, Portobello’s Restaurant, Tonio’s New Hartford Pizzeria.

Deb And Michael’s Excellent Vacation

Deb and Michael Kuszaj recently closed their Blue Sky Foods Restaurant for a week and took a vacation. After a couple of years without a break, the couple could be excused for taking off for warmer climes to laze on a beach. But not Deb and Michael. Their vacation was no ordinary vacation, as many of their customers knew: the couple flew across the country to San Diego, California, to greet their son, Max, at the end of his 1,200-mile fundraising cycle ride from Seattle to San Diego.

Max Kuszaj, a Barkhamsted native, is a professional freeskiing athlete in Utah and he conceived the idea of the 1,200 mile cycle ride to raise money and awareness for fallen and injured individuals in the freeskiing community.

In a press release Max said:

“The 1200-mile ride has been organized to raise money for the Billy Poole Ski Foundation, which benefits the Local Boys and Girls Clubs of Salt Lake City, the Shane McConkey Fund in lieu of the Make a Wish Foundation, and the NTAF Spinal Cord Injury Fund in honor of Riley Poor.

Utah freeskiing local, Billy Poole, was killed in a skiing accident here in Utah two years ago while filming with Warren Miller Entertainment. Industry icon, Shane McConkey died this past winter in a Ski BASE Jumping accident while filming in Italy with Colorado’s Matchstick Productions. Ski industry cinematographer, Riley Poor, sustained a paralyzing spinal cord injury last season while in Vermont at the Dew Tour, a freeskiing and snowboarding event.

With the spinal cord injury of industry cinematographer Riley Poor and the deaths of industry icons Shane McConkey, and Utah local, Billy Poole, fellow professional freeskier/BASE Jumper, organizer, and Utahan, Max Kuszaj, felt that something needed to be done.

“Losing two friends to skiing and then having a friend have a life-changing injury, really made me take a step back and realize what we do and what a tight-knit community we have with skiing.” “I organized this ride to do anything I can do to help those guys and benefit their families, try to make a change, and make the general public realize what goes on and what happens in the industry.” Max said.

Max organized the benefit event which he called ‘Pacific Coast Cycle For A Cause’ and he was joined on the month-long ride by other ski industry athletes. Among the riders was also Sherry McConkey, the wife of Shane McConkey. The ride began on Saturday, October 3 in Seattle, Washington, and ended on October 27 in San Diego, California.

Deb and Michael flew out to San Diego on Tuesday, October 27 to meet Max at the end of the cycle ride. The couple brought with them $525 donated by their Blue Sky Food customers for Max’s cycle ride. Deb and Michael flew back to Connecticut on Friday, November 6, in time to stop in at the New Hartford Business Council’s Holiday Marketplace.

After The Ride:

On checking Max’s blog, we found the following piece he wrote on November 1, less than a week after the end of his amazing cyle ride:

“Now that the ride has come to completion, I need to express the point that the cause will live on, and the spreading of awareness to the public must continue.

As freeskiing athletes and friends we are involved in an amazing industry, but one that needs a lot of direction when it comes to the health and well-being of its’ participants. Yes, it is a one-of-a-kind industry in many ways, and one that has consumed my life for nearly 10 years. I have met the most amazing individuals, traveled the world, and have made the best family of friends one could ever imagine possessing. With the stream of tragic accidents continuing, injuring and claiming the lives of friends, something needs to be changed. When I say “something” I am stressing the health, life, and general insurance freeskiing athletes cannot carry to protect themselves and their families against the financial struggle that may occur with an accident. I cannot think of another industry where the athletes and participants involved are in a situation like this, and it MUST improve.

Common questions often linger in my mind constantly. “Why can’t an athlete receive health insurance with a sponsor when signing a contract?” “Why can’t athletes like us receive life insurance that is affordable?” “How can companies turn their backs on an athlete who is in need after an injury?” The questions continue on and on, and for some reason I cannot find the proper answers, and that I have an “EXTREME” issue with. I hope that with events like the “Cycle for a Cause” we can bring some awareness and shed some light on these answers.”

Editor’s Note: Max Kuszaj is 30 years old, yet his words have the ring of a much older man. It may well be that, earning his living as a professional in a sport that provides no safety net for its atheletes and their dependents, and seeing his friends and contemporaries fall around him, has given him a deeper awareness of the essential needs of every working person: that of being assured health care, and that of knowing that one’s dependents won’t be left destitute by the death or the sickness of a loved one. As Deb said to our reporter: “You feel great that he’s doing what he loves to do, but you hope that he’ll be safe.”

To read a day by day account: Of Max’s incredible cycle ride, please visit his Pacific Coast Cycle For a Cause blog.

To make a donation: To Pacific Coast Cycle for a Cause which will be split evenly between the three athletes for whose benefit the cycle ride was held, please visit the How To Donate page on Max’s blog.