VARNA NEWS - Lightlink · November 2015 - January 2016 VARNA NEWS INFORMATION AND ITEMS OF INTEREST...

www.VarnaCommunityAssociation.org November 2015 - January 2016

VARNA NEWS INFORMATION AND ITEMS OF INTEREST FOR THE VARNA COMMUNITY

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It’s only November, but soon everyone will be ge5ng ready for the Holidays and dealing with cold temperatures. The Community AssociaAon is going to brave the weather, regardless of what it is, to bring a bit of summer back to Varna in mid-‐December. Chef MaG Perry has planned a tasty menu that will make you forget you’re wearing three sweaters! Join your friends and neighbors at the Varna Community Center for Smoked Ribs, Salt Potatoes, Baked Beans, Rolls, Brownies & Beverages. We’ll have Hot Dogs and Vegetarian Lasagna with Tossed Salad, Rolls, Brownies & Beverages for those who don’t want Ribs. Most diners $11; Senior diners $9; 5 and under FREE

Just a Hot Dog: $1.00 Hot Dog with the rest of the meal: $5

A TASTE OF SUMMER IN DECEMBER Saturday December 12 4-‐6 pm

Medicare informaDon session Monday, November 9 10am Elizabeth Schneider of Lifelong's Health Insurance InformaAon, Counseling and Assistance Program will be at the Varna Community Center to talk about Medicare Basics and Medicare's Annual Open Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7). The Open Enrollment Period is a Ame when Medicare recipients can make changes in parts of their coverage. All are welcome. Bring your quesAons!

How well are Tompkins County youth doing?** How will we know if youth are doing better?

Or worse?** Residents of Dryden, Freeville, Varna, and Etna are invited to:

‘Town of Dryden Community Conversation on Achieving Youth Results’

Monday, November 16, 6:00-8:00 PM Varna Community Center, 943 Dryden Rd. (NY Rte. 366)

Light refreshments will be served **Answering these quesAons is behind the Achieving Youth Results iniAaAve being led by the Tompkins County Youth Services Department. At this Community ConversaAon, Dryden residents will provide their valuable insights. For more details, visit www.tompkinscountyny.gov/youth or contact the Tompkins County Youth Services Department at 274-‐5310.

CALENDARNov. 3, VOTE! Polls open 6am - 9pmNov. 8, 8am-noon Pancake breakfastNov. 9, 10am Medicare information sessionNov. 16, 6pm Achieving Youth Results discussionNov. 21, 1-3pm Refreshments & fun at Varna church Nov. 26, 12-3pm Community Thanksgiving dinnerDec. 12, 4-6pm Smoked Rib dinnerDec. 12, 5pm VCA annual meetingDec. 13, 8am-noon Pancake breakfastDec. 15, Application deadline for TC3 awardDec. 24 5:30pm Christmas Eve service at Varna churchJan. 10, 2016 8am-noon Pancake breakfastJan. 23, 2016 Kids CHEF-a-THON

What is the Varna Community AssociaDon? Established in the 1950s, the Varna Community AssociaAon, or VCA, is an all-‐volunteer organizaAon that exists to provide a place for neighbors to gather, learn from each other, share ideas and have some fun. The VCA owns and maintains the Varna Community Center at 943 Dryden Rd. Everyone who lives in Varna is a member of the AssociaAon. There are no dues! Since the VCA has no paid staff, we urge you to consider volunteering for one or more of the events described in this issue of newsleGer.

http://www.VarnaCommunityAssociation.org


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ARE YOU A TC3 STUDENT?

The Varna Community AssociaAon is offering an award of $250 to a student at TC3. This is not a grant, it’s an prize for wriAng a good essay about volunteering.

Here’s how it works: To apply for the TC3 student award of $250, do all of the following:

1. Obtain proof that you have resided in the Town of Dryden for at least six months. (Anyone living in Varna, Freeville, Etna, the Village of Dryden or the Town is eligible). Proof must be a document from a corporaAon or a government agency with your name and address. Examples: a uAlity bill dated at least six months ago; a statement from a landlord.

2. Register for at least six credits of coursework at TC3 for the Spring 2016 semester.

3. Write an original essay of approximately 500 words on the topic: "How volunteers make a community stronger” 4. Type your essay. Keep in mind that essays will be evaluated on: How well you address the topic, the

originality of your ideas, appropriate citaAons (if any), and the clarity of presentaAon (neatness, spelling, grammar, length).

5. Find the release form on www.VarnaCommunityAssociaAon.org. Sign the form indicaAng that, if chosen for this award, you are willing to have your essay published in an issue of Varna News.

6. Assemble your applicaAon materials. You need a hard copy or PDF of each of these items: 1) Proof that you have lived in Dryden for at least six months 2) A typed copy of your essay 3) Proof of registraAon for at least six credits at TC3 for the Spring 2016 semester 4) Signed release form

7. Submit your applicaAon materials by December 15th Mail to: Varna Community AssociaAon or, Email to: [email protected]

AGn: TC3 Student Award Chair PO Box 4771 Ithaca, NY 14852-‐4771

Notes: InternaAonal students are eligible for this award. VCA Directors or their family members are not eligible. Winner will be noAfied on or before January 20th.

— DONATE empty RETURNABLE BOTTLES AND CANS to the VCA —If you leave returnables at the front door of the Community Center, a volunteer will cash them in for the deposit. The money the VCA collects helps to pay utility bills, maintain appliances, and pay other overhead expenses.

We also take donations of used ink & toner cartridges. Thank you!

**Please DO NOT leave other things at the Community Center **

mailto:[email protected]




New practice court needs lines!We have a stencil and paint for lining the newly paved basketball practice court behind

the Community Center. A small group of volunteers is needed to paint the lines on the court surface. This will be a fun project that might take a couple of hours (depending on how clever we are at following directions and lining the stencil up correctly.) You can be the first to try out the court! To lend a hand, please contact Jim Skaley ([email protected]) (607-256-1617).

The basketball practice court has been provided by a generous grant from United Way of Tompkins County.

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Living alone? Not going home for the holiday? Don’t like to cook?

Come and enjoy a FREE dinner for the community on Thanksgiving Day Thursday, November 26 Noon to 3:00PM.

Dinner will include roast turkey, stuffing, mashed

potatoes, gravy, green bean casserole, squash, fruit salad, rolls, beverage, and pies. A vegetarian entree will also be available.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME — reservaDons are NOT required

This year the Community Thanksgiving Dinner is being provided enDrely by gi_s and donaDons — either food items or money.

Here’s how you can help…

To donate food, contact Dawn PoGer (607-‐280-‐9750) ([email protected]) Financial donaAons are also much appreciated and are tax deducAble. Checks should be made out to ‘Varna

Community AssociaAon’ and sent to: VCA P.O. Box 4771 Ithaca NY 14852-‐4771.

Volunteers are always encouraged and needed to help with the event. Please contact Susan Simmons ([email protected]) (607-‐280-‐8042)

Planning discussionsIn early October the Town of Dryden’s Director of

Planning came to the Community Center to talk about development plans affecAng the hamlet of Varna. Topics of parAcular interest were: improvements to NYS Rte. 366, the large pile of soil at the corner 366 and Freese Rd., and the proposed housing development at the corner of 366 and Forest Home Drive. Thirty-‐one people aGended, including many Varna residents, two members of the Town Board, and three members of the Town planning board. ConversaAon was cordial and lively with many quesAons asked and many concerns expressed. The Town Planner, Ray Burger, heard that Varna residents favor at least one sidewalk along 366 and painted crosswalks in the flat part of Varna as the top prioriAes for the limited funds available. These changes are in accordance with the Town’s Hamlet of Varna Community Development Plan. Residents learned that the County is considering changes to the one-‐lane bridge over Fall Creek on Freese Rd. The County’s Highway Director has been invited to come to Varna for a similar discussion regarding the Freese Rd. bridge.

To receive occasional emails about this and other important events in Varna, send your email address to:

[email protected]










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Varna Community AssociaAon, Inc. P.O. Box 4771 Ithaca NY 14852-‐4771

PANCAKE BREAKFASTS! 8 am -‐ Noon on the following SUNDAYS — NOV. 8, DEC. 13, JAN. 10, FEB.14… bring your ValenDne for a special breakfast! More pancakes on 3/13, 4/10, & 5/8 (Mothers’ Day!)

Come and enjoy a great All-‐You-‐Care-‐To-‐Eat Pancake Breakfast at the Varna Community Center (943 Dryden Rd. — NY Rte. 366). Menu includes pancakes, waffles, French toast, ham, bacon or sausage, scrambled eggs, hash browns, biscuits and sausage gravy, fresh fruits, breakfast breads, orange juice, and coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. New this year: fresh homemade unsalted BuGer and Whipped Cream. Prices: $7.50 -‐ Adults; $6.50 -‐ Seniors; $6.00 -‐ ages 5-‐12; 5 and under free.

Volunteers are always encouraged and needed to donate an hour or two of Ame -‐ and volunteers get a free breakfast! To volunteer, contact Susan Simmons ([email protected])Type to enter text





Meet a Neighbor: Varna News (VN) interviews a turkey vulture (TV)

VN: Oh no – you’re back! We were hoping you wouldn’t show up this year. You’re so big and messy.

TV: HaHaHa. Seventy-‐five friends and I just flew down from Canada. We like to roost in the tall evergreen trees on your property. We sit around and hiss and grunt a lot.

VN: We know. You really are noisy. Why are there so darned many of you?

TV: You think this is a lot? Consider yourselves lucky. SomeAmes we hang out in groups of several hundred and fly in giant flocks called ‘keGles.’

VN: And you’re so big! We read that your wingspan is nearly six feet. We also read that you have weak feet.

TV: Ah, yes, it’s true. Although most folks call us raptors, we don’t have strong feet like eagles or owls. They can catch live prey but we go for the pre-‐killed opAon. We have a great sense of smell to help us find food. And we are awesome soarers, we mate for life, and we take turns feeding our young.

VN: If you say so.

TV: I do!!

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Cornell Herp Club

The Cornell Herp Club has brought repAles and amphibians to the Varna for the past several years. We haven’t been able to connect with them so far this fall, but we sAll hope to schedule their visit soon. Watch for an announcement!

VCA Annual MeetingWhile we’re all busy eaAng summer food on December 12, the annual meeAng of the Varna Community AssociaAon, Inc. will be held. The current officers of the VCA Board of Directors will ask for your aGenAon for a brief Ame so elecAons of several new Directors can take place. All members of the VCA can vote.

Remember, if you live in Varna you are are a member of the Community AssociaDon.

During the brief annual meeAng, you will hear about the past year’s accomplishments. You can ask quesAons and make suggesAons for what you’d like to see happen in Varna. Meanwhile, there will be acAviAes for kids to enjoy. If you come just for the meeAng, be there by 5pm.

Public use computerThe United Way of Tompkins

County has a program to involve high school students in decisions about small grants to community organizaAons. Recently, the program, called FOCUS, has targeted non-‐profits in Dryden. The Varna Community AssociaAon applied for and was awarded funds to purchase a computer for public use at the Community Center. The computer is now installed and has Internet access thanks to the WIFI hotspot provided by Clarity Connect and the Town of Dryden. Rules for use of the computer include: files are to be saved to a user flash drive (not to the computer hard drive), and various restricAons on the types of websites and social media messages that are allowed. For now, the computer will be available Tuesdays 10am -‐ noon, and during VCA public events. More hours will be added as volunteers step up to make this resource available to the community. This is an easy way to support your Community AssociaAon! To sign up for a regular Ame slot, or to be a subsAtute, contact Janet Morgan (607-‐256-‐1617)([email protected])

Raptors visit VarnaA new date for a visit by Cornell’s Raptor Program will be selected soon. Please check the VCA website or, send your email address to: [email protected] You will be added to the VCA’s mailing list for occasional email announcements. Meanwhile, read the “Meet a Neighbor” interview below.

http://[email protected]



http://[email protected]



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The Lifle Church with a Big Heart -‐ Alice Humerez The Varna United Methodist Church is trying its best to do outreach in the Hamlet of Varna. On Saturday November 21st from 1-‐3pm, we invite all children (and their parents) to join us at the Church (965 Dryden Rd.) for cider and doughnuts along with games and a crax. Please plan to join us for a fun-‐filled two hours; and bring your ideas of how we, as a Church, can beGer serve the community. Also, you can drop off NON-‐perishable food items (make sure the dates have not expired!) at the front door of the Church any Sunday between 10 & 11 a.m. We will deliver these to the Dryden Food Pantry. We hold a worship service every Sunday (11 am – Noon), and a special service will be held on Christmas Eve (Thursday Dec. 24) at 5:30pm. Our Pastor (Steph Brown) is relaAvely new to our congregaAon. Please come to meet her and our small, but dedicated, group of worshipers. We are looking for people who can sing, play piano, or just generally help us out. We have four singers already, and we sure would like to have more join us so we can have a choir on Sunday mornings. We have a pianist for Sundays, but she is busy during the week, so we need a rehearsal pianist for one hour a week to help us stay on key!!! Please call Alice (607-‐272-‐2970) if you are willing to help out at the liGle white church here in Varna. We pray everyone has a great Thanksgiving. Blessings to all.

KIDS’ CHEF-A-THON

SATURDAY JANUARY 239:30 AM

VARNA COMMUNITY CENTER

OPEN TO KIDS AGES 6-12EACH CHILD MUST HAVE

AN ADULT HELPER

SPACES ARE LIMITED, SO SIGN UP SOON!

The VCA’s first kids’ CHEF-a-THON will be a fun event that gets kids cooking.

$10 PER KID-CHEF

If you register more than one kid-chef, you must provide an equal number of adult helpers.

Is your child ready to be an awesome chef?With adult assistance, each child entered in the CHEF-‐a-‐THON will plan and prepare a meal. All kid-‐chefs will be given the same ingredients to use. The challenge will be to cook up something tasty and aGracAve using the foods provided. While each kid-‐chef is required to have an adult assistant, the adults must make sure that the kids are in charge. Kid-‐chefs will have some closely supervised Ame in the kitchen to use the stovetop and/or oven, if they wish. There will be a set amount of Ame for preparing the meals. At the end of the Ame, each kid-‐chef’s meal will be sampled by a panel of local professional chefs. The judges will find something posiAve to say about every meal, and prizes will be awarded for best three entries. Winning meals will be selected based on taste, appearance, and creaAve use of ingredients. The CHEF-‐a-‐THON is designed to get kids thinking about what makes a meal look and taste good, to use Ame-‐management and other food preparaAon skills, and to feel a sense of accomplishment. To sign up, contact Leroy Diaz: (607-‐216-‐5776) ([email protected]).

Join 58 of your neighborsThe Hamlet of Varna online neighborhood now has 58 members. Neighborly messages about a lost pet, proposals for new development, and letting people know about an event cancelation are ways the group has been used recently. To join, go to: www.NextDoor.com

The Binghamton ZooMobile folks visited Varna in September. 56 people enjoyed the chinchilla that was sooo sox (and the parrot that yelled “Olla!” at random intervals.)

http://www.NextDoor.com



http://www.NextDoor.com



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VARNA NEWS - Lightlink · November 2015 - January 2016 VARNA NEWS INFORMATION AND ITEMS OF INTEREST...

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