Hello everybody, here are some of the things going on in and around Wilmington…

Remember in the movies when the cavalry used to arrive on the scene just in the nick of time? The day would be saved and the people who had a problem couldn’t even remember what the problem had been. Such was the day on Saturday, Feb.5  when a hockey team got stuck on the way to Wilmington when their bus went off the road. 

In a perfect world they would have landed in Wilmington in time to eat, ride to Lake Placid and play their game at the arena. But, this isn’t a perfect world, and their plans went very awry. Imagine travelling and then spending 9 hours on a bus, missing a hockey game and not being able to play in the tournament. And, not eating a thing since leaving home.

Talk about disappointment! Enter the cavalry. John Letourneau from the Birch Tree Lodge made a 9:55 p.m. call to Bob Winch at the Lake Everest Pizza & Deli. Winch was patched through to the coach, by that time on his way to Wilmington with the rescued team. Ten pizzas were ordered, but since Winch had had an overly busy day, he had dough enough for only 5 shells left.

Wrapping this up, Letourneau picked up the pizzas around 10:30 and brought them back to the Lodge where the team ate, and might I say ate very well between Winch at the Lake Everest Deli and Jason at Steinhoff’s.

Both establishments are taking part in the Dine after Nine program that the Visitors’ Bureau has initiated wherein a few eateries in town have promised to stay open until 10 p.m. when visitors are likely to come to town. The plan works.

Speaking of the Visitors’ Bureau, the annual Newcomers’ Dinner, or the Wilmington Community Dinner, will be taking place in less than a month on Tuesday, March 15 at the Hungry Trout Restaurant on Route 86 in Wilmington. Make reservations by calling the visitors’ bureau at 946-2255 or send an e-mail to info@WhitefaceRegion.com by Tuesday, March 8.  The recipient of the 2010 Citizen of the Year will be honored at this event. According to the Bureau’s information, “This award is given to someone who has gone above and beyond serving the town and its residents.”

If you know of someone you would like to see receive this special award, you may submit their name by filling out a short application about them. Applications are available at the Whiteface Region Business & Tourism office or Wilmington’s local churches.  Nominations will be accepted will be accepted until Sunday, Feb. 20.

The Citizen of the Year committee will then review the applications and select our 2010 recipient. All are welcome to join us at the dinner.

For more information or to RSVP, contact the Whiteface Region Business & Tourism Center.

The cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m. with the buffet dinner following at 7.

 

Great news for fans of the Lonesome Travelers.  Starting on Sunday, March 13, Mitch and Vi will be playing again in Au Sable Forks at the Jay Town Hall from 2 to 4 p.m. And don’t worry; there will be food for sale, a 50/50 raffle as well as donated items for additional raffles.

 

On Feb.13, before the pot luck supper at the Methodist Church, the fun of sledding was all mine on the hill at the Wilmington Youth Center up on Park Lane. Visions of awe-inspiring runs down the hill “through the zig and through the zag” were running through my mind as I repeatedly huffed and puffed my way to the top only to veer off the path again and again on my way down. 

The nice thing about the hill, though, is that it is free to use. There are even tubes inside the Youth Center that can be borrowed during the center’s operating hours. Also free to use is the community skating rink at the park. Skates are available for use when the park is open, but if you bring your own skates.

These two venues are treasures here in Wilmington and thanks should go to those responsible for seeing that the park remains open so we all can have fun there.

Before getting on my red sled I stepped inside the Wilmnington Youth Center and was greeted by Ted Holzer, the center’s interim director who kindly offered me some hot chocolate. Holzer went on to tell me about the upcoming broomball game on Saturday, Feb. 19 starting at 2 p.m.

Just outside the door of the building, Ted pointed out three huge snow piles that will become three huge snow sculptures on this same weekend. These are two of the many activities that have been happening at the youth center.

There have been tournaments of 8 ball and Texas-Hold’Em.  Events of the eating variety include ice cream socials and pizza parties on movie nights. 

Holzer offered the following figures about attendance at the center; last month the center was open 3 days a week, 64 total hours, with an average of 19 kids a day for a total of 230 people. Holzer had nothing but praise for the kids who come there and for the great ambience that pervades the center. He added that the inside has had new coats of paint.

One of the younger boys there that day remarked how much he liked using the computers, the video games, and especially the red hot dogs (which some of us call Glaziers).          

“Amber Stevens, the newly hired director,” Holzer said, “will be starting within two weeks.”

Ted also suggested that residents help the center by donating empty soda cans and bottles.

And, in closing… two fellows from Ohio, Billy and Craig, just brought our family one of the best presents ever, my bestest friend ever, Deb Lewis. She is up for a visit and will be staying with us a while, so if you see us together, please stop and say hi.

Thank you for reading, and as Red Skelton used to say, “May God Bless.”