Destination Oneonta

October 4, 2020

CONTACT

Barbara Ann Heegan - [email protected] / (607) 432-4500

** MEDIA ADVISORY FOR October 6, 2020**

Child Care: An Essential Part of Workforce Infrastructure for Otsego County

A virtual roundtable discussion, Representative Antonio Delgado, a neuroscientist, business leaders, and local child care providers about the importance of early childhood programs

Child care is an essential support for the American workforce, as well as a key component of the small business community. However, while child care is crucial to the strength of our economy, this sector also faces several challenges, including new ones created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even before the pandemic, business leaders were already seeing the impact of limited access to child care on their current workforce, and on recruitment and retention efforts. The current public health crisis has illuminated the need to further invest in high-quality, affordable child care in Otsego County and across New York State

During the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, child care will become even more crucial for economic recovery. Any policy solutions aimed at improving access to and quality of child care must consider the unique needs of providers and the families that they serve.

This virtual event will be hosted by Barbara Ann Heegan, the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce President and will begin with remarks from U.S. Representative Antonio Delgado followed by a brain science presentation from Sloka Iyengar, Ph.D. Following the presentation, Deputy Director of State Operations and Policy for ReadyNation, Catherine Van Ness, President & CEO of Niagara Lutheran Health System, Chris Koenig, Director of Equity & Inclusion for the Early Care and Learning Council, Fannie Glover, Executive Director of Chemung County Child Care Council, Ruth Harvey, and local child care providers will discuss the importance of child care to children, families, businesses, and the economy.

A full list of particulars of the event follows below.

WHO:

Host: Barbara Ann Heegan, Otsego County Chamber of Commerce President

Federal Policy: US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand & US Representative Antonio Delgado

ReadyNation: Catherine Van Ness, Deputy Director of State Operations and Policy

Brain Science: Sloka Iyengar, Ph.D.

Business Leader: Chris Koenig, President & CEO of Niagara Lutheran Health System and GreenFields

Early Care & Learning Council: Fannie Glover, Director of Equity & Inclusion

Workforce: Ruth Harvey, Executive Director of Chemung County Child Care Council

Child Care Providers: TBD (local to Otsego County)

WHAT: Presentation from a neuroscientist and discussion among business leaders, elected officials, and child care providers about how high-quality child care supports the workforce of today while preparing children for success in school, the future workforce, and life.

WHEN: October 6th at 9:00 AM EST

The History Center was a busy place in September, as was our Zoom account, with virtual meetings by the Board of Trustees, the Auction Committee, and the Collections Committee, as well as our first Covid-19 oral history interview and our first Zoom event: More than 30 folks tuned in on September 12 as Prof. Cindy Falk, and CGP students Carolyn Caza, Mary Zell Gale, and Lorene Sugars talked about the Building Blocks of a City exhibition. Check out what's happening in October:

Annual Meeting

GOHS' Annual Meeting and Awards Recognition will take place on Wednesday October 7 via Zoom. The meeting will begin at 6:30 PM with the presentation of the Eduard Hofbauer Outstanding Service Award to Beth Steele and the Albert E. Morris Award to Tom Heitz. Following the awards presentation, there will be a short business meeting. The meeting will include the election of trustees and officers and reports from Board President John Pontius and me. The evening is free and open to the public. To join the Annual Meeting, go to https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83292461844?pwd=Q041OWtXRjZKN0dnaDEzbFEyMmZ5QT09

Meeting ID: 832 9246 1844

Passcode: 103720.

If you need additional information, please email [email protected] .

Benefit Auctions

GOHS' first online auction on September 25 to 27 was successful in raising $731 in winning bids and donations. The highest bid was for the Game of Oneonta ($155) and the most bids were generated by the "Torn" art vase (12). Thanks to all the donors and bidders! If you have feedback about the auction, please contact me or another Auction Committee member, listed at the end of the next paragraph.

GOHS' second online Benefit Auction - the main event! - will take place November 15 to 21. Auction donations will be accepted through November 7. Auction sponsorships are a new feature this year. A link to the Auction will be sent in advance and you must generate an account in order to bid. Let’s make this GOHS' 14th consecutive record-breaking year for the auction! If you would like to contribute to the auction's success, contact me or another member of the Auction Committee - Jane Bachman, Keith Bundy, Kevin Herrick, Tom Mark, Liz Morley, Beth Steele, Loraine or Rich Tyler, or Arlana Young.

Exhibits and Displays

Visit the History Center in October to see Helen Rees' display of artifacts from the baseball career of her father, Jim Konstanty, who was recognized as the first relief pitcher in major league baseball. He pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1950 World Series and was voted the National League's Most Valuable Player.

Also on display will be two box seats from the Damaschke Field Grandstand. The grandstand was a Works Progress Administration project during the Great Depression, and was razed in 2019. Visit http://grandstand.gohstours.com to learn more about the grandstand and view photos and drone footage of its last days.

"Building Blocks of a City: 100 Years of Oneonta Architecture" continues through November 14. If you cannot visit the Center before then, there is a 3D tour of the exhibit at the GOHS website. Visit http://www.gohstours.com

Downtown Revitalization Initiative Project

The long-awaited DRI project funding facade improvements and signage at the History Center will be moving forward in October! Loitsch Construction was awarded the contract to have the Center's west entrance on Main Street comply with existing code requirements and, like the rest of the facade, reflect the history of the building when it was Laskaris Restaurant. Blade signage is also part of the project. Work is projected to begin in October and be completed by the end of the year.

Instagram

GOHS now has Instagram - @OneontaHistoricalSociety - for which Kim Back is the administrator.

Scavenger Hunt Winners

Congratulations to the six winners of the summer architectural scavenger hunt: Emma Collins; Kristopher Convis; Lucas Ellsworth, Jenevie Galluser; Ben, Chris, & Abby Johnston; and Claire Smith. Each received a $25 gift certificate for any GOHS purchases. And all the participants learned about Main Street architecture in the process. This and other activities of GOHS' children & youth programming committee are funded by a donation from the Oneonta Elks Club.

Be well!

Bob Brzozowski

Executive Director

"Jim Konstanty & the World Series"

The Greater Oneonta Historical Society's History Center, 183 Main Street, presents “Jim Konstanty & the World Series” during the month of October. Helen Rees shares her collection of memorabilia from her father’s professional baseball career. Konstanty (1917-1976) played for five teams during his eleven years in the major leagues. Although also a starting pitcher, he is considered baseball's first specialist as a relief pitcher. He was the Most Valuable Player in the National League in 1950 and pitched in that year’s World Series for the Philadelphia Phillies. The display is the latest in a monthly series called "Oneonta Collects History", featuring collections of GOHS members and friends.

Also on display are two box seats from the historic Damaschke Field grandstand. The grandstand, razed in Fall 2019, was a Depression-era project of the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A). The box seats are now part of GOHS' permanent collection. More information about the grandstand, including photos of its final days, can be found at http://Grandstand.GOHSTours.com/

"Building Blocks of a City: 100 Years of Oneonta Architecture, 1880-1980" continues at the History Center through November 14.

The History Center is open Tuesdays through Fridays 12 noon to 4 PM and Saturdays 10 AM to 4 PM. For more information, contact (607) 432-0960 or [email protected].

I hope this email finds you happy and healthy.

I would like to share news from SMU DataArts’ soon-to-be-released report: Oneonta, NY has been named the #7 most arts-vibrant small-size community in the United States, moving up from #8 in last year’s analysis.

The Arts Vibrancy Index Report, which will be released tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29, ranks more than 900 communities across the country, examining the level of supply, demand and government support for the arts in each city. This report is based on 2019 data and does not reflect the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but its findings help illustrate the critical role of the arts, both socially and economically, in cities and towns around the nation. At this historic moment, the report may serve as a pre-pandemic benchmark of where the most arts-vibrant communities are located as well as a cause for celebration during these difficult times.

Additionally, we have designed infographics for each community and would be happy to share with you for your own use. Please let me know if you would like me to send your community graphic. (email below)

The full report will be accompanied by an interactive map, which provides scores for every county in the U.S. Both will be available on our website starting September 29, 2020 at 10 am. 

Otsego County, represented as the Oneonta, NY, MSA, takes community development and living green to heart. Culture is abundant with world-class opera, national art exhibitions, theater, concerts, and a rich historical past. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum can be found in Cooperstown, which draws nearly 300,000 visitors per year. Cooperstown is also home to the Fenimore Art Museum, The Farmers’ Museum, and the famous Glimmerglass Opera. The Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center serves a three-county area with performing arts events and educational outreach. The center was also deemed the “greenest” building to ever go through the NYSERDA program, which earned the venue a financial award. Arts in Oneonta is supported through the Community Arts Network of Oneonta and the Upper Catskill Community Council of the Arts. The community is ranked 17th on both arts and culture employees and program revenue. It scores in the top 3% of communities on Arts Dollars, as well as on each of the four underlying measures.

While we are certainly in the midst of an unprecedented moment, we hope the report helps to solidify the significant role that the arts play in their community, helping you to build a case for advocacy and support from mayors, city council members, and state legislators alike.

If you have any questions or comments about the report or would like to know more about what we do for arts and cultural organizations, please feel free to contact me anytime at [email protected].

All the best,

Courtney

Courtney Crews (she/her/hers)

Content Manager

Philadelphia: 461 N 3rd Street, Suite 400 | Philadelphia, PA 19123

Dallas: Box 750356 | Dallas, TX 75275

OCTOBER FIRST! 

The Oneonta Teen Center has been cleared by the Otsego County Health Department to reopen to the public! 

When: Wednesday, Sep 16, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwuceirqTMsH9MCSkJU6L9vjdKEwYo7aQU1

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

GOHS' Benefit Auction will actually be two auctions this year, and both will be exclusively online. GOHS has contracted with 32

All-Star Celebration and Silent Auction