HAMMONDSPORT HAPPENINGS

The Hammondsport Area Red Hat Corkers are meeting at Antique Inn on Route 54A Penn Yan, at noon for lunch, Tuesday, May 22, says Jackie Holcombe and Barbara Edgington. Following the luncheon, the Red Hatters will be stopping off at the Horning Garden Shop on Route 14A, Penn Yan, which offers floral baskets and an array of annuals and perennials.

On Tuesday, May 22, Wine Country Toastmasters will meet from 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. at the Steuben County Health Facility, where discussion will be pointed on enhancing leadership skills like communication. For more information on this group, please call 607- 776-6813 or e-mail tbilancio@bilancio.org.

Retired teachers and spouses, and other staff and spouses from Hammondsport Central School will gather together for breakfast and fellowship at Bath's Chat-AWhyle on Wednesday, May 23rd, 9:00 A.M.

The President of Keuka Lake Players Board of Trustees, Kim Stewart, says that membership in the KLP is a proud tradition that began two decades ago. And, what is so wonderful is that they are able to continue offering fine plays, year after year, because the Hammondsport area group continues having "the support of good people who enjoy having live theater in the area. Many members never set foot on stage, but are glad others do, so they offer financial support and, in turn, enjoy the benefits of the oldest community theater group in the Finger Lakes." Hence, this year to thank theater lovers for their generous contributions, the KLP is offering several extra benefits at each level of membership:

+ Individual Memberships are $5 for Student/Senior; $10 Adult. Basic membership includes: Monthly E-newsletter, Invitation to KLP's Annual Dinner, Discounts on tickets to the three-show season; Access to AACT.org, Preferred Seating (house will be open 15 minutes early for members); Free Admission to in-house theater craft workshops.

+ $35 Friend includes basic benefits PLUS one free admission ticket to any show in the three-show season; One free raffle ticket at any show attended; Free KLP Gift.

+ $50 Patron includes basic benefits plus one free admission ticket to the three-show season; free KLP Gift; Reserved Seating for you and your guests; recognized on the Patron Board.

+ $75 or more Benefactor include basic benefits plus one Free Season Pass to all performances of each show in the three-show season; one free raffle ticket at each show attended; free KLP Gift; Reserved Seating for you and your guests; recognized on the Patron Board.

+ Family Memberships: $25 Basic Family includes basic benefits for each member of the immediate family; $50 Supporting includes basic benefits for each member of the immediate family plus one free admission ticket to any show in the three-show season; one free raffle ticket at any attended show, two free KLP Gifts; Reserved Seating for you and your guests.

Please call 607-776-9523 or e-mail www.keukalakeplayers.org for more information.

At the end of this week, Saturday, May 26, there is a Finger Lakes SPCA, Inc. volunteer dinner banquet from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. at the Bath Country Club, open to the public for $18 per person. Tickets need to be purchased in advance for the evening. The menu lists Eggplant Parmesan, Garden Salad, Vegetables, Dessert and Beverage. Proceeds will benefit the Finger Lakes SPCA Inc. Come and enjoy the food and help honor the animal shelter volunteers. Monies earned will help support the facility.

On May 26 at the home of Rita and Mike Moretti on Pleasant Valley Road in Hammondsport, the Bath area Peace and Justice Group will hold their annual Potted Plant Day. No money is exchanged - just bring a potted plant to exchange!

May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month at the Family Planning Center in Bath. There are many reasons for parents to get involved this month, with kids soon to be out of school for the summer. What can be done? At the Bath Family Planning Center, parents can get the latest word about sexually transmitted diseases and HIV, learn about updated birth control options and how best to talk with teens about sex. They can also learn how to help their kids with clinical services, birth control supplies and education. The Center is located at 117 East Steuben Street. Call 607-776-3063 for more information.

The Bath area Peace and Justice Group and FootHills Publishing presented a Poetry Reading and Benefit for the Helen Rubar Memorial Peace Scholarship Wednesday evening May 16th at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Bath. The evening featured Foothills poets Anne C. Coon and Jes Wright as special guests. Donations earned were for the scholarship, which will be given for the ninth year to one or more high school students in Hammondsport and Bath. The award is $1,000 or more. Peaceweavers have now joined with the Bath Peace & Justice Group in this endeavor.

Many dogs, cats and ferrets from Hammondsport and the surrounding area were brought to the Free Rabies Prevention Clinic last Wednesday, May 16, in the early evening hours, located at the Town Highway Barn on Route 54, Hammondsport. Debbie Pierce, Town Clerk, says that all people in the Town of Urbana and Village of Hammondsport should report unleashed dogs when they come upon them by calling 607-569-3737.

Paul Sprague, Director of the Greyton H. Taylor Wine Museum and Art Gallery, reports that the museum is again open for visitors. Hours are 10:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. Monday through Saturday; Sundays 11:30 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. In the Art Gallery, one will find over 300 works by Walter S. Taylor, son of Greyton Taylor.

You can benefit the Hammondsport Public Library by using www.goodsearch.com. Rachel Brown has registered the library on the Internet site, which is a search engine that donates money to specific charities. The library receives one cent each time someone visits the site. Remember to log on and type in the charity - either Fred & Harriet Taylor Memorial Library or Hammondsport Public Library - first before you start a search. The Library is very grateful for each "hit" as the pennies will add up!

The newly built Fred and Harriet Taylor Memorial Library unofficially opens May 29 at its new site near West Lake Road and will have its Grand Opening in June.

Church news:

St. Gabriel's Catholic Church: Thank you to all our Religious Education teachers for all their work and dedication on behalf of the children in our parish. Teacher for this 2006-- 2007 school year were Leandra Morris, Denece Gossie, Patty Shippee, Gloria Woods, Bob Matthewson, and Dan Williams, with special assistance from Sue Morris. The Youth Group sold carnations on Mother's Day, a fundraiser to help send them to National Catholic Youth Convention next fall!

St. James Episcopal Church: 9 a.m. Holy Eucharist and Sunday School today; Monday, the 21st: 7:30 p.m. Al-Anon; Tuesday, the 22nd: 3 p.m. Food Pantry open and 7:30 p.m. Bible Study at the Rectors, 10 Sheathar Street; Wednesday, the 23rd, Book Study at 7 p.m. at the Rectors; Thursday, the 24th, 12:15 p.m. Holy Eucharist; Saturday, the 26th, 11 a.m. Food Pantry open.

First United Methodist Church: If you have any of the following items they will be taken to the Annual Conference the first weekend in June: paper, notebooks, binders, chalk, over-thecounter medicines, toothbrushes, and other hygiene products. Cash donations welcome to help with shipping and purchase of items.

First Presbyterian Churches of Hammondsport and Pulteney: Each Thursday of the month at 10:00 A.M. is a Prayer and Bible Study at the Pulteney Church for both churches, using the curriculum from Wired World. At the Hammondsport Church yesterday, a plant and bake sale was held in the front of the

+ church. Annual flower and vegetable seedlings, perennials, herbs, etc., plus baked goods of every kind were available.

Please notify Carolyn Hughes if anyone is in need of a get-well or sympathy card from the church.