HAMMONDSPORT HAPPENINGS

• How can it possibly be the next to the last day of Dec. when we just got the kids back in school? How can we possibly be at the end of another year when we just celebated the new year of 2007?

• Dec. is always such a full month, and this year was no exception. Plus, it had the distinction of beginning and ending with the same phase of the moon! Dec. 1 was the Last Quarter of the moon; Dec. 5 began Hanukkah; Dec. 7 was Pearl Harbor Day; Dec. 9 was a New Moon; Dec. 16 was First Quarter; Dec. 22 was the First Day of Winter, (really?); Dec. 24 was a beautiful Full Moon for Christmas Eve; Dec. 25 was Christmas Day; Dec. 26 was Boxing Day in Cananda and Dec. 31 is the Last Quarter again!

• Jan. 3, 2008 marks the end of the Christmas break for at least Hammondsport Central School.

• Did you ever think about how very lucky we Portians are as far as public libraries are concerned? Well, in addition to our own outstanding local library, there are six others for us to enjoy in a radius of probably, oh, 20 miles or so. Here they are for you to visit on a nice winter day:

Avoca Free Library: 566-9279, www.stis.org/Avoca. Hours are: Monday from 5-8 p.m.; Tuesday from 9 a.m.-noon, Wednesday from 5-8 p.m.; Thursday from 2-8 p.m.; Friday from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Dormann Library in Bath: 7 7 6 - 4 6 1 3 , www.dormannlibrary.or g. Hours are: Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.;

Fred and Harriett Taylor Memorial Library: 569-2405, stis.org/HAMMONDSP ORT. Hours are Monday from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2-9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

Howard Public Library: 566-2412, www.howardpubliclibra ry.com. Hours are: Monday- Tuesday and Thursday from 2-8 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Prattsburgh Library: 522-3490, www.stis.org/Prattsburg . Hours are: Tuesday from 1-5 p.m., Wednesday from 1-8 p.m.; Thursday from 1-5 p.m.; Friday from 1-4 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Pulteney Public Library: 868-3652 www.pulteney.org. Hours are: Tuesday/Thursday from Noon-8 p.m.; Wednedsay from Noon- 8 p.m.; Saturday from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Savona Free Library: 583-4426, www.stls.org/Savona. Hours are: Monday- Friday from 1-7 p.m.

• This writer had no idea that the Hammondsport Rotary Club started way back in 1927, which, if my math is correct - and I'd be the first to tell you math has never been my best subject - was 80 years ago this year. Robert Howell was the first president. Here is a list of the other "7" presidents (as there would not be room here to list all who have had that honor): 1937, Harry Cole; 1947, John Cook; 1957, Stanley Smith; 1967, Lewis White; 1977, Ray Tillman: 1987, Robert Snyder: 1997, Paul Zaidel; 2007, Lucile Walbridge.

Hammondsport church news:

•St. Gabriel's Catholic: Maureen O'Neill, Pastoral Administrator: Re v. Peter Anglaaere, Sacramental. Mass Schedule: Saturdays at 5:30 p.m., Sundays at 11 a.m. Holy Day of Obligation is January 1. Mass is on Dec. 31 at 5:30 p.m. for this feast of the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God.

Through much hard work and generosity of some wonderful people, the church has raised enough money to proceed with the purchase and installlation of a dishwasher for the kitchen in McGill Hall: $1361.15 was raised by the sale of Bon Ton Community Day booklets; $1550 was given to Saint Gabriel's for this project by Knights of Columbus of Bath and Bob and Liz Turissini are donating the remainer of the cost, which will be close to $2000.

The Bath Knights of Columbus have sold their building in Bath and are relocating to St. Mary's O'Malley Hall for their various functions. They have been extremely generous to several Catholic parishes in the area with the fruits of the sale of their building and they have given Saint Gabriel's a check for $10,000.

• St. James Episcopal: Located on the corner of Main and Lake Streets. The Rev. Sandra Curtis, Rector; Sunday Eucharist and Sunday School are at 9 a.m., followed by Coffee Hour. The Rector, the Rev Sandra Curtis, would like to suggest that in the new year, the church begin to provide goats for the Church of Kisima, Kenya. The Rev. Michael Lolwerikoi there says the most useful animal is a goat. It supplies milk, a wonderful source of protein and which can be made into cheese. In 2007 St. James sent $2500 to New Hope Ministries to help drill a water well for the Church of Kisima, a gift which was met with much happiness and gratitude. In 2008, the goal is to construct irrigation systems for for drinking, cooking, watering gardens, and keeping animals like goats.

• First United Methodist Church: The Rev. Paul Rowley, Minister: 8:30 a.m. Service: 9:45 -10:45 a.m., Sunday School; 11 a.m. Service. On the 5th Sunday of the month, the two services are combined with a 10 a.m. service for all.

Today, Dec. 30, the church has a combined service at 10 a.m. Junior Church from 8:30-11 a.m., with Diane Albright and Onalee Clark. There is no Sunday School today.

• TheFirst Presbyterian Churches of Hammondsport and Pulteney: Interim Pastor Anne Waasdorp at both churches: Pulteney at 9:30 a.m.; Hammondsport at 11 a.m. In Pulteney, Bible Study and Prayer on Thursdays at 10 a.m. for both churches on Luke.

The next adult Bible +

session in Hammondsport will be held at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Jan. 6, 2008.