Bovina Bicentennial Celebration Thank-yous

 

I’ve received all kinds of kudos about the Bovina Bicentennial celebration, but there were many hands and minds involved in the success of the day. It's taken me a while to pull it all together - I'm hoping I didn't miss anyone. If I have, let me know.
 
Brooke Alderson’s major activity was the Bovina Bicentennial Art project. Ten Bovina artists were given old images of Bovina buildings no longer in existence or altered and invited to do their own interpretation of them. These ten paintings were displayed in the hamlet during the celebration at the site where the original structure stood (or still stands). Thank you, Brooke coordinating this project and to Scott Hill, who worked out how best to display these. (The paintings will go on show in the Bovina Public Library with an opening on November 12 from 5-7.) And a big thank you to the artists:
 
·         Antonio Mora - Strangeway’s Store and later Clayt Thomas’s garage, now home of Tom Hetterich
·         Mike Casey - Hilson’s Store, built in 1867, now Dry Town Tavern
·         Sandra Finkenberg - Kennedy Hotel, demolished in 1960, lot now vacant, across from Brushland Eating House
·         Lizbeth Firmin - Old Jock Hilson Home, burned in 1915
·         Lori Glavin - Creamery in 1943, building was refurbished on the outside a year or so later to its present look
·         Scott Hill - Creamery, original, constructed in 1902
·         Gary Mayer - Scott’s Bridge, built in 1870s, demolished in 1955
·         Rick Mills - Bovina Methodist Church, built in 1849, demolished in 1926, now residence across from Community Hall
·         Cornell Verlaan - J.R. Douglass home, later Alexander Hilson residence, replaced in 1920s with home of Mike and Christine Batey
·         Tim Cunningham - Kinmouth Store, later home of Clark and Gladys Lay, and Tim Cunningham, now home of Betty Powell
 
Christine Batey made a wonderful homemade sign with the Bicentennial logo that she allowed us to use for a sign on Route 28.
 
When the Bicentennial celebration had to be put off from its original August 1, 2020 date, one event did take place - a vintage baseball game with the Bovina Dairymen. Thank you to the Dairymen for their continued support and for the games they held during the 2022 celebration.
 
Molly Brannen’s major contribution was letting us use a field that she hays for the celebration, but she also contributed much to the committee and helping us layout out the parade and the celebration on the flat. And she kept telling me that it was going to be great – and she was right.
 
Kevin Brown was responsible for the strong showing from the area fire departments and for organizing the traffic patrols and the appearance of the county sheriff on horseback, along with Steve Williamson, the 90-year-old constable from Roxbury. Thanks for his work on this and for providing a meeting place for the committee. And the pump from the 1948 Bovina Fire Truck was a huge hit with the kids!
 
Donna Dickson-Noonan coordinated the parade organizing on the big day, with help from her husband, Mike Noonan, and her sister and brother-in-law M.J. and Gary Robson. She launched the parade right on time!
 
Marni Greenberg took on a variety of tasks related to the celebration on the flat, while nudging me to move on certain activities. She really helped to keep me on track. Marni coordinated the vendor set-up and roped her husband, Mel, in laying out the parking near the site. She also created the frame for the sign at Route 28/County Route 6 that Christine Batey made. Marni’s help was invaluable to the success of the celebration.
 
Thanks to Todd Keister and Lionel Ing for helping with the parking
 
Lake Jillienne was the perfect site for staging the parade – thank you to Susan LaFever for allowing us to use the site.
 
Thank you to the Livestock Foundation for allowing us to use the parking space behind and next to the creamery. And we appreciated having Livestock Executive Director Andrea McGinty on the committee.
 
Roger McIntosh not only gave us permission to use the McIntosh flat, but along with his brother Chuck, helped move stuff to get the site set up. And a big thank you to Chuck for the biggest fundraising event for the Bicentennial, the very successful pie and cake auction held in July 2019.
 
Samantha Misa used her talents to create and run our children's games at the celebration. Thanks from me and the children. (And remember, Samantha was the creator of the Bovina Bicentennial logo.)
 
Mary Pelletier and Pam Benson ably organized the music program. A big thank you to them and to all the performers:
 
·         Emcee Ira McIntosh
·         Dan Finn
·         Timothy Harlo Bray
·         Catskill Music Consort

·         Flutes: Wynne Shilling, Susan Moravek, Jacqueline Yuzzi

·         Oboe: Mel Greenberg

·         Clarinets: Donna Ward, Patricia Reynolds

·         Horn: Albert Vazquez

·         Violins: Marie Tucker, Elizabeth Zimmerman

·         Violins: Katharine Griswold, Penelope Cypress, Elizabeth Collins

·         Violas: Amy Pratt, Jeff Wilson

·         Cellos: Gretchen Becker, Victoria Von Arx

·         Piano: Gina Lefferts

·         Conductor: Nicholas Scarim

·         True
·         Kate Burrascano
·         Mark Pelletier
·         John “Chico” Finn
·         Dan “Johnny Parr” Pelletier
·         Etienne Lytle
·         The College Farm
 
Sangeeta Pratap helped with the festival on the flat, finding and contacting vendors and helping with the set-up. Sangeeta jumped in whenever we needed and heavily promoted the Bovina Bicentennial Afghan project.
 
Shannon and Shirley Shoemaker built and set up the I [Heart] Bovina sign. It was a huge hit with attendees, as was the cow with the Bicentennial logo. And thanks to Shannon for putting up the no parking signs on the parade route.
 
Starting in 2019, a group of knitters/crocheters, coordinated by Susan Yelavich, worked on the Bovina Bicentennial Afghan. Lovingly knitted by Christine Batey, Jan Bray, Linda Dunne, Lori Glavin, Peg Hilson, Sangeeta Pratap and Susan Yelavich, it was raffled off at the festival, proceeds to benefit the Bovina Public Library. The winner was Betty Powell.
 
Thanks to the Bicentennial committee members
 
·         Parade Committee: Molly Brannen, Kevin Brown, Donna Dickson-Noonan
 
·         Bicentennial Festival Committee: Brooke Alderson, Marni Greenburg, Sangeta Pratap
 
·         Music Festival Committee: Pamela Benson, Mary Pelletier
 
·         Parking Committee: Todd Keister
 
·         The Bicentennial committee also included Nick Frandsen, Andrea McGinty, John Salak and Shannon Shoemaker. Thank you to all who stepped in and helped with the success of the celebration.
 
Thank you to the Delhi Telephone Company for providing the free Wi-Fi access and to Town Clerk Cathie Hewitt, who worked DTC’s Josh VanDuesen (grandson of Clark and Gladys Lay) to allow us to do the Wi-Fi through the town’s router.
 
Thank you to our Donors, including:
 
·         Livestock Foundation
·         Jim and Tom Hoy
·         Marian Jardine
·         Richard Davidson
·         Chuck McIntosh, McIntosh Auction Service, for the highly successful pie auction in July 2019
Funding also was provided through two Tourism Promotion and Development Grants from the Delaware County Local Development Corporation.
 
And thank you to the Bovina Town Board for their continuing support and encouragement.