From snowshoes to bird houses summer rec program sizzles
HILLTOWNS Bernes summer recreation program was going strong Monday morning.
At Jack and Ruth Norrays farm, a heavily-forested acreage that lines both sides of Pleasant Valley Road in Knox, the sun shone down on the beautiful summer day. Hammering could be heard from a pond a hundred yards from the road, where kids built bluebird houses.
Jack Norray moved down a line of youngsters, busy with their projects.
"You’re doing good," Norray told the fifth- through eighth-graders.
Last week, another group of fifth- through eighth-graders participated in the program. Numbers were a bit higher on the first day of the two-week program, with 23 showing up.
During the program, which is open to children in first grade through eighth grade, kids pursue a variety of activities.
"We’ve been so blessed," said Pam Porter; last week there was only one threat of a thunderstorm. "Every day, I think, the kids have had a really exciting adventure."
Though fewer kids were participating this week, chaperones and kids were excited about the activities.
The first week, activities included bicycling along the Hudson River; orienteering; visiting a horse farm; and taking a trip to the Huyck Preserve in Rensselaerville, where wildlife rehabilitators released a red-tailed hawk into the wild. During an outing at Warners Lake in Berne, an 11-year-old girl caught 11 fish.
On Monday, a group of 10 kids strapped snowshoes to their feet and raced down a grass-covered hill with no snow in sight. For some, snowshoeing was a new find. More experienced members in the group, such as Taylor Della Rocco and Maclin Norray, quickly strapped their shoes on before helping others with their gear. With nearly 200 acres, the Norrays property has a snowshoeing trail. The couple, active with the Hilltop Hoppers, officiates kayak and snowshoe races and holds snowshoe try-outs at the Berne-Knox-Westerlo soccer fields in February each year for the Empire State Winter Games held in Lake Placid.
Jack Norray, who has lived in Knox for 32 years and is the towns dog-control officer, first strapped on a pair of snowshoes when he was serving in the military in Alaska, he said.
The Norrays have a large collection of snowshoes, some modern ones made of plastic and metal; some older, made of rawhide and wood. Each pair of snowshoes, Norray said, has a story. Hes been snowshoeing for over 50 years, he said.
Norray stepped in front of the group of kids Monday and taught them about snowshoeing.
"The heavier you are, the bigger snowshoe you need," he said. "You want to dress light."
As the kids got in place on the hayfield to run at top speed, their large shoes clumped loudly on the green grass. Some raced with determined looks on their faces; others were smiling and laughing at the new experience.
