Altamont Library Notes for Wednesday, April 12, 2023
When it rains, it really pours sometimes. In the past few weeks, the Altamont community has gotten a bit smaller and less interesting with the passing of several noteworthy Altamont residents.
Some of them had been pillars of the Altamont community for decades, and others had only later in life found a home here, but all were valued tiles in the mosaic of our village.
About some of them, like George Pratt, much has been written and not much more needs to be said (except to say that the last time I shook his hand, George — by then well into his 90s — still had the strongest handshake I think I’ve ever experienced).
Some others, however, can be memorialized further. Ruth Anne Burby left us a few weeks ago at the far too young age of 57. She was a devoted library user, a prolific volunteer, a kind and generous soul who gave more of herself to the Altamont and Farnsworth PTAs than could reasonably have been asked of anyone.
Mary Hughes was, like George Pratt, 94 at the time of her passing last week. She lived nearly her entire life in Altamont, and was active in nearly every aspect of community life, including serving on the library’s board of trustees among much, much else. She was a particular favorite of ours, a voracious reader and a warm and gentle presence especially when accompanied by her husband, Hal, who passed away last June.
Two more recent additions to the community were David Silver and Charlie Russell, both neighbors at Brandle Meadows, who found a welcoming home in Altamont later in their lives. Both were great readers, and all-around great guys. All of them made a contribution to the life of our village, and all will be deeply missed.
It’s weeks like this that remind us of the double-edged nature of living in a tight community like Altamont, where it can sometimes feel as though everybody knows everybody. We get to enjoy the joys of comfort and familiarity, but we also have the sadness that comes when any member of our community leaves us.
Library gala
Tickets will be available next week for the 2023 I Love My Library Gala!
Taking place on Saturday, May 20, from 6 to 9 p.m., the gala is AFL’s biggest fundraiser of the year (actually, it’ll be our biggest fundraiser in over three years!), and we need your help to make it a success.
This year, we’re changing things up a bit: Instead of the freezing cold of February, we’re holding it amid the (hopefully) beautiful weather of early spring, and instead of holding it at Village Hall, we’ll be holding it in the beautiful Flower & Fine Arts Building on the Altamont fairgrounds!
If you attend, you’ll enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a carving station and a salad station, homemade desserts, live music, and an auction in a beautiful setting amongst the snazziest dressed folks in town. Tickets will be $75 per person. Better yet, join our Honorary Committee and you’ll get your ticket to the gala, and have your name prominently displayed in the event program and on posters around the Fine Arts Building.
This year, our theme will be Our Community in Bloom, and we will be honoring several individuals who contribute to the daily beautification of the village. I am very pleased to announce that our honorees this year are Keith C. Lee, John Sands, Al and Veronica D’Alauro, and staff of the Village Department of Public Works. Each of them have contributed in their own ways to make Altamont the lovely and picturesque place that it is. We are proud to be able to call them all friends of the library.
Earth Day
happenings
Earth Day is coming up on Saturday, April 22, and we’ve got two cool things going on that day. First, we’ve got the annual Village-wide Green & Clean sponsored by Altamont Community Tradition from 9 a.m. to around noon. We’ll pick up sticks and trash, prepare garden beds, and generally give Orsini, Schilling, and Angel parks a nice spiffing up.
It’s a great way to give back to the community and to show your gratitude for the wonderful place that we call home. If you happen to have some garden tools and/or a wheelbarrow that you can bring, it would be greatly appreciated.
If you’re not at the Green & Clean, why not start your day off with an inspiring screening of the award-winning documentary “The Seeds of Vandana Shiva,” at the Guilderland Public Library? Presented jointly by the Guilderland Public Library and the Altamont Free Library, the film tells the remarkable life story of Indian eco-activist Dr. Vandana Shiva and her struggles with the corporate industrial agriculture giants.
The film also aims to shine a light on where we are today — industrial food accounts for up to 40 percent of carbon emissions, while pesticides destroy soils, water systems and biodiversity, and harm human health. While the film is for all ages, we especially encourage teens and young adults to attend! As an additional feature, we will be giving away a copy of Dr. Shiva’s brand-new memoir, “Terra Viva: My Life in a Biodiversity of Movements,” to the first 10 people to attend the event!