PINE PLAINS — After celebrating victory after victory on the ball field these past few weeks, the Pine Plains softball 10 and under (10-u) Allstars softball team is now headed to the state championship tournament with their bats at the ready and the Pine Plains community cheering them on.
With Coach Andy Belanger guiding them, the 10-u team is currently comprised of 12 local players. It was only last year that the majority of the team held a softball for the first time, according to Pine Plains Little League Baseball and Softball Program President Rich Tamburrino — today, he said they’re performing at the top level.
“They have shown great skills and pure talent from the top of the line up to the bottom,” Tamburrino said in praise of the young athletes.
As for the coach, on top of all his hard work maintaining the town’s playing fields and helping the Little League Baseball and Softball Committee, Tamburrino spoke highly of Belanger’s excellence and dedication as a coach, saying the team is an extension of Belanger.
Tamburrino reported the team started its playoff run with an undefeated season, taking down teams from LaGrange, Poughkeepsie and Pawling in the process and finishing its regular softball season with a 17-0 record.
Moving into the Allstars games, the team beat Pawling/Dover on Monday, July 5, winning the District 17 Championship. The team then advanced to sectionals where they defeated Indian Valley, 23-3, and then Chatham with a score of 11-4.
As of today, Tamburrino said the team is “the number one seed in Section 2 South.”
It headed to Rochester for the week-long state finals, scheduled for Tuesday, July 20, through Sunday, July 25, with the first few days set aside for a round robin to determine seeding, followed by semifinal/final elimination rounds.
Praising each and every player on the team for their athleticism, talents and teamwork, Tamburrino said, “All of these girls are hard workers and you can see that at practice. They come early and, to the parents’ dismay, stay late. They are hungry for competition and look forward to playing good teams at the State Championship Tournament. They look at how hard it will be to win states and smile right back.”
The girls themselves said they were very excited about their success this season and the prospect of going to states.
Proud of their softball team for their feats on the field, the Pine Plains community rallied behind the girls to help them get to the states on a high note. Realizing the team was short of funds to get to Rochester to compete at the state level, The Stissing Center performing arts center launched a fundraiser to help raise the $10,000 needed to cover lodging costs during the tournament. The players’ parents and coaches paid to cover the costs of food and travel.
Any funds raised in excess of the lodging costs will go to the Pine Plains Recreation Department to help fund the construction of new softball dugouts.
As a credit to the community spirit of Pine Plains — not to mention the town’s love of all things softball and baseball — in two days, The Stissing Center announced it had reached its fundraising goal with local businesses collecting money in cash jars.
As posted in her recent town newsletter, Pine Plains town Supervisor and fervent cheerleader Darrah Cloud remarked it was the cash jar at the Platter that helped them reach the goal.
Thanking the town of its terrific support, Cloud wrote, “You continue to be the small town where people take care of each other. Play ball, Pine Plains!”
NORTH CANAAN — Dr.f Donald Terance “Doc” Martin, 86, of North Canaan, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at his home in North Canaan, which was his last wish. Dr. Martin was a dentist in Canaan, retiring in 2014. He served the community and their needs whether they could pay or not, and at all hours of the day and night. They do not make men like Don “Doc” Martin anymore.
Born on Aug. 27, 1938 in Walla Walla, Washington, he was the youngest of George T. and Anna Mae (McGrath) Martin’s eight children. Don proudly served in the US Navy with the Seabees during the Vietnam War. He adopted the Seabee’s “Can Do” attitude that served him for the rest of his life. Don married Lynne Horner in 1964.
Don was a 50-year friend of Bill W. He sponsored numerous others through his devotion to Alcoholics Anonymous. When people asked how he managed to stay sober for five decades, he said, “Don’t drink. Go to meetings. And don’t die.” And, “If you’re going to get old, you should do it in the program.”
Don fiercely loved his family, and he embraced his community. Wherever he went, people shouted, “Hi, Doc!” He enthusiastically supported local causes. In the early 1980s, he founded Friends of Football, a booster club for the Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s football team. He was a regular at Housy athletic events during his children’s years as students there, and continued to support the teams even after his youngest child graduated.
In addition to his loving wife of 60 years, Don is survived by a son, Rick Martin of Canaan, and two daughters, Kelley Marshall and her husband, Bill, of Hyde Park, New York, and Laura McCarthy and her husband, Neil, of Berlin, Connecticut. He is also survived by four grandchildren; William Marshall, V, Meagan Marshall and her fiancé, Cameron Jones, Maxim Martin and Meave McCarthy; a special friend, Jeff King, cousins Ann Kaufman, Jay Martin, Kathy Horner, Dan Horner, John Horner, Katherine Edlund, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at the North Canaan Congregational Church, 172 Lower Rd, East Canaan, with Pastor Mark Brady officiating. The repass follows from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at the VFW Post #6851, 104 S. Canaan Rd., Canaan, CT. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Doc Martin should be made to the Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, P.O. Box 306, North Canaan, CT 06018 or VFW Post #6851, P.O. Box 913, Canaan, CT 06018. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home, 118 Main Street, Canaan, CT.
Busy as he is these days, Santa took a bit of time to join in congratulating Wassaic’s Citizen of the Year, Ana Hajduk, following a presentation ceremony at the Wassaic Fire Department on Saturday, Dec. 14, all in conjunction with the 2024 Wassaic Parade of Lights.
WASSAIC — Wassaic residents turned out to celebrate the 2024 Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 14, enjoying the traditional parade and festivities with refreshments at the firehouse.
One of the highlights was the naming of Wassaic’s Citizen of the Year, Ana Hajduk, honoring her many contributions to the improvement of community life.
Presenting the award certificate was Amenia Town Supervisor Leo Blackman who spoke of Hajduk’s talents as garden designer and her work with designing and faithfully tending the small garden in front of the post office where a veterans’ memorial stands.
She also looks after the needs of the newly planted pine tree which has replaced the old Wassaic Christmas tree. She also lends her talents to tending the beds planted by the Amenia Garden Club. And, she has successfully conquered the mugwort infestation at the Borden plant.
Blackman praised Hajduk also for her work with the Fountain Square plantings, and her willingness to lug buckets of water to a variety of growing things.
Hajduk lived for a time in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where her mother had rehabilitated an abandoned rail line to create a six-block long public park over a period of 20 years.
“Ana has it in her blood to improve the places where she lives,” Blackman said.
Mary Albasi, resident of The Fountains at Millbrook, knitting for one of the community’s donations.
MILLBROOK — A long-established tradition of giving to deserving community organizations is continuing throughout the holiday season at The Fountains at Millbrook.
Three area charities were selected for this year’s charitable giving. The Center for Compassion in Dover Plains has received 26 bags of food and several boxes of clothing collected by Fountains residents since the Thanksgiving season and continuing through the holidays. The extensive history of giving was described on Wednesday, Dec. 11, by Lisa Rieckermann, community life director at The Fountains.
Infants housed at the Care Net Pregnancy Center in Poughkeepsie are being kept warm by hand-knit items produced by the Knit/Crochet Group at The Fountains. Resident Mary Albasi was praised by Rieckermann for her dedication, having created more than 100 pieces for the center.
“Mary’s passion is truly shown through the dedication she has for her work,” Rieckermann said.
Families at the Grace Smith House, a domestic violence support center in Poughkeepsie, are also being assisted by residents at The Fountains. This month, Rieckermann reported, Terri Smith, a staff member in The Fountains’ Café, is raising funds for gift cards to be provided to the Grace Smith House. Skilled at crafting, Smith is using her talents to create centerpieces for Café tables. Residents purchase the centerpieces, thereby raising the funds to purchase the gift cards.
“It makes my heart happy to give back,” Smith said.
Residents also maintain an ongoing interest in supporting the Holiday Toy Drive with the American Legion and the Hudson Valley Animal Rescue organization.
Dutchess County Legislator Chris Drago and Town of North East Councilwoman Meg Winkler help welcome Habitat for Humanity homeowners Anthony and Vanessa Macagnone (center) to their new home on Rudd Pond Road in Millerton, Wednesday, Dec. 18.
