Author Howard Frank Mosher talks to students during his program at the Old Forge Library.

Award-winning author Howard Frank Mosher presented a program to Town of Webb high school English students and Old Forge Library book group members at the library on Thursday, November 8. Mosher discussed his book, Northern Borders, which he published in 1994 and is currently being made into a film by Jay Craven, a Vermont-based independent filmmaker.

Three of his other novels, Disappearances, A Stranger in the Kingdom and Where the Rivers Flow North, have also been made into acclaimed feature films.

Mosher has written ten novels, all set in rural areas of Vermont, which usually feature a few eccentric characters with distinctive pecularities. Continue reading →

Seven high school students from the Town of Webb School were inducted as new members of the Hadarondah Chapter of the National Honor Society in a ceremony held on Tuesday, October 30 in the school gymnasium.

The new members were selected for meeting high standards of scholarship, service, leadership, citizenship, and character. They are joining the existing membership of eighteen students.

“We are very proud to recognize these outstanding members of our student body,” said Kandis Griffin, the chapter advisor. We look to the new inductees to become involved and to continue to demonstrate the outstanding qualities that resulted in their selection.”

Following remarks by Superintendent Rex Germer and a candle ceremony conducted by members of National Honor Society, Griffin called the new inductees forward. Continue reading →

Brandon DiMartino stands in front of the Tamarack Movie House in Inlet, which he co-owns with his wife Megan. Photo by Carol Hansen

Jantzi Construction Company of Croghan began demolition of the Quonset hut that houses the theater portion of Tamarack Movie House on Inlet’s Main Street on Monday, October 15.

The decision to take down the building, formerly known as the Gaiety Theatre, was necessitated by a number of financial factors, according to Brandon DiMartino, who owns the building and the adjacent Tamarack Café with his wife Megan.

High on that list of factors is the film industry’s current transition to digital film formats which would require the couple to swap out their current film and projection equipment at a cost of $50,000 to $70,000—a daunting investment for the movie house which is only open in July and August.

Brandon also cited the estimated cost of $40,000 to replace  the worn and rotting hardwood flooring that has been in place since the mid-1930’s, as another factor. Continue reading →

Gail Murray at the Town of Webb Historical Association’s Goodsell Museum in Old Forge. Photo by Carol Hansen

Gail Murray has announced she will be stepping down from her position as Director of the Town of Webb Historical Association effective November 1.

Murray, who moved to Old Forge in 1986 with her husband Randy and son Terry, was appointed to the position in April 2002.

She had previously worked eight years at the front desk of the Arts Center/Old Forge and part-time at Ed Diamond’s Antiques and Things—employment experiences that she said were incredibly helpful to her as historical director.

Murray said she was a member of the Historical Association Board  when then-director Peg Masters, Town of Webb Historian, resigned from the position.

She was asked to write a job description for a new director and when she started writing it, she said to herself, “I can do that.”

She was hired at a part-time capacity, but it wasn’t long before the Goodsell Museum’s hours grew from a three-day operation to a full five days, making the organization eligible to apply for grant opportunities.

Year-round exhibits and numerous programs and events were added which attracted more visitors to the Goodsell Museum. Eventually a second full-time employee, Kate Lewis, was hired. Continue reading →

 Natalie Ticker, Tina Olsen, Linda Valette and Nancy Venetz, four adventurous Old Forge women, are leaving for Spain on October 16, to walk the Camino de Santiago, better known as, The Way.

Each of the women said they were inspired to walk the world famous spiritual path after seeing the movie, “The Way.”

The movie, starring Martin Sheen, was shown at the Strand Theatre shortly before Rev. Lawrence Bartel, Pastor of Niccolls Memorial Church, embarked on his spiritual journey across The Way during the spring of 2012.

“I remember turning around to Tina, who was sitting behind me at the movie, and saying, ‘That’s on my bucket list,’ “ Valette said.

Later that same day, Tickner, 79, called Olsen and said, “I want to do it,” which is not surprising since Olsen, 67, and Tickner have taken many adventurous journeys together, including their trek through the Himalayas last October.

Nancy Venetz, 56, jumped on board as the fourth member of their party when a relative of Tickner’s was unable to make the trip.

The women will fly to Madrid, Spain on October 16, then take a bus to Ponferrada, the beginning point of their journey. Before starting out, they plan to take a taxi to the Cruz de Ferro, the Iron Cross, where countless pilgrims have left stones that represent their worries or intentions.  Continue reading →

The Boudreau Women: From left are Bonnie Russell, Paula Dykstra, Sue Russell, Debbie Emmert, Lorena McGuiness, Sue Beck, Donna Murphy, Lorena Payne, Paula Glisson.

When former Old Forge resident Donna Boudreau Murphy, a co-organizer of the September 29 Town of Webb All-School Reunion, began planning the event last spring, she took the opportunity to simultaneously pull together a Boudreau family reunion as well.

Sue and David Beck, at left. Sue is the daughter of Irene Boudreau Harwood; and Lorena and Bill Payne.

Donna’s grandparents were long-time Thendara residents Everest and Susan Boudreau who raised seven children: Mary Ellen (Russell), Eva, Irene (Harwood), Eddie, Elton, Harold, and Lorena (Payne), many of whom made the Old Forge area their life-long home, as have their children.

The Boudreau family home was situated on the top of the hill across the road from the Thendara Train Station.

The two “oldest” at the party- Lorena Boudreau Payne and Pauine LaBuz Boudreau Glisson. Lorena is the last surviving of the seven children of Everest and Susan Boudreau.

Among the family members who attended the reunion were: Ted, Bonnie, and Sue Russell, children of Mary and Charles Russell; Sue Beck and Tim Harwood, children of Irene; Pauline Boudreau Glisson, Eddie’s widow and their daughters Donna Murphy and Paula Dykstra; and Lorena Payne of Inlet, the sole surviving Boudreau sibling, and her daughters Debbie Emmert and Lorena McGuiness.

The family, many accompanied by their spouses, enjoyed a reunion dinner at Van Auken’s Inne and were thrilled with the opportunity to be able to catch up on each other’s lives.