Beacon Sloop Club
Broadside
Volume 34, Issue 2
February  2007
Serving The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater With Pride for 34 years
Message from Our President:

     Life can be very good!  This past Friday and Saturday are testament to that.  Friday night we were fortunate to be entertained and instructed by the 5th and 6th grade classes from Woodcrest Bruderhof  School at Rifton.  They opened the February General Meeting with lively songs in the Pete Seeger tradition that reminded us that we are stewards of this earth.  We must work to leave all children a World that is beautiful and livable.   The next night one hundred Sloop Club members, friends, and families gathered at the River Terrace Restaurant in Beacon for the Woody Dinner.  I don't have Pete's talent for describing things, but the excitement, warmth, and community in the room were very special.  Yes, we raised some much needed cash to repair the Woody, but we could have done that by mailing in a check.  This gathering went far beyond fund raising.  I extend my deep thanks to Tom and Aimee LaBarr for their hard work in putting this event together and I echo what many of you said to me as it was ending, "Let's do this again."

    Thanks to all of you in the Club for all you do to make life so very enjoyable.

John

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The Beacon Sloop Club Broadside is the official monthly newsletter of the Beacon Sloop Club, Inc.
The Beacon Sloop Club, Inc. is a non-profit, volunteer environmental education/action and sailing organization dedicated to cleaning up the Hudson River and its environs.  Our main focus is the Beacon, Fishkill and Newburgh area.
Members meet the first Friday of every month at the Sloop Club Building located just across from the Beacon train station.  Look for the building with the pine tree growing out of the roof!  A potluck dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.; bring a covered dish to share and your own place setting.  The general meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. and lasts about an hour or so.  The meeting is followed by a sing-along.

The Beacon Sloop Club is now accessible from the web:
www.beaconsloop.org
or www.beaconsloopclub.org

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NEXT EXEC. COM. MEETING IS TUESDAY, February 20th, 7:30 p.m.
NEXT MEMBERSHIP MEETING IS FRIDAY, March 2nd, at 7:30 p.m.  Potluck at 6:30 p.m.


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Please submit articles by the 1st Monday after the Friday meeting for the for the
Beacon Sloop Club Broadside to lindab@usadatanet.net


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Sloop Clearwater's first annual
SPRING SPLASH!

Come celebrate the rising of the sap and the turning of the season with
Beacon High School Steppers
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion
Richie Havens
Pete Seeger

Saturday, March 24 at 8 p.m.
Beacon High School Auditorium

(wheelchair accessible)
101 Matteawan Rd., Beacon, NY
Tickets 2/1:  $25, $35, $50
Available at Brown Paper Tickets:
00-838-3006 or brownpaperticket.com
Information & special sponsorship tickets
Available at Clearwater.org, 845-454-7673


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Free Seedlings

48                The number of pounds of oxygen the average tree produces in a year, and the number of pounds of CO2 the average tree absorbs and turns into wood a year.

X 7 ½        The number of trees an average adult needs to plant to create their oxygen and absorb their CO2.

= 360        The number of pounds of oxygen each adult person needs per year; also the amount in pounds of CO2 the average person expires per year.

A bank of trees in an urban setting can cool nearby buildings by 20 degrees F., eliminate 60 per cent of soot, 48 pounds of particulates per day, 9 pounds of nitrogen dioxide, 6 pounds of sulphur dioxide, 2 pounds of carbon monoxide and 100 pounds of carbon.  Near a roadway, a single tree can absorb 60 mg. of cadmium, 140 mg. of chromium, 820 mg. of nickel and 5200 mg. of lead from the air in a single season.

From:  Earth at the Crossroads by Evan Pritchard 

Watershed groups/allies:  Are there stream sides in your area needing replanting against erosion?  Contact Andrew Dorsey about the free seedling program at Stony Kill/DEC at (845) 831-8780 X327 or acdorsey@gw.dec.state.ny.us.    


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Every Sunday Farmers Market
at the Beacon Waterfront 10-4pm


Simply Valley
All Local Hudson Valley Products
Sprout Creek Farm Cheeses
(Toussaint and Ouray Cheese)
Fresh made Lamb, Mushroom Spring Rolls
Fresh Made Pasta
Mario's Brick Oven Bread
Mary Finger Organic Free Range Eggs

Special Large Quantity orders call 845-562-0192



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Advertisements:


Every Sunday Farmers Market
at the Beacon Waterfront 10-4pm
-------------------------------------------------------------

Simply Valley
All Local Hudson Valley Products
Sprout Creek Farm Cheeses
(Toussaint and Ouray Cheese)
Fresh made Lamb, Mushroom Spring Rolls
Fresh Made Pasta
Mario's Brick Oven Bread
Mary Finger Organic Free Range Eggs

Special Large Quantity orders call 845-562-0192


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Beacon Sloop Club Executive Meeting
January 23, 2007


John McLaughlin, Presiding.

Present:
Tom LaBarr, Kip Touraine, Betty Harkin, Linda Beatty, Jim Finnigan, Fran Sansone, Sue Altkin

David Cohen confirmed as a Woody Mate.

Discussion of Woody deck project at Scarano Boat Builders.  Total expenditures (some paid, some unpaid, some expected) are in the high $50,000 to $60,000 region, and we have an outstanding bill for about $29,000 from Scarano that may be in error.  John, Kip, and Tom Baldino will go to Scarano tomorrow and will probably shut down the project as we have exceeded funds available, even with outstanding $15,000 due from Hudson River Foundation.

Woody is scheduled to sail at Festival at Cornwall on June 2, Kip as Captain.  Discussion of Revival and other sailing dates including Garrison, Ramble, Revival, and River Swim with River Pool.

Woody Raffle will be underway by Feb. meeting with ticket pulled at Corn Festival, and moonlight sail date is set for August 26.

Discussion of new regional environmental action group forming in area around Mount Beacon.  Peter Rostenberg will speak at next BSC meeting.  John asked to have Peter formally accepted onto the Environmental Committee to add endorsement of BSC to articles regarding local environmental conditions and action.

Approval of hat pass at next meeting for tickets for children to attend CW fund-raiser in March.

Discussion of possible fund raiser suggested by Fran Sansone.  Fran directed to further explore and report back.

Discussion of Woody Dinner.

Sue is having Bill Hudson take a look at the clubhouse ceiling and tree problem for possible correction.  John has also asked another carpenter to look it over as an advisor.

Kip and John are scheduled to meet with Mark Seigler, Kid's Place, to discuss possible joint effort on summer sail program.

Discussion of pending budget and concurrence to have Linda prepare draft for February meeting for action at March meeting.  Jim Finnigan reported he is still working on past taxes.  Linda stated that 2006 tax preparation going well and will be filed.  But past records are so spotty as to make tax prep very difficult.  John is going to speak with a tax expert in Newburgh regarding possible assistance with preparation of past taxes.

Prepared by John McLaughlin



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Global warming-What We Can Do About It

"Review the science behind An Inconvenient Truth, climate change implications in the Hudson Valley, and action steps at every scale from household to community to state, for preserving and restoring the integrity of our environment while creating more vibrant economies."

Our speaker, Melissa Everett, Executive Director of Sustainable Hudson Valley (345-331-2670), was not able to come to our last general meeting because of bad weather.  She is planning to come in February instead.  Let's hope the weather will be better this time!

Melissa has recently been trained by The Climate Project to offer a carefully-researched presentation developed by former Vice President Al Gore.  She will be speaking briefly to the Beacon Sloop Club about her program and Al Gore's plan to involve communities in doing what they can to reverse the dangerous trend toward global warming.  Melissa will be asking for our support in helping to put on a larger presentation in the Beacon/Newburgh region for all to attend so that local residents can learn about the plan and start working on it together in our individual communities.  If you like the ideas put forth in her short discussion, would you like to help put on a larger program?


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Announcements

Someone to print newsletter needed:  Tom LaBarr, who has been doing a great job of printing the newsletter, reports that the cartridges on his printer are now obsolete; so he will soon not be able to use his printer to print the newsletter any longer.  We need volunteer and/or suggestions for another plan for printing.
Festival Coordinators needed:  Phyllis Newham has kindly consented to coordinate the Strawberry Festival for this year.  The Club is still looking, however, for volunteer coordinators for the other festivals.  Please let John McLaughlin know if you have an interest in trying this job.
Sweet kitty needs a home:  Grey and beige young female orphan kitty living on Tom's porch needs a home of her own.  Very loving with people but shy with other kitties.  Call Tom or Aimee at 831-4267 for more information.


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Beacon Sloop Club General Meeting Minutes
February 2, 2007

John Mc Laughlin, president, presiding.

May the Circle Be Unbroken:  Despite the cold weather and freshly fallen snow, the club was filled with bustling sloopers ablaze with the warmth of camaraderie. The good food and fireplace glow were but added attractions to a memorable and instructional evening thru song led by the children of the Bruderhof Community in Rifton, now referred to as the Woodcrest Community. Their songs about love, rainbows, garbage and dripping faucets were a gentle reminder to care for our environment.  Pete Seeger graciously accepted the Community's request to join them in song with If I Had a Hammer.  Beacon Sloop Club's Circle of Song musicians who begin and end our night with melodies, included: Mike Skolnick, organizer, Sue Altkin, Tom Baldino, David Bernz, Erica Hauk Darcy, Dan Einbender, Dave Fecca, Edmund Fitzgerald, Gale Hauck, Kurt Hauck, Patricia Hauk, Ingrid Heldt, April Iorio, Clifford Seth, and Steve Van der Merwe.

Treasurer's Report:  Linda Beatty distributed a February report indicating a total of $15,150.57 in the Sloop Club account with a footnote indication that $24,345.47 is still outstanding at Scarano's.  John McLaughlin noted that the Scarano invoice does not reflect a $5,310.00 payment mailed Jan. 29.  Linda also presented a draft budget that will be discussed and voted on at the March meeting.  John noted that this budget is about $20,000 out of balance with projected revenues.  This projected imbalance is due to existing and anticipated Woody maintenance and repair costs.

Woody Dinner:  Capt. Tom La Barr reported that the Feb. 4th dinner/fundraiser is sold out and that a report of the profits will be made at the next meeting.

Building Committee:  Sue Altkin, vice president, reported that Bill Hudson, carpenter and musician, will start construction on the clubhouse roof/ceiling March 26th.  Volunteers are always welcome and can contact Sue.  Sue invites everyone to come by the clubhouse that week to do cleaning and repairs.  Call her!!!

Woody Report:  Capt. Kip Touraine indicated that we would, "Finish the work ourselves that we can't afford," which includes the cockpit sole and much carpentry.  The Woody would be hauled from Scarano's at a cost of about $1,300 to White's Marina for the undertaking.  Volunteers are needed to work on the boat, which may get into the water late this year.  David Cohen was announced as a Woody mate.  So far, nine weekend event sails and two weekday event sails have been planned for 2007.  We received a new
$10,000 grant from Hudson River Improvement Foundation and a gift of $5,000 from Nora Guthrie toward Woody repairs.  We are still short an immediate $5,000 to get the boat paid off at Scarano and overall we need about $20,000 above the funds raised to date to complete the project.

Grants:  Due March 9th: The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation:  Five-Star Restoration for a water kayaking /boat
trail in Fishkill Creek.  Interested persons should contact Capt. Tom LaBarr.

Clearwater Report:  Dan Einbender said that Clearwater's Executive Director Greg Swanzey has resigned.  A card was sent around by Sue Altkin wishing him good luck.  Volunteer lists were signed for those interested in working at Clearwater's
Spring Splash
concert, Sat., March 24th at 8p.m. at Beacon High School, featuring Richie Havens, Pete Seeger, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion.  Tixs are $25, $35 and $50.  Call 800 838 3006 or go
to www.brownpapertickets.com http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ .

Riverpool Report:  Alan Zollner announced Sun., Aug 5th as the date of the 4th Annual River Swim/Fundraiser.  Aug. 19th is the rain date.  The swim from Newburgh to Beacon is 72 lengths of a standard in-ground pool for those who wish to begin practicing.  Once again kayakers and Coast guard boats will man the river for swimmer safety.  The pool will be installed in the river June 9 to be ready for the public by early July and is 20'' deep and 20ft. in diameter with a floating mesh bottom.  The floating pool allows community members to safely take a dip in the Hudson.  For more info., www.riverpool.org <http://www.riverpool.org>.

Club Action:  By consensus the Club decided to allow Peter Rostenberg (Fishkill Ridge Caretakers) to publish his affiliation with the Beacon Sloop Club in articles that he may write for local papers concerning environmental issues in the area.  The Club asked that all such articles be submitted to member of our Environmental Committee (Tom LaBarr, Chairman) for review prior to publication.

Announcements:  Nate Binzen, 845 702-2718, mentioned that several groups have banded together to form a coalition whose purpose is to monitor properties in threat of overdevelopment such as Texaco's 93 acres that's zoned
industrial (Friends of Glenham), Craig House, University Settlement and the Fishkill Revolutionary War Depot site across from the Dutchess Mall.  Nate offered to take a group on Sun., Feb. 4th, 2 p.m., to view the properties at risk.  For more info., please contact Nate.

Connie Hogarth asked everyone to join in the Step-It-Up 2007 Global Warming event on April 14th and think of ways to stop global warming. Connie also noted that there was a full bus for the Peace March on Washington DC on Jan. 27th.

Musicians Mary Ellen and Vinny along with Bill Hudson will be part of The Feel Good Tour in New Orleans which will distribute instruments to children.   A request was made for instruments before their departure on Sun., Feb.5th.

Mary Scmaltz announced that a Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission has been appointed by Gov. Pataki and that the year 2009 will mark the 400th anniversary of Hudson and Champlain's voyages along the Hudson River.   A detailed calendar of events is being planned.  For more info., go
to www.exploreny400.com http://www.exploreny400.com/

Respectfully submitted, Francesca Sansone


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     A Montana cowboy was overseeing his herd in a remote mountainous pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of a dust cloud towards him.
     The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban Sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"
     The cowboy looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing herd and calmly answers, "Sure, why not?"
     The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS Satellite Navigation System to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo. 
     The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg, Germany.
     Within seconds, he receives an e-mail on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored.
     He then accesses a MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel Spreadsheet with e-mail on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.
     Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized HP LaserJet printer and finally turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."
     "That's right.  Well, I guess you can take one of my calves,  says the cowboy.
     He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on amused as the young man stuffs it into the trunk of his car.
     Then the cowboy says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"
     The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"
     You're a Congressman for the U.S. Government,  says the cowboy.
     "Wow!  That's correct,  says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"
     "No guessing was required,  answered the cowboy.  "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked.  You tried to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about cows…this is a herd of sheep.
     "Now give me back my dog. 

                                        Anonymous



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Woody Report

No cheery hogwash this month folks. We are in trouble.

The deck work at Scarano Boat Builders in Albany was as extensive as some feared.  We have been forced to stop the job due to lack of funds.  We are in fact at least ten thousand dollars short of being able to get her released from Scarano's.

A fund raiser like the recent dinner is great, but not enough.  If you have a fund raising idea, a possible grant source, or any spare change, send it in!

We had a bank loan lined up that would have covered us, short term, but it fell through for lack of Sloop Club tax reports.  A member has loaned us five grand already and that will have to be repaid.

The good news is that once we get the boat back we will have to complete the work, which puts us at risk of losing part of our guest season.  On the other hand, we'll have something to do...

                          Cheers, Kip Touraine


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S.O.S. (Save Our Sloop) Woody Guthrie!

We would like to encourage you to make a tax deductible donation in any amount to the Beacon Sloop Club S.O.S. to help with completion of Phase II: replacing of the deck.  For a donation of $125.00 or more, you will receive limited edition Woody 10 oz. hooded pullover sweatshirt with front pouch pocket.  Color choices are black, forest green, navy blue, royal blue, maroon or Texas orange.   Please make check payable to "Beacon Sloop Club S.O.S.  and mail it to: Beacon Sloop Club/SOS Campaign, P.O. Box 527, Beacon, NY 12508.  For donations of $125.00 or more, please include your size and preferred color choice.


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Nautical Word of the Month

Last month's word challenge:  Nippers:  Are formed of clean, unchafed yarns, drawn from condemned rope, unlaid. The yarns are stretched either over two bolts, or cleats, and a fair strain brought on each part. Theyare then "marled  from end to end, and used in various ways, viz. to bind the messenger to the cable, and to form slings for wet spars, &c. The nipper is passed at the manager-board, the fore-end pressing itself against the cable; after passing it round cable and messenger spirally, the end is passed twice round the messenger, and a foretop-man holds the end until it reaches the fore-hatchway, when a maintop-man takes it up, and at the main-hatchway it is taken off, a boy carrying it forward ready coiled for further use.  Selvagee nippers are used when from a very great strain the common nippers are not found sufficiently secure; selvagees are then put on, and held fast bymeans of tree-nails.  Bouy and nipper. Burt's patent for sounding. By this contrivance any amount of line is loosely veered. So long as the lead desends, the line runs through the nipper attached to a canvas inflated bouy. The instant it is checked or the lead touches bottom, the back strain nips the line, and indicates the vertical depth that the lead has descended.
        
Next month's word challenges:  Messenger

From The Sailor's Word-Book:  An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms by Admiral W. H. Smyth, 1867.


                Submitted by Tom LaBarr