CV-S student to give reading of poem at Lake Appreciation Day

To commemorate Lake Appreciation Day, Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School student Zachariah O’Connor has been invited to give a reading of his poem, titled ``The Thoughts of the Changing Water,’’ as a prelude to the pot-luck lunch beginning at noon.

O’Connor, a fifth-grader, was a finalist in the Empire State Poetry Connection competition and participated in a state-wide reading of the poem through the school’s distance learning program.

He wrote the piece, about the importance of clean water, for Jennifer Hanson’s fifth-grade enrichment class.

``It’s a very thought-provoking poem. The judges wrote to me and recommended that I submit it to an environmental magazine,’’ said Hanson.

Sandra Peevers and Bernd Neumann will also perform as part of Lake Appreciation Day. At 2:30 p.m., the duo will provide lively traditional Quebecois tunes to commemorate Lake Otsego and the 400th anniversary of the water explorations of Henry Hudson and Samuel de Champlain.

A full slate of activities is planned for Lake Appreciation Day, to be held on Saturday, July 11 at Glimmerglass State Park.

The event will kick off with a youth trail clean-up program, which will be followed by a number of recreational and educational outdoor activities and a pot-luck lunch. Visitors are also invited to ``treasure hunt’’ along the trails of the park for a Glimmerglass Opera water bottle with a free pair of opera tickets hidden inside.

Lake Appreciation Day will include:

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation biologist Tom Hughes, who will conduct a ``show and tell’’ session on aquatic life in Otsego Lake and/or Beaver Pond;

Fly tying and fly casting demonstration by members of Trout Unlimited, Upper Susquehanna Chapter, offering hands-on opportunities for both adults and children;

`Treasure hunt’ for a Glimmerglass Opera water bottle with a free pair of opera tickets hidden inside;

Reading of ôThe Thoughts of the Changing Waterö by Zachariah O’Connor;

Quebecois tunes by Sandra Peevers and Bernd Neumann;

Nature Explorer Children’s Program for ages 5- 12;

Youth trail clean-up of the Sleeping Lion Trail, made possible by the Stewart’s Holiday Match program;

Hike of the Sleeping Lion Trail, led by field specialist Joseph Homburger of the Otsego Land Trust;

Canoes provided by Otsego County Conservation Association;

Pot-luck lunch;

Educational exhibits by lake-focused organizations in the Lake View and Beach Front enclosed pavilions. The pot-luck lunch begins at noon. Lake Appreciation Day attendees are asked to bring a dish to pass, along with their own table service and cups. Beverages will be provided.

Glimmerglass State Park, located eight miles outside the Village of Cooperstown, overlooks Otsego Lake, the ``Glimmerglass’’ of James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales. The rolling, partially-wooded terrain is host to a wide variety of wildlife. The Sleeping Lion uphill trail through the forest affords a spectacular view of Otsego Lake while walking through majestic white pines, hemlocks, and hardwoods. The Beaver Pond and Woodland trails are picturesque and of interest for their variety of wildflowers, shrubs, ferns, and mosses. The Hyde Hall Mansion, covered bridge, and a selfguided Beaver Pond Nature Trail are within park boundaries and open to visitors. Other park amenities and activities include beach, campsites, concessions, biking, fishing, and playground.

The Nature Explorer Children’s Program is new to the park this year. Visitors are invited to stop at the park office to pick up a Nature Explorer booklet to learn more about the abundant nature and wildlife the park offers. Activities in the booklet may be completed either individually or in a group, in one day or over several visits. An Explorer Pin will be awarded to participants upon return of the book to the park office anytime during the 2009 park season.

On Friday evening, July 10, Friends of Glimmerglass continues its free outdoor movie series with a showing of ``Marley and Me’’ (PG). The movie will begin at dark at the West Shelter. Admission is free, and the film will be shown under cover if it is raining.

Admission to Glimmerglass State Park is $7 per car. The Empire Passport will be accepted.

Boaters are encouraged to paddle in for the day. Organizers are still firming up schedule and exhibitor details.

For more information, call (607) 547-4488.

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