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ACAL NEWS - Week of November 7, 2004

On November 3, as the people of the United States "officially" re-elected President George W. Bush to a second term, I sent a packet of information to Governor George Pataki from Adirondack Communities Advisory League.Included in the packet was a letter to the governor, ACAL's most recentcivil liberities press release, a New York Times article, ACAL's target ad, and approximately 50 letters written by members of this community concerning their opposition to the Ava dump.

Many of you may think, "What's so new and exciting about writing a letter to the governor?" What makes this action relevant is not only the letter itself, but the sixty plus individuals, organizations and media who all received copies of it.

The purpose of the letter is to encourage an immediate response from the governor with regard to this community's opposition to the Oneida-HerkimerSolid Waste Authority's blunder of a landfill, situated in an area that should remain forever wild and protected by New York State. It is ACAL's hope that several media sources will also be interested in following this story, now that they know it exists. I will keep you posted on our progress.

In other ACAL news, on Wednesday, November 10, beginning at 4:30, please come to the Boonville Elks Lodge and treat yourself and your family to a delicious Gil & Joyce Fox roast pork dinner. All proceeds help ACAL to preserve and protect our community. Adult dinners are $8.50 and children are $4.00. Take-outs are available. Thank you for your support!

Tickets for ACAL's Thanksgiving Drawing are still available. This is an awesome fund raiser which consists of a complete Thanksgiving dinner for 8-10 people prepared by the fund raising committee and delivered to the winner's home on Wednesday, November 24. If you are preparing your own Thanksgiving dinner this year, please consider purchasing tickets anyway. If you win, you may donate the dinner to a family in need. Books of 6 tickets are available for $5 from any ACAL member or at Grandpa's Desk Tutoring.

I wish to share a little story with you this week.

Early Sunday morning, my husband, Kevin, and I had a nice breakfast at Dorrity's Restaurant in Lyons Falls. On our way home, we took the Moose River Road from Port Leyden to Boonville. As we entered the Boonville Village limits, we began to pass the Boonville Cemetery. Never having visted the cemetery before, we decided to drive through this amazing landmark.

Curious to see the view from the highest hill of the cemetery, we made the slow climb upward and around. What we discovered on top was breath taking. Yes, the view was beautiful. However, it was the names on the stones of the people buried there that touched us the most.

Many of the names were familiar. People whose families have lived in Boonville for generations. There were relatives and ACAL members. There were individuals who lived long happy lives, and others who were taken too soon from this life. And burial plots with stones and names of people who still bless us with their presence.

As we looked out over the Village of Boonville we could see many familiar sights. The American flag in the village green, C. Hughes Hardware and True Value, and all the way to where Route 294 meets Merry Hill Road. We couldn't see our place because of all the trees in the way, but we knew it was on the next hill from where we were standing. It was such a beautiful sight, I took a few pictures of the view. I then said a prayer for the people buried there and for their families, and proceeded to drive the lower levels.

What a magnificient cemetery. Filled with history, and old and new family names, it is an important part of this community. This is where we lay our family, friends and neighbors to rest. This cemetery is a part of Boonville history. But more important, it is a part of our lives.

We live in a special community. A community which needs to be forever protected and preserved for future generations. Please support ACAL's efforts to ensure this beautiful area remains unspoiled. Thank you for your support.