Madison County Reads Ahead trains volunteer literacy tutors.  Our own Julie Carr is one of the tutors!   The Reads Ahead program recruits potential learners 16 years of age and older who want to improve their basic English language skills, get a GED diploma or learn English as a second language.  Back in 2009, before the program started, there were 5,520 adults in Madison County that had below basic literacy skills.  Also, 16.7% of Madison County adults have not completed a high school diploma or its equivalent.  There is still a lot of work to do in 2011.

Madison County Reads Ahead emphasizes in its instructional focus discovering learning styles, verbal fluency, reading comprehension, numerical competency, and preparation for entering the workforce.

Price for nine holes of golf with a cart and a steak dinner is $75.  For those enjoying the   dinner only, it is $25.  At least two members of each foursome must be regular attendees or members of Cazenovia Presbyterian.  A maximum of nine foursomes, or 36 golfers, can participate in this nine hole tournament.  Dinner will begin at 6:00 p.m. and is open to all who are interested.  Sign up sheets will be posted in the Meeting House.

Prizes will be awarded to the winning team, men’s and women’s longest drive, and closest to the pin.  Raffle prizes and door prizes will also be available to those attending the dinner.

If you have any questions, please contact the church office.

Open Your Heart Silent Auction to Benefit CazCares

Saturday, May 14th, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

On Saturday, May 14th, the third “Open Your Heart” silent auction to benefit CazCares will be held in the Meeting Hall. During the past two years, over $17,000 was raised to assist CazCares in their efforts to serve those in need in our community.  CazCares has long been a mission of Cazenovia First Presbyterian.  The Evangelism & Fellowship Committee is looking for creative donations of services, talents and special items.  A sign~up sheet will be posted in the Meeting Hall.  If you have any questions regarding donations or would like to help with the event, please contact Steve McEntee or Kevin Curtis.

“Hands Four” is the traditional call that begins every Contra Dance: an invitation to find a partner, form a long line of people and join hands with a neighboring couple. Small groups of four are created all the way down the line and dancers eagerly wait for instructions. The caller announces a series of moves and the dancers walk through the dance a couple of times. When the dancers are comfortable with the sequence of moves, the band starts playing, the caller calls the figures and the dancers put it all into a fluid motion. What happens next is pure magic. For the next ten minutes, the dancers meet, separate, weave, reunite and swing.  “A contra dance is like an amusement park ride we make for ourselves.” –Unknown.

The caller for the evening will be Bob Nicholson, a popular caller from the Syracuse area.  Nicholson is especially well-known for his ability to make newcomers feel welcome and proficient. He has been calling Contra and square dances throughout New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario for the past thirteen years. His relaxed teaching style makes dances easy for beginners while still being loads of fun for accomplished dancers.  The calling will be accompanied by the “Tired Hands String Band” with fiddle, guitar, mandolin and bass by Dave Karam, Roger Yaw and Rick Mason.

Are you ready to kick up your heels and have a ball?  Then come to the Presbyterian Church in Cazenovia on March 5^th.  The fun and laughs will only cost a $5.00 donation and a canned good in memory of Lillian Alvord.  All donated canned goods and profits will go to Caz Cares. 

On March 5th we are having a Contra Dance

to benefit Caz Cares

Please click on the Contra Dance poster link below for more information

Contra Dance sm poster2

The tournament was held at The Pompey Club. This was the third annual tournament sponsored by Cazenovia Presbyterian. Each year, a worthy cause is designated for the proceeds by the church’s Outreach and Evangelism & Fellowship Committees. This year’s beneficiary was Project Cafe at Common Grounds. Project Cafe provides a range of activities for local youth and a meeting place for those of all ages in the Cazenovia Community.

Project CAFÉ is offers programming for youth and families in our area. A non-profit, initially formed in 1995, it was granted independent 501(c)(3) charitable status by the IRS in 1998. It runs an after-school program based at Common Grounds along with mentoring, tutoring, forums for live music, local art and more. It is a major vehicle for community service and leadership development for local students. Project CAFÉ students perform hundreds of hours of service per year and have taken on major leadership roles in cherished community traditions such as July 4th, Winter Festival, our 9/11 observance and Earth Day.

The winning foursome is pictured (left to right): Steve & Darlene McEntee, Larry Shipps & Bob Hood

Winners of the longest drives were:Ray Elliott (men's) & Lisa Schaffner (women's)

Closet to the pin honors went to Dave Dibble

Please mark your calendars on Sunday, August 29, 2010, at 2:00 p.m., to ensure that you do not miss the third annual captain and crew golf tournament sponsored by your Evangelism and Fellowship Committee. The tournament will be held at the Pompey Club on Route 91 in Pompey. Please plan to arrive by 1:30 p.m. for check in.

This year, the meal will be the famous Pompey Club New York strip steak dinner with all of the trimmings. The cost will be $60.00 per person for nine holes of golf, riding cart, and dinner; and $30.00 per person for dinner only.

We plan to again feature the fabulous beverage wenches who will be circulating throughout our tournament field with an impressive assortment of drinks to keep the golfers refreshed and playing their best.

The Evangelism & Fellowship Committee has specified that at least two members of each participating group must be congregants of our church; but that is no setback since our church congregation is stacked with golf talent.

As is our custom, we plan to provide financial benefit to a local charity with the proceeds from our tournament. Accordingly, the Outreach Committee has designated Project Café as this year’s recipients.

There will be a sign up sheet and bulletin board set up in the Meeting House beginning in July, 2010; so please sign up your groups, or if you do not have a group, we will find a place for you. Checks should be made payable to First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia; cash payments should be made to Candy Riley, OP, at the church office weekdays from 8:00 a.m. ‘til 1:00 p.m. Remember, you do not have to be an experienced golfer to participate and have a good time with your church family while supporting a worthy cause.

Any questions should be directed to any member of the Evangelism & Fellowship or to Scott Campbell, who in a moment of advancing senility, agreed to set up the tournament.

The other morning I picked up a copy of the Republican and after a minute realized that the guy smiling back at me in the picture was me! (I was grateful they cropped enough of the picture to hide most of the girth of my waistline!)

Seriously, what I felt was great sense of pride for the smiling group of people in the picture with me and the wonderful work they had accomplished with the Open Your Heart silent auction this year. The work they did, along with others not pictured, will feed many, many people throughout the Cazenovia community. Whether you worked with this smiling group, donated something for the auction, hung kites in the Meeting House, prepared or served food, bought something or work with CazCares, thank you. You all brought much joy to many, as well as, food to the hungry. Good for you!

There is no admission charge (donations will be accepted), but bring your check book or wallet for some awesome silent auction items.  To date we have cruises around Caz Lake and some crazy opportunities to wake board, water ski or tube; a cord of firewood delivered and stacked at your house; dinner for 6 prepared and served by Colleen Pepe, art by local artists (even a portrait of your family pet); general admission ticket to the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park’s Finding Art In Nature; a special dessert delivered to your house once a month throughout the year; antiques; tennis lessons; art lessons; an afternoon of cross country skiing with dinner to follow, fishing pole rod and reel and even an airplane ride over Cazenovia.  There is something to please everyone.

There are also some raffle items including overnight stays at the Brewster Inn, Lincklaen House and a Stickley Mission Clock.  Raffle tickets are available from church members, the Lincklaen House or at the website www.cazpres.com

Add some music, wine, great hors d’ourves and you have an evening of total enjoyment.

CazCares is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 Food Pantry & Clothing Closet.  For 28 years, CazCares’ mission has been to provide food, clothing, emergency assistance and referral services to low income families in the Cazenovia School District and surrounding areas of Madison County. Currently, on average 160 families visit the site per month.

See you at the Open Your Heart event at the Caz Presbyterian Church on Saturday May 15^th.  If you any questions, contact Kristin or Kevin Curtis at 655-5836 or interiorsbykristin@gmail.com.