Publisher ENCA
Volume Number 2 Issue Number 11
August, 2005

Whew, it's hot! Might this be the most often heard phrase of the summer? Well, with gasoline now at $2.50+ a gallon, maybe it's good that we don't have to mow anymore. The grass is crisp and all that remains are the more deeply rooted weeds. There seems to have been summer rains all around but, our little area has gotten precious little. Boating and swimming seem to be at a minimum on the lakes and some have already taken their boats out due to the low water level.

The Firemen's chicken BBQ didn't attract as many customers as last year and some have speculated that folks are laying low because of the continued heat but also there is a lot of competition around for events of this nature. Overall, however, a lot of raffle tickets were sold and the people who came out to enjoy the meal were pleased to be there. There are some photos at Kay's that tell the tale. Check them out. It was a fun time.

Some, but not enough, people, showed up to try a pick-up game of the old version of Baseball, called Town Ball. The Town of Nelson is trying to get up a team to play against other towns in Madison County as part of the upcoming bi-centennial celebration. Perhaps we, having no established Town center, have more difficulty than most in coming together as a community and even getting the word out about what's going on is a problem. It's just too easy to drive somewhere to become a part of any of a thousand other "communities" other than the one where we actually live.

A lot of folks have worked hard on the Beef BBQ which took place last Saturday at the Erieville Church. It is quite amazing to see these men and women, put this thing together. Last year all was sold out early on and so this year twice the amount of beef, and an equilivant amount of homemade sauce, was prepared. What a risky endeavor! The meat was purchased through the supplier for Kay's Store. How delighted everybody was to be able to say that the bulk of the food for this project was from a very local source. And a very community -oriented endeavor it was. From the planning and buying and washing and cutting up 50 pounds of onions, a case of celery (probably 30 bunches) and a case of peppers, to the mixing of the sauce in ( it looked like about 20) plastic-lined 5 gallon pails, which were then stored in the cooler at Rosies for a few days, to the setting up of the fire department's tent, to the starting of the open air fire to cook the 650 pounds of beef…all this took a lot of co-operation and many hands. Thanks to all and especially the customers who supported this event.

So, have you ventured onto Route 20 in Nelson recently, and have you felt that you had to put your gas peddle to the floor? That's what the new resurfacing of this road invites. It looks like a drag strip. We have heard of some motorcyclists cruising through on one wheel with their loud exhausts roaring, perhaps risking becoming "road pizza," as one resident remarked. Probably, this is an aberration from the genuine biker who just likes to just ride round in the open air with his pretty machine as the transporter. The shiny surface, with its newly painted lines, sure looks nice. And they even painted crosswalk lines, right in Nelson.

The Heritage Society is again looking for a candidate(s) for nomination as Town of Nelson "Citizen of the Year." Ballots are available at Kay's and the Town Office Building. The deadline to submit one, or just write a letter, is September 26 and the ceremony will take place on November 6.

The community website continues to need input, stories, pictures, ideas. http://home.twcny.rr.com/enca

For ideas, or questions, or whatever, contact:

Denise Earl 662-7621

Sonia Davies 655-2654