CAZENOVIA — Throughout the past year, numerous non-profits, businesses, and individuals in the Cazenovia area received recognition for their accomplishments and/or contributions to the community.
Here is a selection of those achievements:
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Friends of Lorenzo wins grant to facilitate access to historical archives
Last summer, the Friends of Lorenzo (FOL) was awarded a $43,000 Park and Trail Partnership Grant to create an electronic aid designed to make it easier to locate items in Lorenzo State Historic Site’s vast archive of historical photos, maps, letters, posters, and other documents.
Located at 17 Rippleton Rd, Lorenzo is the 1807 Federal-style home of Holland Land Company agent and Cazenovia founder John Lincklaen. The Lincklaen/Ledyard family continually occupied Lorenzo until the property and its contents were conveyed to New York State in 1968. The site is operated by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and supported by the FOL.
“The archives are a hidden treasure of information on Cazenovia, Central New York, and the history of the United States,” said Lorenzo Site Manager Michael Roets in an Aug. 3 press release. “[Making] the archive more accessible for residents, historians, and others has been a long-standing priority of mine.”
According to Roets, Lorenzo’s collection of documents and objects is one of the largest in the NYS Parks system. The electronic catalog will provide an easy, computer-based aid to navigating the archives and finding materials of interest. Later stages of the project will involve scanning the documents to create digital images that can be linked to the electronic finding aid.
Sponsored by Parks & Trails New York, the grant award represents the culmination of a year-long effort by the FOL.
Following the award announcement, the Lorenzo team said it expected the project to be completed sometime early this year, at which time the FOL will provide free access to the electronic finding aid through its website.
Hilltop House joins network of historic sites, receives multiple preservation grants
In the past year, the Dorothy Riester House and Studio (Hilltop House) at Stone Quarry Hill Art Park (SQHAP) received national recognition, as well as multiple grants to support the building’s preservation and foster artistic and community engagement with the site.
Hilltop House is the former home of ceramicist, sculptor, author, preservation activist, and SQHAP founder Dorothy Riester (1916-2017).
The home was designed and built by Riester and her husband, Robert, with help from local contractors.
In 2014, Hilltop House, along with the original 23-acre property, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance as a highly intact example of a mid-twentieth century modern house and artist studio.
On Feb. 10, 2021, the National Trust for Historic Preservation accepted the site into its Historic Artists’ Homes and Studios program, a coalition of 48 independent museums that were once the homes and working studios of American artists.
“Having Dorothy’s creative life examined as part of the larger dialog of artists’ homes and studios will develop a more profound understanding of the importance of a life lived in art — especially one lived by a 20th century woman artist,” said Hilltop House Director Sarah Tietje-Mietz in February. “We are honored and beyond excited to be part of a community that both celebrates the range of environments shaped by artists and challenges itself to expand the traditional notions of historical importance.”
Last year, Hilltop House was also named the recipient of multiple grants from local foundations to support the preservation and stabilization of the “plant room,” Hilltop House’s unique indoor atrium.
Riester designed the approximately 10 ft wide by 18 ft long rectangular plant room to connect two wings of the house. She filled the space with a curated collection of plants and a hand-crafted sculptural fountain.
Over the next several months, SQHAP will work with Ashley McGraw Architects, D.P.C, a Syracuse-based firm with expertise in mid-century historic structures, to address multiple issues related to the stability of the room.
The construction phase of the project is expected to begin in late summer 2022.
Funding for the plant room, which totals $37,500, is provided by The Gorman Foundation, The Dorothy and Marshall M. Reisman Foundation, and The John Ben Snow Foundation.
In support of SQHAP’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, five percent of the grant money will be used to create stipends for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists interested in working with the plant room, Hilltop House and/or the Riester Collection.
Additional preservation goals for Hilltop House include addressing aging windows and repairing the home’s attached garage.
The Haven at Skanda named Non-Profit of the Year
On Nov. 10, the Greater Cazenovia Area Chamber of Commerce (GCACC) named The Haven at Skanda its Non-Profit of the Year.
Located at 4000 Mosley Road, Skanda is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to caring for rescued and endangered farm animals, and to offering educational, supportive and preventative programs to the public.
The award was presented to Ellen Beckerman, Skanda’s executive director, during GCACC’s Annual Membership Dinner Meeting.
“During COVID-19, this organization provided emergency childcare and special programs for kids and families to make sure everyone had a safe outdoor place to connect to community, decompress, be physically active, still feel a part of a community doing good, and, of course, [spend time with] some amazing animals and receive love in return,” said GCACC President Meghan Kelly.
In October, Skanda launched a LGBTQ+ Youth Support Group for kids in grades 5-7.
According to the organization, the goal is to provide a safe, supportive space for kids to be exactly who they are.
Beckerman explained that the program was created in response to requests from some of the 10- and 11-year-old campers who attended Skanda’s summer program.
“[They] wanted a safe, supportive place where they could talk with other kids who are going through similar experiences of exploring their identities and grappling with pressures or bullying as they contemplate coming out,” Beckerman said. “They also expressed a desire to meet adult members of the LGBTQ+ community who can encourage them, support them, and show them that they can live the lives they want to live, be in great relationships, follow their career interests, achieve the highest levels of success, and create the lives they want for themselves.”
Heritage Society unveils historic roadside marker in Nelson
On May 1, the Erieville-Nelson Heritage Society (ENHS) hosted a dedication ceremony to celebrate the installation of a sign marking the location of Nelson’s first town meeting, which was held April 7, 1807, on the Rufus Weaver Farm.
Funding for the sign was provided through a New York State Historic Marker Grant, which was awarded to ENHS by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation in summer 2020.
Located at 3676 Erieville Rd. (at the intersection of Erieville and Old State Roads), the property is currently owned by Diane Brandow and Rick Swope, operators of Spruce Valley Stables, LLC.
At the time of Nelson’s first town meeting, the farm was owned by Rufus Weaver, who arrived in Nelson in 1793 and was one of the area’s first settlers.
According to Town of Nelson Co-historian Laine Gilmore, the site is significant for multiple reasons.
“The first meeting was notable as it was an act of legislation of New York to incorporate Nelson and split it off from Cazenovia,” Gilmore said on April 28. “[The minutes also list] many of the townspeople who were at the meeting and involved in setting up the politics of the town. It is also significant because the barn where the meeting was held is still standing today.”
The historic marker was unveiled by three of Weaver’s descendants: Town of Nelson Co-historian Fay Lyon, Libbie Graves Holmes, and her brother, Tom Graves.
The New York State Historic Marker Grant Program commemorates historic people, places, things, or events within the time frame of 1740-1921.
Nelson’s new sign is the second marker awarded to ENHS by the Pomeroy Foundation; the first is at the site of the Syracuse and Chenango Valley Railroad depot in Erieville.
“We are delighted to receive these Pomeroy Foundation historical markers,” Gilmore said. “In order to receive them, we have to do quite a bit of research to prove the historical significance of a place or event, and by doing this, it adds to community awareness of our past, which enhances the community by having pride in a historical event or place.”
CazArts debuts Carpenter’s Barn Art Hub
On Sept. 10, CazArts creative alliance invited the Cazenovia community to the grand opening of the renewed Carpenter’s Barn.
Originally built in 1889 as a carriage house for the former Lakeland estate (now Lakeland Park), the stone barn has been partially re-purposed to serve as a dynamic arts hub and “welcoming gateway” to the village.
The building’s interior was refurbished and repurposed using a $62,000 beginning grant from the Madison County Capital Resource Corporation, which was secured cooperatively by CazArts, the Village of Cazenovia, Cazenovia College, and the Cazenovia Area Community Development Association in July 2020.
With the financial support of the Cazenovia community, work on the building continued throughout 2021.
Mike Walker of Expert Building Services completed the building improvements.
A $9,953 grant from the Central New York Community Foundation helped fund the furnishing of the building’s interior.
According to the CazArts website, the transformed facility now offers both a “Community Arts Hall” and an “Artist Studio Hub.”
The large multi-purpose community arts hall is suitable for classes, meetings, workshops, performances, and programs with local artists and Cazenovia College. It also serves as a place to view artwork in progress, a home base for arts festivals and events, a meeting place for artists who want to initiate new programs, and an information center for visitors looking to connect with local artists.
The artist studio hub is a large, shared space with six workstations.
The village, which has owned Carpenter’s Barn since 1934, continues to use the building’s attic space for storage.
INDIVIDUALS
Library director celebrated by chamber, announces retirement
On Nov. 10, the GCACC named Cazenovia Public Library (CPL) Director Betsy Kennedy its 2021 Individual Member of the Year “in recognition of invaluable contributions and donations to the community.”
She was presented with the award during the GCACC Annual Membership Dinner Meeting at the Hampton Inn & Suites.
Kennedy served on the GCACC Board of Directors from 2016-2020 and was active in the Cazenovia Fire Department and the Cazenovia Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps for many years.
She has been with CPL for 42 years and served as its executive director since 1983.
On March 4, 2022, Kennedy will be passing the baton to a new director.
Kennedy’s innumerable contributions to the library include hiring additional employees, increasing the budget, expanding the collection, incorporating technology into the library’s offerings, adding myriad programs for children and adults, facilitating research (e.g., scans, x-rays, biopsies, etc.) into the life and death of CPL’s 2,000-year-old mummy, Hen, and overseeing the opening of the Friends of CPL’s gently used bookstore, Carriage Barn Books.
Kennedy also led the 1996 library expansion project, which provided additional space for programming, collection development, and community use.
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I thank Betsy for her tireless devotion and passion to the Cazenovia Public Library for the past 40+ years,” said Board President Kaleb Wilson in a Nov. 24 press release. “Without her, the Library would not be where it is today. The Library helps to engage our history, connect people, inspire lifelong learning, and transform lives. Betsy has been an integral part of that mission and she has turned the Library into a true community center for Cazenovia. We wish her the best in retirement and offer our sincere gratitude for her service.”
Cazenovia High School graduate wins second place in business competition, gives back to local businesses
Last spring, Cazenovia High School graduate Caden Ackerman came in second place in the 2021 Dolphin Tank, Le Moyne College’s take on the business reality television series “Shark Tank.”
Ackerman, who received a bachelor of science in marketing from Le Moyne on May 28, 2021, went up against ten other student businesses to compete for a pool of $35,000.
During his five-minute presentation, Ackerman pitched “Keep On Adapting,” his marketing and advertising agency designed to help small businesses with content creation and social media management.
“Many small businesses wear all the hats in their businesses and don’t have time to learn new technology that changes quickly,” Ackerman explained. “On top of that, they don’t have the budgets to pay large marketing companies. We come in at an affordable price that helps businesses adapt to the ever-changing world. Over the last several months, combined we have helped small businesses reach 1,500,000-plus people organically and managed 30,000-plus followers. We don’t use generic content; [instead,] we come [into businesses] and take photos and videos.”
The entrepreneur used part of his $9,000 Dolphin Tank reward to launch the “2021 Keep On Adapting Awards,” an initiative designed to give back to small businesses in the Syracuse area.
Ackerman started making videos when he was around eight years old. Although he did not expect videography to be part of his career, he knew from a young age he wanted to own his own business.
After graduating high school in 2017, he took a “gap year” before starting at Le Moyne. During that time, he created his own woodworking business selling custom shelves online through Etsy.
In college, Ackerman’s love of videography merged with a newfound passion for marketing.
“Although I had over 90 five-star reviews [on Etsy] and hundreds of previous orders, I decided to pivot and adapt,” he said. “I saw that local small businesses needed affordable marketing, [and] at the beginning of my senior year at Le Moyne, I started Keep On Adapting.”
Cazenovia High School grad receives second Grammy Music Educator Award nomination
Last June, Cazenovia High School graduate Michael Craner (Class of 1990), was recognized as one of the top music educators in the country for the second year in a row.
Craner, a teacher at Schuylerville High School, was one of 219 music educators from 204 cities across the county to be named a quarterfinalist for the 2022 Music Educator Award.
Presented by the Grammy Museum and the Recording Academy, the award was established to recognize current U.S. educators (kindergarten through college) who have made significant and lasting contributions to the field of music education and who demonstrate a commitment to the broader cause of maintaining music education in schools.
Each year, one recipient is selected from ten finalists.
The winner of the 2022 Music Educator Award will be flown to Los Angeles to attend the 64th Grammy Awards and a range of Grammy Week events. The nine additional finalists will receive a $1,000 honorarium, and the schools of all 10 finalists will receive matching grants. Additionally, 15 semifinalists will receive a $500 honorarium with matching school grants.
Craner and the other 2022 award quarterfinalists were selected from more than 1,135 initial nominees from 49 states. Also in the running for the award are 189 legacy applicants from 2021.
Craner was also a quarterfinalist for the 2021 Music Educator Award.
“[This recognition] is still beyond my wildest belief,” said Craner. “I never expected anything like this. I am truly honored.”
The music teacher holds a B.A. in music performance and a B.S in business administration from the State University of New York at Oswego. He also holds an M.M. in jazz performance from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.
Craner, who is an active double bassist and electric bassist, has been teaching at Schuylerville for 20 years. Today, he is the director of both the Symphonic Band and the Schuylerville Jazz Ensemble.
He is also the jazz director and an adjunct professor at Castleton University in Vermont; the music director/principal conductor for the Lake George Community Band; a guest conductor of the Saratoga Youth Symphony and other organizations throughout the northeast; a freelance performer throughout the Northeast; and the bassist for both “Better Off Led,” a Led Zeppelin tribute band, and the House Band at the Strand Theatre in Hudson Falls, NY.
This month, he will be playing bass with esteemed English guitarist Albert Lee.
Former Cazenovia resident receives international recognition for short story collections
Over the course of the last year, Cazenovia native and author Jadi Campbell’s work was honored with three book awards.
On Nov. 14, her latest book, “The Trail Back Out” (2020), was named a finalist for the 2021 IAN Book of the Year Award (Short Story Collection) by the Independent Author Network, a community of authors who are self-published or published by a small indie press.
The Trail Back Out is a fiction anthology featuring ten stories, many of which were written during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The IAN Book of the Year Finalist honor is the third accolade for The Trail Back Out.
The title story, which is set on the back trails at Cranberry Lake in the Adirondacks, was named a quarterfinalist in the 2021 ScreenCraft Cinematic Short Story Competition.
According to the ScreenCraft website, nearly 1,500 true and fictional story submissions were judged based on their potential to be adapted for the screen in the form of film, television series, made-for-TV movies, etc.
The complete anthology was also named a finalist for the 2020 “Best Book” award in the category of fiction anthologies.
Sponsored by American Book Fest, the 2020 contest received over 2,000 entries, which were narrowed down to over 400 winners and finalists in over 90 categories. Awards were presented for titles published in 2018-2020 based on design, content, and overall appeal. Past winners include Amy Tan, George Saunders, Clive Barker, and Ann Lamott.
In June 2021, Campbell’s first book, “Broken In: A Novel in Stories” (2012), was named a semi-finalist for the 2020 Hawk Mountain Short Story Collection Award from Hidden River Arts.
Each year, Hidden River Arts offers a $1,000 award and publication by Hidden River Press, an imprint of Hidden River Publishing, for an original collection of short stories.
On Nov. 20, Campbell was informed that Broken In: A Novel in Stories was a finalist for the 2021 Eyelands Book of the Year Award (Short Stories Published) — Greece’s prestigious award for English language literature.
Campbell said she was stunned by the recognition her work has received.
“Less than a week [after the IAN Book of the Year Award Finalists and Winners were announced], I received the news about Greece’s award,” said Campbell. ‘In my wildest dreams I never pictured getting two awards in one week. . . It is surreal to realize that both of my short story collections were named as Book of the Year Award Finalists for both 2020 and 2021. I’m enormously proud that my work is being recognized. . . I’ve been walking around in a daze for the last few weeks. Sometimes there are periods when all our hard work feels worth it. This is definitely one of them.”
Campbell, who graduated from Cazenovia High School in 1975, holds a bachelor of arts in English literature from the Honors College of the University of Oregon. She has lived in Germany for the past 28 years.
Community gathers to celebrate the release of Cazenovia native’s first feature film
On Sept. 1, members of the Cazenovia community gathered on Hurd St for a red-carpet event in celebration of the premiere of Siobhan Fallon Hogan’s first feature film, “Rushed,” at the Catherine Cummings Theatre.
Written, produced, and starring Fallon Hogan, Rushed is a revenge thriller that tells the story of Barbara O’Brien, an Upstate NY Irish Catholic mother whose life is turned upside down when her son Jimmy, a freshman in college, is in a fraternity hazing incident. To prove the university’s liability, she travels cross-country recording mothers who have lost sons to hazing. When confronted with corruption and cover-ups, she seeks revenge on the one person she finds responsible for her family’s tragedy.
Directed by Vibeke Muasya and coproduced by Lars von Trier’s Zentropa Films, Rushed also stars Robert Patrick, Jake Weary, Jay Jay Warren, Peri Gilpin, Brian O’Halloran, Jordan Lage, Rusty Schwimmer, rapper Fat Nick, former NFL player Phil Villapiano, and two of Fallon Hogan’s children, Peter Munson Hogan and Sinead Hogan.
Fallon Hogan was born in Syracuse and raised in Cazenovia. She graduated from Le Moyne College in 1983 and earned her master of fine arts degree from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
She has acted in several blockbusters, including “Forrest Gump,” “Men in Black,” “Holes,” “New In Town,” “Going in Style,” “Charlotte’s Web,” and “Funny Games.” Her television credits include “Saturday Night Live,” “Seinfeld,” “Billions,” “What We Do In The Shadows,” “American Gods,” “Wayward Pines,” “30 Rock,” and “Law & Order.”
Rushed is the first feature-length film written by Fallon Hogan, who has previously penned five one-woman shows.
The movie was filmed primarily in Rumson, New Jersey, where Fallon Hogan currently lives. The final two days of shooting took place during peak fall foliage in Cazenovia, where she has summered with her family for years.
Locally, filming took place at St James Catholic Church, at the First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia, and on Ridge Rd near Meadowood Farms. The Cazenovia sign at the end of the lake, as well as locations in Syracuse, are also depicted in the movie.
Rushed is the first film to be produced under Fallon Hogan’s new company, Emerald Caz Productions, which she established with her husband in 2019.
The movie was released in select US theaters and on Apple and Amazon streaming platforms on Aug. 27.
Cazenovia resident awarded Boston College management school fellowship
Last spring, the Carroll School of Management at Boston College named Jim Joseph, a Cazenovia resident and the dean of the Madden School of Business at Le Moyne College, as its inaugural Ignatian Global Carroll School Fellow.
The one-year fellowship was established to further connect the Carroll School to the global network of Jesuit business teachers/scholars and institutions.
Joseph, who graduated from Le Moyne in 1983, is currently pursuing a doctorate in executive leadership from his alma mater.
His dissertation will explore collaboration within the Jesuit business school worldwide network.
Joseph also aims to help enhance collaboration among the entire Jesuit higher education community.
“As a successful businessman and leader, the co-founder of both the Global Jesuit Case Series and the IgnitEd platform, and co-chair of the Inspirational Paradigm Selection Committee, Jim Joseph is a natural choice as our inaugural Ignatian Global Carroll School Fellow,” said Andy Boynton, the Carroll School’s John and Linda Powers Family Dean, in a May 3 press release.
Joseph served as president and CEO of Oneida Ltd. — one of the world’s largest designers, marketers, and distributors of housewares products — from 2006 to 2012, leading the company’s turnaround and subsequent sale to Monomoy Capital Partners in 2011.
After leaving Oneida, Joseph served as the Madden School executive-in-residence from 2012 to 2014. He was appointed dean of the Madden School in 2014 and special assistant to the president in 2017.
In 2021, Joseph was elected to his third three-year term on the International Association of Jesuit Business Schools (IAJBS) Board of Directors.
As an Ignatian Global Carroll School Fellow, his role is to increase the Boston College (BC) business faculty’s collaboration within the global Jesuit network.
Locally owned yacht wins award at classic boat show
Cygnus II, a 1930 custom flat top motor yacht owned by Cazenovians Jody Reynolds and Mike Wright, was honored with the “People’s Choice” award at the 33rd Annual Antique and Classic Boat Festival in St. Michael’s, MD.
The show was held Jun 18-20 at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum.
Selected each year by the festival guests, the People’s Choice award is presented to the boat that best exemplifies the spirit of classic yachting.
“We’ve won the gamut of awards from judges, but this award means more to us because that’s what we’re all about,” said Reynolds. “While many boat owners do not allow show visitors on their vessels, Cygnus II is a center of hospitality [at] every show. People can’t see a boat like this from the dock; they have to come aboard and ‘feel it.’”
Wright, a longtime classic yacht surveyor and delivery captain, said he worries about the dwindling number of classic vessels still in existence.
“If we don’t rebuild enthusiasm for these beautiful boats, there won’t be any left,” he said. “These boats are part of America’s history.”
Cygnus, meaning swan in Latin, previously won awards at the Clayton Antique Boat Show (“Best Cruiser), the Buffalo Boat Show (“Commodore’s Cup”), the Alexandria Bay Vintage Boat Show, and shows in Mystic, CT, and Ocean Reef, FL.
The couple purchased Cygnus II in 2011 after their 1925 motor yacht “Hermione” was lost in a marina fire in Washington, NC.
Following a yearlong rebuild to keep it afloat, Cygnus II became a popular charter vessel in the 1000 Islands.
Designed by famous naval architect Louis Kromholz for a New York industrialist, the 56-foot yacht was built just after the start of the Great Depression.
While the yacht retains the look, feel, and detailing of an antique vessel, Cygnus II is now equipped with two Yanmar diesel engines, GPS, air conditioning, heat, and other amenities.
BUSINESSES
20|EAST wins inaugural ‘Keep on Adapting Awards’
On Sept. 10, 20|EAST (85 Albany St) was named the winner of the “2021 Keep On Adapting Awards,” an initiative designed by Cazenovia High School graduate Caden Ackerman to give back to small businesses in the Syracuse area.
In the first round of Ackerman’s contest, individuals were invited to vote on a business that they believe has adapted well throughout its lifecycle.
The four finalists each received a free one- to two-minute video highlighting their stories. During round two, the business with the most votes won a $3,000 grand prize.
20|EAST is owned and operated by McKenzie Houseman, who also runs Cazenovia Cut Block out of the same space.
Houseman started Cazenovia Cut Block with her brother, self-taught woodworker Tim Hughes, at the Cazenovia Farmer’s Market in 2009.
“What we noticed was that all the farmers and makers [had] to bring their stuff to the market every single week in order to make money,” Houseman said in her Keep On Adapting video. “So, we said, ‘Why not create a space where they can do that all the time?’ And that is how 20|EAST was born in addition to Cazenovia Cut Block.”
20|EAST’s ability to adapt and meet the needs of the community was particularly evident during the initial phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the shutdown, the farm store, which previously offered a unique selection of locally produced food, art, fresh flowers, and gifts, was stocked primarily with groceries and essential items.
“We have always carried locally sourced food, but since the pandemic began, the demand for these items grew very rapidly,” Houseman said. “We have really added on to our local food offerings . . . We were fortunate to have so many local farms and other makers that could keep us fully stocked with the grocery items people really needed . . . I think people felt safer knowing where their meat came from and that it hadn’t been sitting on a truck for an extended period of time being touched by however many hands. The fear was very real. We were also able to provide items that were sold out in big box stores. We had toilet paper, sanitizer, gloves, paper towels, and tissues. We also added curbside pick-up and home deliveries. We are still doing many of these things.”
Houseman said 20|EAST planned to use its $3,000 reward to streamline its website for online shopping and to continue putting money back into the community.
Madison County Distillery earns Cazenovia Chamber’s ‘Business of the Year’ award
On Nov. 10, Madison County Distillery (2412 Rt. 20 East) was named Business of the Year by the GCACC during the organization’s Annual Membership Dinner Meeting.
Established in 2017, Madison County Distillery is a family-owned artisan distillery and taproom located on an 80-acre farm known as “The Maples.”
“During COVID, a lot of places were, unfortunately, going out of business or removing staff, but [the distillery] actually went from four part-time [employees] in January 2020 to 20 people by the end of the year,” said GCACC Vice President Fred Agerter, who presented the Business of the Year award to Marissa Basla, manager/part-owner of the distillery. “They expanded their outdoor seating and actually won ‘Taco of the Year,’ [which] is impressive because they are not a taco place.”
Agerter also noted that the distillery donated 300 gallons of hand sanitizer to hospitals and other organizations during the pandemic.
Two days after receiving the Business of the Year award, the distillery hosted the seventh annual Madison County Farm Bureau “Takeover Night” to support the Food Bank of Central New York.
Volunteers from both the Farm Bureau and the Food Bank served the distillery’s handcrafted spirits, a range of local brews and wines, and seasonal food items prepared in the on-site kitchen.
The distillery staff was also present to make food and drinks and support the volunteers.
All tips collected during the event and 20 percent of gross sales were donated directly to the Food Bank of CNY.
“We try to always be great partners in the community, and what better way than to support the Food Bank of Central New York?” said Basla. “Supporting families in getting the food and nutrition they need during these unpredictable times is a way to give back to the community.”
‘Eco-Baggeez’ reusable sandwich bags named a winner of annual Commercialization Competition
In November, Cazenovia business Eco-Baggeez, LLC was named a winner of the 2021 FuzeHub Commercialization Competition at the New York State Innovation Summit.
Held at Turning Stone Resort on Nov. 8 and 9, the competition brought together twelve entrepreneurs from across the state to demonstrate the commercialization potential of their product/technology before three expert judges and a live audience, with the chance to win $50,000.
Each of the seven winners will use their $50,000 awards to further develop their prototype in an effort to pursue additional investment and customers and to strengthen their “go-to-market” strategies.
Founded and owned by Cazenovia resident Beth Race, Eco-Baggeez, LLC produces earth-friendly reusable sandwich bags with the goal of helping to put a dent in the billions of plastic sandwich bags that are thrown into landfills each year in the United States alone.
Unlike other green alternatives to traditional plastic sandwich/snack bags, Eco-Baggeez contain no plastic or petroleum-based products of any kind. They are also microwaveable.
The baggies are produced in Oneida by Alternatives Industry, a business division of The Arc of Madison Cortland in Oneida that trains and employs adults with disabilities.
During her competition pitch, Race highlighted the fact that Eco-Baggeez LLC is already experiencing organic growth through online retailers and wholesalers in the business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets.
“It feels amazing to receive this award,” said Race. “After working so hard to create this business, then trying to keep our mission going through COVID, this could not have come at a better time. It will allow Eco-Baggeez to add an additional, larger bag to our current product offering and to rebrand our packaging to help us move into the national retail market. This is exactly what had to happen in order to keep Eco-Baggeez a viable product.”
