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CLIFTON SPRINGS CHAMBER BUSINESS OF THE MONTH - APRIL 2006
Ontario Telephone Company, Inc. was founded June 1, 1920 by Hovey H. Griswold to serve customers in the villages of Phelps and Clifton Springs, NY. The company has been owned and operated by the Griswold family ever since. Hovey's son Malcolm Griswold joined the company in 1926. Soon thereafter, in January 1927, the family purchased and assumed management control of Trumansburg Home Telephone Company, which serves Trumansburg, Interlaken and Ovid, NY. Malcolm's sons, Robert and John, joined the companies in 1952 and 1956 respectively. In 1995, the torch was passed to John's sons, Bill and Paul, the fourth generation of Griswolds to serve the companies. Paul Griswold was promoted to vice president of business development and marketing for the telephone companies and appointed president and CEO of a new subsidiary, Finger Lakes Technologies Group. In 2005, Paul assumed the leadership role of all three companies, becoming President and CEO of Ontario and Trumansburg Telephone Companies.
Ontario & Trumansburg Telephone Companies are small independent telephone companies serving approximately 12,000 customers; however, being small hasn't stopped its owners from thinking big. The Griswold family has made a concerted and tenacious effort to remain abreast of the latest technology. The companies have state-of-the-art switching facilities, a fiber optic network and are eagerly looking toward the future of IP products and services. Through their subsidiary, Finger Lakes Technologies Group, the companies provide telephone systems and equipment for business and residential customers, Internet access and videoconferencing, as well as a variety of data, network and communication engineering services. They are providing two new "soft switches"-potentially allowing them to provide more services at lower prices. New technologies afford them the ability to offer more regional services.
At Ontario & Trumansburg Telephone Companies, they strive to make quality service and customer satisfaction their hallmarks. Combined, they employ 58 people. This year, Ontario Telephone Company will celebrate its 100th birthday. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Assemblyman Brian Kolb
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Assemblyman Brian Kolb (R,C-Canandaigua) listens and responds to questions from Niles residents during his recent town hall-style meetings held throughout Cayuga County. Kolb's sessions continue Saturday in Seneca County. He says they are great opportunities for residents to ask him questions and comment about today's issues.
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SIGN OF THE WEEK
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HAPPY EASTER!!
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HISTORY OF EASTER
Easter is a time of springtime festivals. In Christian countries Easter is celebrated as the religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God. The Christian celebration of Easter embodies a number of converging traditions with emphasis on the relation of Easter to the Jewish festival of Passover. Passover is an important feast in the Jewish calendar which is celebrated for 8 days and commemorates the flight and freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
The early Christians, many of whom were Jewish in origin, were brought up on the Hebrew tradition and regarded Easter as a new feature of the Passover festival, a commemoration of the advent of the Messiah as foretold by the prophets.
Easter is observed by the churches of the West on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox (March 21). So Easter became a "moveable" festival which can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25.
"Christian churches in the East which were closer to the birthplace of the new religion and in which old traditions were strong, observe Easter according to the date of the Passover festival. Easter is at the end of the Lenten season, which covers a forty-six day period that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter. The Lenten season itself comprises forty days, as the six Sundays in Lent are not actually a part of Lent. Sundays are considered a commemoration of Easter Sunday and have always been excluded from the Lenten fast. The Lenten season is a period of penitence in preparation for the highest festival of the church year, Easter.
Holy Week, the last week of Lent, begins with the observance of Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday takes its name from Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem where the crowds laid palms at this feet. Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, which was held the evening before the Crucifixion. Friday in Holy Week is the anniversary of the Crucifixion, the day that Christ was crucified and died on the cross. Holy week and the Lenten season end with Easter Sunday, the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Eggs Around the World
Of all the symbols associated with Easter, the egg, the symbol of fertility and new life, is the most identifiable. The customs and traditions of using eggs have been associated with Easter for centuries. Originally Easter eggs were painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring and were used in Easter egg rolling contests or given as gifts. After they were colored and etched with various designs the eggs were exchanged by lovers and romantic admirers, much the same as valentines. In medieval time eggs were traditionally given at Easter to the servants. In Germany eggs were given to children along with other Easter gifts.
Different cultures have developed their own ways of decorating Easter eggs. Crimson eggs, to honor the blood of Christ, are exchanged in Greece. In parts of Germany and Austria green eggs are used on Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday). Slavic people decorate their eggs in special patterns of gold and silver. Austrian artists design patterns by fastening ferns and tiny plants around the eggs, which are then boiled. The plants are then removed revealing a striking white pattern. The Poles and Ukrainians decorate eggs with simple designs and colors. A number of eggs are made in the distinctive manner called pysanki (to design, write). Pysanki eggs are a masterpiece of skill and workmanship. Melted beeswax is applied to the fresh white egg. It is then dipped in successive baths of dye. After each dip wax is painted over the area where the preceding color is to remain. Eventually a complex pattern of lines and colors emerges into a work of art.
In Germany and other countries eggs used for cooking were not broken, but the contents were removed by piercing the end of each egg with a needle and blowing the contents into a bowl. The hollow eggs were dyed and hung from shrubs and trees during the Easter Week. The Armenians would decorate hollow eggs with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other religious designs.
The Easter Bunny
The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the Spring season. The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have it's origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s and were made of pastry and sugar.
The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" was considered "childhood's greatest pleasure" next to a visit from Christ-Kindel on Christmas Eve. The children believed that if they were good the "Oschter Haws" would lay a nest of colored eggs. The children would build their nest in a secluded place in the home, the barn or the garden. Boys would use their caps and girls their bonnets to make the nests. The use of elaborate Easter baskets would come later as the tradition of the Easter bunny spread throughout the country.
Easter Egg Games
Eggs play an important part in Easter games. The Romans celebrated the Easter season by running races on an oval track and giving eggs as prizes. Two traditional Easter egg games are the Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter Egg Roll.
On Easter morning the children of the house join in a search to locate the eggs that the Easter Bunny had hidden while they were asleep. The searching continues throughout the house with the older children helping the youngest. Sometimes prizes of candy are awaiting the child finding the most eggs. Easter egg hunts are also part of a community's celebration of the holiday. The eggs are hidden in public places and the children of the community are invited to find the eggs. Prizes of candy and cash are generally given to the children who find the most eggs or the "special" color eggs.
The rules of an Easter Egg Roll are to see who can roll an egg the greatest distance or can make the roll without breaking it, usually down a grassy hillside or slope. Maybe the most famous egg rolling takes place on the White House lawn. Hundreds of children come with baskets filled with brightly decorated eggs and roll them down the famous lawn, hoping the President of the United States is watching the fun.
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May Business of the Month
The Clifton Springs Country Club (CSCC) is a private, member-owned, not-for-profit organization with a 47-year tradition of delivering a superior golfing experience at an affordable price!
The Club recently reaffirmed its reputation by restructuring the pricing schedule; single memberships can be obtained for as little as $1200/year! The restaurant is open to the public for affordable lunches, dinners and bar service and can be utilized for private parties, weddings and banquets. The full-sized heated swimming pool is a great spot for family fun as well as an outdoor site for YMCA sponsored swim lessons. For non-golfers, CSCC does offer pool-only memberships for families, singles and juniors.
CSCC's early history goes back to the mid-twentieth century when the Club first formed using the "little course" located at the Clifton Springs Sanitarium. This nine-hole course fostered the desire to have an improved layout, spurring the club's directors to seek another location. In 1960, land just south of the village, bordered by Pearl Street, Hopewell Townline and Reese Roads, was obtained and converted from farmland into an eighteen-hole golf course. From the beginning it has been a favorite course for its members, guests and by the greater Rochester golfing community. This championship course layout, bent grass greens that challenge any golfer with their size, speed, and conditioning, the four-tee box design which facilitates four hour rounds, and a layout conducive to walking challenge both low and high handicap players. Practice areas include a driving range (grass tees), chipping and putting greens and a 6-hole "Little Course" for short game improvement. These course attributes also make CSCC a popular venue for charitable tournaments and affordable group outings. The swimming pool is used in popular 3-day youth golf/swim camps open to members and non-members alike. Members of CSCC may also take advantage of reciprocal arrangements with fourteen other private clubs in the surrounding communities, providing members with a diversity of playing experiences.
The Restaurant is open 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM from May 1 to Labor Day. To place a reservation for food service, call (315) 462-9333.
For more information, check our website: www.cliftonspringscountryclub.com or call (315) 462-9694 to find out why others have made CSCC their choice:
- Proud to be the host site of the 2006 Men's Senior RDGA Championship (Sept.27-29).
- In 2006, repeat host of the Women's WRDGA Captains Cup competition vs. Syracuse.
- Home course for the Hobart College (men's) and William Smith College (women's) golf teams.
- Home course for the Midlakes High School team that finished first in the Finger Lakes Central Division.
- CSCC members have been the New York State Amateur Champion, NYS Mid-Am Champion, RDGA Men's Champion 3 times, RDGA Men's Senior Champion 4 times and each of the Men's/Women's/Senior's and Super Senior Champions of the Finger Lakes Golf Association and Champion of the Women's Lake Country Golf Association.
- Our PGA Golf Professional Jeff Pulli can help your game too!
Clifton Springs Country Club is actively seeking new members and encourages you to consider membership today.
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