Newfield seeks volunteers for Old Home Days

The Old Home Days Committee of Newfield is seeking new volunteers to help coordinate the hamlet’s annual celebration, being held this year on July 29 and 30.

The theme of this year’s upcoming Old Home Days is “music in motion.” It was chosen to honor Vincent “Vince” Aiosa, who passed away in January 2021.

“He was a beloved community member and he is sorely missed,” said committee member Mary Beth Gehring-Smith. “We feel honored to be able to dedicate this Old Home Days celebration to him.”

Aiosa was a dedicated music teacher at Newfield Central School for 31 years and then supervisor of practice teachers at Ithaca College for another 24 years.

“This will be the first Old Home Days celebration since the pandemic shut everything down,” Head Committee Chairperson Sue Chaffee said. “It’s also the 101st year of the celebration. We want to make it the biggest and best we can for the community. We are hoping to gain more volunteers to help with the planning.”

The Old Home Days committee members are in need of assistance to coordinate events and gather donations.

“We will be holding a gift basket raffle and are seeking donations of items for that,” Chaffee said. “We will also have our souvenir booklet again this year — [which] we sell ads for — that will be featured in it. It’s a critical form of funding, and we’re looking for people to help sell ads. We have a wide range of needs and are currently looking for new committee members to address them.”

Ahead of the event, the committee is planning a spaghetti dinner featuring community member Sam Kopfs’ famous sauce. The dinner is being scheduled for this spring, with the date to be announced. All proceeds will go to help fund the event.

“We have had cake wheels in the past and are hoping to have them again this year,” Gehring-Smith said. “It’s a fun way for the high school kids to raise funds for things needed for the school, classes and events.”

The Town of Newfield Recreation Department will hold a chicken barbecue, with a date to be announced. All proceeds will go to support Old Home Days expenses.

“This is a rare celebration in the way that it involves the entire community,” Chaffee said. “Everyone gets involved. The Baptist Church brings games and activities and bounce houses for the kids. It’s a lot of fun for them, and they provide it for free.”

The event will feature the annual parade, as well as the returning fireworks display. Tioga State Bank has generously funded the ping pong ball drop, which will see a piloted aircraft dropping ping pong balls that kids can collect and redeem for prizes.

“The coordination this takes is enormous, from the Newfield Lions Club setting up a food tent to the collection of live music acts and everything offered in between,” Chaffee said. “We need to get more people involved. The more hands on deck, the better.”

This year, the Newfield Historical Society will open up an area for visitors to come and review exhibits about the history of Newfield.

“We will have a lot of new photographs and exhibits offered this year,” said longtime Historical Society board member Joleen Krogman. “It will be a fun way for people to learn about the long and vibrant history of Newfield and connect with the hamlet and its past.”

The Newfield Fire Department will manage the annual parade and fireworks again this year. The department is integral in coordination of the multifaceted celebration.

“The Fire Department has always been incredibly supportive,” Gehring-Smith said. “The amount of coordination it takes to safely execute all of the different components of the Old Home Days celebration is huge. We are grateful to have them. This event is a large undertaking, and we could really use more help. We’d be happy to see new faces join our volunteer committee.”

Inquiries about the event and volunteering can be directed to Chaffee at newfieldpubliclibrary@yahoo.com and to Krogman at amandlukesmom@aol.com.

Newfield Notes appears every Wednesday in Tompkins Weekly. Send story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com.

In brief:

Empty Bowls

On March 12 from 1 to 3 p.m., local art teacher Meg Conner and student volunteers from Newfield High School will lead a workshop in making textured clay bowls as part of the school’s Empty Bowls spring fundraiser for the Newfield Food Pantry.

Participants will learn how to make a textured clay bowl from a slab of clay that will be fired and decorated by Newfield High School students for the fundraiser later this spring. You will also have the opportunity to make a second bowl to take home for yourself, decorated with simple underglazes.

Come learn some basic clay hand-building skills and have fun while contributing to a good cause! No experience is necessary. All ages are welcome. This is an in-person event at the library, 198 Main St. Individuals wishing to participate can contact the Newfield Public Library to sign up at (607) 564-3594. Learn more at tinyurl.com/ybr5x4x7.