Reasons to Believe,
Reasons to Celebrate!
* It’s time to celebrate achievement.
* It’s time to gather and bolster our hopes for the future!
* It’s time to Imagine Oneonta!
This New Year’s Eve it is our mission and our opportunity to help regain perspective.
Forget what you see, hear or read. All is not gloom and doom. There are many reasons to believe - to keep the faith.
In the past year, your friends and neighbors have been inspirational! There have been dozens of wonderful stories of challenges met, impediments overcome, and successes shared.
The celebration of those “reasons to believe” is at the heart of First Night Oneonta’s renewal. And so, we will honor those achievements in our parade, at our venues and throughout the evening on New Years Eve.
There are many Reasons to Believe…
Check in daily for our top twelve.
Reason #12: The Safe Return of Our Servicemen and Women (and the strength of our local families who have suffered the loss or wounding of a loved one.)
Representing our local military personnel, currently deployed and recently returned, please welcome our Grand Marshal, Sergeant Richard William McVinney!
Reason #11: Dr. Ashok Malhotra Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
A distinguished Professor at State University of New York (SUNY) Oneonta since 2001, Dr. Malhotra was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his years spent providing educational opportunities for impoverished children in India – especially girls who are considered ‘untouchable’.In 1996, with the establishment of "Learn and Serve in India Study Abroad Program in India” and The Ninash Foundation, Foundation, he has helped raise funds and build four Indo-International Schools that cater to 750 students in some of the most underdeveloped parts of India in Rajasthan and Gujarat. In fact, it is through financial assistance raised by The Ninash Foundation that the entire village of Kuran in earthquake hit Gujarat was rebuilt in less than five months. The Indo-International Project has been featured widely in the international media, presented to the Dalai Lama and named a ‘Gift of Service’ by the Parliament of World Religions.
Reason #10: Fabulous First Fridays
A new, summer-long entertainment was brought to Main Street this year. Over the span of six Friday nights, Downtown Oneonta provided a showcase for the work of local and regional visual and performing artists. Residents and tourists (of all ages) were delighted by the art, music and culinary treats! This summer-long program, and the increasingly popular Farmers Market provided a warm-weather bookend to Main Street’s Christmas Holiday programming.
Reason #9: Neahwa Park’s Veteran’s Memorial Walkway
The Veteran's Memorial Walkway replaced an unsafe and unneeded vehicular roadway in Neahwa Park with a pedestrian path that features pavers, relocated and new monuments, lights, benches and the planting of deciduous trees. Ultimately, as the plan is envisioned, the walkway will also connect several recreational facilities in a comprehensive seven-mile, multi-use trail along the Susquehanna River.
Reason #8: Ultimate Idol Packs Them In
Hundreds of excited fans filled the large white tent that stood behind Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center to overflow. Not once, but over and over, as the 2010 Central New York Radio Group’s Ultimate Idol contest became a summer-long obsession for participants and spectators across the region.Reason #7: New Downtown Businesses Open
Karma Spa, Leilani’s, Boudreaux and Thibodeaux’s, The Yellow Deli, and more… The list of new businesses opening their doors in downtown Oneonta continues to grow.Reason #6: “Oneonta 360”
David Hayes and photographer, Stephen Joseph published a coffee-table book comprised of 360-degree photos of local scenes, homes and retail establishments. Each image is made up of a series of floor-to-ceiling, full-circle photos, "stitched" together to create a panoramic scene. The photos, along with one-line quotes from residents, capture Oneonta as no publication ever has before.
Reason #5: Refurbishment of First United Methodist Church.
The FUMC, a landmark building, long shrouded in tarps and scaffolding was unveiled this fall. Its “million dollar” construction finished, the church once again takes its place as one of the architectural wonders of Oneonta.
Reason #4: Oneonta woman wins the Pit Run.
Amanda LoPiccolo became the first local woman to win the Pit Run. Her husband, Matt, the cross-country track coach at SUNY Oneonta helped pace her to the win. Coincidentally, it was the couple's 2nd wedding anniversary.Reason #3: The Return of the Oneonta Theatre.
The questions of its future now gone, it's the downtown venue for movies, plays and concerts! Congratulations and thanks to Jon and Tom.
Reason #2: Baseball Returns to Damaschke Field.
The Tigers move away, but within weeks, an effort spearheaded by the mayor brought the Outlaws to town!
Reason #1: The “First People” mural.
Cynthia Marsh's creation of the "First People" mural on the wall of the Clinton Plaza in downtown Oneonta. With the support of the NYS Council on the Arts, Otsego County Conservation Association, Westbury Management's Jim Baldo and Jackie Hunt and volunteers from the Oneonta Teen Center, Cynthia has given us a gift that will be enjoyed for decades to come.
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