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The
Livingston Manor Rotary Ice Carnival has been a tradition for
close to five decades. Weather permitting, the carnival has
taken place on the weekend of the third Sunday of January for
the past 48 years. This year’s event is scheduled for January
26 & 27th, 2008. The annual event takes place in a setting
directly out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Children and adults
of all ages belly-flop and silhouette on the smooth ice rink
with a background of the Catskill mountain foothills, churches,
Victorian houses and beautiful native blue spruces. The
organization of the event involves every member of the LM Rotary
Club as there is a committee structure that runs the event (see
committee list). The organizing of the event involves more than
150 individuals and cooperation and collaboration between
numerous entities within the Livingston Manor vicinity including
the Town of Rockland Highway Department, the LM Fire Companies,
the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Patrol, the New York State Police
Troop F, The LM Volunteer Ambulance Corp, the Livingston Manor
Central School Student Council, Rolling V Bus Company (shuttle
busses), Price Rite RV Center, Hebrew National, Inc, Wal-Mart,
Internet Solutions, Sullivan County Visitor’s Association, Towne
Crier, Sullivan County Democrat, Times Herald Record, Catskill
Shopper, River Reporter, local radio stations, and Cable 6
News. All events at the carnival are free as local businesses
are solicited to fund the event. This year we anticipate
raising close to $15,000 which includes being partially funded
by grants from the Lazare and Charlotte Kaplan Foundation, the
NYS
Office of Children and Family Services, the
Sullivan
County Youth Bureau,
and the
Town of Rockland as well as sponsorships from numerous local
businesses and community members.
Events of
the Ice Carnival weekend include a snow sculpture contest on
Saturday morning between grades 9-12 from the local school.
Community residents and businesses also are encouraged to
participate by making snow sculptures in front of their stores
and on their front yards. Prominent VIPS from the community and
media judge the snow sculpture contest. On Saturday evening a
dance for the youngsters is held and the new Ice Carnival King &
Queen are crowned. On Sunday, events shift to Rotary Park where
there are professional and amateur skating exhibitions by
national and world-renowned figure skaters as well as local
youngsters. Past Olympic Medallists and National Champions
Elaine Zayak, Jo Jo Starbuck, Arik & Akop, Charles and Beata,
Dmitri Gromov, Emily Hughes and Rohene Ward have been featured
skaters in past years. Amateur skaters of all ages who train at
Kutsher's Country Club, Ice Time Skating Rink in Newburgh and
other skating venues in the Tri-State area provide entertainment
delighting crowds of over 2000 with outstanding performances.
There are
races for kids and adults alike, with Olympic type gold, silver
& bronze medals awarded to the winners. Dogsledders mush around
the ball field throughout the day and a horse drawn sleigh is
also available for riding. Snow shoeing is available for those
who want to venture off around the scenic park. Hot dogs and
hot chocolate are provided to all of the children to fill
bellies and warm hands. All events at the carnival are
free as local businesses are solicited as major sponsors for the
event.
The First
Annual Livingston Manor Rotary Ice Carnival was held on January
18, 1959 at Scudder’s Pond. The carnival consisted of racing
events limited to the local children. A few years later the
event was moved to the Livingston Manor Central School grounds.
Rotary Park has been the location of the ice rink and annual ice
carnival since 1986 with the same traditions continuing under
the chairmanship of Gary Siegel. Figure skating lessons and a
hockey instructional program were added as part of the youth
programs the Livingston Manor Rotary provides. The skating
lessons are sanctioned by the United States Figure Skating
Association (USFSA) and open to all Livingston Manor residents
ages 5 to 16.
The Ice Carnival provides a terrific family weekend in the fresh
Catskill air. It also provides a feeling of camaraderie,
friendship and great conversation through the months of December
and January while residents wait in anticipation. Under the
direction of park commissioner’s past and present, Rotarians
continue their work bees. Ice making crews make ice at the rink
every evening in the winter, and with the cooperation of Mother
Nature the ice carnival continues.
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