Tammy Ruggeri
By Tammy Ruggeri
The Ladies Auxiliary to Marlboro Hose Company No. 1 is holding its annual March Food Drive throughout the month.
Donations of nonperishable foods such as pasta, canned vegetables, cereal and other items will benefit local food pantries just in time for the Easter season. Community members are encouraged to contribute any canned or boxed goods to help neighbors in need.
Donations may be dropped off at SC Designs & Apparel through March 31.
The Marlboro Central School District community is celebrating several impressive athletic accomplishments this week.
Congratulations to Marlboro High School girls basketball player Nalyah Campbell, who reached a major milestone by scoring her 1,000th career point. Dukes Nation is proud of the achievement.
There was also big news on the lanes. The Marlboro boys bowling team captured first place at the Section IX Championship and will advance to the state tournament.
Five individual Dukes also qualified for the New York State Individual Championships: R. Tarsio, P. Tarsio, C. Palmer, Z. Moulds and D. Smith-Vasquez.
The Marlboro girls bowling team earned third place in Section IX competition. Paige Brooks and Stevie Amato qualified to compete in the state championships as individuals, with Brooks also earning the highest average in the section — an outstanding accomplishment.
March is also Music in Our Schools Month, and the district will celebrate with its first-ever MCSD Pops Concert on March 24 at 7 p.m. at Marlboro High School. The snow date is March 25.
The auxiliary is also planning an “Almost Summer” Outdoor Vendor Market on May 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kedem Winery. The winery is located along Route 9W and offers scenic views of the Hudson Valley.
The event will feature live music, wine tastings and sangria, food, local vendors, handmade crafts, raffles and more. Vendors are currently being sought. A $40 donation reserves a 10-by-10-foot space; vendors must provide their own tent and table and donate an item for the raffle. Electricity will not be available.
A portion of the proceeds and all donations will benefit the auxiliary.
Those interested in becoming a vendor may text Pati at 914-424-3064 or Tara, tasting room manager at Kedem Winery, at 845-236-3651.
The Marlboro Free Library is helping young residents celebrate Earth Day with a Free Trees for Earth Day program.
Children of all ages can register by March 15 to receive a free tree through the Neighborhood Forest program. Trees will be available for pickup at the library in April.
At the Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library in Milton, the community will gather Sunday, March 22, at 1 p.m. to honor Rosemary and Jerry Wein as the 2026 Town of Marlborough Citizens of the Year.
Rosemary Wein has been deeply involved with the library for many years, serving as trustee from 2016 to 2019, president from 2019 to 2024, and currently as vice president. Library officials credit her energy and leadership with helping shape the institution’s continued growth and service to the Milton community.
Refreshments will be served. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP through the library’s website.
The library will also host a creative workshop, Tea Bag Painting with multimedia artist Ruby Silvious, on Saturday, March 28, from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants will learn to paint miniature artwork on used tea bags, exploring a unique artistic medium. All materials will be provided.
Families can look forward to springtime fun when the Town of Marlborough Recreation Committee hosts its Easter Egg Dash on Saturday, April 4, at Hudson Valley SportsDome.
Doors open at 9 a.m., with the egg dash beginning promptly at 9:30 a.m. Activities will include photos with the Easter Bunny, a coloring contest, a DJ, face painting and a chance to find the golden egg for a free Easter basket and goodie bags. Families are encouraged to bring their own Easter baskets.
At St. Mary’s Church, faith formation gatherings are scheduled for elementary students on March 15 at 9:45 a.m. in the parish hall, and for students in grades six through eight on March 16 at 7 p.m., also in the hall. Parish leaders ask the congregation to keep this year’s faith formation students in their prayers and to continue building connections within the church community.
Weekly Recipe
Potato Pancakes – Jeanne F
Ingredients
1 cup of all-purpose flour (4 1/2 ounces; 127 g)
2 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided: for table salt use half as much by volume.
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds (907 g) russet potatoes (see notes), divided.
4 scallions (about 2 ounces; 56 g), thinly sliced, plus more for garnish.
1 large egg
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk (see notes)
4 1/2 tablespoons (63 g) unsalted butter, divided.
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C); line a baking sheet with a wire rack and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, 1 teaspoon salt, baking soda, and black pepper; set aside. Peel 1-pound potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
In a medium saucepan, add potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough cold water to cover by 1-inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer vigorously until potatoes are very tender when pierced with a knife or fork, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and let sit in colander in sink or over a bowl until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.
Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth and no lumps remain. While the boiled potatoes are cooling, peel remaining 1 pound potatoes. Center a box grater over a clean kitchen towel and shred potatoes onto kitchen towel. Gather towel edges together and carefully wring out liquid from potatoes over a sink. Then transfer shredded potatoes to large mixing bowl with mashed potatoes. Using a fork or your fingers, stir until just combined. Add scallions and egg and stir to combine, then stir in flour mixture until combined. Using a spatula, add buttermilk and stir gently until mixture resembles a thick, pancake-like batter and no dry flour streaks remain.
In a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) of butter over medium heat until melted and bubbling. Dollop 4 heaping 1/4-cup portions of prepared potato batter into skillet and flatten into 4-inch wide and 1/2-inch-thick circles. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown on bottom side, 4 to 6 minutes. Gently flip and cook until golden brown on second side, 4 to 6 minutes.
Transfer to prepared wire rack–lined baking sheet, then place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, making 4 pancakes at a time for a total of 3 batches, adding 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in between each batch. When ready to serve, sprinkle hot potato pancakes with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and sprinkle with additional scallions for garnish. Serve with your preferred toppings.
Happy Birthday to Marisa Verdi, Rita Truesdell and Jim McMongal.
As always, anyone with events, announcements, recipes or photos to share may email telltammy123@gmail.com or call 845-430-4394.