Clifton Springs Spooktacular Big Success—Now Prepares for Festival of Lights

Hundreds of youngsters filled the Main Street of Clifton Springs, NY, on the blustery evening of October 30 for the 2nd annual Spooktacular event.  The Boy Scout troops created a frightful maze of stacked straw bales where many spooky things lurked in wait.  Cub Scouts had many games of skill set up in the street and the YMCA hosted a super scary Haunted House at the old Palace Theater, now part of the YMCA facility. 

Main Street merchants had treats for the tricksters and pumpkin decorating was sponsored by the Community Bank, NA.  Sandy Landuyt, proprietress of Sandy’s Floral Gallery, 14 West Main Street, coordinated all of the business efforts in the village and also gave out candy apples to all the trick or treaters.

Next, the Village of Clifton Springs gathers its resources to deck the town with the Festival of Lights!  For nearly 15 years, on the first Friday of December, Clifton Springs greets the Holiday Season with an beautiful, old-fashioned Holiday party that fills Main Street with music, lighting of all of the trees and side-walk covers, open stores and community vendor spaces to help folks get a start on their holiday shopping!  Be sure to stop in The Rose Petal Gift Shop to see the 2009 official Clifton Springs Ornament, which features one of the gorgeous Tiffany stained glass windows in the Chapel of the Spa Apartments , previously the Clifton Springs Water Cure Sanitarium.

There is food, including chestnuts roasting, hot chocolate and cookies.  This year, try $1 hotdogs at the Clifton Springs Deli, 14 E. Main Street.  The Clifton Springs Rotary Club will sell Pizza for Polio, a fund-raising event for Rotary International’s huge project to eliminate polio from the planet.  The Foster Cottage will be open to share the history of the Village with our guests.  Take a ride in the hay-wagon.  Catch the music of the Season from the several chorale groups that will be wandering Main Street.  And, by all means, speak with Santa!

The festivities begin at 5 pm and will go until 8 or 9!  It is a gorgeous sight, so don’t miss it!!

Vendors interested in space can find the application link on the Chamber webpage:  www.cliftonspringschamber.com.

Clifton Springs’ Premier Restaurant, Warfields, in the Finals for “Slice, Dice and Spice”

Clifton Springs is delighted to announce that Warfields Restaurant, 7 W. Main Street, won a finalist position yesterday, October 19, 2009, in the Slice, Dice and Spice competition,  and will be one of three restaurants in the final competition this coming Sunday, October 25, 2009. 

Warfields Restaurant’s chef and general manager, Eric Mueller, and his team, was the winner of the 2008 Spice, Dice and Slice competition which is held at the New York Wine and Culinary Center, a state of the art facility which promotes all products New York!   This event features New York State chefs who each lead a team of four amateur foodies in a one hour miracle production of a three course meal that features all New York products from a market basket of common ingredients, then pairing their dishes with wines from the Canadaigua Wine Trail.

Your blog hostess for today had the grand priviledge of being a caddy for three of the chef teams during the day-long event, which had three flights of three chefs each, so nine chefs total.  It was amazing to watch the chefs look at the ingredients they had to work with, come up with ideas for three dishes that included all of the market basket ingredients, share ideas with their team and figure out a schedule for the preparation so that in one hour this full meal would be on dishes ready for the team of judges!  Be sure to take a look on UTube, Slice, Dice and Spice, to see the miracles unfold and the gorgeous meals these teams prepared!

If you are in the area this Sunday, October 25, 2009, come to the New York Wine and Culinary Center to see the final competition.  Cheer on our new Warfields’ chef, Michael Bommelje!!   And when you want to have the finest restaurant experience in the Rochester region, come to this gorgeous victorian village, enjoy the charming, relaxing atmosphere and dine at Warfields!!

  We’re going to make what with all of these?

The Winning Team, Round 1

The Winning presentation!

A world-class labyrinth at Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic

The Peace Labyrinth, designed by Beatrice Barnett, was chosen for the garden along the sulphur brook, outside The Springs of Clifton, Integrative Medicine Center at Clifton Springs Hospital, www.cliftonspringshospital.org,  in this peaceful upstate New York Village.  This seven circuit labyrinth holds all of the special significance of the number “7″:  seven colors in the rainbow, 7 musical tones, 7 directions, and the 7 energy centers of the body called the chakras in Sanskrit healing philosophy. 

Labyrinths have been found to be part of human cultures for nearly 6000 years!  Robert Ferre, Master Labyrinth Maker, member of The Labyrinth Society, www.labyrinthsociety.org, explains: “The labyrinth is a pattern with a purpose, an ancient tool that speaks to a long forgotten part of us.  Lying dormant for centuries, labyrinths are undergoing a revival of use and interest.  They offer a chance to take “time out” from our busy lives, to leave schedules and stress behind.  Walking a labyrinth is a gift we give to ourselves that leads us past our intellect to a deeper place within.  Among the results some people have reported from walking labyrinths are insight and creative ideas, relaxation and stress release, happiness (and sometimes tears), connectedness, balance and well-being.”

John W. Rhodes, PhD., Chair, Research Committee, The Labyrinth Society, reports, “Research studies conducted in a variety of settings has consistently shown that walking a labyrinth reduces stress.  In fact, over the past few years, this has been the most commonly researched topic related to the so-called ‘labyrinth effect’.

Used for something as simple as stress relief or as profound as contemplative prayer, at the heart of the labyrinth people reconnect to what they need most.

The labyrinth, walking in circles….alternative healing or ancient spiritual practice?  The Peace Labyrinth pattern was chosen to offer this peaceful walk for patients, for families of the ill, for community members and our tourism guests, primarily because it, unlike traditional labyrinths, allows for an exit directly from the center.  This design seemed to be less over-whelming a path for people who might be ill.  Of course, returning on the entry path is the usual way a labyrinth is walked and provides more contemplative time after finding the “center” of the labyrinth and ourselves.

In addition, the planner respectfully chose a different symbol for the center of the Peace Labyrinth, at the request of a deeply respected member of the community, who asked that the Chinese symbol for “courage”  rather than the symbol for “peace” be at the center, because it takes so much courage to come to the hospital…..and, indeed, Beatrice Barnett saw “courage” as the symbol for the outermost circuit of her labyrinth.

Come to this peaceful village and walk the Peace Labyrinth to find your inner peace.

Clifton Springs is home to the oldest hospital in Western NY!!

The history of Clifton Springs is inextricably tied to the healing place first known as the Clifton Springs Water Cure, which was started by Henry Foster, MD, with a grand opening on September  13, 1850, making it the oldest hospital in Western New York. 

As a young boy Dr. Foster had been sent to Ohio to live with his physician older brother when their father’s linseed oil company failed in Vermont.  Dr. Foster’s brother introduced Henry to hydrotherapy, a method for enhancing health and promoting healing through the use of water and the field of homeopathy, the means of healing through “similars”.  Hydropathy, as the profession was known then, was  field of medicine that was very popular at that time and into the twentieth century.  Henry elected to become a physician and chose Case Western Medical School in Cleveland, Ohio for his education.

On completion of his training he looked for a place where he could practice hydropathy as part of his medical practice.  He was hired at the water-cure in New Grafenburg, NY, which was not far from Utica.  He started a water-cure newsletter and became well-known amongst the various water-cure establishments in New York. (New York boasted more mineral springs used for healing than any other state in the Union!)  Dr. Foster was greatly sought after by patients and, subsequently, by many of the water-cure establishments.  His life changed course, however, when a vision came to him from God, directing him to establish a place of healing based on Christian principles where people would be cared for in the very finest way.  He had heard of the sulphur springs to the West, which had been used by the Seneca Nation’s healers for many generations.  He found the place and determined it was the sight for the water-cure he had been called to establish.  He bought 12 acres with $1000 he had saved from the work at New Grafenburg, then he sold 20 shares at $500 each to people he had cared for, and built the Clifton Springs Water-Cure Sanitarium, with lines of people waiting to find health and healing.

Dr. Foster cared for people for over 50 years at the Sanitarium, passing away with joy on his face at nearly 80 years of age.  His story is much wider than this brief synopsis; the Clifton Springs Historical Society (www.fostercottage.org) and the Clifton Springs Library both carry his biography, which is quite inspirational.

Prior to his passing he and his wife engaged the New York State Legislature to pass a State Statute that would require this hospital to remain a not for profit with all proceeds going to improve care of the guests (Dr. Fostor’s way of speaking of patients!!!  Novel idea?  And hospital and hospitality come from the same rootword, of course).  And so the legacy of this special man who cared for people in a special way continues into the 21st Century in this hospital that feels more like a hotel when you enter!  The Clifton Springs Hospital (www.cliftonspringshospital.org) is a full-specialty services hospital and also has an Integrative Medicine Center, The Springs of Clifton, which offers a number of complementary and alternative therapies, including a full-time Naturopathic Doctor, along with the mineral baths and spa treatments(www.thespringsofclifton.com).  Several of the physicians serving the hospital incorporate integrative medicine practices as part of their care.  Truly this hospital has come full circle in 159 years!!!

Clifton Springs, NY hosts a Tiffany Mosaic for over 100 years

In 1902, shortly after the death of Dr. Henry Foster, founder and owner of the Clifton Springs Hospital, Mr. and Mrs. Buck, who had been under his physician care for many years, learned that Tiffany was sending a mosaic mural of the Last Supper to the Pan American World Expo in Buffalo, NY.  They went to see the mural and purchased it and arranged for the Tiffany Co. to bring it to Clifton Springs and to install it in the chapel of the Clifton Spring Hospital, where it continues to dazzle all who enter the spectacular space.  It is a priceless treasure in a tiny Upstate Village.

Go to the website for the Clifton Springs Historical Society www.fostercottage.org/Timeline/tiffany_mosaic.htm  to learn more.  Contact the Clifton Springs Chamber of Commerce, 315 462 8200,to arrange a visit to see the beautiful Tiffany Glass Mosaic.

Clifton Springs Chamber Manager Visits Moosejaw, SK, CA

Clifton Springs, NY came to be known around the world in the late 1800′s for its health care facility, The Clifton Springs Water Cure (subsequently the Sanitarium and later Hosptial), which was founded in 1850 by Dr. Henry Foster.  Dr. Foster purchased land that was imbedded with mineral springs which had been used by generations of the Seneca Nation.  The mineral springs were used for many conditions treated at the Hospital from 1850 into the 1950′s.  After a hiatus of about 50 years, the hospital re-opened a wing of the new, modern hospital to house individual soaking tubs within The Springs Integrative Medicine Center and Spa.

The Springs hosted the initiation of the New York Spa Alliance at an event held in the old hospital building (now called the Spa Apartments) in May 2005.  A representative, Deb Thorn, from the Temple Gardens Mineral Springs Spa in Moosejaw, Saskatchewan presented the inspiring story of how Moosejaw residents revitalized their dying city by using the natural mineral springs to create a world class, five star spa and hotel downtown.  A town that was being boarded up is now the major new economic driver for the Province.

The Project Manager for the Clifton Springs, NY, Chamber of Commerce visited Moosejaw in August 2009 to see exactly what the people of Moosejaw had done.  Can such re-vitalization happen in Upstate New York, which boasts more mineral springs, which were once used for healing, than any other State in the US!!  These springs could serve to address some of the health care issues faced in our country as well as to improve the economic outlook of many Upstate villages.

Visit the website for Temple Gardens for inspiration!  Then visit the website www.cliftonspringschamber.com to see the potential for one village which has mineral springs and a long history of healing with the waters!

Super Sunday in Clifton Springs New York, July 19, 2009

Clifton Springs invites you to join us for Super Sunday, July 19, 2009. Each 3rd Sunday of the month we have special events planned. Come visit on July 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Welcome the riders on the Finger Lakes Scenic Railway when they arrive at 12:30 p.m. from Victor, NY. Wander the lovely downtown and visit the merchants for special Super Sunday surprizes and then walk the gorgeous labyrinth along the sulphur brook, or wander into the sulphur spring garden and experience the waters that brought tourists and renowned guests from around the world. At 1 and 2 pm, join the tour from the Chamber office to the old Spa building, the former Clifton Springs Water Cure Sanitarium to see the priceless Tiffany Glass Mosaic of the Last Supper. Enjoy live music on the porch of the Foster Cottage, now the Historical Society Museum. Play croquet on the Foster Cottage lawn.
When you get hungry, find a pig roast in the John Brown park or some delicious lunch entrees at the Deli on Main Street. Top that off with an old fashioned ice cream social on the lawn at the beautiful stone Episcopal Church.
There is a walking tour guide at the Chamber to show you all of the historic sites in the Village!
Come and join us!!! There is something for everyone.

Go to www.cliftonspringschamber.com for more information