Live Music at Deer's Head Inn to benefit purchase of Teen Rec Van!

On Saturday, November 1, the Deer's Head Inn and Elizabethtown Social Center are partnering on a Novembefest - a live music fundraiser to buy a van for the Social Center's free afterschool Teen Rec program. The Deer's Head has generously offered to split proceeds from the event with the Social Center!

Did you know?

• Three quarters of the 6th through 12th graders in the Boquet Valley School District are enrolled, with up to 65 teens attending daily! The program is free.

• Attendance at the Social Center is set to double this year!

• The Social Center raises 40% of its operating budget from outside sources such as personal donations and grants.

The Deer's Head is located at 7552 Cout Street in Elizabethtown. They will be serving from 1 to 9pm with performances by three regional favorites:

1:30 - 4pm - Ploughman's Lunch

5 - 7pm - Mark Henry Morris from 5 to 7pm

7 - 9pm RC and the Ponders

Why a Van? Support Youth Programming and Community Trips!

Founded in 1939, the Elizabethtown Social Center offers music, arts, and educational events for all ages. Their Teen Rec program provides a safe, supervised environment where teens can socialize, play sports, work on arts projects, and organize public events including an annual Haunted House and Veterans Day dinner for the American Legion.

The van will mean more field trips, which are popular with teens and adults. Last year, participants attended Broadway musicals in Schenectady, minor league sports games in Burlington, and recorded songs at a professional music studio. The Center also leads monthly outdoor adventure trips including rock and ice climbing, whitewater rafting, and mountain biking for the teens.

"We make an effort to get them out to explore their surroundings. I love to see them put their phones down and enjoy something new," said Steven Walsh, Teen Rec Coordinator.

Lucy Misarski, an outdoor trip leader, added, "It's incredible to support a teen as they learn to push past their fear. I've seen them melt down on a ropes course or while scaling an ice cliff, but they work it out with our support, their confidence grows, and they might even pick a harder line to climb the next time."

Transportation Barriers and Future Opportunities

Executive Director Laurie House explained the challenge: "Transportation for field trips can be costly and difficult to schedule. For large groups, we rent school buses, but for smaller trips buses are expensive and often not available. With a van, we could take advantage of all that the region has to offer."

Arts and Outreach Coordinator Emily Rascoe envisions expanded programming beyond Teen Rec. "We already lead several large trips every year to see Broadway shows in New York City and Schenectady, but we'd love to be able to offer small group trips to places like the Flynn in Burlington or to explore Montreal, perhaps partner with the Deer’s Head on cuisine tours, or even to transport seniors in Elizabethtown to our Social Center events.”

Thanks to generous community contributions, The Center is close to reaching their fundraising goal. The Novemberfest event aims to secure the remaining funds needed.

For more information about the Elizabethtown Social Center and Teen Rec program, contact Laurie House, Executive Director, at (518) 873-6408 or director@elizabethtownsocialcenter.org.