Let's be honest - as beautiful as the winter season is here in the Catskill mountains, month after month of darkness and cold weather can leave many of us feeling a bit gloomy. Various degrees of "winter blues" are very common. If that sounds familiar, don't give up! We've put together a list of easy, fun things you can do to cheer up and beat those blues right here in Delhi.
Go ice skating. The ice rink next at Sheldon Park by Delaware Academy is open again this year. It's free and open every day from 8am to 8pm, and loaner skates are available. Keep an eye on Facebook for current news and exceptions due to weather. Good old-fashioned winter fun!
Or how about sledding? There's a great hill at the college where you'll often see families bringing their kids to go sledding. As you take a turn from Main Street towards Delhi Drive, the hill is on the left hand side next to the SUNY Delhi welcome sign.
Hike, ski or snowshoe our trails. There are many great treks around town with various degrees of difficulty. Here's just a few ideas:
-- These three trails over the school were named after the My Side of the Mountain novel (which famously takes place in Delhi) and were designed to promote health and well-being in the community.
-- Bramley Mountain Trail is a new 4-mile trail between Delhi and Bovina, built by the Catskill Mountain Club.
-- Delhi College Golf Course is open to the public all winter long for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
-- For those willing to drive just a little out of town to Bloomville, Catskill Scenic Trail is excellent for skiing, snowshoeing and hiking.
Take a long walk around town. There are many easy routes to take in and around the village. Get going and enjoy looking at beautiful houses and yards. For a little challenge, walk up the hill to the college and visit the campus. At the very top, there's a beautiful view over the town. Looking at the layers of rolling mountains in the distance and all the homes and buildings dotting the hillsides and valleys, it's hard not to appreciate the beauty of where we live.
Attend special community events:
-- Saturday, January 28th at 5pm: Annual Casino Night by Delhi's C.L.A.S.I ladies. A fun-filled evening of games and good times. Location: Delhi American Legion.
-- Saturday, February 18th at 12pm-2pm: Frosty Family Fun Day at the Sheldon Park ice skating rink. Skating, snowshoeing, food, games and more.
-- Saturday, February 18th at 9am: Cross Country Skiing Course at the SUNY Delhi Golf Course. Ages 12 and up. Cost: $20/participant. All equipment will be provided. Preregistration is required. Please call Dave DeForest at 746-4112 or email deforeda@delhi.edu
Browse the many wonderful shops along Main Street. We bet you'll find something you've never visited before. Take a look and appreciate all that our local entrepreneurs are doing and support their businesses.
Eat out. Is there a restaurant you haven't tried before?
Take a fitness class. How about yoga, spinning or zumba at The Cardio Club? See the full class schedule here, get a membership to the gym, or join the LiveFit Challenge! Catskill Kettlebells also offers open gym as well as different levels of kettlebell classes that are all the rage right now. Let's get in shape, Delhi! Believe it or not, summer will be here sooner than you think.
Did you know the swimming pool at SUNY Delhi is open to the public? Open swim hours at Kunsela Hall Pool are 8pm-10pm on Mondays through Thursdays, 5:30pm-9pm on Fridays, and 1pm-5pm on the weekends. Free to college faculty and staff, and just $5/adults, $3/kids and $4/seniors.
Need a little pampering or pain relief? Get a massage. Jess About Massage offers many types of massage, including hot stone, bamboo and Swedish massage.
Attend local basketball team home games. Delhi Broncos, the SUNY Delhi basketball team, and Delhi Bulldogs, the Delaware Academy basketball teams, compete in tournaments over the winter, and home games are always free and open to the public. Get in the community spirit and support our teams!
-- Schedules for Delhi Broncos women's basketball and men's basketball.
-- Schedules for Delhi Bulldogs girls' basketball and boys' basketball (select varsity or JV from drop-down menu).
Go to church - there are almost a dozen churches and many denominations in Delhi - see a list here and find your home church. Most have Sunday services as well as prayer groups or other gatherings throughout the week. Get involved!
Be a volunteer and help our community in a rewarding way. Some ideas:
-- Heart of the Catskills Humane Society needs dog walkers, cat petters and other assistance for shelter pets. To go a step further, consider adopting one.
-- Youth mentors, anti-violence hotline responders and more are needed at Delaware Opportunities.
-- Help our seniors at the Office for the Aging by offering transportation, assisting at dining centers, and more.
-- Delhi Food Pantry offers free emergency food to individuals and families in need and would appreciate volunteers.
-- Contact the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of Delaware County to see how you can be of help.
-- Have more volunteering ideas? Let us know.
Enjoy the nightlife! Our local pubs often feature live bands and special events.
Always keep an eye on the town's events calendar to see what's going on. Trivia night? Karaoke? It's all there. Go ahead and submit your own event, too.
Most importantly, let's smile and be kind to each other! Lend a helping hand or say something supportive to people you meet. We're all in this together.
