Living in (Dryden) is Home

Simon of "Living in Dryden" is on vacation this week, so I'm helping out his reporting duties here at Dryden is Home with today's Dryden news.

Cathy Wakeman, who writes Dryden Notes for the Ithaca Journal every other Wednesday, reports:

-Dryden Middle School music teacher Robert McMahon has inspired a series of concerts begins tonight (Wednesday, September 27th) with local artists Djug Django, a five-man "gypsy swing band." At 6pm there will be a workshop for students. The concert begins at 7pm in the high school auditorium.

-Sertoma soccer continues on Saturday mornings. Sertoma (the name is derived from their motto SERvice TO MAn) funds soccer with a spaghetti dinner on Friday, October 13th from 5-7pm at the middle school cafeteria. Advance-sale tickets are $5 for adults and $3.50 for children ages 4-12. On the night of the dinner, the tickets are $5.50 for adults and $4 for children.

-That same night, from 5-8 p.m. across from the cafeteria in the high school gym, the parents of the class of 2006 will be hosting a silent action. The auction will help raise funds to provide an alcohol-free, drug-free and smoke-free celebration for the class of 2006 after graduation — known as the Senior All-Night Extravaganza.

-After dinner and a browse through the auction offerings, head outside to catch the Dryden football team take on Waverly at 7 p.m.

-The Varna United Methodist Church will offer chicken barbecue and dinners beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, at their building on Route 366. Dinner will include a half-chicken, baked beans, potato salad, carrot salad, a roll and cake for $7. Half-chickens will be sold for $4.50.

-The Dryden Central School Athletic Department will be raising money for new uniforms with a chicken barbecue at Clark's Dryden Food Mart. Sales will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. A half-chicken will cost $4.50.

In other Dryden News, Stone Travel has been acquired by Western and Central New York. The only mention of Dryden is that Stone Travel is located on 1284 Dryden Road. The article takes place in Ithaca. Read the article here, or here:

Western and Central New York AAA branch acquires Stone Travel
By Tiffany Edwards
Journal Staff

ITHACA — AAA Western and Central New York has acquired Stone Travel of Ithaca and Cortland, one of the area's top travel companies, business leaders announced Tuesday.

David Moore, owner and president of Stone Travel, and Thomas Chestnut, president/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York, jointly made the announcement in a press conference at Stone Travel, 1284 Dryden Road.

The change will be official Oct. 1. Over the next 90 days, the travel company will slowly change its identity to AAA Travel, with the new signs in place Jan. 1.

AAA operates one office in Ithaca, at 723 S. Meadow St., and does not have an office in Cortland.
“We wanted a bigger presence in Cortland and Ithaca, and Stone Travel was the market leader,” Chestnut said.

The addition of Stone Travel's two offices will bring AAA's total number of Central New York offices to 17.

In time, employees at its Meadow Street office will join employees on Dryden Road and the Meadow Street office will close.

Moore informed Stone Travel employees of the acquisition earlier in the day. Many were still absorbing the news and declined to comment after the afternoon press conference.

“I hope everything works out well,” said Sue Deeley, who has worked for Stone Travel for 20 years. “I'm just very surprised right now.”

Stone Travel employs 24 people in its Ithaca and Cortland offices, and that number might increase, Moore said.

As part of AAA, Moore will take on the title of regional director of the Ithaca/Cortland region.

Moore will retain ownership of the office on Dryden Road. AAA has signed a long-term lease of the building, an action Moore sees as an indication of AAA's commitment to the local community. Moore rented the Stone Travel office at 13 Clinton Ave., Cortland, and AAA will assume the lease.

Charlotte Stone founded Stone Travel in December 1964 on Eddy Street. Moore joined the company in 1977 and purchased it eight years later. Stone Travel moved to its current location on Dryden Road in January 2006, after renovating the former New York State Police building.

tedwards@ithacajournal.com, Originally published September 27, 2006

So here's the thing - - Stone Travel is located in a place central to both Cortland and Ithaca. That place is in Dryden. The AAA office on rt. 13 near Hollywood video will be closing and that staff will be moving to Stone Travel's office on Dryden Road (near Robertson's Corner / NYSEG / rt.13/366). At the end of the day, Dryden loses a local business, but gains a few employees. David Moore, Stone Travel's owner and president will become the regional director of Western and Central New York AAA for Ithaca and Cortland.

Simon would also like this news since Stone Travel is in his neighborhood. I like this news because it shows continues development of Robertson's Corner as a commercial district.