Last August 2018, the couple moved to Humphrey and have
slowly been renovating Tickletown between consulting work, teaching yoga, and
volunteering. However, the wintry weather and snow prevented any significant
renewal. Now that spring has arrived, big things are happening on the premises.
“We were going to do it ourselves and recruit volunteers” says Palmer, “but we
are so busy that it made better sense to hire someone to do it right and
quick!” That’s when one of Palmer’s YMCA yoga students, Sue Schultz, owner of
Cabinet World in Olean, referred the couple to Rick McFall. McFall who “does it
all” is taking care of the demolitions that involve removing siding and taking
down parts of the structure that are no longer sound. Stahlman and Palmer are
excited for the work to be finished so they can get Tickletown up and running.
Stahlman and Palmer have big plans once the work is done.
Along with honoring Ms. Hilton’s vision of community building and promoting
local economies, the couple who have multiple degrees in anthropology and
education are excited to put on educational events and workshops that bring
people from all over to engage in creative discussions, promote health and
wellness, as well as enjoy life. One of the traditions that will return once
the facility is ready are the Full Moon Pot Lucks, where community members
commune around food, music, and festivities. The couple plan to offer yoga and
meditations classes as well as host history and culture talks, and monthly
juried art shows. Drawing on community expertise, two long time
“Tickletowners,” offered to run “fix it clinics” that teach people to fix
broken appliances and furniture. “The more people we meet, the more gifts they
are willing to share to help the vision come alive,” says Palmer.
As walls come down, new spaces are created, and old ones are
reimagined. While currently it looks a mess, sometimes you must destroy to
reveal beauty, and that’s just what the couple are doing. To create more space
the old greenhouse that fell into disrepair was taken down, as was the side
porch. The small pond on the east side of the facility was filled in by the
town road crew to creating parking, which was often a contentious issue for the
neighbors. In the spirit of the original owner, fundraising concerts using
local musical talent are in the works. But the couple want to open the venue
for performances and workshops to alternative performing artists, such as hoola
hoopers, dancers, and comedians. Long range plans include a farmer’s market.
For more information visit Tickletown’s face book page and check out their new
website Tickletowntrade.com for updates and to find out how you can get
involved.
