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FLY CREEK, N.Y. — April 27, 2026 — Organizers have confirmed the final tally from the latest Big Squeeze Day at Fly Creek Cider Mill: $3,675 raised for breast cancer services at Bassett Medical Center. The amount marks a new record for the event and will pass through Friends of Bassett to the Cancer Center at Bassett Medical Center.
The total is not the kind of number usually associated with a small mill town, but it is exactly the kind of result the annual autumn event was created to produce. What started as a simple idea — sell cider, hand out donuts, and talk about breast cancer — has grown into one of the region’s more dependable community fundraisers. This year’s figure, organizers said, surpasses every earlier Big Squeeze.
Big Squeeze Day is held each October to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It brings together the mill’s regular visitors and neighbors from nearby communities, and the cause stays front and center without turning the day into a lecture. Volunteers mingle with customers, hand out information about screenings, and answer questions in the kind of low-pressure way that fits the setting.
The event also gives people a concrete reason to buy a few extra items. A share of the day’s proceeds from the cider shop and bakery is set aside for the fundraiser, so a family that stops by for donuts ends up helping a neighbor without making a separate donation. Organizers said the model has been effective because it meets people where they already are.
The beneficiary this time is Friends of Bassett, a nonprofit that supports patient services within Bassett Healthcare Network. The funds are designated for the Cancer Center at Bassett Medical Center, which provides treatment and support to cancer patients from Otsego County and beyond. Bassett’s network stretches across a largely rural part of upstate New York, where appointments often mean long drives and time off work. Community-raised money can soften those burdens.
That is one of the reasons a modest figure can matter so much here. Money from events like Big Squeeze Day helps cover things that standard cancer care does not always include: a ride to treatment, lodging for someone coming from far away, or comfort items that make long infusion days more bearable. The total may be small next to the hospital’s overall budget, but its flexibility is what makes it useful.
Beyond the dollar figure, the event serves a quieter purpose: normalizing conversations about breast cancer in a rural community. For some visitors, the only time they see pink ribbons is on a national screen or a sports field. Here, they can stand next to a neighbor, ask a volunteer a question, and get an answer without feeling rushed or judged.
The record donation is also a sign of what repeated, local efforts can accomplish. Fly Creek Cider Mill has hosted Big Squeeze Day for years, and the event has developed a regular audience. Returning visitors know that the pink ribbons and handmade signs are not decoration; they are reminders to pay attention to their own health and the health of the people around them.
Health authorities point to the same idea from a clinical side. The American Cancer Society encourages women to talk with their doctors about screening by age 40 and to schedule routine mammograms through their 40s and 50s. The earlier breast cancer is found, the more treatment options tend to be available. Awareness events, even small ones, can prompt the phone call that leads to that early detection.
Fly Creek Cider Mill’s location helps the event succeed. The mill sits just outside Cooperstown, a town best known as the home of baseball’s Hall of Fame. That name recognition brings visitors to the area, and many of them make the short drive to Fly Creek for apples, cider, and scenery. During the fall, the mill is already a gathering place, which means the stage is built before the fundraiser begins.
The “Big Squeeze” name comes from the mill’s heavy-duty cider press, but organizers say it has taken on another layer over the years. The gentle squeeze at the register is part of the experience, and supporters say the motivation comes easily when the request is tied to a place they love.
With the latest record in the books, the focus is already shifting to the next Big Squeeze Day. Organizers said they want to keep the event simple while giving more people a way to take part, from online gifts to workplace matching contributions. The success of the latest drive, they said, is proof that a country store in upstate New York can still lead a conversation about breast cancer care.
The $3,675 total will be added to Friends of Bassett’s ongoing support for Bassett Medical Center. For the mill’s regulars, the number gives them another reason to say they are proud of the place they visit. For the patients who benefit, it means one more layer of backing at a hospital they count on.
