SUBMITTED by Vicky Daly, Village of Palmyra (7-Feb-2011)
Conversation with the Mayor
Usually when the time to converse on paper arrives, I have a fairly clear idea as to what is going to be the topic or topics. Today’s is a thinking out loud piece about the nature of the column itself and how it is used. Reporters covering the village board meetings bring you the hard news. Legal notices (please do read them) give you information regarding public hearings and the like, reenforcing the news articles about an event or decision. That leaves these conversations to fill in the gaps, giving background, perhaps, on discussions at board meetings, giving you a heads up on what may be occurring in the future, explaining why something is or is not happening.
The column is also a bulletin board of sorts for upcoming events in and around Palmyra, inviting you to be part of them. Bulletin boards, by their nature, have all kinds of notices – not just events, but also needs and opportunities. I try to include those as well. Right now there are serious needs in the community. The economy is still limping along and that, plus this (good) old fashioned winter have made life exceedingly difficult for too many of our residents. The agencies which lend aid are scrambling to keep up with the need. The Food Pantry and the Good Neighbor Fund are seeing a major increase in requests. The Children’s Clothing Cupboard would welcome donations of gently used children’s outerwear. Cash donations to all three organizations would also be appreciated to fill in the shortfalls in donations.
Two other agencies need your time as drivers, not your money. ‘Meals on Wheels’ delivers nutritous meals five days a week to housebound folks. Your commitment could be as little as one or two hours a month. ‘We Care’, another purely volunteer organization, transports residents of Palmyra to medical appointments. Drivers for both groups are in short supply, especially during the winter months. Neither is demanding. When the weather is bad, the ‘Meals on Wheels’ deliveries are cancelled (recipients have emergency stores for that eventuality). If a ‘We Care’ request is made of you and you are not available, the dispatcher moves to the next name on the list. The organizers work with you so it isn’t arduous. So, please consider making life better for your neighbors. We have been asked to give our time, talent or treasure. Here are opportunities to do so. For contact information on any of these organizations, call our office, 597-4849. Although we are not involved in scheduling, we know whom to contact.
Thank you to everyone in the village who has been making their neighbors lives better and safer by keeping their sidewalks clear of snow. It shows. Everyone in this village seems to walk, from the wee folk to the senior citizens and, of course, the dog walkers. You have made it easier for them to do so safely. It is particularly nice to see owners of snowblowers at the end of their own property continue to the end of their block. On our street, they seem to take turns keeping us clear. Once the machine is out and running, the extra distance is minor. Thanks, too, to the folks keeping the hydrants accessible. We want our firemen fighting fires not shoveling.
Conversation with the Mayor
Usually when the time to converse on paper arrives, I have a fairly clear idea as to what is going to be the topic or topics. Today’s is a thinking out loud piece about the nature of the column itself and how it is used. Reporters covering the village board meetings bring you the hard news. Legal notices (please do read them) give you information regarding public hearings and the like, reenforcing the news articles about an event or decision. That leaves these conversations to fill in the gaps, giving background, perhaps, on discussions at board meetings, giving you a heads up on what may be occurring in the future, explaining why something is or is not happening.
The column is also a bulletin board of sorts for upcoming events in and around Palmyra, inviting you to be part of them. Bulletin boards, by their nature, have all kinds of notices – not just events, but also needs and opportunities. I try to include those as well. Right now there are serious needs in the community. The economy is still limping along and that, plus this (good) old fashioned winter have made life exceedingly difficult for too many of our residents. The agencies which lend aid are scrambling to keep up with the need. The Food Pantry and the Good Neighbor Fund are seeing a major increase in requests. The Children’s Clothing Cupboard would welcome donations of gently used children’s outerwear. Cash donations to all three organizations would also be appreciated to fill in the shortfalls in donations.
Two other agencies need your time as drivers, not your money. ‘Meals on Wheels’ delivers nutritous meals five days a week to housebound folks. Your commitment could be as little as one or two hours a month. ‘We Care’, another purely volunteer organization, transports residents of Palmyra to medical appointments. Drivers for both groups are in short supply, especially during the winter months. Neither is demanding. When the weather is bad, the ‘Meals on Wheels’ deliveries are cancelled (recipients have emergency stores for that eventuality). If a ‘We Care’ request is made of you and you are not available, the dispatcher moves to the next name on the list. The organizers work with you so it isn’t arduous. So, please consider making life better for your neighbors. We have been asked to give our time, talent or treasure. Here are opportunities to do so. For contact information on any of these organizations, call our office, 597-4849. Although we are not involved in scheduling, we know whom to contact.
Thank you to everyone in the village who has been making their neighbors lives better and safer by keeping their sidewalks clear of snow. It shows. Everyone in this village seems to walk, from the wee folk to the senior citizens and, of course, the dog walkers. You have made it easier for them to do so safely. It is particularly nice to see owners of snowblowers at the end of their own property continue to the end of their block. On our street, they seem to take turns keeping us clear. Once the machine is out and running, the extra distance is minor. Thanks, too, to the folks keeping the hydrants accessible. We want our firemen fighting fires not shoveling.
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