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Fellow residents;
With Christmas before us, I wanted to mention a public event, various charitable opportunities, and a reminder that much of your Christmas shopping can be done right here in Hastings:
Blessing of the Nativity
The Christian churches of Hastings are jointly sponsoring a Blessing of the Crèche this Saturday at 6PM at the Veterans of Foreign Wars, located downtown. All are welcome to attend this brief and simple ceremony that celebrates the Sacred in this season.
Christmas Charity
Most of us enjoy a warm home and food on the table. But not all. Several of our local churches are organizing various collections that help to address the needs of those less fortunate. Please consider donating to those in need in this season that celebrates giving. Hastings has a proud Christmas tradition of caring for local children. From World War I on, any Hastings child who wrote a letter to Santa Claus was rewarded by the generosity of Colonel and Mrs. Frederick Zinsser. They lived where Zinsser Park is now and also owned a factory on the south end of the waterfront. The Zinssers sent their household staff into New York City to collect the special wrapped purchases which Mrs. Zinsser personally gave to each child. You can continue this tradition by giving in the toy drives and other charitable
causes mentioned below:
- Grace Episcopal Church Is hosting a collection for Fessende House for men who are recovering from substance abuse and a Special Food collection for the Youth Advocate Office of Hastings at the Community Center.
- North Yonkers Community Church is sponsoring a Toy Drive on December 22nd and 23rd, with toys donated to the Salvation Army,.
- Saint Matthew Catholic Church is holding weekly a Food Collections for the Youth Advocate Office which cares for the needy of Hastings, a Monthly Food Collection for the Parish of Saint Peter's in Yonkers and an Annual Toy Collection for the needy of Saint Peter's, Yonkers. Additionally, the church is holding an Annual Mitten, Hat and Glove Collection for the Children of Saint Francis, Mount Kisco on Dec 19
Christmas Shopping
Indeed, Christmas is a season of giving and what better place to buy those gifts then in your own village! Please find attached and on the Village website (http://www.hastingsgov.org/Pages/HastingsNY_Documents/01666F44-000F8513 ) a single-page guide to the many opportunities for gift buying downtown. Print it out, look it over, and I think you’ll be as surprised at how much of your list you can cover in a single visit
downtown. No shipping charges. No Central Avenue madness. The parking’s even free at this time of the year. Keep your money in town and your blood pressure down by shopping locally. (There's also a local artists crafts market downtown on Saturday from 9AM to 2PM at the Community Center, giving you even more reason to go do your shopping.)
All the best in this happy season,
Peter Swiderski
Mayor
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