The Prattsville Scoop by Abby and Gabby - 11 December 2023

Prattsville – Wish to reach out to our local media outlets – WRIP, Mountain Eagle and Daily Mail plus MidHudson Public Announcements. Jay at WRIP, Matt Avitabile at Mountain Eagle and Sue Chasney at Daily Mail plus the powers that be at MidHudson for their free Public Announcements on Channel 11. For your non profit organizations’ events including fundraisers, all the aforementioned will do their part in getting your information out to the public at large. At this time of year, we say “THANK YOU”. You have helped us do our part to help others, especially and mainly our veterans.

Special thanks to Jay for calling to check on our VA Christmas Celebration. We are just getting back in the swing of things with the VA after COVID shutdown and their move from one floor to another. We still do not have the number of veterans (33) this year as we have had in the past (50) so their needs are different. They have suggested we wait until after flu season – March/April 2024 – before we try to really interact with them at the VA with luncheons and events. Will have Jay keep you up to date. Thank you Jay.

Now to Matt Avitabile – had to do a double take when reading his editorial “No More Little Paper”. Thought there goes one of our outlets for news and assistance with our veterans’ and other programs, but continued reading and understood he meant small circulation. Please continue with The Mountain Eagle. Thank you Matt.

Jay and Matt and Sue and Mike Ryan, you are invited to go to the Stratton VAMC on Tuesday, December 12, 10 AM, to be there to help hand out Christmas gift bags to each veteran. You will be glad you did.

At a recent lunch in Kingston, Pat Minew, Nancy Orr, Bob and Ginny Gurley were unexpectedly treated to lunch with best wishes from George and Donna Greiner of Athens. The Greiners and our group have become friends as fellow Legionnaires and Auxiliary members. The Greiners and their friends have helped us with our VA Christmas Celebration through the years. George helped distribute the Christmas presents one year. Thank you George and Donna for a great lunch and you are always welcome in Prattsville at our home.

Our thoughts and prayers for our family, neighbors and friends in Stamford and are thankful there were no fatalities as a result of that horrible fire Friday afternoon. There are many efforts being arranged for direct aid to those now homeless. Javin Traver, most of us remember him working on our Town Highway Department, was helping to fight that fire, his grandmother Jane Tait lives in Stamford about two blocks from that fire. Nancy Olson’s nephew, Don Van Etten, is the Stamford Fire Chief. We all have connections with family and friends in our neighboring towns.

A recent poll of some sort looking for those deemed most truthful, our nurses were found to be the most truthful. With many of our residents having professional nurses counted among their family members, please extend our thanks and gratitude to them for setting a fine example for all. Thank you to our nurses, you are appreciated.

Ever the helpful friend, Claudia Bracaliello dropped off her Christmas gifts to our veterans at Stratton VAMC. Claudia likes to wrap them and she tags each gift identifying the item and the size. That is a lot of work but as a veteran herself, Claudia knows how to bring cheer to others. After that she made another trip to drop off a specialty cheese for a not ordinary recipe. Thank you for everything Claudia.

If there is one thing to do on a weekend in our area, there are at least six more events to take in. The Craft Fair at the West Kill Community Hall Saturday, December 2, was very well attended and the selection of every type of craft item would certainly fill up your Christmas Gift List. We really have a large number of really talented crafters in our area. While there, you could enjoy lunch with homemade soup, coffee and desserts. Of course you did not have to be encouraged to buy baked goods for later enjoyment at home, the smell kept reminding you that you really should buy something. Then the UMC of Windham/Hensonville had their tea and cookies Saturday afternoon. Heard that it was very special and delicious plus there were some crafts available to help you with your Christmas gift list. Saturday, December 9, 10 AM – 1 PM, the Ashland UMC will have their Cookie Walk with more types of cookies than you knew were possible and are now available.

Heard from long time friend from years past, Janet Barkman Brainerd. Janet lives in the Ravena area with son Georgie and family. In watching an old movie (From Here To Eternity) from the mid 50’s, Janet was reminded of the time she and three of her good friends attended the movie at the Stamford Theater. She said she remembers all four of us crying like babies during the movie. It is still a good movie to watch and cry. Those were the days. So glad Janet and I are still friends and get to recall those days when life was so simple and what we considered daring is now considered childish. But it was fun for us and we can still talk about with laughter. Keep calling Janet and we can laugh at our teenage years. Janet’s granddaughter Jessica Schmeidel, now living in Colorado, recently got engaged. No name was given for the fiancee so that will mean we have to do some follow up and that information will then be ready for sharing. The Stamford Theater was located on the opposite side of Main Street/Route 23 across from the site of the Friday fire in Stamford. The theater was torn down years ago.

The American Legion Virgil E. Deyo Post 1327 will have their monthly meeting on Thursday, December 14, at 7 PM, at the Prattsville Town Hall. Try to attend, it will be the last meeting of 2023.

Christina Gurley and son Tanner were in Prattsville Saturday afternoon visiting dad Bob Jr. and Jen, they also made a stop at grandparents Bob and Ginny. Christina and fiancee Conrad have sent a date of October 26, 2024 for their upcoming nuptials. Tanner really, really likes salsa and nacho chips. What is not to like?

Nancy and Lou Kizyma continue in their quest to get their home brought up to-date and put back together in time for the holidays. Then they try to play catch-up on all those appointments that were put on hold until they could be rescheduled. Seems like all of us are always playing catch-up.

Speaking of rescheduling, due to lots of “makeup” appointments, illnesses and the holidays, the American Legion Auxiliary Virgil E. Deyo Unit 1327, Prattsville, have rescheduled their December meeting until a date in January yet to be decided upon, more to follow. There is still time to support our 2023 VA Christmas Celebration. Drop off items until Sunday, December 11 at the Gurleys and monetary donations are always ongoing. The figure of 4,200 needy and/or homeless veterans go to the Stratton VAMC Voluntary Services for assistance and we are happy to forward those donations in the form of gift cards for those in need.

At a recent lunch in Kingston, Pat Minew, Nancy Orr, Bob and Ginny Gurley were unexpectedly treated to lunch with best wishes from George and Donna Greiner of Athens. The Greiners and our group have become friends as fellow Legionnaires and Auxiliary members. The Greiners and their friends have helped us with our VA Christmas Celebration through the years. George helped distribute the Christmas presents one year. Thank you George and Donna for a great lunch and you are always welcome in Prattsville at our home.

Get well wishes to our Mary O’Hara and Al Martel of Grand Gorge.

Talked to Connie Lane, now of Oneonta. Her family is feting her to a 85th Birthday party on December 6. We miss Connie at this time of year because she loved to go shopping for the veterans and then wrapping the gifts for them. Hi Connie and Happy Birthday again. We miss you.

Debbie and Steve Baker will be welcoming another grandchildren in May. Congratulations to all.

Lana Breigle stopped by with offers of help for our veterans and yes, her assistance was accepted. Same for Pat Minew, Nancy Orr, Johannes and Marianne Krauss, Cathy Martino, Elliott and Shelly Brainard, Arnold and Diana Jaeger. Bob and Ginny Gurley. With the access to the veterans for presenting their gifts to them directly, this year will be special. Have also put out offers for more up close and personal visits but have been advised perhaps it would be better to have luncheons etc. after the flu season is over. But adaptive skiers from the Stratton VA will be treated to their day of skiing on January 26 thanks to the American Legion Virgil E. Deyo Post 1327, Prattsville, and the American Legion Auxiliary Virgil E. Deyo Unit 1327 will treat all of them, including their instructors to lunch on that day. Thank you to all who have made these events possible through your generosity and love.

Happy Birthday to Eli Martin on December 9. On December 10 we wish Elliott Brainard Happy Birthday. And to our special couple, Teddie and Merrill Cline, who share a birthday on Debmer 13, we say Happy Happy Birthday. On December 14 we wish Debbie Dymond a Happy Birthday. Ed Chatfield is wished a Happy Birthday on December 15. Happy Anniversary to Elliott and Shelly Brainard on December 10. On December 13 we wish Phyllis and Jerry Raeder a Happy Anniversary. Happy Anniversary to Steve and Judy Haskin on December 14.

Send your news and special Holiday events, birth dates, anniversaries and good news to gurleyrv@gmail.com or call 518-299-3219. Merry Christmas.