The Prattsville Scoop by Abby and Gabby - 20 November 2023

PRATTSVILLE – Happy Thanksgiving to all. Enjoy your family and friends at this time.

Thank you to all. It is such a pleasure to be able to say a simple “thank you” to so many of your family and friends, AKA as neighbors, on behalf of our LOCAL VETERANS. The Annual Veterans Day Bake Sale hosted by American Legion Auxiliary Virgil E. Deyo Unit 1327 was another success. Sale started at 9 AM and by 11:15 AM all baked goods were sold. All proceeds will benefit local veterans and their families and we, Unit 1327, encourage you to let the Unit know of veterans and/or their families who can use our assistance, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons. It is one of our goals to help our veterans and their families. Call 518-29-3219 for help or suggestions. As always it is with thanks and deep appreciation to Jim Eisel and his assistants and cashiers for their help and most importantly, their smiles and assistance in helping out when needed items were forgotten or speeding along the shoppers. Still wondering what that laughter and joking was about at the three cash registers. Sounded like a good time was being had by all.

Commander Chris Tompkins, Legionnaires Johannes Krauss and Dave Rikard and young volunteers, members of Chris’ family, took down the Honor Banners for the winter season. The freezing and snow is not conducive to prolonging the life of these banners so they are stored indoors until next May. Our local Legionnaires, Chris Tompkins, Mike Meli, Claudia Bracaliello, Darcy Jaeger-Brand, Arnold Jaeger, Bob Gurley, Johannes Krauss, Manley Haight, Ray Bracaliello, Dave Rikard and including active duty servicemen Rikard and Strothers, made a fine appearance at the Gilboa CS Veterans Day Program on Thursday the 9th at the school. Six Auxiliary members were also there. Some new parents and grandparents enjoyed the program immensely. The younger grades bring grins to the faces of their parents and grandparents and family. Thank you Gilboa Conesville CS for your recognition of our veterans and for the following coffee hour. Veterans always enjoy their fellow veterans and push the time when they have to leave the cafeteria for the younger students’ lunch. Commander Chris Tompkins and all Legionnaires of Post 1327 would like to invite all veterans, regardless of when or where they served, to join American Legion Virgil E. Deyo Post 1327, Prattsville. Comradeship and shared values among fellow veterans is a major reason for joining as well as their motto “Still Serving”. They support veterans in need both locally and at Stratton VAMC, school and community programs. When you see Old Glory fly proudly at the graves of fallen veterans, perhaps at your family members’ grave sites, you can thank Legionnaires and their Auxiliary for making sure new flags are in readiness for Memorial Day and for the rest of the year. The membership is always giving back, after doing their honorable duty by serving our country. Veterans, please consider joining Post 1327 by calling the Commander at 518-795-5425 or crt2572@yahoo.com. On Friday, the VA Announced that it would now be providing free healthcare services to all WWII Veterans despite income restrictions.  Please help us disseminate this information to our Veterans Community!  We can assist (all) veterans with the VA Healthcare Application at our office, they do not need to call the 1-800 number or apply online.  See article below (with link) for details: 

https://news.va.gov/press-room/all-wwii-veterans-are-now-eligible-for-no-cost-va-health-care-and-nursing-home-services/#:~:text=Press%20Room-,All%20WWII%20Veterans%20are%20now%20eligible%20for%20no%2Dcost%20VA,care%20and%20nursing%20home%20services&text=WASHINGTON%20%E2%80%94%20Today%2C%20the%20Department%20of,services%2C%20and%20nursing%20home%20care.

The Friday Ladies who meet once a month were at Sundee’s this past week and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. In attendance were Joanne Dunphy, leader Carol Landers, Mabel, Shelly Brainard, Kathy Sherman and Susan Sutton. They are very mum about what they discuss – they keep their secrets.

Sympathy to the family of Areta Jaeger. She was very active in the group at The Mews especially going out to their Friday afternoon monthly luncheons. Her friends and family will miss her.

The Bake Sale also provides another opportunity to talk with all the contributors and catch up on their news and upcoming events. Discover Life Church parishioners were doing their shopping in readiness for their Soup, Bread and Dessert supper Saturday evening for the benefit of Israel. In addition to the Bake Sale, some bought their desserts from the Bake Sale, the participants were busy shopping for ingredients for their soup. Kathy Schmeidel was buying ingredients for her Chicken Soup, her first attempt at this and we would like to know how it turned out Kathy. Jim Young went all out with three soups – squash, potato and another that has been forgotten, perhaps French Onion – sorry Jim can’t be sure of that flavor. Thank you to our caring neighbors and the parishioners of Discover Life Church for their caring and fostering community life.

Get well wishes and speedy recovery to Reverend Elliott Oakes. He underwent corrective surgery on a heart valve, receiving a bovine valve. His ever loving wife Mary Jo said she told him he “was going to have a moooving experience.” Love your sense of humor Mary Jo even if Elliott does not.

If any of you hear of an incident report being filed by Janice Cammer, please disregard it. She is just a trouble maker and needs something to keep her occupied. She is worth it though, she is a lot of fun and always smiling, especially when she is causing trouble.

Any of our local events are not just for that particular cause but a chance for all of us to interact with friends and family. Lots of friendly kidding and planning for get togethers for a later date. We got to meet young Stella (Cross) For-Koerner, presented by her mother Miranda Cross Fox Koerner. As member of Unit 1327 Miranda stopped by the Bake Sale and signed Stella up as Junior member of the Unit. Stella even had a smile for Danny Peckham and he just had to return her smile.

Ashleigh Jaeger Carr while being at her sister-in-law’s side during delivery, met up with Nadine Gurley Huntsman’s husband Isaac, on staff Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown. He even admitted to having connections to Prattsville. He is a fine gentleman and the medical profession is lucky to have him, and Nadine as well.

Interested in the program Wreaths Across America? This year the ceremony will be on December 16, 2023. If you would care to contribute to this program, go to wreathsacrossamerica.org by November 28. Thank you on behalf of all our veterans.

Happy Birthday to Laura Beigle on November 18. Happy Birthday to Jackson Lindley on November 21. On November 22 we send Happy Birthday wishes to Jackie Briggs, Anna Tompkins and Tanner Hoke. On November 23 it is Happy Birthday to Nancy Olson. Jim Young and Adriana Bifolco are wished Happy Birthday on November 24.

Please send your news, birthdays and anniversaries to gurleyrv@gmail.com or call 518-299-3219. We would love to share your news with all.