The Valley Central Scholarship Council’s annual Holiday Craft Festival will be held on Saturday, November 18 at the High School. The time is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Are you still raking those leaves? The Village of Montgomery has Leaf Pick-up and the Town of Montgomery has Leaf Drop Off. Leaf pick-up in the village will be November 1 through November 30, Tuesdays only! Leaves must be bagged & placed curbside by 7 a.m.

The Town of Montgomery Leaf Drop Off program “Leave Your Leaves With Us” is from November 1 to December 1. Town of Montgomery residents may drop off bagged leaves Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Taylor Montgomery, 350 Neelytown Road, Montgomery. Town residents must show proof of residency.

For those history buffs on your Christmas list, consider purchasing the “Images of America: Village of Montgomery.”

Filled with rare photographs dating from the 1870s to the present, “Images of America: Village of Montgomery” focuses on the history of the hamlet and its churches, roads, businesses, schools and cemeteries, providing insight into how village residents lived, worked and played in years past.

The insightful text accompanying each photograph reveals intriguing and little-known facts about our village and its people.”Images of America: Village of Montgomery” can be purchased for $15 at Village Hall.

Registration for Vikings Youth Basketball is now open! To secure your child’s spot in this exciting program, please make checks payable to the Village of Montgomery and send them, along with the downloaded registration form, to Casey Rumsey at 1000 Scotchtown Collabar Road, Montgomery, NY 12549.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity for your young athlete to grow and excel on the court. Go to the Village of Montgomery website for more info: villageofmontgomery.org

Happy Thanksgiving wishes to all. Remember that traditionally the Saturday after Thanksgiving is Small Business Saturday. Local stores and businesses will be open with sales and specials to appeal to young and old.

As this is the “season for giving” let us remember those in need. This is an annual holiday ritual my family participates in. I was walking past the “giving tree” in the Galleria mall (upstairs outside of JC Penney) and it was covered with little paper angels and their wish lists. Of course there are the usual requests for toys and games but the ones who wanted the basics such as a blanket and underwear and socks just tugged at my heart.

I encourage all of you to experience the joy of giving and participate in a “giving tree,” whether it be in your local church, business or the one at the mall.

The Annual Toys for Tots event at Lolly’s Airport Inn, 247 Route 211 Montgomery will be held on December 3. Titled “Musicians of the Hudson Valley,” it is featuring seven local bands who will perform from 2 to 9 p.m. Stop by and donate a new unwrapped toy. There will be a free buffet, 50/50 drawing and raffles. Any business or community group that would like to support or participate in the can contact geocha154@gmail.com.

The Toys for Tots Train will be in our area at a stop in Montgomery on Railroad Avenue at 12:45 p.m. and in Hamptonburgh at the Caboose Museum on Erie Street at 2:20 p.m. on December 10. Also there is a Toys for Tots collection bin in the Village of Montgomery Village Hall lobby.

Now open, PBF, serving food with a Polish and Brazillian flair, heard good reviews. Check them out and wish them well at 94 Clinton Street.
I’ll be stopping by for some Golabki (stuffed cabbage).