The excitement is building

Well we are a little bit less than a month away from election day November 8,2011. It was so nice to meet so many of you all at the Oktoberfest this weekend at Bellayre Mountain. The day was beautiful as were the change of the leaves. It seemed to make us all feel alive again. Bellayre has been a mainstay in my life and in many of yours. My 3 boys learned to ski on that mountain since they were in kindergarten. Shandaken always had a special winter program for our children to be able to ski at a reasonable cost. My boys are all grown and have gone from learning to ski to learning to snowboard! Some have worked during the winter at Bellayre.
For so long New York State wanted to privatize Bellayre Mountain. Most of us were against it. Along with the fact that it was much less expensive to take a family of 5 sking at Bellayre instead of Hunter or Windham. It has proven to be much needed by this community for shelter and safety of our friends and neighbors during Hurricane Irene. So many people were displaced from there homes and  Bellayre was the only location large enough to house the hundreds of people who needed a dry bed, a hot shower and three solid meals for more than 2 weeks. The volunteers worked tirelessly to collect donations of food,clothing and the many other necessary items we sometimes take for granted in our day to day lives. Residents that were evacuated were able to bring their beloved dogs and cats with them. I know that had made a huge difference in the choice for some to leave their homes even though they were in danger. I want to give accolades to the many people who volunteered up there. I think it is clear now how very important that mountain is to us. It is a place calm and compassion in the bad times and great joys all the rest of the year round!
There were many other locations that were used to aide the people of Shandaken. Every Firehouse from Pine Hill to Mt Tremper had hot meals and cots and was running 24/7. I myself spent all day every day for the first two weeks at the Phoenicia Firehouse along with Kathy Neal and Wanda( who oddly enough after 2 weeks together I never got her last name) and Lettie Longhi. We cooked and fed the first responders, the highway department, the many many volunteers and anyone who just needed a shoulder to cry on, a simple hug or a hot meal.
This was the Command Center for the town and it was going 24/7 also. I don't think I have ever made so much pasta in my life! Towns people brought soup or chili what ever they could to feed everyone. Doanations came from every where. Red Cross sent a truck filled with water all the way from Florida. These men unloaded that truck and turned around and drove right back home. This happened numerous times from places all over the east coast! Other fire companies came to help pump out basements. Some of them slept on cots in the firehouse for a week. It could not have been too comfortable but they never complained.
We need to be very thankful to The all of the local fire departments, the Shandaken Police,The EMS workers who for the first two days took care of this town without outside help!  Please realize that all of these men and women risked their lives to save others. Yes some are paid to do that but many others such as our fire companies are not! We owe them all a great debt of gratitude! If you see any of them stop and say thank you.
I can not fail to mention our town supervisor Rob Stanley. He heeded the warnings of the inpending weather and took all of the necessary steps to be prepared if we were hit! He spent his days from early in the morning to very late at night at the command center. Each morning and again each evening along with the Ulster County Sheriffs Department, the Shandaken Police Dept, Highway Department and various other state agencies . Taking care of what needed to be done. He was calm, he was organized and he was effective! He does deserve cudo's from us! Great job Rob!
So we have proved to ourselves and the outside world how strong we are and that we are survivors! It is because of this event and so many others that have drawn me to want to be a bigger part of this town. I want people to feel welcomed into our town. I want to be the one to help someone locate records about their properties or be their to share the joy of filling out a marriage certificate for a couple. The responsibilities of being a town clerk and varied and vast! I need your help to be the person to head that office! Please vote for me on the Independant line United Shandaken Party! It has been a pleasure to meet so many of you over the past few months and I look forward to meeting so many more! We need a change and I will go out of my way to prove to you that choosing me was your very best choice.  I think this is going to be an exciting race!