With Athena

Well, the Election is over and while some are happy, others are not just as I predicted would happen. Nearly everyone I know feels that our elections are getting too personal, too heated, too acrimonious, and worry about those “dirty tricks” that we hear of from both parties leave us with a bad feeling. Well, it is not new! The Election of 1800 was the first cliffhanger and that was the year that Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr were deadlocked in the House of Representatives with no majority for either for seven days. They had a slightly different system back then and it did not seem to be any better than the one we have today. Jefferson finally won and most voters (they were only men in those days) felt that the future of our nation would not make it through the first term.Well, as we all know, it did and we will make it now too. I do recommend for your information that you read “Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800” by historian John Ferling (Oxford University Press) - It may make you feel better and certainly more informed about where we came from in elections. George Washington was the only one who won hands down and during the end of his second term, he was being criticized.

The Election Day Fair was a big success and the ladies of the Women’s Auxiliary did themselves proud at the Community Church. They are now busily planning their Christmas Tea. This will be held on Monday, December 6th at 11:30 a.m. at the church. There will be Christmas entertainment and the price of admission will be to bring a gift of new games, baby clothes, sweatshirts, extra-large T-shirts, baseball hats, video tapes, watches and books. They will go to the children of the women prisoners at the Bedford Hills Facility - a forgotten group who can’t go shopping for their children and the ladies have been doing this for many years. They are to be congratulated.

Miriam and Dick Benack are back from a conference that was held at Hilton Head and they got to enjoy both Charleston and Savannah as well as a few rounds of golf in beautiful weather. Oh, and yes, the conference was good too. Glad to have you both back in town again.

Congrats go to Judith Ammerman, who has become a member of Adelphi University’s President’s Advisory Council. She will do a fine job as she always does.

Regina Dowling, who was recently using either a walker or wheelchair, is now up and about and doing very well.We are all happy about that too.

Can you believe that our Garden City Bird Sanctuary celebrated their 10th Anniversary and it has certainly made a difference in our life in this town. It has become an educational center for our students, a place where our Boy Scouts can work on their Eagle Scout projects, provide us with art and photography exhibits, and it has made “Something” out of an unused sump that helps our environment. Rob Alvey, the originator, should be congratulated by all residents for starting it.

Adelphi University recently held a cocktail party to allow Garden City Alumnus to meet President Robert Scott. Attending were Joan Kuster, Phoebe and Bob McMillian, Marilyn LePetrie, and Anita and Joe Frey.

November 19th will be the date of the annual Candlelight House Tour and Holiday Boutique Shopping sponsored by Twigs to benefit Winthrop University Hospital. The Boutique will take place at St. Paul’s Field House on Stewart Avenue and Rockaway Avenue. Watch this paper for more details.

Happy belated birthday wishes go to Bill Heston, who celebrated his special day on November 2nd. and to Joe Bradley who did the same on November 3rd. Hope both of you had a wonderful day and a great year ahead of you. Happy Birthday wishes go to Dorothy Candiotti, who celebrates on the 15th of this month, to Bill Polon who celebrates on the 16th, and to Mary Polak who does ditto on the 17th. May you all have a great day and a year full of health and happiness with many more to come.

Happy Wedding Anniversary wishes go to Lynn and LeRoy Boisen, who will be celebrating on the 14th of November. May you have many more years in which to enjoy health, happiness, and each other.

We wish a very Happy Wedding Anniversary on the occasion of their 61st Anniversary to Dorothy and Fred Nimmich, long time residents of Garden City who now reside in Connecticut. May you enjoy many more of them.

And now - a fond so long - until next week!