To the Editor:

Thank you to the New Scotland residents who participated in Community Cares Days on May 4 and 5  and helped care for our beautiful town and neighbors.

During the May 4 Green Clean event, members of the Voorheesville Fire Department completed their Adopt-A-Highway route, Key Bank employees cleaned up the Voorheesville Plaza, and several residents took part in roadside cleanups elsewhere in the town.

A steady stream of vehicles ventured through the recycling drop-off area at the firehouse between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon. We collected scrap metal for Voorheesville lacrosse; books for the Friends of the Library; bicycles for the Electric City Bicycle Rescue; furniture for the Albany Furniture Bank; clothing for Karie Jean’s Closet; bottles and cans for the Voorheesville Fire Department’s Auxiliary; shoe boxes, blankets and towels for the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society; and a variety of crafting items for several other organizations.

On both days of the weekend, the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program dispatched volunteers to 11 residences throughout the town to rake lawns, wash windows, clean up flower beds, and make small home repairs.

We also were able to get a good start on an extended home-repair project for another family in need and plant flowers at the Feura Bush Senior Apartments. We’d like to thank the members of the Voorheesville High School Key Club who enthusiastically helped us complete projects in the rain!

Helping to make CC Days successful were the local businesses who donated to the cause. Thank you to Gracie’s Kitchen, which provided much of the food for the volunteer barbecue on Sunday; Indian Ladder Farms for doughnuts as well as Reddy’s Deli and Jaycees Pizza Depot for donating sub platters for Saturday; Robert Wright Disposal for the roll-off for the collections site; and Stewart’s Shops (Slingerlands), Falvo’s Meat Market, and the Voorheesville Hannaford Supermarket for additional goodies for Sunday’s barbecue.

We’d also like to recognize Phillips Hardware in Voorheesville and Curtis Lumber in Delmar for providing discounts on needed project materials.

Big thanks and much appreciation go to our co-committee members who made Community Cares Days possible: village residents Lance Moore, Bruce Moore and Dan Byrnes, and town residents Rich Porter and Evie Shillinglaw.

Thank you as well to our local board members and employees of the Department of Public Works for their time, talents, and efforts in a variety of areas throughout the weekend.

With so many people participating we cannot list you all individually but know that we appreciate the efforts of all who showed up with smiles on their faces and enthusiastic attitudes as they took the time to care for our wonderful community. It was small-town spirit at its best. Thank you!

Janna Shillinglaw

Karen Finnessey

Community Cares Days

Committee Coordinators