Wallkill Valley Times Jan. 03 2018

Vol. 36, No. 1 3 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 Wrestlers take the challenge Page 20 3 ONE DOLLAR VC girls win tournament Page 32 w w w .W a l l k i l l V a l l e y T i m e s . n e t Looking ahead S uper M oon Local town and village officials share their hopes for 2018 By JASPREET GILL [email protected] Many of our town and village officials shared one common goal for 2017: revitalization. This year, residents of Gardiner, Maybrook, Walden and Montgomery can expect a few beneficial changes coming to their communities. “The single biggest accomplishment in 2017 was having the necessary repairs made to the town hall, prepping it and having it receive a beautiful fresh coat of paint,” says Marybeth Majestic, Town of Gardiner Supervisor. Majestic says the most rewarding process of the repairs made at the town hall was the overall cost of $6,000 for a job that could have cost the town over $50,000 and credits local residents and organizations for donating their labor for the revitalization efforts. So what’s in store for Gardiner residents this year? Apparently, several new things are in the works. “The town board has numerous goals for 2018,” says Majestic. “We are working on ‘tweaking’ the zoning code to cover areas that could not be anticipated 10 years ago when the code was adopted, Continued on page 2 Bethany Flynt Ganley of Pine Bush submitted this photo of the full moon rising on New Year’s Day. Local church celebrates 12 Days of Giving From now until January 7, the First Presbyterian Church in Montgomery is collecting donations for their “12 Days of Giving.” The event is organized by the Westminster Guild Women’s Fellowship, who started collecting items this past Christmas. The church is asking for donations of one of the following items on each of the 12 days: peanut butter and jelly, cans of tuna, pasta sauces, cans of vegetables, a monetary donation, items for babies, mac and cheese, cereal, pet food, pasta, Rice-a- Roni and cans of fruit. “[The ‘12 Days of Christmas’] is one of many ways the congregation reaches out to help others during the Christmas season,” says Pastor Jeromey Howard. “While it was originally designed for church attendees, we will gladly take donations from anyone who would like to help. Simply put, we are called to show love and compassion to everyone. One of the basic needs is to have food to eat. All of what we have in life comes from and belongs to God. So, in our act of giving over these 12 days we are working to not lose sight of that fact. I have been in times where I didn’t know where my next meal would come from....but know that when people find themselves there, what they need is grace and love and food given with a smile and open arms. I hope through these 12 days of giving we can do just Continued on page 5 SERVING CRAWFORD, GARDINER, MAYBROOK, MONTGOMERY, PINE BUSH, SHAWANGUNK, WALDEN AND WALLKILL