The Open Your Heart for Local Children toy drives will kick off this Saturday, December 7 at 6 p.m. at the Narrowsburg Inn, and at around 8 p.m. the Santa Express will be arriving. A second event will be held on Wednesday, December 11 at 6 p.m. at Tony’s on the Lake; admission is an unwrapped toy. There are also donation boxes in the Lake Huntington and Narrowsburg post offices, plus a box located in the Sullivan West High School. If you want to make a monetary donation you can send a check to Food Pantry, P.O. Box 54, Narrowsburg, NY 12764. Please put “TOYS” in the memo line. Every toy and dollar helps make a happy Christmas for local children.

The Cochecton Youth Group would like to thank everyone who baked delicious goodies for our Christmas party. We had a good turnout of kids and parents. Thanks, too, to Santa for stopping by with so many gingerbread house kits for all the kids. I personally have to give a special thank you to Etta Pierce, who made her oatmeal raisin cookies just for me, and Dina Smith, who sent me home with one of her famous crumb cakes. We had one complaint that it was too noisy; are ya kidding me? It’s a kids’ Christmas party with 50 kids running around excited to see Santa. The youth group is looking to fill a seat on the board in 2014. We meet the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m.

The Lake Huntington Red Hatters had a great Christmas dinner at Tony’s on the Lake. The food was good, the ham was so tasty, and everybody loved the Swedish meatballs and green beans. It was a little disappointing that only 11 ladies showed up, as we were expecting 20. We played Dirty Santa and had fun. I really missed my mother being there; it was the only club she joined in 85 years. I sat next to Ethel Hulse, and can report that she is doing better—getting out and about and enjoying herself. The next meeting will be in April 2014.

On Friday, December 6 at 8:30 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Church in Narrowsburg, I am having a mass said for Pete Tuscano, his one-year anniversary in heaven.

On Saturday, December 7 after the 4:30 p.m. mass at Holy Cross Church in Callicoon, there will be the light-up of Christ by the Knights of Columbus.

On Tuesday, December 10 at 6 p.m., the Woman’s Community Club of Cochecton is having their Christmas potluck meeting.

Have a great week and email leeniebeans@citlink.net or call 845/252-3568 if you have any news.