Don’t look now, but it’s Thanksgiving week!
Once the turkey is carved, dinner is consumed and the tryptophan from the turkey kicks in for a bit of a nap after the feast, it’s time to plan black Friday strategy.
Just last week I headed to Sam’s Club. The traffic was ridiculous and it seemed as if it was a drill for Christmas shopping. It’s too early for the shopping insanity.
The Sunday Dispatch is putting out a special Thanksgiving edition this week. After speaking to my editor, we thought putting a festively decorated Thanksgiving holiday house on the front cover might be nice. I can’t tell you how many homes skipped right over Thanksgiving and are already decorated with Christmas lights.
Christmas shopping might be a bit different this year without Sears, Kmart and Bon-Ton around. I guess there’s always Macy’s, Penney’s, Target, Wal-Mart and Boscov’s if you’re looking for a department store.
I can understand shopping from home via the Internet, shopping by phone or the TV shopping channels. Why not? It’s simple, it’s easy and you never have to leave the comfort of your home.
With shopping from home becoming more of the norm, we may see more of the bigger department stores coming to a close.
Shopping at home really hurts the Mom and Pop stores, though.
This coming Saturday is Small Business Saturday, a day set aside for the local merchants to grab a piece of the pie. It’s a good idea to shop locally with small business owners.
Whether you shop at home on Black Friday or stand in line at a store, save a few of those bucks and remember Saturday. Downtown Pittston merchants will be out in force on Small Business Saturday in conjunction with the Greater Pittston Chamber of Commerce.
The Chamber released a statement on the event stating, “Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting local small businesses and strengthening and celebrating communities across the country. This day is dedicated to supporting the local businesses that can help create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country.”
The statement goes on to say, “When you visit an independent local business, you ensure that more money stays in our local economy, you support local jobs, you help to keep your community and all that it stands for; you make a difference.”
Shop local and do everyone a good deed. Help local merchants on Saturday and all year long.
It happened
Now that we had our first taste of snow this past Thursday, it’s finally time to admit, winter is here. I’m not too thrilled about it. It’s yet another year I have to accept the cold, snow and ice.
Snow throwers, ice melt and shovels have replaced lawnmowers, fertilizer and hoes. Football, soccer, field hockey are over and it’s time to turn our attention to basketball, swimming and wrestling.
A great fundraiser
Everyone busted a move for Bryan last weekend at the Germania Hose Co. Hall. Bryan Pesontini, of Duryea, was diagnosed with cancer and his friends decided to offer him some financial relief.
By the time I got to the hall, it was a mob scene. There wasn’t very much parking left and the entire field next to the Germania was filled, as well.
It’s safe to say, and I’m guessing, over a thousand people filtered into the fire hall and overflowed to a beer tent out back.
I’ve never seen as many raffle baskets at one event. I’m pretty sure there were 150 baskets in all. Food was donated by businesses or made by individuals. Live music was played by several musical acts.
Bryan was in rare form dancing and singing to the music and, it’s safe to say, he had a ball. Whatever pain or discomfort he had that day was completely forgotten.
When I finally caught up to Bryan, I told him I didn’t know he knew that many people. Of course, I was joking. Bryan had been a local businessman in the blacktop field for many years.
I think the Germania Hose Co. should scrap its summer picnic and have another Bryan Pesontini tribute in its place. It was truly a sight to see and all the love that led people to the Germania Hose Co. Hall. If Bryan didn’t know how much he was loved before that day, he certainly knows now.
Godspeed Bryan on this battle you’re fighting and, if you have a down day, just remember back to that magical night Nov. 2.
Farewell Willy
On Veterans Day, seven months after he lost his beloved wife Clara, Willy Players passed away at the Gino Merli Veterans’ Center, Scranton.
Willy was a Wyoming Area educator for 35 years where he taught math. He was a non-assuming guy and, to be honest, I’ve never seen him angry. Maybe one of his four daughters would know different, but they may be hard pressed to remember.
Willy and Clara had a 63-year marriage of devotion to each other, their family, the community and mostly to God. Some of my best childhood memories are of the Players family.
Clara left us in March and, if you’re a believer in true love, you knew Willy wouldn’t be too far behind.
Quote of the week
“Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late.” – Felix Frankfurter, American jurist
Thought of the week
“Let honor be to us as strong an obligation as necessity is to others.” – William Pitt, the elder British statesman
Bumper sticker
“Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind.” – Gioacchino Rossini, Italian composer
