A Word from the Publishers

At this time of year I find myself reminiscing about holidays past. I remember vividly the Thanksgiving dinners of my childhood, the busy kitchen preparations, the giddy kids, my aunt directing the show, the mouthwatering smells, the warmth and finally the delicious feast. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. How did my mother, grandmother and aunt pull it off? Everything was timed to perfection, every bite delicious, the whole family together. The elders of the family are now all gone, the "kids" are scattered. I still love Thanksgiving, but I do miss the old days.

—Gail

It's been a tumultuous fall. Besides a hard-driving election campaign that kept many of us on pins and needles, the banking system drove over a cliff and took the economy along, with ominous telltale signs now emerging locally. A great personal loss for us at AboutTown, meanwhile, was the unexpected death of our collaborator and friend Dirk Zimmer.

It's hard to imagine future issues of our publication without Dirk's inimitable contribution: not just his humorous and artful illustration but also his quick wit at our informal contributors' meetings and the gifted writers and artists he often brought with him; and for the past several years the determined alacrity with which he distributed appropriate stacks of each issue in public places around town.

Particularly disturbing was the manner of Dirk's death: being hit by a car while walking up the hill from the river in Tivoli. Some six weeks later, another beloved longtime member of our community, Selma Hardeman, was struck and killed by a car while crossing Route 199 in front of Hardeman Orchards. Both accidents occurred in broad daylight and involved young drivers. They should be a reminder to drivers to be vigilant and to pedestrians to use caution.

On another note: AboutTown has filled a niche in the Dutchess and Columbia counties areas for the past 11 years. This year has presented unprecedented economic challenges for us as well as for most businesses. Our ability to continue to produce the quality paper we pride ourselves on is entirely dependent on our advertising base. We'd like to thank our loyal advertisers who recognize the value of keeping your business visible by advertising in AboutTown. Many of you have placed your faith in us since our first year in 1997. Where you choose to advertise is a reflection of your business. We're optimistic that better days are to come.

Happy holidays and best wishes to all our readers, advertisers, writers, illustrators and other supporters.

—Paul & Gail

Guest Artist
Rachel Collet is an emerging multi-media artist currently residing in Red Hook and a fine arts student at Alfred University. Her illustrations in this edition of AboutTown depict activities inspired by the winter season.