Around the Neighborhood Fleischmanns

Happy happy and merry merry!

Hello everyone! Is it just me or has time sped up about 5x the normal speed? Between holiday gatherings, shopping, cooking, trips to Kingston– it's hard to believe we are more than half way through Hanukkah with Christmas just next week!

There was a nice turn out for the Fleischmanns First Community Holiday Brunch last Saturday. President Jon Frank gave a great speech thanking volunteers and members for their time and efforts through the year. Some of those named were Winnifred for doing an amazing job securing parking for our events, Michelle Sidraine as our PR manager, Alan Sidraine for his work as treasurer, Rob Alverson for his continued beautifying efforts, Brendan and Max for all of their handy work on the gazebo, Pamela Martin for working with the Community Garden, Harold Kuhn for his work on graphics & marketing, Sally Simon for her work on the Fleischmanns Flyer, Francia Miles as our thorough secretary, and a warm welcome to Kate Bradley and myself as board members.

There is a planning meeting on January 3rd @ 10am in The Print House for the 2026 Memorial Day Street Fair. Many hands make for light work, so if you would like to volunteer, please attend! If you can not make it, please let me know and I’ll share our needs and action points with you following. While we absolutely need volunteers, donations to the organization would be fabulous! Checks can be mailed to Fleischmanns First at PO Box 111, Fleischmanns, NY 12430. We are also working on other ways to accept donations digitally in the near future.

We are all so excited for our Second Annual Fleischmanns Holiday Extravaganza! I’m delighted to share that Heidi has gathered a wonderful group of members from the community that are eager to spread some holiday cheer with caroling through the village.

Anyone interested in joining the carolers should meet at the Arts Inn, 923 Main Street in Fleischmanns, at 3:00 PM for hot cocoa and the start of the route. The caroling will conclude at The Print House around 4:00 PM, just in time for Joe Colwell to begin his set. Joe Colwell will play from 4pm-5pm with a halt in music to switch the stage over for Riley Burke and Aaron Denney to play at 5:30pm. We happily welcome Joe Colwell (AND A BAND!) back to our stage to wrap up 2025, and ring in 2026 in a lively manner.

There is still an opportunity to join MTC & Finch Farm in the parade! Send me an email if you’re interested. Staging will be in the municipal lot across from Shamro’s Tire on Wagner around 1pm.

The Middletown/Margaretville/Fleischmanns Comprehensive Planning Committee that was formed over the summer had its second meeting on December 17th. The committee consists of Luke Beemer, Lissa Harris, Steve Finch, Annie Pevear, Zach Baldwin-Way, Harold Kuhn, Gary Kusen, Robin Williams, and myself. We are working on a joint comprehensive plan across municipalities to mirror the visions of our community that fosters growth and sustainability. Input from the public will be welcomed later in the plan’s development to ensure it serves all demographics. It's been an honor to be in the company of like minded folks who share a deep love for the future of their communities!

Wishing everyone a happy, SAFE, and healthy rest of the holiday season! If you’d like to share any of your holiday cheer, please reach me at rebeccamariefreehill@gmail.com