Toys needed to help make the holidays bright for area children

HARLEM VALLEY — As Santa and his reindeer are working feverishly to make their holiday magic happen, they have breathed a big sigh of relief as word has reached the North Pole that they will be getting plenty of help from good-hearted souls throughout the Northeast.

SBT, Millerton, supports Adopt-a-Family

Even before the Christmas tree in the lobby went up, customers at the Salisbury Bank at 87 Main St. in Millerton began dropping off unwrapped gifts for children in need.

Those put under the bank’s tree by Friday, Dec. 10, will, in turn, be given to Adopt-a-Family, the local program run through Moore & More Printing at 17 Dutchess Ave., Millerton. The program serves children in the Pine Plains and Webutuck Central School Districts.

According to SBT President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Cantele, “You can drop off new, unwrapped gifts at any of Salisbury Bank’s 14 offices by Dec. 10. We encourage gift cards and cash donations for local families during these unprecedented and difficult times.”

For SBT’s 34th annual toy drive, the bank will likely collect many items; all of the Millerton goods will all go to Adopt-a-Family with other donations being distributed throughout the Tri-state region.

Tax-deductible checks in support of Adopt-a-Family may be sent to P.O. Box 880, Millerton, NY 12546.

Millerton Fire Co. helps Santa

Firemen — some of Santa’s very best friends — have also been hard at work to help make wishes come true. By the cutoff date of Tuesday, Nov. 30, the special red mailbox in front of the Millerton Fire Company firehouse at 24 Century Blvd. was already stuffed with letters to Santa from local children and their families.

Those requests will be filled on Saturday, Dec. 11, as heroic local firefighters  in the guise of Santa and two of his elves will deliver gifts at several dozen stops throughout the community. Specific times, matched with locations, will be posted on the Millerton Fire Company’s Facebook page.

According to the project organizer, Kelly Rogers, the company has been working for months to manage the effort with numerous toys already having been collected or purchased for children up to the age of 12.

Anyone wishing to donate gifts may call or text her at 518-951-4489. Checks in support of the program may be sent to: The Millerton Fire Company at P.O. Box 733, Millerton, NY 12546.

Amenia Toy Drive

Meanwhile, at an even more southern North Pole location in the Harlem Valley, Wassaic resident Cindy Snow-Pitts and friends, following the highly successful autumn school supply distribution, have moved on to the holidays and are collecting toys and donations for children in Wassaic and Amenia.

Unwrapped toys for children from newborn through 17 should be dropped off at any of the boxes that are now located in stores and business throughout the area.

Toys may be picked up at the Taconic DDSO Chapel on Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information on the Amenia Toy Drive, to offer to provide a location for a collection box or to register a child, contact cindysnowphoto@gmail.com.