Hello New Windsor. Thank you to everyone who has given me positive feedback on this column recently it means so much to me to hear that you enjoy reading it. Though it is a community column that informs the reader about what is going on in New Windsor I definitely always try to also write about something that is going on in my life into try to keep it interesting for you the reader and for me the writer. I will continue to try to keep it interesting.

Recently we had our annual Easter Egg Hunt for the Town of New Windsor. We had a great turnout and besides the egg hunt we had a petting zoo, a visit from the Easter bunny, and every child received a delicious chocolate bunny courtesy of the Alps Sweet Shop in Beacon and Fishkill.

The generosity of owners Terry and Sally Craft never ceases to amaze me. The town used to spend over a thousand dollars to purchase chocolate bunnies for the Easter Egg Hunt and the quality of chocolate for that price was not good. So four years ago out of desperation in an attempt to find a better chocolate for the price we were paying I met with Terry at the Alps Beacon location. I had been to the Alps Fishkill location many times before as I am a big fan of chocolate but I had never seen the Beacon store where they also make all their candy. I was so impressed to see their operation and learned that day that the Alps was started by Sally’s grandfather in the 1920’s. For a store to be around for almost 100 years you know they must be doing something right.

Terry gave me a behind the scenes tour of their operation and I witnessed first-hand how they make all the different kinds of chocolate. To see how this candy is homemade and packaged right in the same location where it is sold was truly a beautiful thing to see. I met with Terry that day and the conversation went from them going to sell us the chocolate bunnies at cost, which was an amazingly generous gesture, to by the time I left the meeting Terry and Sally offered to donate all of the chocolate bunnies which would have cost the town over $2,000 if we had to buy them. They not only donated all of the chocolate bunnies for the Easter Egg Hunt but also a giant chocolate bunny filled with wrapped chocolate eggs as well which was worth $300 which we were able to use to sell raffle tickets to raise money for the New Windsor Food Pantry.

And every year since Terry and Sally continue to donate the chocolate bunnies we hand out to all the children as well as the big bunny that we raffle off for the food pantry. What I find the most generous is the fact that New Windsor is not even located in the same town as the Alps Sweet Shop. It would be one thing to have a business donate something to the Town that they are located in, but for the Alps to donate a few thousand dollars worth of product every year to a town that is even in a different county. That is true generosity.

Thank you to Terry and Sally Craft for your continued generosity towards the community!

The Town of New Friendly Visitors Program which is a partnership with the Town of New Windsor, the Jewish Family Service of Orange County and Orange County Office for the Aging. This program is geared to assisting seniors and those with a handicap with transportation to doctor appointments, grocery shopping etc. Besides transportation volunteers may also visit with an older neighbor, play games with them, read to them, etc. This program is a terrific program that helps so many people by allowing them to stay independent which for an older adult is something that they cherish. If you or someone you know that lives in New Windsor and is in need of such a service or you are interested in volunteering please call 845-563-4640. The next volunteer training will take place on Tuesday May 14 at 9:30 a.m. Please call ahead to register.

The Senior Matinee movie is held every Tuesday at the Marasco Center at 11:30 am. The movie for Tuesday May 14 is “Creed II.” Adonis Creed is the son of former boxing champion Apollo Creed who was killed by boxer Ivan Drago during an exhibition match. Adonis seeks to avenge his father’s death by defeating Viktor Drago, Ivan Drago’s son, under the training of legendary boxer Rocky Balboa.

For more information on the programs above or for all Town of New Windsor Recreation programs visit nwrecisfun.com or call 845-565-7750.

Birthday shout outs this week go to Harold Baquedano whose birthday is on May 9, to Lindsay Julian whose birthday is on May 11, to Susan Esposito whose birthday is on May 12, to my mother-in-law JoAnn Lawrence and to Anthony Loia whose birthdays are on May 13, to Marg Edwards, Eric Grzibowski and John Clive whose birthdays are all on May 14, and to anyone else out there celebrating birthdays this week Happy Birthday!

If anyone has a birthday or other special event you want mentioned in my column, or have anything going on in New Windsor that you want the world to know about you can reach me at mveronesi@optimum.net or by calling 845-629-1260. Have a great week.