[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ast weekend, I had the pleasure of sampling our local chefs’ specialties at the Harrison Public Library fundraiser, A Taste of Harrison. It was very successful and more than 100 people came out to support this very worthwhile event. All proceeds will be used by the Friends of the Public Library, a nonprofit organization, to support the Harrison library. Thank you to all volunteers and attendees. I would also like to express my gratitude to all the participating restaurants for their generous contributions. A special thank you also goes out to Joe Marcone for driving the senior van, allowing for easy and convenient transportation to the participating venues.
Memorial Day will be celebrated this year on Monday, May 30, and the town board, along with our parade director Ben DeFonce, a retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps, invite you to participate in Harrison’s annual parade. We will be honoring the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Lineup will be at 9:30 a.m. on the corner of Halstead and Thatcher avenues, with step off at 10 a.m. The parade will proceed to Ma Riis Park where honored guests will be introduced. Veterans groups, Harrison police and fire departments, Harrison High School Marching Band, Harrison Ambulance Corps and any and all other civic groups are invited to participate. We hope you will join us on this most important day.
Please make note of the following sanitation schedule change: Monday, May 30 is a holiday, and offices will be closed for Memorial Day. Garbage and recycling normally collected on Monday will be picked up on Tuesday, May 31. Garbage and recycling normally collected on Tuesday will be picked up on Wednesday, June 1. There will be no bulk trash pickup during the week of May 30.
I would like all residents to be aware of the following updated information from our Department of Public Works: In addition to glass, plastics (numbers 1 to 7) and metal containers, residents may now include beverage cartons to their commingled recycling. Recyclable beverage cartons consist predominantly of cardboard and include waxy cartons used for juice and milk (sometimes called gable-top containers), soup and broth, cream and egg substitutes. Although mostly made of cardboard, the cartons should be included with other recyclable beverage containers made of glass, plastic and metal for collection. They should not be included with paper and cardboard recyclables.
Be sure to mark your calendar for this year’s Japanese Festival. On Sunday, May 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Harrison’s Japanese community will be hosting a Harrison-Japan Spring Festival in Ma Riis Park and the Sollazzo Center. If it rains, the event will take place in the Veterans Building. Traditional Japanese performances, including a tea ceremony and Japanese drums and dance, will be featured along with Japanese games, food and beverages. There will also be a raffle and a portion of the profits will benefit the Harrison Recreation Center. I hope to see many friends, and familiar faces, supporting this very worthwhile event. For more information, visit thematsuri.org.
In closing, it was a privilege to attend this year’s Westchester County Leadership Prayer Breakfast and meet with other local representatives and elected officials. This forum provides an opportunity to strengthen connections while affirming faith and sharing fellowship. It was a very uplifting event, unifying all who attended.
