Many heartfelt thanks to everyone (volunteers and
attendees) that helped make my 8th Annual Holiday Party for Town of
Verona residents on December 10th a huge success! Fabulous volunteers worked together to make
this event happen and festive attendees shared the Christmas holiday spirit. Some
pictures from this event can be found on my website: www.fritzscherz.com
Thanks to the following people for
taking part in the programmatic portion of the event (listed in order of
appearance): Gretchen LaSalle of Kids Oneida for face painting; Trooper Mark
Buzzard and K9 CT (both from the New York State Police) for interacting with
the attendees and showing some of K9 CT’s abilities; Richelle Singer of Cornell
Cooperative Extension for make & take activities; Liz Friedel performing
songs on her violin; the following Christmas story readers: Honorable Rob
Maciol (Oneida County Sheriff), Honorable Philip Rougeux (New York State Police
Major), and Honorable Gregory Pflieger (Oneida County Sheriff’s Office); Santa
Claus for giving gifts to the children; Honorable Rob Swenszkowski (Oneida
County Undersheriff) for singing Christmas songs, Jason Barady (of Floodwood)
for performing tunes on his mandolin; Elena Bartlett for performing songs on
her violin; and Christopher Wiehl (of The Magic of Chris Wheel) for the family
- oriented magic show.
Thanks to the following people for
helping in a variety of ways: Jay Aiello,
Glenda & Steve Bartlett, Mary Jo Beach, Steven Bulger, Jennifer & Megan
Centore, Honorable Mike Clancy, Dave Coombs, Andrew Derminio, Rachel Dunne,
Frank Elias, Martha Group, Jeff Hull, Dan Hunt, Bill Keeler, Rocco LaDuca, Jeff
Monaski, Carole Nowak, Craig Semans, Fred & Sue Stefanik, Margaret Visalli,
Mary, Owen & Spencer Walker, Tami Whooten, Diana Wilson, and Mary Margaret
Zehr.
Thanks to the following businesses and/or
organizations for donating baked goods and/or gifts or simply helping out: Circle
K, Colgate University Football, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Dunkin’ Donuts
(Verona), Kids Oneida, New York State Police, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, Oneida
Indian Nation SavOn, Price Chopper (Oneida), Recovery Sports Grill, Staples
(New Hartford), Utica Coffee, Villa Verona Vineyard & Bistro, Walmart
(Oneida) and the media that helped publicize the Holiday Party.
Thanks to the Verona Fire Department
for providing the venue for the Holiday Party and for helping make Santa’s
arrival special via a parade. Thanks to Durhamville
Fire Department, New London Fire Department, Sylvan Beach Fire Department and
Verona Fire Department as well as the New York State Police and Oneida County
Sheriff’s Office for taking part in the parade, too. Special thanks to my wife, Kathy, and our children,
Katherine, Marissa, and Freddy for being so supportive, encouraging, and
helpful during the weeks leading up to the Holiday Party and during the event
itself.
In closing, the bottom line is that so
many people worked together to make this event happen. It is people like you that make a community
great! I am so honored to call these
great people my friends and Verona
my hometown! Thank you!!! Happy Holidays
and Merry Christmas!!!