CHEERS and merry Christmas to the North Country's No. 1 Santa, Alice Heckard, a local native and benefactor nonpareil. She has spent many, many years as a volunteer with the Clinton County Christmas Bureau — the last 14 as coordinator. For anyone who isn't familiar with what that's all about, the Christmas Bureau used to lovingly provide food baskets and used toys to the needy. Heckard altered that assignment to new clothes, new toys, books, CD players, athletic equipment, a full holiday meal's worth of food and an endless array of kid- and family-friendly items. Supposedly a Thanksgiving-to-Christmas enterprise, it is in truth a year-round avocation. Heckard's neighbors see her house being stuffed with gifts for kids all year to make sure no one goes without when Santa makes his rounds. She pores through applications and, with her own computerized system, matches need with donated items. How many? Annually, 750 jackets, almost 600 pairs of boots, 125 bikes (refurbished by Bob Bryson Jr., who deserves a Cheer himself) — with helmets, of course —1,000 pairs of mittens or gloves, hundreds of games, dolls, trucks, hair dryers, jewelry boxes and hundreds and hundreds of other items. And her salary for this splendid service? The princely sum of zero. We know of no one who has done more for the hearts of children in the North Country. Heckard has been saying for years that she is retiring — and now has help from co-director Tammy Perrotte-Sears — but she continues to play a prominent role. Over the years, thousands of children have had happier Christmas mornings thanks to her efforts.
JEERS to businesses that don't get to their sidewalks promptly after snowstorms. Look, we know entrepreneurs have lots to think about when they get to work every day, and we certainly respect that. Those businesses are the adrenaline of our community. But, when it snows, several liabilities are at work: Shoveling your sidewalks keeps pedestrian traffic flowing; it allows customers to safely enter your emporium without interference; and, in the City of Plattsburgh, at least, it's the law. We've had one big storm so far and saw plenty of offenders, as far as prompt shoveling. There's plenty more snow ahead, so break out the shovels, limber up the muscles and adopt an attitude that shoveling is good customer service. (By the way, the Press-Republican office in Plattsburgh is responsible for its Margaret Street sidewalk, which we always clear. The Miller Street sidewalk out back, for which we sometimes take heat, is the city's domain.)
— If you have a Cheers and Jeers suggestion that you want the Editorial Board to consider, e-mail it to Editor Lois Clermont at letters@pressrepublican.com.
