Generally Speaking: Shop locally on Saturday, November 30

Just about everybody is familiar with the super sales on Black Friday, on-line for Cyber Monday, but few realize the importance to local shops and businesses of Shop Small Saturday.

Here’s your chance to shop locally, get some pretty good deals and to show your appreciation to the local business community that often help supports fundraising efforts at your child’s school, house of worship, a youth event, and veteransand/or a senior citizens program or center.

Obviously, it would be nice to shop locally most of the time, but I think we know that’s not always possible.So let’s make a special effort, especially on November 30, to purchase some items or a service around the corner or down the block!

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We stopped by the past bi-monthly meeting of Bay Ridge’s Colonial Club where we learned James McHugh was recently elected club president.McHugh, a local banking executive, president of the St. Patrick’s Society, and a past president of the Cathedral Club, was just also honored as one of the Kings of Kings County.

The guest speaker for this luncheon meetingoccasion was Donna McClellan who chairs the advisory board for the Bay Ridge Senior Center at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.McClellan, who works as the office manager at Connors and Sullivan law firm, discussed the needs for food items to restock the center’s food pantry, and the growing list of seniors who are sorely in need of its Meals on Wheels program.

Beth Connors, who helps produce and promote her husband Mike’s weekly radio show, Ask the Lawyer, on Saturdays at 6 p.m., over AM Radio Stations 970 The Answer and 570 WMCA, spoke about some of the guests Mike will be interviewing.

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Students, staff and parentsat Public School 104 are organizing a clothing drive to help the people affected by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Summer clothing towels, and blankets can be dropped off in the school lobby, 9115 Fifth Avenue, through Friday, November 22. Typhoon Hiayan is the second deadliest typhoon in Philippines’ history.

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We also applaud PC Richard and Sons for sticking by its long-standing tradition of remaining closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, and for taking some large-scale retailers to task for breaking a true American holiday, by opening on Thanksgiving.The chain’s motto is, Keep Family First.

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Colonel Eluyn GinesMichael Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion prior to the annual Veterans Day Parade on Fifth Avenue.

Also in attendance was the U.S. Army’s Chief of Staff, GeneralRay OdiernoHector Prince and Major Jamison Bowman, the post chaplain.

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The Bay Ridge Inter-Agency Council on Aging held its November monthly meeting in the school auditorium at St. Anselm’s Catholic Academy. Annette FisherAlso addressing the group was Lakezia Carmichaelwhether Medicare would be affected by Obamacare.

Susan Lavin, is thecurrentpresident of the council.

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At the recent Kings of Kings County business expo at the El Caribe, we had a chance to chat with an old friend, Danny Rodriguez, the singing tenor and former police officer from Bay Ridge’s 68th Police Precinct.

Rodriguez sang a rousing rendition of, God Bless, America prior to the start of the award ceremonies.He told us he will be joining fellow tenors Michael Amante and Andy Cooneyfor a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall,57th Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, at 8 p.m., on Wednesday, December 4.

It’s called “The Spirit of Christmas,” featuring theThree New York Tenors, along with violin soloist Gregory Harrington.Proceeds from the event will go toward Futures in Education for the Brooklyn Catholic Diocese.

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This year two major holidays are coming together.Happy Thanksgiving to families everywhere and a very Happy Hanukkah to our Jewish friends and readers.

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