Some very good news: On Wednesday, June 9th from 2 - 6 p.m. there will be a Covid-19 vaccination site held in the Town Hall in Eldred located at 4 Proctor Road. During that time there are 40 appointment slots to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

There will be some walk-in appointments available but at such a convenient location, you should call (845) 292-5910 or the Sullivan County Emergency Community Assistance Unit at 845-807-0925 to make a reservation at the Town Hall location.

The vaccine appointments are open to anyone twelve years of age or older. If someone is under the age of eighteen years old, they must be accompanied by their parent or guardian at the time of the vaccination.

The parent or guardian will need to sign a permission form for a minor to get their shot and should bring some form of identification for the student and the parent or guardian.

The return date for the second Pfizer shot is scheduled for Wednesday June 30th at the same location the Highland Town Hall (across from Pecks) and you will automatically be registered for an appointment to return for the second shot on the 30th.

The vaccine will be administered by the Sullivan County Public Health Department. Because of high Covid transmission in Sullivan County, unvaccinated people are at high risk of getting the virus where vaccinated people are a minimal risk. Please get vaccinated as soon as you can.

Even though it seems that things are getting back to normal some people have always had a struggle to make ends meet well before Covid changed our lives. The food supplement programs continue to function and, in the area, surrounding the Town of Highland there are two good food pantries. St. Anthony's Church in Yulan has had an active food pantry for many years.

Pantry day is on Thursdays, and it is in the parking lot of the Church's Community Center across from the Church. Distribution starts at 11:00 a.m. There are no verifications necessary.

Margie Granese who has managed the pantry operations and is there every Thursday only requires your contact information ID in case the pantry day is changed for some reason.

The pantry boxes are very full of fruit, food staples, meats (when available), dairy and a freshly prepared meal from a local not-for-profit program run by Foster Hospitality a local boutique hotel chain called A Single Bite.

If you are interested in joining the pantry, you can call the St. Anthony Parish at (845) 557-8512 or call Margie Granese directly at (845) 557-0583. All Covid protocols are in effect.

The other pantry is right over the Shohola Bridge at St Ann Church at 125 Richardson Avenue. The pantry is open to the community at large and not just parishioners including anyone who lives in the Eldred School District (which includes the Town of Highland.)

The pantry operates distribution on the first and third Thursday of every month starting at 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Parking is located next to the tennis courts, and someone will be there to direct you to the pickup spot. St. Ann's has an online registration or call the Parish at (570) 832-4275 for assistance with signing up or to let the staff know you will be at pantry day.

Also, every Thursday, from June 4th through August 20th - noon until 2 p.m. the Parish sponsors Lorenzo's Lunch a “grab and go” brown bag lunch that can be picked up at the Church. All Covid protocols are in effect.

In every Catholic Church there are some very hardworking men who do a lot of the charitable work for the parishes called the Knights of Columbus. Established in 1882 in New Haven, Connecticut every parish has a chapter of the Knights.

In Shohola, the Knights of Columbus Council 12571 has the free “Food for Families and Friends Program” and will be distributing a take-out hot roasted chicken dinner with sides on Sunday, June 13th from 1:30 - 3 p.m. The take-out dinners will be given out in the parking lot of St Ann's Church.

Everyone is invited. You must call or text Frank at (570) 446-9636 to make a reservation and let them know you want a dinner. Donations are appreciated.