A gentle reminder

Thanks for the food. Want to help more?

Our sincere thanks to all those in the Terrace community who donated food today to the annual "Stamp Out Hunger" drive conducted by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Unfortunately, the problem of hunger in our larger community needs more than a one-time donation since lack of nutritious food is a year-round woe.

If you are interested in making financial or in-kind donations to, or volunteering labor for, organizations in the Capital Region that help feed the hungry, here is some contact information as well as live links to their websites. (Just click on the organization's name to be linked to them.)

Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
965 Albany-Shaker Road
Latham, NY 12110
Phone: 786-3691

Food Pantries for the Capital District
32 Essex Street
Albany, NY 12206
Phone: 458-1167

Food Bank Association of New York State
235 Lark Street
Albany, NY 12210
Phone: 433-4505

One Accord Food Pantry Inc.
296 Town Office Road
Troy, NY 12180
Phone: 279-9721 

React Food Pantry
501 Grand Street
Troy, NY 121809
Phone: 272-8974

Don't feed the deer! Here's why

Our annual reminder. Deer may be pretty, but that doesn't mean they are pets. Do NOT feed them!

For one thing, doing so violates New York State Law. As the Department of Environmental Conservation explains, it also is illegal  to put out any sort of food or other materials that will attract deer.

The reasons behind the prohibition are not to spoil the fun for animal lovers. It is for the protection of the deer and the people who share their environs. In other words, us.

A few facts to keep in mind:

• When placing feed on the ground for deer, residents likely will attract other critters, such as raccoons and mice. The white-footed mouse is a key player in the transmission of Lyme disease.

• Residents living near busy roadways create the potential for more deer-auto collisions as deer travel across the roadway in search of the supplemental food source.

• Improper diets provided during feeding can create health problems for deer.

• Concentrating deer and increasing nose-to-nose contact around a food source can increase the rate of the spread of disease.

• Deer are browsers and will heavily graze areas surrounding feeding stations. A resident who feeds deer in an urban setting can cause increased landscape damage for neighbors.

• Deer using a feeding site can become acclimated to, and no longer fearful of, humans. A fear of humans is in the best interest of deer. Increased acclimation will create more conflicts between humans and deer and between humans and other humans.

Illegally feeding deer is a violation punishable by a fine of up to $250 and 15 days in jail for each day of the offense.

Welcome back to our Snowbirds

In case the activity around the Terrace seems to have picked up the pace in recent weeks, it's because our population has increased.

In an annual rite of spring, our Snowbirds have returned from warmer climes and begun getting their yards, patios and decks in shape for a great summer.

Be sure to welcome them back when you attend our Monday, May 16, spring membership meeting.

Annual USPS food donation day is Saturday

Pick a can, any can -- and donate it.

The annual food donation day conducted by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is this Saturday, May 14.

In the past, Terrace residents have been generous in their support of the effort to feed those in need. We hope to maintain that level of sharing this year.

All you have to do is place non-perishable food items in a plastic bag  and leave them at the mailbox gazebo so our carrier can pick them up when delivering the mail on Saturday. We suggest doing so on Friday evening so you don't miss the pickup time, which can vary, on Saturday.

Welcome to a new Terrace resident

Those of you who haven't been snowbirds or unobservant may have noticed a new neighbor here on the Terrace.

He is John "Ned" Alaskey, who now resides at No. 31, the home formerly occupied by his mother, the late Dorothy DeLuca.

Please welcome Ned to the neighborhood, and be sure to say hello in person at our May 16 membership meeting.

Spring meeting May 16, with a special moment

Julia flanked by picnic-goers Polly Hayward (l) and Paula Fox.

The spring meeting of the Terrace at Highpointe Community Association is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, May 16, at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Before the formal start of the meeting, Nadeen Thompson and Shirley Fischer plan an informal 6:30 p.m. get-together at the church to honor the memory of our late friend and neighbor, Julia Austin.

While we have lost other residents over the years, seldom have we lost one as involved in Terrace activities as Julia. She was a member of the Board of Directors, the Rules Committee and numerous planning committees and was among the first people to move into the Terrace.

The thought is simply to share our memories of Julia and find some common closure to our loss.

Teammates Julia and Bill Dowd winning a Terrace bocce match.

Julia with Peg Savchik (l) and Carolee and Joe Jasiewicz at a holiday party.

Julia and Lorraine Bailey during a Spring Cleanup Day.

Signs of Spring: Fill and flush

Two more rites of Spring have taken place at the Terrace in recent days.

• Grounds Committee Chairman Harvey Bailey and committeeman Tom Chichester have been hard at work, planting replacement trees for the storm-damaged spruces and doing their usual excellent job of filling patches of lawn damaged by the winter weather and plowing. Our heart-felt thanks to the two of them for always being there for the community.

• The City of Troy's Public Works Department flushed out all the fire hydrants around the Terrace to ensure they are in proper working order.