PEP Jan. 2002: Spirit of the Holiday Season.

Public Employee Press

Spirit of the Holiday Season

Holiday helpers for DC 37 members

Left: Local 1320 President James Tucciarelli as Santa with Ashley Perez and Avery Sapp.

Right: Sharing gifts with sisters Catalina Louie, 10, Ginadel Santiago, 5, and Cassandra Louie, 17, who lost their father in the WTC attack, are retirees Anna Coleman (l.) and Arlene Tuft with Dep. Admin. Zachary Ramsey, Admin. Lee Saunders and Committee Chair Barry Jamison. “The party put my daughters in a better mood,” said Maria Irizarry-Santiago.

Kris Kringle paid a special visit to DC 37 Dec. 12 to share gifts and holiday cheer with 232 of the union’s neediest families and their children. Children of all ages, from a month-old infant swathed in pink to spirited teens — and some adults — sat with Santa and shared their Christmas dreams.

“I want a Barbie Townhouse and a Barbie Dream House,” 9-year-old Thalia told DC 37’s Santa, who looked a lot like Local 1320 President James Tucciarelli. Her mother Olga, a Local 957 member, knows children want a lot today. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to give my children a Christmas this year,” she said.

To make the holiday season bright for members experiencing tough times, DC 37 locals and union staff donated carloads of gifts and toys. Members and retirees gave money towards supermarket and toy store vouchers. The DC 37 Housing Committee and Social Workers from the Personal Services Unit and the Municipal Employees Legal Services organized the annual party. Retirees volunteered as Santa’s helpers, distributing age-appropriate gifts to kids.

“We’re overwhelmed by the amount of participation and support,” said Committee Chair Barry Jamison. “It’s gratifying to know DC 37 was able to help make the holiday season better for our brothers and sisters.”

“Our union Santa continues to lift the spirits of the members and their children who are going through hard times and those whose problems are compounded by the tragic events of Sept. 11,” Mr. Jamison said. He also thanked the local presidents who attended and contributed to the cause.

After visiting with Saint Nick, the children eagerly watched Mad Hatter Jason Davidson twist candy-colored balloons into hearts, motorcycles, hats and animals.

“DC 37 has always been there for us,” said Local 1549 member Venus Craig. “The union provides so much.”

As the families left the party, the children examined their gifts again, hummed holiday tunes and smiled all the way home.

Rekindling the lights of freedom

L. to R.: Local Presidents Mark Rosenthal (983), Joan Reed (2054), Leonard Davidman (1189), Cliff Koppelman (1070), QWL Coordinator Linda Feldman, Local 1502 President Melvin Bentley, Rabbi Alvin Kass of Local 299, and DC 37 Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Larry Glickson of SSEU Local 371.

Despite the temporary DC 37 diaspora, the union’s Jewish Heritage Committee kept alive its tradition of lighting the Hanukkah menorah with a ceremony Dec. 10 at Social Service Employees Union Local 371.

Quality of Work Life Director Linda Feldman lit the candles and Rabbi Alvin Kass, a Police Dept. Chaplain and a member of Local 299, led members and leaders of many locals in chanting the ancient Hebrew blessing.

Rabbi Kass pointed to parallels between the origins of Hanukkah almost 2,200 years ago in Jerusalem and its celebration in New York in 2001. The holiday commemorates the victory of the Maccabee guerilla fighters, who defeated an oppressive occupation army and won the right to practice their religion.

“Lighting these candles today is a symbol of the way DC 37, New York and America are fighting back and refusing to accept defeat by those who say their way is the only way,” he said.

SSEU Local 371 President Charles Ensley welcomed participants, and Jewish Heritage Committee Chair Larry Glickson presided. The evening concluded with a light nosh that included the traditional latkes (potato pancakes) and jelly donuts.

Special party for special kids

Above: Local 375 member Mary Murdoch at the
volunteers’ Christmas party with special kids.

Right: For 16 consecutive years Alan Hirschkorn, a Supervising Fire Inspector and member of Local 375, has gathered his troops in Brooklyn and organized a Christmas party and toy drive for more than 250 children.

Local 1549 member and Clerical Associate Mary Murdoch has been working on the project for 10 years. Another volunteer is Jeanette Withers, who chairs Local 1549’s Fire Dept. Chapter.

“I help out with the wrapping of the Christmas gifts,” said Ms. Murdoch, who was decked out in a bright red outfit with a Santa Claus hat for the Dec. 7 party at St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Church on Court Street.

Many of these children have special needs. “I feel good, because I see a lot of mothers here with their children,” said Ann Bowen, a single parent whose child is autistic.

“It’s fantastic to see the smile on their faces,” said Sonny the Clown, whose real name is John Arndt. A cable splicer for Verizon, Mr. Arndt has volunteered his services for five years.

“This year’s celebration is dedicated to the firefighters who lost their lives at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11,” said Mr. Hirschkorn, as children ran around the banquet hall of the church opening gifts and playing with Sonny.

At the front of the hall sat three empty chairs laden with firefighter’s boots, helmets and coats, a silent memorial to the deceased heroes.

Menorah from history

L. to R.: Metropolitan Museum of Art President David E. McKinney and his wife, Nancy, with Local 1502 member William Kopp and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer at the Dec. 10 menorah lighting.

An elaborately decorated 18th century Hanukkah menorah from Eastern Europe shone its light in New York City for the first time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The museum presented the 5-foot tall bronze menorah, one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith, on Dec. 10 to mark the holiday season.

Museum Technicians and Local 1502 members William Kopp and Eric Peluso installed the antique, which is on loan from a private collector. Working with such rare artifacts “makes the job interesting,” said Mr. Kopp, a 30-year museum veteran. “But you work very, very carefully.”

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer lit the first three candles commemorating the eight-day celebration as children sang traditional Hanukkah songs from the marble balcony above.
Mr. Schumer said the menorah is a “symbol of survival, endurance and perseverance,” and is an inspiration to New York as it rebuilds.

Santa visits Harlem

Juvenile Center Employees Local 1457 President Alex Parker (back right) hosted local’s party at Wadleigh School.

Four hundred children and members enjoyed a Dec. 8 holiday bash hosted by Juvenile Center Employees Local 1457 at an elementary school in Harlem.

The festivities included African dances, cheerleading, drumming, a step show and a performance by young dancers.

The party also featured a visit by Santa Claus, who looked suspiciously like union member Danny Laurie.

“We spend our working lives taking care of other people’s children,” said Local 1457 President Alex Parker. “This provided a chance for us to kick back, relax and do something nice with our own families. People had a great time.”

Members Dennis Harris, Turina Blair and Kim Johnson — all from the transportation unit of the Dept. of Juvenile Justice — co-chaired the event, which was held at the Wadleigh Secondary School at Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. and Frederick Douglass Blvd.

The entertainers were the Mount Vernon Revelators of the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon and the Brothers and Sisters of Culture, an African dance group headed by Local 1407 member Elizabeth Lindau.