While many Gardiner businesses have shuttered, there are still local places available to us. A full list of these is available on the GAB (Gardiner Association of Businesses) website at www.gabny.com/blog. It’s helpfully categorized into Health & Wellbeing; Money Savers and Financial Support; Local Grocers; Food Services, Takeout, and Curbside Pick Up; Drinks and Things; Business Resources; and Marketing & Advertising.
The obvious places are still physically open; essential businesses like Majestic’s Hardware and the Mobil Station Chestnut Mart. Others are a pleasant surprise. For example, Lightsey Cycles is open, and so is The Natural Pet Center! The Pet Center does not allow customers into the store, but you can place an order by email or phone, then go to the store where they will place it in your vehicle.
You’ll also find that most of our local restaurants are still open for take-out, and some have specials which, though they have a “recommended price,” also have a “pay- what-you-can offering.” Hopefully, those of us who have more will pay enough to make up for those of us who have less. It’s yet another way to take care of each other right now.
Many businesses have also modified their usual practices to be more helpful in these unusual times. Jenkins-Leukens Orchards at 299 and Yankee Folly Road has increased their hours and are now open seven days. They have also increased their offerings based on customer requests, and offer curbside pick-up.
Wright’s Farm on Route 208 is also open seven days and now has curbside pickup available. These and other markets limit in-store customers to 10 at a time. While Tantillo’s Farm was closed for the season at the time of this writing, they will reopen in May.
The Gardiner business community is also offering an array of free services. While the Gardiner Library is now closed until June 1, you can check the website for online offerings including Rosetta Stone language courses, and KANOPY free films to stream. (The library asks that you do not return books in the bookdrop. Just hold on to whatever books you have until they reopen. There is no need to renew.)
On a larger scale, in addition to government initiatives like Ulster County’s Project Resilience, local not-for-profits and private entities are also stepping in to help during the crisis.
You may remember the New Paltz Community Foundation, Inc. (NPCF) from the complete renovation that was done to the two buildings that house Family of New Paltz. Their newest project, Help Your Neighbors 2020, involves providing meal vouchers which are redeemable at over 30 participating local restaurants and delis.
These free vouchers, worth $20 for an individual or $50 for a family, are available for community members in need and can be used to pay for a meal at participating restaurants. To obtain a voucher, get in touch with one of the NPCF’s referring partners. A list of these can be found at www.newpaltzfoundation.org/projects/#getavoucher.
For those who do not have the Internet, get in touch with St. Charles Catholic Church (Father Matthew 845-255-1374, borromeogardiner@aol.com); Gardiner Reformed Church (Rev. Gary Sissel 845-255-0190, sisselgary@gmail.com or Town of Gardiner (Marybeth Majestic, Supervisor, 845-255-9675, supervisor.tog@gmail.com).
You will be advised as to where you can pick up your voucher and will be given a list of the participating restaurants. These include restaurants in New Paltz, as well as Pasquales, Mountain Brauhaus, and Lombardi’s in Gardiner. If you have a question call or email Eileen GulbrandsenGlenn (845-256-1945 or sande2930@aol.com).
While everyone hopes that the Covid-19 crisis will be over soon, we also hope that the kind of caring for each other that local residents and businesses have demonstrated in the past weeks is with us to stay.