Lighting Up Alfred in Mid-November!
For all of us, this has been, so far, a very remarkable Fall
Season. The weather was both changeable
and mostly gorgeous. The election season has been controversial and, we hope,
on its way to clarity. (Fingers Crossed:
-) Both Alfred University and Alfred State College have heartily cooperated
with one another and the Village of Alfred to contain the spread of corona
virus on campuses and in the village. We
in the Village have worked to keep our local economy thriving and, at the same
time, keep one another healthy. We need
to keep our guard up, until there is an effective vaccine, and it is
distributed.
The vast majority of students at both Alfred State College
and Alfred University will depart on or near November 25. Our hearts go out to these students who need
to have a “final Covid test,” finish their course work and their finals, and
pack and depart for home, all in the space of a few short days. What great stress for these important friends
of ours. We will miss them over the
winter. And we will welcome them back in
late January.
In the Village of Alfred, let’s give these students a send
off that will light up the Village in their honor. On Saturday, November 14, India begins the
Diwali (deh-val-ee) Festival! It is a
five day festival of light, celebrating light overcoming dark. In Alfred, let’s adopt this and extend it to
at least American Thanksgiving on Thursday November 26. Please join this festival of light—leave on a
porch light or put on your electric window candles, anything at hand to signal
the students on both campuses that we are symbolically lighting up our homes
and businesses to wish them well and to give them peace as they end a densely
packed and stressful semester! Lights
on!! Nov. 14, through (at least) Nov.
26!
