November 12, 2024
Hey Y’all,
November 15th is 'America Recycles Day.' Matt Elsaesser from 406 Recycling will have an update for us this week. 406 Recycling is yet another great Helena successful story. The stuff Matt has recycled these last 15-20 years could have filled the Landfill a couple of times at least. Matt will also give us an update on the 406 Composting Program. I understand that the finished product (actual Compost) is now available for purchase. It’s not too late to get some compost on your gardens or flower beds this fall so that things will grow fast and healthy next spring. Also, 406 Recycling is having one of their regular data-secure electronics recycling drives this Friday (Nov. 15) in the parking lot of the Good Samaritan Thrift Store.
In a rather rare celestial coincidence, both Hanukkah and Christmas fall on December 25th this year. Christmas Day is a singular event, while Hanukkah lasts the next eight days, or through January 2, 2025. As Adam Sandler says, Hanukkah is ‘eight crazy nights.’ I usually post Sandler’s hilarious ‘Hanukkah Song’ on my Facebook page this time of year. We also light the menorah in our home every year for the eight days of Hanukkah.
This Jewish Holiday always starts on the 25th day of Kislev, the ninth month on the Hebrew calendar, which is a ‘lunisolar’ recording of time. It’s also called the ‘Festival of Lights.’ It celebrates one of the first fights for religious freedom. Hanukkah commemorates the re-dedication of the Holy temple in Jerusalem following the Jewish victory over the Syrian-Greeks in 165 B.C. This is Hebrew Year 5785. Let that sink in a moment… For five thousand seven hundred eighty five years in a row Jewish people have celebrated the annual journey of the earth around the sun. It’s only year 2024 on the Gregorian calendar, which is used by other folks in the western world since 1582 A.D., when Pope Gregory XIII came up with the idea of a ‘leap year.’
Want to learn more about the holiday and the tradition? Or ask a question about Hanukkah? Come to Hometown Helena this week! Our guests will be from the Montana Jewish Project (MJP). There’s lots going on at the MJP in addition to Hanukkah preparations. C’mon down to Helena College this week to learn all about it.
I’m getting a little ahead of things here. We have Thanksgiving coming up first. Let’s make it a great Thanksgiving for everyone in Helena. Again this year the Helena Food Resource Center is sponsoring the 'Annual Turkey Challenge’ on November 22 at the Lewis and Clark Library, from 10am to 5 pm. Bring your frozen turkey or turkey breast to the Library that day. This is another Helena success story. This year, the goal is 2800 Turkeys. If you can’t make it to the Library Friday, go ahead and bring your frozen turkey to Hometown Helena next Thursday morning (Nov.21). I’ll bet Tim Joyce will be there (hopefully with his turkey outfit on 
) and he will be willing to accept your gift a week from this Thursday.
And, if it’s easier for you to help out with a donation or in some other way, just go to the Helena Food Resource Center's website: helenafoodshare.org. You’ll be glad you did.
Hope to see you Thursday morning, either in person at Helena College, from 7-8 am; or remotely via the Zoom courtesy of Aja Rail and her colleagues at Pinion Global, Inc.
Jim Smith
406-949-1002
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