Hello again, my friends. Now that all the fun of October’s Halloween activities are behind us, the black and orange decorations around the town will soon make way for the traditional red and green Christmas decorations.

Before those hectic days of holiday preparations begin though, we get a breather known as November, allowing us time to enjoy nature’s colorful changeover, think about where we stored all of those Christmas decorations and reflect on all for which we have to be thankful.

For me, those reflections present themselves on two special November days. First and foremost, we have the traditional Thanksgiving Day, held Nov. 28, complete with the wonderful family gatherings and the accompanying food fest, the 101st playing of the Northampton-Catasauqua football game, the eve of Black Friday, the official start of Christmas shopping and the fastest moving four-day holiday ever devised.

Still, there’s one other day we need to remember as a day to give thanks — Veterans Day. Celebrated Nov. 11, it honors and remembers all of the servicemen and woman who are still with us. Recognizing how they selflessly sacrificed their time and talents should be a part of our collective DNA.

Not surprisingly, given the immense patriotic spirit in Northampton, we continue to have many events centered around Veterans Day.

Our Northampton service organizations, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and the Catholic War Veterans, will hold a joint celebration 11 a.m. Nov. 9 at Memorial Park on Washington Avenue. A very special ceremony will take place as 52 Vietnam veterans will receive memorial pins for their service in the Vietnam conflict, along with other highlights and recognition.

The Northampton Area Historical Society will be hosting a Veterans Day celebration 1:30 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Northampton Area High School auditorium. This delightful, patriotic event will feature a lively concert by American Legion Band of Bethlehem; the honoring of our area heroes Col. John Siegfried, Capt. Theodore Howell and our most recently recognized Northampton Hometown Heroes; comments and personal reflections; and bagpipe selections.

I am honored and humbled to be invited to be a part of such a red, white and blue event. I am encouraging you to join me and our historical society members in what will certainly be a very enjoyable afternoon celebration. Doors will open 1 p.m., and, of course, there is no charge for this event. As your mayor, I look forward to attending all of these events. I consider it a true honor to be invited to these and other events around town to give recognition to our servicemen and women, the real treasures of our borough. It’s truly a highlight of my time as mayor.

As you know, our borough office has recently gone through some major personnel changes. We have a new borough manager, Brian Welsko; a new assistant borough manager, Jerry Serensits; and a new zoning officer, David Lear. With all of those changes, one might think that would be a bit of chaos at borough hall. Well, let me assure you — from my perspective as one who travels through the hall on occasion, there is not. This new team is doing quite well, and I couldn’t be more impressed with how professionally they’re handling the matters at hand. It’s not easy to replace a longtime employee such as former borough manager LeRoy Brobst, but Brian and Jerry are doing a nice job transitioning into their jobs, ensuring your tax dollars are well spent and the borough is well served.

I look forward to working closely with this team, building onto the initiatives I’ve already begun and adding their ideas to build that better Northampton we strive for.

I was reminded how great a community it is as I traveled in the Jack Frost Parade and joined Officer Ryan Konetsky on a safety patrol Oct. 31, Halloween night. I couldn’t be more impressed with the outpouring of spirit and fun our citizens and guests were having at these events.

On both occasions, the smiles and positive responses I received were an indication everyone enjoyed being here in Northampton, acting very neighborly and really having a wonderful time. With the perfect weather for both nights, the plethora of families and friends out and about with their creative costumes, polite demeanor and upbeat attitudes far exceeded anything I’ve ever witnessed in my 13 years as a borough official.

It’s just another indication we’re doing things right and serving the community well. I know there’s more to be done but know you have a great staff at borough hall ready to serve and build a better Northampton for all. For that, I am truly thankful.

My friends, what will you be thankful for this season? Honestly, think about it. You may surprise yourself. With that, I wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving and a warm, loving and tasty turkey day celebration with your family and friends.

Above all, I wish peace in your days. Enjoy!