by Bea Peterson
In March 2006 the Hoosick community was devastated when Dougherty’s Restaurant, a landmark in the Village since 1870, burned to the ground. What remained was an ugly hole in the ground. Soon after the fire, in support of the restaurant’s owner Bryan Pello, a fund raising get-together was held at the Polish Hall. The event had lots of good food and plenty of raffle items. The event raised $2,500 to be given to Pello should he want to rebuild. The funds have been held in reserve since then.
Pello has decided not to rebuild and the lot is for sale. The fund raising organizers met with Pello and suggested since he was not going to rebuild, the monies be donated to community organizations. Pello welcomed the suggestion.
On Tuesday evening Bryan Pello and the organizers Kevin Whalen, Jane Clarke, Joe Ferrannini and Joanie James met at the Firehouse Restaurant and presented $1,000 to Pat Hayes for St. Mary’s Academy, $500 to Delight Cullen for the Karen McGovern Fund, $500 to Kevin O’Malley for the Town of Hoosick Skating Rink and $500 to Aelish Nealon for the Town of Hoosick Youth Center. In these difficult times, the recipients were more than pleased to receive the donations.