Nanuet Rotary Configures Nativity Scene, Menorah in Nanuet

Members of the Nanuet Rotary used brains, brawn and a ladder to break Jesus out of storage and set up the Nativity scene and a Menorah over at Normandy Village on the corner of First Street and Middletown Road in Nanuet Sunday morning.  Approximately 20 members joined in to help with the setup, which is a tradition for the Nanuet Rotary. 

“I think it helps honor the community,” said Rotarian Donna Lennane.  “We’ve gotten positive feedback about it from members of the community.  I think people appreciate it.  One of the nice things about being in a small town.”  

After the Nativity characters and lights were loaded onto a truck, the Rotarians moved over to Normandy Village to begin setting up the scene.  Throughout the 50 years of the Nanuet Rotary’s existence, the Nativity scene has been set up in different places in the area, according to Colleen Quinn. 

The setup lasted approximately two hours as the group configured the scene, scattered the hay, secured the lights and trees, and made sure the light bulbs worked on the Menorah.    

“We’re just fortunate this year that we had good weather,” Lennane said.  “We’ve done it in snowstorms, ice storms, rainstorms, fog- so today was a gift that we had such nice weather.”  

The Nanuet Rotary has done other community activities as well.  

“We do other service projects,” Lennane said.  “One of the things we do is we go to Venture [Inn], to the adult home in Nanuet, and we deliver gifts for the residents.  And one of the members dresses up as Santa Claus, and the other members dress up as other characters.  

“Historically, the club has also gone to West Point and has done a holiday party for children who have one or more parents over in the Middle East.  We do have a holiday party in which we join with other clubs to celebrate the holidays.”