Bars, restaurants open but not back to normal

 Joleen Calato, bartender at Bada Bing 42 W. Chippewa St., is back to work after the pandemic shut restaurants down. Like many other restaurants on the West Side, Bada Bing took a big hit because of COVID-19. Since reopening the restaurant Alan Williams, manager at Bada Bing, says that things are still not back to normal. “It’s a different business now and if you didn’t adapt you failed,” Williams said. The number of people going out to eat is nowhere close to what it was before COVID-19 and people aren’t tipping like they used to. By Evan DiPasquale, Michaela Frazier and Danielle Stiegler

Holiday parties, meals in offing for West Side

    As the holidays are fast approaching, and the season to give is upon us, many community centers are focusing on bringing that holiday spirit to the West Side communities.

    West Side Community Services Center, 161 Vermont St., is hosting two events this holiday season.

    The first will be a senior party on Dec. 15 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.   Then on Dec. 17 there will be a Family Night from 6-8 p.m.  This event is open to the public. There will be food, movies, and a robot to read books to the children. Gifts will be given to children who are involved in the center’s youth and afterschool programs.

    The community center is looking for gift donations for any children in attendance who are not a part of the center’s programs. The community center will be accepting donations until Dec. 10. Masks will be required upon entry to the building.

    The Buffalo City Mission, 100 E. Tupper St., is having its annual “Hambone Express Delivery,” Christmas morning.

    Volunteers will be out delivering meals on Dec. 25, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Participants need to register by phone until Dec. 3 or from Dec. 6-10.

    The meal consists of ham, yams, green beans, and cookies. Sue Cervi, manager of the volunteers at the City Mission, says that the dinners come with reheating directions.

    “We recognize that some families are bigger than four so each person can order up to eight meals per family,” Cervi said.

    Volunteers will be wearing masks when delivering the meals and recipients are being asked to wait for the volunteer to leave the delivery at the door to allow for contactless delivery. By Angelea Preston and Jillian Kasmore