Village woes get late-night host's attention

PHOTOGRAPHER: David Lombardo

The village of Schoharie will return to late-night television on Monday when “Late Show” host David Letterman will make a plea for the devastated community, according to the village’s mayor.

In the first half-hour of Monday’s show, Letterman will advocate for the Schoharie Recovery Fund. Contributions to the fund are desperately needed in Schoharie, where an inordinate number of homes were severely damaged during Tropical Storm Irene.

The small village first popped up on Letterman’s radar in 2002, after it was featured on a episode that included Mayor John Borst reading the “Top 10 List.” In front of 10 busloads of Schoharie residents, who had come to the show, Borst read the top 10 reasons being mayor of Schoharie is the best job in the world.

Borst thinks it’s wonderful the show is going to help out and said he wasn’t surprised that they’re coming to the aid of the village. He said their chances were probably helped by the fact they weren’t asking for money, but only media exposure.

“We’re good friends [with the staff],” he said. “I had contacts down there and I emailed one about our situation.”

It turned out the staff member he contacted was well aware of Irene’s impact, as he was currently housing displaced flood victims in his home.

“I think it’s a great thing,” Borst said.

People interested in contributing to the village recovery efforts can make a check out to the Schoharie Recovery Fund. They can be mailed to PO Box 111, Schoharie, N.Y., 12157.