Gift-wrapping center opens to aid hurricane victims

"Princeton for New Orleans" has a storefront at Palmer Square

By: Marjorie Censer
   The vacant storefront in Palmer Square that used to be home to Crabtree & Evelyn is getting a new lease on life — as a holiday gift-wrapping center that will raise funds for "Princeton for New Orleans."
   Palmer Square Management and The Papery of Princeton, an upscale custom stationery store on Hulfish Street, are working together to set up the center, which will operate from Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving, through Christmas. The gift-wrapping center will be open from 2 to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and from 2 to 5 p.m. Sundays.
   The project is part of "Princeton for New Orleans: The Barbara Boggs Sigmund Community Alliance," a citizens’ group that first met in September with plans to reach out to the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The group decided to focus in particular on supporting the neighborhood of Dillard University, because Princeton University has committed to help rebuild the university.
   The alliance includes representatives of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, the university, The Arts Council of Princeton, the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce and Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart.
   David Newton, vice president of Palmer Square Management, and Laura Weber, whose family owns The Papery, are working to prepare the gift-wrapping center for business beginning next week.
   Everything in the center — gift-wrapping products including bows and ribbons, the service, as well as a limited number of gifts donated by other stores — will be for sale. The gift items available will serve to decorate the store as well, Mr. Newton said.
   The Papery will be donating a significant portion of the boxes, wrapping paper and decorations. Local businesses and groups are encouraged to donate items — for instance, McCarter Theatre has committed to giving a large amount of paper and bows, Mr. Newton said.
   Volunteers will wrap the gifts, and Mr. Newton said additional volunteers are still needed. All gifts — not just those purchased in Palmer Square — can be wrapped at the center. One-hundred percent of the money raised will go to the "Princeton for New Orleans" fund.
   Those who simply want to donate money to the fund can bring those contributions to the store, as well.
   Palmer Square is underwriting the cost of the location — which has been vacant since September — and has installed a phone line and sign in front of the store.
   But Mr. Newton particularly praised Ms. Weber and The Papery.
   "Their generosity has been really, really big on this," he said.
   The "Princeton for New Orleans" fund is operated by the Princeton Area Community Foundation. The community alliance is named for Barbara Boggs Sigmund, former mayor of Princeton Borough and a New Orleans native.
   Ms. Sigmund, who died of cancer in 1990, won a seat on the Princeton Borough Council in 1972, and was elected mayor in 1983. She remained mayor until her death.