LEWISTON — With a temperature feeling like minus 2 degrees, Lewiston’s downtown Tuesday morning saw only sporadic shufflers moving quickly with heads down against the wind. Despite that, several stopped and were willing to share their thoughts about the new year a day away.

Veteran Shawn Smith was cutting through the alley next to Mother India restaurant from Park Street to Lisbon Street on Tuesday, hands in his pockets trying to stay warm.

A resident of Lewiston for four years, he said his hope for the new year is to have a successful final two of six surgeries, one on his knee and the other on his shoulder. 

“I want to get back to lifting weights because I work in construction,” the native of Victorville, California, said. “It’s a short season out here, so (I need) it,” adding that he hopes for a calmer, more agreeable world in the new year.

“I hope the economy’s a lot better, that what (Trump’s) trying to do doesn’t escalate and that we find some more of the fraud that’s happening.”

Among those who stopped to talk, hopes for the coming year were largely optimistic. 

Bella Perryman of Lewiston and Max Fuoco of Cheshire, Connecticut, were braving the cold for coffee at Forage Market. Both are in their senior year at Assumption University in Worcester, Massachusetts, for nursing and marketing, respectively.

“I hope to become a good nurse in the coming new year,” Perryman said, adding, with Fuoco’s help, she hopes for a healthy new year and a little bit of warmth in the coming months. “I plan to work here, serve the people of Lewiston.”

Fuoco, a public relations officer in the making, said he hopes to land a job in the marketing world after graduating.

“I’m into advertising and stuff like that, so I’d like to get the word out there,” Fuoco said. “I’m hoping maybe for an advertising agency, maybe in public relations, because I’ve had some experience in PR.”

Luke Wright and Taylor Newman, missionaries from Utah for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have been spreading their church’s message in Lewiston this past year. The duo said their hopes are to connect better with people and provide more hope in the new year.

“I’m really hoping for the world to have more charity, love and kindness,” Wright said.

“And to make more of an impact on others next year,” Newman added. 

Both said they will leave Lewiston in a few weeks and will miss the charm of the city, though Wright said he will be staying in New England.

“I kind of like Lewiston,” Wight said. “It’s a really nice city and it’s definitely grown on me,” adding that charity and compassion are the new year’s greatest needs. “The streets never change, just the names. And we always have the same needs, we just believe Jesus Christ is that need,” he said.