By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 March 2016 at 12:00 am
Pilgrimage in honor of friend battling cancer
Provided photo – Tom Dujenski leaves for Madrid, Spain, on Wednesday and will start his 500-mile walk on Sunday.
MEDINA – From 5k walks and runs, to wine-tastings, basket raffles and golf tournaments, the Knights and Kaderli families and their supporters have tried many ways to raise money to help Orleans County residents fighting cancer.
How about a 500-mile-walk in Europe?
A Medina native, who now lives in Kansas, will soon embark on a 500-mile journey by foot in northern Spain and France to raise money for Knights-Kaderli.
Tom Dujenski has been planning the walk along the el Camino de Santiago route for about two years. When he learned Elaine McPherson of Medina was battling cancer, Dujenski decided to make the effort a benefit for McPherson and others in Orleans fighting cancer.
Dujenski has been close friends for decades with Elaine’s husband, Paul. He and Elaine have both been long-time participants in the annual Knights-Kaderli walk and run in East Shelby.
“This is a great opportunity to turn something into good,” Dujenski said by phone this afternoon from Olathe, Kansas.
Dujenski, 57, graduated from Medina and then worked in Buffalo before a career with a bank regulatory agency took him all over the country. He settled in Kansas to be near his daughter.
He has been preparing for the long walk, building his stamina and planning the trip.
He flies out to Madrid on Wednesday and starts the walk on Sunday at the base of the Pyrenees Mountains. He is allowing 40 days to cover 500 miles.
Dujenski said the walk will be a spiritual journey for him, a chance to visit sacred sites. He is taking a rock with Elaine’s name on it. Dujenski said there is a stone pile on the trip that has become a shrine. He will add Elaine’s stone to that collection.
He will also go to a shrine in Lourdes, France, and bring back holy water for Elaine.
“I’m so excited it’s not even funny,” Dujenski said today.
His wife, Lupita, will meet him at the end of the journey and they will fly home together.
Elaine McPherson’s family appreciates Dujenski’s effort in the challenging journey and for thinking of Elaine and others fighting cancer.
“She is very grateful,” said Elaine’s sister, Barb Hale.
The Knights-Kaderli Memorial Fund is named in honor of Richard Knights died from cancer in 1984, and Sue Scharping Kaderli who died from the disease in 1989.
Knights-Kaderli distributes about $50,000 annually to help families with expenses while battling cancer.
For more on the fund, and to donate as part of Dujenski’s walk, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2016 at 12:00 am
Goal: be ready for Strawberry Festival race in June
Photo by Tom Rivers – Some of the leaders of the “Run for God” program include, front row, from left: Tom Smith, Sheila Lemcke and Brian Krieger. Other participants in back include Becki Keegan, Joe McPhatter, John Given and his son Zeke Given.
ALBION – In 2012, the Albion Free Methodist Church started a “Run for God” program that takes people from the couch to running a 5-kilometer race in 12 weeks.
Organizers of the first Run for God weren’t sure how many would take up the challenge, starting in cold March weather and concluding with the 5K race in June during the Albion Strawberry Festival. There was a strong response to “Run for God” with 40 people finishing the first race.
Altogether, 274 people have participated in Run for God (including a half marathon training program) in the first four years. A new Run for God starts tomorrow (Saturday) at 8:30 a.m. at the Free Methodist Church, corner of East State and Platt streets.
The group meets for a devotional or spiritual lesson, and then begins the journey to a 5K, alternating with short jogs and walks. The group will gradually increase the running times during the following weeks.
Tom Smith and Sheila Lemcke are leading the program again this year. Smith, the worship leader at the church, said he enjoys the camaraderie among the runners.
The participants go at different paces. Run for God is open to new and more experienced runners, and people can join at any time during the 12 weeks.
“There is no judgment,” Lemcke said. “Everyone is accepted at any level.”
There is no cost to be in the program, unless participants want to buy a T-shirt or a Run for God book. For more on Run for God, click here.
The program is now sponsored by the Free Methodist Church and the Albion Running Club. The late Wayne Burlison was a founder of the Running Club and pushed to start the Run for God program.
Burlison was 36 when he died from cancer nearly two years ago on March 26, 2014.
The Running Club is planning the second annual “Run for Wayne” in honor of Burlison on April 16 at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School, where Burlison was a music teacher.
The race starts at 12:01 p.m. The course is 3.17 miles. That distance was chosen to honor Burlison’s 3-month, 17-day fight with stage 4 colon cancer.
Burlison was a proponent of healthy living in the community. Through diet and exercise, he lost more than 150 pounds and ran a marathon and several half marathons.
For more information on “Run for Wayne,” click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 March 2016 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Medina school counselors Sarah Ha, left, and Linda Knipe, right, are pictured with Kelsey Wolcott, a mental health clinic therapist.
MEDINA – Medina has three school counselors working with 635 students in grades 8 through 12. They focus on academic and career preparation, but the counselors for years have juggled helping students with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.
That changed in early February when a mental health clinic therapist from the Orleans County Department of Mental Health started working out of the school.
Kelsey Wolcott spends two days at Medina Central School, splitting time in the high school and elementary school. Middle schoolers also go to appointments at either school building.
Wolcott said some students feel the pressure of family life, with parents going through divorces or blending families, while others may also feel the strain of poverty, and social and academic pressures. She helps students develop coping skills for some of the challenges.
Wolcott’s presence has allowed the school district’s guidance counselors to stay focused on providing career and college guidance for students.
“We were spending an inordinate amount of time on personal counseling,” said Linda Knipe, one of Medina’s guidance counselors. “We try to clear the obstacles so they can get an education.”
Medina, Lyndonville, Kendall and Holley have all teamed in recent months with the Mental Health Department to allow a therapist to work out of the school. That way students miss less class time by not having to travel to Albion at the Mental Health clinic on Route 31. Some of the students also have transportation issues, making it difficult to get to Albion.
Marc O’Brien, the director of the county’s Mental Health Department, has been part of joint meetings with the five school district superintendents the past two years. He said other counties have tried satellite offices at schools.
“It makes it more accessible for the kids,” O’Brien said. “The superintendents have been super cooperative to work with.”
All of the new satellite sites needed approval by the state Office of Mental Health. Students still need to travel to Albion if they need to see a psychiatrist.
The satellite sites are funded just like the county’s main clinic in Albion. Insurance companies are billed for the services, O’Brien said.
“We’ve been able to broaden the footprint of the department and get out into the community,” he said. “So far it’s working great.”
Provided photo – Pictured from left: SUNY Brockport student Kelly Valente of Mottville, NY; SUNY Brockport student Mariel Rivera of Webster, NY; State Sen. Rob Ortt; SUNY Brockport President Dr. Heidi Macpherson; and SUNY Brockport Chief Communications Officer David Mihalyov.
Press Release, State Sen. Rob Ortt
BROCKPORT – Senator Rob Ortt (R – North Tonawanda) today met Brockport State College’s president and students to announce $150,000 in state funds to renovate the Hazen Health Center.
The money, included in the 2015-16 state budget, will be used to modernize and upgrade approximately 3,000 square feet of the 12,000 square-foot student health center in Hazen Hall.
The college’s holistic Hazen Health Center is available to all enrolled students for both their physical and mental health needs. The funds secured by Senator Ortt will ensure an improved delivery of physical and mental health care to students.
“As chairman of the Mental Health Committee, it’s imperative for me to do what I can to help with the psychological well-being of individuals, improve mental health care services, and aid and educate in the prevention of mental illness,” said Senator Ortt. “College can be a stressful time in a person’s life and can take a mental and physical toll on our students. Outreach programs and services offered at places like the Hazen Health Center can deliver much-needed support at a critical time.”
The College at Brockport President Dr. Heidi Macpherson said, “The Hazen Center has been a leader in the field of Health, Counseling and Prevention/Outreach Services among New York colleges. In 2013-14, there were 3,401 individuals who received assistance with health services, and more than 900 individuals who received counseling services. I applaud Senator Ortt and the New York State Legislature for recognizing and investing in the health and wellness needs of our campus community.”
Renovation work includes updating patient rooms, improving waiting areas to make them more discrete, and transforming an underutilized back room into three new offices. The building will also have new floors, ceilings, lights and wall finishes to modernize the Hazen Health Center. Construction is expected to start this summer.
The $150,000 in capital funds for the project may be used for the payment of capital costs of construction, demolition, replacement, renovation, planning and design.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 February 2016 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers – Dr. Dan Webb, co-owner of Catalyst Research in Depew, goes over the latest survey of about 1,500 students in grades 7 through 12. He presented the survey results this morning during a meeting of the Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition.
ALBION – The strong societal message against tobacco and alcohol seems to be working with big drops in use by youths in Orleans County from 2005 to 2015.
Every two years students in grades 7 through 12 are surveyed on their use of tobacco, alcohol and marijuana. (Since 2013, students have been asked if they use non-prescribed prescription drugs as well, and in 2015 they were asked for the first time about e-cigarettes.)
Alcohol use among students has dropped from 28.1 percent in 2005 to 16.7 percent of 1,572 students in 2015. The survey includes students in Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina school districts. Albion does its own survey.
In the survey, students are asked if they used alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, non-prescribed medications and e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.
Alcohol use is down 41 percent in the decade, the biggest drop. It continues a steady downward trend from 23.6 percent in 2009, 20.3 percent in 2011, 19.1 percent in 2013 and 16.7 percent in 2015.
Tobacco use is down from 13.6 percent in 2005 to 8.5 percent in 2015, a 38 percent decline.
Marijuana use is down 14 percent since 2005, from 12.1 percent to 10.4 percent. However, it was at 9.3 percent in 2009 and has gradually increased to 10.2 percent in 2011, 10.3 percent in 2013, and 10.4 percent in 2015.
The marijuana number is lower than other communities that are seeing 15 to 20 percent use among students, said Dr. Dan Webb, co-owner of Catalyst Research, which compiles the data in the survey for the Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition.
“Most of the numbers are going in the direction we want,” Webb told about 25 coalition members this morning during a meeting at the Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.
The survey shows some areas of concern, particularly with perception of risk by students. In 2005, 80.6 percent said they viewed marijuana use as risky and dangerous. But in 2015 that percentage dropped to 53.0 percent.
Students also reduced their perceptions of alcohol and tobacco risk with alcohol’s perception of risk down from 69.5 percent in 2005 to 65.4 percent last year. Tobacco also was viewed less harshly by students in 2015 (78.1 percent say it’s risky and dangerous) compared to 86.5 percent in 2005.
Parents, however, are perceived by students as being strongly opposed students using alcohol (95.6 percent), tobacco (93.9 percent) and marijuana (90.5 percent). That 90 percent threshold is important for keeping some students from trying the substances and products, Webb said.
Students reported more pressure from friends not to use tobacco or alcohol compared to 2005. However, the perception of friends’ disapproval for using marijuana dropped from 81.4 percent against in 2005 to 73.8 percent in 2015.
The coalition started asking students about non-prescribed medications in 2013 and 2.7 percent said then they had taken non-prescribed prescriptions in the previous 30 days. That percent increased to 3.4 percent in the latest survey.
Webb said e-cigarettes are proliferating with vape shops in many communities selling flavors of products like they are selling candy.
Nearly 30 percent of students, 29.2 percent, say they have tried an e-cigarette and 14.7 percent said they used one in the previous 30 days. The survey also asked if the students ever added substances to the e-cigarettes besides nicotine and 10.3 percent said they did.
The survey results will be shared with each participating school district, including a breakdown of the survey responses for each district. The district data will be shared confidentially with each district.
For more on the Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition, click here.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 13 February 2016 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Kim Hazel (left), Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension agriculture and horticulture senior adminsitrative assistant, and Nutrition Educator Natalie Heller sign the Nutritious Gatherings Pledge at the OCCCE offices in Knowlesville.
KNOWLSEVILLE – Hitting the drive-through to pick up donuts for sharing at the office can be a very easy thing to do, said Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Educator Robert Batt. But it only takes a few more minutes to stop at the grocery store and select healthier choices like fruit, fresh veggies and cheese.
Extension staff in Orleans County are signing a Nutritious Gatherings Pledge – which will hang in their office at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds in Knowlesville. The Extension staff members commit themselves to have “healthy foods for staff gatherings including breaks and meetings.”
Those healthy food options include cheeses, apples, nuts, hummus, yogurts, carrots, other fresh fruits and vegetables and healthy baked goods.
Batt said staff members realized they were frequently snacking on donuts and pastries at the office with some unpleasant results. The habit was making them feel sluggish in the middle of the workday and even packed on pounds.
Horticulture Educator Katie Oakes, for example, noticed she gained weight after starting at Extension last spring, Batt said. The staff recently decided things needed to change and the idea for a nutritious eating pledge surfaced.
Nutrition information and help in making healthy choices is available from Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program.
Natalie Heller, Nutrition Educator for the Extension’s Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), says she is excited about the change. “We all want to eat healthy and feel good,” she explained.
Physical activity and movement also play a part in living a healthy lifestyle at work, Heller said.
“We take a 15-minute break every day and walk on the Fitness Trail (located on the fairgrounds),” she said. “It helps with mental clarity and gives you more energy.”
Sweet treats are not completely banned under the pledge, but limited to special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, awards, holidays, new hires and retires.
“That’s what we’re trying to teach our 4-H’ers,” Robert Batt said. “Treats are for special occasions.”
He said the Nutritious Gatherings Pledge helps staff members to be role models for 4-H’ers and also for other agency workers.
“We are challenging other agencies in Orleans County (to take the Nutritious Gatherings Pledge), to see if they are up to the challenge,” Heller said.
She noted that there are lots of possibilities for healthy snacks including salsa, pitas, whole grain chips, “options that are satisfying but healthier than having brownies,” Heller said.
A Healthy & Homemade 2016 Nutrition and Fitness Calendar is one of the many helpful sources of nutrition/healthy eating information available from the Extension.
Healthy baked goods fit under the pledge as well. The staff recently tried pumpkin muffins and also enjoyed healthy dips like fruit and peanut butter dip to go with fresh fruits and vegetables.
“You can use applesauce instead of oil in recipes and whole grain flour – or a mix of while and whole grain flour,” Heller said.
She is available to visit agencies and offices to make presentations on nutrition and healthy eating and can be contacted at 585-798-4265 ext. 24/ email: nah93@cornell.edu.
The Extension, through the Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program, is offering a free nutrition programs at various locations around the county.
Each location will run for eight sessions:
Salvation Army – Wednesdays 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. – this session began Feb. 10;
Clarendon Town Hall – Fridays 11 a.m. to noon – starting Feb. 19;
Eastern Orleans Community Center (diabetes classes) – Mondays 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – starting Feb. 22;
Hoag Library: Thursdays 11 a.m. to noon, starting Feb. 25;
Yates Community Library: Tuesdays 11 a.m. to noon, starting March 1;
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library: Tuesdays 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., starting March 1.
March is National Nutrition Month and Heller encourages everyone to chose nutritious food, fun and fitness. The Free Nutrition Program can provide help in making nutritious choices. The sessions will include food tastings, recipes and give-aways.
By Nola Goodrich-Kresse and Kristine Voos, Genesee-Orleans Public Health Education Team
This Sunday is one of the biggest sports events of the year – it is also one of the most anticipated commercial events. It is Super Bowl Sunday!
Whether you are rooting for your favorite team or your favorite commercial, there is bound to be food at your Super Bowl party.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, more than 1.3 billion chicken wings and 4 million pizzas are expected to be eaten during the big game.
With any event longer than 2 hours that has food as a focus, it is important to be aware of food safety to avoid any penalties. Food poisoning can put a damper on your game so consider the following safety plays for a touchdown:
Make sure hot foods stay hot and cold foods stay cold. The “Danger Zone” is the temperature between 45°F and 140°F where bacteria multiply rapidly. Use a food thermometer to make sure your meets are cooked properly.
Make sure you watch the clock and don’t bring out foods too early or leave them out too long. Perishable foods should not be kept at room temperature for more than two hours. Put out smaller portions at a time to prevent waste and switch them out often.
Make sure you wash your hands properly and often. Always wash before starting to prepare foods and after handling raw meat, poultry or seafood. Remember to wash your hands after handling the trash. Handwashing is never a Hail Mary play – take your time using hot water, soap and washing your hands and wrists for at least 20 seconds.
Remember also to limit the high fat, sugar snacks. It is easy to overeat when you have a wide variety of foods in front of you. Use a smaller plate, don’t load it up and avoid multiple grazing sessions.
Choose fresh veggies to get a crunchy snack or make your own chips by baking tortilla chips to limit the oil and salt. Salsa is a good alternative to heavy dips and is also very flavorful. Tackle physical activity too by tossing a football during commercial breaks and dancing along with music during half-time.
Call a time-out on alcohol by taking steps to make sure you, your friends and family members avoid driving under the influence. Avoid the risk of hurting yourself and others by arranging a designated driver or cab to bring you to and from the celebration(s). It is also important to have alcohol-free beverages available for designated drivers and those under the age of 21.
Provided photos – Karen Blank talks healthy eating and fitness with Holley students.
Press Release, Holley Central School
HOLLEY – Karen Blank, owner of The Whole Approach in Holley, last month led Holley first and second graders through a workshop entitled “Healthy Snack Cooking & Games.”
Blank met with 24 students after school twice a week and taught them about nutrition, games to stay active, how to make their own healthy snacks and how to make healthy living choices.
The students were joined by their parents for the final workshop on Dec. 17, when they set the table together and prepared a healthy dinner of homemade ravioli and salad.
Families work on making homemade ravioli together.
Blank’s workshops were offered free to Holley students as part of the three-year Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant the district received last year. The school district regularly offers before- and after-school programs to grades K-12 students as part of its FIT4U! program, made possible by the PEP grant. The FIT4U! program focuses on teaching students about fitness and nutrition through a variety of activities and educational programs.
Students took pre- and post-tests evaluating how much they knew about healthy choices at the start and conclusion of the workshop. Their knowledge of healthy behaviors increased from 61 percent to 99 percent.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 January 2016 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Bruce Krenning relaxes at home today on the one-year anniversary of suffering from cardiac arrest.
ALBION – Bruce Krenning made the 7-hour drive from Albion to the Boston area on Jan.16, 2015. He didn’t feel his best, but Krenning pushed through.
He reached the area just in time for the birth of a new grandson, Jacob. He was born to Andrew and Nicole Krenning.
After that initial excitement, Krenning remembers feeling a constant cold. He was snuggled up in blankets, including on his head. On Jan. 20, a year ago, he ate dinner, settled into a recliner and was watching TV at his daughter Sarah’s house in the suburb of Chelmsford. (Sarah and her husband Peter live near Andrew and Nicole.)
Krenning told his daughter Sarah that something was wrong. He didn’t feel right. She was walking past him, when Krenning called out to her, “Sarah, help me.”
Krenning was in cardiac arrest, lifeless on the chair.
Sarah’s husband Peter called 911 and the dispatcher said to start CPR. Peter started chest compressions right away after he and Diane, Bruce’s wife, got him off the chair.
Four minutes after the call to 911, firefighters from the Chelmsford Fire Department arrived and took over CPR. They shocked Krenning with a defibrillator and his heart started beating again.
Krenning would go to Lowell General Hospital, when he spent nearly two weeks in recovery before coming home to Howlett Road in Albion. He received numerous get well cards while in the hospital and at home, and he said those lifted his spirits.
He didn’t suffer any stroke-like symptoms. He has continued an active life, although the pace is a little slower after retiring from farming and later insurance.
He remains chairman of the board of directors for Orleans Community Health, the parent organization of Medina Memorial Hospital. The board in April re-elected him as chairman.
Krenning, 72, and his wife both said they feel fortunate he survived.
“We know the statistics are not good,” Mrs. Krenning said.
The American Heart Association says only 8 percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital survive. Effective bystander CPR can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival, the American Heart Association reports.
Krenning said he is fortunate he had his “episode” at his daughter’s home. If he had been at his own home in rural Albion near Knowlesville, there likely wouldn’t have been enough time for paramedics to arrive with a defibrillator. Or he could have gone into cardiac arrest on the drive to Boston, when he was alone. His wife headed to the Boston area a week before he did so he could tidy up his office to tend to matters as he tried to transition into retirement.
Cardiac arrest is different than a heart attack. With cardiac arrest, the heart’s electrical system malfunctions. It may be caused by an irregular heart beat. A heart attack is caused by a blockage that stops blood flow to the heart.
Krenning, on the one-year anniversary of his cardiac arrest today, said he is grateful for the quick response a year ago, for the support of family and friends, and care from doctors at Lowell General, locally in Medina, and his cardiologist through Catholic Health, which is affiliated with Medina Memorial.
One doctor told Krenning he suffered “sudden death,” and is fortunate he didn’t die. Krenning said he doesn’t remember anything from his cardiac arrest. He doesn’t remember seeing a “white light” or anything like that. When he regained consciousness in the hospital, he recalls being disoriented and in pain.
He has been diligent in exercising, riding a bike on Howlett Road in warm weather and eating right. At 72, he walks with a cane, but that is due to arthritis.
The incident a year ago had a big impact on the immediate family in the room. Diane said she feels her faith in God is stronger. Her son-in-law, who gave Bruce CPR, quit a career in the high-tech industry and has become a financial advisor, helping people get insurance and plan for the future, including an unexpected loss.
Bruce and Diane have four grown children and 13 grandchildren. He was honored by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce in September 2014 with a “Lifetime Achievement” award for his many years of community service, including on the Albion and Lyndonville boards of education, the Orleans County and New York State Farm Bureau leadership, and with the hospital board.
Krenning these days is committed to the local hospital and wants to encourage people to learn the basics of CPR.
He and his wife also are active members of the East Shelby Community Bible Church.
“We’ve always had a strong faith,” Mrs. Krenning said. “But it has developed more. We’re calmer about things now. We know the importance of caring about other people.”
Submitted by the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Orleans County
When grieving the loss of a loved one or a relationship, the holidays can be a challenge. Whether it is the first holiday or the 10th without your loved one, there are times when you struggle to be in the festive mood others may expect from you.
Everyone grieves differently and the most important thing to remember is to not put pressure on yourself. If you feel like participating in your holiday traditions, go ahead. If you don’t want to participate or feel you can only handle a short time with others, understand your limits.
Consider starting new traditions that will honor your loved one such as preparing their favorite treats, decorating your tree (if you choose to have one) in their favorite color, spend some time looking over old pictures, write a letter, or go on a trip. Some people like to plant a tree or have a tree planted in memory of those they have lost. Whatever you do, make it simple. It may feel awkward or difficult at first.
It is also important not to completely isolate yourself. It is understandable that you don’t want to be around “happy” people when you are hurting so much. Consider talking with your clergy, a counselor or a trusted friend. You can also talk with someone through the Orleans Life Line at 585-327-4452. Trained listeners are available to take your call through this free, confidential service and they are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Recently members of the Suicide Prevention Coalition donated copies of After Suicide Loss: Coping with Your Loss by Bob Baugher, PhD and Jack Jordan, PhD. The books are at each of the local libraries to be checked out. We also encourage you to “friend” our Facebook page: OrleansCountySuicidePreventionCoalition for more resources as well as event announcements throughout the year.
We hope you and yours have a peaceful holiday season and hope you know you are never alone.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Photo by Tom Rivers – Mark O’Brien (right), director of the Orleans County Mental Health Department, presents the Stepping Up Initiative to Orleans County legislators on Wednesday. O’Brien is joined by Scott Wilson (center), the jail superintendent, and Randy Bower, who takes over as sheriff on Jan. 1.
ALBION – About 80 percent of the inmates in the Orleans County Jail have mental health disorders, and half of the inmates have drug and alcohol addictions, the jail superintendent told Orleans County legislators on Wednesday.
About 30 inmates each month take medication, paid for by taxpayers, to help fight their addictions and mental health issues, said Scott Wilson, the jail superintendent.
Many of the inmates fighting addictions and mental health disorders have high rates of recidivism, returning to the jail, Wilson said.
He thinks there is a better way to help inmates with their addictions and disorders, and also to break the cycle of crime.
Wilson was joined by Sheriff-elect Randy Bower and Mark O’Brien, director of the Orleans County Mental Health Department, in presenting the Stepping Up Initiative (click here) to county legislators. Many counties across the country are working to provide more mental health and drug addiction services to inmates.
“We want to keep them out of our jails and break the cycle of addiction,” Wilson told legislators.
Bower in his campaign for sheriff made treatment for inmates battling addictions one of his top priorities. He already has made connections with other sheriffs running the Stepping Up Initiative. Bower said he would like to have the program in place in early 2016.
“Other counties have taken up this initiative and we’re going to piggyback on their successes,” said Legislature Chairman David Callard.
Mark O’Brien, director of the Mental Health Department in Orleans County, said it will be a community effort to assist those with mental health disorders. His department will coordinate with Probation, the Department of Social Services and other agencies to reach people before they are in jail.
He noted Mental Health has agreement with four of the five school districts to have mental health counselors in the schools to work with children.
The county already has a drug court. It could look at other jail diversion programs with Mental Health and perhaps Veterans courts, O’Brien said.
Wilson cited statistics from the Stepping Up Initiative that estimate 2 million people in the United States are admitted to jails annually. Those people tend to be incarcerated longer than other inmates, and require more attention from staff and taxpayer resources, Wilson said.
“I really applaud you for this effort,” Callard told the trio leading the initiative in Orleans County. “It’s long overdue and it’s certainly welcome.”
The Legislature presented Wilson with a proclamation for leading the effort.
“We want to put it in writing to show just how fully we support this initiative,” Callard said.
Provided photos – Participants in Holley’s “Biggest Winner” weight reduction contest use hand weights during the December meeting of the program.
Press Release Holley Central School
HOLLEY – The Holley Biggest Winner Weight Reduction Contest was in full swing at a Dec. 1 monthly meeting in the Holley Elementary School Cafeteria.
After weighing in, the participants stayed to listen to the owners of S & S Fitness and Martial Arts Center, Scott and Sandy Haug, talk about interval training and participate in a workout session led by the Haugs.
The contest is in its fourth year at the school, with anyone age 10 or older who lives in Holley or works for the school district eligible to participate. In the past three years, 152 participants have lost a grand total of 901 pounds in the contest.
The contest kicked off in November with a presentation on nutrition by the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The 48 participants weigh in at the school on the first Tuesday of each month, and then stay for a presentation on a different aspect of exercise or nutrition.
Participants perform lunges, led by Scott Haug (wearing hat), owner of S & S Fitness and Martial Arts Center, during the December meeting of the Holley’s Biggest Winner Weight Reduction Contest.
At the December meeting, participants worked out their upper and lower bodies by doing two sets each of bicep curls, triceps extensions, skier jumps, squats and lunges with the Haugs. The two sets, or intervals, work off more calories than a constant level of effort in the same exercise because they increase the level of cardiovascular effort.
At each meeting, participants have a chance to win prizes in the monthly drawing. Current prizes being offered are restaurant deals and tickets to sporting events, museums, art galleries, state parks and amusement parks. Grand prizes will be awarded to those who lose the most percentage of weight by the final meeting in June. Grand prizes so far include a Wegmans gift card, an overnight at the Rochester Airport Marriott Hotel, and cash prizes from Heath & Martin and Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, Inc.
The next meeting of the Biggest Winner Contest is on Jan. 5 at 6:30 p.m., where Robert Batt from Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension will present information about meal choices and food additives, using a Star Wars theme.
Photos by Raymond Coniglio – Kari Powers of Le Roy speaks during a legislative forum Tuesday hosted by the Genesee ARC and the Arc of Orleans.
By Raymond Coniglio, Courtesy of The Batavian
BATAVIA – Kari Powers takes great pride in her daughter’s achievements.
Morgan, 8, was diagnosed with autism in 2009. She received early intervention through the Genesee ARC’s Rainbow Preschool, and is now enrolled in a “6:1:1” elementary school program six students, one teacher and one aide in Monroe County.
“I can’t speak enough about how much these services help my daughter,” Powers, who lives in Le Roy, said during a legislative forum Tuesday at the Genesee ARC Community Center in Batavia. “She is doing so well.”
Her pride is tempered by worry.
Worry, that state budget cuts threaten educational, housing and other services for children like Morgan, now and as they grow into adulthood.
“There are so many children diagnosed with autism or learning disabilities who are going to need services down the road,” Powers said. “It’s just so important that the funding continue.
“It matters to me,” she added. “It matters to Morgan and it matters to every single person in this room.”
Powers was one of 18 parents, caregivers and self-advocates who spoke for an hour-and-a-half at Tuesday’s forum. It was attended by state Sen. Rob Ortt, Assemblyman Steve Hawley, and Jay Grasso on behalf of state Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer. Ortt is chairman of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities.
More than 100 people attended the forum, which was hosted by the Genesee ARC and the Arc of Orleans, which are in the process of merging.
Powers’ words echoed “It Matters to Me,” the title of a grassroots advocacy campaign organized by the local agencies’ state affiliate, NYSARC Inc.
The campaign focuses on four issues:
Residential housing and other opportunities for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who are living at home with aging parents or other caregivers.
The conversion of workshops into integrated businesses, to ensure employment for people with developmental disabilities.
Funding to boost wages for direct support professionals (DSPs) who serve people with developmental disabilities.
Increased state funding for preschools that serve special-needs children ages 3 to 5.
Assemblyman Steve Hawley, R-Batavia, speaks during Tuesday’s legislative forum hosted by the Genesee ARC and the Arc of Orleans. Jay Grasso, left, attended on behalf of state Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer.
Tammy Caldwell has worked for the Arc of Orleans for more than two decades, including the past 15 years at Rainbow Preschool in Albion. She said low wages and poor benefits, make it difficult to recruit and retain qualified employees.
“We have very dedicated staff,” Caldwell said. “They don’t come here for the money; they’re in it because they are truly passionate about their job and the kids they see.
“But it’s getting harder and harder, because of the lack of funding, to find good staff who want to come to a rural community like Orleans County and Genesee County.”
Wendy Eden said the starting wage for a DSP $9.66 an hour is “shameful.”
“Recruiting has been the biggest struggle,” said Eden, a residential supervisor for the Arc of Orleans. “We deal with staffing shortages on a daily basis.”
Alexis Arthur, a DSP at the Genesee ARC Day Habilitation Center in Elba, said it is “outrageous” that fast-food workers in New York will be paid $15 an hour while many of her peers work second jobs to make ends meet.
“My job is very rewarding, and I have a deep sense of pride and gratitude that I get to work with the people I do,” Arthur said. “My only wish is for myself and my coworkers to be compensated for our hard work.”
Loretta Stratton of Elba said her life changed when her son Hank was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old.
She switched careers, and trained to work with children like her son. “I thought I would be able to reach him,” she said. “And I couldn’t. I wasn’t able to reach my own child.”
Fortunately, help was available. Hank received in-home care, and attended preschool. By the time he started kindergarten, Stratton was in a position to insist Hank attend “regular” class.
By 10th grade he was taking Regents courses, and is now ranked third in his class. Stratton said he is Elba’s first special-needs student “in full inclusion” from kindergarten through senior year.
“We don’t want our kids to be a burden on society,” Stratton said. “We want to empower our kids to be the best that they can be at whatever ability they have.”
Hank is also an advocate, and spoke in support of job opportunities.
“We need people with special needs in the work force,” he said. “They really want to be a part of it, and they deserve the (same) respect as any other citizen.”
Hawley and Grasso said issues raised Tuesday, will be part of negotiations when work on the 2016-17 state budget begins in January. (Ortt had to leave early to attend a public meeting in Barker.)
Hawley hoped advocates would take their case directly to Albany, and “hammer away” at Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders via letters, emails and YouTube videos.
Will their voices be heard?
Hawley pointed to the career of former Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, a Democrat who represented Long Beach until last year. He has an adult son with a mental disability.
In 2013, Weisenberg led a successful bipartisan effort to restore $90 million in funding that had been cut from the state Office of People With Developmental Disabilities.
Hawley was among the Assembly co-sponsors of the legislation. Ranzenhofer co-sponsored the Senate version.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 2 December 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Sharon Smith (left), principal of the Kendall Elementary School, receives a “Friend of 4-H” award from Jennifer Wagester, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County during the organization’s annual meeting on Tuesday evening. Smith was recognized for the school’s support in hosting 4-H clubs.
KNOWLESVILLE – Local officials, Cornell Cooperative Extension staff, 4-H Leaders, volunteers and friends gathered Tuesday evening for the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension annual meeting at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
Jennifer Wagester, executive director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension in Orleans County, reported on 2015 highlights, which included an increase in programming for nutrition with participation in the federal Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and the addition of a nutrition educator to the staff. The Master Food Preserver program was also revived and a three-day training held during the fall.
Wagester reported the most significant increase in program enrollment was in 4-H with the addition of 84 new members, a record growth of 24 percent. She noted the 4-H program is on its way to meeting the 2016 enrollment goal of 500 youth.
The highest facility update was in the Trolley Building kitchen made possible by grant funds, the Fern Blackburn Memorial, Fair Committee, the Leaders’ Association and a concession stand hosted by staff. A fire suppression hood was installed and the range refurbished. Additionally, a three-bay sink was installed along with a commercial refrigerator.
“These positive changes occurred because our volunteers, staff, community members, and county legislators worked together to make a difference in the lives of Orleans County residents,” Wagester said.
Long-time Lake Ontario Fruit Program Team Leader Debbie Breth receives recognition in honor of her upcoming retirement from special guest, Dr. Chris Watkins, Cornell Cooperative Extension director.
Neil Johnson, right,receives the Legacy Award from Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Board of Directors President Ed Neal while Board Vice President Erin Anheier looks on.
Anheier said the Legacy Award is special as it is not given annually. She noted Johnson has served Extension and 4-H over the last 40 years in “as many capacities as possible.” She said the History of the Orleans County 4-H Fair, written by Johnson, was his most lasting and profound contribution over those years. The history provides, “Valuable insight into the past…. which would have been lost,” without Johnson’s efforts, Anheier said.
“I love 4-H,” Johnson said in accepting the award. “I couldn’t think of a better organization to give my time to.”
Stephen Kruger (left), architect, and his dad, Warren Kruger, Kendall Highway Superintendent, were honored along with Oak Orchard Concrete with Friend of Extension Awards.
All three worked with the Extension in 2015 donating time, expertise and materials to help make much needed structural repairs to the Curtis Pavilion on the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. Board of Directors member Vincent Flow of Holley made the presentation and noted the Pavilion, which was constructed decades ago, was beginning to tilt to the northeast.
Nineteen posts supporting the Pavilion were reinforced, and Flow said Oak Orchard Concrete was always very prompt with deliveries, even though they were needed sporadically throughout the project.
Through the efforts of the Krugers and Oak Orchard Concrete, Extension was able “to minimize the cost without sacrificing the quality of the job,” Flow said.
Other special awards went to Shelly Daggs, Outstanding 4-H Leader; and Sara’s Garden Center (Kathy Kepler), Friend of the Master Gardeners.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 8 November 2015 at 12:00 am
Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Ariel Vinca chose to feature corn in her corn loaf recipe which was topped with fresh raspberries during a competition Saturday at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
KNOWLESVILLE – Participants in this year’s Grown in New York contest, sponsored by the Orleans County 4-H Leader’s Association, had the opportunity to demonstrate cooking, baking and menu planning skills during the annual event held Saturday at the Trolley Building on the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.
The contest featured items grown or produced in New York State and demonstrators and those in attendance enjoyed samplings of the recipes prepared.
4-Hers from around Orleans County competed in Jr. Novice, Junior, Senior and Sr. Novice (based on age) divisions and were judged on their demonstration skills as well as the taste and nutritional value of the finished product.
Recipes featured fruits, meats, vegetables, grains and dairy products, and could be baked, cooked or prepared to eat raw, such as a salad. Evaluators observed demonstrators to look for techniques, organization and ability to prepare their recipe.
Additional evaluators tasted a finished product prepared at home to look for eye appeal, taste and to review the nutrition statement of the product.
Orleans County 4-Her Lauren Becht is evaluated as she prepares Mexican chicken and rice during the annual Grown in New York Competition Saturday at the Trolley Building. Demonstrators have about 30 minutes to prepare their entry during the silent food demonstration.
Participant Lauren Becht, 16, of Albion prepared Mexican chicken and rice featuring chicken she raised herself. She said she has been competing in Grown in New York for, “as long as I can remember. It’s a little nerve-wracking.”
She said she enjoys the competition. Lauren typically prepares a dessert item but wanted to try a savory main dish this year.
Orleans County 4-H member Saleya Williams prepares a Rustic Pear Tart featuring New York State pears.
Lilly Mathes, competing in the Junior Division, prepares her own homemade applesauce.
Apples were a featured ingredient in an apple salad prepared by Zac Albright.
Emma Mathes is evaluated as she begins to prepare carmel apple cheesecake.
