Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
It is early August and the height of summer, which often means the peak of “bat season” for local health departments and when people more commonly have encounters with bats.
Bats can occasionally find their way into houses, particularly in older homes that are not properly sealed. This most often occurs during the summer nights. When you find a bat in your home, it is extremely important to safely capture the animal if it is suspected to have been in contact with people, pets or livestock so that it can be tested for rabies. If the bat cannot be captured, you should call the health department for advice and next steps.
In some situations, it is possible that a bat bite could go undetected. For example, if you awaken and find a bat in your room, if you see a bat in the room of an unattended child, or if you see a bat near someone who is unable to speak or is under the influence of drugs/alcohol, it is important to seek medical advice and have the bat tested.
To safely capture a bat:
Turn on room lights and close all the windows.
Close the room and closet doors.
Wait for the bat to land.
While wearing thick leather-like gloves, place a coffee can, pail or similar container over the bat (Never handle a bat with your bare hands).
Slide a piece of cardboard under the container to trap the bat.
Firmly hold the cardboard in place against the top of the container, turn it right side up and tape the cardboard tightly to the container.
If you do not feel comfortable capturing the bat or cannot do it safely, contact your respective health department during regular business hours. If it is after regular business hours, contact your local county dispatch. For Orleans County, call (585) 589-5527. For Genesee County, call (585) 343-5000.
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) are offering free drive-thru rabies vaccination clinics in August.
• The Orleans County Rabies Vaccination Clinic will be held on Aug. 26 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Orleans County Fairgrounds (12690 State Route 31, Albion).
• The Genesee County Rabies Vaccination Clinic will be held on Aug. 10 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Genesee County Fairgrounds (5056 East Main Street, Batavia).
Vaccinations are free for dogs, cats and ferrets. Animals must be at least 3 months old. Each animal must be leashed or crated and accompanied by an adult who can control the animal. Limit 4 pets per car maximum.
“Rabies continues to be a public health issue in Genesee and Orleans Counties,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for GO Health. “We urge pet owners to take this opportunity to ensure their pets are protected against rabies.”
For more information on GO Health’s programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org. You can also contact your respective health department:
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 July 2023 at 10:58 am
Provided photos: Oak Orchard Health has a new dental office at the former All Smiles Dentistry site at the corner of Allen Road and South Main Street.
ALBION — Oak Orchard Health welcomes the community to a ribbon-cutting celebration at 3 p.m. on Aug. 10. Oak Orchard has a new dental office at 362 South Main St.
The public also can tour the facility which includes 7 new exam rooms. Oak Orchard has a full-time dentist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant. Oak Orchard accepts most insurances, including Medicaid, and offers a sliding fee discount scale.
Dr. Jenna Rogge
“The lack of dental services in our region is detrimental to the total health of our patients,” said Karen Kinter, CEO of Oak Orchard Health. “The Albion community has needed more dental care for some time and we are proud to have our new office opened. We continue to grow to meet the needs of our community and now serve more than 30,000 patients across Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, Steuben, and Wyoming counties.”
The open house on Aug. 10 also will be a chance to meet Dr. Jenna Rogge, DDS; dental hygienist Miranda Betances, RDH, Dr. Rachel Nozzi, the chief dental officer.
“We’re so proud of our new dental center and the qualified dental team there,” said Dr. Nozzi.
Dr. Rogge brings with her several years of dental experience working with families including children and seniors. She said she believes it’s very important to treat patients with respect and empathy while supporting them in making decisions about their health and course of treatment. She is a graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine where she received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 31 July 2023 at 10:00 am
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has issued an announcement highlighting its successes in the first half of 2023.
After a solid 2022 that included expanding services and a higher patient volume, Orleans Community Health has more positive things to report about the start to 2023, according to Marc Shurtz, CEO of Orleans Community Health.
“Recognitions, new highs with patient volume and many other things highlight why we’re excited for things to come,” Shurtz said.
Highlights of the first half of 2023 include expanding primary care services at the Albion Healthcare Center. Cheryl Kast, an Orleans County resident, started with OCH’s Albion Healthcare Center in January and brought a decade of experience directly serving the community with her.
The Wound Care Center was recognized as a “Center of Distinction” for its patient care. This center opened three years ago and has already expanded hours with an increase in patient visits.
It was announced in June, Buffalo Business First recognized Rhonda Woody as one of their 25 “Excellence in Health Care” recipients. Woody is lead sonographer and technical director of echocardiography at Orleans Community Health.
As the second half kicks off, Shurtz said there are several exciting announcements forthcoming. Additional recognitions and some returning events, including For Women Only, will be taking place before the end of the year.
Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
Depending on the weather, aerial and hand distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits will take place in Western New York from Aug. 15-17.
Areas of New York State are once again taking part in a nationally coordinated effort to halt the spread of raccoon rabies in 16 states. Ongoing field evaluation of oral rabies vaccine (ORV) called ONRAB will occur in Clinton, Essex counties in the Empire State as part of an evaluation that also includes parts of northern Vermont and New Hampshire.
Additionally, evaluations will also occur in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orleans, Oswego, St. Lawrence and Wyoming counties. These sites were selected in part because of ongoing collaborations with Quebec and Ontario, Canada in the fight against rabies to protect human and animal health and reduce significant cost associated with living with rabies across broad geographic areas.
“Rabies is a serious public health concern because if left untreated it is generally fatal,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Costs associated with detection, prevention and control of rabies conservatively exceed $500 million annually. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, greater than 90 percent of reported rabies cases in the United States are in wildlife.”
The cooperative USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services National Rabies Management Program (NRMP) was established in 1997 to prevent the further spread of wildlife rabies in the United States by containing and eventually eliminating the virus in terrestrial mammals. The majority of the NRMP efforts are focused on controlling raccoon rabies, which continues to account for most of the reported wildlife rabies cases in the U.S.
Raccoon rabies occurs in all states east of the established ORV zone that extends from Maine to northeastern Ohio to central Alabama. Continued access to oral vaccine and bait options that are effective in all target wildlife species remains critical to long-term success.
ORV was designed to test the safety and immunogenicity (provoke an immune response in the body of a human or other animal) of the oral human adenovirus-rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine ONRAB (Artemis Technologies Inc., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Ceva Sante Animale S.A., Guelph, Ontario, Canada), which has been successfully integrated into comprehensive rabies control programs that resulted in elimination of raccoon rabies from Canada.
Encouraging results from the U.S. trial in West Virginia represented a major milestone that led to expanded evaluations in 4 additional states (NH, NY, OH, and VT) in 2012-2021 and expansion into 2 new states (PA and TN) in 2022. Data from these evaluations could lead to licensing of this vaccine for broader, more aggressive management of raccoon rabies by the NRMP and partners, with the goal of eliminating the variant of the rabies virus that cycle in raccoons.
The ONRAB bait consists of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blister pack, containing the vaccine. To make the baits attractive, the blister packs are coated with a sweet attractant that includes vegetable-based fats, wax, icing sugar, vegetable oil, artificial marshmallow flavor, and dark-green food-grade dye.
Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the bait. However, people who encounter baits directly are asked to leave the bait undisturbed. Should contact with bait occur, immediately rinse the contact area with warm water and soap and contact your local health department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555 for Genesee County or 585-589-3278 for Orleans County.
Please do not attempt to remove a bait from your dog’s mouth. The bait will not harm the dog. If you have additional questions related to the field evaluation in New York, please contact the Wildlife Services office in Rensselaer, NY at (518) 477-4837.
If you have an emergency, call 911. This is always advisable. These moments can be some of the scariest and most intimidating for any of us. It’s not just whether or not you know safety measures like CPR or the Heimlich maneuver, but do you know when to call your primary care provider and/or where is the closest emergency department?
Now is the time to make your plan, before you’re faced with an emergency.
– Locate your nearest emergency department by time and distance. It’s important to know that many trips to the emergency department come from the patient and not an ambulance.
– When considering the nearest emergency department, also consider average wait times from arrival to the moment you see a provider.
– What happens next?
– What’s the difference between an emergency room and urgent care/walk-in clinic?
Choosing an Emergency Department
Once you’ve identified the emergency departments near you, reach out to them to inquire about average wait times. You can assume that the wait times at rural hospitals are likely less than those in urban areas, in part because of volume. Again, this is the time between when a patient arrives and is seen by a provider. That said, it can always change. Hospitals learn to expect the unexpected and realize things can change at any moment.
What happens next?
Hopefully, you’ve had very few experiences in emergency departments. If that’s the case, you may be asking yourself what occurs once you’ve seen the provider. The three things that most often occur:
1. You are treated and discharged.
2. You need to be admitted.
3. You’re transferred to another hospital for specialized care.
An emergency department’s ability to assess each situation is one of its most valuable traits. It helps to deliver immediate attention to both patients being seen and those waiting for care (also known as triage). As you’re conducting your own research on hospitals, you may look at discharge/admittance/transfer rates. At Medina, we render care and discharge 87% of patients seen, 6% of patients are admitted, and 7% are transferred to specialty hospitals.
When you come through the doors of any emergency department they are going to assess your needs and determine the appropriate treatments. As an example, even though our hospital does not have a maternity department, we have delivered babies in case of emergencies. This occurred as recently as this past winter. The point is, we all understand on some occasions you may just go to the nearest hospital for care, and that’s OK.
The key for any emergency department is the ability to triage and help.
Urgent Care vs. Emergency Department
Depending on the time of day, your primary care provider may be able to help guide your decision-making process of what you should do next. In addition to making the decision you’re personally most comfortable with, if you feel you need immediate care, then you should go to the emergency department and/or call 911. For minor injuries that don’t need immediate attention, but need to be addressed over the next 24 hours, an urgent care or walk-in clinic will suffice. This decision is why it’s so important to have a plan before you’re faced with the scenario.
As the warmer weather nears it’s important to take necessary steps to avoid common reasons you may need medical care. These include, but are not limited to, various burns (related to outdoor activities and the sun), poison oak/ivy, summer rashes, and more. Remember, if you believe a situation is an emergency, don’t hesitate to take the appropriate next steps.
Dr. Richard Elman, MD FACEP, is the Director at Medina Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Department, where he’s been the last 6 ½ years. He has been board certified in emergency medicine for over 3 decades.
At Oak Orchard Health (OOH) we are twice as excited to be celebrating National Health Center Week (August 6-12) and our 50th anniversary. It has been fifty years since a few medical residents ventured out to care for those who did not have access to healthcare! Much has changed since then – we now care for more than 30,000 patients across Western Monroe, Orleans, Genesee, Steuben, and Wyoming counties.
National Health Center Week – The Roadmap to a Stronger America
National Health Center Week (NHCW) is an annual celebration with the goal to raise awareness about the mission and accomplishments of America’s community health centers over the past five decades. Community Health Centers serve as the beacon of strength, service, and care in their communities. In moments of pain and loss, they offer support and love. Not too long ago, we gave Covid-19 tests in our parking lots and remained open to care for our patients throughout the pandemic.
Each National Health Center Week (NHCW) day is dedicated to a particular area of importance. Oak Orchard is focusing on the following days:
Tuesday, August 8th is Agricultural Worker Health Day. Our roots run deep in the agricultural community Oak Orchard started by caring for farmworkers. During NHCW we will reach out to our patients with items that will help keep farmworkers safe while they work to put food on our tables. Our staff has chosen to donate gently used or new hats and bandanas to agricultural workers so that they stay safe in the heat during their long days. If patients and others in the community would like to donate these items or any others, please drop them off at one of our health centers by July 31st.
Wednesday, August 9th is Patient Appreciation Day. Oak Orchard Health serves more than 30,000 patients and we are grateful that they trust us to keep them and their loved ones healthy. On this day we will be recognizing our patients when they visit our health centers and send thank you messages through our social media channels. Stay tuned!
Thursday, August 10 is Stakeholder Appreciation Day. This is a special day to recognize our elected officials who support our mission. What better way than to show them our newly renovated Albion Dental Center at 362 South Main Street? We are having a Grand Opening with tours of the facility on August 10th from 3-5 PM. Everyone is welcome.
Friday, August 11 is Health Center Staff Appreciation Day. In recognition of their hard work, our Board of Directors will be having some fun with our staff by hosting Ice Cream Socials throughout the week at each health center. This is but a small token of thanks to our staff who work diligently day in and day out.
Oak Orchard Health turns 50 this year!
Over the past fifty years, OOH has grown to eleven health centers where you can get medical, dental, and behavioral health services — but we are so much more than that. Need health insurance? We can show you how to apply and make the process easier. English is not your first language. We have interpreters to help you communicate with your providers and some medical staff speak multiple languages. Having a tough time getting to healthcare services? Oak Orchard provides transportation services. Having trouble paying for healthcare services? We offer a sliding fee discount program based on your income.
Your chance to give back to Oak Orchard Health and your community.
Community Health Centers provide these services for everyone and would like to continue with your help. We are here to serve our entire community, but we need financial support.
Your donation will keep Oak Orchard financially healthy for the medical, dental, and behavioral health staff who make our organization so proud—each one tireless, kind, and skilled in their field. Donating not only fuels vital services; it lets us introduce new ones like the Mommy and Me Program which connects new moms to specialized counselors who help them tackle challenges like postpartum depression.
Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments
Did you know that radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that is released in rock, soil and water? Radon has no smell, taste or color and kills more than 21,000 people each year. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Radon can build up to dangerous levels in your home, which can occur in new homes or older homes.
“Radon can enter your home through cracks in the foundation, cracks in basement walls, holes, joints, dirt floors, sump pump holes, suspended floors and in the well-water supply,” stated Darren Brodie, Environmental Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “Any house that has contact to the ground has the potential for radon to enter the home.”
Both the EPA and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) have identified Genesee County as having a high average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter).
“Testing your home for radon is the only way to know if high levels are present and corrective action is needed,” Brodie said.
When radon tests are completed, they should be performed in the lowest primary living area of the home.
GO Health encourages residents to test for radon when buying a home, doing a major renovation, every two years if there is a mitigation system installed or every five years otherwise.
You can purchase a short-term radon test kit from your local hardware store or through a radon-testing laboratory. A limited supply of Radon Test Kits are also available for Genesee County Residents at the Genesee County Fair this week from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Stop by the health department booth and ask for a free kit. For more information on radon or other GO Health programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Karen Kinter, left, CEO of Oak Orchard Community Health, and Julie Carasone, mobile medical unit coordinator, are ready to greet visitors to the unit parked Thursday at Hoag Library in Albion.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 14 July 2023 at 5:04 pm
ALBION – Oak Orchard Community Health is on a mission to provide health care to many rural Western New York communities.
Toward that goal, they are making their mobile medical unit open to the community to visit, make appointments and learn about services.
On Thursday, Karen Kinter, CEO of Oak Orchard Community Health; Julie Carasone, mobile medical unit coordinator; and Estelle Sanchez-Cacique were at the unit parked at Hoag Library. OOCH worked with Hoag and Community Action to advertise the visit from 10 a.m. to noon. The unit will be there again on July 27 and once a month after that from 10 a.m. to noon..
One visitor to the unit Thursday was Assemblyman Steve Hawley, who heard about the unit from State Senator George Borrello, whose district touches five counties including Genesee. He visited the unit when it was in Batavia.
Hawley was very impressed with what he learned.
“Any time as a society we can make health care accessible and available it is a great thing, especially when it comes to rural counties, where agriculture is our number one business,” Hawley said. “It is often difficult for farm workers to get health care and we all know when you can catch a problem early, you can save lives.”
Hawley also met nurse practitioner Minnie Clark at the mobile unit and said she was great. He tried out the cot in back and said it felt just like a doctor’s office.
“Any time you can do something like this to make the community better, it’s a wonderful thing, especially bringing health care to those who work in agriculture on our farms,” Carasone said. “We are very proud of this unit.”
Oak Orchard Community Health has always had mobile medical services in some form since it started in 1966 in Albion, Kinter said. Oak Orchard was able to purchase the new medical unit a year ago with a grant.
(Left) Estelle Sanchez-Cacique, left, manager of patient engagement services at Oak Orchard Community Health, and Julie Carasone, mobile medical unit coordinator, sit in the unit to greet visitors Thursday. (Right) Karen Kinter, CEO of Oak Orchard Community Health, gave Assemblyman Steve Hawley a tour of the mobile medical unit parked Thursday at Hoag Library.
OOCH has offices in Albion, Alexander, Batavia, Pembroke, Lyndonville, Medina, Brockport, Warsaw and Hornell.
Carasone said the mobile unit was specifically designed to go out to farms and serve migrant workers and their families who might not have the ability to get to medical appointments.
“When we see these people we can do basic checkups, take blood pressure, etc., but we can also set up appointments with their doctors, if necessary,” Carasone said.
Kinter said the medical unit is convenient for farm workers who can just walk up to the unit, where we can help with a quick problem or get them into one of their offices if needed.
“A lot of our patients have transportation issues, and walk to our units,” she said. “We have several small vans at each of offices to transport these who need it. Those who are Medicaid eligible can be set up with Medicaid transport.”
Carasone said there is no cost for their transportation.
She also explained OOCH runs a Migrant Education Program, based in Brockport, but is working with farmworkers’ children at Barker Central School in Niagara County. The unit will be there July 18, 25 and Aug. 1. The staff perform physicals and immunizations, as well as provide dental, optical and medical services.
Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
If you are 45 years old or older or have a family history of colorectal cancer, now is the time to talk with your primary care provider about what screening option is right for you.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and women. It is the fourth-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States.
The CDC also notes that in New York State among all races and ethnicities, the age-adjusted rate of colon and rectum cancer was 32.8 per 100,000 people in 2020.
Colorectal (or colon) cancer is a disease where the cells in the colon or rectum grow out of control. The colon is the large intestine. The rectum is the passageway that connects the colon to the anus. When screening for colorectal cancer, providers are looking for abnormal growths called polyps, which may turn into cancer over time. Removing any polyps early on may decrease the risk of cancer.
For some people, there are no symptoms of colorectal cancer at first. Most colorectal cancers begin as precancerous polyps in the colon or rectum.
“The only way to determine if a person has polyps or colorectal cancer is through regular screening,” stated Paul Pettit, Public Health Director for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health). “There are several types of screening (stool tests, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and CT colonography) and you should talk with your healthcare provider to determine which is best for you. Early detection is key in preventing colorectal cancer and also helps to reduce a person’s risk.”
Choosing to eat healthier has shown to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer as well as other chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease and diabetes. People are also encouraged to increase physical activity, keep a healthy weight, limit alcohol consumption and avoid the use of tobacco/nicotine. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can reduce your risk and when you should start screening for colorectal cancer.
For more information on Health Department programs and services, visit GOHealthNY.org or call your respective health department at:
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 29 June 2023 at 8:28 pm
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced the selection of three new members to the board of directors.
Jacquelyn Bixler, Matthew Kennedy and Mary Williams were named to the board at the June 27 meeting.
“Jacquelyn, Matthew and Mary are all great additions to our already strong board,” said Shannon Blount, who was re-elected as chair of the board of directors. “While each of these individuals bring experience with different backgrounds, they also bring a strong passion for making Orleans Community Health and our community a better and stronger place.”
In addition to Blount and the three new members, the 2022-23 Orleans Community Health board of directors includes Hector Fuentes, vice-chair; Kevin Foley, secretary; April McGaffick, treasurer; Richard Elman, MD, medical staff president; Lynne Johnson; Aaron Knights; Jenifer Maynard; Joseph Misiti, MD; and Dale Sponaugle, MD.
Marc Shurtz, CEO/CIO of Orleans Community Health, praised outgoing board members Dawn Meland and Cindy Hewitt, who have given years of dedication to Orleans Community Health.
“Exciting times are continuing at Orleans Community Health,” Shurtz said. “There’s no question that this group of community leaders and health professionals are going to continue to help push us in the right direction.”
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the existing air quality health advisory for the entire state will remain in effect through Thursday, and State Agencies and Authorities continue to coordinate ongoing air quality monitoring, public awareness and education, mask distribution, and other efforts to prevent or limit exposure to elevated levels of smoke-driven air pollution across New York.
The Departments of Environmental Conservation and Health are closely monitoring air quality for impacts from Canadian wildfires and issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for tomorrow after forecasts of levels of particulate matter pollution that are “Unhealthy” and “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups.” In addition, the Governor announced that a third crew of Forest Rangers is deploying to Quebec to assist in the Canadian fire response.
“As we continue to monitor air quality levels and provide communities with the information and tools they need to help prevent exposure to smoke-related air pollution, New Yorkers should remain vigilant and take steps to stay safe,” Governor Hochul said. “I thank the brave New York Forest Rangers joining the Canadian wildfire response and wish them a safe journey as they prepare to assist in the ongoing efforts to control the fires north of our borders.”
Governor Hochul announced earlier today that the air quality health advisory for Wednesday, June 28 expanded to include the entire state. Tomorrow, Thursday, June 29, smoke will slowly move eastward and stall over Central New York as a high-pressure system meanders over the Mid-Atlantic coast, with the highest concentrations of smoke-induced fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution expected across Western and Northern New York. The smoke plume is expected to move out of New York more slowly than it moved in and heavier smoke is expected to remain upstate through much of Friday.
Air quality is forecasted to reach “Unhealthy” Air Quality Index levels tomorrow for Western and Central New York, Eastern Lake Ontario, and the Adirondacks. At this level, everyone may begin to experience health effects, members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects.
Air quality is forecasted to reach “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” in the rest of the state. At this level, members of sensitive groups such as people with cardiovascular or respiratory conditions like asthma, young children, and older adults, may be more at risk of health effects from smoke. To learn more, see chart here.
Emergency cell phone alerts will be used to warn New Yorkers if air quality index exceeds the 200 threshold for “Very Unhealthy” air and sustained for longer than an hour. The alerts will be transmitted via the Wireless Emergency Alert system, managed by the State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.
Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments
(Editor’s Note: The air quality in Orleans County today is in the unhealthy range due to wildfire smoke from Canada.)
The New York State Department of Health recommends that with the reduced air quality, everyone should limit his or her outdoor activities to reduce exposure. Masks will be available to the public at the following locations in Genesee and Orleans counties during normal business hours while supplies last.
Orleans County, business hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Orleans County Administration Building, 14016 Route 31 West, Albion, NY 14411
Genesee County- Business Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Emergency Management Office, 7690 State Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020
County Building 2, 3837 West Main Street Road, Batavia, NY 14020
Old Courthouse, 7 Main Street, Batavia, NY 14020
Office for the Aging, 2 Bank Street, Batavia, NY 14020
The New York State Department of Health provides the following tips to stay safe:
Limit time outdoors
Keep windows and doors closed
Avoid strenuous activities outdoors, especially for those with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory health issues
Avoid prolonged exposure outdoors, especially for those with health vulnerabilities, such as cardiovascular disease or lung disease, and those who are pregnant
For those that must be outside for a prolonged period of time, wear a tight fitting mask
Exposure to the reduced air quality can pose negative health risks, including:
Irritation to eyes, nose or throat
Coughing
Sneezing
Runny nose
Shortness of breath
Individuals with symptoms or related health concerns should contact their healthcare provider.
To monitor the Air Quality Index (AQI) Forecast, visit the Department of Environmental Conservation website (click here).
To monitor the current Air Quality for your area, visit the EPA AirNow website (click here).
To access the Fire and Smoke Map, visit the AirNow website (click here).
For more information, residents can call the New York State Air Quality Hotline at 1-800-535-1345.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 23 June 2023 at 12:44 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Jeanne Crane, president of the Medina Memorial Hospital’s Association of Twigs, talks to members at their annual luncheon in May at Zambistro’s Restaurant. After a discussion, the membership voted to dissolve the organization, which has been in existence for more than 70 years.
MEDINA – The decision to dissolve the Association of Twigs brings to an end the organization with a 70-year history of supporting Medina Memorial Hospital.
At their annual luncheon in May at Zambistro’s Restaurant, the barely two dozen members in attendance began to discuss what to do with the money remaining in their treasury.
It became evident that with no major way to raise money, it made sense to give the hospital their remaining balance to use as they needed it and dissolve the organization. The decision was unanimous.
The Twigs, whose membership once numbered more than 400, had dwindled to 70 at its last banquet in 2019 and 40 at its May luncheon.
Twig, which stands for Together With Individual Goals, was founded in 1953 as a vision of Mrs. Donald Acer of Medina, who felt there should be a women’s organization at Medina Memorial Hospital. She sought advice from women who were members of existing Twig Associations in Rochester and at Arnold Gregory Memorial Hospital in Albion.
In those days, women were often referred to by their husband’s name, not their own first name.
On March 16, 1953, Mrs. Acer and Mrs. John Wilkins, with the approval of Medina Memorial Hospital directors, called a meeting at the Elks Club for the purpose of establishing a Twig Association. Fifty women responded. By April, the Medina Association of Twigs had been established with Mrs. John E. Wilkinson as its first president.
Eight original Twig branches were formed, Apple Blossom, Bittersweet, Cherry, Evergreen, Juniper, Linden, Oak Leaf and Silver Birch.
Early projects were securing bedpans and sewing surgical stockings, bandages, glove covers, surgical sheets, curtains and pillows. The first major event was a Christmas party that year in the hospital dining room for personnel. Twigs supplied all the food and decorations and served the meal.
More groups continued to form during the following years, and by 1958-59, there were 27 branches and a total membership of 337.
In 1956 the Twig Association’s treasury had a balance of $350, which they donated to the hospital, starting what was to become an annual tradition of donating profits from fundraisers to the hospital. Through the years, Twig donations numbered into the hundreds of thousands.
In the early years, it was customary for each Twig branch to donate small items individually, such as ice pitchers, glasses, trays, stainless steel medicine trays, pictures, packages of patient tissues, ash trays, books for the library, baby foot printer, ice crushers, etc.
It is not known when Twigs took over the Gift Shop, but it became a major source of revenue, resulting in annual donations of $20,000 to the hospital.
By 1960, two new branches had formed, one, Cinnamon, was started for women from Lyndonville with Ellie Whipple as chair. Total branches were now 29.
Through the years, Twig branches continued to raise money through their individual projects, sponsor the hospital Christmas party, provide tray favors and puppets for patients, volunteer their services at the Greeter Desk and Reception Desk (saving the hospital thousands of dollars annually), provide a hospitality room and attend to tons of mending and sewing of hospital linens.
When a new birthing wing was established, Twig donated $100,000, resulting in it being named the Twig Birthing Wing.
In 1968, one new branch, Wildwood, was formed strictly for members who were only interested in the volunteer aspect and required no monthly meetings.
At its 25th anniversary celebration, it was reported Twig volunteers had given an estimated 63,500 hours to the hospital.
The Gift Shop flourished and was expanded in 1974. It closed in 2018 due to lack of volunteers.
By 1979, the Twigs were responsible for the Reception Desk, Greeter Desk, Gift Shop, Snack Shop, Gift Cart, Central Supply and sewing.
Twig branches began to disband in the late 1960s, due to the health and aging of their members.
In the 1970s, Twig began purchasing larger pieces of equipment for the hospital and undertaking projects such as the lobby renovation. A surgical lift, operating table, proctoscopic table, obstetrical table and mammography X-ray equipment (valued at $25,000) were some of the donations.
As of the last banquet in 2019, only 11 Twig branches remained, with a total membership of 66. Only Laurel Twig continued to have regular meetings, although only eight or nine attended of the original 25 members.
Nelda Toussaint of Medina was one of Twig’s longest standing members. She joined when her son Jeff was a year old and she was looking for something to do to get out of the house at night.
When the Gift Shop closed, Twigs lost their major source of revenue. They have continued their gifts to the hospital from the balance left in their account.
Jeanne Crane wiped away tears when she announced the vote to disband. She first became president in 1986. She has served in the position until now.
“I’ve struggled thinking about this for three years,” she said at the May luncheon. “We have no way to make money and haven’t run the Greeter Desk or Reception Desk since Covid.”
She recalled other projects and donations the Twigs were responsible for during the years, such as pledging $45,000 in 1983 for ICU; extensive lobby renovations; managing TVs for patients; and making puppets for kids in the ER.
Crane, a registered nurse, taught expectant parent classes at the hospital, worked as a registered nurse beginning in 1967, worked as nurse manager in the North Wing in 1970 and retired from Medina Memorial Hospital in 2003 as Risk Management and Infection Control Nurse.
Marc Shurtz, CEO of Orleans Community Health, praised the Twig Association and said their involvement will be missed.
“The Twigs have stood hand in hand with Medina Memorial Hospital and Orleans Community Health since the 1950s,” he said. “The impact they’ve had on the health and wellness of the community goes far beyond what many realize. They were behind the purchases of items for surgeries and mammograms, while their name is also on the sign in front of Medina Memorial Hospital. You can’t walk through Medina Memorial Hospital without seeing something the Twigs had a hand in making a reality.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 18 June 2023 at 2:48 pm
MEDINA – Orleans Community Health is celebrating Certified Nursing Assistants Week from June 15-21 by acknowledging several skilled team members.
“In June, we honor our certified nursing assistants, patient care assistants and patient care technicians for the tremendous work they do for the health of our community,” said Kimberly Gray, chief nursing officer at OCH. “They impact the lives of our patients and residents, based on the wonderful care they provide. They help perform critical tasks that ensure patients and residents are well-cared for and safe during their hospital stay. Their compassion and kindness do not go unnoticed and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for all they do.”
National Nursing Assistants’ Week is celebrated in June each year to honor the impact of nursing assistants throughout the professional field, Gray added. CNAs, for example, got their start assisting the Red Cross nurses during World War I, as they cared for the influx of patients. Today, they play a pivotal role in caring for patients.
Orleans Community Health will be recognizing their team of CNAs, PCAs and PCTs throughout the coming days in various ways, Gray said.
Did you know that radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that is released in rock, soil and water? Radon has no smell, taste or color and kills more than 21,000 people each year. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
If you are 45 years old or older or have a family history of colorectal cancer, now is the time to talk with your primary care provider about what screening option is right for you.
