By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 October 2016 at 8:20 am
CARLTON – The Brown family will once again host a 5-kilometer race next Saturday as a fund-raiser for Hospice of Orleans County. The 5K also is a “Memory Walk” where people are encouraged to walk or run in honor of a loved one.
Provided photo: The Oct. 8 race at Brown’s Berry Patch also will honor Libby Jurs, a popular Kendall nurse.
The Brown family started hosting the race and event in 1996 and has raised nearly $40,000 for Hospice in 20 years.
“Hospice is such a wonderful asset for the community,” said Margy Brown, race organizer. “Until it touches you, you don’t know how valuable it is.”
This year’s race is in honor of Libby Jurs, a beloved school nurse at Kendall who died last Dec. 12 after a long battle with ovarian cancer and, more recently, leukemia. Jurs was a life-long resident of this area and a commissioned Lay Pastor for the Presbytery of Genesee Valley. Her son Josh worked for the Brown family at their fruit farm.
“She loved kids – kids always came first,” Margy Brown said about Jurs, who worked 24 years as a school nurse.
Brown said there has already been strong community support for the Oct. 8 event, with more than 20 sponsors coming forward.
The walk/run begins at noon. The Albion Running Club is a co-sponsor for the event. Click here to see more about the race or to register on-line, or call Hospice at 585.589.0809.
Susan Christie created this artwork that will be featured in the 2017 “Art From the Heart” wall calendar.
Staff Reports Posted 30 September 2016 at 11:55 am
Provided photo: Orchard Manor Administrator Martin MacKenzie, left, is pictured with resident Susan Christie. Jamie Murphy, Orchard manor’s activities director, is in back.
MEDINA – Susan Christie, a resident of Orchard Manor Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina, was recently honored at a reception to celebrate her artistic achievement.
Christie’s artwork is one of 13 chosen of 87 submissions that will be featured in the 2017 “Art From the Heart” wall calendar.
The art competition is sponsored by The Foundation for Quality Care with the New York State Health Facilities Association.
“Art From the Heart” is an opportunity for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in New York state to share their artwork.
Christie, a self-taught artist since the age of nine, said she has used artwork to help cope with abuse she experienced in her past.
“I express myself through my art,” she said. “The more I express myself, the more I blossom and heal.”
Jamie Murphy, Orchard Manor activities director, encouraged Christie to enter the contest. Murphy asked Christie what she enjoys most about creating art. Christie replied, “I like to start with a piece of paper and end up with a face staring back at me or a pretty picture.”
Proceeds from the Art From the Heart calendars will benefit the Foundation for Quality Care.
By Nola Goodrich-Kresse, Public Health Educator for Orleans County
September is National Preparedness Month! In our area we generally think of snow and ice-related emergencies, however it is also important to be ready for threats caused by flooding, high winds, earthquakes, fires, chemical spills and infectious diseases.
Thankfully, getting prepared for all types of emergencies is made easier with the assistance of Mobile Apps like Ready Genesee, Orleans Aware and FEMA.
These apps are similar in nature in that all connect consumers to weather alerts, planning features and information on available shelters. Apps like these are user-friendly and give consumers the tools to take part in their own preparedness, which will positively impact the outcome of any emergency.
If you live, work, or visit Genesee or Orleans Counties download the Ready Genesee (click here) and Orleans Aware (click here) Apps, which are available on apple and android devices, as well as in English and Spanish too.
“The Emergency Management Offices and Health Departments in both counties teamed up to have these apps made available in an effort to have a local focus,” said Bill Schutt, Deputy Coordinator of Emergency Management Services. “County officials can use this app not only to get information to users before, during, and after emergencies in a more direct and modern way but also to share knowledge on a regular basis too.
“Since Ready Genesee and Orleans Aware became available to download earlier this year, the counties have utilized the apps to notify users of road closings, a boil water notice, a gas leak, rabies clinics, as well as sharing of informational articles on the recent drought, Zika virus, Lyme Disease and lightning safety,” Schutt said.
If you don’t travel to either county, the FEMA app is a good, reputable option too but it is important to note that users will not receive notifications or general information from their county officials, stated Schutt.
Features of Ready Genesee and Orleans Aware Mobile Apps
My Plan: By answering five simple questions, the app will create a customized emergency supply checklist and plan based on your family’s needs, including pets and relatives with special needs.
Alerts: Get information from the National Weather Service and local county officials. Local officials can instantly inform you of situations including, but not limited to, road closings, evacuation notices, boil water notices, gas leaks, an active shooter or missing persons.
My Status: With the push of a button let friends and loved ones know “I’m Safe” or “I Need Help.”
EvacMap & Shelters: Find evacuation routes and shelters with on and offline mapping.
Need to Know: E-books on various topics including Public Health Emergencies, Need to Know Preparedness for Pet Owners, Emerging Infectious Diseases, Floods and Fire Safety.
Services: Have contact information to services helpful in an emergency
“The full potential of these new apps will be recognized more so as different emergencies arise and I predict that utilization will increase too,” stated Al Cheverie, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for Genesee and Orleans. “After downloading your App, please take the time to collect the emergency supplies for your home and car. Being ill prepared for a situation where you are unable to leave your house or car can be dangerous if certain supplies such as necessary medications, blankets, food and water aren’t on hand.”
By Nola Goodrich-Kresse, Public Health Educator in Orleans; Kristine Voos, Public Health Educator in Genesee; and Sarah Stendt, Public Health Intern
The Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming County Health Departments encourage healthy choices that can benefit you, your family as well as the whole community. Immunizations are commonly thought to be needed only in the early years of childhood. However, they are for everyone at any age!
When you think of immunizations, the most common one that may come to mind is the seasonal flu vaccine. You may also think about vaccines that are required for children before going back to school. Just as children need vaccines to protect against diseases; it is also important for you as an adult.
Staying up-to-date on your vaccinations as an adult can prevent unnecessary illness, infection to others, medical bills, and inability to care for your family. With busy fall schedules, immunizations may be the last item on your to-do list.
However, each year adults that don’t update their immunizations suffer from diseases that could have been prevented. These include influenza (flu), tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, meningitis, shingles and Human papillomavirus (HPV).
You want to be sure to check your immunization record to make sure these are updated as well as varicella (chicken pox) and measles, mumps and rubella. The types of vaccines that you need are different for everyone and it may depend on a number of different factors. These include your age, existing health conditions, work requirements, childhood immunizations and travel outside of the United States. Visit your healthcare provider to learn which ones are best for you!
If you have not had a pneumonia shot, please talk to your provider about what age you should receive it, as it may vary for each person depending on their risk factors. Among all of the vaccines listed above, two vaccines that all adults should have include a yearly flu shot and Tdap Vaccine which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). All adults who have not yet received a dose of Tdap, as an adolescent or adult, need to get Tdap vaccine (the adult whooping cough vaccine).
Pregnant women need a dose in every pregnancy. After that, you will need a Td booster dose every 10 years. Boosters are needed more often in order for the vaccine to be effective. Even if you’ve had these vaccines before, the level of protection decreases over time.
“Overall, vaccines are one of the safest ways to protect against diseases that are all around us,” stated Brenden Bedard, Director of Community Health Services for Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “They help you prevent spreading diseases to those that are at risk the most for complications; infants, older adults, those with chronic health conditions including asthma, diabetes as well as those who have compromised immune systems (such as cancer or HIV/AIDS). You may think that getting vaccines may not do a whole lot but in reality they are the greatest tool to prevent outbreaks of very serious and deadly diseases. If we don’t continue to update immunizations, outbreaks may become more common.”
Unsure of where to get immunized? Doctor’s offices, pharmacies, workplaces, community health clinics and Health Departments are available to find the best options that work for you! Contact your Local Health Department for more information and any questions you may have.
For information about health department services contact the Orleans County Health Department at 589-3278; Genesee County Health Department at 344-2580 ext. 5555; and the Wyoming County Health Department at 786-8890.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 September 2016 at 3:36 pm
Quick Questions with Dr. Keith Fuleki, who joined Oak Orchard Health in July
Photo by Tom Rivers: Dr. Keith Fuleki is pictured at Oak Orchard Health in Albion, where he started as a physician after completing a residency at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.
ALBION – Dr. Keith Fuleki, 30, is the new family physician at Oak Orchard Health, working out of the site on Route 31 in Albion, across from the Save-A-Lot grocery store.
Fuleki is well acquainted with Western New York after doing a residency at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.
He grew up in Grand Rapids, Mich. and graduated from Aquinas College in Michigan with a bachelor of science, majoring in biology and a minor in chemistry and psychology. He earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013.
He discussed his career and path to medicine during an interview last week at his office at Oak Orchard Health, 301 West Ave.
Question: Why did you want to be a doctor?
Answer: There is a lot of benefit in helping people and I really like science. That is what got me started and interested. But I specifically enjoy rural medicine. This is what I want to do. It was a very good fit coming here.
When I came here and was looking for a place to live, the first people I called for an apartment they were initially very cautious. ‘You’re a doctor. Aren’t you going to live in Rochester?’
But I’m in rural medicine, which is what I want to do. It’s what my grandfather did. I’ve lived in the city, in Cleveland, Grand Rapids, Buffalo and Philadelphia. I like the country more. There is also a big need here.
A lot of colleagues also are going to start out and go to a place of need like Nevada. They just move out west.
So, to the question why would I go here? It’s great. I live in Holley. I got really lucky getting a nice apartment there. The people refurbished it phenomenally. The equivalent price of what I looked at in Brockport was so much worse.
Question: I’ve read where it’s hard to find doctors today, because of the debt from school and the regulations taking the joy out of it. I don’t know if that’s true. Are there fewer people going into the field?
Answer: Well, I think if you want to do it, you will. One great thing is the mid-level physician assistant program was created in America. That is phenomenal and of course there are nurse practitioners. That is great. If someone wants to work in the medical field, and they don’t want all of the responsibilities, the years of work and the debt, all of the exams and all of the things a doctor has to deal with, there is PA school.
The reasons why you wouldn’t want to be a doctor, that was brought up to me when I first got interested at the age of 17. It was right before I went to college. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I read a book by a psychiatrist. Initially I wanted to go into psychiatry.
So I went to college saying I wanted to be psychiatrist and people said, ‘There’s going to be a lot of debt, there’s going to be a lot of schooling. There’s going to be a lot of exams.’
But I said that’s fine, I want to be a doctor. I think that’s what everyone else who goes into it says.
There are some people who go into it for the wrong reasons. Anyone going into it for money that’s the most ridiculous idea in the world. But for people who really flourish it’s a calling. I know that’s romanticizing it.
I did get a lot of those comments (about the debt, etc.), but I was like, ‘Whatever, let’s just get on with it. Let’s take the courses and exams.’ I want to do it.
Dr. Keith Fuleki likes the staff and medical professionals at Oak Orchard Health, which is located at 301 West Ave.
Question: Why Albion instead of another rural area?
Answer: This is convenient in terms of living near Buffalo. I started looking around for jobs. I didn’t want to move really far. I’ve been moving my whole life and I’m tired of moving. I like Holley, where I live. It’s really nice. There’s a lot of nice things in the town.
Question: For this job, was there a want ad, or a recruiter? How did that work?
Answer: For doctors, it’s so specific and specialized. You sort of ask around. I talked to my superiors. I was fortunate with the people above me, basically my boss who was the director of the residency. He is an excellent person. I asked him the same question, ‘How do I do this?’ Do I just start Googling?
I have a recruiter and there was this Albion place. There was another option in the suburbs of Buffalo. Another option was a small community hospital.
Question: I get the impression there are resources here with grants and you are part of a team?
Answer: On yeah, that is what really attracted me. Some physicians, young or old, have different perspectives. They may be really comfortable being the only one, or being one of two or three in a practice. What made this a perfect fit is I wanted about five, six providers. Here there are basically seven. There is a pediatrician, mid-levels, and physicians.
There are grants. We’re technically a private practice but we’re funded through the government. There’s the National Health Service Corps, which is an incentive provided the government to get physicians into rural areas and areas of need. In theory, the budget for that should be tripled or quadrupled, some people say.
Question: So are you in an area of need in Orleans County?
Answer: Yes. The Oak Orchard Health system is part of that. It gives us resources. We have a lot of providers. We have space. We have staff. If it was a true private practice, we would probably have as little nursing staff as possible. We’d have to be as efficient as possible.
Question: I would think that helps the doctors focus on care and not have to worry about the dollars as much?
Answer: Yes. We have more resources and really good things for people. That is part of why I came here, too.
Part of what drew me here is I will get more experience with skin, I will get more experience with women’s health, I will get more experience with migrants, and outreach and speaking Spanish. I speak a little Spanish, but I want to get fluent. This is the perfect fit for me.
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed landmark legislation (S.8158/A.10740) mandating that schools across the state test drinking water for lead contamination. Lead is a toxic material that is extremely harmful to young children and can result in lowered IQ, behavioral problems and brain damage.
The state Department of Health also issued emergency regulations pursuant to the new legislation, requiring that school districts test their water for lead contamination by Oct. 31, 2016 and report results to parents, the state Department of Health and local government officials. These new regulations will reduce the risk for exposure to this dangerous substance and ensure all New York’s students have access to clean, drinkable water.
“These rigorous new protections for New York’s children include the toughest lead contamination testing standards in the nation, and provide clear guidance to schools on when and how they should test their water,” Governor Cuomo said. “As children begin another school year, I’m proud to sign this legislation, which marks a major step forward in protecting the public health and ensuring the future growth and success of students across the state.”
Previously, schools in New York were not required to test their drinking water for lead, or notify parents or government officials of results, Cuomo’s office said in a news release this afternoon. Testing was voluntary and administered by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
This method of voluntary testing without enforceable standards has demonstrated the clear need for direction by the state to New York schools on when, what and how to sample drinking water for lead. This new legislation requires all school districts in New York State to test potable water for lead contamination, and to develop and implement a lead remediation plan where necessary.
Pursuant to the accompanying regulations, samples collected must be 250 ml and taken from a cold water outlet where the water has been motionless in the pipes for a minimum of 8 hours but not more than 18 hours.
“With this new law and accompanying regulations, New York is taking a monumental step forward toward protecting our children from lead, which can cause devastating and lifelong consequences to those who have been exposed,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Howard Zucker. “We look forward to working with our state’s schools to ensuring that their drinking water is safe from lead.”
By Sept. 30, 2016, all school buildings serving children in pre-kindergarten through grade five must collect a sample from each identified sampling location for testing. Any schools serving children in grades six through twelve that are not also serving children in younger grades must complete collection of samples by Oct. 31, 2016. For new schools which begin operations after the effective date of this regulation, initial samples must be performed prior to occupancy.
Under the regulations, schools are required to report all lead test results to the state Department of Health via a designated statewide electronic reporting system. If lead levels are detected above 15 parts per billion at any potable water outlet, the school must discontinue use of that outlet, implement a lead remediation plan to mitigate the lead level, and provide building occupants with an adequate alternate supply of water for cooking and drinking.
Schools must report the exceedance to the local health department within one business day. Test results must also be provided in writing to all staff and parents no more than 10 business days after receiving the report. Schools must post the results of all lead testing and any remediation plans on its website as soon as possible but no more than six weeks after the school received the laboratory reports.
Once test results indicate that lead levels are below the action level, schools may resume use of the water outlet. For schools that performed testing and remediation at buildings after Jan. 1, 2015, and that complies with these regulations, those buildings do not need to be retested.
Schools may also be eligible for a waiver for testing school buildings, if the school can demonstrate that they performed testing and remediation that substantially complies with the regulations, and that lead levels in the building’s potable water are below the action level.
Schools will be required to collect samples every five years, at a minimum, after the initial testing or at a time determined by the Commissioner of Health. All samples will be analyzed by a lab approved by the Department’s Environmental Laboratory Approval Program.
Although laws now limit the amount of lead in new plumbing equipment, materials installed before 1986 may contain significant amounts of lead. Federal laws in 1986 required that only “lead-free” materials be used in new plumbing and plumbing fixtures but still allowed certain fixtures with up to 8 percent lead to be labeled “lead free.”
Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act in 2011 appropriately redefined the meaning of “lead free.” Even so, it’s possible that older plumbing may leach lead into the drinking water.
Facilities such as schools, which typically have intermittent water use patterns, are more likely to have elevated levels of lead due to prolonged water contact with plumbing materials, Cuomo’s office said. This source is increasingly being recognized across the nation as a contribution to a child’s overall lead exposure.
“Thank you to Governor Cuomo for signing this critical legislation into law,” said Senator Tom O’Mara, chairman of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee. “It’s a landmark achievement and we’re hopeful that this action in New York will lead to action in other states to protect children.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 August 2016 at 7:37 pm
This photo which was widely shared on Facebook shows a hose for irrigation connected to a fire hydrant without a backflow prevention device by the hydrant. It shows a hydrant on Fancher Road in Murray.
(Editor’s note: This article was updated from the original to state the towns could face a $100 fine, although that likely would be waived once the towns assure the Health Department they are in compliance.)
ALBION – Two towns in Orleans County were sent violation notices last week for not having backflow prevention devices by a fire hydrant when farmers were using water for irrigation.
Carlton and Murray both allow farmers to use water from hydrants, just like most towns in an agricultural community. However, the Orleans County Health Department saw instances in the two towns where backflow devices were not by the hydrants.
It is the towns’ responsibility to ensure backflow devices are by the first point of connection, in these cases the fire hydrants, said Paul Pettit, public health director in Orleans County.
“It’s not the farmer or any other end user that are in violation,” Pettit said today. “It’s the towns that are responsible for the water districts.”
The towns could face a $100 fine by the Health Department. That fine likely would be dropped if the towns respond by next week and ensure the Health Department they are in compliance by not allowing hook-ups to the system without backflow devices by the hydrant, Pettit said.
Water with bacteria or contaminants from a hose could get in the main water system without a back flow device, he said. In the case of a fire where there could be a big draw or change in pressure in the water system, water from a hose could be pulled into the main waterlines if there isn’t a backflow device, possibly contaminating the public water supply, Pettit said.
The Health Department sent letters to all 10 towns, reminding them to use backflow devices by hydrants for outside users.
“We have a great working relationship with all of the towns,” Pettit said. “But we wanted to make sure they all are doing their due diligence to protect our water supply.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 August 2016 at 10:23 am
Local organization now beneficiary instead of American Cancer Society
File photos by Tom Rivers The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk at Watt Farms drew big crowds to the farm on Route 98 for a walk through the orchard. This photo is at the beginning of the walk in October 2013.
ALBION – In 11 years, a breast cancer awareness and benefit walk at Watt Farms raised $350,000 for the American Cancer Society.
The event is changing its focus. The beneficiary will now be Cancer Services of Genesee and Orleans, a group based in Batavia that serves people battling all types of cancers. That organization pushes to provide mammograms, colonoscopies and other services to people underinsured or without insurance.
That mission is more in line with Karen Watt’s focus. She wants more help for local residents and their families facing the cancer health crisis.
Watt, a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed in 2005, also wanted to expand the walk’s mission to assist people fighting all types of cancer.
The walk will shift from a pink theme for breast cancer to a purple color to represent all cancers during the event at Watt Farms on Oct. 29. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the walk starting at 10 a.m.
“We wanted to make it more local and to step up preventive services,” Watt said.
Kevin Dann and other Holley firefighters have been regular participants in the walk at Watt Farms. They are pictured last October.
She wanted to partner with an organization that serves Orleans and Genesee counties because she said many of the participants on the walk have been from outside Orleans in Genesee County.
Watt is chairman of the board of directors for Oak Orchard Health, which has healthcare sites in Albion, Lyndonville, Brockport, Warsaw and Hornell, as well as a mobile dental unit.
Oak Orchard is a sponsor of the Oct. 29 walk, and so is Orleans Community Health, which runs Medina Memorial Hospital, the Urgent Care site in Albion, Dialysis Centers in Batavia and Medina, and other health services in Orleans County.
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk was a big draw to Watt Farms, sometimes with crowds of nearly 1,000 people.
Watt isn’t sure what to expect on Oct. 29. She hopes the community will continue to support and participate in the event.
For more on the walk, including registration information, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 August 2016 at 1:55 am
‘It will be one of the most physically and emotionally challenging things I’ve ever done.’ – Wendy Cannon
Photo by Tom Rivers: T.J. and Wendy Cannon have been training and raising money for a 50-mile walk Sept. 9-11 in a benefit for people battling Multiple Sclerosis. Mrs. Cannon was diagnosed with the condition almost 17 years ago.
WATERPORT – A decade ago Wendy Cannon was so debilitated by multiple sclerosis she was wheelchair bound. That lasted about a month.
Treatment and medication, as well as her determined spirit, got her back on her feet.
Cannon is thankful she has been able to continue working as an occupational therapist. She is grateful she made it to her son’s recent graduation from high school.
She wants to help others with MS, and improve her odds in battling a disease where the cause is unknown. That’s whey she and her husband T.J. are planning to walk 50 miles on Sept. 9-11 in Cape Cod in a MS Challenge Walk.
They have been raising money and training for the long walk. They are about halfway towards the $3,000 goal.
“I’m excited about it,” Cannon said at her home this evening on Knight’s Lane off Oak Orchard River Road. “It will be one of the most physically and emotionally challenging things I’ve ever done.”
Cannon, 45, was stricken with MS when she was 28. It was a cold winter day and she had been playing with her son, then 3. Her lips, the left side of her scalp and her left arm felt numb. She thought she might have frostbite. Doctors diagnosed her with a disease that afflicts women far more than men.
The Challenge Walk will raise money for research and treatment, and to assist people fighting the disease.
“Who knows, the $3,000 we raise might find the cure for MS,” said Mr. Cannon.
He works as a technician for Respiratory Services of WNY. He has been training with his wife, going on long walks, including 7 miles on Sunday.
The couple has had a wine tasting, kayak race and tupperware party to raise money for the challenge. They have been collecting pop cans and water bottles as well. Some of their friends and neighbors leave bags of bottles for them, which adds up towards the $3,000 goal. They also have an online giving option. (Click here for more information.)
She expects the MS Challenge Walk will be a highlight as she and her husband walk 20 miles on Sept. 9, followed by another 20 miles and 10 miles the final day.
“It’s much more for the camaraderie and being with other people and sharing stories,” she said.
She works for HCR Homecare and provides occupational therapy to many people fighting MS. Cannon said the disease can leave many people bed-ridden. She still has some bad days, where it is hard to move and keep her balance. But she keeps moving.
She gets up at 4:30 and goes to Fast Fitness in Medina to work out for at least an hour. She wants to run again. She ran the Albion Strawberry Festival 5K in 2013 when she felt like she was in her peak shape. For now, she is focused on the 50 miles over 3 days.
Cannon has a sister in Connecticut who will be at the MS Challenge. Some of her friends in Waterport also plan on going to root on the Cannons. Western New York doesn’t have a Challenge Walk. That’s why the Cannons are going to Cape Cod.
Mrs. Cannon said there is a candlelight service as part of the Challenge. She has watched the video and it brings her to tears. Mrs. Cannon has been in clinical trials with treatment. She hopes to slow the disease’s progression. She said she is focused on quality of life, not quantity of days.
“I don’t have a bucket list,” she said. “I try to live each day to the fullest.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 July 2016 at 12:00 am
‘He was just like you and me. He got up every day and went to work.’ – Mother of 28-year-old who died from overdose
A former addict speaks in this video from the State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. The addict discussed how she went from smoking marijuana and drinking to using pain pills, and then more dangerous drugs. The video with other testimonials was shown in GCASA”s community room, with a banner on the wall, saying, “The Time To Take Action Is Now!”
ALBION – Robert Bale had a good job as a HVAC technician. He often worked 50 hours a week.
Bale, 28, also had a secret addiction. He used heroin. His family didn’t know it, nor did his roommate or close friends.
On March 10 he had a fatal overdose at age 28.
“He was just like you and me,” his mother Tammi Bale said Wednesday during a community meeting about the opioid crisis at GCASA’s Albion clinic. “He got up and went to work every day.”
Robert Bale
Her son, a Brockport native, didn’t give signs of drug use. He didn’t steal or commit other crimes to feed his addiction.
“He kept it from everyone for four years,” his mother said.
The opioid epidemic has reached Orleans County with several recent deaths from heroin overdoses, according to the Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.
Kathy Hodgins, director of treatment services for GCASA in Orleans County, said it is the biggest community drug crisis she has seen in her 20-year career, affecting people from all walks of life.
“This is the first time in my 20 years that one drug has caused such an impact in our community,” Hodgins said during Wednesday’s meeting.
GCASA officials said crisis has grown partly due to painkiller abuse. Many people become hooked on painkillers and then their prescription expires. Some will turn to heroin to get their fix. The heroin can be deadly, especially when mixed with fentanyl and other drugs, Hodgins said.
Tamara Ashton lost her daughter, Christina Ashton, to a drug overdose on June 27. Christina had been clean for 19 days. Her mother left the house for a 40-minute errand. When she came back her daughter was found dead in the backyard after someone dropped off heroin and her daughter took a fatal overdose. Christina was 34.
Christina Ashton
“I want people to know it can be anybody,” Tamara Ashton said.
Her daughter started using drugs about two years ago. She lost too much weight, stole from loved ones to buy drugs, and would be gone unaccounted for often for two or three days.
She went from drinking alcohol to crack cocaine to heroin.
“She just wasn’t the same girl,” her mother said.
The opioid crisis has the attention of local, state and national leaders. Orleans County has started a program in the county jail to help addicts transition from the jail to the community. That includes connections to addiction counselors and shots of Vivitrol, a treatment that blocks the effects of opioid addiction.
“Every person that gets clean is less crime in the community,” Sheriff Randy Bower said.
The addicts also need to be connected to the community, finding a strong purpose through perhaps work, volunteerism, church or service clubs, Bower said.
Sheriff Randy Bower receives training in using Narcan from Diana Fulcomer of GCASA. About 20 people received the training on Wednesday. Narcan can help someone suffering an overdose.
“It’s an illness,” Bower said about the addicts. “We have to be able to accept these people.”
Bower said the Sheriff’s Office wants to go to schools in Orleans County, giving presentations to students about the dangers of using painkillers without a prescription, and how they can lead to more dangerous and fatal drugs.
The issue has been in the news throughout the region, state and country due to the increase in overdose deaths. In nearby Erie County, the community is on pace to have 500 people die from overdose deaths this year.
GCASA wants to educate Orleans County about the crisis and give insight and help to parents and friends of people struggling with addiction.
The agency on Wednesday trained about 20 people in using Narcan, which can take someone out of an addicted state. The people trained received a Narcan kit to use in case of an opioid overdose.
Sherri Bensley, assistant director of prevention for GCASA, discussing commonly used opioids during a presentation Wednesday. She said addicts get the drugs often from friends or relatives, “not the street corner drug dealer.”
GCASA leaders said the agency will have more community meetings to educate the public and get more people involved in fighting the crisis.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 July 2016 at 12:00 am
MEDINA – Medina Memorial Hospital will stop providing home health care services on July 30, or sooner if a transition is in place.
Hospital officials cited mounting financial losses with the service. Two other agencies provide that service in Orleans County, HCR Home Care and the Visiting Nurse Association. The hospital’s decision to stop providing home health care follows a similar path by the Orleans County Health Department and many other counties that have ceased offering home health care.
“We’re really covered with services in our area,” Cindy Perry, hospital spokeswoman, said about other home health care agencies. “We’re going to be working with them. It will be a seamless transition. The local residents are not going to lose services.”
Some of the nurses, physical therapists and office staff will find other jobs with the hospital or with the home health care agencies, Perry said.
Here is a statement issued today by Wendy Jacobson, Medina Memorial’s president and CEO:
“Medina Memorial Hospital Long Term Home Health Care Program announced that the New York State Department of Health has approved its plan for closing the Medina Memorial Hospital Long Term Home Health Care Program (MMHLTHHCP) in Medina, NY on or about July 30, 2016 or as soon as patients are safely transitioned.
“Since 1987, the MMHLTHHCP has provided services to thousands of county residents. Unfortunately, a number of financial issues, including the elimination of funding over the past few years as well as several years of annual losses, have affected the viability of the MMHLTHHCP. As our nation undergoes changes in the healthcare system, New York State has been working to reduce medical costs and there are excellent programs accessible to residents of Orleans County.
“We will work closely with our patients and families as they transition to Certified Home Health Agencies in Orleans and Niagara Counties. All current patients will be transitioned to the agency of their choice prior to the program closure to allow for continuity of care and services. Our goal is to ensure a safe transition of care for our current patients.
“Orleans Community Health currently has some open positions for qualified staff and is working with the Visiting Nurse Association of WNY, Inc. and HCR Homecare to interview and employ qualified LTHHCP field staff. This will allow for the continuity of caregivers with current home health patients.
“Our mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve by providing equal access to quality health care services provided at the right time, in the right place, with the most efficient use of resources. This transition will allow us to ensure that our patients in the community are provided the best possible care.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 July 2016 at 12:00 pm
ALBION – Fleet Feet staff were at the Albion Free Methodist Church on Wednesday to fit people for new pairs of sneakers, including Marie Snyder, front right.
The Albion Running Club is teaming with the Orleans County Health Department in a 16-week “Healthy Orleans” program. The goal a goal to help 40 people become healthier by losing weight and embracing healthier choices, including more nutritious meals.
The Orleans County Health Department received a $15,000 grant from the National Association of County and City Health Officials. The organization (NACCHO) is looking to fund community-based initiatives that promote heathy activities, sustainability and resiliency, said Paul Pettit, health department director in both Orleans and Genesee counties.
Participants in the program pay about $20 towards the pair of shoes (the price varies depending on a participants Body Mass Index, with more obese people paying less). The grant covers $80 towards the cost of the shoes. Fleet Fit sneakers cost an average of $125 to $130. The business provided discounts for about $25 to $30 per shoe.
“Boots” Boutillier, co-owner of Fleet Feet with his wife Ellen, said Fleet Feet does shoe fittings for many businesses in the Rochester area as companies try to promote fitness for employees.
“We’ll go where the people are as opposed to them coming to us,” Boutillier said.
Fleet Feet fitted about 100 people for sneakers last year in the Running Club’s “Fit in 50” program.
This year’s Healthy Orleans effort is a 16-week program versus 50 weeks. The participants meet for a group run/walk at 6 p.m. on Sunday at the Free Methodist Church. They are also encouraged to do at least two other runs/walks during the week, said Brian Krieger, executive director of the Albion Running Club.
The Healthy Orleans program included a grant for 40 shoes. Krieger said those slots filled up quickly and the Running Club used its own funds to pay towards shoes for two other participants.
Krieger said he was pleased to see participants from all over the county, not just from the Albion area.
The 16-week program will culminate with participants completing a 5-kilometer walk/run on Oct. 8 at the Memory Walk and Cross Country Run at Brown’s Berry Patch in Carlton.
Randy LeBaron, pastor of the Free Methodist Church, gets fitted for a pair of sneakers by Pat Wilson, an employee with Fleet Feet and also pastor of the Oakfield-Alabama Baptist Church.
LeBaron said he enrolled in Healthy Orleans to exercise more and eat better.
If people complete the 16-week program, they have their choice for another pair of discounted shoes or a Fitbit activity tracker.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 July 2016 at 11:00 am
ALBION – The opioid epidemic has reached Orleans County with several recent deaths from heroin overdoses, according to the Genesee-Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.
The issue has been in the news throughout the region, state and country due to the increase in overdose deaths. In nearby Erie County, the community is on pace to have 500 people die from overdose deaths this year.
GCASA wants to educate Orleans County about the crisis and give insight and help to parents and friends of people struggling with addiction.
GCASA on July 13 will host an informational meeting and Narcan training for the community at GCASA’s Albion Clinic, 249 East Ave. The 7 to 9 p.m. meeting will be in the basement level of the clinic.
“People are struggling out here in our community,” said Kathy Hodgins, director of treatment services for GCASA in Orleans County. “It’s not just the other communities.”
The July 13 session will be include information about treatment options for people who suffer from opioid addiction. Topics will include detox, inpatient and outpatient treatment options, medication assisted therapy options, and community resources.
In addition, Narcan training will be provided and each participant will receive a kit to use in case of an opioid overdose. Narcan can bring someone out of an addicted state, Hodgins said.
This is the first time GCASA is leading a community meeting about the opioid epidemic. Hodgins said GCASA can help people wrestling with addictions, and also provide some support for their families and friends.
“We need to get the word out in our community about what GCASA offers,” Hodgins said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 July 2016 at 12:00 am
Nearly 200 gift baskets will be raffled off Monday during Lyndonville’s Fourth of July celebration
Photos by Tom Rivers
LYNDONVILLE – Brittany Button, one of the organizers of a basket raffle to benefit Ella Suhr and her family, is pictured with the baskets today inside the Lyndonville school. The raffle on Monday is the latest effort by the community to support a young couple and their baby daughter who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
“I know as a community how well we can all come together,” Button said. “This is a small community that is very close knit.”
Joe and Meagan Suhr spent this week in Florida, where their daughter Ella had a tumor removed. An MRI showed no more signs of cancer, Meagan posted on Facebook.
Mrs. Suhr is a high school teacher in Batavia and her husband is a social studies teacher in Lyndonville.
They were on vacation in March in St. Petersburg when Ella became sick. They took her to the emergency room. She would be diagnosed with stage four of a rare form of brain cancer.
Joe’s colleagues at Lyndonville donated their sick days so he could take the rest of the school year off to care for his daughter.
Many in the community wore Lyndonville Tiger colors of orange and black with the message “Suhr Strong” to show support for the family and help raise money for medical costs.
The community is putting on a big basket raffle on Monday during Lyndonville’s Fourth of July Celebration. Nearly 200 baskets have donated. They will be on display on the school front lawn from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Jan Heideman wraps one of the gift baskets today. She is among several volunteers helping with the basket raffle on Monday.
“It’s an absolutely phenomenal cause,” she said. “In this small town, people really rally around each other.”
The volunteers said they were all encouraged by the good news shared by the Suhrs this week, that Ella’s tumor was gone.
Abby Button works on the ticket bags for the basket raffle. Her mother, Jen Button, has been one of the lead organizers for the raffle.
Jack Buckner, his wife Janice and the Buckner family also have worked hard on the event.
Abby said people and businesses from all Western New York have donated baskets for the auction. She said it has been emotionally moving to see the donations come in.
“All of Western New York is coming together for our little town,” she said.
There are several items donated by the Buffalo Bills, including this autographed hat by Rex Ryan, the team’s head coach.
Bills star wide receiver Sammy Watkins signed a pair of cleats that will be in the auction. There will also be a helmet signed by quarterback Tyrod Taylor.
Press Release, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orleans County
KNOWLESVILLE – In 2013, the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Board of Directors set a goal of transforming the 40-year old Trolley Building kitchen into a modern, commercial grade teaching kitchen.
Three years and $60,000 later, the kitchen is ready for food and nutrition education, small batch food processing, and large scale cooking for events that can be held in the adjacent 50′ by 70′ space.
The kitchen features stainless steel countertop table units with an ample 3-bay sink, hand wash sink, and two prep sinks – each in one of the large stainless steel work islands.
It includes a commercial dishwasher, 54″ two-door refrigerator and freezer units, a chest freezer, and four floor to ceiling stainless storage cabinets. Additional items include a 10-burner range with two 36″ ovens, a fire suppression hood, and the honorary butcher block table refinished by Albion dairy farmer, Jeremy Neal.
New flooring, RFP board along the south wall, and a stainless steel serving window were installed as well.
A majority of the upgrades were funded through grants from local foundations and a recent award of $25,675 from the Genesee Valley Regional Market Authority. Private donations, including support from the Fern Blackburn Memorial and Mrs. Ann Preston, along with funds raised by the Orleans County 4-H Fair Committee and Leaders’ Association helped as well.
As funds were raised, work was completed. The hardest part was closing the kitchen for new plumbing and electrical installed in the concrete floor to the island units.
Extension staff and volunteers were ready for the new kitchen and have already held food preservation workshops and pie-making workshops to prepare for the annual 4-H Fair to be held July 25-30 this year. They are also planning for 4-H Cooking Camp, July 18 & 19, along with using the kitchen to host concessions and dinners for 4-H activities. The nutrition program uses the kitchen as well to prepare foods for workshops held throughout Orleans County.
While the kitchen supports Extension work, it is intended to achieve a greater goal of increasing the consumption of local fruit and vegetable products. Growers or food entrepreneurs are encouraged to consider the kitchen for processing foods into ready-to-eat products or hosting workshops for consumers.
The kitchen rents at $125/day and meets all food and safety codes. Information about using the kitchen can be found on Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension’s website under Facility Use at cceorleans.org or requested at 585-798-4265.
