By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 March 2020 at 4:10 pm
Both counties now have 4 confirmed cases of coronavirus
The Public Health Department in Orleans and Genesee counties reported more local cases of COVID-19, with one more in Orleans and 2 new confirmed cases in Genesee County.
• Orleans: The new positive case is under the age of 65 and is a resident of the central part of the county. This individual is being isolated in an adjacent county, said the Health Department.
• Genesee: One positive case is under the age of 65 and resides in the central part of Genesee County. The second positive case is over the age of 65 and also resides in the central part of the county. Based on the ongoing investigation, these cases are not connected. These two individuals are under mandatory isolation and are in the hospital.
Cumulative Data
• To Date: Genesee and Orleans have each received 61 negative test results for COVID-19.
• Orleans County: 6 people are under precautionary quarantine, 8 people are under mandatory quarantine, and 4 people are under mandatory isolation 1 of whom is hospitalized and 3 are recovering at home (one out of county).
• Genesee County: 18 people are under precautionary quarantine, 26 people are under mandatory quarantine, and 2 people are under mandatory isolation at home and 2 people are under mandatory isolation and are hospitalized.
“As a reminder, we are asking our community members to practice social distancing and stay home whenever possible to control the spread of this virus,” said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for the two counties.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 March 2020 at 3:54 pm
State Sen. Robert Ortt has written a letter to Gov. Andrew Cuomo today, asking the governor to add gun shops and sporting shops as essential businesses that do not have to close during this time when the state has shut down many businesses temporarily to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, thanked the governor for his efforts to protect the state from Covid-19.
“I urge you to consider gun and sporting shops as providers of essential goods and services,” Ortt writes in his letter. “While taking proper public health precautions is necessary and appropriate, the Constitution is not nullified in the face of a pandemic, and the Second Amendment’s value still remains. New Yorkers still deserve the right to protect themselves, and allowing gun shops to operate would help New Yorkers exercise that right.”
Ortt said Pennsylvania’s governor also closed gun shops but then reversed his decision following a challenge in Pennsylvania Supreme Court. After Supreme Court justices weighed in, Governor Wolf reversed the decision, allowing gun shops to remain open.
“New York can and should open gun shops in a way that continues to protect New Yorkers from coronavirus,” Ortt said. “Shops in Pennsylvania, for example, are only allowed to operate under limited hours, and can only make sales via individual appointments to eliminate store crowds. I believe gun shops in New York would be happy to comply with any public health recommendations, but closing them outright unnecessarily deprives New Yorkers of their Second Amendment right.”
Beginning as early as today, Tops will be rolling our additional safety measures at all of its 162 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
Those safety measures include installing Plexiglas shields on as many of their front end registers as possible. Where Plexiglas cannot be affixed because of equipment limitations, associates will be provided with protective face shields which will also be used by Tops associates working in our pharmacy department and at our customer service desk. This installation process will take place over the course of the next few weeks.
These safety measures are in addition to Tops existing PPE (personal protection equipment) procedures which include providing gloves for their associates, hand sanitizer and wipes for their associates and customers respectively, and the newly instituted Comfort Zone areas at the registers providing more social distancing between customers as well as the customer and Tops associate.
Additionally there is an associate assigned at each store specifically in charge of sanitization of the front end registers, check stands, conveyor belts, customer service desks, point of sale devices and other frequently touched surfaces most accessed by customers on a continual basis during operating hours.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 March 2020 at 1:08 pm
‘I don’t want to sugarcoat the situation. The situation is not easy, but easy times don’t forge character. It’s the tough times that forge character, and that’s what we’re looking at right now.’ – Gov. Andrew Cuomo
New York State now has 37,258 confirmed cases of Covid-19, which is more than half of the 72,700 total confirmed cases in the United States.
Andrew Cuomo
In New York, the state’s confirmed cases increased by 6,447 from the 30,811 cases announced on Wednesday. That is the biggest one-day increase in cases.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo reported today that 5,327 of those with coronavirus have been hospitalized and 1,290 have been in intensive care. The number of deaths increased from Wednesday by 100, to 385.
Cuomo said today that 1,517 of the Covid-19 patients have been discharged.
The state has increased testing for Covid-19. On Wednesday there were 18,650 tests and there have been 122,104 people tested for the virus so far in the state.
The governor said the state in a prolonged fight against the virus. He urged people to practice social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart), wash their hands frequently and stay home as much as possible.
“This is a life moment,” Cuomo said during a news conference in Albany. “It’s a moment in the life of this country. It’s a moment in the life of the world. It’s a moment in our family lives. It’s a moment for each of us. Each of us is dealing with it in our own way, and my observation has been that when the pressure is on, is when you really see what people are made of, in a personal relationship in a business relationship.
“You know, people can be great when everything is great,” Cuomo said. “The question is what does a person do when things aren’t great and what does a person do when the pressure is on them? And that’s when you can see a little crack in the foundation of a person. But when the pressure is on that little crack, that little crack can explode and that foundation can crumble. Or, you can see the exact opposite. You can see them get stronger. But you get to see what they’re really made of and you get to see the best. You get to see the worst. You get to see the beauty in people. And you get to see the opposite.”
The governor said there has been an outpouring of support for New Yorkers around the country and world.
On Wednesday, he said 40,000 medical staff volunteered to help the state’s hospitals and healthcare system care for expected surge in patients. That volunteer base grew by another 12,000 and now is at 52,000.
The governor also said the number of mental health professionals who are offering to volunteer is up to 8,600. They could offer mental health services electronically, through Skype or over the telephone, Cuomo said.
“It gives me such strength and such inspiration,” Cuomo said about the volunteers. “But I don’t want to sugarcoat the situation. The situation is not easy, but easy times don’t forge character. It’s the tough times that forge character, and that’s what we’re looking at right now. People say to me, people are getting tired of this situation. They’ve been home, its going on a couple of weeks. They’re getting tired. Well, the truth is this is not a sprint. This is a marathon. We always said, this is not going to be over quickly. I understand people are tired, but I also understand that people in this situation are really stepping up to the plate and are doing phenomenal work.”
The governor highlighted the work of doctors, nurses, firefighters, police officers, transportation and grocery workers, and many others who are responding daily with critical services.
“So yes we’re tired but look at what others among us have to do in the challenge they’re under and how they are stepping up. And who am I to complain about being tired when so many people are doing such heroic efforts?” Cuomo said.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 March 2020 at 10:25 am
While the coronavirus continues to disrupt normal life across the country, recipients of Meals on Wheels in Orleans and Genesee counties can rest assured their meal delivery will continue.
Paul Saskowski, director of business services for the Arc of Orleans and Genesee, said the agency has made adjustments, with employees taking things in stride and senior citizens receiving their meals.
He said for the most part the Arc has had no trouble receiving food from its supplier, although he said the supplier has found it more difficult to get food, as the grocery chains are demanding more.
“We had trouble getting one of our whole wheat breads, but we were able to find a suitable substitute,” Saskowski said.
He said drivers are taking extra precautions, wearing gloves, keeping their distance and using hand sanitizer after every delivery. He said Emergency Management Office in both counties have been very helpful, donating hand sanitizer they had in reserve.
Both congregate meal sites in Orleans and Genesee counties were forced to close and five people in Orleans County and 30 in Genesee County, who relied on the meal sites, were transferred to meal delivery.
Saskowski said they have a goal to provide each Meals on Wheels recipient with extra meals, so they have a stockpile of food in their house. To aid with that effort, the Office for the Aging authorized extra emergency meals.
“It is our goal to provide each household with 10 extra meals, in case we are pulled off the road for any reason,” Saskowski said. “We are very close to that goal.”
Saskowski praised his staff, saying their attitude through all of this has been wonderful.
The Arc delivers Meals on Wheels to about 120 homes in each county.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 March 2020 at 9:58 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The village-owned strip of land along the Erie Canal, between the lift bridges on Main Street and Ingersoll Street, has many dog droppings. Nearby Waterman Park also is a popular spot for people to bring their dogs, and then not clean up after them.
ALBION – The Village Board is looking to make its local dog ordinance tougher for people who don’t pick up after their dogs on public land.
Village officials are irked that Waterman Park on Main Street and village-owned land by the Erie Canal, between Main and Ingersoll streets, have become littered with dog poop.
Jay Pahura, the DPW superintendent, said there are several garbage receptacles at the two sites, but people aren’t picking up after their dogs.
He counted more than 40 piles of dog poop at the two spots.
Right now the village code faults the property owner if dog poop isn’t picked up. Village officials want to rewrite the law establishing a system for lodging a complaint and putting the burden on the dog owner. They would like to make the law applicable to village parks and public land.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 March 2020 at 9:22 am
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has gone on the record opposing Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s push for more state control in siting large-scale wind, solar and other renewable energy projects.
The governor on Feb. 21 proposed Article 23 as a budget amendment to speed up the review process for renewable energy projects that are larger that 25 megawatts.
The amendment gives the state more authority in siting projects which can currently take years to get through local and state approvals, often with stiff opposition from the local communities.
Cuomo wants to ensure that complete applications are acted upon within one year, except in the case of certain former commercial and industrial sites, which will be reviewed within six months.
Cuomo proposed creating a new Office of Renewable Energy Permitting to improve and streamline the process for siting of large-scale renewable energy projects. The governor said the projects deliver significant benefits to local communities.
“The governor needs to respect home rule,” said Lynne Johnson, County Legislature chairwoman.
The county acted on the resolution at the request of the towns of Yates and Barre, which are both facing large-scale wind turbine projects. Barre also has a proposed 200 meagwatt solar project that includes part of Shelby.
“Home rule should stay at the town level where the government is closest to the people,” said Legislator Don Allport.
Legislators in the resolution approved on Wednesday said removing local home-rule rights could potentially harm local economies and environments.
They faulted Cuomo for introducing Article 23 as a budget amendment after budget hearings were completed, giving state legislators insufficient time to examine the proposal and identify its negative consequences.
County legislators also said Article 23 goes too far “essentially gutting” the current Article 10 process. County legislators say local concerns would be stifled, and local governments will be less likely to receive fair property tax revenues.
The resolution from the county will be forwarded to local state legislators and Gov. Cuomo.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 March 2020 at 8:39 am
ALBION – Orleans County Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson said there has been a noticeable drop in traffic in the county in the past week or more. And there are few cars in the downtown business districts.
Normally, that would be a sign of alarm. But Johnson said it is an indication that Orleans County residents are taking seriously the threat of the coronavirus and are staying home.
That has been the message from President Trump and Gov. Andrew Cuomo: stay home as much as possible to reduce the chance of spreading the virus.
“I am proud of the residents of Orleans County,” Johnson said during Wednesday’s County Legislature meeting. “You drive through Orleans County and see very few cars. The residents are listening to the warnings. They are staying home. They are going out only for necessities. We are being safe. We are being smart.”
Johnson encouraged residents to check in on their neighbors, especially senior citizens.
In Orleans County, three people have tested positive for the virus. There are about 70,000 confirmed cases in United States and at least 990 people have died from the virus in this country.
In Orleans County and throughout the state, schools and churches are closed and the governor has temporarily shut down many businesses to avoid people gathering in groups.
Johnson urged residents to take precautions — social distancing of at least 6 feet apart and to wash their hands frequently.
“The only thing that can devastate our country at this point in time is panic,” Johnson said. “We have better communications than at any time ever before in history. We have a stronger infrastructure than at any time ever before in our history. We have more resources than at any time ever before in our history. Take common-sense measures to protect yourselves and your loved ones.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 March 2020 at 10:01 pm
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature this afternoon appointed Jack Welch as the county government’s chief administrative officer, approving a five-year contract.
Welch has worked for the county since 2004 as the director of personnel and self-insurance. As chief administrative officer, he also will fulfill the roles of the county’s budget officer and risk management coordinator.
The county hasn’t had a full-time CAO since December when Chuck Nesbitt left the job for the private sector. Nesbitt served in the role for 14 ½ years. He had high praise for Welch, who has been a key department head for the county and was involved in the recent $11 million addition to the County Administration Building.
“He’s very sound with numbers and employee issues,” Nesbitt said in a message about Welch.
“He’s had exposure to a lot of the issues and he was one of my main sounding boards over the years. Jack is a smart, competent, experienced public servant who brings a great work ethic to everything he does. I have tremendous confidence in Jack’s ability to navigate the complex challenges ahead. I wish him much success.”
Lynne Johnson, the County Legislature chairwoman, praised Welch for helping lead the county workforce after a state of emergency was declared due to the coronavirus.
“I just want to say in unprecedented times you have risen to the occasion,” Johnson told Welch.
His appointment was unanimous by the seven legislators.
As chief administrative officer, Welch will lead a county government with a $71 million budget, and 415 employees in 24 departments.
The job description posted by the county for the CAO lists key responsibilities for the job as preparation of the county budget, developing long-range capital improvement budgets, purchasing oversight, labor relations management, property control and risk management, intergovernmental relations and legislative advocacy, public information officer duties, and general oversight of departments and the coordination and administration of county government functions and activities.
County legislators praised Johnson, the Legislature chairwoman, for putting in a lot of extra time the past three months, functioning as an interim CAO.
Press release, Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse remains open during the COVID-19 pandemic with modifications in place to protect the health of patients and staff.
“We are open and providing treatment services in Albion and Batavia,” Executive Director John Bennett said. “Group sessions have been cancelled, but we are still accepting appointments for individual counseling sessions or phone sessions.”
Bennett advised patients to call their GCASA counselor for further information, noting that tele-practice sessions are being set up to eliminate any exposure.
“It is also important to note that GCASA’s methadone clinic is the first of its kind to provide medication outside, something that’s being modeled at other agencies in the state,” Bennett said.
Residential services continue, again with preventive measures in place, and although Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road is temporarily closed to the public, it is being made available for GCASA’s Atwater House residents.
GCASA Prevention Department group programs, such as the DWI Victim Impact Panel and Children of Addiction Support Groups, have been cancelled for the time being.
Prevention Director Shannon Ford and her staff are working on creative ways to advance prevention messaging via social media and through the school districts.
Bennett said all staff are adhering to the coronavirus protocol during the crisis, with many being able to work remotely to decrease the number of people on site.
He encourages everyone to protect themselves and their loved ones by doing the following:
• Washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water and/or alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
• Maintaining social distancing, keeping at least six feet between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing;
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth;
• Practicing respiratory hygiene by covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately;
• Seeking medical care early if you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing.
Press Release, Orleans and Genesee Public Health Departments
Genesee County has one new confirmed case of coronavirus, while Orleans remains at three cases, according to the Orleans and Genesee County Health Departments.
The positive case in Genesee County is under the age of 65 and resides in the central part of Genesee County. The individual is under mandatory isolation and is recovering at home, said Paul Pettit, Public Health director for the two counties.
Contact tracing has been initiated for the new case. Known contacts have already been placed under mandatory quarantine and will be swabbed if indicated (if symptoms present). If a person is identified as a contact, they will be notified by the Genesee County Health Department.
Since the onset of testing, Genesee County has received 49 negative test results while Orleans has 52 negative test results for COVID-19.
• Orleans County: 6 people are under precautionary quarantine, 7 people are under mandatory quarantine, and 3 people are under mandatory isolation – 1 of whom is hospitalized and 2 are recovering at home.
• Genesee County: 18 people are under precautionary quarantine, 16 people are under mandatory quarantine, and 2 people are under mandatory isolation at home where they are recovering.
• As we receive more test results, local contact tracing will continue within our departments for any positive results. The cases and stories are being built and documented. Contact tracing is initiated based on the day the identified positive case became symptomatic. Identified contacts are notified by the local health department, quarantined and if warranted, swabbed as indicated.
• Currently, NYS clearance criteria require 2 negative COVID-19 swabbing results prior to being released. Swabbing through the Health Departments is warranted as part of our quarantine / isolation protocol for those who become symptomatic. We are not providing community testing at this time.
• Please remain home if ill, with all of the directives regarding social distancing that are still be in place, especially if a person has a negative COVID-19 result it is important to limit physical contact. The flu and COVID-19 are still transmittable and people should continue to remain home and limiting contact with others. Do not be afraid of people because they may be coughing or sneezing, they may have allergies, but continue to keep your distance (at least 6 feet).
Returning Snowbirds
• Due to the number of positive cases in New York State, there are stricter guidelines in place and may be different from your winter address. All large gatherings have been canceled or postponed.
We strongly encourage anyone over 65 or those with underlying health issues to consider self-quarantine which means to limit contact with others as much as possible. Stay at home as much as possible as this age group is one of the higher-risk groups. This includes visiting the grocery store to limit exposure to any respiratory virus.
Check with your grocery store / pharmacy to see if they have special considerations for seniors and those with underlying health issues such as special hours, curbside pick-up or delivery. Monitor your symptoms and if you develop a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, call your primary care provider immediately.
If you are in need of household essentials such as groceries or prescriptions, ask a family member, neighbor, or someone in your social support network for assistance. They may be able to shop for your needs and leave the items outside your door so they do not have any physical contact with you.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 March 2020 at 3:28 pm
Governor praises 40,000 health professionals who signed up to serve if hospitals add more beds for people stricken with virus
Photo by Mike Groll/ Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo: Andrew M. Cuomo provides a coronavirus update during a press conference in the Red Room at the State Capitol in Albany today.
New York’s confirmed coronavirus cases are now more than 30,000, by far more than any other state. (New Jersey has the second most with 3,675, California is third with 2,644 and Washington State has 2,404.)
New York confirmed 5,146 additional coronavirus cases since Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to 30,811. New York City accounts for 17,856 of the cases, or about 60 percent of the state’s total. There are new cases since Tuesday in 36 of the state’s 62 counties.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said New York is ground zero of the coronavirus pandemic, and the state needs help from other states and the federal government in meeting the demand for ventilators for people suffering respiratory infections from the coronavirus.
“New York is the canary in the coal mine – we have the most positive cases in the nation and the most critical need for equipment and personnel,” Cuomo said. “We are doing everything we can to flatten the curve and slow the infection rate so the influx of hospitalizations doesn’t overwhelm our healthcare system.”
New York is on an rapid upward trajectory with cases sooner than other states. When the cases drop, Cuomo said the ventilators could be moved to other states that will likely see a surge in cases.
If the state can add the beds and ventilators to meet the anticipated demand on hospitals, the governor said there needs to be more healthcare workers to serve those patients.
He announced that about 40,000 healthcare professionals have voluntarily signed up to serve to help meet that demand, and about 6,000 mental health professionals have offered to serve people feeling a mental toll from the pandemic. (New Yorkers can call the state’s hotline at 1-844-863-9314 to schedule a free appointment.)
“I can see how New Yorkers are responding,” Cuomo said. “I can see how New Yorkers are treating one another. I see the 6,000 mental health volunteers. I see the 40,000 health care workers stepping up. I see the vendors calling me, saying, I can help. That’s New York. That’s New York. And that, my friends, is undefeatable.”
Press Release, New York State Elections Commissioners’ Association
ALBANY – The New York State Elections Commissioners’ Association is calling for immediate action by the Governor and New York State Legislature to protect our electoral process during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Election Boards throughout the state are risking personnel safety and health to prepare for impending elections on April 28. We are facing critical shortages of inspectors and polling places due to the ongoing public health crisis.
Over the next week, BOEs will find it almost impossible to meet mission critical deadlines for testing machines and preparing ballots because of staff shortages due to the ongoing stay-at-home order. We ask Governor Andrew Cuomo, NYS Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and NYS Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins to consider the following items by either Executive Order or Legislative action:
1.) Postponing the Democratic Presidential Primary scheduled for April 28th to June 23rd. Fielding inspectors in the midst of this health crisis is dangerous and may be impossible. Traditional polling places may be unusable as they are currently restricted or closed to the public. Postponing until June will not only give us time to plan, but will ease the burdens on host counties budgets that are devastated by the COVID-19 crisis.
2.) Amend 8-400 of NYS Election Law to allow for Absentee Balloting during all times of declared state of emergency due to infectious disease or pandemic. This will allow all voters who are at-risk but perhaps not yet sick to apply for and receive an absentee ballot. At risk or vulnerable citizens should not have to make decisions on whether to exercise their right to vote or risk their health.
3.) For all Primary & Special Elections: Give wide latitude to the local Board of Elections to consolidate polling places and election districts to best operate the election. While we hope the COVID-19 crisis will be better by June, it is quite likely we will have limited numbers of polling places and inspectors even then. We need this flexibility to adjust to circumstances on the ground in our jurisdictions that may be changing right up until the June 23rd election.
Acting on these items will buy us precious time and save our host counties significant amount of resources while also preserving the rights of voters and safety and health of election workers. Every day that we do not act makes us less prepared and wastes valuable time and money.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 March 2020 at 12:53 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: The sign on Route 31 in Albion proclaims that Albion Central School is closed until further notice. The five school districts in Orleans County announced on March 14 they would be closed. Districts continue to offer meals to students and have sent home school work and are doing some distance learning.
Orleans Hub is seeing a big increase in traffic the past two weeks with the public anxious for updates about the coronavirus and its impact on the community.
The Orleans Hub’s traffic with pageviews and daily unique visitors is up about 50 percent in the past two weeks, compared to the averages for 2019.
Since March 12, the average daily pageviews is 39,002, compared to 26,035 for 2019, a 49.8 percent increase. (The pageviews in 2019, at 9,556,253 for the entire year, were up 13 percent from the number in 2018.)
Since March 12, our average daily unique visitors is 12,851, up from the 8,475 daily average in 2019 – a 51.6 percent increase.
We’ve steadily been growing since the Orleans Hub debuted nearly seven years ago on April 2, 2013. But I thought we had near saturation and couldn’t grow much more.
I’ve told people the only way we could see big growth in traffic is for something really bad to happen. I wasn’t rooting for a calamity, but the coronavirus has had a drastic impact on the community, shutting schools, churches and businesses indefinitely.
So far we have three of the confirmed cases of the virus out of about 30,000 cases in the state.
I’m hoping we can get back to normal soon.
Like many of the news sites in the country, the spike in traffic comes at a time when advertising will likely decline because businesses have been temporarily closed down and are in limbo. Orleans Hub relies on our small business neighbors for critical advertising revenue.
The Orleans Hub has already lost some of our advertising revenue with so many events being cancelled.
We would welcome new advertisers and financial contributions from the readers. We don’t charge subscriptions to access the news and we don’t make readers complete surveys before they can check out what’s going on in the community.
If you are interesting in donating, we have options online (click here) or you can mail a check to Orleans Hub at 170 North Main St., Albion NY 14411.
‘Rock’ groups are also a chance to stay connected with larger community
Photos courtesy of Susan Wilson: These rocks are painted in a theme of the four houses at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter books.
(Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing “Pandemic Perspectives” series, with people sharing how they are coping with life during the coronavirus pandemic. We welcome more submissions. Send them to news@orleanshub.com.)
By Susan Wilson
Susan Wilson
When I saw the opportunity to send in an article for this column, I was originally considering writing in with some perspective on what it’s like right now in Rochester, NY. It’s really making me nostalgic for simpler times and I’m waxing rhapsodic about all the wide open spaces in Orleans County that I grew up with compared to the close quarters of my apartment and the chaotic grocery stores here in the city.
But then I changed my mind and wanted to instead talk about something positive from Orleans that’s helping to stave off cabin fever a little bit.
Susan Wilson painted this rock to look like a dragon’s eye.
A lot of people are using this time at home to catch up on Netflix or go for a napping championship, but I need to keep my hands and brain busy to distract myself, especially considering my work-from-home schedule the rest of the week. Although I’m grateful to have a job that translates well to working remote, I’m not very enthused about just moving around my apartment from screen to screen all day every day.
That’s why I’m so thankful for the Albion NY Rocks rock painting group on Facebook. I go through periods where I’m extremely active, then other times where I am only clicking “like” on random posts that come up through my news feed. But being stuck indoors, it’s been an encouragement to get involved again even though I will have to hold off on hiding rocks.
For those who are unfamiliar with what these rock painting groups are doing, you find rocks to paint with a positive message or image, then you hide them somewhere for someone to find. The rocks usually have a note on the back suggesting the finder should take a photo with the rock and post it to the Facebook group before re-hiding for someone else to find it. (Although finders are also welcome to keep the rocks.)
I’ve been an artist for a long time, but most of my art has been done digitally. Having a physical craft to create with more than mouse and keyboard is a nice change of pace. It’s relaxing to do something hands-on and not be concerned with perfection or how to market my work for sales. Instead, I’m doing it for fun and with the hope of making someone I’ll probably never meet smile.
This rock was turned into art showcasing a sunset.
I’ve painted rocks for holidays and seasons. I painted a set to hide on my honeymoon last year when we drove through the Appalachians. I’ve painted for supporting causes. This weekend, I’ve been painting and making a pile of Harry Potter rocks for Hogwarts House Pride Week that I’m really excited to hide when this is all over. You can paint whatever you want and as long as you’re having fun, you’re achieving the goal of the group.
The best part is that it’s making connections between all of us in the group. We share ideas and celebrate the efforts of others. I’ve never met most of the members, but I am always really happy to see posts or receive comments. It’s nice that this cyberspace meeting space has carried us seamlessly into this current situation. It’s been a perfect way to foster social interaction between all ages and lifestyles where the only thing that’s important in the group is that you’re supportive and making the world a prettier, more positive place while having a good time.
If you have art supplies on hand that have been sitting and collecting dust, this is a great time to do something hands-on that works perfectly while social distancing. And thank you to the awesome people who operate as group administrators. Your little corner of Facebook is one of my favorite places to be and I appreciate it!
(Susan Wilson, 32, is a former resident of Albion. She does graphic design and marketing in Rochester. She likes to make hands-on art in her spare time.)
