More spread of Covid after restrictions lifted in 2021, students return to in-person school

Chart information courtesy of Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

The number of Covid cases was far more locally in 2021 than in 2020 despite Covid vaccinations that covered about 60 percent of the population in Genesee and Orleans counties.

In Orleans there were nearly four times as many cases and Genesee more than tripled the number of cases in 2021 compared to 2020, when Covid emerged and prompted then Gov. Andrew Cuomo and public health officials closed schools, restricted businesses and public gatherings.

In Orleans, the number of Covid cases increased from 1,376 in 2020 to 5,142 last year. In Genesee, the cases were up from 2,449 to 7,538.

The number of Covid-related deaths was down in Orleans from 62 in 2020 to 41 in 2021. However, in Genesee the number of Covid-related deaths was up from 29 in 2020 to 129 in 2021, according to data from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

The Covid cases have steadily been on the rise since the summer.

Genesee-Orleans health officials say the communities have yet to reach herd immunity in vaccinations. The percent of people vaccinated locally is behind the rate in the region and state.

The effectiveness of the vaccines also wanes in time, and about 30 percent of the Covid infections later after Aug. 1 were “breakthrough cases” among those vaccinated many months earlier. That has prompted public health officials to urge people to get the Covid booster shot. Those vaccinated, even several months ago, also are less likely to get seriously sick and be hospitalized than those who aren’t vaccinated, Paul Pettit, public health director in the two counties, said to local reporters on Thursday.

In 2021, things have returned somewhat to “normal” with local schools back to in-person learning every day without remote learning or a hybrid schedule. Businesses were also able to operate at full in-person capacity and community events and festivals were back.

New variants – Delta and Omicron – have also emerged and proven very contagious.

The following charts show the cases broken down per age group. Children and younger adults have accounted for most of the new cases since September.

Covid cases have been surging dramatically in the two local counties so far in 2022, following the indoor gatherings over the holidays and spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Genesee had 1,509 new cases in December, which was by far the most it had during the pandemic – until this month. The county already reported 2,118 cases during the first 10 days of January.

Orleans had 1,045 cases in November, the most during the pandemic for Orleans, and followed that with 938 in December. The county already has 1,125 in the first 10 days of January.

BASOM — A company in Niagara County announced it is giving a $10,000 grant to the Friends of the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge to expand a trail near the refuge’s visitor center and to make the trail more handicapped accessible.

Bob Confer, president of Confer Plastics in North Tonawanda, said the company wants to assist a great team of volunteers at the refuge who are committed to making the site inclusive for outdoor adventures for everybody. He cited the example of the boardwalk at Swallow Hallow.

The $10,000 grant will help the Friends of the Refuge in a project that includes an expanded trail, interpretive signage, trail markers, ADA-compliant benches and other ways to make the trail more handicap-accessible.

“We look at this as a wise investment in a great natural public asset, an investment that will help everyone enjoy the outdoors and savor our natural world,” Confer said in announcing the grant. “We are thankful for the good people of the (Friends of the Refuge) and what they do, and we appreciate being able to help them advance their goals of making the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge a world-class destination.”

The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill advisory for Orleans County and Western New York from 6 p.m. today until 1 p.m. on Saturday, and then a winter storm watch from 6 p.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. on Monday.

Very cold wind chills are expected, as low as 20 below zero. Today has started with a high of 28 but is forecast to fall to 2 degrees overnight.

Saturday will be a high of 10 and will drop to 1 degree overnight, the National Weather Service said.

Sunday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 24, before the snow starts on Sunday night with 9 inches or more of snow possible through Monday.

“Travel could be very difficult to impossible,” the Weather Service said. “The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. The cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.”

Photo courtesy of Scott Robinson: From left, Doctors of Pharmacy Tom Guzzino, Kate Brauen (director of pharmacy) and Faust Novello (board certified pharmacotherapy specialist) are shown at work in the pharmacy at Medina Memorial Hospital. Thursday was National Pharmaceutical Day.

MEDINA – In conjunction with National Pharmaceutical Day on Jan. 12, Orleans Community Health is recognizing pharmacists within Medina Memorial Hospital.

According to Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communications and Outreach, this is a time to showcase the impact pharmacists have on the public’s health and wellbeing.

“Our department team truly loves the work we do,” said Kate Brauen, Doctor of Pharmacy and director of pharmacy at Orleans Community Health. “Health care is a challenging and dynamic field. Pharmacy does more than just giving out medications. We monitor, educate and recommend drug treatments. We take our jobs very seriously and try to maintain a sense of humor every day.”

The 12-person internal pharmacy team at Orleans Community Health resides throughout Western New York, and their service to the community spans decades. The current team includes individuals who have held positions at Orleans Community Health from six months to nearly 40 years, Robinson said.

“We want our patients and the community to be healthy and successful when they leave our care,” Brauen said. “Pharmacists are one of the most trusted health care providers and I want people to know they can access their pharmacist and obtain great advice very easily. During the pandemic, the pharmacy team has sought out access to various therapies for Covid, including antivirals, vaccinations and antibody therapy. We have tried to educate ourselves so we can be a source of credible information to our colleagues and the community.”

A continual goal of Orleans Community Health is to help develop individuals in their career. Brauen is a preceptor for UB and St. John Fisher College Pharmacy programs, in addition to being a preceptor for a UB/Middleport Family Health Center Pharmacy Residency Program.

The Orleans Community Health pharmacy has two outpatient pharmacists in this program who round on TCU patients twice a week. These individuals work as outpatient pharmacists and collaborate with the hospital to help provide better care in the transition home from the hospital.

In addition to Brauen, the pharmacy team at Orleans Community Health includes Tom Guzzino, doctor of pharmacy; Faust Novello, doctor of pharmacy/board certified pharmacotherapy specialist; Paul Torreano, RPH; Fran Mosher, RPH; Rich Avalos, doctor of pharmacy; John Arley Wyman, doctor of pharmacy; Casey Kern, doctor of pharmacy; and Dawn Smith, Evelyn Osborne, Kara Shamblin and Amy Schultz, pharmacy technicians.

Brauen has been employed at Orleans Community Health’s pharmacy for 20 years, Torreano for 37 years, and Smith for 23 years.

Provided photos

ALBION – The Town of Albion has a new loader and a state grant for $180,000 covered most of the cost for the $215,000 piece of equipment.

Pictured from left include Wayne Downs, Albion highway department employee; Michael Neidert, Albion highway superintendent; Joe Navarra, Albion highway department employee; State Sen. Rob Ortt; Town Supervisor Dick Remley; Terry Wilbert, Albion town councilman; and Scott Fisher, sale representative with George & Swede Sales & Services in Pavilion.

State Sen. Rob Ortt sits behind the wheel of the loader. Ortt secured a $180,000 State and Municipal Facilities (SAM) grant for the Hyundai wheel loader. It includes a general purpose bucket, clam bucket, forks, snow pusher and extendable boom all designed as quick attach attachments. It was purchased at George and Swede in Pavilion. After a trade the total cost was $187,600, Neidert said.

Congressman Chris Jacobs, R-Orchard Park, has issued a statement in support of the Supreme Court decision today, blocking President Joe Biden’s vaccine and testing requirement aimed at businesses with over 100 employees.

“Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what I and my Republican colleagues have been saying for weeks: this vaccine mandate is unconstitutional and the President vastly overstepped his authority in trying to enforce it,” Jacobs said. “While I am vaccinated, that is a decision that should only be made between an individual and their physician.

“President Biden – or any government official – should have no role in that private medical decision, and they certainly should not coerce people to get vaccinated out of a fear of termination or retaliation,” Jacobs said. “The President must rescind this and his other mandates, and work instead to support small businesses and our economic recovery – not create more problems with his divisive and unconstitutional policies.”

The Supreme Court decided that a vaccine mandate for certain health care workers to go into effect nationwide.

Biden issued a statement that criticized the ruling against a vaccine mandate for employees at larger businesses, but he praised the decision on health care workers.

“I am disappointed that the Supreme Court has chosen to block common-sense life-saving requirements for employees at large businesses that were grounded squarely in both science and the law,” Biden said. “It is now up to States and individual employers to determine whether to make their workplaces as safe as possible for employees, and whether their businesses will be safe for consumers during this pandemic by requiring employees to take the simple and effective step of getting vaccinated.”

Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt’s Office

MEDINA – Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, along with Senators George Borrello, Ed Rath, and Assembly Members Angelo Morinello, Stephen Hawley, and Mike Norris today urged the Farm Laborers Wage Board to vote against the reduction of the overtime threshold below the current 60 hours established in the Farm Laborer Fair Labor Practices Act (FLFLPA) of 2019.

“The farming industry is vastly different from other work industries,” Ortt said. “Late last year, I and members of my conference sent a letter to the Farm Laborers Wage Board urging board members to vote against the reduction of the overtime threshold. Farmers here have advocated their concerns loud and clear: lowering the overtime threshold will jeopardize their livelihoods.”

This month, the New York State Farm Labor Wage Board will revisit the threshold set in 2019 and make a determination on whether to lower the threshold to 40 hours. Ortt said 96 percent of farms in New York State, most of which are family-owned, are unable to cover the costs of paying time and a half; a threshold reduction would result in less hours for employees to work and smaller paychecks. With farms being local economic engines, this Albany mandate would have devastating effects on communities across New York State.

In a letter sent by members of the Senate Republican Conference, legislators cited a recent study conducted at Cornell University. The study found that if the overtime threshold was lowered to 40 hours, two-thirds of our dairy farmers would have a negative impact on their operations, including leaving the industry or investing out of state, and half of fruit and vegetable farmers indicated they would decrease their operations or exit the industry.

“Despite all the obstacles that New York State has put in their paths, every farmer I know is dedicated to their work, to their farm and employees, and to producing high-quality products,” said State Sen. George Borrello, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “As difficult as it has been for most to implement the new requirements of the Farm Labor Law, they’ve done what they always do in hard times: sacrifice more, work harder and adapt. However, if the overtime threshold were lowered to 40 hours, this already-strained industry would reach the breaking point, as a recent study by Cornell affirmed. With their ‘extra’ already depleted by burdensome and costly policies, even the most resilient of these New Yorkers would be forced to relinquish labor-intensive dairy or crops operations, relocate to other states or abandon agriculture entirely. I urge the members of the Wage Board to listen to researchers as well as those on the front lines, including farm workers, and reject any overtime changes. The future of farming and food security in our state hangs in the balance.”

“I have spoken with and toured numerous farms, farmers and farm workers do not want this change to be made,” said State Sen. Ed Rath. “They have made it very clear that this would not only negatively impact the farmers but the farm workers as well.  Our agriculture industry is already struggling, these overtime changes would only exacerbate the issue. I am hopeful that the voices of the farmers and workers will be heard in Albany and this disastrous change will be stopped.”

“The farmers I have met have great respect for the people who they employ,” said State Sen. Patrick Gallivan. “Like all small businesses, they value their employees’ commitment, work ethic, and the partnership it takes to get the job done.  Reducing the overtime threshold will have a devastating impact on the industry and does not accurately reflect the needs of farm workers or the needs of our farm families. Many family farms are already struggling economically.  We need to support them and the entire agriculture industry which is so vital to New York’s economy.”

“During a time of tremendous economic uncertainty and runaway inflation, the last thing the wage board should be doing is entertaining a proposal that would jeopardize the economic engines of our rural communities and the breadbaskets of our state,” said Assemblyman Steve Hawley. “Our farms simply cannot afford to absorb the projected 42% labor cost increase that would come with the lowering of the threshold and, beyond that, running a farm on a 40-hour a week schedule all year is simply impractical, if not impossible. A sudden and unforeseen severe weather development could mean a farmer’s crops, putting their livelihood on the line, and that’s a part of farming you simply can’t schedule into a 40-hour work week.”

“I voted against this matter when it came up in the Assembly because the negative impact it would have on our farms was clear,” said Assemblyman Mike Norris. “Farms across the state have been besieged by rising costs, including energy prices, various taxes, and rising labor costs as well as the addition of costly mandates from the state leading many farms, particularly small, family-run farms to close, consolidate or downsize operations. Now, with unprecedented inflation families are truly struggling to put food on the table and lowering the overtime threshold will only exacerbate and compound these rising costs and make it harder on families and businesses to stay afloat. We have people who want to work, are willing to work and there’s work to be done. This is not the time to limit hard work, entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity by putting farmers and farm workers alike out of business.”

“We must recognize the difficulties that our farmers already face during the growing season,” said Assemblyman Angelo Morinello. “Crop harvests are mainly determined by weather, and it is usually a small window to get the product to market. Lowering the overtime threshold will just add another obstacle for farmers who already run on very thin profit margins. This will create a negative impact on the market and on small businesses in our state. We must not forget, if you ate today, thank a farmer.”

ALBION – The Covid testing at GCC’s Albion campus has added rapid tests today, with results expected in about an hour.

The state is paying BioReference Laboratories to run the testing site, which is free to the community, including people outside Orleans County. The site opened on Dec. 29 and is expected to continue for about four more weeks.

It is open at 456 West Ave. on Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

So far before today, the tests at the site have been PCR only with the results sometimes not coming back for several days.

The site offers tests by appointment, as well as walk-ins. Click here for more information about making an appointment.

Paul Pettit, the public health director for Genesee and Orleans counties, urged the community to use the site in Albion, which came from a push from local officials.

He said he is hopeful there will also be a state testing site soon in Genesee County. Genesee officials have made a formal request to the state for a testing site, Pettit said.

The state also opened a mass testing site today at Brockport State College. The Brockport community testing site is at Mortimer Hall on Holley Street. It runs until Jan. 25, Monday through Friday. It will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled online – click here.

4 simple steps: get vaccinated, take a Covid test, stay home if test positive or if feel sick

Screenshot: Paul Pettit, public health director in Orleans and Genesee counties, speaks to media during a Zoom online meeting today.

Covid cases are surging dramatically locally, following the indoor gatherings over the holidays and spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

Genesee had 1,509 new cases in December, which was by far the most it had during the pandemic – until this month. The county already reported 2,118 cases during the first 10 days of January.

Orleans had 1,045 cases in November, the most during the pandemic for Orleans, and followed that with 938 in December. The county already has 1,125 in the first 10 days of January.

Paul Pettit, public health director in the two counties, spoke about the “unprecedented spike in cases” today during a monthly update with local media.

The number of cases, nearly 3,000 in the two counties in the past week, has overwhelmed the local health department, forcing staff to limit contact tracing to those 18 and younger, and senior citizens (65 and older) who are more vulnerable to the virus.

Those who aren’t contacted by the health department for case investigations and contact tracing should continue to quarantine and stay home for at least five days. If they don’t have symptoms they can go out of the house but should wear a well-fitting mask in public, Pettit said.

If symptoms persist, people should continue to isolate for 10 days, Pettit said.

Both counties have done mass Covid test kit distributions and Matt Landers, Genesee County manager, said Genesee will be doing more at a drive-through distribution and by getting the kits out to town and village halls around the county.

The local schools are seeing “recond number of abseetism” with students and staff due to the Covid spread, Pettit said.

He meets with school superintendents weekly and he joins them in being committed to keeping schools open. The increased Covid testing has identified more cases and help to isolate those with the virus.

He urged parents not to send kids to school if they are symptomatic and not feeling well.

Dan Ireland, president of the United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, said the hospital is near capacity with 86 percent of beds filled.

The hospital can still do emergency surgeries and respond to the community if there are broken bones, an appendicitis and other healthcare needs. He said 36 percent of the people currently hospitalized at UMMC have Covid. That shows the hospital is tending to other healthcare needs in the community besides Covid, Ireland said.

The “strong majority” of those in the hospital with Covid weren’t vaccinated. And none of those on ventilators with Covid took the vaccine, Ireland said.

“Those who are vaccinated are faring much better than those who aren’t,” he said.

MEDINA – For anyone who has ever considered giving blood – the time is now.

According to Orleans Community Health, for the first time in its history, the American Red Cross on Tuesday declared the current situation is a national blood crisis.

Since March 2020, the American Red Cross has reported a 10% decline in overall donations, Orleans Community Health said in a press release. If donation levels do not return to normal soon, many patients in need of transfusions will not receive them, the hospital reports.

Orleans Community Health is calling on the larger community to do its part to become a blood donor. On Feb. 4, from 2 to 6 p.m., Orleans Community Health is partnering with the Orleans County YMCA to hold a community blood drive. Appointments can be made by calling 1-800-Red-Cross or visiting www.RedCrossBlood.org.

“We have continued to host blood drives throughout the pandemic, as we want to be a space where the community is welcome to help one another, when they are able to,” said Greg Reed, executive director of the Orleans County YMCA. “Bringing the YMCA, American Red Cross and Orleans Community Health together in an effort to save lives through blood donations is what social responsibility is all about.”

“Not everyone can donate blood, said Marc Shurtz, CEO/CIO of Orleans Community Health. “But if you can, we’re calling on you. Let’s pull together as a community and provide this life saving service.”

Anne Kawski is the laboratory director at Orleans Community Health. She regularly highlights the need to donate blood. Every two seconds blood is needed by someone in the United States, and just one donation can save up to three lives, she said.

The following facts are shared by the American Red Cross:

• More than 4.5 million patients need blood transfusion each year in the United States and Canada.
• Roughly 43,000 pints are used in the United States and Canada each day.
• Only 37% of Americans are eligible to donate blood, and only about 10% of those actually donate.
• Anyone who has received a Covid-19 vaccine is eligible to donate. They simply need to bring the name of the manufacturer with them at the time of donation.
• Patients could be forced to pass up a lifesaving organ if compatible blood is not available at the time of the transplant.
• Donating blood saves lives.

Anyone who donates blood during the month of February will receive a $10 Amazon e-gift card.

Orleans Community Health and the Orleans County YMCA ask everyone to join them in doing their part to save lives. Those eligible are urged to donate on Feb. 4 and then create a plan to donate again.

The American Red Cross said the current blood supply is at its lowest level in over 10 years. The organization is urging blood donors to schedule appointment to help ensure blood is available to support patients’ ongoing needs, including emergency situations like car crashes and household accidents.

“The Red Cross provides about 40% of the nation’s blood supply, and our patients rely on volunteer donors like you to help them heal,” the organization said an appeal to blood donors. “Please make this act of service a priority this year. You can even invite a friend to donate at the same center or blood drive so that you two can catch up. We’ve got snacks waiting for you!”

Some upcoming donor opportunities include:

• Tuesday, January 18, from 2 to 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 8221 Lewiston Rd., Batavia.
• Friday, January 21, from 1:30 to 6:30 p.m. Presbyterian Church, 107 N Main St., Lyndonville.
• Thursday, January 27, from noon to 5 p.m. at Brockport Exempts, 248 West Ave., Brockport.
• Friday, February 4, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Orleans County YMCA, 306 Pearl St., Medina.

To make an appointment or to see other upcoming blood drives, click here.

ALBANY – New York’s soybean growers had a record crop in 2021, and the corn output was a near record, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reported.

Soybean farmers produced a record high 17.0 million bushels, up 7 percent from 2020. Soybean yield is estimated at a record high 53.0 bushels per acre, up 2.0 bushels from 2020. Harvested area in 2021, at 320,000, is up 3% from last year, NASS reported.

Corn production in 2021 totaled 97.7 million bushels, up 24 percent from 2020. The average yield in New York is estimated at a record high 167.0 bushels per acre, 10.0 bushels above the 2020 average yield of 157.0 bushels per acre. Area harvested for grain, at 585,000 acres, is up 17 percent from 2020, NASS reported.

Nationally soybean growers  also had record-high production and near-all-time high for corn production, according to the 2021 Crop Production Annual Summary released by NASS.

Soybean production for 2021 totaled a record-high 4.44 billion bushels, up 5 percent from 2020. With record high yields in 21 states, the average soybean yield is estimated at 51.4 bushels per acre, 0.4 bushel above 2020 and the second highest on record.

U.S. corn growers produced 15.1 billion bushels, up 7 percent from 2020 and the second highest on record. Corn yield in the United States is estimated at a record high 177.0 bushels per acre, 5.6 bushels above the 2020 yield of 171.4 bushels per acre.

Press Release, Congressman Chris Jacobs

CLARENCE – Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) sent a letter to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Rettig on Tuesday calling for the IRS to address the backlog in amended tax returns and asking specific questions on operations.

“For months, my constituents have waited for their amended tax returns from IRS and have received no answers,” Jacobs said. “My constituents, and Americans around the nation, are anxiously awaiting their returns and are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of action from the IRS. This is unacceptable and represents a massive dereliction of duty from the agency.”

In a letter from November, the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) reported the IRS had a backlog of over 2.7 million unprocessed amended returns. TAS also recently stopped accepting congressional inquiries from offices due to the high backlog. Currently, some NY-27 constituents are reporting delays of up to 30 weeks to receive their amended tax returns from the IRS.

“2021 tax season is rapidly approaching. This problem must be resolved by then, or millions of Americans face massive backlogs for their returns,” Jacobs said. “The IRS has been using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to deny timely service to millions of Americans. It is far past time to drop that excuse and get back to work safely and efficiently as many other government agencies have been able to do – Americans are relying upon it.”

Will expand availability of road tests for CDL applicants

Photo by Tom Rivers: School buses are lined up in May 2017 at the middle school parking lot in Albion.

Press Release, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Office

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a plan to help address a critical shortage of truck and bus drivers by significantly expanding the availability of road tests for Commercial Driver License (CDL) applicants.

The initiative would allow qualified third parties to offer the road tests, which would create more testing locations statewide and expand capacity at the existing state-run sites, reducing the time it takes to get qualified CDL drivers on the road.

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 26, to hear and review comments on the plan. The hearing will take place virtually via WebEx from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

It will be open for public comments following a brief introduction by DMV representatives. Written comments may be submitted to CDLThirdPartyTesting@dmv.ny.gov from January 18 to February 4.

“As we continue to fight this pandemic, we remain committed to expanding opportunities for New Yorkers, supporting our schools, and doing all we can to address the supply-chain issues that have affected many businesses throughout our state and country,” Governor Hochul said. “By enabling third parties to give the road test for truck and bus drivers, we will create new avenues for New Yorkers to begin exciting careers, for our children to get to school, and to ensure that vital goods get where they need to be.”

During the public hearing, the DMV will provide an overview of the proposal that calls for a phased roll out of this initiative that would initially allow other state agencies and authorities that have large fleets of commercial vehicles to begin conducting CDL road tests.

The second phase would include qualified private entities. The DMV will establish a rigorous monitoring system to ensure that qualified CDL trainers safely administer the road tests in compliance with state and federal regulations. The DMV will use the feedback gathered during the public hearing to evaluate and develop an implementation plan.

“We at DMV know how important it is to have qualified truck and bus drivers on the road, and we are committed to doing what we can to address the need,” said DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “We look forward to gathering public input at this hearing and then acting to enable qualified third parties to offer CDL road tests to give New Yorkers greater opportunity to take the test and to get good jobs driving these essential vehicles.”

Those interested in obtaining a Commercial Driver License can find more information by clicking here.

Press Release, Genesee Community College

BATAVIA – It takes everyone, both locally and globally, to adjust and improve the conditions of climate change. Ask Peter Boyd.

Peter Boyd

“There is no Planet B,” he said. “This is a decisive decade to get on a sustainable path. Fortunately, there are multiple benefits from action, but also a huge cost of inaction.”

Boyd has been Launch Director and COO of Richard Branson’s global initiative, an advisor to the “B Team[1]” on their ‘Net-Zero by 2050’ initiative and Chair of The Energy Efficiency Deployment Office for the UK Department of Energy & Climate Change. Currently he serves as Executive Fellow at Yale University’s Center for Business and the Environment. His latest venture, Time4Good Group, allows sought-out leaders to optimize their time so that they have more energy to dedicate themselves to the environmental and social causes they care about.

Boyd headlines GCC’s 2022 Wolcott J. (Jay) Humphrey III Symposium on Leadership and Community Life. He will speak on Thursday, April 21, at 9 a.m. in The Richard C. Call Arena. A panel moderated by Dr. Benjamin Houlton, The Ronald P. Lynch Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, will present after Boyd’s message.

2022’s topic, “Climate Change and Sustainability” will inform community members of global issues and encourage action to improve our local economy and environment. A panel, moderated by Dr. Houlton will include perspectives from industries including solar, wind, dairy, viticulture, fuel cell and hydrogen energy. CEO Andrew J. Marsh, CEO of Plug Power; William Carleton, General Manager, Solar O&M of Clearway Energy; Suzanne Hunt, Co-Owner of Hunt Country Vineyards; and Curt Gooch, Dairy Environmental System Solutions Expert, Land O’Lakes Truterra, give perspectives on their areas of expertise.

The Humphrey Symposium honors the memory of one of the region’s foremost civic leaders, Jay Humphrey. After his sudden passing in 2001, his family worked with the College to develop the Symposium to continue Jay’s commitment to leadership development. A committee of community and college leaders work together to explore various kinds of speakers and topical issues, and to coordinate a community event that not only honors Mr. Humphrey’s memory, but also engage the community in a meaningful way.

“We are well into a time of disruptive change here at home in Western New York and across the world,” said Nathan Rudgers, director of business development at Farm Credit East and current Humphrey Symposium committee chairman. “Our planning committee felt it was important to bring together subject matter experts to help us better understand the impacts and implications of what we are experiencing from a changing climate.

“From impacts on cropping patterns, yield results and new production opportunities, to the frequency and severity of weather events, there is much to discuss and digest in this arena,” Rudgers said. “We trust you find this an exciting panel discussion and compelling keynote presentation and welcome your attendance and participation.”

Registration is available by clicking here. Lunch is included along with the opportunity to network with others.

For more information contact Vice President, Development and External Affairs Justin Johnston at (585) 345-6809, or via email: foundation@genesee.edu.