Summer Hoot Music Festival set for Aug. 26-28

Celebrating its 10th year as a highlight of the Northeast music festival circuit, The Summer Hoot will be held Aug. 26-28 at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York.

To purchase tickets and for information on the festival, venue, camping, lodging, sponsorships and volunteering, visit hoot.love. Children are admitted free. 

 

Produced and hosted by folk-roots musicians Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar Merenda of The Mammals (aka Mike + Ruthy), the 2022 edition of the compelling and empowering Summer Hoot will feature food, nature, community and performances by nearly two dozen musical acts.

Boasting an environmentally sustainable flair, powered entirely by solar energy and utilizing reusable pint cups to reduce waste, the Summer Hoot promotes inclusivity and a family-friendly, welcoming atmosphere where a diverse crowd comes together annually to enjoy great music.

“The Hoot is where we celebrate what’s good!” said Ruth Ungar Merenda, who in addition to performing in The Mammals serves as Hoot Event Producer and Director of Community Outreach for the Ashokan Center. “It’s not every day that people of all ages can safely explore nature and enjoy new music together, but here at the Hoot that’s just the beginning. This festival lets us share the joy and freedom I was privileged to experience in my own childhood at Ashokan, and keep the party going for generations to come.”

Among the acts scheduled to perform at the 2022 Summer Hoot are:

 

• Naiika Sings, a New York-based singer of the highest order who cut her teeth charming the pants off commuters on the New York City subway.

• Catalan self- taught composer and multi-instrumentalist Lau Noah, who is based in New York City and has built a reputation around “enchanting music lovers one song at a time” (Billboard).

• Six-piece Hudson Valley funk-rock jam band What?

• Hometown fiddling folk legends and visionaries Jay Ungar & Molly Mason.

• The third wave ska band Pilfers, fronted by iconic British-Jamaican vocalist Coolie Ranx.

• Olivia K & the Parkers, the brainchild of Olivia K, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and fearless leader. 

• Acoustic-punk favorite Jeffrey Lewis, praised by Uncut for "his terrific wordplay—sharp, funny, poignant and much more—that really dazzles.” 

• The New York-based City Stompers dance group, presenting high-energy clogging to hot, live hoe-downs.

• Serious Comedy & Juggling, starring Tony Duncan in a dazzling one-man show for all ages.

• The Mammals, torch bearers for American folk music of depth and joy who “are nothing short of sublime” (Americana UK), and bring, “the defiant spirit needed to heal a damaged world” (No Depression).

Past performers at The Summer Hoot (and Winter Hoot) include Pete Seeger, David Bromberg, Natalie Merchant, Ani DiFranco, Amy Helm, Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Byron Isaacs, Simi Stone, Dan Bern, AC Newman, Elizabeth Mitchell, Loudon Wainwright III, Dom Flemons, David Bromberg and many others. 

In addition to the live music on two stages, the 2022 Summer Hoot will feature guided hikes to the Ashokan Center’s Cathedral Gorge and historic 1885 Covered Bridge. Between-band speakers will celebrate “nature’s bounty” with information on fungi, foraging, nutrition, fitness and health. The Summer Hoot’s diverse range of programming will also include morning gong baths with Love Waves; all-day kids’ activities in the Kids Zone; blacksmithing; and a square dance.

Camping at the Summer Hoot is available for $50 per site. Hostel-style indoor lodging is available for $50 per bunk, and includes a mattress and pillow. Bunk-sleepers should bring their own toiletries, towel, pillowcase, and bedding or sleeping bag. Saturday and Sunday breakfast is included in the cost of camping and lodging.

Volunteers who work two, four-hour shifts on details that include the main gate, EMT, trash/recycling, parking or kitchen will receive a free weekend pass in exchange for their time.

Advance weekend passes are available for $80. These include admission and guaranteed parking. Day passes and “Pay-What-You-Can” tickets will also be available at the door.

“Taste the Garden” tickets cost $200 and include a weekend pass to the Summer Hoot; VIP donor reception at 4-6 p.m. on Friday evening, with garden tours, live music from Jay Ungar & Molly Mason and friends; and locally-sourced organic hors d'oeuvres and beverages. 

All ticket and festival proceeds will benefit the year-round cultural and environmental education programs at the Ashokan Center, a former field campus for the State University of New York at New Paltz. This site at the foot of the Catskill Mountains, in the heart of New York’s Hudson Valley, inspired legendary fiddle player Jay Ungar to compose the tender tune, “Ashokan Farewell,” which gave tone and texture to the Ken Burns PBS documentary, “The Civil War.”

The Ashokan Center is at 477 Beaverkill Road in Olivebridge, New York, approximately two hours north of New York City, one hour south of Albany, and 20 minutes west of Woodstock. The nearest city is Kingston, New York.

 

Visit hoot.love and ashokancenter.org for information. 

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ESTHER BELL PROMOTED TO DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE CLARK ART INSTITUTE

Williamstown, Massachusetts––Esther Bell, who currently serves as the Robert and Martha Berman Lipp Chief Curator of the Clark Art Institute, has been promoted to Deputy Director. Bell retains her curatorial role and takes on added responsibilities in overseeing the work of the Clark library, supervising visitor services activities, and supporting Director’s Office initiatives.

“In the five years since she joined the Clark’s staff, Esther Bell has proven herself to be an exceptional leader and a trusted colleague, and she brings great ingenuity and creativity to all aspects of her work. I have every confidence that she will manage her additional duties with the same keen eye for detail and deep commitment to the Clark’s mission that has made her such an important part of our team,” said Olivier Meslay, Hardymon Director of the Clark.

Bell joined the Clark staff in 2017 and has since been deeply immersed in the Clark’s special exhibition program as well as managing all aspects of the care, growth, and development of the Clark’s permanent collection. Bell co-curated the 2019 exhibition Renoir: The Body, The Senses, with George T.M. Shackleford, deputy director of the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, Texas, and was heavily involved in all aspects of the Clark’s first outdoor exhibition, Ground/work, which opened in 2020. She is the co-curator of an upcoming exhibition featuring French drawings from the Bibliothèque nationale de France and is preparing a major monographic exhibition for 2024 on Guillaume Guillon-Lethière (1760–1832).

“I am honored to serve as the Clark’s Deputy Director and am deeply committed to collaborating closely with my colleagues across the Institute as we bring new projects and programs to the forefront. The Clark has many exciting plans ahead and I look forward to working with Olivier Meslay, and with the entire Clark team, as we continue the important mission of serving our communities,” said Bell.

In addition to overseeing the Clark’s curatorial staff, Bell supervises the Institute’s Departments of Education and Public Programs. She is also active in several senior management working groups and internal staff committees, including its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Advisory Group.

In 2020, Bell completed a fellowship at the Center for Curatorial Leadership in New York, a rigorous program designed to identify emerging arts leaders and provide them with the training necessary to prepare them for work in the rapidly evolving cultural climate of the twenty-first century. Bell holds a doctorate in the history of art from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, with a specialization in seventeenth- and eighteenth-century European art. She earned a master’s degree from the Williams College/Clark Graduate Program in the History of Art, and a bachelor’s degree in the history of art from the University of Virginia. She completed a Fulbright Fellowship at the Musée du Louvre in 2003 and has held numerous fellowships.

Before joining the Clark’s staff, Bell served as the curator in charge of European paintings at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. Prior to that, she was the curator of European paintings, drawings, and sculpture at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Bell began her career in New York, serving as a research assistant and curatorial fellow at both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Morgan Museum and Library. In 2015, Apollo magazine named Bell as one of the top ten curators in North America under the age of forty.

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Tannersville Man Dies in Durham Fall after Police Chase

On August 8, 2022, at approximately 11:31 p.m. the New York State Police observed a 1994 Ford F-150 pick-up in violation of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law on County Route 67 in the town of Durham. A trooper initiated a vehicle and traffic stop at the intersection of County Route 67 and O’Hara Road. As the trooper approached the vehicle, an occupant of the vehicle, later identified as Christopher Stanton, age 40 from the village of Tannersville, who had multiple felony bench warrants, fled on foot from the front passenger seat. Stanton fled into a wooded area on the west side of the road.  The trooper entered the woods in an attempt to locate Stanton and observed him laying at the bottom of a steep rock embankment. The trooper made his way down the embankment and rendered first aid until additional emergency personnel arrived. The Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Greenville EMS, and Greene County Paramedics arrived on scene and assisted with first aid and the extradition of Stanton. He was transported via helicopter to Albany Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased from his injuries.

The investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by the New York State Police and the Attorney General’s Office.

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Davenport Man Charged with Manslaughter

On August 5, 2022, New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrested Justin T. Valk, age 46, of Davenport, NY for the class “C” felony of Manslaughter in the second degree, and the class “E” felony of Criminally Negligent Homicide.  

On August 1, 2022, troopers responded to a residence on Pine Cliff Circle in the town of Davenport for a medical event involving Stephanie J. Valk, age 47, of Davenport, NY.  She was transported to a local hospital for further medical care.  On August 3, 2022, Stephanie Valk was pronounced deceased at the hospital.  

An investigation into the death revealed that Justin Valk was aware that Stephanie Valk was suffering from a medical event, inflicted additional physical harm, and failed to call for medical assistance.  

Justin Valk was arrested at his residence and processed at SP Oneonta.  He was arraigned before a judge and remanded to the Delaware County Jail on $30,000 cash bail or $75,000 bond.

If any member of the public has any additional information into this case, please contact the New York State Police at 607-561-7400 and reference SJS 10971239.

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State Police Arrest Middleburgh Man Twice in 12 Hours

On August 7th, State Police in Cobleskill arrested James Wood, 59, of Middleburgh, NY, for Endangering the Welfare of a child, a class “A” misdemeanor, Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, a class “A” misdemeanor and fail to safely secure firearms, a class “A” misdemeanor.

On August 7, 2022, at about 7:40 p.m. State Police in Cobleskill responded to a home in Middleburgh to check the welfare of four children in Woods’ care. While being interviewed, Wood acted belligerently and damaged a vehicle not belonging to him. During further investigation, Troopers located a firearm inside the home, which was not stored safely. All children present were turned over to a family member.  

Wood was transported to SP Cobleskill for processing. He was arraigned in the Cobleskill Town Court and released on his own recognizance. 

On August 8, 2022, at about 6:50 a.m.  Wood was arrested for Criminal Contempt in the First Degree, a class “E” felony. After being released on the above charges, Wood violated a stay-away order of protection issued by the court during his arraignment. The protected party was the victim of the criminal mischief.

Wood was arrested and transported to SP Cobleskill for processing. He was arraigned at the Cobleskill Town Court, and remanded to Schoharie County Correctional facility in lieu of $2,000 cash or $4000 bond.

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Fenimore Art Museum Offers Three-Day Landscape Painting Workshop for Kids Ages 8-12

 Three-Day Landscape Painting Workshop for Kids (ages 8-12)

Tuesday, August 23–Thursday, August 25, 2022

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. each day

Fenimore Art Museum

$100 Members; $115 Non-Members. Find link to register at FenimoreArt.org.

 

Cooperstown, New York – There is still plenty to do this summer at Fenimore Art Museum. Kids ages 8-12 can learn the basics of landscape painting in a special three-day workshop which features a variety of fun art projects. Participants learn about color, perspective, horizon line, and techniques for painting sky, land, and water. The group will spend time on the expansive lawn behind the museum to paint Otsego Lake en plein air and also explore the many landscape paintings on view inside the museum. The workshop takes place Tuesday, August 23–Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. each day. Find a link to register at FenimoreArt.org or visit Fenimore’s page at Eventbrite.com.  $100 Members; $115 Non-Members.

 

About Fenimore Art Museum

Fenimore Art Museum, located on the shores of Otsego Lake—James Fenimore Cooper’s “Glimmerglass”—in historic Cooperstown, New York, features a wide-ranging collection of American art including folk art; important American 18th- and 19th-century landscape, genre, and portrait paintings; more than 125,000 historic photographs representing the technical developments made in photography and providing extensive visual documentation of the region’s unique history; and the renowned Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art comprised of nearly 900 art objects representative of a broad geographic range of North American Indian cultures, from the Northwest Coast, Eastern Woodlands, Plains, Southwest, Great Lakes, and Prairie regions. Visit FenimoreArt.org. 

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Free Sharon Springs Historical Society Webinar Tonight: Monticello

This is a reminder that the Sharon Historical Society's Free Webinar - "Monticello - The Home of Thomas Jefferson" is tonight at 7 PM.  This program is available both In-Person and on Zoom.  If you come in person, it is at the Sharon Free Public Library Community Room.

If you plan to attend by Zoom, the link is below.  See you there!

Topic: Monticello – The Home of Thomas Jefferson
Time: Aug 8, 2022 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89412648139?pwd=Ykp5ZmFYZmhtL2ZMODlUbWsydmFaUT09

Meeting ID: 894 1264 8139
Passcode: 757847

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A Photography Show in The Hudson Valley Examines a Different Side of Cuba, and the Utopian Hope of NFTs

Dancer Osnel Delgado photographed by Laura Diffenderfer 

SAUGERTIES, New York, August 5, 2022 – Artist Laura Diffenderfer offers an exhibition of  photographs, “It Won’t Be This Way Forever,” at Opus 40 in Saugerties, NY August 11– September 30. There will be an opening reception on Saturday, August 13 from 4pm-6pm  (RSVP here). 

The photographs, which feature Cuban dancers, ask viewers to pause in in-between moments— the ones we want to last forever, the ones we want to pass quickly, and moments of 

uncertainty and change. “Many of us feel like we are suspended in time in some kind of  transition right now given Covid-19, which has been particularly destabilizing to the dance  community, and to Cuba,” says Diffenderfer. The photographs feature dancers not on stage,  but in quiet moments of transition in the studio and in the wings of a theater.  

Maria Karla Araujo photographed by Laura Diffenderfer 

Since 2012, Diffenderfer has made more than a dozen trips to Cuba, capturing the movement  and the mood of a group of Havana’s contemporary dancers. This show includes a selection of  intimate photographs of one of Cuba’s best dance troupes — Malpaso Dance Company — taken over several years. 

The show’s title, “It Won’t Be This Way Forever,” also nods to the American understanding of  Cuba—that the island is “suspended in time” due to its 1950s cars and fading pastel building  facades. “In talking with others about Cuba, many people shared that they also hope to visit the  island before it changes. As I came to understand more about Cuba, this sentiment, while  understandable, started to make me uncomfortable. A large part of why Cuba looks so nostalgic  to us is a result of the U.S. Embargo, which prevents trade between the two nations,” says  Diffenderfer. The last time Cuba could import American cars was 1962, when the embargo—the  longest in modern U.S. history—began. 

And, you won’t see pastel colors or classic cars in this series of photographs. Diffenderfer says  she wanted to turn attention toward a resource that Cuba has in spades: extraordinarily special  dancers.  

Malpaso Dance Company photographed by Laura Diffenderfer 

The photographs will be available for purchase, with a portion of each sale benefiting Malpaso  Dance Company, which operates independently from the Cuban government. Two photographs  in the series will be sold as NFTs, as a long-term experiment.  

Further reflecting on our human desire for the everlasting, and the reality that all things are  ever-changing, one pair of photographs in the series will be sold in two different ways: the first  pair as an NFT, and the second through an agreement on paper. Both pairs will be sold with  smart contracts which stipulate how artists will benefit from the first sale, and each future sale  (Malpaso and Diffenderfer will receive percentages each time). One sale will be agreed to by  contract, while the other will be programmed into the NFT, allowing payments to be executed  automatically. This experiment aims to explore which method of exchange will be more reliable  over time. 

“Blockchain—the underlying system through which NFTs are sold—has been referred to as a  new architecture for trust, where ownership of something is not mediated through an  institution, but is logged forever in a ledger that is collectively maintained. It tries to solve the  problem of a lack of trust in institutions and governments with technology. NFTs can be  programmed in interesting ways to provide automatic payments to artists when a work is  resold, allowing them to participate in the art market in new ways. But, how exactly this will all  work in the future is unknown. Will blockchain offer us access to more community, freedom,  and trust? Can we trust computers more than humans—or at least groups more than  individuals? Will blockchain offer artists new ways of creating a sustainable life? Or, is  blockchain most useful as a metaphor for our desire for community, for trust, and for a more  equitable way of organizing resources in society,” says Diffenderfer.  

If this all sounds heady, rest assured that the photographs are poetic not pedantic.  

Caroline Crumpacker, the Executive Director of Opus 40 noted, “We are delighted to showcase  these remarkable photos by Laura Diffenderfer as we close out our 2022 gallery season. Hers is  a deeply thoughtful lens onto a fascinating dance company that we would love to welcome to  Opus 40 at some time in future, hopefully also ushering in a moment of more fluid international  artistic exchange.” 

The exhibition will run from August 11–September 30, 2022. An opening reception will be held  on Saturday, August 13 from 4pm-6pm, including an artist talk, drinks, and music. Tickets to  the reception are offered on a sliding scale. Visit www.opus40.org/events/gallery-openings/ or  email info@opus40.org for more.  

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Caroga Arts Ensemble to Perform at Cooperstown Summer Music Festival August 16

Caroga Arts Ensemble to Perform at Cooperstown Summer Music Festival on August 16

 

The Cooperstown Summer Music Festival continues its 24th season with a performance by the Caroga Arts Ensemble on Tuesday, August 16 at 7pm at the Otesaga Resort Hotel.

The Ensemble, a collective of top performers with local ties founded and directed by cellist Kyle Price, will present an eclectic program entitled ‘Musical Kaleidoscope’, consisting of repertoire ranging from bluegrass and classical to jazz and pop.

Price describes the performance as a “musical variety show”, drawing on the diverse talents and backgrounds of the musicians involved and offering something for everyone. Yet the program is more than the sum of its parts, as combining genres in this way brings new insight to every piece being performed -- as well as new energy to those doing the performing.

“A program like this inspires the musicians to discover the pieces, our fellow performers, and the audience in a new way,” says Price. “That energy and spontaneity is something that we thrive off of as performers.”

EVENT DETAILS:

Caroga Arts Ensemble: A Musical Kaleidoscope

Tuesday, August 16, 2022, 7:00-9:00pm, Otesaga Resort Hotel

A musical variety show offering an eclectic program including bluegrass, classical, jazz, and pop selections.

TICKET INFORMATION:

Tickets for this event are by donation. Tickets for this concert must be reserved in advance either online from www.cooperstownmusicfest.org or over the phone by calling Purplepass Tickets at 800-316-8559 and selecting Option 1. Please note there is a $2 service fee per phone order.

For all events, audience members must show proof of vaccination, including a required booster shot for those who are eligible.

ABOUT THE COOPERSTOWN SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVAL:

Founded in 1999 by flutist Linda Chesis, the Cooperstown Summer Music Festival has been bringing world-class chamber music performances to the Cooperstown area for 24 years. The festival has featured performances by the American, Juilliard, St. Lawrence, Jupiter and Jasper String Quartets, Stefon Harris, Bill Charlap, Kurt Elling, Simone Dinnerstein, Mark O’Connor, John Pizzarelli, the Sonia Olla Flamenco Dance Company, and many more. Concerts are held in venues across Cooperstown, including the grand Otesaga Hotel, The Farmers’ Museum and Christ Church (the church of author James Fenimore Cooper).

The Cooperstown Summer Music Festival is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.

See cooperstownmusicfest.org for details.

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Editorial: Pain, Part II

I wrote about Ryan and his late sister Kayla in last week's editorial. They were special people from a great family. I hope that everyone reading this goes to the celebration of life today at 5pm at the Timothy Murphy Park.

Ryan deserves the elevation, and his friends and family deserve catharsis.

Some comments were thrown about Monday's Middleburgh village board meeting opposing the donation of funds raised to the New York Wildlife Rescue Center by Mayor Bergan. Those comments were ignorant, wrong, and quite cruel under the circumstances. A few minutes of attention would have avoided the tangent.

Ryan and Kayla spent untold time at Wes Laraway's farm and rescue. Kayla was an outstanding, big-hearted person who did more through the rescue than most. Mr. Laraway has been tireless in his efforts to honor her legacy since her passing in 2016.

Mr. Laraway also has not taken a cent from his hours-- at all hours of the day and days of the week-- rescuing animals. The man's main fault is that he expends himself for the benefit of families and animals in need. Not only does he not take a salary, he donates more in a year in time, money, and sweat, than many people do in a lifetime. I can think of no better tribute to Ryan, who I knew since he was 6, than to have his family and friends present for a concert performed by his band, and the proceeds donated to the rescue. Trustee Bob Tinker and DPW head Nick Dunscombe correctly pointed this out during the meeting.

I've written about Wes many times in my editorials. The man is not perfect in politics. He is close to it in education. In animal rescue, he is first class. If it has scales, feathers, or fur (or even porcupine quills) and it lives in New York State, chances are that Wes Laraway has been out on a 2am call taking care of the animal.

Was there miscommunication from organizer Mike Bernard, who I've also known for a long time? Not any that I see. He's done something very kind for Ryan and his family. Any from Supervisor Laraway? Not unless I'm missing something.  We’re also doing our best to help, offering complimentary space in our paper. 

No one is profiting, except Ryan’s legacy.

The current park use rules were set up during my tenure as Middleburgh's Mayor. They still work well. The rules aren't the problem, nor the organization of an event for a person many people in the community loved.

I hope that all of our readers will support the event and the rescue at PO Box 410, Middleburgh, NY 12122 or https://nywildliferescue.org/support-us/. Tell them the Mountain Eagle sent you.

Ryan and Kayla Urrey's lives mattered very much to me. I hope that their memory will be the same blessing that they were both in life.

-- Matthew Avitabile, Publisher

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Sharon Historical Society's Next Free Webinar - "Monticello - An in-depth look at Thomas Jefferson’s beautiful home and plantation"

Join us on August 8th at 7 PM for our next Free Webinar, "Monticello - An in-depth look at Thomas Jefferson’s beautiful home and plantation"

To register for this event, please click on the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/396559168147

About this event

The five-thousand-acre plantation, Monticello, was designed by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and the only president trained as an architect. Jefferson began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Jefferson's home was built to serve as a plantation house, which ultimately took on the architectural form of a villa. It has many architectural antecedents, but Jefferson went beyond them to create something very much his own. He consciously sought to create a new architecture for a “new nation”.

Work began on what historians would subsequently refer to as "the first Monticello"; in 1768, on a plantation of 5,000 acres. Jefferson moved into the South Pavilion (an outbuilding) in 1770, where his new wife Martha Wayles Skelton joined him in 1772. Jefferson continued work on his original design, but how much was completed is of some dispute. In constructing and later reconstructing his home, Jefferson used a combination of free workers, indentured servants, and enslaved laborers. Jefferson began rebuilding his house based on the ideas he had acquired in Europe. The remodeling continued throughout most of his presidency (1801–1809). Although generally completed by 1809, Jefferson continued work on the present structure until his death in 1826.

In this program presented by Ron Ketelsen, president of the Sharon Historical Society, you will learn all about Monticello, from the time of conception, the design and building, the decorations and furnishings, the outbuildings, and plantation, and the preservation of this treasured historic landmark. Ron will also take you on a virtual tour of Monticello.

This presentation will be both an “in person” presentation at the Sharon Free Public Library Community Room at 7 PM as well as available on Zoom.

A question-and-answer session will follow with Ron Ketelsen.

Sharon Historical Society

PO Box 363

Sharon Springs, NY  13459

(518) 860-5513

Email: sharonhistoricalsocietyny@gmail.com

Website: www.sharonhistoricalsocietyny.org

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Bassett’s School-Based Health Program Receives Excellus BCBS Grant to Fund Telehealth Expansion

Cooperstown, N.Y. – Excellus BlueCross BlueShield has named Bassett’s School-Based Health Center (SBHC) program as a 2022 recipient of their Community Health Awards. Jane Hamilton, RN, practice manager and Courtney Graham, FNP, accepted the funding on behalf of SBHC during a visit from Excellus BCBS regional president Eve Van de Wal to the Cooperstown SBHC in June.   Through a competitive application process, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s Community Health Awards provide funding to launch, expand, and sustain programs and services that promote health. These investments advance health equity by extending the reach of preventive health services or health-promoting programs to vulnerable populations. The health plan’s corporate giving follows all applicable laws and regulations and does not support funding organizations that conflict with its corporate mission, goals, policies, or products. The $5,000 funding will contribute to the ongoing development of telehealth within the SBHC system. Like many uses of remote meeting technology, telehealth received special attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the technology is an essential complement to in-person local providers well beyond its pandemic applications—especially within a SBHC setting. “Students utilize video visits to access a variety of pediatric specialties,” explains Hamilton. “This includes tele-psychiatry visits with a psychiatrist; medication follow-ups for ADHD or depression; concussion clearance by a pediatrician; and ongoing management of chronic illnesses, such as asthma and psychotherapy with school-based health mental health clinicians Without the need for these specialists to travel to schools throughout the region—or for students to travel to bigger medical centers—practitioners are able to see more patients and students are able to get appointments sooner.” Telehealth becomes even more important to those students with unusual or difficult-to-diagnose conditions. In 2021, Bassett’s SBHC started a telepulmonology program that connects students with rarer asthma and similar pulmonary conditions with sub-specialists in Rochester. The Excellus BCBS Community Health Award will help SBHC expand telehealth to other pediatric sub-specialties. “Providing access to high-quality health care is core to our mission as a nonprofit health plan,” states Eve Van de Wal, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Utica regional president. “We are proud to support the work of Bassett Medical Center’s School-Based Health Centers with essential community health funding to remove barriers to care and improve community health.”

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