Sgt. James F. Carty, DSC VFW Post 1545

I would like to let veterans know how much the VFW works for their benefits. While members of Congress are home for the August recess, their staff remain in Washington, D.C., tracking what constituents are saying and preparing for the work ahead. Now is the time to speak up.

Two critical VFW priorities must stay in this year’s National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (NDAA):

Major Richard Star Act (Senate amendment)
Ends the unjust offset that prevents combat-injured, medically retired veterans from receiving both military retirement pay and VA disability compensation. Veterans who earned both deserve both.

TAP Promotion Act (part of the House base text)
Improves the Transition Assistance Program by giving service members direct access to accredited VA claims assistance to receive their benefits at the earliest possible moment.

When Congress returns in September, negotiations will begin on the NDAA. These VFW priorities will not make it without strong support, and that starts with you.

Send a message to your senators and representative urging them to support the Major Richard Star Act amendment in the Senate NDAA and fight to keep both the Major Richard Star Act and the TAP Promotion Act in the final version of the NDAA. It is important that veterans help veterans. 

We have great news to share! H.R. 1815, VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, has been signed into law. This victory is a direct result of your powerful advocacy. You raised your voices, and Congress listened.

Please take a moment to thank your representative and senators for supporting this vital legislation, as it passed both chambers unanimously. Your message of gratitude reinforces the importance of standing with veterans and reminds lawmakers how much these efforts matter to our community.

This new law will: Establish a permanent partial claim program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assist veterans using the VA Home Loan Guaranty Program who are facing foreclosure by covering missed mortgage payments and helping them remain in their homes.

Strengthen VA’s homelessness prevention efforts by funding the Grant and Per Diem Program, which supports community organizations that provide transitional housing and services for veterans experiencing homelessness.

On May 7, 1970 Kenneth J. David at Fire Support Base Maureen, Thua Thein Province, Vietnam was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. His citation reads: Private First Class Kenneth J. David distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on May 7, 1970, while serving as a radio-telephone operator with Company D, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, near Fire Support Base Maureen, Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam.

On this date, Private First Class David's company came under an intense attack from a large hostile force. The enemy’s ferocious initial assault mortally wounded the company’s Platoon Leader and resulted in numerous other friendly casualties. Upon the initial assault and without hesitation, Private First Class David handed his radio to his Platoon Sergeant and moved forward to the defensive perimeter, unleashing a barrage of automatic weapons fire on the enemy. From this location, Private First Class David bitterly resisted all enemy efforts to overrun his position. Realizing the impact of the enemy assault on the wounded who were being brought to the center of the perimeter, Private First Class David, without regard for his own life, moved to a position outside of the perimeter while continuing to engage the enemy. 

Each time the enemy attempted to concentrate its fire on the wounded inside the perimeter, Private First Class David would jump from his position and yell to draw the enemy fire away from his injured comrades and back to himself. Refusing to withdraw in the face of the concentrated enemy fire now directed toward him, he continued to engage the enemy. 

Although wounded by an exploding satchel charge and running perilously low on ammunition, he tossed hand grenades toward the attackers to effectively counter their fire. The unit’s medic, realizing that Private First Class David had been injured, moved to his position to provide aid, but Private First Class David assured him that he was okay and continued to fight on. 

Private First Class David’s courageous and selfless actions continued to draw the enemy fire away from the incoming medevac helicopters, allowing the wounded to be safely evacuated. After allied reinforcements fought their way to his company’s position, Private First Class David carried a wounded comrade to a sheltered position. He then returned to the contact area and continued to engage the enemy and provide covering fire for the wounded until the enemy broke contact and fled, at which point he too was medically evacuated.

Private First-Class David’s conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

I would like to announce that our flash board is now operational for Bingo. This makes playing much easier for everyone. Also, a big thank you to The Main Street Market, (5344 State Route 23, Windham, NY) for sponsoring Bingo night with delicious Chicken Marsala and Penne pasta. 

Chris, the owner, is the relative of a Marine veteran of Iwo Jima and this is his way of honoring that service and helping our post. The Main Street Community Center sends their thank you also. Another way our community helps each other. We salute you, Chris. 

Keep all of our Veterans and still serving in the military in your thoughts and prayers. God bless America. 

Marc Farmilette, PDC – Commander Post 1545

 

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Outdoors with Larry DiDonato - Beware of Bears Bearing Fruit

Black bears can wreak havoc on fruit trees this time of year. Their strength can totally destroy especially younger saplings. One method to discourage this is to safely hang ammonia in plastic bottles, using heavy fishing line. Top the bottles with ammonia-soaked rags to increase effectiveness. Be careful to avoid spilling ammonia on fruit, leaves, bark as well as on your hands. When hung surrounding a fruit tree you are trying to protect, the strong irritating odor can bother a bear's acute sense of smell, potentially keeping them away from the sweet reward of apples, pears, peaches, and other soft mast.   

 Have you noticed broken branches on your fruit trees lately? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. This time of year, black bears are in the midst of foraging soft mast like apples, pears, and peaches, in their quest to pack on weight to help get them through the long winter.  Last week, what’s become an unwelcome annual ritual struck once again. I saw a black bear standing under my rather old, large pear tree. By its side laid a heavy branch measuring over 4-inches in diameter. The big branch, and the rest of the tree, was laden with pears. The black bear stood its ground. It refused to run off despite my making loud noises, which had done the trick in the past. I soon learned why. The large sow delayed her abrupt departure until her cub, which remained hidden in the canopy, until it hurriedly scampered down the tall tree. That completed, they both hit the ground running.  

Loss of the large branch from the huge 50 plus year-old tree didn’t do it any harm, but that was not the case with a much younger, small apple tree the week prior. The thin sapling suffered broken branches it could not much afford. This was a little disheartening since this was the first year it finally produced a crop of small, but viable green apples. Luckily for the little sapling, it seems the cub, rather than its 200-plus pound mother climbed the tree breaking the thin branches. I saw distinct small dotted orange claw marks up the bark, providing evidence the tree was climbed by the cub, likely as the sow stood by, teaching it how to get quality soft mass from fruit trees. 

 Last year, damage to a slightly larger apple tree and a tall, thin pear tree was more extensive with a good number of prime limbs snapped off by a large bear. Short of erecting an electric fence around your prized fruit trees, there are ways you can safely discourage bears form destroying your fruit trees.  My response then, and once again this year, was to hang plastic bottles partially filled with household strength ammonia to deter the destruction. This year, I added ammonia-soaked rags atop some of the empty gallon and one-liter water bottles which I perforated to allow the noxious smell of ammonia emanate through the air. My aim is to allow the burning aroma to dissuade black bears. Bears generally avoid such odors that must be unpleasant given the powerfully acute olfactory senses in their elongated snouts. So far, it appears to be working, but as the fruit ripens that remains to be seen.  

*Remember, never mix ammonia with bleach or vinegar. Combining ammonia and bleach produces the dangerous and highly toxic compound, chloramine gas.  “Inhaling chloramine gas, produced when bleach and ammonia are mixed, can cause a range of health issues, from mild irritation to severe respiratory distress and even death, depending on the concentration and duration of exposure.” If you mix ammonia with vinegar, it produces another dangerous substance, chlorine gas. It’s a good rule NEVER to mix any of these substances and use them as their labels and trusted guidance direct. 

 

Remember the adage, remove the food, remove the bear. Pick fruit the moment it can be harvested and ripen the rest of the way off the tree whenever possible. It’s tough to beat bears to the prize as they are willing to eat them a bit before our palate can handle the tart, unripened fruit. 

 That being said, follow DECs guidelines to keep bears from visiting your property in search of human food sources in the first place.

At-Home BearWise Basics

Avoiding human-bear conflicts begins with prevention. By following the at-home BearWise basics, you can help reduce the likelihood of human-bear conflict in your backyard.

• Never feed or approach bears

• Secure food, garbage and recycling

• Remove bird feeders when bears are active

• Never leave pet food outdoors

• Clean and store grills and smokers

• Alert neighbors to bear activity

 Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, encourage bear hunting near you to keep bear numbers in-check, especially during the early bear gun season, if open in your area. This year the season opens west of the Hudson in selected Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) on September 6th and runs through September 21st. Go to https://dec.ny.gov/things-to-do/hunting/deer-bear/seasons for more information on bear hunting seasons. Hunting black bears in September can effectively target nuisance and problem bears which remain in their summer feeding patterns. Unfortunately, those patterns all too often include human food sources or natural food sources like fruit trees in close proximity to homes. 

 Wildlife management begins with you. Promoting hunting bears, deer, and other wildlife keeps populations in balance with available habitat, limiting negative human interactions. 

 So, do your part and get out and hunt early and hunt often. If you don’t hunt, consider allowing others to do so for the benefit of all!

Happy hunting, fishing, and trapping until next time!

News and Notes 

CORRECTION/CLARIFICATION: Last week’s Outdoors column’s opening sentence announced, “…hunting and trapping licenses and Deer Management Permits (DMPs) for the 2025-26 season are now on sale THROUGH October 1st.” *While DMPs are only available through October 1st 2025, hunting and trapping licenses are of course, available throughout the year.

 

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Children's Geology Hike with Robert Titus

HAINES FALLS — A quick intro to the science of geology and then as we wander round the MTHS campus, Robert Titus will describe how the glaciers rose out of Kaaterskill Clove and overran the site. “We would imagine the ice rising out of the clove and then look at the kame and kettle moraine at the Haines family cemetery. We would also look at the standing stones that litter the vicinity.” Meet on the MTHS Visitor’s Center porch, 5132 Route 23A Haines Falls at 10 AM. This event will last about 2 hours. Rain date Saturday, September 13th.

This hike will be led by Robert Titus the Catskill Geologist

Difficulty level is easy.

Registration is required. For more information or to register, please email mthsdirector@mths.org or call 518-589-6657.

 

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DiNapoli: Rural Counties Face Shortage of Health Professionals - Courtesy State Comptroller’s Office

ALBANY — A new report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli examined healthcare professional shortages in 16 rural counties in New York state and found alarming shortfalls in primary care, pediatric, and obstetrician and gynecologist (OBGYN) doctors, dentists and mental health practitioners, with several counties having no pediatricians or OBGYN doctors at all. The shortage of mental health practitioners in New York’s rural counties may be the most severe, with all counties designated by the federal government as areas having professional shortages.

The rural counties examined were Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chenango, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Schuyler, Steuben, Sullivan, Washington, Wyoming and Yates.

“Having access to health care is an essential quality of life issue and helps people live healthier lives,” DiNapoli said. “Addressing gaps in the rural healthcare workforce to alleviate current shortages and plan for future demand will not only positively impact the health of people living in less populated areas of New York, but could also create new jobs and bolster our rural economies.”

Key Findings:

Ten of the sixteen rural counties covered in this report are federally designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas for primary care, dental and mental health; all 16 counties examined have shortage designations for at least two of these fields of medicine.

On average, the 16 rural counties have four primary care physicians per 10,000 people – a ratio that is less than half that of the state (8.1) and the U.S. (8.4) and falls below the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee (GMENAC) guideline (6.9). For the nearly 173,000 people within designated Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HP Shortage Area) who are underserved (23% of the rural counties’ population), these shortages are far more acute – as low as 0.12 physicians per 10,000 people.

The 16 rural counties have 0.5 pediatricians for every 10,000 people – less than one-fifth of the state ratio (2.8), one-third of the U.S. (1.8), and less than half the GMENAC guideline (1.2). There are no pediatric physicians in three of the 16 counties.

The OBGYN physician to 10,000 population ratio of the 16 rural counties is 0.4 – meaning there is roughly one OBGYN physician for every 23,000 people. This is less than half the GMENAC guideline (1). Four counties – Hamilton, Herkimer, Schuyler and Yates – have no OBGYN physicians at all.

The 16 rural counties’ dentist to 10,000 population ratio (3.6) is less than half of the state ratio (8.3). There are no dentists in Hamilton County. Ten of the sixteen rural counties have dental HP Shortage Areas for the Medicaid eligible population with a combined underserved population of 134,248 people, or nearly 18% of the population.

The rural counties’ mental health practitioner to 10,000 population ratio (6.9) is less than half that of the state (16.1). All of the rural counties are designated as mental health HP Shortage Areas either for the entire population, or for portions of the population like the low income or Medicaid eligible portions of the population. In the rural counties, there are 305,265 people within mental health HP Shortage Areas who are designated as underserved by the Health Resources Services Administration, or nearly 41% of the population.

Impact of Federal Actions

The limited number of providers and physical facilities in New York’s rural counties presents an additional barrier to recruiting more healthcare professionals. Not all counties have hospitals or rural health clinics, and those that do operate on tight margins, or at a loss. Reductions in eligibility for Medicaid and the Essential Plan made in the recently enacted federal budget bill (Public Law No: 119-21) may exacerbate the issue, potentially forcing some rural hospitals to close. New York state has six rural hospitals that are in the top 10% for Medicaid payer mix throughout the nation and an additional five that have experienced three consecutive years of negative margins. In the 16 rural counties examined, 204,899 people, or 27% of the population, were enrolled in Medicaid as of May 2025.

It is unclear at this time the extent to which the impact of Medicaid cuts on rural healthcare systems will be offset by funding made available through the federal Rural Hospital Transformation Program. Public Law No: 119-21 allocated $10 billion a year from federal fiscal years 2026 to 2030 to support rural hospitals, clinics, federally qualified health centers, and community mental health centers, but it is not guaranteed that all states that apply will receive funding.

Overcoming Rural Barriers to Healthcare Access

Transporting people to healthcare, particularly those with limited or no access to cars, is particularly challenging. Most rural counties have limited public transportation options, but paratransit for the elderly is relatively common, and there may be opportunities to expand services to other demographics where such services don’t exist.

The expansion of telemedicine for certain types of care is another option to bolster rural health systems but is not a complete solution. Physical examinations are more difficult, when possible, through telemedicine and many necessary services like bloodwork and other testing require in-person access to patients. For other types of care, such as mental health counseling, telemedicine has the potential to increase access to providers.

Other strategies to increase healthcare access involve meeting people where they are. Mobile clinics can be deployed on a regular schedule to underserved rural communities, alleviating transportation barriers to access, and without the cost of opening and maintaining brick and mortar clinics. School-based health centers are another option to expand healthcare access to rural New York.

Policies to bolster the rural healthcare workforce can also be pursued, such as incentivizing the training of new healthcare professionals to serve in rural New York through loan forgiveness programs and rural stipends or subsidies, and attracting existing professionals to rural areas through similar programs or implement reciprocity programs for out-of-state professionals to serve in rural areas.

 

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Local History by Dede Terns-Thorpe - THE KAATERSKILL

REPUTED TO BE THE LARGEST FRAME HOTEL IN THE WORLD

This information was gathered from a pamphlet written by Francis Overbaugh. The hotel stood on the southeast side of the Palenville Mountain, near Sunset Rock, 2 miles from the Catskill Mountain House. (The Mountain Top Historical Society’s Archivist, Bob Gildersleeve, leads an annual hike to the spot of the famous hotel.)

Old local news articles clipped by Overbaugh:

The main building was 324 feet long, 4 stories high, with 34’ end towers, 80’ middle towers, and the main piazza 256’. The middle section of the central tower measured 22’ wide, and the ends 17’, making the main piazza 4,800 square feet. The balcony under the main section was 80x18 making the area 1,440 sq. ft. The hotel had 4 floors with the 1st floor over 13’, the 2nd being 12’, the 3rd 11 ½ ‘, and the 4th floor 10’. There were 13 staircases, with an elevator near the main staircase.

The east end housed the barber shop, reading room, smoking room, barroom, while the west end contained private parlors, and on one end a bowling alley and a billiard room. The dining room was 214’ by 42’ with a wing for servants, and a children’s room. The kitchen was 60’ by 30’ with rubbered stone from Malden Works. The Kaaterskill contained a music room, a theater, a stage, and tableaux.

Lighting was provided by gas, a modern water supply, ventilation, and sewage systems.

The hotel was constructed under the supervision of Foreman Elias Dutcher, Philadelphia Architect S. D. Button, E. Lampman providing detailed craftsmanship, while Charles Beardsley, oversaw the 22 workmen in Lampman’s shop.  

All in all, it was a huge job built throughout the cold winter months on the ledge of South Mountain. According to Historian Leah Wiltse, the hotel was securely anchored to 10’ rods drilled into rock and securing it against the powerful winds. Leah said her grandfather, George Showers, worked on the building and said workers were always paid in gold coins. She also said that when completed it was I mile around the building.

Thanks so much for reading.

Stay safe and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Dede Terns-Thorpe

Town of Hunter Historian

 

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Music at the Grazhda - Fourth Concert of the 2025 Summer Season - Presented by the Music and Art Center of Greene County

JEWETT – Please join us on Saturday, August 16th at 8 pm for an unforgettable evening at the “Music at Grazhda” Festival as we present the internationally acclaimed pianist Pavlo Gintov in a solo recital! Gintov, praised as a “poet of the keyboard” and a “musical storyteller,” has captivated audiences worldwide at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York, Berlin Philharmonic Hall, Teatro Verdi in Milan, and Tokyo’s Kioi Hall among many others. He is the First Prize winner of the Takamatsu International Piano Competition, the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, and The World Competition, earning multiple special awards. Don’t miss this extraordinary event – a night of pure musical magic!

The Grazhda Hall is situated on the scenic Route 23 A at 46 Ukraine Road, Jewett, NY 12444. The Grazhda Hall is part of the unique building complexes, built of timber blockwork, constructed fully without nails, that includes the St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church, its Belfry and the Pastor’s House. The wood interior and high ceilings of the Grazhda are particularly conducive to creating a wonderful environment with great acoustics for concerts. 

The Music and Art Center of Greene County, a non-profit organization is supported in part with public funds from the Greene County Legislature through the Greene County Cultural Fund, administered in Greene County by CREATE Council on the Arts. It is supported as well as by the Self Reliance New York Federal Credit Union; the Peter Kellogg Trust; private donations; and memberships.

For further information visit: www.GrazhdaMusicandArt.org

 

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The Prattsville Scoop

By Abby and Gabby

PRATTSVILLE – By the time you read this we will, hopefully, have been through our third “heat wave” of the summer of 2025. So we want to thank all those who watch over our health and well being and safety during these times. Thank you to our veterans also.

Heard from Connie Lane with the following. She seems to remember, but can’t swear to it but she seems to remember that there was a trade/deal made between Clifford Enderlin and Avery Smith swapping the farm for the Prattsville hardware store. She doesn’t remember if the house on Washington Street was included. “Clifford was also a school bus driver. Bet we parents would be surprised at some of the stories he could have told us. He also made weekly trips to a big Hotel down Cairo way to take boys to use their indoor swimming pool. I think it was called Winter Clove. He invited us a few times and we brought the whole family. Stopped at Frank’s Pizza place after. He did things like this without looking for recognition.” Most of us of a certain age had their first taste of pizza at Frank’s. It was a quick trip because in “those days” you had a curfew. The building is still there on Route 23 and some of the sign is still visible. Thanks Connie and will always welcome tales from bygone days from one and all.

Heard from the “Oregon gals”, Judy and Janet Chatfield. There had been silence from them and only recently learned that their email address on hand no was no viable. They thought they had been left off the list but we are all back on track and share the following. As American Legion Auxiliary members of our local Virgil E. Deyo Unit 1327, they continue to give our Unit credit for their veteran and community services. Judy enjoys all sorts of programs and concerts at the Senior Center, the park and the library. They also share gardening duties but theirs include watering same every day. They also have the hot weather but without sufficient rain. Janet and Judy were “kitten sitting” with Kit-Kat and Snickers, since Janet’s son, the cats’ owner, went away for a few days. Of course, Judy got attached to them. If she refused to return them would she be guilty of catnapping? So good to hear from them and will always welcome their news.

The American Legion Virgil E. Deyo Unit 1327 and American Legion Auxiliary Virgil E. Deyo Unit 1327 of Prattsville ahd their annual dinner at The Brandywine on August 7. Thirty-four legionnaires, auxiliary members and guests had a great evening together. If names are mentioned, am sure to forget someone so will just say our membership was represented in force. The food, drinks and, most enjoyable, was the comradeship of all. It was like a beehive of noise. Of course the food was all that you could ask for and our thanks go out to Sarah and staff at The Brandywine. We have to also thank Bev for her attentiveness. Membership to these two organizations can be secured by contacting Johannes Krauss, 518-299-3307, for the Legion and Virginia Gurley, 518-299-3219, for the Auxiliary.

There will be a Labor Day yard sale at the Brainard/Gurley homes on Route 23A, Labor Day weekend, Saturday, August 30. 9 – 4. A melange of items will be offered and there will also be a table for the benefit of the American Legion Auxiliary in their ongoing care of veterans. Special shout out for this yard sale to Bev of Ashland because she “wants to know.” See you Bev. Will have vintage young ladies clothing, small sizes. Books, dishes, tools, household items, and use your imagination.

Cousins Tony Marsh and Bobby Gurley, and mutual friend Jack Van Valkenburgh met for breakfast Friday morning at Tracy’s Creekside in Grand Gorge. They are going to be inviting friends from long ago to join them on upcoming Fridays. So if you hear a lot of chattering, it is not the female gender nor the birds, it is those gentlemen. Enjoy, gents. Pat and Manley Haight got to witness this event. Lucky them.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany is going to be closing the Mission Churches in their jurisdiction. Our beloved St. Philip Neri RC in Grand Gorge is a “Mission Church” celebrating its 100th Anniversary in October. A Mass of celebration will be said at St. Philip Neri on Sunday, 11 AM, October 12, followed by a luncheon at the Grand Gorge Fire Hall. Bishop Scharfenberger will be in attendance. They are asking for pictures and memorabilia featuring St. Philip’s to be shared for this event. Contact Theresa Gier at 607-588-9470 or you can give them to her or an usher at Mass by September 21. Ginny Naso (Mrs. Robert) Hull once told me that her father, Dr. Naso, was instrumental in establishing the building of St. Philip Neri RC Church and/or donating the land. The Naso family and doctor’s offices were across the road from St. Philip’s?

We have all heard of partridges in a pear tree but have you heard of bears in a pear tree? A mama bear and two cubs were spotted on Route 23A and then one of the cubs was a victim of a car and then their mama bear disappeared. The next sighting was of the surviving cub in a resident’s pear tree on the back lawn. WOW! Just remember they are dangerous and specially a mama bear. Stay vigilant and smart and healthy.

Feel better wishes go out to Charlie Santo, Joanne Dunphy, Claudia Bracaliello, and Pat Haight as well as those who prefer to remain unnamed.

And speaking of feel better, to all fellow Buffalo Bills fans, it was only a pre-season game. Plus they probably felt sorry for the NY Giants.

Happy Birthday to Brett Olson on August 16. On August 17 we wish Sawyer Elias Petricini a very Happy Birthday. On August 19 we send Happy Birthday wishes to Stephanie Simpfenderfer, Suzette Donisan and Harvey Truesdell. Happy Birthday on August 21 to Alanna Ballard and Kathy ShermanHappy Anniversary to Lenore and Al Olivieri on August 15. Make it a good one friends. Pat and Eddie Chatfield are sent Happy Anniversary greetings on August 18.

Send your birthday and anniversary dates to 518 299 3219 or gurleyrv@gmail.com. Send all your news to same.

 

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Traditionally speaking…by Pat Larsen - “MOTION IS THE LOTION”

I was recently having a conversation with a close friend who is a medical practitioner. We touched upon the topic of movement as one of the most valuable aspects of healing regardless of age.

It was her 78 year old patient, a farmer his entire life,  who quoted the phrase that is the title of this piece. That simple four word statement stayed with me.

My experience as a  fitness instructor has been quite extensive. Just before retiring from my professional career  as a health care provider that spanned 45 years, I became licensed to teach programs designed exclusively for ages 55+ and older.

As a matter of fact, I am proud to say that my classes consist, in part, of those well into their late 80’s and mid 90’s. THEY are literally our role models every day.

That’s when I realized that it was indeed continuous “motion” that was the key to opening the emotional stability that they each were able to access regardless of their ages. 

Why is that? Well, think of it this way. There’s something very valuable in facilitating the aging mind to be able to maintain a degree of functionality and to lay claim to their own day to day abilities. This  is the treasure that impacts one's dignity through simple victories even though the aging process can impact one's strength. 

So if MOTION IS THE LOTION…what is it that you can do or encourage your loved ones to engage in that will help to keep  them going long into the aging years?

Before I give you the answer, there’s one more aspect of this subject that is the clue to the success of all…it’s community.

My special phrase, although not of my own design, is one that I use all the time…

IN COMMUNITY WE HEAL, IN ISOLATION WE FALL INTO DIS-EASE.

There’s the two parts of the mystery solved…movement and continuance of involvement within one's community.

Whether it’s at church, or a Senior gathering, maybe a local class or just inviting a neighbor to sit on the porch to have a cup of tea.  Getting together for a walk and  talk matters so very much as we grow, in my belief, wiser as we age. 

Take a moment to think about this concept for yourself and those who are in your world. Motion…moving, shifting, stirring all contribute to that balm that soothes us of mind and spirit.

Pat Larsen is a licensed fitness instructor teaching weekly classes for Seniors and Baby Boomers in Greene County, NY.

Please feel free to check out her Facebook invites for classes under Pat Larsen, or call at 518-275-8686 for more info.

A simple phone interview can determine if this is the right program for yourself or for a loved one.

 

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Zadock Pratt Museum is Awarded Two Grants - From NBT Bank & Bank of Greene County

 

Top left to right; Stephen Birnbaum, museum president, Mason Chase, Prattsville Councilman and liaison to the museum, Tony Bluestone, museum board member, Stephanie Goff, AVP Branch Manager III NBT Bank, and Anne Donovan, museum board member.

PRATTSVILLE — Zadock Pratt Museum will be using the monies received from these financial institutions for reinvesting into the operational programs of the museum and to start the process of archiving historical documents.

NBT Bank, headquartered in Norwich, NY, acting through its branch in Windham chose Zadock Pratt Museum for a grant totaling $5000 for the preservation of community archives. The NBT Grant will be dispersed in 2025 and 2026, for $2500 per year. According to Anne Donovan, ZPM board member who worked on securing the grant, “Documents dating back to the 1700s will be carefully archived for access by current and future generations. NBT Bank has provided funds to begin this complicated process.”

Earlier in the summer, Donovan hosted an event at the museum that drew widespread attendance from surrounding counties that examined the power of community archives with an expert conservator from Harvard University Library’s Preservation Services, Melanie Meents. “It’s our mission to preserve these documents and learn from the leaders in the field on best practices, NBT grant money helps us to get started,” added Donovan.

The Bank of Greene County, which serves customers in the Hudson Valley and Capitol Region, presented a check for $2000 to Stephen Birnbaum, board president of the museum, through the bank’s charitable foundation. “The support Bank of Greene County provides the museum enables us to offer informational and cultural programs to the public. We really appreciate the continued support of this institution,” states Birnbaum.

About the museum: The Zadock Pratt Museum is in the Great Northern Catskills mountaintop region, the museum is the former residence of Zadock Pratt a U.S. Congressman, banker, soldier and industrial revolution innovator as well as the namesake for the town he founded, Prattsville. Built in 1828 and redesigned in the 1850s, it has been on the National Register of Historic places since 1986.

For more information visit www.zadockprattmuseum.org or contact Karen Johnson at 631-617-4109

 

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