State says fundraisers taking majority
of charitable giving

ALBANY, NY — A December 23 report from Attorney General Eliot Spitzer claims that less than one third of the money raised by telemarketing campaigns goes to the charity, while the balance is used to pay expenses associated with the fundraising.

Spitzer said $184.7 million was raised by 588 campaigns conducted in 2001. Of that, $58.9 million, or 31 percent, made its way to the charities. The remainder was retained for telemarketers’ fees and other costs.

The report said that in only 29 of 588 campaigns did the charity receive at least 65 percent or more of the money raised. In 82 percent of the campaigns, charities got less than half of the donations and fourteen of the charities actually lost money under fundraising contracts.

State fines ‘wish’ charity for false statements

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania last week announced a $41,000 fine against a Georgia-based charity for overstating its contributions to children’s services programs.

The state found that Children’s Wish Foundation International Inc. of Atlanta, GA knowingly made 41 false statements in 1998 charities registration forms.

The charges related specifically to alleged in-kind donations made by Children’s Wish to 41 Ronald McDonald Houses nationwide between July 1, 1998, and June 30, 1999. Four of these Ronald McDonald Houses are in Danville, Hershey, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Children’s Wish claimed it donated nearly $1.6 million in “various clothes, toys, books, craft items and supplies” to the 41 Ronald McDonald Houses. The Commonwealth maintained that only approximately $150,000 worth of donated items were received.

Two arrested for burglary

ROCK HILL, NY — A Greeley woman and a Monticello man were arrested for burglary on December 27 after an automatic alarm brought deputies to an Emerald Green home where they found a vehicle stuck in snow in the driveway.

Floyd R. Van Wagner, a contractor who had worked at the home and had keys, said he had permission to be there, but the owner said no one should have been there.

Sullivan County Sheriffs Department deputies charged Van Wagner, 34, and Sherrie Sanders, 39, with second-degree burglary. Deputies also charged them with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance after they found the pair had three crack pipes and five crack cocaine rocks packaged in foil.

Van Wagner and Sanders were arraigned in Town of Thompson Court and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail pending a January 2 hearing.

Narrowsburg resident killed on Route 97

HANKINS, NY — Mark Andrewski, 42, of Narrowsburg, NY was pronounced dead at the scene of an automobile accident in Hankins on December 28.

The accident occurred at 7:01 p.m. at the intersection of Route 97 and Ridge Road.

Andrewski, who was heading south, was ejected from his car after sliding off the road at a sharp curve and hitting a snow bank. According to state police, the car then swerved and spun around, entering the north lane and struck an on-coming car.

Driving north was John Haberli, 55, of Hankins. Haberli sustained minor abrasions but was taken to Grover Hermann Hospital, a division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Callicoon, where he was treated and released.

Andrewski was pronounced dead at the scene by Sullivan County Coroner Michael Speer.

An autopsy was to be performed on Monday, according to state police.

Andrewski is survived by his wife, Priscilla, and two children, ages 16 and eight.

Legislature reschedules January meetings

MONTICELLO, NY — The Sullivan County Legislature will meet and organize on Wednesday, January 8, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. in the Legislative chambers of the county government center.

The January committee meetings have been postponed one week and will take place on January 9 and January 16 at the regularly scheduled times.

In 2003, the Veterans Committee will meet on the months of January, March, May, July, September and November.

The monthly meeting of the full legislature is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on January 23.

Five killed in Christmas holiday crashes probed by state police

HARRISBURG, PA — Five people were killed in traffic crashes investigated by Pennsylvania State Police during the two-day Christmas holiday.

Police said three of those killed were not wearing seat belts.

In addition to the five fatalities, 231 people were injured in the 901 crashes that troopers investigated. Some 31 of the crashes were alcohol-related, including one of the fatal crashes.

Troopers issued 332 speeding citations, arrested 52 people for driving under the influence, and cited 30 operators for not wearing seat belts.

During last year’s two-day Christmas holiday driving period, seven people were killed and 151 were injured in 350 crashes investigated by state police.