Patricia Avery is the new Caregiver Resource Center program coordinator at Cornell Cooperative Extension—Sullivan County.

 

New caregiver resource coordinator at CCE—Sullivan County

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — Caregiver support is critical. So Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE)—Sullivan County has hired Patricia Avery as its new program coordinator for the Caregiver Resource Center.  

She has had many years of experience working with elders and families in both long-term care and community settings, a news release noted.

Avery replaces long-time coordinator Bonnie Lewis, who recently retired.

Caregiver support groups will continue each Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., beginning January 5, 2022.  The free meetings remain online via Zoom, or can be attended by phone.  

These support groups provide a forum for those caring for a dependent adult to meet others in similar situations. There is always something new to learn, and support for caregivers makes a tremendous difference.

Registration is required to participate in all support group meetings. To register, contact Patricia Avery at 845/292-6180, ext. 122, or register online at http://sullivancce.org/events.

This program is a joint effort between Cornell Cooperative Extension and Office for the Aging of Sullivan County is supported by a grant from the NYS Office for the Aging.

For more information, visit http://sullivancce.org/home-family/caregiver-resource-center.

A year in community

HONESDALE, PA — It takes everyone to create lasting change.

That’s certainly true for the Wayne County System of Care (SOC), where youth, family and system leaders work together as equal and trusted partners. All have a stake in the outcome. Responsibility and accountability are learned, and the lessons might last a lifetime.

Trauma-informed care: SOC held three Trauma 101 courses.  Trauma 101 introduces the idea that a significant majority of people—up to two-thirds—have had an adverse experience in childhood that caused trauma, and which has had lasting effects on the victim’s physical, social and mental well-being, according to a news release from SOC. In a nutshell, it changes the human services question from “What is wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

SOC coordinator David Hartung said that trauma could happen at any stage in life, “We focus on childhood because the brain is still developing and forming those neurological pathways.”

Community projects: A trauma library was created at the Wayne County Public Library in Honesdale. Those libraries in Wayne and Pike which share a catalogue can access it. SOC and the Northeast Suicide Prevention Initiative donated a series of titles for all ages on surviving trauma.

With the help of a United Way grant, the SOC also fixed up the basketball court at the county’s Park Street complex in Honesdale.

Hartung said that the group painted the basketball courts, installed new nets, and are planning new signage and a bench and table as well as updating the trash receptacles.

The work represents the first phase in a long-term project to renovate and increase the accessibility of the park for people of all ages and abilities. Eventually, Hartung said that SOC partners hope to install all-abilities playground equipment in the park, renovate the bocce ball court and are working on art for the pedestrian tunnel that leads to Park Street.

Outreach: The SOC has established calming rooms at Forest City Regional School District and at the Wayne County Office of Behavioral Health’s Psych Rehab program in Honesdale. Other outreach programs include a PA Youth Move Wellness Day, a suicide prevention and remembrance walk with Northeast Suicide Prevention Initiative and a Domestic Violence Awareness month.

Other training: Neurological training was held at the Susquehanna Community School District and the Wallenpaupack Area School District. Applied suicide intervention skills were taught in a Bright Community Resiliency program. Sexual orientation/gender identity expression, trauma-informed cultural sensitivity and trauma and racism trainings were also held.

For more information on the SOC, on training programs or on the community projects, call Dave Hartung at 570/493-0915.

Winter closing at the Shohola Railroad and Historical Society

SHOHOLA, PA — Due to possible inclement weather and the rise in COVID-19 numbers, the Shohola Railroad and Historical Society meetings for the first Wednesday of the month have been canceled for January, February and March.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. at the Shohola Township Building, 159 Twin Lakes Rd. in Shohola. The program is to be announced.

In the meantime, the museum room is open for viewing any time the township building is open.

New Hope Community CEO Debbie McGinness presents Asprea, a Fallsburg police officer, with a holiday donation to the Police Benevolent Association.

Santa and his elves distribute a holiday meal and treats at New Hope Community.

A total of 400 holiday meals were distributed by New Hope Community to 100 local families.

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Four hundred meals and holiday cheer from New Hope Community

LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY — Santa and his elves came to help members of New Hope Community (NHC) distribute 400 meals to needy families in December.

It was all a part of New Hope’s fourth annual drive-through holiday dinner event.

As families arrived, they were welcomed by New Hope Community staff and event volunteers, some of whom have intellectual and other developmental disabilities. Each family received complete dinners, candy canes and reindeer food, made by the men and women of NHC.

New Hope CEO Debbie McGinness, NHC Foundation executive director Tom Burnham and Dean, a resident at the community, all greeted the families, shared holiday wishes, and handed out ShopRite gift cards.

Donors included ShopRite, Sam’s Club, Adams Fairacre Farms, Red Lobster, Hannaford, Texas Roadhouse, Jenkins-Lueken Orchards, and Frito Lay.

At the event, NHC also presented a holiday donation to the Fallsburg Police Benevolent Association to support its work in community outreach.

Recently, NHC staff “adopted” 72 children from Sullivan County Head Start for the holidays and fulfilled their wish lists with wrapped toys for the youngsters.

New Hope Community hosts food drives year-round to help stock local food pantries and donates fresh organic produce grown at Hope Farm to local nutrition programs. The nonprofit human services organization also supports groups like St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, the Federation for the Homeless, Sullivan County Head Start, Liberty Rotary Club, Monticello Rotary Club, Village of Monticello Police Department and several first responder agencies.

To learn more about New Hope Community, visit https://www.newhopecommunity.org/.