Donate blood in memory of Jake Freiermuth

BEACH LAKE, PA — On Wednesday, May 26 from 1 to 6 p.m., a community blood drive in memory of Jake Freiermuth will be held at the Beach Lake Fire Company.

To help maintain social distancing, scheduled appointments are strongly recommended. Call 800/733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter JAKEBEACHLAKE to schedule.

Upper Delaware Council recognizes litter leaders

NARROWSBURG, NY — More than 300 volunteers fanned out among the 15 bi-state communities surrounding the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River over the course of nine days to reclaim the region’s natural beauty.

They were participants in the Upper Delaware Council’s (UDC) first-ever, land-based Upper Delaware Litter Sweep held from April 17 to 25. A total of 21 clean-up events were organized. People answered the UDC’s call for community champions to step forward to do volunteer outreach, arrange the pick-up and disposal areas, distribute equipment, provide safety briefings and rally their forces to collect a mass of trash marring the Upper Delaware’s scenic byways, country roads and river accesses.

For more information, including a list of litter leaders, visit www.upperdelawarecouncil.org.

Green Lodging partners raise funds for conservation

REGION — On May 10, representatives from Woodloch and Settlers Hospitality properties presented the Delaware Highlands Conservancy (DHC) with checks for funds collected in 2020 and early 2021 through the Green Lodging Partnership program. Woodloch Resort and The Lodge at Woodloch together raised $38,936. The four Settlers Hospitality Group properties—Settlers Inn, Ledges Hotel, Silver Birches and Hotel Anthracite—together raised $23,182.

Through the Green Lodging Partnership, guests at participating lodgings are invited to make a $2-per-stay donation to the protection of the working farms and forests, clean waters and outdoor recreational opportunities that make the Upper Delaware River region such a wonderful place to live, work, and visit. The funds raised directly support the DHC’s land conservation efforts.

For more information, call 570/226-3164 or 845/583-1010 or visit www.DelawareHighlands.org.

Bethel Woods grant helps provide student access to the arts

BETHEL, NY — Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, a nonprofit cultural center located at the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock Festival, is a recent recipient of a grant presented by The TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank.

The grant provides partial funding for “E3: Engage. Experience. Explore.,” a classroom and afterschool enrichment program that brings high-caliber artists into local classrooms. During these week-long residencies, artists spend time with students in the classroom to share their work in an exciting and interactive way, culminating in free community performances in the Event Gallery at Bethel Woods open to all. 

For more information about other arts education opportunities at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, please visit www.BethelWoodsCenter.org.

Sunshine co-chair and First Lady of Monticello Rotary Kathryn Grodin, left, Monticello Rotary President Todd Grodin, honoree investigator John Vendy and Troop F Captain Brian Webster.

Rotary Club honors John Vendy with T.A.C.T.I.C.A.L. award

MONTICELLO, NY — On April 27, Monticello Rotary club honored New York State Police (NYSP) Investigator John Vendy with the club’s T.A.C.T.I.C.A.L. award.  The award honors officers for their exemplary work with their agency and with the community.

T.A.C.T.I.C.A.L. stands for Thank A Cop That Is Compassionate and Laudable. Vendy was nominated by Troop F’s captain Brian Webster of the Middletown Barracks.  Vendy was accompanied by Webster, his supervisor, senior investigator Vincent Boyd, and his wife, Stacey.

Webster informed the Rotary group that before Vendy started with the NYSP, he served in the Air Force for 16 years. After that, Vendy did more than 30 years in the NYSP; 17 of those years were directly in the Wurtsboro/Sullivan County area.

‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign

PORT JERVIS, NY — During this year’s national Click It or Ticket seat belt campaign, which will take place Monday, May 24 through Sunday, June 6, the Port Jervis City Police Department will be teaming up with members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and law enforcement nationwide for a Border to Border (B2B) kickoff event.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is asking all states to participate in B2B, a one-day, four-hour national seat belt awareness event on May 24, which is coordinated by participating state highway safety offices and their respective law enforcement liaisons. The B2B initiative aims to increase law enforcement participation by coordinating highly visible seat belt enforcement for drivers at state border checkpoints. According to NHTSA, in 2019, there were 9,466 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States.

For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot.

Commissioners recognize correctional facility officer of the year

MILFORD, PA — The Pike County Commissioners recognized Melissa Conway as Correctional Officer of the Year for 2020 during their May 5 meeting. Warden Craig Lowe of the Pike County Correctional Facility bestowed the honor on Conway in conjunction with a proclamation issued for National Correctional Officers and Employees Week, May 2 to 8.

“I am extremely proud of Officer Conway. She is always positive and smiling. She has performed her duties in an outstanding manner, demonstrating extraordinary levels of correctional professionalism, job proficiency, and dedication to duty with exemplary diligence,” said Lowe.

Conway has served Pike County since 2004.

Bold Gold Media staff and Park Ranger Susie Kaspar enthusiastically wear their life jackets to work.

Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day

REGION — The National Safe Boating Council (NSBC) invites the public to help save lives by showing their support for water safety on Wear Your Life Jacket to Work Day on Friday, May 21. Since 1980, there have been 69 drownings on the Upper Delaware River; however, nobody has ever drowned wearing a properly fitted life jacket. No matter if you are an active river user, a local business, or a community organization, everyone can play a role and help spread the word that wearing a life jacket can save your life.  Safety on the water is everyone’s responsibility.

This annual event, hosted by the NSBC, serves as a fun and educational way to kick off National Safe Boating Week, May 16 to 22, the official launch of the 2021 North American Safe Boating Campaign.

For more information, visit www.nps.gov.