Emergency Management Office and Area Agency on Aging deliver COVID-19 vaccinations to homebound

PIKE COUNTY, PA — Pike County’s Office of Emergency Management and Area Agency on Aging (AAA) worked together to deliver the first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to 30 homebound individuals on April 14. Second doses will be administered after 28 days.

The vaccines were provided to the Office of Emergency Management by Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers.

Upcoming Moderna COVID-19 vaccination clinics open to all will be held at the Pike County Training Center, in Lords Valley on the following days: Wednesday, May 12, 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; Tuesday, May 18, 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 25, 12 noon to 4 p.m.

Pre-registration for these clinics is required. Visit www.wmh.org to access the Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers’ portal. Those needing assistance can register by calling the Wayne Memorial hotline at 570/253-8197. Senior citizens can also call the Pike Area Agency on Aging at 570/775-5550.

Farmers care

WAYNE AND PIKE COUNTIES — In a combined effort, the Wayne/Pike Farm Bureau and the Western Wayne National Honor Society collected more than $1,500 worth of non-perishable foods to assist local residents struggling with food insecurity.

The food was taken to the Honesdale Emergency Pantry, which relies on donations to fulfill their mission of helping people in need.

To contact the Honesdale Emergency Pantry, call 570/253-4646.

Illegal burning contributing to numerous brush fires

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — With departments across the region scrambling to contain 31 brush fires in just the last month, Sullivan County Fire Coordinator John Hauschild is re-emphasizing the fact that a burn ban is in effect through May 14.

“The snow is gone and temperatures are rising, but vegetation is still dry and easily set aflame by sparks and ash—which is exactly how every one of these brush fires was ignited,” he explained. “There is a statewide ban on open burning through mid-May, and I cannot stress enough the need to follow it—no exceptions.”

See more about Sullivan County’s fire safety infrastructure, and fire safety in general, in this week’s special Fire & EMS section.

George L. Cooke appoints new principal

MONTICELLO, NY — During its April 20 meeting, the Monticello Central School District appointed Virginia “Ginny” Gallet as principal of the George L. Cooke Elementary School, where she has been serving as an interim principal since December.

Gallet has been a part of the Monticello Central School District administrative team since 2008, having served as assistant principal of Monticello High School and assistant principal of Emma C. Chase Elementary School. In addition to these roles, she has also served as the coordinator for the extended school day program at the high school, working with the Boys and Girls Club to provide after-school opportunities for students.

“I love working with elementary school students,” she said. “They have such an excitement for school and their energy is so fun to be around. These early years are so important, and I believe there is so much that we can do to help provide a solid foundation for their future success.”

Gallet was the top candidate in a search process that included interviews with district stakeholders and administrators.

Donations support Upper Delaware litter sweep

NARROWSBURG, NY — The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) expresses appreciation for the donations that subsidized the purchase of unifying team T-shirts for the April 17-25 Upper Delaware litter sweep.

Thanks to the generosity of these contributors, the UDC was able to order 250 graphic T-shirts in “safety green” shade printed by Platform Industries Custom Screen Printing of Honesdale, PA to help with the visibility of the clean-up volunteers and to commemorate their experience. 

The shirts feature original eagle artwork designed by Dan Nelson of Happy Tattoo in Honesdale, PA emblazoned on the back with the UDC’s Land-Water-People partnership logo on the front corner.

Donations to cover the $1,750 expense were provided by the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway, Inc., Jeff Bank, Wayne Bank, the Cochecton Fire Station, Town of Highland UDC Alternate Representative Andrew Boyar, Shohola Township UDC Alternate Representative Patricia Jeffer, Berlin Township UDC Representative Alan Henry and Shohola Township UDC Representative Aaron Robinson.

The UDC’s Upper Delaware Litter Sweep was the first event to coordinate land-based trash cleanups in all 15 municipalities within the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River watershed in NY and PA surrounding Earth Day 2021 on April 22. 

For more information, including more photos and coverage, visit www.upperdelawarecouncil.org.