Crowded candidate field for next WSPL board

WESTERN SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — This spring, the Western Sullivan Public Library (WSPL) will put its annual budget up for a public vote. The vote and board election take place at the library’s branches in Callicoon, Narrowsburg and Jeffersonville on April 19 between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

For those with questions about the budget, an informational meeting will take place at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 10 at the Jeffersonville branch, prior to the regular meeting of the library board.

In addition to voting on the budget, voters will be asked to elect two members to fill vacant seats on the WSPL board. What makes this year unusual is the presence of four candidates to fill those two spots. 

“It is unusual for us to have contested elections for trustee seats,” said board president Linda Pomes. “Seeing such interest in our libraries is very gratifying.” 

The four candidates are Heather Neidert, Phyllis Haynes, Eric De La Cova and Susan Bodenstein.

Voters should note that they can only select two candidates for the two open seats. 

The new trustees will fill seats vacated by Marge Brown and Chris Peacock.

“As stewards of the budget and of taxpayers’ money, current members of the WSPL board cannot endorse any candidates, or even advocate that voters approve the new budget,” said Pomes. “But we’re delighted with the renewed interest in the board, and hope voters turn out on April 19.”

Grant will help fund residential school

ROCK HILL, NY — “There’s an extreme shortage of residential programs for girls in the Northeast that specialize in trauma-based intervention and support,” notes the website for EverGreen Meadow Academy.

The academy aims to change that with a proposed residential school, to be built on 34 acres in Sullivan County.

The website says the doors would open in September.

The academy, founded in late 2021, would focus on girls in grades six through eight who are at risk of self-harm or suicide because of trauma. The girls would “heal and learn in a nurturing, serene environment for an average stay of 12 months,” the website states.

EverGreen Meadow Academy has received a grant from the Rowley Family Foundation Fund for Women and Children, administered through the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan. 

Statistically, girls who have experienced trauma are at higher risk of engaging in self-harm and suicide ideation. A press release from the community foundation notes that the girls need specialized, intensive support, with some requiring residential treatment. Intervention during the middle school years offers the best opportunity for girls who struggle with the impact of trauma to heal and thrive.

Once it is completed, EverGreen Meadow Academy will be the first such residential school in New York State, only treating young adolescent girls. 

Currently, EverGreen Meadow Services is offering the “Let’s Tackle Trauma Together” telehealth program to girls and their families, and is working to provide in-person services to Sullivan County middle schools, girls and families. The interactive 10-week program includes a psycho-social assessment, individual and family therapy and online group activities, as well as parental support.

“We’re already making a difference in the lives of girls and their families,” said founder Stacey Millman. “If you’re a middle-school girl in New York State who is struggling with trauma, we want you to know that we’re here for you and your family—right now.”

Parents and girls seeking support can learn more at www.evergreenmeadowacademy.org or call 833/346-4968.

Ngozi Bell to serve as regional advocate for SBA Region 3

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Office of Advocacy in the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that Ngozi Bell has been named Region 3 advocate. 

Bell will represent Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, Virginia and Washington D.C., and serve as the link between mid-Atlantic small businesses and the Office of Advocacy.

She has over 25 years of experience in business development and innovation for high-growth technology organizations, and recently partnered with the Trans Sahara Investment Corporation to provide business consultancy to a myriad of companies. 

 Bell can be reached at Ngozi.Bell@sba.gov. 

Educators support whole milk in schools

ARCHBALD, PA — The Board of Directors at the Northeast Intermediate Unit 19 recently held a meeting reaffirming its support of the dairy bill introduced by Rep. Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R, PA-15). 

The bill, HR 1147, was co-sponsored by  Rep. Antonio Delgado, Democrat from New York, and is titled the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2021. It would allow flavored and unflavored whole milk into school cafeterias.

Joe Muracco, the board’s president, said, “It’s a pleasure for our directors to vote unanimously for Congressman G.T. Thompson’s dairy bill. Furthermore, I want to thank one of our directors, Arden Tewksbury, of the Elk Lake School, for being the first one to report that whole milk was no longer being used in our schools.”

Dr. Christine Plonski-Sezer from the Mountain View school district reported that some of their school children in their school are throwing milk away. Many of the students are not consuming the milk served to them because of the poor taste. 

Thompson’s bill is geared to allow whole milk back in our schools, flavored and unflavored. Dr. Plonski-Sezer said that HR 1147 needs to pass to allow whole milk back into our schools.

Muracco urged everyone to support the bill

Before the meeting was held, the new executive director, Dr. Kathleen Sottile, surprised everyone with an egg cream drink she had developed in honor of the recent marriage of Tewskbury and his wife Carol.

To further acknowledge the event, Sottile and board secretary Jessica Gilhooley prepared a toast in honor of the newlyweds.  The entire board joined in the toast.

Tewksbury is also the manager of Pro-Ag, a nonprofit that represents the interests of dairy farmers in Pennsylvania and New York. Pro-Ag can be reached at 570/833-5776. 

NPS calls for interns

A park ranger intern canoes down the Delaware River.......

UPPER DELAWARE RIVER — Six park ranger internships are available in the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River area, the National Park Service recently announced.

Applications submitted early will be given first consideration. The application deadline is Friday, April 28.

The internships run from Monday, May 8 through mid-August.

Although the intern positions are in the division of interpretation, one internship will be shared with the resource management division.

The park includes 73.4 miles of river, the remnants of the D&H Canal, and the home of western novelist Zane Grey. 

Duties include staffing river access sites; presenting river safety talks and providing area information to river users; performing river patrols; and developing and presenting other educational programs on the geology, hydrology, ecosystems, natural history and cultural history of the river valley. 

Programs will be presented to park visitors, local community groups and summer youth camps.

The shared position includes the above duties as well as collecting water samples; measuring water quality characteristics; performing an inventory of natural resources along the river; doing evening bat counts; fish, mussel, snail, and crayfish surveys and vegetation surveys; and more. 

Applicants need to be currently enrolled in a college or university and working towards an undergraduate or graduate degree. Applicants should be outgoing and enjoy working and talking with adults and children. Experience working in an environmental setting and presenting education programs is helpful but not required.

For details on requirements and training, see below.

Interns work a 40-hour workweek including weekends and holidays.

A personal vehicle is required for these positions, as assigned duty stations are spread out over 30 miles up and down the Upper Delaware River Valley. The intern is responsible for travel to and from school/residence and the park.

This is a uniformed position, and the uniform is provided. 

Applicants should email a resume and two letters of recommendation to Internship Coordinator Ingrid Peterec ingrid_peterec@nps.gov. For more information, call 570/493-1020. Specify which position(s) applying for; you can apply for both. 

First SUNY Sullivan health care conference deemed a success

LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY AND MONTICELLO, NY — The SUNY Sullivan Health Sciences program recently hosted a two-day healthcare conference on campus and at Resorts World Catskills.

More than 100 people attended the conference, which offered students and medical practitioners—including respiratory therapists, EMTs, nurses and medical assistants—the opportunity to learn firsthand from experts in the field about topics that are vital to the delivery of quality patient care, a college spokesperson said.

Brandon Bedenbender, director of clinical education in SUNY Sullivan’s respiratory care program and the organizer of the conference, said he’s already received requests for next year.

The college, he added, offers “outstanding programs” in respiratory care and nursing as well as training for emergency medical technicians and medical assistants.

Lectures and presentations included “Life on a Ventilator After Acute Care,” “Respiratory Protocols & Patient Advocacy,” “Legal & Ethical Dilemmas of the Practitioner” and more. 

Adjunct assistant professor Kayla Gardiner said the conferences allow people to learn from leading experts in the field, see and touch the latest equipment, and spend one-on-one time networking with potential mentors and/or employers.

“Building and fostering these types of relationships from the beginning of their careers will give the students a better reputation, increased visibility, a stronger support network, improved business growth, and more impactful connections,” said Gardiner, who is also a 2015 graduate of the respiratory care program.

For more information about SUNY Sullivan’s Health Sciences program visit www.sunysullivan.edu/health-sciences.