Vet 2 Vet reps attend dinner with Medal of Honor recipient

NEWBURGH, NY — On December 8, veteran advocates Ryan Fuller, Kevin Coates and Crystal Brousseau were able to meet a hero.

The three veterans, representing Action Toward Independence of Sullivan and Orange counties (ATI) attended a dinner sponsored by the Rumshock Veterans Foundation.

The dinner, held at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, honored retired Marine Kyle Carpenter, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Marjah, Helmand Province in Afghanistan in 2010. Carpenter is the youngest living Medal of Honor recipient.

Fuller, Coates and Brousseau work for ATI in the Vet 2 Vet program, which offers veteran peer support, advocacy, benefit advisement, peer counseling, financial literacy training, mental health support and more.

The Rumshock Veterans Foundation is a nonprofit organization that assists combat veterans with their reintegration into society.

For more information about Rumshock, call 845/275-7582. For additional information about ATI or the Vet 2 Vet program, call 845/794-4228.

Members of Genesis Jeep Coalition donated toys to the Wayne County Office of Children and Youth Services.

Genesis Jeep Coalition donates toys to county kids

HONESDALE, PA — The Genesis Jeep Coalition (GYC), a regional non-profit group, made a special delivery on December 13.

Ricky Thomas, president of GYC, said the group held a toy drive with the support of the membership and the community to collect the presents, adding that they received donations from as far away as Alaska. The toys were delivered by GYC to the  Wayne County’s Office of Children and Youth Services (CYS).

“There are many families struggling this holiday season, said CYS director Rozalyn Burke, “and it is heart-warming to know that there are groups like the Genesis Jeep Coalition who take notice and jump into action. They should be applauded for their efforts.”

To learn more about Genesis Jeep Coalition, find them on Facebook and Instagram at genesisjeepcoalition.

SEEDS wins grant for sustainability initiatives

HONESDALE, PA — SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education & Development Support) of Northeastern Pennsylvania received a $4,750 grant from the Overlook Estate Foundation.

It will support SEEDS’ educational programming and outreach efforts, including the “Today’s Main Ingredient” podcast, farm tour videos, SEEDS Reads, and other digital content.

SEEDS is a nonprofit environmental education organization based in Honesdale, promoting sustainable energy and sustainable living in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Upper Delaware region. Its goals include improving the health of the environment and local economy through energy efficiency and sustainability practices, such as conservation and recycling.

For more information about SEEDS, visit https://www.seedsgroup.net, call 570/245-1256 or email Olga@seedsgroup.net.

A UDC grant will fund improved playground equipment and much more at the Damascus Township park playground.

Grants news from the UDC

DAMASCUS, PA — The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) recently granted Damascus Township $15,000 to offset the purchase of new playground equipment for the expanding public recreational use of the Damascus Township Park.

The funding came out of a grant administered by the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) that state Rep. Jonathan Fritz (111th District), Rep. Mike Peifer (139th District), and Sen, Lisa Baker (20th District) secured for the UDC in 2019.

Damascus Township Park sits on a 78-acre property that overlooks the Delaware River, with roughly three-quarters of it covered in native woodland. Developed facilities include the township municipal building, road maintenance sheds, an eight-acre shale pit operation, a cell tower, and a park area that currently offers a pavilion, small playground, baseball field, volleyball court, hiking trail, and a heritage barn.

Because they successfully obtained numerous grants, Damascus Township and its parks and recreation committee are improving the existing public recreational facilities. This will include the construction of a new playground with safety surfacing, a concrete loop path, benches and durable -grade outdoor equipment to accommodate all ages and abilities. They ordered $75,226 worth of Playworld children’s recreation playground sets from George Ely Associates in Carlisle, PA . The equipment has not yet been installed.

Next to trail improvements, a new playground was the amenity second-most requested by the public during the Damascus Township Park’s 2016-2019 master site- planning process.

Plans also include extensively renovating the decades-old baseball field and its facilities, constructing an adjacent gravel parking area, building an amphitheater with seating, and installing asphalt, connecting walkways.

The Damascus project wraps up the UDC’s disbursement of funds allocated for the community need proposals solicited from its five PA township members. Prior grants supported Westfall ($12,123.09 for municipal building parking lot renovations and paving), Shohola ($15,000 for the township building’s new roof), Lackawaxen ($14,847.18 for the Care Cabin Food Pantry), and Berlin ($15,000 for Berlin Township Community Center parking lot paving).

For more information on the UDC and its activities, visit https://www.upperdelawarecouncil.org or its social media pages on Facebook or Instagram, or call the Narrowsburg, NY office at 845/252-3022.

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 found in New York

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, NY — The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets confirmed a case of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) in a domestic rabbit in Montgomery County.

The disease is highly contagious and fatal.

The department is investigating the source of the virus.

RHDV2 does not affect humans or other animals.

While this case is an isolated incident and limited to one household, rabbit owners are encouraged to take simple steps to reduce the chance of RHDV2 infection.

Do not allow pet or wild rabbits to have contact with your rabbits or gain entry to the facility or home.

Do not allow visitors in rabbitries or let them handle pet rabbits without protective clothing (including coveralls, shoe covers, hair covering, and gloves).

Always wash hands with warm soapy water before entering your rabbit area, after removing protective clothing and before leaving the rabbit area.

Do not introduce new rabbits from unknown or untrusted sources. Do not add rabbits to your rabbitry from animal shelters or other types of rescue operations.

If you bring outside rabbits into your facility or home, keep them separated from your existing rabbits for at least 30 days. Use separate equipment for newly acquired or sick rabbits to avoid spreading disease.

Sanitize all equipment and cages moved on or off premises before they are returned to the rabbitry.

Ask a veterinarian to review biosecurity practices.

A potential new vaccine for RHDV2 may be available; interested rabbit owners should contact their veterinarian for information on how to get their animals vaccinated.

Signs of infection in rabbits can include fever, lethargy, hemorrhage, seizures, and sudden death. Rabbits typically show signs one to three days after being infected. The virus can survive in the environment for weeks or longer and it can be spread through feed, bedding, equipment, and other contaminated materials such as shoes and clothing.

RHDV2 is a reportable disease in New York. Sick or dead domestic rabbits should be reported to the state veterinarian’s office at 518/457-3502 or to the USDA at 866/536-7593. Multiple wild rabbits found dead or wild rabbits with blood-stained noses should be reported to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Wildlife Health Unit at 518/478-2203. Wild rabbits found dead on the road do not need to be reported.