Senior Life
Enjoying the Golden Years in the Adirondack Region • Summer 2016
INSIDE:
Pickleball on
court
Essex County sees increase in Pickleball courts, Page 10
Honor Flight
Group receives a new way to get WWII veterans to and from the airport, thanks to AuSable Valley Central School Page 7
Many veteran organizations helped to lead numerous parades throughout the North Country as residents celebrated the Fourth of July last month. Photo by Keith Lobdell
Saturday, August 14, 2016
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njoy driving? Want to make a difference in someone’s life? Adirondack Community Action Programs, Inc. (ACAP) is looking to recruit drivers for their new Medical Transportation Program. Volunteer drivers are needed to take neighbors to their local medical and dental appointments, says Marge Garcia, ACAP Medical Transportation Program Coordinator. ACAP is working the Department of Health to become a Medicaid Transportation Provider and is looking for volunteers who would like to help others in their community. We are hoping that people who are retired or semi-retired, or just looking to work part time might be interested in becoming a volunteer driver. Why volunteer? •You choose when you drive, where you drive, and who you drive� • Flexible commitment – drive as little as once a month� • Receive mileage reimbursement. • You’ll help strengthen the community. • You will directly impact the lives of people in your community. Volunteer Requirements: • Age 21 or over • Contact ACAP and complete enrollment forms • Pass a background check and Motor Vehicle Report • Provide 2 references from nonrelatives ACAP is working closely with Department of Social Services, RSVP and other organizations to increase access to reliable safe transportation for seniors and others in our community. If becoming a volunteer driver sounds like a good fit for you, or for more information contact Marge Garcia at (518)873-3207 or mgarcia@acapinc.org. Following 16 years of dedicated service, Rev. John Hunn retired from the Essex Community United Methodist Church on July 17. Rev. Hunn graduated from the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1954. Prior to his service at the Essex Community Church, Rev. Hunn worked for 62 years in various churches around the northeast. Photo provided
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WalterÊ ThorneÊ continuesÊ toÊ makeÊ strides By Keith Lobdell keith@suncommunitynews.com
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TICONDEROGA — Walter Thorne believes in teaching by example. The Ticonderoga track and field coach doesn’t just instruct his student-athletes on how to compete on the track, he shows them, recently winning a pair of gold medals at the California Police and Fire Games in San Diego. Not bad for a man who will be turning 76 in August. “I’ve always ran,” Thorne said. “I used to race the bus home from school. I ran in the service but nothing official.” Thorne got into competitive track when he went to work in the New York State Department of Corrections, eventually ending up as the superintendent of the Moriah Shock facility. “When I got into corrections, the department started something called the Correctional Olympics,” he said. “A couple guys kept bragging about how well they could run and in 1986, so I decided to go out and give it a shot.” Thorne tied for first in the 100 but placed second on a judges decision and placed second in the 1,500. “I was hooked after that,” Thorne said. “It became something that I loved to do so I continued.” Thorne raced in the New York State Police Olympics, the International Police Olympics, an event in Australia and the World Fire Police Games in Calgary 1991. The same year as Calgary, Thorne started helping in Ticonderoga as the volunteer rack and field coach. Eight years later, he was deciding whether to move on in his correctional career or retire. “When you get some place and you have worked there for 10 or more years, you think there needs to be new blood there with new ideas,” he said. “Jim Wells asked if I was interested in coaching because the boys coach had left. I thought this was the perfect opportunity for me. I became the boys coach in 1999 and then in 2002, they asked if I would be interested in being the head coach over boys and girls.” During the whole time, Thorne kept running and
competing. He said it serves as a lesson for his athletes. “They don’t get to say coach is always telling us what to do, but he never does it,” he said. “Generally, I have done the workouts they are doing that morning or I am doing it with them.” He said some of his team members have even joined him at races in Colonie. “Jay Hebert went down with me. Jay Wells used to go with me all the time.” This year, Thorne plans to compete in three more races in Colonie in July and August, having been to San Diego with a friend to run and also to see family. “My brother lives there, and I had never gone to California to visit, so I stayed with him for three days, went to San Diego and ran, then stayed a couple more nights,” he said. Thorne was victorious in the 100, 400 and 4-by-100, although there were some obstacles in his way. “This was the first time I was on a track this year because we do not have one at the school, and it showed with my time,” Thorne said. “When I was there, we didn’t find out until the day of our event that our fourth guy had not put in for the relay, so we were given another guy who ran in 10 events that day. He was something.” Thorne said, like his athletes, his goal is to continue to progress during the rest of the season and beat the clock as much as he can. “My 400 goal is always to beat my age,” Thorne said.
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NewÊ HonorÊ FlightÊ busÊ getsÊ heroesÊ welcome AuSable Valley Central donated bus to local veterans organization By Pete DeMola
pete@suncommunitynews.com
CUMBERLAND HEAD — North Country Honor Flight processions are a staple of summer. Beginning in early-spring, veterans are picked up at their homes in the wee hours by local law enforcement officials and escorted to the Plattsburgh Oval, where residents and dignitaries gather to send off their heroes. The second leg of the trip sees the vets shuttled to the Plattsburgh Airport, where they depart for a day visiting monuments in Washington, D.C. A newly refurbished bus will see the World War II and Korean War vets and their guardians riding in style. North Country Honor Flight had been using the bus for years as part of an agreement with AuSable Valley Central. But when the vehicle reached the end of its lifespan with the district, Superintendent Paul Savage had an idea: Why not donate it to the non-for-profit organization? The district did. The veterans organization quickly raised $7,000 for repairs and modifications through donations designated specifically for the project. The full-sized bus, now painted bullet gray and wheelchair-accessible, is adorned with military insignias from each branch of the service.
Betty Boop also makes an appearance, as do scenes from Iwo Jima and D-Day. “Transporting our hometown heroes,” it says on the side. A special permit was also obtained to outfit the vehicle with blinking red and blue lights. “It’s not just a paint job,” said North Country Honor Flight Director Barry Finnegan. “It’s a rolling piece of art.” Following completion of the work Friday afternoon at Precision Auto, veterans boarded the bus and received an escort across the city to North Country Classic Cruisers in Cumberland Head, where the
group was met with fanfare. The vets were all smiles as guests got in line to shake each of their hands, thanking them for their service. “This is really something for them,” said Theresa Goodman of the North Country Honor Flight. “For some of them, this is the most recognition they received.” World War II veteran Dorothy LeClair, who served for almost a year, said being one of the first riders was a great 95th birthday gift. “It was really great,” she said. “Words cannot describe the experience.” Bernhard “Bernie” Jakobetz, served in
both the Korean War and Vietnam War between 1953 to 1973, also took part in the first ride. “It was really exciting,” he said. Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman rode alongside three veterans, who, he said, shared a deep 30-year friendship. “I was absolutely humbled to speak with our veterans,” he said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for their service. “They secured a bright future for our nation.” Teah Dowling contributed to this report
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MinervaÊ pickleballÊ off Ê toÊ goodÊ start Sport good for all ages By Christina Scanlon
christina@suncommunitynews.com
MINERVA — Pickleball is gaining steam in Minerva, with newly painted pickleball courts at the town beach and a call for residents to form teams. “So far, we’ve had about eight or nine,” said Town Councilman Keith Iversen of people who’ve contacted him to sign up. At first, he wasn’t sure that was a good number, until he heard how the program in the Town of Chester started even smaller. At that location, just six or so signed up for first few months. The following season they had about a dozen and now, they are growing their location. “I can’t wait to tell them,” Iversen said, charged by learned the Chester players started out even slower. The bulk of those who’ve showed interest are in their 50s and 60s, said Iverson, which he said is a good indication of the priority of health and fitness by the older people in the community. Most of us still work, he said, so evening games have been working out so far. it also helps as the courts are in direct sun, without any shade. “We’ve been meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays,” he said. So far, it’s working well. He is hopeful some players from Chester, who meet Saturday mornings, will consider shifting their play to Minerva one weekend. “We just need people to come watch it. Once you see it, you’re hooked,” he said. That’s all it took for Iversen. He watched a game and soon he was researching it online and getting the lines painted on the existed tennis courts in the town. “You can play it at any age,” he said, as the pace of the game is slower than tennis, but can be learned much faster. “It’s a smaller court than tennis, so you don’t have to run all over. It makes it easier for older folks,” he said. For play, the net is lowered to 34 inches at the center. Though it can be played both as singles or doubles, a two-man team is more common, so there’s less move-
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ment necessary on the court. “You don’t need to run around and sprain an ankle or pull a tendon,” he said. “It’s why it’s great for people my age.” Players use paddles and a perforated plastic ball, with elements if the games similar to tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Iverson encouraged those interested to visit pickleballchannel.com to watch videos of the games in action. “If it’s not the fastest growing, it’s one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S.,” he said, and he’s probably right. According to the U.S.A. Pickleball Association there were more than 200,000 pickleball players and 9,863 pickleball courts in North America last year. An average of 62 new places to play pickleball debuted across the U.S. and Canada each month in 2015.
“I’s really like to get this into the schools,” said Iversen. “Thats the way to get this to catch on.” Iversen invites the public to come see the players, and learn along side them as they meet on Tuesday and Friday evenings. “Once they see.They’re going to want to play, too.” For more information or to express interest in participating, contact Iversen at b2eef@yahoo.com.
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TiÊ FerryÊ captainÊ atÊ helmÊ forÊ 50Ê years Jon Porter still pilots ferry By Lohr McKinstry
lohr@suncommunitynews.com
TICONDEROGA — It’s been 50 years since Jon Porter climbed aboard and took the helm as captain of the Ticonderoga Ferry on Lake Champlain. He’s still there, and he does it because he loves it, the 77-year-old Porter said in a recent interview. “I never thought I’d be here for 50 years, but I enjoy it,” Porter said. Fifty years ago, he started working evenings at the cable ferry that connects Ticonderoga with Shoreham, Vt. “I’d come in at 4 and work until 11 at night,” he said. “I had another job during the day.” Today, the 18-car ferry runs from 7 a.m. to 6 or 7 p.m., but it once operated much later into the evening. Trips are now $10 for cars, or $16 for a round trip. Porter has worked for five different ferry owners since 1966, with Alison and Michael Matot now operating the service. “Jon is a big asset to the ferry,” Alison Matot said. “His service to the ferry for 50 years is wonderful.” Porter, who lives on Delano Road in Ticonderoga, said he’ll turn 78 on July 30, but plans to continue piloting the ferry next season. “I have one year left on my (U.S. Coast Guard pilot’s) license,” he said. “I haven’t made up my mind after that.” To celebrate his 50th anniversary at the ferry, Adirondack Camp, a children’s summer camp in Putnam, recently brought 50 campers and adults with a cake down to the ferry landing. “Everybody knew about it but me,” Porter said. “We were getting ready to close for the day. Suddenly there were loads of people here. “I was surprised.” The recognition made him feel good, said Porter, who likes to talk with ferry passengers after trips. “We just had people here who wanted the ferry Tshirts we sell, and I chatted with them,” he said. “One
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“We finally pulled everything out (of the water) in one day when the other ferry started,” Porter said. “It was so cold my fingers were numb at the end of the day, even with gloves on.” A new Champlain Bridge opened on Nov. 7, 2011. One bright spot is that a family of barn swallows has been living on the ferry every summer for years, Porter said. “They come back every year,” he said. “They make their nest and have their babies on the ferry. This is their home.” ABOVE: Capt. Jon Porter sits at the controls of the Ticonderoga Ferry. Porter is celebrating 50 years as captain of the independent cable ferry. Photo by Lohr McKinstry
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wanted purple, one wanted pink. They love the ferry.” That pretty much echoes how many people in the community feel, ferry deckhand Reg Matot, Michael’s father, said. “Jon’s good to work with,” said Matot, who’s been a deckhand for six years. “Our frequent customers come on and tell us ferry stories. They have fun riding the ferry.” A local farmer uses the ferry to bring calves back from Vermont, he said. “He’ll let kids pet the calves,” said Matot. “He’ll open his truck.” The ferry has been busy this year, Porter said, but not as busy as in 2009, when the Champlain Bridge at Crown Point was closed in October because of structural issues, and a temporary ferry there hadn’t started yet. The state paid the Ticonderoga Ferry to stay open to handle some of the thousands of vehicles that cross the bridge between Crown Point and Chimney Point, Vt. every day. The Ticonderoga Ferry is about 15 miles south of the bridge. “I was the only one that had a (pilot’s) license that year,” Porter said. “I could only work 12 hours at a time, but Michael (Matot) could work under my supervision if I was here. That’s how we ran.” Others on the ferry have their pilot’s licenses now, Porter said, so he’s not the only captain. He said they ran the ferry to late January 2010, with icy waves splashing the decks, until the state’s contractor, Lake Champlain Transportation Co., could get a temporary ferry operating at Crown Point.
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