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April 18, 2020
Valley News
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• EDITION •
Thankful for health care workers
Essex County officials keep order No local playbook for pandemic, supervisors say
Residents, businesses: thanks to local hospitals
By Tim Rowland STAFF WRITER
By Tim Rowland STAFF WRITER
ELIZABETHTOWN | As health care workers have stepped up for the community, the community is showing its support for health care workers in multiple ways, from contributing masks to writing kind notes that encourage hospital staff in a difficult time. “We are hearing every day from community members eager to share their gratitude and help frontline health care professionals,” said Elizabeth Rogers, Director of Communications for the University of Vermont Health Network’s Elizabethtown hospital. In the past few weeks, community support has come in the form of N95 and hand-sewn masks; homemade gowns; gift certificates to local businesses; lunch from local restaurants; encouraging signs outside the hospital; and social media likes and comments. “I would like to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all the love and support our community has shown our healthcare providers,” said Victoria Savage, manager of the hospital’s inpatient nursing unit. “It truly is a trying time but so many beautiful blessings have been shown to us and our patients. The kindness brightens the long and stressful days.“ In Ticonderoga, Elevate ADK is among the businesses offering support, with a “pay-it-forward” fund for essential workers, and a Ti campus-specific fund to offer free, nutritious, juices to frontline workers. On social media, the caregivers at Elderwood posted photos of thanks to Punky Noodles, Huddy & Co, Friends Comforting Friends “and all the other businesses that came together to show their support.” Rodgers said a number of individuals and organizations have donated N95
Thank you notes hang on the wall of the Ticonderoga campus of the UVM Elizabethtown Community Hospital. Photo provided masks, and a local quilting club will donate nearly 200 hand-sewn masks. Santa’s Workshop in Wilmington and the United Way in Plattsburgh also donated hand-sewn masks. Bub’s Pizza and the fire department in Elizabethtown donated food. “These gestures and gift s are greatly appreciated by our staff. Every ‘thank you’ is a reminder of how fortunate we are to live in the North Country,” Rodgers said. The health care network is accepting donations of N95 and hand-sewn masks. Those wishing to donate N95s should email jgibbs@ ech.org, and people interested in making or donating hand-sewn cloth masks should contact Laura Sells-Doyle, the network’s auxiliary, at sellsdoyle@westelcom.com. “People don’t have to leave their homes to help out. Encouragement
and appreciation can be shared online through: https://UVMHealth.org/ECH/ ThanksHealthHeroes. Messages posted to this platform and our Facebook page are shared with our staff members, which helps make their difficult jobs a little easier,” Rogers said in an email. “As a nurse manager one of my main goals is to advocate for nurses to be sure all of their needs are met for their shifts,” said Julie LaMotte. “It’s heartwarming to know that our local communities have that same goal in mind as they are graciously sending in donations of PPE and food to keep the staff well-nourished and sending them words of encouragement on social media outlets. It’s a difficult time to be a nurse but knowing that our employers, communities, friends and families have our backs makes it a bit more manageable.” ■
HALL APPOINTED TO ESSEX TOWN COUNCIL
A tipster turned concerned with community congregating turned in this photo of a crowded trailhead. Photo provided
PORT HENRY | When Moriah Shock graduated more than two dozen cadets last week, the state Department of Corrections canceled the traditional graduation ceremony, but told the families of inmates they still had to make the drive to pick up their loved one. Precautions were taken; the state issued guidance telling families not to stop and to stay in their cars as the family member was brought to them. But telling residents of infected cities to drive into the vulnerable North Country struck Essex County supervisors as tone-deaf handling of a delicate situation. “No one’s going to stay in their cars for a fivehour trip,” said Lewis Supervisor Jim Monty, who said the supervisors tried without success to have Albany send a bus. “We got nowhere with the DOC; they just didn’t seem concerned,” Monty said. “But we’re concerned, not only for us, but for these people who have to make the trip.” The DOC did not respond to an email to its public affairs office. The pick-ups went according to protocol, but supervisors said it was emblematic of the difficulty in trying to control everything in a large, rural county. “We’re a town of 5,000 people, and we’re limited in the number of places where you can buy essential needs — that’s a problem,” said Moriah Supervisor Tom Scozzafava. “Every business is trying to maintain social distancing, but it’s difficult.” Essex County issued a stern directive a week ago announcing a zero-tolerance policy toward the operation of nonessential businesses and public gatherings, with potential fines of up to $10,000. Supervisor’s Chairman Shaun Gillilland said that people appear to be obeying the order. Over the weekend the only complaint involved multiple cars at a hiking trailhead. The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Essex County doubled over the past week to 29 as of Sunday. The number of positives “are increasing as testing goes up,” Gillilland said. “We have such a low level of testing we have no idea exactly what the virus is doing in the population.” Scozzafava said the difficulties, be they with policies or testing, is that the situation is changing almost by the hour. “I’ve been in office for 30 years and never in my wildest dreams did I foresee anything like this,” he said. Not do supervisors have any special insights or get any special training for such catastrophes. “We don’t get elected on the basis of our IQ’s,” he quipped. ■
coordinated Christmas in Essex for five years; is a member of the Belden Noble Library Board; and worked vigorously to secure highly competitive grant funding for Willsboro and Moriah Central Schools. By Kim Dedam “We are thrilled to welcome STAFF WRITER Erin to the town council at a time when having a full compliment town council is so very imporESSE X | At their regular tant. Erin brings a wealth of April meeting, the Essex Town creativity to our ranks, combined Council voted to appoint Erin with a terrific resume of public Hall of Essex to fill the vacant service involvement in a variety fi ft h Town Council seat. The of organizations. I look forward seat became vacant in January when then Councilman Ken Erin Hall, a small business owner, to her participation and know Hughes was elected to serve was appointed to fill the vacancy that the entire town of Essex will benefit from her appointment.” as Town Supervisor. on the Essex Town Council. Hall is also the proprietor of Photos by Kim Dedam This appointment will fi ll Erin Hall Studio, a company that the vacant seat for the third designs and manufactures textiles in a rare comyear of a four-year term. bination of functionality and art. Hall is a resident of Essex who currently serves as She resides in Essex with her husband Mark a fire commissioner for the Essex Fire Department. and their two children. ■ She has also served on the Beggs Park Committee;
Starts third year of four-year term
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