Allegany County Community Source 10-14-2022

Junior Firefighters Recruitment Camp sparks interest among youth

BY JEFF BABBITT

FRIENDSHIP —

Nine youth from across Allegany County partic ipated in the first Junior Firefighter Recruitment Camp on Saturday at the Friendship Fire Department.

The participants, from grades 10 through 12, represented four volunteer fire compa nies in the county: Wis coy-Rossburg, Fillmore, Friendship and West Clarksville.

Organized by Leadership Allegany in cooperation with the Allegany County Office of Emergency Manage ment, the one-day camp provided hands-on sessions covering the basics of firefighting. Session topics included Emergency Dispatch & County Emergency Services, Basic External Operations, Interior Fire Operations, and Pump, Hose & Nozzle Opera tions.

Jeff Luckey, director of emergency man agement and fire for Allegany County, said the idea for the camp “was to bring in 16- to 18-year-olds that cur rently weren’t involved in the fire department to spark their interest. Ulti mately, our goal for the camp is to help increase our recruitment across the county.”

Each interactive

session at the camp included a presentation complemented by a hands-on component.

The first session was led by Dustin Zajicek from Allegany County Emer gency Services Dis patch, and Jamie Den nis-Howe, a University Police communications and security specialist at Alfred State College. The youth learned the ins-and-outs of how op erators handle incoming 911 calls. They also were given the opportunity to tour the Allegany Coun ty Emergency Mobile Command Center.

The exterior fire training was led by veteran firefighter Tim Hite, from the City of Olean Fire Department and the Allegany Fire Department. During this session, youth be came familiar with turn out gear and practiced various building entry techniques using the county’s forced entry simulator.

Interior fire opera tions training was facili tated by Dana Atherton from the City of Olean Fire Department and the Belfast Fire De partment. Participants learned how to use a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and practiced navigating through a fire wearing full turnout gear along

Firefighters continued on PAGE 2

34th Allegany Artisans Studio Tour set for Oct. 14-16

BY KATHRYN ROSS

WELLSVILLE —

From the northernmost point in Allegany County to the Pennsyl vania line, artists will open their studios to the public Oct. 14-16 for the annual Allegany Artisan’s Studio Tour.

It is the 34th year that the tour has taken place and 36 artists will

be displaying, demon strating, and selling their artworks at 28 different sites scattered across the county.

As would be expect ed, due to the presence of the New York State School of Ceramics at Alfred University, the greatest concentration of artists participating in this year’s tour are located on the far east

ern side of the county between Almond, Alfred Station, Alfred, and Andover, with the next largest contingent located in and around the Wellsville area.

However, there are also several artists located at the top of the county in Fillmore and Houghton and at the bottom of the county in Whitesville.

Jennifer Rick etts-Swales is located in Fillmore. In her Sweet P’s studio, she uses mixed media including recycled materials, pa per, fabric, wood, and canvas to create works of art that she calls functional. She is lo cated at 11031 Dugway Road.

Photo by Jeff Babbitt

Wes Sortore, Allegany Fire District 2 coordinator and member of the Friendship Fire Department, speaks to students about the deployment and use of firefighting hoses and nozzles.

Women’s rights march comes to Wellsville

BY KATHRYN ROSS

WELLSVILLE —

While thousands of women marched around the nation Saturday, organizers were happy with the numbers that took to the street in Wellsville to protect and declare their rights.

Patty MacEwan, a long-time advocate for women’s rights who helped organize the march, said, “I’m happy to see so many women and men to out here on such a blustery day to stand up for our rights.”

Gathered in the Fassett Greenspace, the participants heard from five speakers before marching the length of the business district and back to the space. Most ly honking and cheers greeted the march ers, with some in the businesses they passed giving them thumbs up. Only a few passersby were unaware of the meaning of the demon stration while only one individual carried a sign protesting the march.

Most signs peo ple carried expressed

with an air tank.

The final session was facilitated by Wes Sortore, Allegany Fire District 2 coordinator and member of Friend ship Fire Department, who led students in the deployment and use of hoses and nozzles.

“I heard about the ju nior firefighters camp at my school and wanted to come and experi ence what it was like,” said Kristianna Smith, a junior at Friendship Central School. “It’s honestly been an amaz

frustration with the Supreme Court’s June decision knocking down the 50-year-old Roe vs. Wade decision on abor tion with language like, “I Can’t Believe I’m Still Protesting This 50 Years Later” and “We’re Not Ovary Acting.”

The message, passed along to the attendees by each of the speakers was overwhelmingly “Register to vote” and “Vote and take someone to the polls with you to vote.”

Karen Ash of Angeli ca, one of the organizers of the Wellsville march, said, “This is not a Dem ocratic or a Republican

rally , this is a women’s rights rally.”

More than once, protestors were heard to say that they were happy to be living in New York state where women’s rights are protected.

The speakers for the event were Rebecca Weaver Hamm, Victoria Hart, Lee Marcus Muse, Sarah Trumpp and MacEwan. All expressed the need to reinstate Roe v. Wade and the need to protect and preserve equality for all under the law. The speakers emphasized that the need to act is now with the upcoming election.

They expressed the need for voters to elect officials who agree with their ideals and create a “blue wave” that will ensure Democrats retain their power in Congress to preserve women’s rights and codify Roe v. Wade.

“There are five ac tions you can take now,” MacEwan said. “March, bring a person to the polls (early voting in Allegany County starts Oct. 29 in Belmont and Wellsville), hold elected officials accountable, speak up and speak out and empower one another.”

The group ProAl legany has no other marches planned before the November elec tion; organizers will be busy with a campaign to get out the vote by texting and by sending post cards to registered voters.

Early voting for all registered voters in Al legany County will take place Oct. 29, 30 and 31 and from Nov 1-6 in Belmont at the Board of Elections and in Wells ville at the village hall on Main Street.

ing day — one I would definitely recommend.”

The event received wide support from across the county. More than $3,000 in financial contributions were received from 20 local business and individ uals.

Sortore expressed appreciation for the stu dents’ excitement and enthusiasm throughout the day.

“Recruitment is very

difficult in our area,” he said, “yet today we’ve gotten to see kids from different communi ties coming together who are excited to get the gear on and learn something new. We’ve appreciated the oppor tunity to teach these young kids and hope to see them soon as fullfledged firemen.”

At the conclusion of the day, participants received a certificate of

completion and specific guidance on how to procced with the junior firefighter application process in their local departments.

County residents of all ages who are inter ested in joining their local fire department can contact their fire department chief or the Allegany County Office of Emergency Manage ment.

Photo by Kathryn Ross

Participants of a women’s rights march walk on Main Street in Wellsville on Saturday.

HUNTING

How to prepare for a child’s first hunting trip

Millions of individuals across the globe are avid hunters. The passion many of those people have for hunting began on their first childhood hunting trip, and countless hunters fondly recall this milestone moment in their lives.

If there’s a first time for everything, parents know that kids’ initial forays into any activity comes with ups and downs. Hunting is no exception

to that trend, but parents can consider these measures as they prepare their youngsters to go hunting for the first time.

Emphasize the importance of safety.

Safety is of the utmost importance on any hunting trip. Kids should be aware of all safety protocols pertaining to their guns and the hunting grounds. Hunter’s education courses can teach kids about hunting safety, but parents can quiz youngsters in the days leading up to the trip to reinforce safety protocols.

Explain how hunting trips typically unfold.

Giving kids an idea of how a hunting trip may unfold is another good idea. Explain the timing of the trip and why it’s beginning when it is. Kids without such knowledge may be less enthusiastic about early morning hunting excursions if

they don’t understand why they need to get out of bed early on a day off. But they might be more excited if they recognize they’re more likely to see wildlife and enjoy a successful trip if they’re willing to sacrifice sleeping in.

Bring some extra activities for kids to do.

Screens are a nono, as they could deter wildlife. But hunting requires patience, which is not exactly a virtue many youngsters possess. So bring some books along or encourage kids to keep a diary of their first trip, describing it in detail so they have something to look back on as they get older.

Purchase comfortable hunting attire.

Kids will likely be wearing new attire on their first trip, so parents should have them try the clothing on prior to the trip.

When shopping for hunting clothing, make sure it meets all safety standards and is functional for hunters, but don’t overlook comfort. Hunting involves a lot of waiting, and the trip will be more enjoyable for everyone if kids are comfortable throughout the slow periods.

Recognize the day could be emotional.

A child’s first hunting trip can be an emotional roller coaster, as kids may feel excited, bored, nervous, sad, and even guilty at any point during the day. Parents must allow kids to express any of these emotions during the day and emphasize that it’s alright to express their emotions.

A child’s first hunting trip is a milestone moment. Parents can take steps leading up to the trip to ensure their children are ready for what’s to come.

At A Stones Throw Pottery, Nancy Petrillo creates handcrafted pot tery for everyday use and special occasions using intricate designs captured in porcelain and enhanced with food safe glazes. The studio is located at 9845 Wes ley Road in Houghton.

Also, near Hough ton, Sarah Phillips works out of Aunties Place studio located at 8143 Pine Woods Road. She works in a variety of media from scratch board and colored pencil and pastels and watercolors to create portraits of people and pets, landscapes, and nostalgic country scenes. She is also pre

WEDNESDAY

senting her 2023 cal endar of Furry Friends during the tour.

At the most southern point in the county two artists have studios in and near Whitesville. Ken Reichman’s at his Candle Wizardry on Main Street is a longtime participant in the Artisans tour. He hand-sculpts characters in wax with fantasy, seasonal and animal themes. He offers hand dipped, tie-dyed tapers, scented votive and glow candles.

Pottery and woodcarv ing, metal sculpture and iron works, fine jewel ry and Celtic jewelry, ceramic bread pans and glassware, quilts, and fiber arts along with traditional paintings and drawings can all be found on the tour.

The Allegany Artisans Tour takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that Saturday and Sunday. Some of the participating artisans will also be opening their studios from 5 to 8 p.m. that Friday.

THURSDAY 10/20

Just a couple of miles south as you head toward Pennsylvania on Route 19, Marsha Van Vlack’s studio pops up on the left side of the road. Her work ranges from raku to stoneware art pots and wall sculp tures for enjoyment and functional pottery. She uses the potter’s wheel, hand builds and sculp tural techniques.

Known for her tile work, her work can also be seen in Wellsville where three of her tiles were recently placed in the alley near the Wells ville Brewery on Main Street.

A wide variety of art is represented by the 36 artists on the tour.

Many studios have regular hours, and others are open by appointment all year. Members also exhibit their work in galleries and at shows. Contact individual members for more information and their schedules.

A brochure complete with information about the individual artists on the tour, maps and directions to the studios is available at most businesses throughout the county.

For more informa tion, email AlleganyAr tisans@yahoo.com, visit www.AlleganyArtisans. com or check out Face book.

Photo provided Sarah Phillips works in her Aunties Place studio where she creates nostalgic country scenes and portraits.

home improvement

How to furnish your dining area

Modern homes look a bit different than those of generations past.

Rather than several small rooms divided by walls, modern homes offer open-concept floor plans. That means the boundaries between spaces are not so de fined, allowing rooms and activities to blend into one another.

Formal dining rooms may or may not be part of the current home layout with regard to new construction. Many homeowners now gravitate toward kitchens with adjacent breakfast nooks that uti lize large islands with stool seating that open up to family rooms. These layouts can make it more challenging for homeowners to figure out how to furnish their

dining areas — however casual or formal they may be. Individuals can use these tips as a springboard for select ing the right pieces in their homes, no matter where they enjoy their meals.

Consider the scope of the room

Is it a dining room or a dining area? This will help determine decor and the formality of the pieces of furni ture needed to outfit the room, according to The Spruce, a home renovation resource. If the room is a multi-pur pose space, consider furniture that can serve different purposes, such as a table that has fold-down portions to change its size depend ing on the number of people dining at a

particular time. You may want to include an armoire to store linens and stash away pens and note pads for mak ing shopping lists.

Dining table

The dining table is the foundation of a dining area. After all, people need to have somewhere to sit and eat. Remember to mea sure the dimensions of the room carefully, as furniture can look much smaller in warehouse stores or furniture showrooms than in a home.

Consider a round or square dining table, which tend fit into rooms more easily than rectangular tables. Plus, these shapes are more conducive to conversa tion. Rectangular tables often leave people at the ends out of the chat.

Seating

Seating can affect the ability to move around the room. If space is at a premium, some nar row-profile chairs are a better option than larg er, upholstered wing backs. Homeowners may consider a wooden or upholstered bench on one side of the din

ing table to maximize seating during family events.

Lighting Pottery Barn sug gests using a mix of lighting sources to create the right light ing needs in the space. Floor lamps, an over head chandelier, wall fixtures, and natural light need to blend and be adjusted as needed. Also, choose an over head chandelier that complements the shape of the dining table. For example, a round fixture will look best above a round table.

Rug

An area rug can help define the dining space and set it apart from other areas in an open-concept home. An area rug also adds warmth and color when

a wood table meets a wood floor; otherwise, it may look too stark.

Homeowners must take various factors into consideration when dec orating a dining room. Size, purpose and style are just some of the things that merit ample consideration before furnishing a dining space.

Scio woman honored for service to fire auxiliary, department

BY KATHRYN ROSS

SCIO — Members of the Allegany County Ladies Firemen’s Aux iliary and firefighters recognized the service of Cathy Farwell this past weekend.

As a Scio school district bus driver and computer teacher, an emergency medical technician for 27 years, a 38-year member of the firemen’s auxiliary, the first woman to become a Scio firefighter, 16-years of service in the Scio Vol unteer Fire Department, first female first assistant chief, and two years as president of the Alle gany County Firemen’s Association, Farwell has had a varied and active life serving her commu nity.

But Saturday night she told those honoring her, “This is like the nicest thing anybody has ever done for me, and I just want to thank you all. If I had to take this journey with any fire

department, I’m happy that it was with the Scio fire department. They are a bunch of good guys.”

Farwell was also honored with a procla mation from New York state, witnessed by Sen. George Borrello, R-Sun set Bay.

Tina Dailey, president of the Allegany Auxil iary, read the proclama tion, “Whereas, a great state is only as great as those persons who give exemplary service to their community wheth er through participation in voluntary programs, through unique personal achievement in their professional or other endeavors, individual acts of heroism, or sim ply through a lifetime of good citizenship and,

“Whereas, such service which is truly the life blood of the com munity and the state, so often goes unrecognized and unrewarded there fore be it,

“Resolved that as a duly elected member of

the New York State Sen ate, I recognize that in Cathy Farwell’s 38 years of service to the Alle gany County Auxiliary we have an outstand ing citizen, one who is worthy of the esteem of both the community and the great State of New York.”

Following the read ing of the proclamation, Scio Fire Chief Pete Farwell commented, “I just want to thank you ladies. If we didn’t have you ladies around, I don’t know what we would do. The days of volunteerism is done and I want to thank you ladies because if it weren’t for you, we would starve.”

The dinner in the Scio Community Center next to the firehall was ca tered by Mike’s On The Corner and a specialty cake for Farwell featured a Scio fire truck.

Before dessert was served, Dailey honored another long-time mem ber of the auxiliary for her service, saying that

due to the last two years with the COVID-19 epi demic they were unable to present a pin, recog nizing Lisa Curry for her 40 years of service.

It was also noted that in 2023, the Scio Volun teer Fire Department will celebrate its 200th anniversary.

What’s important to you is newsworthy to us!

Photo by Kathryn Ross

Tina Dailey (left), president of the Allegany Firemen’s Auxiliary, presents a plaque to Cathy Farwell for her years of service to the auxiliary.

Wellsville village looks at parking and trick or treating

WELLSVILLE —

One parking problem was solved while another was put on hold Monday evening during the village board meeting.

The board approved a resolution changing the parking restrictions on South Broad Street, north of the bridge. The matter was brought before the board at an earlier meeting, when property owners requested that a ban on parking on the street be lifted.

After a study by Po lice Chief Tim O’Grady, he determined there would be no problem in lifting the ban. As a re

sult, at Monday night’s meeting the board ap proved a plan to allow parking on both sides of the street at a distance of 100 feet from the bridge. In addition to the South Broad Street parking, the board ap proved adding handi capped parking places behind the library between Pearl and State streets.

But not all parking problems were solved with one resolution. The board is dealing with the matter of the Munic ipal Parking Lot located off Madison Street at the recent site of an Arc facility (formerly the Super-Duper building).

While two-thirds of the parking area was donated to the village

several years ago, about one-third is part of the Rockwell building lot, from the back of the Main Street building to the tracks.

The old building, most recently Alan Hills Carpet, was recently sold to entrepreneur Tarek Otero, who has approached the village board with an offer to sell the property in question to the village.

While the topic was broached at the begin ning of the meeting, it was tabled with Mayor Randy Shayler saying that the village is in negotiations with the property owner before asking to go “off the record.”

He said there will be a decision at the next

health & Wellness

Prioritizing Vision Health for Healthy Aging

(BPT) — When did you last have your vision checked? As we age, we become more likely to develop cataracts or other vision issues. While many doctor appointments are top of mind, eye health may be overlookedbut because cataracts affect over 24.4 million Americans aged 40 and older, it’s vital to know the signs and symptoms of cataracts to maintain healthy vision.

Vision problems as people age not only impact their ability to remain independent and continue doing the things they love, but also can create safety is sues. Research indicates that vision is a factor in the increased risk of falls in older people. Because cataracts develop and continue to progress over time, people do not always notice the symp toms until their vision has been significantly impacted.

The good news? “Cataract surgery is the most common sur gery performed by an ophthalmic surgeon - I do over 1,000 cataract surgeries a year,” says Dr. Neda Shamie, re nowned cataract, LASIK

and corneal surgeon, and partner of the Maloney-Shamie Vision Institute in Los Ange les. “It’s an incredibly precise and safe surgery, with benefits that far outweigh the risks.”

Here are Dr. Shamie’s top tips for maintaining healthy eyes as you age:

1. Set calendar remind ers to get vision checked at least annually. Encourage your parents and other loved ones to set regular visits with an eye doctor - even if they do not wear correc tive lenses or glasses.

Having a complete eye examination, including checking for issues such as glaucoma and cata racts, is crucial to overall health and well-being.

2. Be aware of top signs of cataracts and proac tively ask your parents if they are experienc ing vision problems, like having difficulties driving at night. Com mon signs of cataracts include:

• Cloudy or blurry vision

• Seeing faded colors

• Difficulty seeing street signs

• Sensitivity to bright light

• Seeing a halo around lights

• Seeing double

• Often changing glasses prescriptions

3. Know about risks for developing cataracts. Although cataracts are extremely common with aging, a number of factors are more likely to increase someone’s risk of developing cataracts. This includes diabetes, smoking, steroid use, alcohol consumption or spending a lot of time in the sun.

4. Learn about cataract surgery. Cataract sur gery is a relatively quick surgery and has a short recovery time. A special ized surgeon removes the cloudy lens in the eye that has the cataract and replaces it with a clear lens known as an intraocular lens (IOL).

As with any surgical procedure, there may be risks involved. Ask your eye doctor about the risks and benefits of cataract surgery.

5. Correct your vi sion. A number of IOL options are available, including ones that can provide different vision corrections which may minimize or potentially eliminate the need to wear glasses or contacts after the surgery. IOLs can correct vision for those who are farsight ed, nearsighted and have astigmatism. This means glasses may no longer be needed for reading a book, looking at a computer screen or seeing where a golf ball or pickle ball went.

“Cataract surgery

board meeting. Last summer the village repaired and repaved the entire park ing lot at a cost to the village. Department of Public Works Director Dean Arnold said he couldn’t recall the exact cost of the work that was done.

Halloween was also a topic of discussion at the meeting when a request for an applica tion for a special event permit was brought up. According to Shayler the Salvation Army would like to hold its annual Halloween Block Party for between 50 and 1,000 people from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 31st, in front of their Pearl Street location. The request asks that Pearl

Street be blocked off from North Main Street to Loder Street during that time.

The board approved the request and set the Trick or Treat hours for Halloween. Trick or treating will take place between 6 and 8 p.m. Oct. 31. Residents are advised to put their porch lights on between those hours if they wish to offer treats. Parents were warned to take their children only to houses with lights on.

In other business, the board gave its approval to add Brock Stonemetz and Andy Barrett to the roll of Dyke Street Engine Company #2 since both have met all established require ments and have been

approved by the Chief Kevin Fleischman.

Before adjourning the board was advised that in the near future, Williams Ave. will be closed to through traffic for from four to five days while the Depart ment of Public Works replaces a sluice pipe. Arnold noted that the canal area on either side of the sluice has been cleared all the way to Main Street.

Last spring residents complained of flood ing during heavy rains because the sluice pipe and stream bed were clogged. It is hoped that the project will prevent flooding. It will be the last scheduled project for the year, Arnold said.

comes with many different options to not only correct vision, but also to reduce the need for glasses or contacts - if the appropriate IOL is chosen,” added Dr. Shamie. “It is important

to choose a surgeon who can explore these op tions and help you find the right match for your lifestyle needs. I tell my patients that anyone who is lucky enough to live a long life will likely

get cataracts, so it is not something to fear. Treat ment is accessible and highly successful.”

Learn more about the latest technologies for cataract surgery at MyCataracts.com.