Allegany County Community Source 11-12-2022

Willcare moves offices across Main Street in

BY KATHRYN ROSS

WELLSVILLE —

Your doctor may not make house calls, but Willcare will.

A licensed healthcare provider, Willcare has moved across the street to give better access to its clients and for great er visibility. Over the past few weeks, Willl care has transitioned from its old Main Street location, down the hall from Rev’s Needfull Things, to across the street into the historic Rockwell building. After a few weeks of renova tions, Willcare cut the ribbon Friday to show off its new digs.

For all involved, the new location is a much handier and visible site for the business which cares for those in need of medical assistance in their homes.

“This new location will make it easier for clients to find us and to let the community know we are here,” said MaryJo McNinch, the clinical director for the Wellsville office.

Willcare has been in Wellsville since 2009. It started in 1983 in central New York and moved its headquarters to Buffalo. There are offices across the state, and it is affiliated with the Loui sianna Homecare Group which has offices across the nation.

The move precipitat ed a visit from officials from the head office, including vice president

of sales Nathaniel W. Jones from the New Jersey office and Donna Buckles from the head office.

Both praised the new home for Willcare Wells ville and commented that it will be much more accommodating for clients and staff. The Wellsville office has 21 employees and is look ing for both new clients and qualified caregivers.

Each patient and family Willcare serves is unique, officials said. Its ongoing mission is to design a specific plan to help those in their care achieve their best pos sible health while in the comfort of their home.

McNinch explained, “All our patients are under the direct super vision of their referring physician, our high ly skilled home care professionals deliver quality, compassionate care. We also include families and caregiv ers in the care process, offering clients valuable information, guidance, and support.”

Willcare provides Alzheimer’s and de mentia care, behavioral health care, nursing care transitions, chronic dis ease management, fall prevention, heart dis ease, home health aides, infusion therapy, medi cal social work, medica tion management, nutri tional consults including in home assessment, occupational therapy, pain management, par ent caregiver training,

personal emergency re sponse system, physical therapy, skilled nursing, smooth transition from hospital discharge to home health, special speech therapy, wound care such as ostomy care and continence nursing.

The cost of Willcare to the individual client is generally covered by Medicare and/or Medicaid for those pa tients who meet either program’s eligibility requirements. Private insurance companies, managed care organi zations, and workers’ compensation plans may also pay for home health services.

Milkweed to the rescue — again

Plant milkweed at Greenspace on Veterans Day

BY KATHRYN ROSS

WELLSVILLE — Things really do come full circle. Eighty years later, we can return the favor that saved World War II sailors from drowning by planting milkweed with the Wellsville Monarchs at the Greenspace on Vet erans Day to help save the monarch butterfly.

Last summer the International Union for the Conservation of Nature announced that North America’s migratory monarch but terfly has been listed as an endangered species. The main reason for the imminent demise of

these orange and black beauties is due to dwin dling habitat.

Their habitat de pends on the growth of milkweed. Milkweed provides sustenance to the caterpillars that will blossom into monarch butterflies, but milk weed itself is becoming sparse.

Michelle Day of the Wellsville Monarchs explains that pesticides

have been used to kill milkweed plants be cause to just about any other creature, milk weed is toxic.

“Farmers don’t like it because it is poison ous to their cows and other animals,” Day said, adding “munici palities cut down milk weed and other weeds and use pesticides when trimming riverbanks and public areas.”

The Wellsville Mon archs are a group of five individuals who have organized in the effort to prevent the extinction of the Monarch Butter fly and who recently sent a letter to the village and town boards asking them not to kill

milkweed and to set aside areas for butterfly gardens.

“Cortney Long and I have been raising monarch butterflies for several years,” Day said. “When I went to get milkweed from the riverbank last summer, I found that it had been cut down. That prompt ed the letters to the village and the town.”

When others, Bran don Nye, Bill Day and Kelly Rolls, became concerned about the plight of the monarch butterfly the group morphed into the Wells ville Monarchs. They

Photo by Kathryn Ross

Willcare officials and employees stand by as clinical director MaryJo McNinch and Wellsville Area

Chamber of Commerce director Bruce Thomas cut the ribbon to open the new Main Street location.

Milkweed

Green and Sadowski join the Education Foundation Board

ALFRED — The

Educational Foundation of Alfred, Inc., a private foundation representing faculty, staff, and friends of Alfred State College, has welcomed two new board members, Kris topher Green and John Sadowski.

Green, the human re source director at Jones Memorial Hospital, will serve on the property and bylaws committees.

He earned an associ ate degree from Alfred State in 1997 before serv ing in the U.S. Air Force from 1997-17. He earned a Bronze Star, a Meri torious Service Medal,

an Air Force Commen dation Medal, and an Air Force Achievement Medal.

He has also earned an associate degree in human resources from the Community Col lege of the Air Force, a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Thomas Edison University, and earned a master’s degree in human resources from Stony Brook University.

Green is a member of Gamma Theta Gam ma and serves on the Wellsville Little League Board.

He and his wife,

Allison, have two sons, Wyatt and Liam.

Sadowski, a large ac count sales professional with Northern Lights Candles, will serve on the audit and finance and scholarship com mittees.

He is a 2021 graduate of the Financial Plan ning program at Alfred State and serves on the Alfred-Almond Youth Baseball Board and is active in youth and col lege/career ministries at Alfred Almond Bible Church.

Sadowski and his wife, Makenna, live in Alfred.

Tim Sor tore, Alfred State’s vice president for finance and adminis tration, and Jonna Anne, executive director of ACES, are now ex officio members of the founda tion. Sortore is an ex offi cio on both the audit and finance and the property committees while Anne is ex officio on the audit and finance committee and a member of the property committee.

Foundation of Alfred is a private foundation comprising faculty, staff, and friends of Alfred State, dedicated to improving the college community through support of educational

programs. The Founda tion provides monetary support to enhance learning opportunities for students through scholarships and aca demic club and curricu lum activities.

The Educational

Kristopher Green (left) and John Sadowski have been named board members of the Educational Foundation of Alfred, Inc.

R

Alfred State Drama Club to present Sweeney Todd

on sale at the campus bookstore and can be purchased with cash, card, or CSA. Admis sion is $5 for students and $10 for general admission. Tickets will be sold at the door if they have not been sold out during pre-sale.

Election results in Source next week

The Source for Alle gany County is printed weekly on Tuesday afternoons, therefore results in the Nov. 8 general election were not available at press time.

“Sweeney

have been busy promot ing awareness of the dwindling numbers of monarch butterflies and have encouraged people to plant milkweed. They have handed out hundreds of milkweed seed packets for plant ing. They would like to go into schools and teach students about the monarchs and educate groups and clubs on the subject. They can be contacted via their Facebook page.

That is what they will be doing at 1:30 p.m. Friday (Veterans Day) at the Fassett Greenspace on Main Street, where they will also be gathering to plant milkweed seeds.

“Andrew (Harris, one of the founders of the Greenspace) was nice enough to give us two areas at the Green

space where we can plant milkweed. He also wants to put in a butterfly garden on the back side of the space,” Day said.

Those who attend Friday’s event will get to meet the Wellsville Monarch team, learn about monarch but terflies, ask questions, learn about planting milkweed and plant milkweed and pick up free seed packets to take home to plant. There is no cost to attend the event.

“Fall really is the best time to plant milkweed and it promises to be a nice,” Day said

Veteran’s Day is a particularly appropriate day to plant milkweed because milkweed figured significantly in World War II. It was literally a lifesaver.

Opening night will be on Nov. 17 at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a 7 p.m. showing Nov. 18 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. shows on Nov. 19. Tickets are now

From “World War II American Experi ence,” historically, during World War II the Japanese cut off American access to Java where plantations grew kapok. Kapok was the material used as fillers for life jackets. When it was no longer available an alternate fiber was desperately needed to save aviators downed in the ocean or sailors from drowning in the sea.

A physician and inventor, Dr. Boris Berkman, proposed that milkweed floss would be even better than ka pok for the job. The U.S. Navy conducted exten sive tests finding that

The Source printed on Nov. 15 will include results of the elections for Allegany County and the region.

a pound (two bushels) of the milkweed floss could keep a 150-pound man floating in the water for more than 40 hours. So, like cans and old newspapers, the common milkweed became a strategic war time material.

Schoolchildren in 25 states and two Cana dian provinces were called upon to collect milkweed for the war effort, prompted by the Department of War Ser vices slogan “Two bags save One life.”

Today, by planting milkweed, humankind can save the monarch butterfly.

12 (9-4pm)

Nov. 13 (12-3 pm), 2022

Organizing.

ALFRED — The Al fred State Drama Club will present “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Bar ber of Fleet Street” as its fall production. Four performances will be held at the Cappadonia Auditorium Nov. 17-19.

Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” is a musical and

thriller set in Victori an England about a murderous barber who extracts revenge on unsuspecting people in London for the cruel abuse of his wife.

“I am extremely proud of the hard work the cast and crew have put into this produc

tion,” commented

Director Tyler Ribble. “I look forward to show time and having the community enjoy the production.”

home improvement

Signs

Fall is a great time to tackle projects around the house.

The weather each fall allows homeowners to make improvements to

gutters are in need of repair

their homes’ exteriors without worrying about extreme heat or cold, while interior projects like painting are made easier because home owners can open the windows to allow for proper ventilation.

Fall also marks a great time to prepare for upcoming projects that can make winter work that much easier. For example, fall is a great time to take stock of your gutters so you can address any issues before leaves begin to fall or the first snow storm touches down.

Compromised gutters can contribute to water issues in basements and adversely affect a home’s foundation if not addressed imme diately, so it behooves homeowners to learn the signs that gutters are in need of repair or replacement.

• Gutters hanging off the home: Gutters were once installed predominantly with spikes. However, many industry professionals now install gutters with hanger brackets. Why the change? Spikes loosen over time, leading to the gutters hanging off the home. That can contribute to serious issues if left untreated. Gutters hanging off the home need not necessarily be replaced, but rather secured to the home, ideally with hanger brackets

instead of spikes. Brackets hook into the front of the gutter and are then screwed into the fascia of a home. A professional who specializes in gutter repair can perform this task relatively quickly, and it’s an inexpensive yet highly effective solution.

Gutter separation: Gutters that are no longer fastened together can leak and contribute to issues that affect the home’s foundation, siding and appearance. Clogs and the accumulation of debris can cause gutters to separate because they are not designed to hold too much weight.

Replacement of separated gutters may or may not be necessary depending on how big the problem is and the condition of the existing gutters.

If replacement is not necessary, separated gutters may be remedied by securing the joints, another relatively simple and inexpensive fix.

• Peeling exterior paint: Paint that appears to be peeling off of your home may indicate that water is seeping over the edge of the gutter closest to your home. When that happens, water is coming

down the side of the house, causing the paint to peel. In such instances, replacing the gutters is often necessary.

• Basement flooding: Not all signs of deteriorating gutters are outside a home. Many a homeowner has been flummoxed by flooding in their basements, and such flooding can be caused by aging, ineffective gutters. That’s because deteriorating gutters

sometimes allow water to leak near the foundation of a home, contributing to basement flooding.

Fall is an ideal time to inspect gutters and have any issues fixed before leaves begin to fall or harsh winter weather arrives.

BOCES criminal justice students get Army Combat Fitness workouts

BY

OLEAN — Cat taraugus-Allegany

BOCES criminal justice instructor Tim Emley had members of the U.S. military put his students through their physical fitness paces

last week.

Emley is in his 23rd year of teaching crimi nal justice at BOCES — 20 years at the Ellicot tville BOCES and the past three at the Olean Occupational Center.

His classes have been participating with

members of the military from recruiters to offi cers in several branches of the U.S. services and National Guard and Air National Guard for 20 years.

“I’ve had about 150 of my students over the years join the military and 60-65 men and women are wearing a uniform in law enforce ment or public safety,” Emley said.

A former officer in charge of the Portville Police Department for 10 years, Emley cur rently works part-time for the Cuba Police Department, where he’s worked for 23 years. His work includes presenting special youth programs.

The class size at Olean BOCES is 12-18 students. Emley teaches both juniors and se

niors. He sets aside the first eight to 10 weeks for military guest speak er — including recruit ers — on Wednesday.

His students are working as court offi cers, probation and pa role officers, state troop ers, sheriff’s deputies and local police, federal, state and local correc tions officers. Many in law enforcement went into the military first, Emley explained.

“I’ve got former students all over the country, from Texas to Colorado, Missouri, Tennessee, Florida, New York and Pennsylva nia,” Emley said. Many keep track of him and send photos of their families via Facebook, Emley said.

Some of his former students are pushing 40 now and he’s had stu

dents who are children of former students he had long ago.

Emley said his students go outside to do physical training on Tuesdays and Fridays. The runs are called “Two Mile Tuesdays” and “Three, Four or

Five Mile Fridays,” he said.

The students push for military times for push-ups, sit-ups and the two-mile run — rain or shine. “It builds char acter and mental tough ness,” he said. “We’re running well over 100 miles a year.”

Mondays and Thursdays the phys ical fitness training is inside and follows the Army Combat Fitness Workout — push-ups, sit-ups, chin-ups, box jumps, kettle ball squats and arm and shoulder exercises

The Army Combat Fitness Workout looks for how many push-ups and sit-ups participants can do in two minutes.

Emley said he insists that recruiters — mil itary and law enforce ment — be “as honest as they can be” with his students. He said of the 60-65 law enforcement officers who were in his class, about half were in the military prior to their current jobs.

Emley also presents an annual COP Camp in Olean, which is one of the biggest law enforce ment job fairs in the state.

RICK MILLER

Photo by Kellen M. Quigley

Students in Tim Emley’s Olean BOCES criminal justice class do sit-ups as part of their fitness test.

health & Wellness

How blood type can affect your health

Most people do not give much thought to the blood running through their veins. However, it may pay to learn more about blood type, as it can affect your overall health in a variety of ways.

What is blood type?

The American Red Cross says there are four main blood types, which are determined by the presence or absence of A and B antigens on the surfaces of red blood cells and the presence of antibod ies in the blood plasma. Blood type is further affected by a protein called the Rh factor, which can be present (+) or absent (-). Here’s a further breakdown:

Type A: Only the A

antigen on red cells (and B antibody in the plasma).

Type B: Only the B antigen on red cells (and A antibody in the plasma).

Type AB: Both A and B antigens on red cells (but neither A nor B an tibodies in the plasma).

Type O: Neither A nor B antigens on red cells (but both A and B anti bodies in the plasma).

COVID-19

Studies examining how blood type affects overall health are ongo ing, and such research garnered extra attention from the general public during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent research indicates that blood type can affect

one’s risk of contracting COVID-19 as well as the severity of symp toms. A key finding of the genetics company 23andme indicated that people with type O had lower incidences of COVID-19 positive tests. Evidence held even when researchers took into account age, sex, body mass index, and other factors. In a study published in March 2020, researchers in China found that “blood group A was associated with a high er risk for acquiring COVID-19 compared with non-A blood groups.” Researchers at Columbia University reported similar risks associated with type A blood.

Heart disease

The protective nature of type O blood also applies to heart disease. WebMD reports that risk for

coronary heart disease is lower among the O group as apposed to other types.

Stomach cancer Individuals with A, B and AB blood types are more likely to get stomach cancer. The link may lie in the presence of H. pylori infection, which tends to be more common in people with type

A blood, according to Northwestern Medi cine.

Stress Northwestern also reports that those with type A blood may have more trouble handling stress due to height ened levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Kidney stones

More than five million people in

Sweden were studied to determine the link between blood type and health risks. Those with type O and type B were more likely to get kidney stones.

Blood type can shed light on individuals’ risk for various condi tions, and researchers continue to study the link between blood type and overall health.

WNY Wilds Destination Guide recognized with statewide award

BELMONT — New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) announced awards for excellence in tourism marketing earli er this year, naming the 2021 Western NY Wilds Travel Guide of the Fu

ture for the category of “Excellence in Tourism Marketing Campaigns, Project & Programs: Printed Materials.”

Allegany County’s Department of Planning and consultant, New York’s Best Experienc

es, attended the award ceremony in late October to receive the award in New York City, compet ing against a variety of tourism-related busi nesses for the award.

Kier Dirlam, director of planning, and Mandi Joyce-Phelps, associate planner, were present to accept the award.

The New York State Tourism Excellence Awards are juried by an impartial panel of industry experts under the auspices of the New York State Tourism Industry Association.

Nominees spanned ev ery corner of New York State, and the judges were challenged by the diversity and quality of the entries.

Josiah Brown of New York’s Best Experiences has worked with Alle gany County for several years, creating the West ern NY Wilds brand.

“Updating the con tent of the tour guide in 2021 was very inten sive and took a lot of staff effort, providing a new, diverse look from previous guides and had a very challenging

deadline with only a few months to put every thing together. It reads more like a magazine and is meant to drive tourists to the Western NY Wilds website to explore what we have here, offering highlights

of our greatest assets,” Dirlam said. “This award is the first of it’s kind in Allegany County, and we hope to receive addi tional recognition in the future as the Wester NY Wilds brand becomes more developed.”