Active Living 50

SENIOR NEWS By Matilda Charles Beware of the Cold

Administrators of the local senior center called it a tailgate party and envisioned many dozens of elderly gathered in the parking lot outside the center, drinking co ee and snacking on doughnuts from the bakery. ey’d sent out notices and emails a week in advance. No one showed up. Not a single senior was to be seen, while center management stood on the steps wringing their hands and wondering why. e problem, we all know, is that the oldest of the senior center management team is less than half our average age, with their assistants barely out of college. Degrees galore, of course, in gerontology this and geriatric that, but framed documents hanging on the wall don’t indicate a personal knowledge of what all seniors know for fact: We get cold! Not only do we get cold, but we have to be careful. Our circulation isn’t what it used to be. We lose body heat faster and sometimes don’t even know it’s happening. When our core temperature drops too low, it can damage our liver, kidney and heart. Hypothermia is a real risk and can be deadly. It bears repeating that we need to beware of the cold. Here’s what you can do to stay on top of your own body temperature: • Don’t skimp on the heat at home. Keep the thermostat at 68-70 F and wear a sweater inside. (If you visit an elderly person in the winter, go to the thermostat and see what the setting is.) If you must save money on heating, close o rooms you’re not using. • Ask someone to install clear plastic lm insulation on your windows. You’ll be surprised how much it cuts down on icy dra s. • Keep a blanket or quilt on the sofa or recliner, and cover up when you sit down. • If you have to go out, wear layers and a good hat, gloves and scarf. Don’t let body heat escape out of your neckline. And if your senior center hosts an outdoor parking-lot gathering, check the weather report. (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Local Church, Bridge of Hope, Lends a Hand to Those in Need

BY ELIJAH ROBINSON

Pastor Ronald Young Jr. and his wife Melissa Young operate a food bank inside their ministry: Bridge of Hope. Located in the village of Canaseraga, the food bank started roughly 20 years ago. It has since served the surrounding communities of Alleghany, Livingston, and Steuben Counties. According to its Facebook page, Bridge of Hope states in part: “It is our privilege to serve the community through a grant-funded food pantry, large clothing pantry, local activities and urban outreaches to the Rochester area.”

“It started out as a oneroom [food bank] where congregation members brought in cans of food and loaves of bread‚ and it grew from there,” Melissa Young said. Within the scope of its reach, Bridge of Hope serves many families in the respective communities. “We serve about 100 to 150 families monthly,” Young said. With the advent of COVID-19, this expanded the reach of the food pantry as more people became aware of its services. “We actually ramped up our advertising and our connections within the community because we were aware that there was a need,” Young explained. Bridge of Hope utilizes Foodlink food bank to receive grants for its services. “ e grants they provide [are] incredible; the training they provide is great,” Young said. She explained that Bridge of Hope has continued to carry out their services with drive thrus. “People pull up, they pop their trunk, [and] put their food in there,” Young said. e food pantry plans on growing and further spreading the work of their services. “We’re just gonna continue to grow as the needs of the community grow,” Young said. “ is food bank seeks to help everyone and anyone who needs this service. ere’s no income requirement. All [you] have to do is register through Foodlink,” she concluded. e service o ers something more than getting people through rough times, however. “We really want to o er people hope... we want them to understand that [they’re] not alone,” Young said. e Bridge of Hope drive-up food pantry operates on the rst Saturday from 9am-noon, and the third Wednesday of every month from 6-8pm.

A Bridge of Hope volunteer stocks food!

Shelves of food for those in need at

Bridge of Hope, Canaseraga. Bridge of Hope also o ers clothing and home essentials to those in need. We serve about 100 to 150 families monthly! - Melissa Young

Enjoy this article? Check out this week ’s other great stories online at www.gvpennysaver.com: • Inside View: Discover a Local Nuclear Power Plant Refueling Outage • Protecting Our Ecosystems at Churchville-Chili Middle School Love to write? You could earn CASH when you share your original story, personal experience, community happening or school event with us! It may be featured on our popular website for all to see and even selected for print! Go to My Hometown at www.gvpennysaver.com or email our Hometown Editor Amanda Dudek at mandaDudek@gvpennysaver.com!