Hope
NATIONAL MONTH OF
Hope starts here. Pass it on!
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
Spread the sunshine and bring hope to those around you. Give to those who are in need, be kind to all, lend a helping hand without asking, send a card to those who are isolated, lift the spirits of someone who is struggling or fearful, compliment someone just because, any gesture, big or small, can make all the difference. Be the start of something good!
From left, Unatego Middle School Student Council members Hailey Byam, Isaac Strutton and Abbey Bailey stand with their finished Easter cards in early March.
From left, Unatego Middle School Student Council members Lucy Bailey, Miley Strutton, Raegan Goodspeed and Payton Zenner stand with their finished Easter cards in early March.
Unatego middle schoolers’ cards aim to brighten nursing home residents’ Easter By Allison Collins Contributing Writer
Members of the Unatego Middle School Student Council are making Easter brighter for area senior citizens. In mid-March, the roughly 12-person student council made 120 Easter cards for residents of the A.O. Fox Nursing Home in Oneonta. Student council adviser and Unatego teacher Cheryl Nages said the students, in grades six through eight, were eager to spread extra cheer this year. “We’ve been meeting all virtually … and I was talking to the kids about doing a community service project, because every year we do something,” she said. “One of the students asked for Easter cards, because her great-grandmother is in (A.O. Fox Nursing Home). “I called and asked, and they said ‘absolutely’ and there are 120 residents, which meant about a dozen (cards) for each student, but they all said they wanted to do it,” Nages continued.
“All of us have had a hard time in the past year or so, and some of the senior citizens have been hit really hard and haven’t been able to see family or have lost friends due to COVID. We thought, maybe this Easter they might not be able to see anyone or family, and maybe a card would help give one little ounce of happiness and then maybe it won’t be so bad.” Abbey Bailey, Unatego eighth-grader and middle school student council president
“They brought them home and filled them out and some added artwork inside. We’re working on two or three different things at once – we did Valentine’s Day gifts to every middle school student, we did a Christmas card thing – so this was just another in a series of projects we’ve been doing.” Plans for the card drive, Nages noted, began in December 2020. Abbey Bailey, a Unatego eighth-grad-
er and president of the middle school student council, said knowing the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on local senior citizens motivated students. “All of us have had a hard time in the past year or so, and some of the senior citizens have been hit really hard and haven’t been able to see family or have lost friends due to COVID,” she said. “We thought, maybe this Easter they might not be able to see anyone or fam-
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ily, and maybe a card would help give one little ounce of happiness and then maybe it won’t be so bad.” Abbey, 13, who has served on student council “every single year, starting in second grade,” said projects such as the card drive underscore the group’s mission. “We always try and do a few community service projects a year, whether it’s for the school or a food drive or giving M&Ms to every single middle schooler (for Valentine’s Day),” she said. “This is just something we shoot for.” Nages, too, said such projects help instill values in and out of school. “We try to do at least one community service project a year,” she said, “and part of my goal for student council is to not only help them to become better leaders in school, but to show them they can have an impact outside of school.” Nages said she was planning to deliver the finished Easter cards to A.O. Fox Nursing Home in late March.
Happiness Report:
World shows resilience in face of COVID-19 By DAVID KEYTON
“As for why the U.S. ranks much lower than other similarly or even less wealthy countries, the answer is straightforward. The U.S. has larger gaps in happiness rankings between the rich and the poor than do most other wealthy countries.” Carol Graham, an expert at The Brookings Institution
Associated Press
HEIKKI SAUKKOMAA/LEHTIKUVA VIA AP People enjoy a hot summer day in a lake in Espoo, Finland, on June 26, 2020. In a year of untimely deaths from the coronavirus, economic decline and social loneliness, The World Happiness Report revealing the world’s happiest countries shows Friday, March 19, 2021, Nordic countries topped the index, with Finland leading for the fourth consecutive year.
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STOCKHOLM (AP) — The coronavirus brought a year of fear and anxiety, loneliness and lockdown, and illness and death, but an annual report on happiness around the world released Friday suggests the pandemic has not crushed people’s spirits. The editors of the 2021 World Happiness Report found that while emotions changed as the pandemic set in, longer-term satisfaction with life was less affected. “What we have found is that when people take the long view, they’ve shown a lot of resilience in this past year,” Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs, one of the report’s co-author, said from New York. The annual report, produced by the U.N Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranks 149 countries based on gross domestic product per person, healthy life expectancy and the opinions of residents. Surveys ask respondents to indicate on a 1-10 scale how much social support they feel they have if something goes wrong, their freedom to make their own life choices, their sense of how corrupt their society is and how generous they are. Due to the pandemic, the surveys were done in slightly fewer than 100 countries for this year’s World Happiness Report, the ninth one compiled since the project started. Index rankings for the other nations were based on estimates from past data.
The results from both methods had European countries occupying nine of the top 10 spots on the list of the word’s happiest places, with New Zealand rounding out the group. The top 10 countries are Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Austria. It was the fourth consecutive year that Finland came out on top. The United States, which was at No. 13 five years ago, slipped from 18th to 19th place. On a shortened list ranking only those countries surveyed, the U.S. placed 14th. “We find year after year that life satisfaction is reported to be happiest in the social democracies of northern Europe,” Sachs said. “People feel secure in those countries, so trust is high. The government is seen to be credible and honest, and trust in each other is high.” Finland’s comparative success in curbing COVID-19 may have contributed to the enduring trust the country’s people have in their government. The country took rapid and extensive measures to stop the spread of the virus and has one of Europe’s lowest COVID-19 mortality rates. “In Finland as well, of course, people
JUSSI NUKARI/LEHTIKUVA VIA AP People sit in the sunshine as others ski by, during a sunny winter day on waterfront ice of Helsinki, Finland on Valentine’s Day Feb. 14, 2021.
have been suffering,” Anu Partanen, author of “The Nordic Theory of Everything” said on Friday in Helsinki. “But again in Finland and the Nordic countries, people are really lucky because society still supports a system buffering these sorts of shocks.” Overall, the index showed little change in happiness levels compared to last year’s report, which was based on information from before the pandemic. “We asked two kinds of questions. One is about the life in general, life evaluation, we call it. How is your life going? The other is about mood, emotions, stress, anxiety,” Sachs said. “Of course, we’re still in the middle of a deep crisis. But the responses about long-term life evaluation did not change decisively, though the disruption in our lives was so profound.” Issues that affect the well-being of
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their country was handling the pandemic well contributed to an overall rise in well-being, Columbia’s Sachs said. Several Asian countries fared better than they had in last year’s rankings; China moved to 84th place from 94th last year. “This has been a difficult period. People are looking past it when they look for the long term. But there are also many people that are suffering in the short run,” he said. Finnish philosopher Esa Saarinen, who was not involved in the report, thinks the Finnish character itself might help explain why the country keeps leading the index. “I think Finns are pretty kind of content on some level at being just what we are,” he said. “We don’t really have to be more.” Seth Borenstein in Washington D.C. contributed to this report.
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people living in the United States include racial tensions and growing income inequality between the richest and poorest residents, happiness experts say. “As for why the U.S. ranks much lower than other similarly or even less wealthy countries, the answer is straightforward,” said Carol Graham, an expert at The Brookings Institution who was not involved in the report. “The U.S. has larger gaps in happiness rankings between the rich and the poor than do most other wealthy countries.” Report co-author Sonja Lyubormirsky, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, noted that American culture prizes signs of wealth such as big houses and multiple cars more so than other countries, “and material things don’t make us as happy.” Conversely, people’s perception that
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How families can help communities rebound after the pandemic The global pandemic that began in late 2019 and spread into 2021 had a devastating impact on the world. The human toll was significant, as millions of people across the globe lost their lives to the COVID-19 virus. The virus also had far-reaching economic consequences, many of which were felt in small towns and communities that had been thriving prior to the pandemic. Vaccination rollouts that began in the final weeks of 2020 gave many people a glimmer of hope that life would soon return to some semblance of normalcy. The effort to restore towns and cities will require a community-wide effort, and families can do their part as the world slowly emerges from the pandemic. • Support local businesses. A recent survey from the expert business mentors at Score¨ found that just 34 percent of small business owners indicated their operations were currently profitable in late 2020. The numbers were even worse for minority-owned businesses, as the survey found that just 26.5 percent of Black business owners had businesses that were currently profitable while the number was 29.2 percent among Hispanic-owned businesses. A thriving local economy is a vital component of a strong community, and families can do their part in the pandemic recovery by making a
How helping others helps you Personal growth is at the heart of many New Year’s resolutions. Few paths to positive personal growth are more noble than resolving to help others through increased acts of generosity and kindness. According to Psychology Today, doing good for others, no matter how big or small the deed, feels good but also provides reciprocal benefits. The link between volunteering and lower rates of depression has been well-documented, and there is neural evidence from MRI studies suggesting a link between being generous and signs of happiness in the brain. The following are several ways to improve oneself by being more mindful of others. • Be aware of social issues. Read your local newspaper to stay up-to-date on the pulse of your community as well as the world. Educate yourself about current issues that are affecting people from all walks of life. Understanding the needs or plights of others may boost your willingness to get involved with nonprofit organizations. It also may make you more empathetic and compassionate toward other people. • Volunteer at a charity. Find a charitable group with which you can volunteer your time. This is a great way to support a cause you believe in and makes it possible for you to collaborate with others who are like-minded, potentially helping you make new friends. • Learn a new language. North America is a melting pot that’s home to people from many different parts of the world. Learning a new language may facilitate interactions with fellow community members who might not speak English as a first language. • Help someone you know. It’s commendable to want to assist a charity or a global cause, but what about people close to you who may need a boost? Whether you’re lugging boxes to help a friend move or babysitting a niece or nephew so their parents can enjoy a much-needed night out, when you help someone, those good deeds will return to you in time. When making resolutions, people should consider goals that involve helping others. While this assistance can benefit the people who are on the receiving end of the care and attention, those who are giving of themselves also reap considerable rewards.
concerted effort to support the small businesses in their towns and cities, especially those owned by minorities. Support locally owned restaurants instead of chain restaurants when dining out or ordering in. Even visiting a locally owned barbershop instead of a chain hair cutter can be a great way to help community-based businesses recover. • Lend a hand to the elderly. At the onset of the pandemic, public health agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization identified elderly men and women as among the most vulnerable to serious illness if they were infected with COVID-19. As a result, many aging men and women spent much of 2020 isolated from their friends and families. Families can help seniors in their communities recover from that isolation by volunteering at local senior centers, inviting aging neighbors over for weekly dinners or inviting them along on family outings to the beach or park. Such efforts can reassure seniors, many of
whom played vital roles in building the communities they call home, that their neighbors have not forgotten them. • Take active roles in the community. Recovering from the pandemic won’t be easy for any community. Some small businesses closed for good while others struggled to stay afloat, and local towns and cities lost significant tax revenue as a result. Residents, including adults and children, can help their towns and cities overcome budget shortfalls by becoming more active in their communities. Organize initiatives like park clean-ups to keep communities clean if budget constraints have forced local officials to cut back on such services. In addition, attend town or city council meetings to lend support to programs or even recommend new initiatives to help the community recover from the pandemic. Restoring communities after the pandemic will be a tall task. But it’s one that will be more easily accomplished if families pitch in and do their part.
Leatherstocking Council’s 17th Annual
Mixed Clays Tournament
To benefit the Boy Scouts of America. Saturday, September 25, 2021 • Oneonta Sportsmen’s Club • 5 STAND • •SKEET TRAP• TRAP • BBQ 5 STAND •• SKEET • BBQLUNCH LUNCH • RAFFLES/PRIZES/AWARDS • RAFFLES/PRIZES/AWARDS $10,000 - EVENT SPONSOR $10,000 - EVENT SPONSOR Naming rights to event, three teams of five/six shooters, name and logo on Naming all promotional material, page ad in program, special rights to full event, three teams of recognition five/six at event, signage at shooting stations, banner in prominent location
shooters, name and logo on all promotional $2,000 - DINNERfull SPONSOR material, page ad in program, special Two teams of five/six shooters, signage at two shooting stations, half page ad in program, at recognition event recognition event,atsignage at shooting stations, banner prominent location $425 - SQUADin SPONSOR (multiple available) One team of five/six shooters, signage at two shooting stations, half $2,000 - DINNER SPONSOR page ad in program, recognition at event
Two teams of five/six shooters, signage at two
$250- STATION SPONSOR (multiple available) shooting stations, half in program, Signage at one shooting station, 1/4page page adad in program, two attendees to the event
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recognition at event
$85 – SINGLE SHOOTER (multiple available) $425 - SQUAD SPONSOR (multiple available) One shooter, will be combined with other singles to form a squad
One team of five/six shooters, signage at two
Featuring the Grilling and Smoking Talents of “The O at 112” for your BBQ lunch.
$65 – YOUTH SHOOTER (multiple available) shooting stations, half page ad in program, Designed for Youth 13-17. Youth MUST be accompanied by an adult shooter.
recognition at event
ADDITIONAL SPONSORSHIPS $250- STATION SPONSOR (multiple available) $600 - Awards - $600 Beverages - $600 Tent **All sponsorshipat levels do not include shooters1/4 are welcome Signage onethatshooting station, page to ad in attend the Lunch and awards presentation.
program, two attendees to the event
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A SPONSORSHIP, PLEASE CONTACT JAMES HASTIE $85 – SINGLE SHOOTER (multiple available) AT 315-735-4437 OR JAMES.HASTIE@SCOUTING.ORG
One shooter, will be combined with other singles to form a squad $65 – YOUTH SHOOTER (multiple available) Designed for Youth 13-17. Youth MUST be accompanied by an adult shooter.
Featuring the Grilling and Smoking Talents of “The O at 112” for your BBQ lunch.
ADDITIONAL SPONSORSHIPS $600 - Awards - $600 Beverages - $600 Tent **All sponsorship levels that do not include shooters are welcome to attend the Lunch and awards presentation.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A SPONSORSHIP, PLEASE CONTACT JAMES HASTIE AT 315-735-4437 OR JAMES.HASTIE@SCOUTING.ORG
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APRIL 7 AND 9, 2021 | National Month of Hope | THE DAILY STAR