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Program Will Save Farmers' Lives UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A program launched recently by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences aims to put rollover protective structures, or ROPS, on hundreds of tractors and save the lives of Keystone State farmers. Kicked off Jan. 4 at the Keystone Farm Show at the York Fairgrounds, the ROPS Retrofit Program for Pennsylvania Farmers addresses a continuing crisis - dozens of farmers die in tractor accidents every decade. "Between 2000 and 2008, Pennsylvania recorded 58 farm-related, tractor-rollover deaths," said Aaron Yoder, instructor in agricultural and biological engineering and extension safety specialist. "Agriculture continues to be recognized as the most dangerous industry in the United States. One major reason for this is tractor rollovers. "In Pennsylvania, tractor incidents account for about half of all fatalities each year, and half of these are related to rollovers." A ROPS is designed to limit a roll by 90 degrees, so that if a tractor rolls, it would fall onto its side or end, according to Yoder. "The protective equipment is beneficial for all farmers, not just farmers who live in areas with a lot of hills," he said. "Even if you're pulling something out of the ground with it hitched improperly, the tractor could roll over backward." For the first time, farmers across the state have access to a program that makes life-saving tractor equipment affordable and simple to order, Yoder explained. The rollover-prevention equipment generally costs between $800 and $1,000, sometimes matching the value of a farmer's tractor. "It's not cheap, and that's one reason why more farmers don't always use the safety equipment," he said. "Many farmers don't want to go through the hassle of ordering and installing the equipment," he added. "Farmers should consider the ROPS as inexpensive insurance, like health and life insurance. ROPS and seat-belt use are 99 percent effective in preventing serious injuries or death." Through the ROPS Retrofit Program, farmers are reimbursed 70 percent of the cost of their ROPS kit - a roll bar and seatbelt - up to a savings of $765. For more information on the rebate program, visit www.ropsr4u.com/pa or call the ROPS hotline toll-free at 877-767-7748. The rebate program in Pennsylvania is modeled after a similar program in New York, which was implemented over four years and has equipped more than 800 farm tractors with ROPS. Thus far, the Pennsylvania program has received nearly $28,000 in donations, which should provide enough equipment for 36 tractors, Yoder noted. "This year, about 26 tractors should be equipped with ROPS," he said. It's hard to overstate the need for tractor-rollover protection in the commonwealth, Yoder pointed out, citing the following statistics: One in 10 farmers will overturn a tractor in his or her lifetime. Eighty percent of tractor rollovers happen to highly experienced tractor operators. Pennsylvania is one of the states with the highest rate of rollover fatalities. In the past nine years, 58 Pennsylvania farmers have lost their lives in rollovers. Seven of 10 farms are out of business within one year of a rollover fatality to the main operator. One in seven farmers involved in a tractor rollover is permanently disabled.
Major, Pickett Announce Recycling Grant For Co. HARRISBURG - The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has awarded a grant of $11,625 to Susquehanna County in support of its recycling program, announced Reps. Sandra Major (R-Susquehanna/Wayne/Wyoming) and Tina Pickett (R-Bradford/Sullivan/Susquehanna). "Recycling benefits both the economy and the environment," Major said. "There is a growing market for using recycled materials, which helps create jobs and promote growth. Just as importantly, we send less trash to our landfills." "This grant is a worthwhile investment in our Commonwealth's future," Pickett said. "It is always encouraging to see more people, and more communities, participating in the county's recycling program." The grant award is based on the 1,203.5 tons of materials recycled in 2008. The Recycling Performance Grant Program provides incentive to Pennsylvania municipalities to increase the amount of materials recovered through recycling.
Beta Rho Chapter Honors Cathy Escandel A festive holiday atmosphere at the First Presbyterian Church in Montrose was the setting for the December meeting of the Beta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. President Dr. Ann Way conducted the business meeting, which began with her report “Honoring Tradition.” She had members reflect on events which occurred in 1920 known as the Roaring 20’s. After listing highlights of that year, she concluded with the fact that member Cathy Escandel was born. The membership sang Happy Birthday to her in recognition of her 90th birthday which she celebrated on December 23.
Cathy Escandel was recognized for her 90th birthday at the December meeting of the Beta Rho Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. The business meeting continued and included reports by committee chairs who were present. Carol Goodman, chairman of the conference bags for the Northeast Regional Conference (NERC) to be held in Hershey in July, reminded the membership of the need to collect amenity items for the 700 bags to be packed for the conference. All members were encouraged to make plans to attend the conference in order to get a perspective beyond the chapter level. Pat Arnold requested that items for the newsletter be e-mailed to her in mid-January. To fulfill the message from the Alpha Alpha State president, Susan Stamm, “Feeding America - Body, Mind, and Soul,” members had brought non-perishable food items which were donated to the church’s food pantry. Members also brought handmade items to sell and the money raised was donated to the NERC fund. Items included watercolor note cards, jelly, ornaments, and bookmarks. The meeting concluded with holiday music expertly played on the piano by member Carol Madill. Carol lives in Monroeton and teaches choral music in the Wyalusing Junior/Senior High School. The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International is a professional honor society for women educators with more than 115, 000 members. Established in 16 member countries around the world, the Society defines its mission as promoting professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education. The Society offers more leadership training opportunities for women educators than any other professional organization. Society activities for 2011 include a tri-chapter meeting in Tunkhannock on April 30, when the state president will be the guest speaker. The State Convention will be held at the Nittany Lion Inn, State College , June 10-12. Local members who are actively involved at the state level include Carol Goodman, chairman of the State Personal Growth and Services Committee; Joan Peters, a member of the State Personal Growth and Services Committee; and Cindy Reynolds, chairman of the state Research Committee. Cindy has also been asked to do a watercolor painting which will be reproduced on note cards and given as a gift to the international guests attending the conference in Hershey. The next Beta Rho Chapter meeting will feature a program, “Response to Instruction and Intervention (RtII)” at the Presbyterian Church in Montrose on March 12.
The Silver Lake Community Park [501 (c)(3)] non-profit organization, or SLCP, received a $2,500 donation from Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation to assist in developing a community park with playground in Silver Lake Township. The organization’s eventual goal is to raise $45,000 for the new park, which will be located at the Silver Lake Firemen’s Field Day Grounds. In the recent past, the SLCP has sponsored a summer carnival, Halloween event, and other community service events. Fundraising, grants, and donations from local businesses and residents have all contributed to this cause. However, donations are still needed and welcome. For more information regarding the SLCP, please contact Denise Rossi (570) 663-2493.
Friends Of Susq. Co. Hold Giving Ceremony At their annual ceremony of giving in December, Friends of Susquehanna County, Inc. donated $7500.00 to various county organizations that help those in need. The following Susquehanna County agencies and organizations are recipients of monetary awards given by the Friends of Susquehanna County: Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Care Net, Caring Café, Creative Adventures for Education, Endless Mountains Children Choir, Maternal & Family Health Service, NEPA Community Health Care, Nurse-Family Partnership, SCDA Home Town Days, Susquehanna Food Bank, Susquehanna County Interfaith, Toys-For-Tots, and Women’s Resource Center.
Pictured (l-r) above: seated - Rachell Pratt, Susquehanna County Interfaith; Terese DeLaPlaine, NEPA Community Health Care; Cynthia Beeman, Big Brothers/Big Sisters; Candy Brown, Caring Café; standing - Dr. Christine Sezer, Endless Mountains Children Choir; Kristen Hinkley, Toys-N-Tots; Pam Hennessey, SCDA Home Town Days; Cindy Page, Nurse-Family Partnership; Amy Wood, Care Net; Tom Chamberlain, Creative Adventures for Education; back - Rich Mackey, Maternal & Family Health Service; Alan Wilmarth, Creative Adventures for Education. Friends of Susquehanna County, Inc. is a non profit organization dedicated to helping residents and organizations of Susquehanna County through fund raising for charitable and educational purposes. All organizations that hoped to receive funds were required to either write a letter or make a presentation to Friends of Susquehanna County, Inc. describing the need within their respective organizations. Additional requirements of receiving such funds are sending a follow-up letter, within a specified time period, to Friends of Susquehanna County, Inc. stating how the money was spent. If you are a member of, or know others who are members of organizations who help county residents, or if you would like to help Friends of Susquehanna County, Inc. keep giving to groups that help those in need, please call Chair Carol McNamara at 756-2612.
Room Tax Grants Awarded In County The Susquehanna County Room Tax Committee recently awarded monies to 13 grant applicants that requested funding through the county’s hotel occupancy tax/room tax fund collected throughout the year. Any non-profit organization in Susquehanna County is eligible to apply for the grant money to help finance a tourism-related project. The Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau is responsible for overseeing the grant program and distribution of room tax money by the county. Each year, the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau opens a grant round for each of the four counties it represents (Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna, and Wyoming). Non-profit organizations have until September 25 to submit grant applications for that year. The grant awarding process then goes through several committees for approval until the final award is determined by the individual county’s room tax committee. The following is the list of projects that were awarded funding and the organization that applied for it through the 2010 Grant Round in Susquehanna County: Website rack card (Susquehanna County Room Tax Committee) 2011 events brochure (Susquehanna County Room Tax Committee) Website (Susquehanna Country Room Tax Committee) Mural restoration (Forest City Historical Society) Montrose visitor map & guide (Montrose Restoration Committee) 2011 Harford Fair advertising (Harford Agricultural Society) Gazebo restoration project (New Milford Borough) Endless Mountains Theatre Company marketing & promotion Blueberry Festival (Susquehanna County Historical Society & Free Library) Susquehanna County Hometown Days (Susquehanna Community Development Association) Salt Springs State Park events publicity (Friends of Salt Springs State Park) Marketing & advertising (Montrose Chocolate & Wine Festival) Internet event promotion (Clifford Township Historical Society) The hotel occupancy tax is collected by lodging establishments from their overnight guests - as required by a state law - and is used to promote tourism in the Endless Mountains. A portion of the monies received is given back to the individual counties to fund tourism projects through the room tax grant program. Grant applications and program requirements are available through the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau and may be obtained by calling the bureau (570-836-5431), emailing jean@endlessmountains.org, or stopping by the office (4 Werks Plaza, Route 6 East, Tunkhannock). The next grant round will open in June 2011.
Harford Fair Welcomes New Board Member The day after the Harford Fair, plans were in the works for the 2011 fair. The annual meeting was held in November at which time Heidi Stephens-Pavelski was elected to the Board of Directors. Ken Adams chose to step down from the board after serving many, many years. He received a standing ovation at the meeting for his service and he said that he still plans to be involved with the Harford Fair.
Heidi Stevens-Pavelski is the newly elected member of the Harford Fair Board of Directors. Heidi is not new to the fair. At a young age, she began showing beef and dairy cattle as well as market hogs as a member of 4H. She became a member of the Harford Fair Agricultural Society in 1996 and became the superintendent of the Beef Department in 2003 and has served in that capacity since. She serves as a leader of the Elk Mountain Community 4-H club and is vice-president of the livestock leaders. The club volunteers to help with “Farmer for a Day” and the fair beautification contest. Born and raised in the area, Heidi graduated from Lakeland Jr/Sr High School and has a BS in Dairy and Animal Science and a minor in agricultural business management from Penn State University. She is co-owner of H.L. Stephens and Son Ford-Mercury in Lenoxville, a business that has been family owned since 1916. She is the fourth generation owner. She is actively involved in the community as a member of the Clifford Township Volunteer Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, a former coach of girls track and field at Carbondale Area, a PIAA Track and Field official, and a member of the advisory board of the Clifford Branch of Community Bank and Trust. Heidi lives in Greenfield Township with her husband, Steve, and their infant daughter, Keelan. They custom raise heifers and also have beef cattle and dairy heifers. In addition to Heidi, the board of directors is composed of President Jeff Page; 1st Vice President Dr. Mike Kowalewski; 2nd Vice President Cindy Reynolds; Executive Committee Kurt Kulick, Bill Tyler, and David Tyler; Treasurer Dale Grant; Bill Beeman; Gene Hubbard; Mark Pease; and Ron Stiles. Nancy Tyler is the board secretary. The directors serve on and work through the following committees: wages, entertainment, advertisement, museum, amusements, commercial spaces, and scholarships. The fair association meets at 7:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month at the Harford Church Lecture Hall and is open to the public. The board of directors meets the 3rd Monday of each month. Some of the fair directors and the fair secretary will attend the State Fair Convention at the Hershey Convention Center January 19-22.
Hill Country Artists Year-End Update Hill Country Artists recently closed out their year with a delightful covered dish supper at the Claverack Building in Montrose. The group will resume meetings in April with an educational program on Thursday, April 7. Call President, Rita Eddy, at 553-2500 for more information. All artists and those interested in art are invited to join the group. Thanks are extended for the support shown during the past year and to local businesses who allowed the artists to hang art in their buildings.
Major Outlines Priorities For 2011-12 Session HARRISBURG - After taking the oath of office to begin her ninth term in the Pennsylvania House, Rep. Sandra Major (R-Susquehanna/Wyoming/Wayne) said she is looking forward to meeting the challenges facing the Commonwealth in the coming year. "My top priority by far is to adopt a state budget that meets the needs of taxpayers by cutting spending and investing their money only in the most vital government services - and, of course, to pass that budget by the June 30 deadline," Major said. "With the economy still sputtering and the loss of nearly $2 billion in federal stimulus funds, this will not be an easy task, but it is certainly a necessary step toward putting Pennsylvania back on the path to fiscal responsibility." While Gov. Ed Rendell was always more than willing to increase taxes or borrow money to pay for excessive spending in the budget, Major said she is pleased that Gov.-elect Tom Corbett has committed to no tax increases. "Many people are still unemployed, and many of those who are working are still struggling to make ends meet," Major said. "We simply cannot increase taxes on individuals, or on job creators, if we want to move Pennsylvania forward." Major said she will continue to play an active role in issues affecting the ongoing development of the Marcellus Shale natural gas industry in the state. "It is important to strike the right balance between capitalizing on the job opportunities and energy independence potential of the Marcellus Shale while at the same time ensuring the industry is held accountable for the impacts of drilling," she said. Other issues likely to come before the House this session include improving the state's jobs climate, identifying funding for highway and bridge repair, reforming lawsuit abuse and privatizing the state's liquor store system. "It is sure to be a busy year in Harrisburg, and I encourage people to let me know their thoughts on the issues we are dealing with," Major said. To keep residents of the 111th District informed and keep the lines of communication open, Major has a Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/RepMajor. She also encourages people to sign up for e-mail updates at her website, www.RepMajor.com.
PARSE Update The Pennsylvania Association of Retired State Employees, Chapter 15, had their final meeting for the year 2010 on December 14 at the Towanda American Legion. The group was enjoyably entertained with Christmas music by local singer, Colleen Close. Northeast Regional Vice President Tom O’Neill reported on both the PARSE state and regional meetings held in September and November. President Jesse Bacon announced that the membership voted in November to limit meetings to three per year. The April meeting will be held in Sullivan County, the July meeting will be held in Susquehanna County, and the October meeting will be held in Bradford County. It was suggested that notices be placed in area newspapers prior to the meetings, advising of the date and place. The PARSE organization is a valuable source of information about pensions, health insurance and other programs. To learn more about the organization, contact President Jesse Bacon at 570-265-9784 or Susquehanna Co. Vice President John Benio at 570-278-2380.
Peoples Acquires Montrose Firm Hallstead headquartered Peoples Neighborhood Bank announced that their financial planning affiliate, Peoples Advisors LLC, will now be known as Peoples Wealth Management, following the acquisition of Sterling Wealth Management. Former principal of the Montrose, Pennsylvania based firm, William Lewis will join Peoples Wealth Management as Vice President and Managing Director. Mr. Lewis brings advanced financial planning certifications and a comprehensive approach to wealth management to the Peoples family. “I’m proud to be given this opportunity to join the most trusted financial institution in our region and look forward to helping Peoples’ customers manage their wealth” said Mr. Lewis. Current Peoples Advisors LLC clients will see no changes to their existing accounts and Peoples Advisors’ Mick Saravitz will continue to serve his existing clients. “We are very happy to welcome Mr. Lewis into the Peoples family and look forward to offering our clients more robust options for growing and preserving their wealth. Peoples Wealth Management represents an exciting new era for our organization” said Alan Dakey, President and CEO of Peoples Neighborhood Bank. Peoples Neighborhood Bank was founded in 1905 and its 11 branches serve Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Southern Tier of New York.
County Retirement Board Update The Susquehanna County Retirement Board met with their consultants from the Seneca Group of Morgan Stanley, Smith Barney on Wednesday, January 12. The portfolio rose over one million dollars since the last meeting in early September. In light of the resolution of several key uncertainties that were weighing on the market, the Seneca Group has become somewhat more constructive on equities. They recommended a slight underweight and further diversification of the fixed income portfolio in preparation for a potential bear market in bonds. They remain cautious on the macro economic environment due to lingering concerns over the sovereign debt and real estate markets.
Sea Scout Ship 90 has been busy during the past few months. They held their elections and the results were: Boatswain, Christian Chludzinski; Boatswain Mate, Josh Warner; Yoeman, Diana Stude; Purser, David Stude; Storekeeper, Trinity Spencer; Port Crew Leader, Tiffany Spencer; Assistant Port Crew Leader, Chris Powers; Starboard Crew Leader, Brittany Birtch; and Assistant Starboard Crew Leader, Eric Potter. The group attended a living history weekend at Camp Barton on Cayuga Lake, NY, where they participated in teepee building, black-powder musket firing, campfire cooking and more. Recently, they held their annual Christmas party at First Baptist Church in New Milford, where they watched a movie, played games, enjoyed plenty of food and exchanged gifts in a secret Santa. Upcoming events include the Sea Scout winter training weekend at Catoctin, Maryland, where they will join other Northeastern Sea Scouts for a full-filled - but busy - weekend of training and activities. They also plan on attending the Northeastern Region Sea Scout Ball and Bridge of Honor. At this gala event, Sea Scouts from the Northeast are horned for their achievements. The festivities also include a dance. Other events planned for this summer are the Chesapeake Bay sailing trip on the forty six foot sailboat Der PeLiKan and a canoe trip down the Delaware River. Sea Scouting is a water-based type of scouting for both boys and girls. For more information on joining, contact Sea Scout Ship 90 at (570) 465-3218.
VFW Offers Assistance To Veterans, Dependents The Veterans of Foreign Wars provides free assistance to veterans and their dependents with their claims for Veterans Administration benefits. The VFW Service Officer is located in building 35 at the VA Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre. The hours are from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. To make an appointment or to obtain directions, please contact the Service Officer, Mr. Al Pritchard or the secretary at 570-821-2535. The VFW also has a Claims Consultant that visits several locations throughout Northeastern PA. The current locations are Berwick, Honesdale, Great Bend, Selinsgrove, Bangor, Allentown, Williamsport, Sayre, and Scranton. A new location in Tunkhannock is expected soon. The hours at these locations are usually from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To obtain dates and locations, please contact the Claims Consultant, Rick Reiser, at 570-821-2506. Please be prepared to leave a message.
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