Central New York volunteer firefighters giving back to community

By Marilyn Pinsky

What do a trombonist, a law professor, a steel worker, a nursing professor, an X-ray technician and a fire coordinator have in common?

They all volunteer for their local fire departments.

When you read their stories and realize that age is not a barrier to performing many needed tasks and that not everyone in a fire department runs into burning buildings wearing heavy equipment, I hope you will consider becoming a volunteer yourself.

Most fire departments in Onondaga County are staffed with volunteers 55 and older, according to Joe Rinefierd, director of the fire bureau for Onondaga County Emergency Management.

“There is such a shortage of volunteers that everyone is needed. And not everyone needs to be a firefighter,” he said. “Many departments are corporations with boards of directors that need people familiar with business and Robert’s Rules of Order to run the organizations.”

Let’s start with the Maroneys.

Thomas J. Maroney’s day job is professor of law at Syracuse University College of Law. For the past two years, he has been a volunteer fire police officer in the Fayetteville Fire Department. Dr. Mary Kay Maroney, director and professor emerita of the department of nursing at Utica College, is an emergency medical technician with the fire department.

“Though I had been a nurse and nurse educator for many years and enjoyed the patient care aspect of nursing, I soon learned that being an EMT is very different from professional nursing care,” said Maroney.

“EMT work is pre-hospital care, basically assessing, stabilizing, treating and transporting,” he said. “As an example, in a dog bite situation, when we reach the scene we are concerned about everyone’s safety, not just the person who has been bitten. We need to ask ‘where is the dog?’, stabilize the patient and transport to the hospital if necessary.”

Having been U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York for five years, and a volunteer with the U.S. Coast Guard auxiliary for 15 years, Maroney knows how law enforcement works.

“The fire police are an adjunct to law enforcement, with very limited law enforcement authority of our own,” he said. “The primary mission is traffic and crowd control. Everything is safety first—for yourself and for the scene. We set up traffic cones to protect the area where the firefighters and EMS are working, and that could be anywhere from a busy road, to a mall, to a residential neighborhood. You get there, assess the situation and block off the area if necessary.”

In tune with volunteering—The fire police captain for the Fayetteville Fire Department is William “Bill” Harris. A charter member of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Harris retired as principal trombonist after 48 years.

He is professor emeritus of music at Onondaga Community College and artist affiliate in Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music. His most recent honor is induction into Nottingham High School’s Wall of Fame.

How does a classical musician become a volunteer firefighter?

“In 1992, the SSO had a money crisis and shut down from March to November,” explains Harris. “A great friend of mine from Syracuse University Marching Band days in the ‘60s, Tom Cook, was the fire police captain in Fayetteville where I’ve lived since 1966. So I knew all the guys socially but never had the time to be involved except to be friends.”

“I was always a fire buff and when the symphony shut down, Tom asked me to be in the fire police. I started taking fire course after fire course and absolutely loved it,” Harris said.

“It’s been a great 20 years. In the fire department, instead of an ‘I-me’ mentality, it’s ‘we-us’; it’s neighbors helping neighbors like our founding fathers intended. If you’re in the ‘we-us’ mode to make America better, this is the place to be. Compared to what I did all my life, I especially like the uniqueness of this whole thing,” Harris noted.

Vital to help others—Paul Whorrall, 58, retired from the U.S. Postal Service, is the volunteer fire chief and administrator of emergency services for the village of Manlius.

What is the main reason why people volunteer?

“It’s the sense of being able to help the community in an activity that is exciting,” said Whorrall. “Not only are you helping your own community, but it is personally fulfilling. True, there is a little of the adrenaline rush, but the main thing is what you can do to help people.”

“We have different levels of activity and allow people to do what they feel they’re capable of doing, from interior firefighting to scene support to fire police. There are people who do emergency medical services, drivers, EMTs and paramedics. We train people for everything. Most classes are held locally at night and on weekends.”

“For instance, to drive trucks and ambulances, all you need is a valid driver’s license, and over a couple of days, we will put you through an emergency vehicle operators course,” Whorrall said. “If you want to be an EMT, we provide the training and if you want to go on to become a paramedic, we’ll pay for that too.”

A volunteer firefighter since 1960, Mike Waters is a member of the Jordan Fire Department. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as public affairs officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel and was the fire coordinator for Onondaga County for over 29 years.

“I had wanted to be a fireman since I was a little kid and that feeling never left,” said Waters. “You build life-long friendships in the fire services, and sure, there’s a certain amount of excitement to it and, if you want, there are mental and physical challenges involved.”

‘Man against nature’—What’s it like to be a firefighter?

“It’s man against nature, it’s teamwork, it’s like a symphony where all the different parts have to be working together for it to be successful,” Waters said. “s a retired military officer, it’s a lot like a military operation. A bond is built with people who have faced the same adverse emergency conditions. You have to rely on them and they on you.”

The Onondaga Nation volunteer fire chief is Ronald Shenandoah, age 62. Shenandoah was a structural iron worker for many years, then an over-the-road truck driver for Jaquith Industries for over 13 years, He now works for the Nation.

“The Onondaga Nation Fire Department has been in existence in its new incarnation for 11 years,” Shenandoah said. “Prior to that, we had our own patrol and when the Nedrow Fire Department got a call that was on the Nation and would respond, I met them and showed them where to go.”

“Then Nedrow Fire Chief Harold Smith asked if volunteers on the Nation would like CPR and First Aid training so we could take care of patients until the Nedrow FD arrived,” said Shenandoah.

“Next, he asked us to join the fire department in Nedrow, so we started working with them,” Shenandoah said. “In 1998, we had a house fire on the reservation where a person died and all the people involved except two were from the Nation. A couple of the chiefs suggested we have our own fire department and that’s how it started.”

Many roles to fill—“Not everyone has to be an interior firefighter and there’s a place for everyone. In our department, the ages run from about 25 to 62 and we have two women firefighters. My youngest brother is an EMT and an interior firefighter, and for me, it is a privilege to have the opportunity to serve with him,” he added.

“From a chief’s point of view, the concern for your members starts whenever the sirens ring; not necessarily for a fire, it could be a sick person. It lasts even after you’ve parked the rig and it occupies your mind all night. You’re either worried that your members might get hurt or you’re feeling good that you know they are home safely,” Shenandoah said.

Bob Milton, 83, of the Jordan Fire Department, is still active after 61 years, 18 as chief and now as a life member. Leaving the Navy after World War II, he retired as a tool and die maker from Welch-Allyn. “I really enjoy helping people in need and working on and operating apparatus,” Milton said.

“Chief Milton” seems to be a family title, as Bob’s son Doug is the present Jordan chief and 13 other family members are also involved.

No gender barrier here—Rosemary Donnelly, 72, is from neighboring Meridian in Cayuga County.

By profession, Donnelly is a medical assistant X-ray technician, and as a volunteer, she is a first responder in the Meridian Fire Department for any emergencies requiring the rescue truck.

“I got involved with the Meridian Fire Department when we moved here from New Jersey 35 years ago. This is a rural community, and as many of the men farmed and were not available during the day, women became involved,” she said.

Because her mother was active in the fire auxiliary, Donnelly is still involved in her fire department auxiliary.

Like the Miltons, Donnelly also has family involved.

Another female firefighter hails from Oswego County. Joni Hinds, 55, was the first woman chief of the Cleveland Fire Department.

“My husband has been a firefighter since he was in high school, and our two sons joined when they each turned 16,” she said. “When the youngest joined  I was left home alone. My son suggested I join too. I was 43 at the time.”

Hinds progressed through the ranks.  She started as treasurer, became engineer of a vehicle, then president and chief engineer overseeing all engineers. She spent several years as a lieutenant, then worked her way up the chief ranks. During this time, she was also in school working on an ALS degree through the Corning/NYS Fire Academy.

“My father taught my brother about machinery but because I was a girl, he didn’t think to teach me, so I loved the opportunity the fire department gave me to do things with vehicles. As a firefighter, you are genderless; it is just respect for the job you do,” she said.

Madison County firefighter James Clark, 55, joined the Lincoln Fire and Rescue Department when he was 51. “I’ve lived in my community for 30 years and when the department was looking for volunteers, I saw this as my chance to give back,” he said. “It keeps me young, keeps me in shape and I’m doing something worthwhile.”

Barbara Genton, a former elementary school teacher, is staunch advocate for breast cancer, gay rights

By Lou Sorendo

For Barbara Genton, it wasn’t enough to survive breast cancer.

She then courageously stepped up and volunteered to be an advocate in the fight against the dreaded disease.

For that and several other volunteer endeavors, she was recently selected “Senior of the Year” by the Onondaga County Department of Aging and Youth.

“I was quite surprised and humbled,” the Syracuse resident said.

“I was unaware that the department even had such an award, so you can imagine my surprise,” she added.

Genton, 65, volunteers with the youth division of the department, assisting a board that monitors and evaluates programming and oversees the distribution of financial resources to support it.

She joined the youth division in September of 2009.

She recently completed her sixth year of retirement after working for 36 years as an elementary school teacher.

Genton has been a volunteer and advocate for several organizations, including Susan G. Komen for the Cure, formerly known as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

She has worked the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure for a number of years.

Genton feels very near and dear to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure cause.

In 1997, after leading what she thought was a healthy lifestyle, Genton was diagnosed with breast cancer.

It was ironic being that she was a distance runner and tri-athlete.

Genton said she was very fortunate the cancer was found in stage 1.

“A wonderful support system and community helped me through that. I continue to work out every day,” she noted.

Genton has been a member of Gold’s Gym for over two years and participates in morning classes, which feature weight lifting, zumba and body sculpting. She also swims.

“By the time I’m done working out, I ask myself, ‘Where has the day gone?’”

She also helped organize a team from Gold’s Gym that participated in the 2010 Race for the Cure held in May.

“My philosophy really has been to live life large every day,” she said. “My cancer taught me that.”

She was also taught to contribute and give back by parents who had a volunteer spirit.

“I guess I’m just carrying that forward,” she said.

Since she was diagnosed 13 years ago, she has seen new technology develop in the war against breast cancer, as well as awareness of the importance of early detection.

Genton can speak to this personally.

In November of last year, she was again diagnosed with breast cancer. It was found during a routine mammogram.

“I have witnessed firsthand how things have dramatically changed for the better,” she said.

She is again triumphing over the disease.

“I’m doing just fine. I am good to go,” she said.

Solid volunteer — Kate Flannery, director of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Syracuse, said Genton is indeed an extraordinary woman.

“She took having breast cancer herself and not only courageously navigated that, but she then turned it into advocacy as far as raising funds and passing awareness of education on,” she said.

Genton has been active from the time Flannery joined the organization almost six years ago.

She added that Genton is active with the Race for the Cure committee, which consists of 40 “strong, committed volunteers who work tirelessly all year to produce the following year’s race.”

Flannery characterizes the Race for the Cure as a “hugely successful” endeavor which “raises all kinds of critical dollars” not only for breast cancer research, but $400,000 annually which stays in the Central New York community for women to receive screening, treatment and education.

“Barb is committed to our mission, committed to eradicating breast cancer, and committed to supporting and educating other women,” she said.

Flannery said Genton serves as an excellent example to other women because she “combines a lot of good healthy living choices a woman can make while being an advocate for her own breast health.”

“Her commitment is contagious,” she said. “She really has been a part of our volunteer base, which is extraordinary year after year.”

Flannery said Genton is “tireless” and has “great energy and follow through,” traits which make for a valuable volunteer.

Gay rights advocate — The other organization that Genton volunteers for is Sage Upstate.
Sage Upstate addresses the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender as they age. It offers health and wellness programming, support groups, education, and social activities for LGBTQ people and their allies.

It was Kim Dill, executive director of Sage Upstate, who nominated Genton for the senior award.

Genton has served on its board as chair for several years.

“I have a lot of passion and energy,” Genton said.

“We provide social, wellness and educational opportunities for LGBTQ elders,” she said.

Based in Syracuse, the organization provides service in seven counties.

“Having been a closeted educator for all those years, and now being retired, it was time for me to find my voice,” she said. “It was time for me to volunteer for an organization that I have much affinity and passion for.”

She is currently partnered.

Genton said she feels society is more accepting of homosexuality.

“Our society has a long way to go for complete acceptance, but I see a change in the years I have lived,” she noted.

Genton said she feels LGBTQ elders have different needs than mainstream society.

“We are more likely to age in an alone situation. We have been ousted sometimes by our families, so we are alone,” she added.

Dill said Genton “shows us all what positive aging looks like.”

“She’s a runner, she’s active in a number of causes, and she gives everything she does with such gleeful energy,” Dill said. “People who know Barb will agree with that description. It’s contagious; everyone else catches it too.”

Dill noted that Genton was diagnosed with breast cancer twice and not only did she face it courageously, she went out and worked for social change around the issue.

“She spent most of her adult life as a closeted teacher and not only did she swing the closet door open when she retired, she came to volunteer for Sage Upstate. Here, she helps so many others feel good about who they are,” Dill said.

Dill said older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people are more likely to live alone and less likely to have children to rely on for support.

They are more likely to be caring for parents and other biological family members, but less likely to know who will care for them, she added.

“They’ve lived through many hostile eras and it is hard for them to reach out to mainstream services even when they need them badly,” Dill said.

“Barb has been there with them and she knows. She could never be openly lesbian as a teacher—years ago she would have lost her job. Though she has been through those years of hiding, she’s not doing that any more. She’s out and proud and happy,” Dill said. “What a great message to send. Even though not everyone can be open like that, I think it makes people feel good that she can. And she makes people feel good just by being around.”

The lonely senior — Genton addressed some of the problems that the elderly face today.

“I see isolation, and the difficult decisions that sometimes the elderly have to make alone,” she noted.

That includes decisions about leaving a home that they have been residing in for a long period of time out of medical necessity.

She turned 65 July 4.

“I am now an official card carrier of Medicare,” she said.

She was born in New Jersey, but grew up in he city of Syracuse.

Genton taught in Syracuse after graduating from SUNY Cortland with a degree in elementary education. She spent four years teaching in Westchester County before returning to the Salt City. She has been in the area ever since.

She grew up on the east side of Syracuse, attending Huntington Elementary School and Eastwood High School.

She is the Neighborhood Watch captain on her block and is a past member of the Outer Comstock Neighborhood Association.
Genton said she finds the Neighborhood Watch initiative effective, “especially in this age of technology.”

“The word gets out very quickly that perhaps there are things to pay attention to,” she said.

She has spent much time during retirement on self-teaching information technology.

“I’m very much into technology,” Genton said. “I don’t want this whole techno age to pass me by.”

“Having taught those young children all those years and having been able to speak their language, I still want to be able to do that,” she added.

She is also an avid walker and hiker, and spends summers visiting various national parks, a mission she said is on her “bucket list.”

Will Scientific Advancements and Healthy Lifestyles Increase Longevity?

Medical breakthroughs and technological advances — in combination with healthy lifestyles — will help improve the lives of older Americans during 2010, according to the Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging (MLIA) based in Evanston, Ill.

“Our older adult population continues to expand as each year passes, so more focus is being placed on ways to live a longer, healthier life,” said Linda Hollinger Smith, the group’s vice president. “Progress on extending human life, either through genetic research or living a healthier lifestyle, will be one of the top trends older Americans will witness next year.”

Among the top 2010 trends identified by MLIA are:
1.  Scientific breakthroughs will demonstrate that healthy lifestyles can actually repair DNA by boosting a key enzyme, telomerase, that is vital for improving the body’s immune response and may even increase longevity.
2.  The movement to more homelike environments for older adults living in long-term care communities will grow. Programs will provide care, support, individuality and promote safety in a residential environment.
3.  Improvements in health care will lead to ever slowing rates of aging, increasing the number of adults who will reach the age of 100.
4.  There will be an increased focus on positivity and its impact on happiness, health and longevity for older adults.
5.  The use of technology among older adults will grow exponentially — whether this means surfing the Internet, joining social networks such as Facebook, or using technologic devices in the home to monitor their health as well as promote independence and safety.
6.  Progress on extending human life will be a growing focus of researchers, as we learn more about how substances in our foods – such as resveratrol, found in the skin of red grapes and in several other plants  – may protect us from some life-shortening diseases such as diabetes.
7.  Older adults will play an increasingly important role in “helping the Earth age well”, by working in green jobs, volunteering, gardening, and teaching others about how to help the environment.
8.  Significant advances in treatments for diseases including cancer will occur through genetic research efforts that are preventing DNA mutations.
9.  Greater numbers of older adults will use the Internet to learn about their health. Health professionals will need to incorporate Beb-based health resources into their patients’ visits to assure that accurate websites are being sought out.
10.  Senior living residences will also make “healthy living” a priority as future prospects will be looking towards a variety of programs and amenities that support wellness lifestyles.
11.  “The ability to live a longer, healthier life will depend on the right combination of lifestyle choices, technology, advances and medical breakthroughs,” concluded Holliger-Smith.  “It’s something we call Aging Well, and the chances of that happening will continue to expand in 2010 and beyond.”

Better Than Viagra, Cialis, Levitra

New erection drug believed to be faster, safer

A still experimental erectile dysfunction drug — avanafil — promises erections in just 30 minutes or less, according to study results announced by the drug’s manufacturer.

The phase 3 study, not yet published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, included 646 men with erectile dysfunction (ED). At the highest dose tested (200 milligrams), nearly 80 percent of sexual attempts resulted in erections good enough for intercourse.

Study investigator LeRoy Jones, associate professor of urology at the University of Texas Health Science Center, said the new drug will offer a new alternative to men seeking “an improved experience” with current erectile dysfunction drugs.

“These data suggesting that avanafil achieves a full effect in 30 minutes or less, with a window of opportunity extending beyond six hours, would be a welcome option for ED treatment,” Jones said in a news release from Vivus Inc., which has licensed the drug from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp.

In the study, men received either an inactive placebo or avanafil at a dose of 50 milligrams, 100 milligrams, or 200 milligrams. Successful intercourse was reported by:
• 27 percent of men taking placebo (up from 13 percent at the start of the study)
• 41 percent of men taking avanafil 50 milligrams (up from 13 percent at the start of the study)
• 57 percent of men taking avanafil 100 milligrams (up from 14 percent at the start of the study)
• 57 percent of men taking avanafil 200 milligrams (up from 12 percent at the start of the study)

Avanafil’s most frequent side effect was headache, reported by 7 percent of men receiving the drug and by 1.2 percent of men taking placebo. Other common side effects included flushing (4.6 percent of men on avanafil vs. none on placebo) and nasal congestion (2.3 percent of men on avanafil vs. 1.2 percent on placebo).

Avanafil works the same way as the three other ED drugs currently on the market: Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra. All these drugs target an enzyme called PDE5; avanafil appears to inhibit this enzyme more selectively than the other.

A Vivus news release suggests that in addition to working faster than Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra, the new drug may have fewer side effects.

The current study, dubbed REVIVE, is the first of four phase 3 trials of avanafil. Two of the other studies will look at how well the drug helps erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes and in men who have had prostate surgery. A third study, enrolling 600 men at 40 U.S. medical centers, began in March 2009 and will continue for one year.

Vivus expects to submit avanafil for FDA approval in late 2010 or early 2011.

Study: More Older Americans Abusing Drugs

A new government study indicates a rise in substance abuse in older Americans that is likely to lead to an increased need for mental health treatment in the next 10 years.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said in a report in January that the need for substance abuse treatment among Americans over 50 is projected to double.

The agency said in a statement that substance abuse is dangerous at any age, but physiological and social changes make older adults more vulnerable to the harmful effects of illicit drugs.

The report suggests that an estimated 4.3 million Americans over the age of 50 used illicit drugs in the past year. The agency said 8.5 percent of men aged 50 to 54 used marijuana, as opposed to about 4 percent of women.

In adults over 65 who abuse drugs, nonmedical use of prescription drugs was more common than smoking marijuana.

Volunteering May Prevent the Elderly from Becoming Frail

Frailty is a geriatric condition marked by weight loss, low energy and strength, and low physical activity. UCLA researchers followed 1,072 healthy adults aged 70 to 79 between 1988 and 1991 to determine if productive activities — specifically volunteering, paid work and child care — prevent the onset of frailty.
At the beginning of the study, 28 percent of participants volunteered, 25 percent performed child care duties and 19 percent worked for pay. After three years, participants in all three activities were found to be less likely to become frail. After accounting for levels of physical and cognitive function, however, only volunteering was associated with lower rates of frailty.

The study suggests that participating in volunteer activities may prevent frailty in older adults. A randomized trial is needed to determine whether volunteering itself prevents the onset of frailty, or if there is something about the types of people who volunteer regularly that keeps them from becoming frail.

The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. It appears in the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences.

Active older adults find haven at North Area YMCA

Although the “golden years” are typically a time to slow down and take it easy, you won’t normally see Baby Boomers doing that at the North Area YMCA in Syracuse.

Active older adults are active indeed. Men and women alike come to the Y for fun, friendship and fitness.

A typical day might begin with a fitness class such as Zumba, Tai Chi or Yoga, a walk on the treadmill or perhaps some water aerobics. Once their exercise is complete, the front lobby is bustling with activity. Five days a week, they exercise together and then sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, an occasional homemade baked treat and good company.

Conversation can get lively with the sound of laughter often heard in the far reaches of the YMCA.
The active older adult population also gets involved in many other YMCA activities.

Once a month, they enjoy their book club. They take turns choosing books and engage in discussion. Book selections range from non-fiction to light romance and historical fiction.

Another monthly activity is the knitting and crocheting club. On the third Wednesday of every month, along with their workout clothes, they tote in bags filled with yarn and their latest project.

While the formal group was initiated by a staff member, the seniors had been showcasing their talents for years and had been giving informal knitting lessons to anyone who was interested.

The most recent activity established at the Y has been dominoes. What began as a small group quickly expanded—one person taught another and then another.

It is such a popular activity that the Y is now featuring a dominoes tournament.

While it may sound like active older adults sit around at their Y all day, quite the opposite is true. In order to encourage seniors to participate, activities and classes are scheduled early in the morning.

When they are not volunteering, they are out seeking other opportunities—such as taking computer classes so they can use the Internet or learning to use a digital camera so they can capture all of their adventures.

“We have a member who lost her husband several years ago. She was alone, isolated and very lonely,” a North Area YMCA spokesperson said. “Finally, she joined the Y and it changed her life. She has a reason to get out of bed in the morning and she knows she will be missed if she doesn’t show up.”

• Submitted by the North Area YMCA in Syracuse.

Program is celebrating five years at its current home. It delivers more than 180 meals a day, but it wants to deliver more, have more volunteers

By Nancy Haus

The North Area Meals on Wheels (NAMOW) has been around since the 1970s but it’s celebrating five years this year at its present location at 413 Church St. in North Syracuse.

With 250 volunteers, 50 to 60 substitute volunteers per month and 19 daily routes, about 180 meals leave the Church Street location on a daily basis headed for deliveries in the North Syracuse, Cicero, Brewerton, Mattydale and Liverpool areas.

Volunteers are mostly 65-plus themselves with a fair number of younger people who also volunteer their time on a day off from work or school.

Jim Baker, NAMOW’s facility manager, recounts the historical facts of NAMOW’s growth from the old Bessie Riordan Elementary School in Mattydale to a 2,800-sq.-ft facility in an old pizza place with a small parking lot (on Kreischer Road in North Syracuse), to purchasing the tract of land located on Church Street from the Lions Club for $365,000 in March 2004. Baker said with a lot of help from volunteers, some state grants, over $130,000 generated by fundraisers, and the generosity of contractors committed to the NAMOW cause, volunteers were able to move into the new 5,000 sq.-ft. state-of-the-art facility Nov. 4, 2004. “We’ve come a long way,” said Baker, referring to the facility.

The ultra-modern kitchen features stainless steel counters and prep areas, which are meticulously cleaned in the morning and afternoon. Dishes are fastidiously done by a dish washer — yes, a live dish washer.

Kitchen coordinator and board member Donna Snowberger proudly shows off the new walk-in freezer and other refrigerator/freezer areas, storage areas impeccably and methodically arranged, the food line, and many other features of the efficient facility.

“They grab their hats, aprons, and gloves, and start right in, and it’s a new crew every day,” Snowberger said of the volunteers who work in the kitchen.

When the meals are prepared, drivers deliver to a different number of customers based on the area they serve. They use their own vehicles and gas and are out the door quickly so they can reach their clients before noon.

Fran Fedrizzi, the driver coordinator, said “one dedicated volunteer has served 35 years.”
NAMOW has been proud to call Homer Gere (Richard’s father) a volunteer for the past 20 years.

But drivers don’t just deliver meals. They check on customers who are often waiting at the door for them to arrive just to exchange a few words — sometimes the only conversation they have for the day. They help with opening the meal packaging for those who can’t do so on their own; they bring in mail; open or close windows, and just try to bring a little sparkle to their customer’s day. Sometimes, when a regular customer doesn’t answer the doorbell after several tries, they contact NAMOW  offices, which, in turn, call 911.

Meals consist of a hot entrée for dinner, including meat, a carbohydrate, vegetable and drink. A brown bag meal is also delivered, consisting of a sandwich, salad, dessert and fruit. Diabetic meals are also available for those who require them. So, two meals per day at a cost of $6 provides quite a nutritionally sound and tasty bargain by anybody’s standards.

A program called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is funded by a NYS grant as well as by the Onondaga County Office of Youth and Aging, subsidizes the cost for seniors who qualify for it, enabling them to pay only what they can afford.

To be eligible for this program seniors must be at least 60 years of age and nutritionally at risk. One-half of NAMOW’s clients participate in the SNAP program.

Volunteers at NAMOW feel that many people who might qualify for the SNAP program aren’t aware of its existence and many others may disregard the benefits NAMOW offers because they assume they’re ineligible.

Those with chronic illnesses, no support systems, difficult pregnancies, weight or other health problems that leave potential customers bedridden or immobile are also criteria for NAMOW eligibility, volunteers said.
Many more people could qualify and would not even require medical documentation — simply a telephone call from their primary care provider, volunteers said.

Donna Barrett is the operation manager of NAMOW and oversees all volunteers and the agency’s 250-plus clients. “NAMOW’s No. 1 goal is to keep seniors independent for as long as possible,” Barrett said. That goal is two-fold, according to her: “Not only do we work to keep the seniors we serve independent, we work to keep the seniors who do the serving independent as well.”

Barrett enjoys working with all of her volunteers, who, she says, “are extremely loyal” and “the backbone of our organization.”

Barrett said one of her goals is to raise awareness of what NAMOW does and who is eligible, and to find ways for the organization to get involved. “We never have too many volunteers,” she says. “And our fundraising events are always in need of more help. For instance, our annual garage sale, held at the Community Center, raises significant funds for us on an annual basis. So, we can use all the help we can get.”

Former Fulton mayor still finds time and energy to volunteer

Q. When and where were you born?
A. I was born on Nov. 23, 1919 in Guttenberg, N.J. In 1963, we came to Fulton because my husband Joe got a job at Nestle Co. He retired from there in 1984.

Q. What do you enjoy most about being a longtime resident of Fulton?
A.: I find that the area is very beautiful, and the people are stable and hard working. I feel safe and very comfortable with my surroundings. I don’t think people realize how fortunate we are to live here. I certainly do. We live on Forest Avenue, right down from Struppler’s Fulton Big M. Our neighbors are absolutely fantastic. They put our newspaper on our steps in the morning and mow our lawn. You can’t ask for better neighbors than that.

Q. How are you spending your retirement?
A. I broke my hip two years ago, so I’ve been kind of out of it. I do what I can on the phone to call members of the Professional Journalists & Communicators [former Oswego County Press Club] for meetings, and my husband takes me to meetings when I need to go. I’m not as free to come and go as I used to since my hip replacement, but I enjoy my own space. I love to read and knit, and love to watch politics on the tube. I’m fully entertained and taken care of and try to participate as best I can.

Q. Being a political “junkie,” who do you see as the most favorable presidential candidate: Barack Obama or John McCain?
A. I have no favorite candidate and am not satisfied with either choice. I’m very much worried about our society and wonder whether either candidate can solve or help solve the very difficult situation we have today. We’re deeply involved in a conflict that takes enormous amounts of money and our own people are suffering considerably. I don’t think we’re highly loved in the world at large, and that’s unusual for us.

Q. Are you still active in the community? How?
A. I’m a charter member of the Professional Communicators & Journalists of Oswego County. I majored in journalism when I attended New York University in New York City. I worked for Cooper Union, and went to NYU at night. I attended classes for five years and was editor of the school newspaper.
That experience helped me develop contacts with people in New York City and I formed friendships that have been lasting for many years.

Q. What do you do to keep yourself healthy and fit?
A. My husband is a health freak, and we’re careful about the foods we eat. We try to exercise as much as we are able to. We’re interested in things outside of our own home. It’s important to be part of the community and we try hard to do that.

Q. Tell us about the “ritual” you and your husband have on Friday nights.
A. We both worked very hard at our jobs, and on Friday evenings, we celebrated having weekends free to ourselves. I cook a very good meal, mix up a Manhattan, and watch political news shows on PBS. There’s a string of very good programs on that station. That’s how we spend Friday nights, and are still doing it.

Q. What do you feel was your most important contribution as the former mayor of Fulton?
A. I was mayor of Fulton from 1987-1991. I tried to create activities that would bring people together to enjoy, like Riverfest and several other festivals that folks enjoyed being part of and attending.

Q. How did your experience at Cooper Union in New York City help shape your life?
A. One of the most important things was that I met my husband Joe there.
I was at Cooper during World War II, and there were fears at the time of being attacked. We worked together at Cooper to protect our institution. I was a member of the “suicide squad,” which was prepared to race atop the roof and put out fires.

Q. What’s new and exciting in the city of Fulton that residents can get excited about?
A. I think the city has done a great job restoring houses. Certainly, the Community Development Agency has worked hard to acquire housing and then upgrade it.
I think the city has also done a terrific job maintaining streets and makes every effort to make Fulton a comfortable and safe place in which to live and work.

Q. What has been the secret to your long marriage with Joe?
A. We’ve been married for 64 years and have really had fun. I’m not in a position to give advice. Life is luck. Together, we have had a good life and raised four children.
Our oldest boy is in Toronto, our second oldest is in Key West, Fla., and our daughter lives in California. Our other son died several years ago. They seem to like to come home once in a while, which makes us happy.