To Steven James Creazzo for donating the proceeds of the first public screening of his film "My Little Demon" to flood relief efforts in Prattsville.
The movie was filmed in the community just months before Hurricane Irene roared through the area.
Creazzo's ties to Prattsville go back 30 years, to when his parents, Al and Anita Creazzo, purchased a second home on a mountaintop near the village.
It was during a visit over the recent holiday season, Creazzo said, that he realized the initial burst of attention that Prattsville's plight received in the flooding's aftermath had faded sharply.
"It seems that when something first happens, everyone is there to help," he said. "But then there is a lull, and that is what's happening now. So I thought this would be a very good time to hold this fundraiser."
He said he also hoped to bring more public awareness to the needs of Prattsville, where some structures that stood for a century or longer had to be ripped down after the flooding.
We applaud Creazzo for his commitment to his adopted community, and thank him for his efforts.
To the Bassett Cancer Institute for becoming STAR Program Certified.
Through the program, Bassett providers who work with cancer patients have been trained in the latest oncology rehabilitation care, a media release said, and they are implementing research-based processes.
"STAR" stands for "survivorship training and rehabilitation."
Under the STAR Program, each patient's needs are assessed and a personalized rehabilitation plan developed, Bassett Chief of Oncology James Leonardo said. The plan pulls in medical specialists from different disciplines such as physicians, physical and occupational therapists, speech pathologists, dietitians and mental health professionals.
"Survivors are often left debilitated after lifesaving treatments that they receive," said Diane Stokes, co-founder of Oncology Rehab Partners LLC. "Cancer rehab helps them to get back to being the best mothers, fathers, spouses, workers that they can be."
Cancer treatment must go beyond treating only the cancer cells. The STAR Program recognizes that each patient is an individual person, and we are glad Bassett is on board.
To Safe Kids of Otsego County and Energizer for promoting coin-battery safety.
The nickel-sized batteries can lodge in the throats of children, where saliva will trigger an electrical current that causes a chemical reaction that can severely burn the esophagus in as little as two hours.
In some cases, children have died from their injuries, according to a media release from the organization.
The batteries are often inside compartments within electronic devices, but because many of these devices are not children's toys, the battery compartments are often easy to open, the release said.
The website The Battery Controlled, at http://thebatterycontrolled.com, offers information about this danger.
