... To the Violence Intervention Program at Opportunities for Otsego for working to make life a little better for children involved in domestic-violence situations.
VIP recently received $20,000 as part of Mary Kay Foundation's annual domestic-violence grant program.
The money will be used to replace playground equipment and purchase cribs, books, toys and children's furniture, OFO Chief Executive Officer Daniel Maskin said.
"This grant is such a blessing," Maskin said. "It gives us hope and strength to continue what we do."
Maskin said the grant funding will be used to make life more familiar for the children at the domestic-violence shelter.
In domestic violence situations, even if the children aren't physically abused, the scars left by seeing the abuse in the home or even having to move out of a familiar situation can take a long time to heal.
We're glad to see VIP do its best to make the transition for these children a little bit easier.
o ... To registered nurse Beth Gutierrez of Morris for giving aid to a fellow airplane passenger last month.
Gutierrez, a 23-year veteran nurse at A.O. Fox Hospital, was on a Southwest Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Albany, when a 44-year-old woman suffered a grand mal seizure on the plane.
Airline stewardesses asked for a nurse or a doctor, and Gutierrez raised her hand. Gutierrez helped stabilize the woman. When the woman's condition began to deteriorate, pilots, who consulted with Gutierrez, made an emergency landing at the Raleigh/Durham, N.C., airport.
Gutierrez said she doesn't feel her actions were extraordinary.
"I'm a nurse. I am trained to provide the best care I can under any circumstances,'' Gutierrez said in a prepared statement. ``This situation was no different."
We applaud Gutierrez for raising her hand and helping someone in need.
o ... To everyone who made Halloween a "spooktacular" event this year across the Heartland of New York.
Children and adults hit the streets in costumes, attending parades and going door-to-door seeking treats.
Along the way, many children also collected money for UNICEF.
This year's Halloween events weren't just a one-day thing. The Wednesday before Halloween, the Boys and Girls Club in Oneonta hosted its family Halloween party. Many children donned their costumes for parades and activities at area schools that Friday. Despite the rain dampening the streets, the spirits of parade participants in the city of Oneonta's annual Halloween event were high.
We thank the organizers of the parades, those who gave out treats, and the children for making Halloween fun and safe.
