Snow, ice, rain, repeat! What a winter this has been! But, not to worry. There are so many things happening in Sullivan County to warm your hearts and keep us all moving forward in a positive manner. 

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that the big day is finally upon us. The 98.3 WSUL Heart-a-thon will take place at Resorts World-Catskills on Friday, February 21, 2025 from 6am – 6pm. Great add-ons to the day are the Sullivan Rotary Clubs Blood Drive with Honorary Chair Sheriff Mike Schiff from Noon – 6pm, helping to reach the goal to ensure to make a dent in the Blood Emergency Crisis currently occurring in the Hudson Valley. Be Like Mike! Save a Life! Donate Now! Walk-ins welcome but to secure a specific time, sign up today at https://donate.nybc.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/321501. 

And, newly added this year is the Monticello Rotary Healthy Heart Health Fair in conjunction with Rotary Corporate Member Jeff Bank which has an amazing line up of interactive tabling agencies, movement mini-classes, and lecture learning opportunities all open to the public, free of charge from 10am -4pm. Tabling – New York Blood Center, Sullivan County Public Health, Sullivan 180 - Smoothie Bike, Hypnotherapy for Good Health, SALT (Sullivan Allies Leading Together) & Member Agencies, Gift of Life/Hands, Only CPR – Lee Karasik, Sullivan County BOCES New Visions/Nursing Program, SUNY Sullivan Nursing - Blood Pressure Screenings, NAMI, Sullivan County Drug Task Force, Sullivan County Office for the Aging, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Garnet Health: Know Your Numbers Cholesterol Screening, Fearless, EPIC (Every Person Influences Children), Cornerstone Family Healthcare, Sullivan County Workforce Development, Seven X Motors Healthy Heart Tips Table, and RCLS (Library Services). 

Scheduled classes for the Health Fair: Things In Motion- Mini Sessions, 10:00-10:30 Tai Chi with Pedro Tweed, 11:00-11:45 Mindfulness in Motion (Key to a Healthy Heart) STEAM, 11:45-12:15 No Equipment, No Problem with Coach Maggi Fitzpatrick, 12:45-1:15 Tai Chi with Pedro Tweed, 1:30-2:00 No Equipment, No Problem with Coach Maggi Fitzpatrick, 2:00-4:00 Labryinth: Walking and Seeing Your Way to a Healthy Heart – NAMI, Learn Your Way to a Healthy Heart- 45 min sessions, 10:30-11:15 Mental Wellness for a Healthy Heart - Lori Schneider, NAMI, 11:30-12:15 Healthy Eating for a Healthy Heart - Cornell Cooperative Extension, 12:30-1:15 Happy Heart through Hypnotherapy - Albee Bockman, Lic. Hypnotherapist, 1:15-2:00 Energy Healing for Self – NAMI, 2:15-3:00 Vision Boarding – NAMI, 3:00-3:45 Happy Heart through Hypnotherapy - Albee Bockman, Lic. Hypnotherapist

Co-chaired by Rotarians (and Sullivan County Democrat’s own) Crystal Tweed and Lori Orestano-James, this is sure to be a great event add-on. For more information, please contact RotaryMonti@gmail.com.

The Cook Society will present a series of mini talks beginning February 23, 2025 at 2pm on sacred stones and indigenous culture. Author Glenn Kreisberg, of Woodstock, New York, will discuss his new book “Spirits in Stone: The Secrets of Megalithic America”. Sponsored by the Frederick Cook Society in Hurleyville. For more information call 845 434-8044. 

The Coldest Night of the Year event to benefit locally the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless is a National Program held annually on what is, by the calendar, The Coldest Night of the Year. Join Team Monti Rotary & Friends to help raise funds for this event. The Team will walk on Saturday, February 22nd from 4pm – 6pm at Dos Gados in Monticello. Members of any Rotary, other service clubs or organizations, or friends may join the team or donate directly, using this link: https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/TeamFundraisingPage.aspx?teamID=1026771&langPref=en-CA 

Our local Representatives at state and federal level are working hard for us with Utility Cost Concerns: 

In response to mounting complaints, Assemblymember Paula Kay met with NYSEG’s CEO to demand answers. She acknowledged that winter rates and increased usage could contribute to higher bills but said they don’t explain such drastic spikes. Kay has arranged for NYSEG to hold a public meeting at the Sullivan County Government Center on February 27, from 10 AM to Noon and 5 PM to 7 PM. to address customer concerns.

Our Congressman Josh Riley introduced his first bill in Congress. A landmark bipartisan bill will save families across Upstate New York up to $400 per year on utility bills and create good paying union jobs, helping residents make their homes more energy efficient. 

Senator Peter Oberacker is also addressing this concern. Use this link to contact the Senator’s Office for assistance: https://www.nysenate.gov/questionnaires/peter-oberacker/struggling-high-utility-costs-were-here-help?fbclid=IwY2xjawIcOINleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHWPvHXlzPjs8S5JV4n8gcDS_-pVn_yJNATT7PFQ_msg-8MaSjHXJ5_Mq8w_aem_sckCBB-LMicdf1AWgbnOcw . 

Condolences to Town of Bethel Supervisor Dan Sturm and the entire Sturm family on the loss of family patriarch Samuel Sturm. And, condolences to Pat Buckles and the entire Buckles family on the loss of family patriarch Robert Buckles. May their memory be for a blessing for all who knew and loved them.

Happy Birthday to Paul Carlucci (2/18), Lisa Salerno, Kellee Thelman (2/19), Barbi Neumann Marty, Elize Evans, Karen Billig, Deena Mogel, Sheila Haber (2/21), Karen Kon Aroety, Susan Wagner, Jessica Orestano Reis (2/23 – our daughter), Ronnie Cohen (2/24).

Warm your heart by being involved! Donate! Participate! Be part of the landscape of our community! There is much to do in so many ways. I share what I know, but just in case I really don’t “Know It All,” please keep me in the know by emailing me at LoriJames.SCDemocrat@gmail.com.