Aloha 5K to Benefit Amanda's House at Glens Falls Hospital

Have you heard of Amanda’s House? A valuable asset that Glens Falls Hospital provides to our region, Amanda’s House is a comfortable home away from home providing complimentary accommodations for Glens Falls Hospital patients and their loved ones who have traveled from a distance for health care. With the Aloha 5K coming up on June 15 to benefit Amanda’s House, now seemed like the perfect time to share more about its positive impact on the community and how you can help ensure that Amanda’s House continues to receive guests for years to come. 

Amanda’s House

Amanda’s House is named for Amanda Rose Cafaro, who sadly passed away prior to her first birthday after being diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in 1998. Amanda’s family was so touched by the community outpouring of support for their granddaughter that they decided to create a memorial in her name in the form of Amanda’s House, a cozy three bedroom home just a short walk from Glens Falls Hospital. 

Founded in 2001 and operated by Glens Falls Hospital since 2015, the house has seen thousands of stays throughout its 20 years in operation, welcoming a wide variety of guests, including those undergoing cancer treatment, family members of those who are in crisis as Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit patients, those having inpatient surgeries, and many more. The home has provided comfort to those across our region and as far away as California, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, the Dominican Republic and many places in between.

Lindsey Kostun, a volunteer at Amanda’s House and Glens Falls Foundation Board Member, underscores the importance of this type of offering. “The ability for patients and their families to have a residential environment to stay in during treatment and recovery is the perfect complement to achieving health, comfort and a taste of home during their most challenging times,” she says. “Our family experienced this first hand when our one year old daughter faced brain surgery and months of chemotherapy treatment. Having the ability to use a facility similar to Amanda’s House gave us the chance to feel like we could still have a touch of normalcy when everything else was out of our control. Being able to volunteer at Amanda’s House and help others experience this peace is an honor.” 

Belinda Spinner, RN and Lindsey Kostun, Amanda’s House Volunteer

Providers treating patients at the hospital have witnessed the positive impact of Amanda’s House as well. Vickie Yattaw, Registered Nurse and Manager of Oncology Education and Support Services at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital, has seen firsthand how Amanda’s House has eliminated the stress of travel expenses for patients undergoing treatment. “The Cancer Center treats patients from a wide geographic location and many drive a distance to get to their treatments. Some treatments are every day, Monday through Friday, for 6 to 7 weeks. The financial and emotional hardship of that amount of travel can be a deterrent for patients getting the lifesaving care that they need,” she says. “We are very fortunate that we can offer our patients the option to stay at Amanda’s house while undergoing their cancer care and relieve that one stressor so that they can focus on getting well.” 

Vickie Yattaw, RN at the C.R. Wood Cancer Center at Glens Falls Hospital

Belinda Spinner, an acute care Registered Nurse at Glens Falls Hospital, echoes this sentiment. Having spent 40 years caring for patients, she has been a witness to some of their biggest worries, one of those being their concern over the impact that the hospital stay has on their families. “I witnessed the beautiful moment that Amanda's House offloaded incredible weight from one of my patients. He and his family were visiting from another country while his son was at a Lake George camp. Unfortunately, he suffered an accident through no fault of his own, and had exhausted all travel medical insurance. His family had been staying with relatives that could no longer transport them to and from the hospital, so his wife and two children were staying all day at the hospital. The guilt that our patient was experiencing was obviously impeding his recovery. With one call to Amanda's House, they had a comfortable home to stay in that was close enough to walk back and forth to the hospital, stores and some entertainment for his family. I felt his gratitude as he hugged me. Tears trickled down his cheek as he sincerely said ‘thank you’.”

All proceeds from the Aloha 5K and 1 Mile Family Fun Walk will support Amanda’s House at Glens Falls Hospital. The family friendly event is scheduled for Saturday, June 15 at Haviland’s Cove Park with an off-street course winding along the beautiful Feeder Canal, complete with beach tunes to inspire your run or walk. Registration begins at 7:00am with a race start time of 9:00am, and don’t forget to wear your best Hawaiian gear! You’re invited to stick around after the race for music, kids activities (including visits from our friendly therapy dog teams), refreshments, prizes and more. Click here to learn more and sign up for the run or walk to support Amanda’s House, and learn more about Amanda’s House by clicking here. 

Photo courtesy of Glens Falls Hospital

On the Go with The Conkling Center

With a take-out fundraiser Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. at The Tavern in Queensbury, and a slick new website about to be launched, The Conkling Center in Glens Falls continues to be a valuable resource for area seniors.

Transportation Concierge Mike Knights

The non-profit operating foundation, in partnership with the Continuing Care division of St. Peter’s Health Partners and The Glen at Hiland Meadows, is a dynamic treasure trove of helpful resources for those 55 and older. It offers yoga classes, arts and crafts, historical presentations, and seminars on senior-related issues like health care and Alzheimer’s disease. Programs are currently being offered via Zoom and provide community members an opportunity to interact with presenters and each other.

It also provides seniors with safe transportation to and from appointments and shopping through its popular On The Go transportation program, with COVID-19 protocols adhered to by riders and concierges.

Marian McVey outside her Glens Falls home

Marian McVey, an active and vibrant 89-year-old from Glens Falls, told Glens Falls Living she uses On The Go at least twice a week.

“I have macular degeneration and I don’t drive anymore,” she said. “Let me tell you: This is a golden group. The van is great, the drivers are so wonderful and kind and professional, and it’s just a joy to see the van coming down the street…I told a friend of mine, when they put the ramp out, it’s like a magic carpet.

“No one takes better care of you. As someone who used to take a lot of cabs and buses, this service is such a blessing. The drivers are all so wonderful. Michael Gleason, who makes the appointments, is wonderful. Joan Tarantino is also wonderful. I asked her, ‘Where do you find these people?”

Marian says, “On The Go is such a godsend. The drivers remind me of the men I grew up with, my Dad and my uncles. It’s like I’m being transported to another time. I’m incredibly lucky.

Transportation Concierge Mike Knights with Marian McVey

“Their standards are very high. They look very professional and they are professional. The car is very clean [Disinfected after every use, Ms. Tarantino said] and the thing is they are very safe. And I know they will be there when I’m ready to leave the store or the doctor’s office.

“I really rely on them. It’s like a friend picking you up. This community is so lucky to have them. There are many people around here like me, a widow whose children live far away. I’m so comfortable with them. They make me laugh. It’s like being part of a great big bubble of goodness.

“Everyone talks about Glens Falls as Hometown USA. There must be something in the water here. Glens Falls is a very nice community.”

The Conkling Center on Warren Street, Glens Falls

Ms. Tarantino, the executive director of the Conkling Center, said On The Go is on track to provide services to 150 riders in 2020. That number is down from the 2019 numbers due the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the program for a month, and then it ran on a limited basis for another two months.

She said Saturday’s fund-raiser at The Tavern on Aviation Road in Queensbury will benefit On The Go (find the details here). The Conkling Center’s annual appeal is underway. Community support keeps the programs and services available to the community.

Community members can go on the website, which is being redesigned by Sidekick Creative of Glens Falls, and donate through PayPal, or they can send a check to The Conkling Center at P.O. Box 2088, Glens Falls, NY 12801.

The Conkling Center
Website / Facebook / Phone: 518-793-1494

How We Help: Tri-County United Way

Simply put, communities don’t succeed without people helping people. The backbone of any successful community relies on the collective efforts of many, and in particular, of those who lend a hand to those in need. We’re pleased to kick off a new series titled “How We Help”, featuring organizations around our region that are passionate about helping those who need it most. We caught up with Duane Vaughn, Executive Director at the Tri-County United Way to learn more about what they offer and the latest on how they’re making a positive impact. 

 How does the Tri-County United Way Help? 

Tri-County United Way is an organization dedicated to helping people. We work to improve lives and make a positive impact in our communities by raising resources, both monetary and volunteer. We strive to do this through collaboration with others; encouraging volunteerism, and resolving community problems through identifying and communicating our community’s priority issues.

Right to left… The Tri-County United Way Team - Kristen Chlopecki, Chris McKenna, Duane Vaughn, Joan Prouty, Kathy Tolstrup, and Joanna Sheridan

Let’s talk about your team… who are they and what are their roles?

Kristin Chlopecki is our Director of Resource Development. Kristin fosters our giving programs, is a liaison for our various workplace campaigns and organizes events and our Community Investment Committee.

Chris McKenna is our Business Manager. Chris gives full time effort in her part time position making sure that proper oversight and management of all fiscal responsibilities here at the Tri-County United Way. Chris came to us with a wealth of experience in non-profit business management and makes sure that every donation is treated with critical responsibly. 

Kathy Tolstrup, our Director of Community Engagement, started with us the first week of September of 2019. Kathy is currently working on creating an efficient system for connection to volunteerism through the United Way.  We have set lofty goals in supporting volunteerism in our community and we are already making wonderful connections between our business community and local service agencies.

Joanna Sheridan is our Director of RSVP.  Joanna is part-time and has two part-time support staff to coordinate volunteer opportunities for those over 55 years of age and provides medical transportation.

Joan Prouty is our VITA coordinator in Washington County. Joan’s ability to train volunteers in tax preparation and execute the VITA program has saved our local community thousands of dollars in tax prep fees and has been a tremendous asset to so many.   

For those who may not be familiar, what are the most important things you would like people to know about The Tri-County United Way?

The Tri-County United Way works with the community to identify need. From our beginnings in 1923, we have strived to identify what are the most important issues in regards to the Health, Education and Financial Stability that affect our most vulnerable. When those needs are identified, the Tri-County United Way works with local agencies to support programming to solve those issues.   

What makes TCUW unique in terms of the services it offers?

TCUW has been a trusted organization for community members to contribute to multiple community programs through one source. By giving through the Tri-County United Way, local agencies and the programs they provide can concentrate on their missions instead of spending valuable resources and time on fund development. The Tri-County United Way funds local agencies and initiatives through our allocations or investment committee. This is a committee of 22 local volunteers that carefully reviews all requests for funding and insures that all donations are treated ethically and responsibly. Community members also have the option to donate through us by a company employee campaign. Employees can elect to have an amount that they choose to come directly out of their company pay check to the United Way or to the agency that they would like to support.

Who are your member organizations? How do you help them?

Our member agencies are Adirondack Samaritan Counseling Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks, Catholic Charities of Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties Domestic Violence, Family Service Association, Greater Glens Falls Senior Citizens Center, Nearcare, The Salvation Army, Glens Falls Corps, and the The Senior Center of Kingsbury and Fort Edward.  We also serve dozens of other local agencies through our donor designation program. These agencies are supported not only in monetary donations but through volunteer recruitment and in-kind services.

A few of the TCUW member organizations and the TCUW team… Max McDonnell, Kingsbury Senior Center, Kim Bren, Glens Falls Senior Center, Kathleen Hanchett, Nearcare, Kim Sopczyk, Family Services Association of Glens Falls, and Megan Bohan and Sonya Scally, Board Members, Adirondack Samaritan Counseling Center, Bill Moon, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks.

Where do donations go?

Donations stay in our local, tri-county community.  Funding for our partner agencies are for specific requests to fund projects that have a positive impact in our community.  Whether it is a specific Tri-County United Way project or a program of our funded agency partners, every dollar is carefully vetted and given responsibly.  After donations have been received, our Allocations Committee spends many volunteer hours reviewing requests and makes those hard decisions on how the funding will be allocated.  This is a tough decision to make because the community ask is typically more than we have raised. We will continue to work hard until all programs to help those in most dire circumstances are funded to the fullest.

TCUW also offers several programs that make a direct impact on community members, can you briefly describe them? 

“Stuff the Bus” is a weekend program that the Tri-County United Way and Community Work and Independence (CWI) combine with the assistance of Price Chopper and many other supporters to help supply 20 local food pantries with much needed food supplies. The event takes place every first week in November at the Price Chopper on Upper Glen St. in Queensbury. Shoppers can buy ready bagged $5 and $10 food supplies or purchase/drop off their own items and donate them outside the store in the CWI bus.

This year we are happy to report that we collected over 8.3 tons of food, nearly doubling our results from last year. We are grateful for our partnership with CWI, and the collective efforts of 42 businesses, 65 food collection sites, and over 105 volunteers impacting 20 regional food pantries. And most especially all of the many community individuals who donated to the cause! A full listing of the organizations who sponsored, volunteered, and hosted collection sites can be viewed by clicking here. Thank You!

Just a few of the volunteers at this year’s successful Stuff the Bus event…

Kids with Packs program is a program that has really take off.  With the support of the Post Star, Target, Robert Nemer of Nemer Ford the Tri-County United Way we are able to purchase backpacks and fill them with needed school supplies for less fortunate children in local school districts get the start they deserve beginning every school year.   This year we were able to stuff 568 backpacks for children k-4th grades in 17 schools in 9 school districts.  We distribute the packs with supplies directly to the schools and to the teachers that have identified those in need.  Our local teachers have been a huge help in this process and have come up with very creative ways to get these packs to the children so that they are not singled out in any way.  We are always looking for more support for this program and our goal is to make backpacks and school supplies available to all children in need in all of our Tri-County service area and to make sure our wonderful local teachers are not spending their personal funds and time making these purchases.

VITA or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance is a program that runs throughout locations in Warren, Washington and Northern Saratoga Counties.  VITA, through a large volunteer program, provides free tax preparation for anyone that has an income of $55,000 or less.  Last tax season, we executed over 2000 tax returns at no cost to the community. This year we hope to continue to increase that total and will be opening a new site in Glens Falls.  I was a volunteer tax preparer last year on Monday and Tuesday nights and I can attest by first-hand experience that it is a truly wonderful volunteer opportunity. We hope to increase our number of volunteers and are currently seeking more community members to get involved.

Swim United and the United Way Holiday dinner are two programs where we partner with the Great Escape.  One day a year the Great Escape graciously allows us to bring in over 100 area youth that may never have the ability to use the water park for the evening.  The United Way Holiday dinner is completely provided by the Great Escape and their staff. Dozens of Great Escape staff member volunteer an evening to provide a complete holiday sit down dinner for over 120 individuals and family members that may not have the means to provide a holiday feast. The Great Escape has gifts and activities for the children and Santa and Mrs. Claus are always in attendance.

RSVP or Retired Senior Volunteer Program is housed in our offices and provides projects for volunteers that are 55 and older.  RSVP provides medical transportation for community members in need and many other programs like Osteobusters.

211 is a United Way initiative where if someone is in need of various social and human services, they can simply dial 2-1-1 and be connected to a live operator 24 hrs a day 7 days a week to be directed and connected to the service they may need.  Some of those connections may be homeless services, heating assistance and food insecurity to name a few.

What does the future hold for the TCUW? 

One of the great things for the Tri-County United Way is that like all 1400 United Way’s around the world, we are built to change with community needs. Our goal is to do our best to identify and work towards solving local problems through partnerships with community agencies.  We look at the challenging issues that are at the core of communities and support the programs that are working to improve these circumstances in real time. The key is to keep fighting for the Health, Education and Financial stability of our community no matter what barriers present themselves.   

How can people help? Volunteer? Donate?

The best way to donate or volunteer is to go to our website at www.tricountyunitedway.org. You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter and of course Facebook.