News & Opinion About Huletts Landing, N.Y.
There will be a lot going on over the Labor Day weekend in Huletts. Here are the events that I’m aware of.
Saturday:
9:15 am – AED dedication followed by corn husking at the Caddy Shack
12:30 pm – Family picnic at HLPOCA Beach
7:00 pm – Talent Show at Casino
Sunday:
12:30 pm – Canoe race at HLPOCA Beach
Dusk (8:00 pm ?) – Golf Course
The Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company needs your help. This year alone they taught the First Aid Course, purchased the AED’s for the community and had their open house. They have steadfastly kept the community up to date with their activities thru the Huletts Current and emails.
This year, in order to save money, instead of mailing their annual appeal, they sent their annual fund drive letter electronically.
The bottom line?
This year’s fund drive responses so far to date: 20. Last year at this time they had already received 215!
In another week the summer will be over, and lots of people will return to their other homes.
So bottom line – please help. I am sending in my donation today. Will you also? Here is the original solicitation.
HULETTS LANDING VOLUNTEER FIRE CO.
ANNUAL FUND DRIVE – NEWSLETTER
Dear Friends and Supporters of the HLVFC,
The Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company relies heavily on fundraising to keep our fire and emergency medical responses at a level greater than the town provided funding. Our budget is derived partly from the Town of Dresden, but it is just barely enough to cover our operating expenses, let alone purchase the necessary equipment to support the efforts of our many volunteers. Donations from residents, citizen’s groups and renters help us to provide a high level of service to the community. Our mere existence keeps your fire insurance rates lower than they otherwise would be without us.
Last year we increased our donation rate from the prior year of 20% to an astounding community donation rate of greater than 65%. This banner year enabled us to purchase state of the art cardiac defibrillators for our first responders to carry in their jump kits and one on our medical response Engine 372. We also purchased a Stryker Rescue chair so we can carry people where stretchers can’t go, for example, from dock to the road.
Our Chief Jay also has on his wish list to acquire 5 inch diameter hose to increase water flow at fires. Five-inch hose has been the standard in the fire service for at least the last 20 years or more. All of our surrounding fire departments have 5 inch hose. Wonder why we do not have any?
The reason we do not have 5 inch hose yet is very simple: 5 inch hose isn’t cheap. But it moves a lot of water. This past June during a mutual aid drill we organized, we proved we can supply a continuous and reliable flow of water via a tanker relay into parts of Land’s End. Five inch hose will extend our reach. It will increase our water flow 3x what it is now and, as in recent years, modernized our fire company. Many of you are aware of the house that burned down of the top of Route 6 in late June. We pumped and shuttled water from 6AM to 2PM to cool the fire down enough to allow fire investigators to sift through the ashes for human remains and investigative purposes. More water means more fire extinguishing capability, less time on scene and helps to save surrounding exposures.
Remember, the HLVFC is a nonprofit 501(c) corporation so your donation to the department is tax deductible. If your employer has a matching gift program, think of us. To state the obvious, we would be glad to receive a corporate match. It leverages your donation.
Lastly, we are always in need of new volunteers. Every person who joins can do something to contribute to our dedicated personnel. We drill generally 3 Monday’s a month. Our business meeting is the second Monday of every month, except if it is a holiday.
Thank you for reading our letter. Now it is time for action on your part. A suggested donation schedule is below. There is no mandate here. Give what you can. Every dollar is appreciated and goes back directly to the community.
Help our Chief Jay fulfill his wish list with your donation.
Sincerely,
The Volunteers of the Huletts Landing Fire Company
Suggested donation:
______ $1,000 (or more)
______ $500
______ $250
______ $100
______ $75
______ $50
______ Other
Thank you for your generous support. May you have a happy, healthy and safe year. We are grateful for your support and we will be there when you need us 24/7.
Please mail your tax deductible contribution to the following address:
HULETTS LANDING FD, PO Box 59, Huletts Landing, NY 12841
Nancy Kimball, wildlife rehabilitator, holds an owl on Thursday at the Mountain Grove Memorial Church as part of the Friends of Historic Huletts Landing Summer Lecture Series.
Those who attended the Friends of Historic Huletts Landing Lecture entitled: Meet the Raptors by wildlife rehabilitator, Nancy Kimball, were treated to a great program. About 45 attended, about half children scrambling for front row seats. Ms. Kimball gave very informative talk which included three raptors she brought with her.
Lots of discussion of frozen mice, which she buys by the hundred to rehabilitate injured birds and animals which she nurses back to health. A sample of an ex-mouse bone and fur-ball choked up, was passed around (in a little box) – not everyone would touch the box. She does this as a labor of love. She received lots of questions and she and the birds received a big round of applause!
The minutes from the June and July 2016 Dresden Town Board meetings were recently approved and have been posted on the town’s website.
The August minutes will not be approved until September and so on. (Some months are not immediately approved at the following month’s meeting in the event of changes.)
A demonstration of a “Stryker Rescue Chair” was given to the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company.
The August 15, 2016 training session at the firehouse was dedicated to a demonstration of a new emergency asset being considered for purchase by the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company, the “Stryker Rescue Chair.” Fire Chief, Jay Vander Plaat, made arrangements to have the manufacture’s representative, Ms. Melissa Garcia, come and give a demonstration of the characteristics and capabilities of this very durable, yet lightweight piece of equipment; and its ease of handling in transporting injured victims of fire or medical emergencies.
Under an agreement with Stryker, the chair is currently on loan to to our Fire Company so that it can be tested under emergency conditions.
After completing that assessment, a decision will be made whether or not to purchase this new equipment. Here are several photos of the training session.
Volunteers were enlisted to sit in the chair while others moved them.
It makes it easier to transport a person down a flight of stairs.
The chair folds and stores easily.
Numerous safety features were explained.
A picture of the full chair.
It stores easily in the side compartment of a fire truck.
An automated external defibrillator (AED).
I received word this past week from the Huletts Volunteer Fire Company Chief, Jay Vander Plaat, that the new AED’s which the fire company ordered have arrived.
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a lightweight, portable device that delivers an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can stop an irregular heart rhythm and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest. Sudden cardiac arrest is an abrupt loss of heart function.
This is a milestone which the community has a right to be proud about.
Last year, the Fire Department’s fund drive was focused on raising the money to replace their current four AED’s with new models.
The Fire Department wanted to put these life saving devises around the Landing for members of the community to use in the event of an emergency. In order to do that, people had to be trained.
Thus, the Fire Department first provided the community with the classroom instruction in first aid, CPR and the proper use of the AED.
The Huletts Landing Property Owners Civic Association submitted the paperwork and applied for PAD which stands for Public Access Defibrillator through Glen’s Falls Hospital which provided medical direction along with Dr. Desaderio from the ER, who handles EMS services for the Mountain Lakes Region.
Susan Biondo DeVerna, because of the death of her husband on the Landing and the Fire Department’s effort to save his life, is donating an AED and its water proof storage box to be housed along the HLPOCA’s beach and tennis area.
For all those who worked to make this happen – the community is extremely grateful.
Below is the percentage of students who were proficient on the Common Core tests in Math and English at the Whitehall School District.
| Grade 3 | Grade 3 | Grade 8 | Grade 8 | ||||||
| Math | English | Math | English | ||||||
| 09% | 30% | 13% | 08% |
The 3rd grade Math and the 8th grade English scores were the lowest in the county.
Nancy Kimball, wildlife rehabilitator, will speak on Thursday, August 26th at 6:30 pm at the Mountain Grove Memorial Church as part of the Friends of Historic Huletts Landing Summer Lecture Series.
Nancy Kimball, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, will present a program on the characteristics and behaviors of raptors that live in this area. Nancy has 12 years of experience in this field of home-based wildlife rehabilitation, and will be accompanied at this presentation by some of her educational birds.
Mountain Grove Memorial Church – Thursday, August 26th – 6:30 PM
Free to FHHL Members/$5 Non-Members
The Friends of Historic Huletts Landing will be having their annual Art Auction on Saturday August 20th between 5:00 -7:00 pm.
For all artists who would like to donate their work, please drop off art at the Gallery between 10:00 am and noon on:
Tuesday 8/16
Thursday 8/18
Saturday 8/20
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Albany, Edward B. Scharfenberger, D.D., will visit Huletts Landing, Saturday August 13th.
The Roman Catholic Bishop of Albany, Edward B. Scharfenberger, D.D., will visit Huletts Landing this Saturday, August 13th, to dedicate the new altar installed recently in the Chapel of the Assumption.
The Bishop will celebrate Mass in the Chapel of the Assumption at 6:00 pm and will be joining parishioners afterwards for a reception at the Huletts Landing Property Owners Civic Association’s pavilion.
(Note: this is not the Washington County Park pavilion. The reception will be at the Huletts Landing Property Owners Civic Association’s pavilion .)
Parishioners from Huletts Landing, Whitehall and Fort Ann are invited to attend and it is suggested that attendees bring their own lawn chairs.
Sean Kennelly, overall winner of the 2016 Day to Remember Kerry A. McNelis Memorial Run, heads to the finish line.
The Huletts Landing Day to Remember was this past Saturday. Here are the results from the Kerry A. McNelis Memorial Run.
Special award:
Hudson Smith– youngest competitor (7 years old)
15 and Under Women
1. Lauren Keough
2. Kyle Shultz
3. Irene McNelis
19 and Under Men
1. John Keenan Jr.
2. Patrick McNelis Jr.
3. John McNelis Jr.
16-29 Women
1. Candise Rubenstein
2. Amanda McNelis
3. Katelyn McNelis
20-30 Men
1. Sean Kennelly
2. Travis Lancaster
3. Patrick Keenan
3. Travis Lancaster
30-49 Women
1. Lauren Jones
2. Ellyse Brenan
30-49 Men
1. Matthew Davidow
2. John Schultz
3. Chris Cotton
50+ Women (Champions)
1. Joanne Keenan
2. Christine McNelis
3. Pam McNelis
50+ Men (Champions)
1. Patrick Keenan
2. John McNelis
3. Kevin McNelis
To all the winners and event participants: Congratulations!
The weather could not have been more accommodating in providing another beautiful day for the Huletts Landing Volunteer Fire Company’s 2016 “Open House” on Saturday, August 6th.
Local family and friends and, most especially, the children, were treated to “Goody Bags”, ” Face Painting”, “Ice Cream” and many “Hands on Activities” which included operating fire hoses, sounding the fire truck horns, and sitting behind the big steering wheels in the cabs of the Company’s big red fire trucks.
The first 30 resident families to arrive received free, brand new, hand held “Fire Extinquishers.” Through the generosity of one of the Firefighters, any one on the Landing in need of reflective house numbers was also provided them at no charge. This is always a big help to the fire company when responding to fire and medical emergencies.
All in all, a good time was had by those who attended. Many thanks to Chief Jay VanderPlatt and his fantastic supporting staff of volunteer firefighters and the ladies auxiliary for their great effort in making this day a very special one indeed. Here are few photos of the days activities.
The Friends of Historic Huletts Landing children’s event, held on Thursday, was lots of fun.
The Friends of Historic Huletts Landing had an interesting program on colonial dress on Thursday morning with two terrific speakers from Ft Ti. The kids tried on clothes themselves and then we had a sampling of drum and fife songs out back. The quality of the program was excellent!