(Wampsville, NY – Feb. 2012) A Public Hearing was held Monday, Feb. 6, in the Board of Supervisors Chambers in the Madison County Office Building in Wampsville to discuss the proposed Agriculture and Renewable Energy Business Park in the town of Lincoln.

The public hearing was held to provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the completed State Environmental Quality Review and the draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the project.

The dGEIS describes the project and potential impacts this project may have on the environment and proposed measures to mitigate potential impacts. The dGEIS and all of its appendices are available online for review and comment at madisoncounty.org.

Written comments regarding issues to be addressed in the dGEIS will be accepted until 1 p.m. March 14. Submit written comments to the Madison County Planning Department, 38 N. Court St., P.O. Box 606, Wampsville, N.Y. 13163, Attention: Proposed ARE Business Park.

Comments may also be emailed to planning@madisoncounty.ny.gov; indicate “Proposed ARE Business Park” in the subject line of the e-mail message.

Dave Evans, director of Nelson Farms, left, and Amanda Hewitt, right, product development manager, pose with Cazenovia resident and entrepreneur, Bob Rose, middle, at Nelson Farms.

 Pictured is Bob Rose’s Thermal Bar. (Photos by Nicolas Murphy)

Morrisville State College News

By Franci Valenzano

(Morrisville, NY – Feb. 2012) You’ve heard about performance bars that give you energy and boost endurance. How about one that’ll keep you warm too?

Introducing the Thermal Bar—an edible performance energy product that enhances circulation to combat the cold. It’s the mastermind of Cazenovia resident Bob Rose, an avid outdoorsman who came up with the idea to help him stay warm while enjoying his favorite activities.

After a frigid day of ice climbing, Rose decided to take his venture into his own kitchen to experiment. He first researched spices that warm the body, then bought and cooked them up into different recipes.

When numerous trials started to produce desired results, Rose reached out for help to fine tune his recipe and move Thermal Bar into the production phase.

He turned to Nelson Farms—an entrepreneurial agri-business incubator and food processing facility, operated by Morrisville State College, that helps budding entrepreneurs turn their ideas into marketable products.

He signed on to become a client and was soon working alongside Amanda Hewitt, product development manager.

In October, Rose’s high-energy bar packed with organic grains, nutrients, anti-oxidants, omega acids and spices hit the shelves at 68 Eastern Mountain Sports stores throughout the country.

He’s heating up the shelves locally too, selling Thermal Bar at the Nelson Farms Country Store, at Buyea’s True Value Hardware on Albany Street in Cazenovia, and in the snack bar at Highland Forest County Park in Fabius. They are also available through the Thermal Bar website at thermalbar.com.

Becoming a business owner wasn’t in the plan for Rose who grew up in Syracuse and after college, pursued a career as an engineer. He joined the National Guard in 1968 and become a pilot flying fighter jets, then later piloted planes for Delta Airlines, before officially retiring in 2007.

But sitting idle has never been in the cards for the 65-year-old adventurer who’s still getting used to his role running a business.

“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit,” Rose said. “I’m an inventor and a dreamer and I had this idea (Thermal Bar) that I couldn’t ever give up.”

There were others who shared his tenacity. Among them, Nelson Farms, who he credits with taking his “out of the box” idea under its wing and working with him so it could take flight.

“You would not see my product on the shelves if it wasn’t for Nelson Farms,” Rose said. “Not once did anyone say it wasn’t possible or that I couldn’t do it. They jumped into the project with nothing but support and 100 percent encouragement all of the way.”

“We were working on three things at once: the flavor, warming effect, and making it something that would work with our equipment,” said Hewitt who’s been a part of the facility that’s helped nearly 600 businesses bring more than 400 products to market.

Hewitt, a graduate of Morrisville State College’s dietetic technician program, helped Rose tweak the recipe, working on scientific formulas and the taste. Additional staff at Nelson Farms also provided assistance along the way.

That support never waned even when Rose’s product exceeded Nelson Farms’ equipment capacity.

“We are very proud to assist our clients from the very start to finish to where they are able to get their products produced, packaged and into the marketplace and onto the store shelves,” Dave Evans, director of Nelson Farms, said. “But in this case, to meet these challenges to produce and package this very unique and unusual product, we did not have the exact equipment and therefore could not “fine tune” the product totally for sale. So we recommended a person who could possibly get this accomplished.”

That person was food chemist Dr. Danny Chawan of Srim Enterprises LLC, who further advanced the formulation of Thermal Bar.

“We are very proud to have been instrumental in getting Bob started from the beginning and to be able to work and support him through these years to see his Thermal Bar become such a success,” Evans said.

Word is out about the 230-calorie bar, a mix of carbs, anti-oxidants, omegas and protein that also contains Thermal Blend, a special mix of healthy spices, including grains, soy protein, nuts and oats.

“The effect of our warming spices is the breakthrough element and the basis for our unique performance,” said Rose who consumes a bar whenever he’s ice climbing, ski mountaineering, fishing, or involved in an outside activity.

But outdoor sports enthusiasts aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the bar wrapped in vibrant red and orange packaging designed by Rose’s brother, Don Rose. It’s for anyone who spends a lot of time outside in the cold: construction workers, landscapers, EMTs, hunters, sports fans and anglers.

Rose’s plans for Thermal Bar are heating up and include adding more flavors to his apple cinnamon line and marketing it as product that’s nutritionally beneficial year-round.

Nelson Farms is a unique combination of a business incubator, food product processing facility and hands-on academic classroom. Structured as an LLC of the Morrisville Auxiliary Corporation (MAC), Nelson Farms assists entrepreneurs including Morrisville students and existing private firms with product development, small-scale food processing, marketing and sales and distribution, and is also a Pride of New York distributor for the entire state.

It is located between Cazenovia and Morrisville in the village of Nelson on Route 20 and the corner of Nelson Road.

Franci Valenzano is Public Relations and Nicolas Murphy is marketing assistant at Morrisville State College.

(Rome, NY – Feb. 2012) Jeffrey Moyer of Hamilton was one of five local finalists chosen from the nominations collected this past winter to compete for the American Heart Association Lifestyle Change Award sponsored by Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil.

At 320 pounds, Moyer bought an elliptical machine and began working out daily. Over the course of a year and a half, he managed to lose almost 100 pounds.

Moyer got serious about running and now competes often. He is currently training for his first marathon in Buffalo this May.

Other finalists are Rhonda Brooker of West Winfield, Tory Hauck and Marybeth McCall of Utica, Carrie Mineo of Whitesboro. The five now wait to see who will be named the 2012 winner after America’s Greatest Heart Run & Walk on Saturday, March 3. This year, the winner will be determined by votes cast on the Olivari Mediterranean Facebook page at facebook.com/olivarimediterranean. Voting opened Feb. 1.

This is the second year of the American Heart Association Lifestyle Change Award. The finalists have all made positive changes in an effort to lead healthier lifestyles. Votes can be submitted by online users through Friday, March 2. (One vote per person). Voters are encouraged to share the link with online friends.

The announcement of the winter takes place at the post-event ceremony March 3 in the Harold T. Clark Athletic Center at Utica College.

“The creation of this award last year sparked some new excitement with the event,” said Dick Mattia, executive director of the American Heart Association. “After some thought, Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil and our organization decided to let the community vote online on the winner this year, allowing more people to be involved in the decision and allowing more honorees to be recognized. Despite the final outcome of the contest on March 3, know that all our finalists have made positive changes to improve their health and prevent any future heart-related issues. They are all winners!”

Fans are encouraged to vote for the finalist who they felt made the most significant strides in living a healthier life. A photo and brief account of their story is posted online on the voting page.

Olivari Mediterranean Olive Oil is bottled locally in the Griffiss Business and Technology Park in Rome. Olivari emphasizes the Mediterranean way of life. Exercising regularly, enjoying fresh meals with close family and friends, and maintaining a balanced diet are just some ways to live out the healthy Mediterranean lifestyle.

For more information, visit olivarimediterranean.com.

Duane Martinez, (left) Community Bikes volunteer coordinator, joins Scott O’Mara of Knight Hawk Transport and Derek Busher of Hamilton Village. Thanks to combined volunteer efforts, 75 bikes, helmets and locks along with medical supplies were shipped last week to St. Kitts and Nevis.

Submitted by Constance Mente

(Hamilton, NY – Jan. 2012) Community Bikes recently shipped 75 bikes, helmets and locks, along with medical supplies, to the Caribbean island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis.

Scott O’Mara of Knight Hawk Transport in Canastota wheeled his truck into 44 Milford St. in Hamilton, home of the Community Bikes workshop in space donated by Ed Ray of Ray’s Wayside. Derek Busher of the Hamilton Village crew was on hand with a forklift made available by the Village.

Working together with Community Bikes volunteer coordinator Duane Martinez, the three loaded 75 bikes, helmets and locks, along with a pallet of medical supplies, onto the truck for transport to the air base in Niagara Falls.

From there, the shipment will be transported by the Air Force to St Kitts and Nevis as part of a program to develop a life habit of cycling among elementary school children, and encourage those with an interest in competitive cycling.  The program is being coordinated by the St. Kitts and Nevis Cycling Federation.

Community Bikes’ Chuck Fox said the humanitarian project would not have been possible without the help of community volunteers.

“We are extremely grateful to Scott and Paul O’Mara for donating transportation service to get the bikes to Niagara Falls.  The Madison County work crew, along with several local service groups, did a great job of cleaning and preparing the bikes, and the Village was very helpful in providing use of a forklift.”

Fox also cited Chittenango’s Dr. Cedric Francis, a St. Kitts native who donated medical supplies to be delivered to JN France General Hospital in St. Kitts. The bikes and supplies are scheduled to be delivered to St. Kitts and Nevis on March 9.

Community Bikes collects donated bicycles, refurbishes them and places them with families who cannot afford a bike.  Community Bikes has placed more than 800 bikes with families in Madison County and has partnered with Youth Policy Institute to help send 165 bikes to Malawi in Africa.

Fox said the pilot program in St. Kitts and Nevis has been enthusiastically endorsed by the US State Department and USAID program as part of their initiatives in the eastern Caribbean, and hopes to build off this initial effort.

By Margo Frink

(Canastota, NY) Peace for the Bereaved, a support group designed for anyone struggling with grief due to the death of a child, parent, spouse, relative or friend meets on the second Wednesday of every month at St. Agatha’s Parish Center, 110 Wilson Ave. from 6 to 8 p.m.

“We don’t claim to be counselors,” said Ann Marie Rossi, one of the group’s organizers who lost a son in an accident in 2007. “We are only a support group to help people who are grieving.”

The group started about four years ago when Rossi asked Syracuse-based Hope for the Bereaved facilitators to come to Canastota and hold a Christmas event for people grieving.

“We asked people if they wanted to get together after that,” Rossi said.

Rossi, along with Peace for the Bereaved facilitator Tish Dickinson began the monthly support group.

Rossi said she did a lot of reading and follows other support group guidelines.

“When I say to people I know how you feel, I do,” Rossi said. “We do not grieve alone. Everybody reacts differently. There is no timeframe on grief.”

Peace for the Bereaved is sponsored by the J. Homer Ball Funeral Home.

For more information on the group, call Ann Marie Rossi at 697-5245.

Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers and volunteer Joyce Leinberger present a plaque to Kime Hardware Store Manager Patrick Kime. Kime Hardware in Canastota donated warehouse space to store and distribute 10 tons of dog food recently donated to the shelter.

Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers presents a plaque to Doug Tudman, director of sales and marketing for Isadore Rapasadi & Sons of Canastota, whose truck shipped 10 tons of donated dog food from Tech Packaging Warehouse in Berwick, Penn., to Canastota.

By Martha E. Conway

(Town of Lenox, Canastota, NY – Jan. 2012) Joyce Leinberger grew up in Canastota, and after returning home in July, she brought with her animal advocate connections she had made while living in New Jersey.

“I made a friend there who worked for Del Monte – [Donations Coordinator] Carole Slade,” Leinberger said. “I worked with them to get dog food for people who couldn’t afford it.”

When people fall on hard times and can’t afford to feed their pets, those animals frequently wind up in shelters, said Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association Executive Director Glenn Ivers. Helping people feed their pets in times of need helps those animals remain in their homes.

“I asked Carole if there were any distribution centers nearby,” Leinberger said. “The closest was southeast of Wilkes Barre, Penn. She asked me, ‘What do you need?’ They had 15 pallets.”

“But we had to go get it, store it and find those who needed it,” Ivers said, adding that he was skeptical about the effort, which seemed to require so much coordination.

According to Ivers, they really wanted to coordinate the effort with the holidays when people are especially strapped for cash. He credited Leinberger’s coordination efforts and Canastota’s Patrick Kime of Kime Hardware and Isadore Rapasadi & Son’s Sales and Marketing Director Doug Tudman for their unhesitating assistance in the successful completion of the mission.

“Kime’s and Rapasadi’s really came through,” Ivers said, explaining that they were lucky to have Rapasadi’s trucks returning – empty – from that area after making their deliveries there. “Eighteen different agencies received a quantity of the food, and several church pantries have added a dog food section. Thousands of families and their dogs got a little something extra in their stocking this year.”

Agencies Benefiting from Del Monte’s Donation

The 10 tons of first-quality Del Monte dog food brands (Ol’ Roy, Kibbles ‘N Bits, Nature’s Recipe) were distributed during the holidays to:

Angels of Fur Canine Rescue of Central New York; Cazenovia Veterinary Hospital; Dog Daze Pet Food Pantry, Cicero; Dorothy’s Pet Grooming, Canastota; Hamilton Veterinary Hospital; Herkimer County Humane Society; Humane Society of Rome; Humane Society of Syracuse; Kiwanis Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; Pit Bull Rescue of Syracuse; Rescue Me Purebred K-9 Rescue, Oneida; Spay and Neuter Syracuse Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; SPCA of Chenango County; St. Lucy’s Church Pet Food Pantry, Syracuse; St. Matthew’s Church Pet Food Pantry, East Syracuse; Stevens-Swan Humane Society, Utica; Village Veterinary Hospital, Canastota; and Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association, Canastota.

Editor’s Note: Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association is an open-admission shelter dedicated to providing the highest-quality care and compassion for the animals entrusted to them while leading the community in creating a more humane society. The Association contracts with Madison County to undertake the housing of stray and impounded dogs picked up by the dog control officers of the various towns and municipalities within the county. The largely volunteer-supported organization always is in need of additional hands. For more information on volunteering or adopting a cat or dog, call (315) 697-2796.

(Chittenango, NY- Feb. 1, 2012) The Chittenango Police Dept is asking assistance from the public in helping identify the white male in this photo.

The subject used a credit card stolen from a residence in the Village of Chittenango on Jan. 7. The subject used the card to make a purchase inside the Nice N Easy Store on Route 5 in the town of Lenox at about 11:19 a.m. on Jan. 9.

The subject did get into the passenger side of late model gray colored pickup.

Anyone with information can contact the Chittenango Police Dept at (315) 687-3930 or (315) 687-3939.

By Martha E. Conway

(Brookfield, NY – Jan. 2012) An 18-year-old Brookfield resident is fighting for her life at Golisano’s Children’s Hospital in Syracuse after the search for a cause of her headaches revealed a brain tumor Jan. 20. Emily Salka received the news about 9 a.m. that day; 24 hours later, the first-year SUNY Oneonta student was in surgery.

Surgeons were unable to completely remove the tumor during the 10-plus-hour operation Jan. 21, but Salka’s initial prognosis was good. She had some loss of peripheral vision and several other post-operative complications. A few days later, dad John Salka said, she was sitting up in bed, cranial pressure dropping and enjoying some of her favorite television entertainment.

Last week, the pathology report delivered another blow to the still-reeling family. John Salka said he and wife Erin were told Emily has an aggressive glioma, shooting holes in the original treatment plans.

He said they were told there wasn’t much more doctors could do for their daughter.

But John Salka, who heads the Community Memorial Hospital of Hamilton’s Cardiopulmonary Department, said they will do everything in their power to save their daughter, and their next hope lies in Houston, Texas, at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Emily’s test results and medical records will be sent ahead of her anticipated arrival Friday.

John Salka said they hope to line up a Mercy Flight so Emily will be spared the stress of navigating a commercial flight, and so medical attendants can be readily available. According to John Salka, the minimum stay in Texas will be two to six weeks.

“We are very appreciative of the outpouring of support,” he said. “‘Surreal’ doesn’t begin to describe what has transpired within the course of a week.”

The family will be facing numerous expenses not covered by insurance; the Courier will print any information we receive regarding benefits planned on behalf of the Salkas. In the meantime, the Courier will collect donations for the family made payable to John or Erin Salka and mailed in care of the paper at c/o M3P Media, LLC, P.O. Box 3, Wampsville, N.Y. 13163.

Pictured is Chad Ellerson with an 18 point buck that will be on display at the CNY Sportsman Show.

(Oneida, NY – Feb. 2012) The Central New York Sportsman Show will be held on Saturday Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Kallet Civic Center, 159 Main St. in Oneida. The show will feature outdoor businesses and clubs from the Central New York area.  A large collection of mounts from area hunters will be displayed, along with Chad Ellerson’s 18 point buck.

Returning again this year are the Adirondack mountain hunters, the Salerno brothers who were recently featured in North American Whitetail Magazine.  Also present will be Bass Angler of the Year Jamie Hartman, and wildlife artist Tom Lenweaver.

Popular New York State authors of topics ranging from hunting, fishing and hiking will be present for book signings, along with outdoor writers.

Throughout the day experts will give seminars and demonstrations on hunting, fishing, and other outdoor related topics.  A complete schedule can be found at holycrossacademy.com.

The Utica Zoo will give a live presentation of wild N.Y. State animals. Children will be able to see and touch animals throughout the day. Dan the Snakeman will present an interactive reptile program.  An additional attraction for children is a laser simulated shooting range.

The public is invited to bring in any deer, caribou, elk, moose, or antelope to be measured by Brian Dam of the N.Y. State Big Buck Club.  A prize will be awarded to the largest unscored buck entry. There will be raffles for items such as a muzzle loader, fishing trip from Family Style Fishing Charters, and other outdoor items.  Free door prizes will be announced throughout the day, and refreshments will be available.

The show’s Outdoor Wall of Fame will feature outdoor photos of local sportsmen at their proudest moments.  A highlight of the event will be the announcement of the winner of the CNY Sportsman of the Year award.

Admission is $6, 12 years and younger are free. Proceeds will benefit Holy Cross Academy in Oneida.  For more information call 363-1669, or visit holycrossacademy.com.

Healthy Communities

By Chrystal Johnson

(Wampsville, NY – Jan. 2012) Did you know that more than 1,000 households are served by the network of food pantries in Madison County each month? The food that our neighbors receive at the emergency food pantries helps supplement their diet by stretching food dollars when they need it most.

A lot of people are helping by organizing or donating to food drives. Food pantries and the people who use them appreciate the help and even rely on those who donate. But have you ever thought about the nutritional quality of the food you donate? Paying attention to the nutritional value of what is purchased for donation can help in a healthier way by offering nutrient-rich foods that are essential for good health.

To make it easier for people to donate healthy foods, the Madison County Living Well Partnership has developed a Top 20 Healthy Food Donation Ideas list, and is asking all food drive sponsors and donors to use this list for food drives. The list contains staples such as canned fruit and vegetables, pasta sauce, oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain pasta, crackers, canned fish or chicken, peanut butter, canned beans, low-sodium soup or broth, 100-percent fruit juice and powdered or low-fat evaporated milk.

Organizations and groups who make a commitment to use this list for all future food drives can become a Healthy Food Drive Sponsor by completing and returning the form found on the Madison County Health Department’s web site at healthymadisoncounty.org.

The Top 20 Healthy Food Donations Idea List may also be found there.

The Living Well Partnership is collecting pledges from organizations such as schools, churches, civic and volunteer groups and worksites. Send in your organization’s pledge and be listed on the Madison County Health Department’s website with the other Healthy Food Drive Sponsors.

What we eat should be bolstering our health, but it’s actually contributing to several hundred thousand premature deaths from heart attack, stroke, diabetes and cancer each year. Donating healthy foods to emergency food pantries is just one way we can help in a healthy way.

As much as 50 percent of the foods donated to pantries are already expired. This is a problem because food pantries are not allowed to give out expired food, and it is costly for the pantries to dispose of. Be sure to check the expiration date before donating.

Donating money is another healthy option to consider. Food pantries can buy seven pounds of healthy food from the Food Bank of Central New York for every dollar donated.

For a listing of Madison County food pantries, visit Community Action Partnership’s website at capmadco.org.

The Living Well Partnership is a community coalition promoting local changes that make it easier for people living and working in Madison County to eat well and be physically active.

For more information on this campaign, contact the Madison County Health Department at (315) 366-2361. Thank you for investing in the health of the people in your community!

Chrystal Johnson, MS, is a public health educator II, a certified health education specialist and certified child safety seat technician with Madison County Health Department.