Allegany County Veteran’s Dwyer Program has been an honor and pleasure
By Chuck Wiser, I write the words to share what my eyes see and my heart feels
Veteran’s Day is a day of remembrance and reverence. It is a time to reflect on the past and honor those, past and present, for their service to their country. This year I had the distinct honor and pleasure to share Veteran’s Day remembrances multiple times thanks to an organization and a couple of people affiliated with Allegany County in general, and with the PFC JOSEPH P. DWYER PEER SUPPORT Program specifically.
I had the distinct honor and pleasure of attending the first two programs in this series by first attending a St. Bonaventure Bonnies game in Olean earlier in the year, and most recently the 2nd program offered at the Alfred State College Student Leadership Center a couple of weeks ago. These were both free for Veterans and family or invited guest, and were well worth the short trip for attendance. I got to reminisce with fellow Veterans, male and female, and even an old former school mate of the 60’s from Friendship Central School.
The following information regarding and explaining the program in more detail was provided by Mallory Short.
Veterans seeking to learn more about our program offerings can find additional information on the County’s website, https://www.alleganyco.gov/salute/ or by following our Facebook page, Salute to Allegany County Veterans.
All programs are provided without cost to Veterans and/or family members. Pre-registration is typically required but always helpful. If someone is uncomfortable registering online, they can call 585.268.9217 for assistance.
This program has offered Allegany County employees the opportunity to collaborate with volunteers, outside organizations, and businesses to provide for our Veterans and servicemembers. The intent of the program is to assist all that have served or are actively serving, to provide for peer-based support and encourage connection. The immediate response from those involved so far has been, ‘Yes’. Yes, to participate, yes to volunteer, yes to collaborate and yes to welcome program participants. The program is being organized by a small team of volunteers, administered by H. Robert Budinger III, Personnel Officer for Allegany County and Mallory Short, Deputy County Administrator for Allegany County. Future programming depends heavily on feedback from participants and servicemembers of Allegany County.
There are other organizations from Allegany County that serve a similar purpose, and we’ve begun to collaborate. We hope to have more collaboration as the Dwyer program grows. The Allegany County Veterans Organization has been an enthusiastic partner joined with us as have the Student Veterans Club of SUNY Alfred State.
I also had the pleasure of speaking with Joanne Bloxsom of SUNY Alfred at the event. We had much in common and talked for several minutes as we shared a commonality, both being, or having been, SUNY Alfred State College faculty members.
I’m looking forward to the next activity, that being a visit to the Maple Tree Inn in Canaseraga on March 4th.
Time to Wramble on.
One of the two of my favorite, and nearly exclusive, news reading sources in addition to the Wellsville Sun, is the Olean Times Herald. I have been a reader since the mid 50’s and have an insatiable appetite for the local and regional news stories. Over the years my favorite sports writers have been, mostly in chronological order, Gil Stinger, Abdo and Davies (can’t break up that pairing), Chuck Ward and Chuck Pollock.
There have been a few younger/newer journalists, but their longevity has been relatively short, or if I rely on my aging memory, shorter. Lately, I enjoy the sports reporting of Sam Wilson. If I included the Wellsville Sun journalists, I would have to add Andrew Harris and John Anderson. I don’t always agree with their perspective or reporting focus, but ALWAYS enjoy their writings.
I’m pretty sure that Gil Stinger was my earliest favorite, and probably still is my all-time favorite writer, because of my interest in racing born from having been the #1 fan of my step-father Paul Miles out of Nile, NY. Over the early years you might likely find me in the stands at the PA tracks of Smethport and Roulette or the NY Tracks at Cuba Lake, Angelica Fairgrounds, Olean Raceway, which was replaced by the I86 raceway off exit 26, and the tracks in Perry and Hunt, NY. We had expanded our racing into the Buffalo area with our journeys to Lancaster Speedway, which ended with the tragic death of the all time favorite local, and nationally known, Dean Layfield. Pictured here is a photo of the 50’s Cuba Lake Raceway, which can be seen in the background. I never could figure out where the number 8Jr came from until a couple of years ago when I read an article featuring the senior Earnhardt, Ralph, who used the 8Jr number.
The Genesee Valley Chorus is readying, and fine tuning their music for the performance of the Lenten Series concert scheduled for March 23rd. Soon after, plans and rehearsals for the Spring concert will develop.
Lately, I have been going through one of my least favorite tasks of breaking in a new computer. I recently purchased a new laptop from Wellsville Computers and one of their employees, Heather, has been a godsend in helping me get the thing going. In the world of “small worlds” we discovered that her mother is a fellow worshipper joining me at the Grace United Church in Wellsville. Mary Lou came up to me last week and re-introduced herself. I think we first became acquainted during my short stint at that place of worship in the late 70’s and early 80’s.
I am using that new device even “as we speak” so you can blame the computer itself if there are any flaws in the “writhings” of this Wrambling.
After yet again wasting a dime in the parking meter in front of the David A. Howe Memorial Library I’ve been tumbling phrases around using the old sage “a stitch in time saves nine,” to express my disappointment having wasted “another dime.” So far the best – to me, has been “A dime of mine will buy me time,” until it doesn’t. Since half of the meters, based on my experiences, aren’t working anyway, take them out. If not all of them, at least “retire” the meters that are in front of the Library, and especially the Handicap Parking ones.
I finish on a “musical note” by expressing my opinion that memorizing the lyrics (words) of a song is far more difficult than memorizing the tune itself. I can hear a song for the first time and the tune will embed itself in my memory completely, but remembering the words is a whole different exercise. Stay Tuned! If I can find scientific evidence of that characteristic I will share it.
Once again, if you have a comment, care, or concern regarding this or any previous Wrambling, please reach out to me at IM.Wiserdad@gmail.com .
