Oneida: Senior Fair attracts more visitors in year 2
By Nick Will, Oneida Dispatch, POSTED: 10/16/14, 3:03 PM EDT
ONEIDA>> State Sen. David Valesky, D-53, held his second-annual Senior Information Fair at the Kallet Civic Center, an event he hopes will keep area senior citizens better informed.
“I have found and continue to find so many projects and resources available to our seniors, that, they may not be aware of,” Valesky said. “There are more than 30 different groups that have volunteered their time to get information out to he people who can benefit from it. As of 12 p.m., we’ve already exceeded last year’s number of visitors.”
Valesky said that the event is meant to provide senior citizens with opportunities to learn about the various health care programs and other services that are available to them in the area. I hoped that they would all leave more informed, and able to make the multitude of decisions they each face.
“I hope that they... all leave knowing something that they may not have known before,” the senator said.
Present at the event were companies and organizations, including the New York State Police, Oneida City Police and Madison County Sheriff to facilities such as Oneida Healthcare, Hazel Carpenter Home and Madison-Cortland ARC. Utilities including Time Warner Cable and National Grid, had booths set right next to the Madison County EPIC Program and Community Action Partnership.
“I think this great, they have had great attendance and there are a good number of vendors here giving out information on what these people need. Being able to speak face-to-face with service providers and get 1-on-1 attention is such a good opportunity,” said Chrystal Johnson from the Madison County Health Department. She was on-hand explaining the need for shots and immunizations for senior citizens, as well as ways they can prevent becoming injured in their own home by preventing falls.
“There’s a good sense of community here,” Johnson said. “When local groups can come together like this and bring everyone together, that socialization is so needed, especially for older residents. Our seniors need community support like this.”
“This event is a great opportunity for groups like us to give back to the community,” said Bob Nandin from Time Warner Cable. “We’re here to explain some of the benefits of our services and what is available to them. Today, we’re giving out big remotes and information on how to help senior citizens connect online. It’s nice to be able to interface face-to-face with our customers.”
“This is my first year here, and, I think it’s very impressive,” said Oneida-resident Pam Maihafer. “I’ve been here for two hours, and not only has it been filled with useful information, it’s kind of like a social club. I’ve run into some old friends and gotten a lot of great information. I applaud Valesky for doing this.”
“I came to get a flu shot and meet with some friends,” said Oneida resident Sue Willey. “I’ve been to events like this in Florida, but, this is one of the biggest. It’s very well organized and there are so many people here. There’s just so much covered here.”
