Locals: People and Businesses in the News

RIVER RAMBLE: United University Professions Oneonta members and guests enjoyed a Susquehanna River paddle on September 23. The event was recreational and non-competitive, with paddlers traveling as a group at an easy pace. UUP Oneonta Secretary Bill Simons said of the event, “Beyond the adventure of the river, the event provided a good venue for building union solidarity. And it was fun.” Next year, Simons said in an e-mail, he would like to see paddle events scheduled in the spring, summer and fall. “Special thanks to the best canoe/paddle coaches along the Susquehanna, Brent and Gerrith at https://canoeandkayakrentals.com/, for making sure everyone was safe and ready for a memorable time. And kudos to Gary for treating us to pizza and ice cream! To the river muses, we appreciate nature holding the storm back,” Simons wrote in an e-mail.

DRESHER IS NEW DEAN: Effective October 4, Cary Dresher is Hartwick College’s new dean of students. Dresher, who served as acting dean of students since June, will lead efforts to enhance the college’s signature 360-degree wrap-around student experience support. He will provide overall direction, administration, and leadership of a student-centered team that includes health and wellness, residential life and student conduct, and student leadership and engagement. Dresher was appointed by then-President Darren Reisberg. “Cary is keenly aware and appreciates Hartwick’s deep commitment to student success,” Reisberg said. “He brings an exceptional understanding of guiding and advocating students’ needs along with experience in retention and inclusive excellence. I know he will further Hartwick’s deep commitment to providing our students with the best possible experience.” Dresher brings more than 13 years of experience to the role, five of which have been at Hartwick. His track record of success at the college includes expanding the number of full-time counseling staff, working collaboratively to launch the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging, and the SOAR (Students of ALANA Representation) mentoring program, and creating greater collaboration between the Office of Student Experience and colleagues across campus. Dresher also wrote the college’s tobacco and vaping policy that went into effect in January 2022, resulting in Hartwick becoming a smoke and tobacco-free campus. “I am honored to have been entrusted with this new role,” said Dresher. “I am committed to working with the Hartwick community to create a positive and supportive learning environment for all students.” Before joining the Hartwick community, Dresher served in a variety of capacities at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, including as dean of student living and learning, associate dean of the Off-Campus Commons, and assistant dean of the Student First-Year Experience & Parent Liaison. Before that, Dresher served as certification coordinator for the Association of Title IX Coordinators. He has also taught in the K-12 environment, including stints at the Emma Willard School in Troy, The Knox School in St. James and the Triton Regional High School in Byfield, Massachusetts. Dresher earned a doctorate in education from Northeastern University. He also holds a master’s degree from the University of Southern Maine and a bachelor’s degree from American University. His administrative certification was earned at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

SUNY STUDENTS: SUNY Delhi welcomed the following new students who enrolled for the fall 2023 semester, in pursuit of their respective degrees. Veterinary science technology: Lucy Bischoff of Oneonta, Kylie Graham of Cherry Valley, and Lauren Johnson of Richfield Springs; business management: Treyton Hathaway of Oneonta; business administration: Cassidy Gascon of Sidney and Jose Vega of Richmondville; construction management, design and building: Brandon Vantassel of Unadilla; architectural design and building: Jonathan Cruz of Oneonta; event management: Laurel Brigham of New Berlin; culinary arts management: Lexi Rufrano of Oneonta and Mayla Wade of Hartwick; mechatronics design: Cirran Gorman of New Berlin, Ty McKinney of Garrattsville, and Benjamin Schecter of Schenevus; residential construction: Andrew Lieber of Davenport, August Rice of Cooperstown, and Rumeal Soler of Oneonta; heating, ventilating and air conditioning technology: Lane Snow of Davenport; welding technology: Daniel Baker of Milford; electrical construction and utility operations: Lincoln Constable of Unadilla; electrical construction and instrumentation: Joshua Wikoff of Oneonta; outdoor recreation: Ian Dill of Garrattsville; physical education studies: Cameron Horth of Oneonta; criminal justice: Alexander Hascup of Cooperstown; nursing: Vera Anyaakuu of Oneonta, Angelina Burr of Oneonta, Miriam Odell of Maryland, Crystal Rosenbusch of Oneonta, Isaiah Stockdale of Oneonta, Tracy Sanfilippo of Oneonta, Rachel Slentz of Burlington Flats, Amanda Burdick of Richfield Springs, Jesse Castillo of Oneonta, Whitney Hutchinson of Oneonta, Cadence Love of Westford, Ashlyn Marron of Mount Upton, Shailee Sailer of Oneonta, and Shealinn Stevens of Otego; nursing education: Kali Benedict of Unadilla and Maeve Kranbuhl of Laurens; biology, Alexis Burger of Oneonta, Brayden Eastman-Willens of Sidney and Cameron Hackenberry of Oneonta; business and professional golf management: Gavin Bonczkowski of Otego; golf course management: Scott Murphy of Morris; welding technology: Rylee Falcone of Oneonta; automotive mechanics: Kimberlyn Saginario of Cooperstown; residential construction: Sarah Ostrander of Unadilla; electrical construction and instrumentation: Brayton Seymour of Oneonta; electrical construction and utility operations: Cameron Sitts of Oneonta; refrigeration and instrumentation: Isaiah Johnson of Otego.

WINTER WALKERS: According to a post on the Otsego Outdoors Facebook page, Andrea Saunders and Pedro Gutierrez are the first to complete the latest edition of the Otsego Outdoors Winter Octet. They completed hikes at the Clark Tower Trails, Fortin Park, Glimmerglass State Park, Goodyear Lake Waterway Access, Parslow Road Conservation Area, the Robert B. Woodruff Outdoor Learning Center, the Silas Lane Loop (Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway), and Robert V. Riddell State Park. Their favorite hike was the Robert B. Woodruff waterfalls and caves, they said. The deadline to complete the Winter Octet is March 18.

GREAT GRADS: The following local Hartwick College students earned their degrees upon spring 2023 graduation: Shailynn Allen of Otego, Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice and sociology; Brooke Cerar of Otego, Zachary Craft of Unadilla, Julie Mazariego of Oneonta, Shalleigh Taranto of Mt. Upton, and Quincey Woodrow of Milford, BA in biology; Honnah Garrison of Davenport and Avery Piefer of Oneonta, BA in sociology; Kyleigh George of New Berlin, BA in criminal justice with a minor in forensic science; Christian Holoquist of Oneonta, Bachelor of Science in business administration and economics; Katharine Marchese of Schenevus, BS in business administration and economics with a minor in accounting and finance; Garrett Mertz of Milford, Jessica Ohl of Mount Upton, Alicia Rockwell of Richmondville, and Ashely Wikoff of Oneonta, BS in nursing; and Autumn Pope of Mount Vision, BA in biology with a minor in chemistry.

NEW DOC: Bassett Healthcare Network recently welcomed Elizabeth Pelkofski, MD, gynecologic oncologist, to its Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Dr. Pelkofski, who joined Bassett in September, is highly specialized in caring for patients with gynecologic cancers, including cancers of the ovary, fallopian tube, peritoneum, cervix, vagina, vulva, uterus, and endometrium, as well as gestational trophoblastic neoplasia—a rare form of cancer that forms when the placenta attaches to the uterus. Dr. Pelkofski also cares for patients who are at increased genetic risk for gynecologic cancers, patients with preinvasive disease, and those needing complex pelvic surgery, minimally invasive and robotic surgery. She has expertise in chemotherapy, immunotherapy, clinical trials, radiation oncology, and palliative care for gynecologic cancers. “It is a great privilege to care for patients with gynecologic cancers,” said Dr. Pelkofski in a release. “A mentor once commented that, as gynecologic oncologists, ‘We take care of the women who take care of everyone else.’ I like to believe we accomplish just that, and I am very pleased to be part of Bassett Healthcare Network.” Dr. Pelkofski earned her medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia. Her residency in obstetrics and gynecology took place at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She completed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology and a Master of Science in Clinical Research at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Dr. Pelkofski is board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology. “We are excited to bring this specialized discipline back to Bassett,” said Samuel Badalian, MD, PhD, chair of Bassett’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Dr. Pelkofski is an outstanding physician. Her expertise and specialized areas of care are expanding critical treatment options for patients close to home.”

ALL-OAC AGAIN: Jaelyn Jaquay of Cherry Valley, a graduate of Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School and daughter of Melissa and Jordan Jaquay, is one of 67 Baldwin Wallace University fall sports student-athletes to be named to the 2023 Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference team. In order to be selected as Academic All-OAC, a student-athlete must be a sophomore or higher in class standing, maintain varsity status and have at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA. A student-athlete may only receive Academic All-OAC on three occasions. The 67 student-athletes included 24 from football, five from men’s cross country, nine from men’s soccer, six from women’s cross country, 13 from women’s soccer and 10 from women’s volleyball. Jaquay, who is majoring in communication sciences and disorders, is on the Baldwin Wallace University’s women’s cross-country team. This is her second time receiving Academic All-OAC honors.

HISTORIC MOMENT: SUNY Oneonta’s fall commencement ceremony on Sunday, December 10 celebrated graduate Taylor Hendrickson of Warsaw, New York and her guide dog in training, Ink. Hendrickson made history last year as the first student puppy raiser for Guiding Eyes for the Blind on the SUNY Oneonta campus.

FALL FESTIVAL FUN: On October 14, Cooperstown Center on Phoenix Mills Cross Road in Cooperstown held its region-wide October Fall Festival for kids, families, their residents, and businesses alike. The popular event brought out a few hundred people, with games, dancing, live music, and face painting for all to enjoy. The 174-bed nursing home made sure to have three community food trucks (S&S Food Truck, Big Al’s BBQ of New York, and Good Morning Food Truck) offering all sorts of barbecue, deli foods, and sandwiches. By the end of the day, there wasn’t a bite left, organizers said. “Cooperstown Center wants to be closer to our community, and having a great time with the families and businesses here does just that,” said Cooperstown Center Administrator Jo Peterson. “From this experience, we are thinking of doing this annually, since everyone loved the games, food and, of course, the dancing!” The Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard also provided food and their famous fall cider. Peterson said the kids especially loved that the Utica Zoo was on hand to provide Cooperstown Center residents and community members up-close experiences with exotic animals such as snakes and lizards. Pictured below, standing, from left: Alicia Robinson, Shean Robinson, Nellie Lomis, Deb Bongiorno, Maribeth MacGregor, and three family members of Linda Estell. Seated: Carol Whiting, Joseph Tabarrini, Joan Augur and Linda Estell.