Fourth Volunteer Day Aids Three Office Spaces

Three office spaces in the Village were worked on yesterday, March 22nd by over a dozen volunteers, mainly coming from the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity from SUNY Oneonta. SALT provided the materials for the projects. The group has assisted in two other volunteer days. This is the fourth volunteer day that we've organized since I took office two years ago and this has been a wonderful way to fix up flood damage and raise community spirit!

Village Partnering for Grants, Economic Development

The Village of Middleburgh is exploring new options to kickstart economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011. Schoharie Area Long Term Recovery has been working with the Americorps VISTA program to provide local governments and organizations with one year volunteers that can assist with facilitating economic recovery at no cost.

Middleburgh's VISTA partner is Donald Osei-Owusu (518-813-1953), a native of Ghana and graduate from Union College. His degree in business has been very helpful since joining the staff at the Middleburgh Village office in August 2012. Donald has been researching local grants to facilitate economic expansion. Recent grant applications that he and Mayor Avitabile have completed recent grant applications for various projects, including for new water mains, new economic development, and flood preparation. He has helped craft many of the cultural projects that are taking shape around Middleburgh. Donald has been working with the newly re-formed Middleburgh Area Business Association on how to attract more businesses while strengthening those already in Middleburgh.


Donald has helped in Middleburgh's search for a grocery store and has worked on compiling a database of local business and available commercial space. He is also revising Middleburgh's overall economic plan while cataloging the needs of flood damaged businesses. He has also aided in plans to buy the Middleburgh Fire Department a new fire truck. He has assisted all of the Village officials and will be staying with the Village through the end of August 2013.

SALT hosts press conference to announce matching grant award

From SALT:

Schoharie, NY – Mar. 5, 2013. Schoharie Area Long Term (SALT) is pleased to invite members of the media, elected officials and other interested parties to a press conference on Thursday, March 14 at 11:00a.m. at 177 Middlefort Road, Middleburgh, NY. The Wetsel family who owns this house is anxious to return home but needs assistance to make it happen.
SALT will be making an exciting announcement about the status of the matching challenge grant that was awarded by Fenimore Asset Management last fall. In addition, SALT staff will share preliminary results from a comprehensive assessment that was recently undertaken to determine remaining unmet rebuilding and recovery needs throughout the Schoharie Creek basin and surrounding areas. SALT will also be welcoming a new team of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).
SALT is a regional coalition and coordinating council that seeks to provide interfaith and inter-agency resources, advocacy, healing, and support as well as direct recovery assistance to those affected by flood and storm damage from the 2011 disaster. For more information please visit,http://saltrecovery.org.

SALT's Community Thanksgiving Dinner

Coming this month from SALT: It is for the entire county and will be held at the Days Inn and Suites Schoharie, 160 Holiday Way, Schoharie, NY 12157. To RSVP for the dinner, to donate, or to volunteer, please call the Office for the Aging at 295-2001, Monday - Friday 8 am - 5pm. Volunteers are needed on Wednesday, November 21, in preparation of the meal on Thursday. The meal is the 25th Annual Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner

When: Nov. 22, 2012—1:00 PM
Where: Days Inn, Schoharie, NY
(Former Holiday Inn Express)