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Aileen Gunther is fighting to protect our quality of life

Improving our lives by...
...Fighting the NYRI power line
...Supporting the community through funding and grants
...Urging people to volunteer for literacy
...Helping hospitals and other health care organizations


Gunther is improving our lives by...
...Fighting the NYRI power line

On August 17, the Assembly Committee on Energy held a hearing to discuss the negative impact the proposed power line would have on our property values, our health and our region’s natural beauty. Many concerned citizens turned out to voice their opposition to the power line and sent a powerful message to the federal government.

Gunther’s office mailed nearly 1,000 postcards from constituents to the Public Service Commission urging them to deny NYRI’s application.

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...Urging people to volunteer for literacy

Did you know that approximately one in five adults lacks English literacy skills to succeed as a parent, worker or citizen?

This year, Gunther received a Building Literate Communities award for her work to promote literacy. She secured funding to save the Even Start literacy program in Monticello, helped increase funding for Adult Literacy Education in this year’s state budget and passed legislation to establish family literacy programs for economically disadvantaged families and in low-performing school districts (A.3034, awaiting Senate action).

For more information, visit www.literacymiddletown.org. In Sullivan County, visit Literacy Volunteers in Monticello, located at:

63 North Street, Monticello, NY

Open 10am-5pm Monday -Friday,
10am- 4pm Saturday, closed Sunday

Call 794-0017

If you would like to volunteer, please contact:

Literacy Volunteers of Western Orange County, Inc. in Middletown

70 Fulton Street
Hours are 9am-2pm
Call 341-5460

Or visit the new satellite office in Port Jervis at the County Building

150 Pike Street
Call 858-1428
Hours are 9am-12pm Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday

"We appreciate the continued support of Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther. She recognizes the importance of literacy programs-not only for the nearly 175 adults we serve annually-but to all New Yorkers."

BARBARA CLIFFORD
Executive Director of Literacy
Volunteers of Western
Orange County, Inc.

...Helping hospitals and other health care organizations

"With an estimated 95% of all people needing a blood product by the time they are 72 years of age, there is an urgent need for blood donors. You can help others-or even provide autologous blood donations for yourself in anticipation of a planned surgery-at the center."

AILEEN GUNTHER

photo In July, Gunther and the American Red Cross celebrated the one-year anniversary of the blood donor center at Catskill Regional Medical Center. Over 400 donors gave blood during the center’s first year. The blood donor room is open to the community on the second Wednesday of every month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, call 794-3300, ext. 2269.

For eligibility questions, please call 1-800-GIVELIFE (1-800-448-3543).

Gunther also secured $50,000 for Hospice of Orange & Sullivan Counties, Inc. for the new 11-bed Kaplan Family Hospice Residence on Sunrise Lane, Newburgh, New York. The residence will serve the terminally ill who need palliative care - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information, call 561-6111.


...Supporting the community through funding and grants

photo Gunther awards annual Golden Feather Award to Swan Lake Renaissance. The Golden Feather Award is made possible by grants obtained by Gunther through the New York State Community Capital Assistance Program and is awarded to an organization who undertakes a beautification project that has shown outstanding work in planning, development, maintenance and community involvement. This year, Gunther presented the award to the citizens group from Swan Lake who spent months enhancing the shoreline of the lake with landscaping, flowers and facilities.

Progress made on Swinging Bridge Dam. Recently, Gunther helped arrange a fourth meeting for residents to meet with dam owner Mirant and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) at the Forestburgh Firehouse to learn that repairs will be completed and the lake’s levels will be restored by February.

Earlier this year, she passed a new law to make sure local officials receive copies of dam inspection reports (Ch. 17 of 2006), along with comprehensive legislation to ensure dam safety by requiring more frequent inspections and emergency action plans (A.11586, passed Assembly).

Deadline for flood assistance is October 2. Gunther would also like to remind those affected by the floods that the deadline for flood assistance has been extended to October 2 for FEMA and SBA, and for NYS Individual and Family grants. Call FEMA at (800) 621-3362 or register online at www.fema.gov. Contact New York State at (888) 769-7243 or online at www.labor.state.ny.us


Assemblywoman Gunther
ASSEMBLYWOMAN
 Aileen Gunther
18 Anawana Lake Rd.
Monticello, NY 12701
(845) 794-5807

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