November 2022

Photo by Kacy Hagan

 The opening night performance of “Foolish Fishgirls and the Pearl” is this Friday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the Warehouse Theatre at 3 Central Avenue in Wellsboro.

This fun, family-friendly, two-act live stage play is a comedy that people of all ages will enjoy, children and adults. It is charming and fast-paced and filled with surprises, laughs and even a little rough-housing, 

Immediately following the Friday night show will be a reception for the actors and the audience with refreshments provided by the Wellsboro Business and Professional Women.

Produced by the Hamilton-Gibson Women’s Project and directed by Linda Young, other weekend performances will be at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 12 and a matinee at 2:30 p.m. this Sunday, Nov. 13. The last two shows will be at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18 and 19.

Anne Acker as Coral and Pat Balon as Oceana are the former deep-sea divas who didn’t exactly have the “happily ever after” storybook lives that these two mermaids dreamed of when they rescued their handsome young sailors and swam ashore thirty years ago.

They’ve discovered that a starry-eyed young mermaid (Lexa VanDusen) has rescued Nathan, a Coast Guard sailor (Titus Himmelberger) whose car went off a nearby bridge. They have a chance to save her from making the same mistakes they did by warning her about the perils and pitfalls of falling in love with mortal men who abscond with your gems, leaving you penniless with a broken heart and two skinny legs. 

Assisted by their cousin Marina (Judith Sornberger) who was unceremoniously dumped when her treasure finally ran out, the trio of middle aged former sea goddesses try to convince the young mermaid, Pearl, to hightail it back to the sea. 

If, that is, the two land-bound former mermaids who run a seaside bed and breakfast and café called Sea  Hags can navigate around local irritant Floyd “Pinky” Ferguson (Brett Kennedy) and the local constable (Robin Gaige), who is always busy trying to maintain order amidst the chaos of a brutal winter in the “off season.” 

But love, being what it is, gives Pearl some ideas of her own in this feisty fairytale about a mermaid’s life on dry land after true love is found, lost and found again.

General admission is $16 for adults, 19 and older, and $8 for students and children, 18 and under. For tickets, go to hgp.booktix.com or call Hamilton-Gibson at 570-724-2079. Tickets, if available, will be sold in the Warehouse Theatre lobby beginning an hour before each performance.

Julie Adams, RDN, CDCES
Diabetes and Nutrition, UPMC

November is National Diabetes Month and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the chronic disease affects over 37 million people in the U.S. or about 11% of the country’s population. It’s important to understand what diabetes is and how you can help manage the condition with lifestyle modifications and nutrition.

What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a health condition in which your body has difficulty with insulin, the hormone that helps sugar diffuse into your cells. The insulin either is not used properly by your body, or your body simply does not have the ability to produce enough.

Three types of diabetes include:

1. Type 1 – This is the type of diabetes that occurs as an autoimmune reaction or when your pancreas does not produce insulin. When diagnosed with this type of diabetes, it is likely that you will need daily injections of insulin. Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults, but it can develop at any age. It is less common than type 2 — approximately 5-10% of people with diabetes have type 1. Currently, no one knows how to prevent type 1 diabetes, but it can be managed.
2. Type 2 – This is the most prevalent type of diabetes, and risk factors for developing it can be impacted by lifestyle changes. Your pancreas produces insulin, but your body doesn’t respond appropriately – this is known as insulin resistance. Your pancreas makes more insulin to try to get cells to respond. Eventually your pancreas can’t keep up, and your blood sugar rises, setting the stage for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
3. Gestational – Occurs during pregnancy and usually goes away after pregnancy. This affects how your body uses sugar, similar to the other types of diabetes. If you have a history of gestational diabetes, it is important to discuss this with your doctor. People with a history of gestational diabetes can have higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in the future.

Nutrition Tips for Diabetes Management

Taking care of your blood sugar is key to living a normal life with diabetes. Your doctor will support you through this diagnosis and help create a plan to manage your body’s level of blood sugar. Education of this health condition is one of the main ways of staying on top of it. The more you know about diabetes, the better you can take action to prevent complications.

• If you are managing diabetes, you can still include a variety of foods each day. Protein and fiber help with blood sugar management. Plan meals and snacks that combine high-fiber carbohydrate foods with protein foods to help prevent blood sugar from going up quickly. Try snacks like peanut butter with apple slices or low-fat cottage cheese with a tablespoon of apple butter to enjoy the flavors of fall.
• Holidays centered around food can be stressful for people with diabetes. Plan some time to focus on friends and family. Celebrate in ways that put less emphasis on sweet treats and more emphasis on being together with family and friends. Go for a family walk after a holiday meal or plan a family and friends game night to enjoy being together with loved ones.
• There is an increased risk for heart disease for people with diabetes. Reduce your risk by choosing heart-healthy unsaturated fats most often. In dishes that call for butter, try swapping for flavorful, heart-healthy oils like extra virgin olive oil, walnut oil or pumpkin seed oil.

If you’re having a difficult time in dealing with new lifestyle changes that are necessary to cope with diabetes, there’s additional help available. Classes, events, and support groups are available to provide extra support and education.

Julie Adams, RDN, CDCES, sees patients at UPMC Diabetes and Nutrition Care Center, UPMC Williamsport Divine Providence Campus, 1100 Grampian Blvd., Williamsport. For more information about diabetes and nutrition services, visit UPMC.com/DiabetesNCPA.

Join the Catholic Women’s Club of Bradford on Sunday, November 13th at 10:00 Mass and after shared liturgy, for a Red, White and Blue Veteran’s Luncheon. The event will honor the service members past and present with a complimentary  soup and sandwich luncheon at the Father Gallina Social Hall across from St. Bernard’s Church. The social hall is located at 95 East Corydon Street. Veterans Day is an excellent occasion for local communities to produce a variety of meaningful programs and  participation by veterans and other patriotic groups is encouraged!

Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH), members of Upper Allegheny Health System, (UAHS) announce the appointment of Scott Bonderoff, MBA as the new interim chief operating officer. 

He joins UAHS with over 30 years of experience in healthcare with the last 20 years advancing through the ranks at Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown, NY.  He was most recently the vice president of clinical support services within the healthcare network that oversees 34 health centers, 14 school-based centers, 6 hospitals, 3 cancer treatment centers, nursing and home health services and a variety other healthcare related services along with the Bassett Medical Group.

Bonderoff earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY College at Oneonta in Oneonta, NY and his master’s degree in business administration at Binghamton University in Binghamton, NY.  He is also a member of the Medical Group Management Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives.  A resident of Cooperstown, NY, Bonderoff, is active volunteering his time through various community, business, and sports organizations.

“Scott will do great things for our healthcare system.  His versatile experience is impressive which will benefit our organization with him stepping in as interim COO,” said Jill Owens, MD, president, BRMC, OGH.  “He will be able to continue to execute the current operational and financial initiatives that Dave DiBacco started.  These initiatives will help strengthen us financially, improve the care we provide, and allow us to continue to expand services.”

With Bonderoff stepping into the role of interim chief operating officer, David DiBacco, who has held the position since May 2022 will be returning to his permanent position as vice president, chief operating officer at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital and DeGraff Medical Park, both Kaleida Health facilities.  He temporarily left his role to help spearhead initiatives at Upper Allegheny Health System that have improved efficiency while cutting costs. 

“Dave has been a blessing for UAHS!  Even though he was with us for a short six months, his impact on the organization has already made a big difference,” said Dr. Owens.  “This administration is looking to continue to enhance the healthcare provided to the Bradford, Olean, and surrounding communities through providing more efficient and quality care.”

            Since taking the role of president in May 2022, Dr. Owens and her administration have been busy executing initiatives, saving the organization over $14 million this year.  However, rising costs, supply chain disruptions, lower than normal volumes, staffing shortages, and lower reimbursement rates continue to plague the healthcare industry since the start of the pandemic.  This is a national problem not only affecting our local hospitals but also affecting other rural hospitals and healthcare giants across the United States, with some showing billions of dollars in losses this year.

            Bonderoff’s experience and knowledge about the healthcare industry will continue to help UAHS administration move the needle in the right direction.  Leadership will continue to focus on enhancing the quality of care provided throughout UAHS to continue to be the region’s choice for healthcare.

Photo Caption: Scott Bonderoff, MBA is named interim chief operating officer of UAHS.

At 4:40 PM on Monday, Johnsonburg Fire Dept. dispatched to a wildfire at 693 VFW Drive. A wood pile is also on fire.