December 2024

It’s the Week Before Christmas

By Pastor B.J. Knefley

I wanted to write something catchy for this Christmas, but I’m afraid it just isn’t there. Perhaps you’re like me—tired and overwhelmed with too much to do before the holiday. Between the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, I hardly know where to start. How did we get here? Sixty years ago, it was just the two of us. I guess having children was in our future, but I don’t think we ever really thought about it back then. The joy of being newlyweds filled our lives, and we didn’t have much time for anything else. Little did we know that within that first year, I would be involved in the Vietnam conflict. We didn’t realize that by the time I got out of the service, we would have two children and I would need to find a job. We didn’t worry much about life; we just took it as it came. The only thing we planned for was what we would have for dinner. Those were wild days.

My first Christmas as a family didn’t happen because I was away, living on an aircraft carrier in the Gulf of Tonkin, located in the South China Sea. Christmas felt like any other day. There were no special holiday treats, although I’m sure they did their best. Mess hall food was still mess hall food, no matter how much garland you put on it. But you know what? We made it through those years of separation and trials.

We got through the 60s and 70s without a lot of care. Were things easier back then? Did we worry less? I don’t know. What I do know is that we survived. There were hard times, of course. I experienced a period of unemployment that lasted almost a year. I took odd jobs to support my family, and even our third child was born during those lean times. In the end, I think we were better off than many others. Why? Perhaps it was simply because we believed we could make it. We were never defeated. Even without a strong faith, we believed that God would provide for our needs, and He did.

And so here we are, the week before Christmas, in the twilight of our years. Somehow, we will find ourselves where we need to be at the right time, and we will have all the gifts ready. Worry? No, things will come together just as they are meant to. Think about it.

Open Arms Community Church invites the community to join in their annual Christmas Eve’s Eve service. The event will take place on Saturday, December 23, at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the church’s location at 1289 East Main Street in Bradford, PA.

The evening will feature a heartfelt blend of music, a children’s ministry skit, and an inspiring message. There will be refreshments and transportation provided. The event will conclude with a moving candlelight rendition of Silent Night, a moment that Pastor Zoe Hatcher describes as “a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the peace Christ brings into the world.”

This years’ service will be especially meaningful, as it will be the last Christmas Eve’s Eve service to be held at the East Main Street location. The church will be relocating as part of its building swap with First Baptist in the spring of 2025.

“This season is a gift for us,” said Pastor Hatcher. “It’s a time to gather together, celebrate, and reflect not just on the holidays but on the transformative gift of our Savior’s birth. I will be sharing about the opportunity we have to share that Good News with others, and what a joy it is to share that with our community.”

Meghan Harer – not only a great mother, aunt, sister, niece, friend, and co-worker, she is a complete badass of a woman!! This woman has been dealt more pain, bad luck, and heartache than one single person should ever endure in a lifetime.

On top of losing her mother to cancer in 2022 and her father to an accident shortly after, she works full-time as a social worker and is a single mother to her 4 kiddos! In the past months, she has dealt with all of this on top of her own health problems. She just had her 3rd major surgery and has been diagnosed with 3 different cancers. She has a PET scan scheduled for Christmas Eve and at least one more major surgery coming up in the near future, along with her port insertion to start chemo and radiation.

Her FMLA is running out and she needs our help!! Please find it in your heart to make any contribution you can – this will go towards gas, occasional hotel stays, food, paying for bills, and allowing her to stress a little less♡

Link To Go Fund Me HERE

Mandatory water use restrictions for Village of Sinclairville water customers until further notice.  The main water wells had to be shutdown due to the accident and gasoline spill on Route 60.  Conserve water until further notice by limiting washing clothes, use less water for baths, take shorter showers, use paper plates and disposable silverware, only run dishwashers when completely full.  Do not let water run while brushing teeth, shaving, or washing dishes by hand.  For more information call Ryan Edson Village Water operator at 716-338-8550 or the County Health Department at 716-753-4481 or check the Health Department website at www.healthychq.com for updates. 

This event was sponsored and put on by Ulysses Area Improvement.

Local funeral directors, Benjamin R. Olney and Dylan P. Foust, are pleased to announce their purchase of Switzer Funeral Home in Port Allegany, PA. The funeral home will now be known as Olney-Foust Funeral Homes & Crematory, LLC, Switzer Chapel.

Addressing his retirement, Frank W. Switzer, Jr. said, “It has been my honor and privilege to serve the community where I grew up and continue the legacy of my parents. After 47 years as a funeral director, it is time to retire and pass the torch to a new generation. I am looking forward to more time with my grandchildren, travel, and new endeavors.”

Licensed funeral directors, Benjamin R. Olney, Dylan P. Foust, and Dale R. Howell, along with office manager, Diane Dynda, and funeral assistant Rick Bosworth, will staff the funeral home. Olney and Foust operate funeral homes in Ulysses, PA and Wellsville, NY, as well as Olney-Foust Private Crematory and Olney-Foust Monuments. The funeral home phone number remains the same at 814-642-2363. The website is www.olneyfoust.com

If you’ve ever felt an intense sting in your nose or a sharp bite in your toes while out in the cold, it could be more than just normal discomfort. These sensations might be signaling a condition called Raynaud’s phenomenon, also known as Raynaud’s syndrome or disease. This condition affects the small blood vessels in the extremities, causing an exaggerated response to cold temperatures. It leads to spasms in the blood vessels, which result in numbness, throbbing, or tingling, triggered by temperature changes or stress. This is much more than simply having cold hands and feet.

In people with Raynaud’s, affected areas like fingers, toes, nose, or ears typically go through a color change—from white to blue to red—as blood flow decreases and then returns. For comparison, normal fingertips may just turn blotchy when warming up after exposure to the cold. While the exact cause of Raynaud’s remains unclear, seeking treatment is important to prevent long-term damage. Around 5% of Americans experience Raynaud’s, yet only one in five affected individuals seek medical attention.

Raynaud’s is divided into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary Raynaud’s is more common and isn’t linked to other health conditions. While not life-threatening, it can cause significant discomfort, which can often be managed with lifestyle changes. Secondary Raynaud’s is less common and is often an early warning sign of a more serious underlying condition, such as lupus, scleroderma, or Sjögren’s syndrome. In severe cases, secondary Raynaud’s can lead to complications like skin ulcers or even gangrene if left untreated.

Steps to Take if You Suspect Raynaud’s

OLEAN, NY – Olean General Hospital (OGH), a Kaleida Health facility, received toy donations from the Cattaraugus County Town Highway Superintendents Association (CCTHSA), just in time for the holiday season.

The Cattaraugus County Town Highway Superintendents Association generously donated an assortment of toys, games, and stuffed animals to the pediatric and emergency departments at OGH. For many years, the group has been committed to collecting and donating toys to brighten the days of children receiving care at the hospital. Over 30 years ago, this small initiative began with toy donations to social services, and over time, it has expanded to benefit multiple organizations in the community, including OGH.