Pictured at back, from left, are Mark Simkins, Wayne Newman, Sue Patterson, Bob White, Bill Sweeney, Craig Stevens and Roger Neill. In front, from left, are Brenda Reeve, Karen Wolff, Peggy Wiltberger and Dr. Patty Monroe. Missing from the photo are Cathy Kraft, Dick Kibben, Suzanne Snizek, Roseanne Brogan, Sue Seacord, Jamie Whidden, Rich Loebe and Dr. George Cook. (Photo provided)

SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Voluntary Health Association has some newly elected officers: President Karen Wolff, Vice President Wayne Newman, Secretary Sue Patterson and Treasurer Craig Stevens.

The SLVHA held its semi-annual meeting in May to elect new officers and discuss its existing Adult Dental Program, the Pines property trails, the Saranac Lake School Elementary Dental Program as well as the Visiting Nurse Program, and historical file preservation.

The SLVHA board members present were Mark Simkins, Roger Neill, Bob White, Cathy Kraft, Sue Patterson, Bill Sweeney, Dick Kibben, Dr. Patty Monroe, Peggy Wiltberger, Karen Wolff, Wayne Newman and Craig Stevens. In addition to the board members, dental hygienist Suzanne Snizek was present along with district nurses Roseanne Brogan, RN, and Sue Seacord, RN; and Executive Secretary Brenda Reeve. Absent was Dr. George Cook.

Every six months the board meets to discuss projects and assess the success of medical programs to ensure that its mission of providing quality services remains the top priority of the SLVHA.

Board nominees Jamie Whidden, executive director of Saranac Village at Will Rogers, and Rich Loeber, owner of Kisco Information Systems, were approved for positions on the SLVHA board.

Brogan and Seacord continue to provide free, in-home nursing services, as recommended by referring physicians, to allow patients to stay in their homes and remain independent longer. The SLVHA started as the District Nurse Association and has been providing medical and financial services throughout the Saranac Lake area since its inception in 1897.

Snizik is available to each Saranac Lake elementary school student during the school year for free dental screenings, fluoride rinses and dental sealants with parental permission. Since 1981, the SLVHA has provided a dental hygienist to area students. Snizek continues the tradition of providing elementary students with general dental education in addition to recommending those students in need of dental financial aid to the SLVHA board of directors.

Scholarships were discussed and will once again be awarded to North Country Community College students entering their second year of the registered nurse or radiologic technologist programs, as well as New Vision high school students.

Saranac Lake High School junior Sawyer Chase (absent) continues to digitize and categorize the SLVHA historical photographs and documents. Board member Wiltberger took responsibility to further research the appropriate guidelines in preserving tuberculosis-era (1800s) information.

The Saranac Lake Voluntary Health Association Inc. is a nonprofit organization established in 1897 and dedicated to improving the health of the people within the Saranac Lake Central School District through funding health care initiatives and scholarships for students in the medical, nursing, rehabilitative and allied fields of study.