From left around the table, Rich Loeber, Patrica Monroe, Craig Stevens, Jamie Whidden, Sue Seacord, Rosanne Brogan, Sue Patterson, Karen Wolff, Suzanne Snizek, Dellice Chase, Roger Neill, Bob White, Wayne Newman and Brenda Reeve attend the fall 2019 meeting of the Saranac Lake Voluntary Health Association. (Photo provided)

SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Voluntary Health Association met this past fall for its semi-annual autumn meeting to discuss new and existing health care initiatives funded through the organization.

In attendance were Sue Patterson, Karen Wolff, Au.D, Suzanne Snizek, Dellice Chase, Roger Neill DMD, Bob White, Wayne Newman, Brenda Reeve, Rick Loeber, Craig Stevens, Jamie Whitten, Sue Seacord, RN, Roseanne Brogan, RN, and Patricia Monroe, MD. Unable to attend were George Cook, MD, Peggy Wiltberger BSN, Bill Sweeney, Wilhelmina Sheridan FPN, and Mark Simkins, RPH.

Saranac Lake High School junior Dellice Chase was on hand to discuss her continued role in archiving the nonprofit group’s historical records. She discussed organizing a database and taking photos to preserve and document the vast SLVHA’s history and connection to its community.

The volunteer board voted to continue scholarships for area high school New Vision students as well as North Country Community College students entering their second year of the registered nurse or radiologic technology programs.

The SLVHA was founded in 1897 as the District Nurse Association. It first provided a visiting nurse to patients, and it continues to provide health care to homebound patients. Registered nurses Roseanne Brogan and Sue Seacord provide intermittent, sub-acute in-home care visits based on doctor evaluations. Services include medication management, blood pressure, wound care, symptom monitoring and health assessments.

The organization also provides other health care services to people living within the Saranac Lake Central School District.

As the elementary school dental hygienist, Suzanne Snizek continues her full-time role that has been funded by the SLVHA since the 1980s. She provides fluoride, dental rinses and dental sealants with parental permission. She continues to refer students in need of orthodontic scholarships to the SLVHA as well as continuing educational initiatives by interacting with students during a weekly dental health program as well as scheduling trips to local dental offices.

The organization continues to fund individual grants for hearing aids, reconstructive dental work and braces on a case-by-case basis. There is also a room in the SLVHA’s Main Street office dedicated to medical equipment loans.

SLVHA recently released a free poster outlining practical treatment and prevention of lice. Distributed through area doctors’ offices as well as the Saranac Lake Central School District, the poster is available as a free download from the SLVHA website.

For more information, call 518-891-0919 or visit saranaclakevha.org.