Cedars Residents Celebrate 90th Anniversary of Corn Flakes

 

By Benny Fairchild

Back in 1996 when United Helpers was only 97 years old, residents at the Cedars Nursing Home celebrated the 90th anniversary of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, the iconic breakfast cereal, which to this day remains a favorite amongst those cared for by United Helpers.

90th Anniversary box

In a room decorated with red and green balloons, the same colors as Cornelius the Rooster, residents gathered for cake and ice cream. A group consisting of people 90 and older even posed for a photo behind a banner that read, "We were here before Kellogg's." 

While the banner was making reference to the residents, it's no secret that the United Helpers organization was here before Kellogg's too.

Did you know that in addition to giving us Cornelius the Rooster, the marketing folks at Kellogg's are also responsible for Snap, Crackle, and Pop, Toucan Sam, Tony the Tiger, and Dig Em' the Frog.

Do you recognize anyone in this photo? We're pretty sure Helen Welsh is pictured in the back wearing blue, but she's the only our current staff can identify. If you recognize anyone in this picture, please be sure to let us know. :-) 

90th Anniversary Box

Society of United Helpers Purchases Pythian Home for $62,500

By Benny Fairchild

When the Society of United Helpers purchased the former Pythian Home in Ogdensburg in order to construct what would eventually become United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care in Ogdensburg the price paid for the property was only $62,500. 

Pythian Home in Ogdensburg

While that figure may not sound like a lot, especially given today’s real estate market, when adjusted for inflation, using an online inflation calculator, that figure translates to $518,681.53.

After purchasing the property, which would also play host to the United Helpers adult home for more than 40 years, the Society launched a capital campaign aimed at collecting $100,000 to help build the United Helpers Nursing Home.

Funds were successfully raised and in 1972, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility was opened. Just seven years later the 40-bed adult home opened, providing area seniors who could still live somewhat independently with apartment-style living where meals were provided, as well as other assistance if needed.

Today the Rehabilitation and Senior Care facility is undergoing renovations and being converted to office space for both United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills, as well as the United Helpers Management Company.

The former adult home is being renovated into “market-rate” apartments, which will provide quality living accommodations along the St. Lawrence River just outside the city of Ogdensburg.

United Helpers Building Fund Pledge Card

Welcome New Hires

 

United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care

Caleb Currier - Food Service Attendant

Lucy Graser - Food Service Attendant

Brittany Hurlburt - Food Service Attendant

Blake Johnson - Task Aide

Savannah Measheaw - Task Aide

Cassandra Nash - Task Aide

Tanya Porter - Task Aide

Jasmine Snyder - CNA

United Helpers Management Company

Alyvia Ronning - Jr. Administrative Assistant

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Rensselaer Falls IRA

Emily Pratt - DSP

Kathleen Venette - DSP

United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills

Irish Settlement Road IRA

Hannah Kirby - DSP

Looking Back at Some Old TV Spots

 

Just this week a piece chronicling the unique 125-year history of United Helpers aired on PBS as part of their weekly news show WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories. 

However, United Helpers has had a television presence that dates back before the days of social media.

Check out some of these old tv spots:

10 years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZcQRO0qPKQ

Seven years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2CWruEHNFI 

Three years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zgq1S1WPcgA

United Helpers Not Alone in Turning 125 This Year

 By BENNY FAIRCHILD

It’s no secret that United Helpers is turning 125 years old this year, but did you know two other iconic companies, including another with a rich history in Ogdensburg, are also celebrating their 125^th anniversary this year?

While the beverage itself, originally known as “Brad’s Drink” was first served to patrons of Bradham’s Pharmacy in 1893, the beverage we know today as Pepsi, was first branded as Pepsi-Cola in August of 1898. 

According to a timeline of the drink’s history on Pepsi’s website, Caleb Bradham created the drink using a mix of sugar, water, caramel, lemon oil, kola nuts, nutmeg, and “other additives.”

Pepsi also joins United Helpers as being a company with a rich history right here in the Maple City. First opening its doors in 1943, Pepsi-Cola Ogdensburg Bottlers has been a staple of the Ogdensburg community for more than 75 years, earning the Pepsi Corporation’s prestigious Donald M. Kendall Bottler of the year in 2011.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica online, Nabisco also has a history which dates back beyond 1898 in the form of two smaller corporations, The American Biscuit Company and the New York Biscuit Company.

It was when those two companies merged in 1898 that Nabisco, an abbreviated derivative of National Biscuit Company formed. The company’s two most famous products, Oreo Cookies and Ritz crackers, were still many years away. The encyclopedia noted Oreos hit the market in 1912, while Ritz Crackers weren’t on store shelves until 1934.

Historic Management Company Property Listed for Sale

In 1983 when, as according to a headline in The Advance News, “United Helpers ‘Rescues’ Unused Convent,” the United Helpers Management Company was overseeing five properties. 

United Helpers Management Company

Today the United Helpers Management Company oversees more than 30 properties with management operations spread out over several different properties.

“The United Helpers Management Company Complex has served as a great home for our administrative operations for the past 40 years,” said United Helpers COO Stacey Cannizzo. “However, the time has come for us to put this property back onto the market and relocate the majority of our administrative operations back to all being under one roof at the former Rehabilitation and Senior Care building just outside of the city.”

Mrs. Cannizzo explained that currently the building at 732 Ford Street, which once served as the Order of the Grey Nuns Sacred Heart Convent, houses payroll services, accounts payable, billing, accounting and the Ogdensburg Behavioral Health Clinic.

Other administrative services, such as her office, the office of Chief Executive Officer Todd Amo, the development office, and the Behavioral Health and Life Skills leadership are located at the former nursing home building.

Marketing, human resources, and affordable community housing are all based out of the company’s 100 Ford Street property.

“While the closure of United Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care in Ogdensburg was certainly unfortunate, the space that property affords to us is allowing us to once again have the majority of our leadership and management services all under one roof,” Mrs. Cannizzo said. “It simply doesn’t make sense to maintain and pay utilities for so many different properties which are simply housing offices when we have this building available to us and can once again have everybody under one roof.”

Mrs. Cannizzo said the for sale sign placed in front of the 732 Ford Street building is not a sign of distress, but rather a sign of growth.

“If we didn’t have a behavioral health clinic in this building, which has grown exponentially since opening its doors in 2016, as well as nearly a dozen IRAs, and more than 20 senior/disabled housing complexes, a second behavioral health clinic, a retirement community, an Assisted Living Program, several other behavioral health programs, and a for-profit division to oversee, and we were still just providing administrative services for five properties, this lovely building could continue to be our home, but the growth of our organization has necessitated this change,” she said.

The property located at 732 Ford Street is listed for sale with America One Realty. To schedule a showing, please contact Andrea Piercey at (315) 394-1116. To learn more about this unique, historical property, please visit, https://www.america1realty.com/idx/listing/featured/302803509/723-221-Ford-Street-Hamilton-Ogdensburg-NY-13669.