For all things United Helpers
PARISHVILLE –Have you been thinking about downsizing your home, and enjoying all the benefits of maintenance-free living? Do you enjoy the outdoors?
Mill Yard Estates in Parishville currently has vacancies available and can help your dreams of living in the Adirondacks or never mowing the lawn and shoveling snow again come true.
Apartments
are available for those 62 and older, or those who have a disability. Each
apartment includes a kitchen with refrigerator and stove, living room,
bathroom, and bedroom. An on-site laundry room is also available for use.
Mill
Yard Estates is a pet-friendly complex and rent subsidies for those who quality
may be available.
If
you would like a housing application, or for further information, please call
(315) 714-3129.
OGDENSBURG
–Over the past 33 years, United Helpers Chief Executive Officer Stephen E.
Knight has witnessed unprecedented growth at an organization that has been
serving the people of the North Country in some capacity since 1898.
“The most rewarding thing about working for United Helpers was working for a mission-driven organization. I hope the ten ladies who started the Society of the United Helpers would approve and be proud of our work,” Mr. Knight said, as he sat down to discuss his career with the company, which began in August of 1988, and will end later this month.
“What
I’ve experienced in my 30 plus years is the board has always been willing to
step up and support our community,” he said, before quoting a portion of the
United Helpers Mission Statement. “To serve the community and help those in
need.”
“It was my privilege to
work for a very committed board of directors and with a group of committed,
caring professionals,” he said. “Together, we created a unique continuum of
post-acute care and community-based services that support more than 2,400
people in our county every day.”
Mr. Knight’s career with
United Helpers began when he was hired as an assistant administrator for what
was then known as United Helpers Care, Inc. Today that portion of the company
is known as United Helpers Behavioral Health and Life Skills.
“I had heard about the
job with United Helpers, because it was in the newspaper,” he said, noting at
that time he was living and working in the Boston area. “My mother would send
me job ads because she wanted me to move back home.”
Mr. Knight grew up in
Lisbon and graduated from St. Lawrence University. He then spent “three or
four” years in Massachusetts before moving back home.
After spending two
years as assistant administrator, Mr. Knight was promoted to administrator in
1990 by then CEO John Turongian.
“As the company continued
to grow, John made some changes to the leadership team, and I was promoted to
Director of Systems Development in 1996, so then I had responsibilities company
wide,” he said. In 2001 Mr. Knight was promoted to Director of Operations.
“From the moment I first met Steve in 1990, I was impressed with his leadership skills and "can do" attitude. With each promotion, it soon became apparent that Steve was destined to take on greater responsibilities,” Mr. Turongian said. “The business of Health Care is very challenging and ever-evolving, and Steve knew where we needed to go.”
In 2009, Mr. Turongian would retire from United Helpers and Mr. Knight became the company’s third CEO.
“It was an honor and privilege to work with him for nearly 20 years at United Helpers,” Mr. Turongian said. “My best wishes to him and Lianne for a happy and successful retirement.”
While he may be ready to retire, Mr. Knight said he will not stop advocating for the North Country and the people United Helpers serves.
“Over the years, we’ve
continued to see an increase in the number of people relying on Medicaid or
Medicare. One of my biggest worries is that during this same time we’ve also
seen a waning of support at the state and federal level for these folks. It is
up to us to continue advocating for those in need. They’re our friends and
neighbors,” he said.
Mr. Knight said he’s
planning on taking the summer to work on projects around his home, while also
noting his oldest daughter is getting married this summer. He plans to do some traveling
and participate in a lot more of the outdoor activities that he enjoys doing
like biking, hiking, snow skiing and water-skiing.
He resides in Colton
with his wife, Lianne. The couple has three adult children, Hannah, Daniel, and
Sadie Rose. His last day with United Helpers will be Friday, May 28.
CANTON
– Walking into Lucia Johnson’s apartment in the Assisted Living wing of United
Helpers Rehabilitation and Senior Care in Canton, one can’t help but to notice
the unique décor on her walls.
There
are funny cards and serious cards, religious cards and heartfelt cards, many
even from strangers, on display. Some of the cards contain handwritten notes,
while others just have a signature, but they all say one thing, “Happy Birthday.” 
Lucia (Catanzarite) Johnson with just a few of her cards.
Mrs.
Johnson turned 90 years old on Tuesday, April 13, an occasion highlighted by
Ellen Emery in her weekly column “Over Coffee with Ellen.” “So far I’ve
received 125 cards,” Mrs. Johnson said. “I don’t know what to do with them all,
but I have read each one.”
In
addition to birthday cards, there are a couple of other items plentiful in her
apartment… recipes and poems.
“I
worked as a field editor for Taste of Home for 10 years or so,” she said,
adding that over the years she’s had several of her own recipes published in
the magazine. “If you go online, you can find my picture and some of my recipes
there.” (see recipes at end of article)
“I’m
full-blooded Italian, so you know that means I love to cook,” she said, noting
her maiden name is Catanzarite. “Whenever we had guests or friends over I would
always make something I had never made before.”
Mrs.
Johnson even noted she’s self-taught in the kitchen. “My mother had six
children, and she never wanted us in the kitchen while she was cooking, so I
had to learn on my own,” she said. “I think I did alright.”
As
for the poetry, Mrs. Johnson published a book of her poems as a fundraiser for
the Alzheimer’s Association, raising over $500 through sales of her book.
That’s only a drop in the bucket though when considering that with three of her
daughters, Marilyn, Stephanie, and Charlene, the family has raised more than
$50,000 for Alzheimer’s research.
“That’s
something we’re very passionate about,” she said. “My husband Leon passed away
from that.”
Prior
to moving to Assisted Living just over a year ago, she lived in Massena, where
she was born and raised. “I lived there my whole life, until I came here,” she
said. “I love it here though, everyone is always so nice.”
Mrs.
Lucia said she’s not planning to go anywhere anytime soon.
“I had an Aunt who
lived to be 108,” she said. “Her mind was fine all the way to the end. We used
to love to hear her tell stories about Italy, because she grew up there.”
Mrs. Johnson also said
that history was also a popular topic of conversation with her aunt. “She
remembered when the Titanic sank and she would often tell us about that or
other major events from her lifetime,” she said.
Now Mrs. Johnson is the
one telling stories, looking back at an incredible life full of
accomplishments, and changes in the way we live that no one could have ever
imagined when she was growing up.
“One of my daughter’s
wanted to post something on Facebook as a way to thank people for all of the
cards. She asked me what to write. “I told her to say, ‘I had a wonderful 39th
birthday,’” Mrs. Johnson recalled with a laugh.
On the web:
Quick Potato Corn
Chowder - https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/quick-potato-corn-chowder/
Zucchini Onion Pie - https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/zucchini-onion-pie/
 |
| Hamilton Gardens in Waddington |
Hamilton
Gardens in Waddington currently has vacancies available and can help your
dreams of never mowing the lawn or shoveling snow again come true.
Apartments are available for those 62 and older, or those who have a disability. Each apartment includes a kitchen with refrigerator and stove, living room, bathroom, and bedroom. An on-site laundry room is also available for use.
The building, which houses 32 apartments over two floors, is equipped with an elevator, a community room, raised gardening beds, and flowerbeds around the property. It is located in close proximity to the St. Lawrence River, as well as the village’s stores, restaurants, and events, including the free Summer Concert Series.
Hamilton
Gardens is a pet-friendly complex and rent subsidies for those who quality may
be available.
If
you would like a housing application, or for further information, please call
(315) 714-3129.
CANTON – Longtime United Helpers CNA Helen Paquette was recently honored with of the “Fannie Frank Distinguished CNA Award.”
Ms. Paquette, of Hammond, has been a United Helpers employee caring for residents at the company’s facilities in Ogdensburg for more than 30 years.
She was nominated for the honor by United Helpers
Rehabilitation and Senior Care Vice President of Operations Timothy Parsons. 
Barbara Gordon, Helen Paquette & Dr. Ed Gordon
In his nomination, Mr. Parsons wrote, “She has stood out to me since working with her as a physical therapist at Cedars Nursing Home, where we both began our careers with United Helpers.”
He continued, “As a therapist, I would always try to seek out staff I could trust for their opinion and feedback regarding our residents. Helen was one of those aides. She knows her residents better than anyone.”
More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Paquette has really shined, he said.
“When we know a resident is in need of something, Helen is who we often ask, and usually she has already taken care of it, many times using her own resources,” he said. “She is the one we ask when some “pampering” is needed, and when our salon had to shut down, she began cutting hair in addition to her other duties. She is the type of employee I cherish and I believe she is deserving of this honor.”
The Fannie Frank Award, which is a $1,000 cash bonus, is awarded based on the following criteria:
According to Dr. Gordon, Ms. Frank was a Polish immigrant who moved to the U.S. prior to World War I with her parents and six of her nine siblings. Three of her older siblings were already married and stayed behind, he said. They perished in World War II.
Dr. Gordon grew up in New York City in close proximity to his grandmother and credits her with instilling in him a love of animals that would eventually lead to his career as a veterinarian, noting that he and his grandmother were the only “animal lovers” in his family.
In addition to paying tribute to his grandmother, Dr. Gordon said the award will serve as a way to honor his family’s legacy.
“Now, her name will live on forever,” he said.
