MILLBROOK — “When COVID-19 hit, Tiffany was the first caregiver to raise her hand and say she would care for our COVID-positive residents,” said Executive Director at The Inn at The Fountains Linda Lomangino. “During this time she signed up to live on our property and worked 12-hour shifts daily under difficult circumstances as residents were separated from their families and each other.”
That’s high praise indeed, for a young lady who is just barely 20 years old — especially since it came from her boss at The Inn at The Fountains in Millbrook, an independent-living retirement community not far from where Tiffany Becker herself lives in Salt Point.
Becker was only 17 when she began working part-time in the kitchen at The Inn, a job she said she loved because of her appreciation for the nurses and caregivers there.
She also loved the patients she served and got to know while working there. That’s the primary reason why she decided to continue on at The Inn, and was determined to become a nurse. Becker is now enrolled in the Dutchess BOCES School of Practical Nursing in Poughkeepsie.
Her direct manager at The Inn, Lomangino, BSN, RN, wrote a letter to the Empire State Association of Assisted Living, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening New York State’s assisted living sector. She nominating Becker for a nursing scholarship to help finance her studies.
In her letter, Lomangino stated the following:
“The pandemic year 2020 brought out the best and worst in people. I am sure you are aware of the staffing struggles that COVID-19 put upon the long-term care communities. Many assisted living associates were not up to the challenge of working in an environment with an unknown virus. The Inn at Millbrook was fortunate to employ people who not only rose to the expectations, but thrived during that time.
“Miss Tiffany Becker was one of those people. Tiffany is one of my caregivers who listened, observed protocols, and worked diligently to ensure the health and safety of our residents. She volunteered to work directly with our COVID-positive residents on a 12-hour shift. Tiffany lived on our campus for weeks to be available, even on her time off, if we found a shift that needed more staff. She always showed professionalism in her work. Tiffany’s demeanor and work ethic surprised me at times because she was still only a teenager.”
Becker is proud to be the recipient of the annual award, named in honor of Benay Phillips, a leader in the assisted living industry and an advocate for staff training. The program that allots $2,000 and is in its 14th year.
She is also very grateful to the nurses at The Inn, who often help with her studies. She thinks it’s their support that encouraged her to pursue nursing.
She will finish her studies this spring. While working during the worst of the pandemic might have deterred some people, it only strengthened Becker’s resolve to remain in the field.
“The Inn is small, and we were all very close; the patients had no access to their families or each other,” she said. “It must have been so hard for them, and they must have been scared; we wore masks, PPE, with face shields and long gowns. There was no community life, no activities, just full-out isolation.”
Becker added the staff did whatever it could to comfort patients, which for her included not going home to nearby Salt Point for six months for fear of bringing the COVID virus to her family. The Inn lost six of its residents to the disease, a loss keenly felt by all.
“It was like losing family members, we were that close,” said Becker sadly.
She added she loves working with the elderly, not just because she likes caring for them, but for practical reasons as well.
“You can learn so much from them,” said the enthusiastic nursing student. “Working with the elderly there are a variety of conditions that you need to learn about: How to treat wound care and diseases specific to the elderly, but also [those] found in younger patients.”
Although not certain of her plans after graduation, Becker knows the base foundation of knowledge she’s received at The Fountains has provided her with a well of information in the fields of nursing and healthcare that will prove invaluable as she moves through life. For that, she said, she will always be grateful.
NORTH CANAAN — Dr.f Donald Terance “Doc” Martin, 86, of North Canaan, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at his home in North Canaan, which was his last wish. Dr. Martin was a dentist in Canaan, retiring in 2014. He served the community and their needs whether they could pay or not, and at all hours of the day and night. They do not make men like Don “Doc” Martin anymore.
Born on Aug. 27, 1938 in Walla Walla, Washington, he was the youngest of George T. and Anna Mae (McGrath) Martin’s eight children. Don proudly served in the US Navy with the Seabees during the Vietnam War. He adopted the Seabee’s “Can Do” attitude that served him for the rest of his life. Don married Lynne Horner in 1964.
Don was a 50-year friend of Bill W. He sponsored numerous others through his devotion to Alcoholics Anonymous. When people asked how he managed to stay sober for five decades, he said, “Don’t drink. Go to meetings. And don’t die.” And, “If you’re going to get old, you should do it in the program.”
Don fiercely loved his family, and he embraced his community. Wherever he went, people shouted, “Hi, Doc!” He enthusiastically supported local causes. In the early 1980s, he founded Friends of Football, a booster club for the Housatonic Valley Regional High School’s football team. He was a regular at Housy athletic events during his children’s years as students there, and continued to support the teams even after his youngest child graduated.
In addition to his loving wife of 60 years, Don is survived by a son, Rick Martin of Canaan, and two daughters, Kelley Marshall and her husband, Bill, of Hyde Park, New York, and Laura McCarthy and her husband, Neil, of Berlin, Connecticut. He is also survived by four grandchildren; William Marshall, V, Meagan Marshall and her fiancé, Cameron Jones, Maxim Martin and Meave McCarthy; a special friend, Jeff King, cousins Ann Kaufman, Jay Martin, Kathy Horner, Dan Horner, John Horner, Katherine Edlund, and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A memorial service will take place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at the North Canaan Congregational Church, 172 Lower Rd, East Canaan, with Pastor Mark Brady officiating. The repass follows from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at the VFW Post #6851, 104 S. Canaan Rd., Canaan, CT. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Doc Martin should be made to the Fishes & Loaves Food Pantry, P.O. Box 306, North Canaan, CT 06018 or VFW Post #6851, P.O. Box 913, Canaan, CT 06018. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home, 118 Main Street, Canaan, CT.
Busy as he is these days, Santa took a bit of time to join in congratulating Wassaic’s Citizen of the Year, Ana Hajduk, following a presentation ceremony at the Wassaic Fire Department on Saturday, Dec. 14, all in conjunction with the 2024 Wassaic Parade of Lights.
WASSAIC — Wassaic residents turned out to celebrate the 2024 Parade of Lights on Saturday, Dec. 14, enjoying the traditional parade and festivities with refreshments at the firehouse.
One of the highlights was the naming of Wassaic’s Citizen of the Year, Ana Hajduk, honoring her many contributions to the improvement of community life.
Presenting the award certificate was Amenia Town Supervisor Leo Blackman who spoke of Hajduk’s talents as garden designer and her work with designing and faithfully tending the small garden in front of the post office where a veterans’ memorial stands.
She also looks after the needs of the newly planted pine tree which has replaced the old Wassaic Christmas tree. She also lends her talents to tending the beds planted by the Amenia Garden Club. And, she has successfully conquered the mugwort infestation at the Borden plant.
Blackman praised Hajduk also for her work with the Fountain Square plantings, and her willingness to lug buckets of water to a variety of growing things.
Hajduk lived for a time in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where her mother had rehabilitated an abandoned rail line to create a six-block long public park over a period of 20 years.
“Ana has it in her blood to improve the places where she lives,” Blackman said.
Mary Albasi, resident of The Fountains at Millbrook, knitting for one of the community’s donations.
MILLBROOK — A long-established tradition of giving to deserving community organizations is continuing throughout the holiday season at The Fountains at Millbrook.
Three area charities were selected for this year’s charitable giving. The Center for Compassion in Dover Plains has received 26 bags of food and several boxes of clothing collected by Fountains residents since the Thanksgiving season and continuing through the holidays. The extensive history of giving was described on Wednesday, Dec. 11, by Lisa Rieckermann, community life director at The Fountains.
Infants housed at the Care Net Pregnancy Center in Poughkeepsie are being kept warm by hand-knit items produced by the Knit/Crochet Group at The Fountains. Resident Mary Albasi was praised by Rieckermann for her dedication, having created more than 100 pieces for the center.
“Mary’s passion is truly shown through the dedication she has for her work,” Rieckermann said.
Families at the Grace Smith House, a domestic violence support center in Poughkeepsie, are also being assisted by residents at The Fountains. This month, Rieckermann reported, Terri Smith, a staff member in The Fountains’ Café, is raising funds for gift cards to be provided to the Grace Smith House. Skilled at crafting, Smith is using her talents to create centerpieces for Café tables. Residents purchase the centerpieces, thereby raising the funds to purchase the gift cards.
“It makes my heart happy to give back,” Smith said.
Residents also maintain an ongoing interest in supporting the Holiday Toy Drive with the American Legion and the Hudson Valley Animal Rescue organization.
Dutchess County Legislator Chris Drago and Town of North East Councilwoman Meg Winkler help welcome Habitat for Humanity homeowners Anthony and Vanessa Macagnone (center) to their new home on Rudd Pond Road in Millerton, Wednesday, Dec. 18.
