BirthdaysJacob Perrello - December 1

Terresa Aughtry - December 7Carly Kane - December 14

Jasmine Thorington - December 16Linda D’Agostino - December 20

Antoinette Hernandez - December 23Laura Pasquarella - December 25

AnniversariesRosalind Townsend - 5 yearsVirgen Reyes-Torres - 1 yearLaura Pasquarella - 3 years

Johnny Mora - 2 yearsMaria Lotempio - 8 yearsHelene Cacciato - 6 years

Molly Briggs - 2 yearsJohanna Aponte - 6 years

Your Continued Dedication and HardWork Are Noticed and Appreciated!

– The Management Team

CONNECTIONS CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR KIM LUANGPAKDYPUBLISHER JOHN CAROCCI

LAYOUT JOHN CAROCCICONTRIBUTORS TRISH HOPKINS

KIM LUANGPAKDY, JIM MOHR

LIYA MOOLCHAN, MARGIE SOTO

GARY WILLIAMS

I recently had the pleasure of hosting a team from

Western New York Paranormal Investigators at the

Victorian. Their investigation began at 6:00 p.m.

and ran until after 1:00 the following morning.

The team consisted of two women and six men;

WNYPI founder and lead investigator Suzanne;

Gina, the sensitive; Suzanne’s husband James;

along with investigators and technicians David,

Al, Ryan, Nick, and Jim.

With interest in paranormal activities on the

rise, as well as the popularity of recent shows

like Ghost Hunters on the SyFy Channel and the

Paranormal Activity movies, it’s no wonder that

this group of Western New Yorkers would come

together. WNYPI has been around since 2008,

and they have investigated close to a dozen sites

throughout the area. Their Electronic Voice Phe-

nomena (EVPs) can be heard on their website at

www.wnypi.com.

For our investigation at the Victorian, closed

circuit security cameras were installed throughout

the building: in the basement, fi rst fl oor, recep-

tion area and second fl oor. The team began with

an opening prayer to ward off any evil spirits and

protect those investigating. The team also had a

laptop computer in the attic, and digital voice re-

by Margie Soto

corders were used to try and capture EVPs.

Within moments, Gina picked up a strong male

presence by the name of Allen or Alan. Gina want-

ed to know if anyone by that name was associated

with the Victorian, and I motioned that no such

name came to mind. Gina also picked up a strong

presence of activities around the back set of stairs

by the reception area. This activity carried itself into

the attic, which was a common area for servants to

be, given that the Victorian was built in 1854.

Another strong presence by the name of Jean-

nie or Jenny was picked up by Gina. Jenny was a

slender woman in a period white dress, possibly

a wedding dress. The presence of a cold spot was

felt by the team when investigating the fi rst fl oor

reception area. A digital thermometer measured a

temperature of 68°F by reception desk and 65°F by

the copy machine, only a couple of feet away.

But nothing can compare to the experience

that was felt at the Watkins Building. The basement

of the Watkins (shown above) held a speakeasy dur-

ing the Prohibition years, and was home to a cigar

store during the 1970s. My husband frequented the

store as a kid, not for the cigars, but for the comic

books that the owner sold for ten cents each (he

read lots of comic books). Gina picked up so much

activity in this area and the strong presence of a big

man was so evident she described him in specifi c

detail. I called my husband, who verifi ed Gina’s de-

tailed description without question. What a chill, to

hear my husband describe the owner exactly the

way Gina did! Overall, my experience was wonder-

ful. How often does one get to take part of a ghost

hunt that most people only get to see on television?

The team from WNYPI was knowledgeable and they

possessed the tools needed to get the job done.

They’re a group of dedicated people who, aside

from their daily lives and careers, come together to

delve into the paranormal. C

THINK Recycle is a cost-free fundraising program that rewards AIDS

Community Services with money and environmental incentives for the collection of unwanted electronics including cell phones, inkjet cartridges, toner car-tridges, digital cameras, iPods and MP3 players. Good for the Environment! Th ink Recycle helps reduce the improper disposal of electronics by di-verting them from landfi lls. When entering landfi lls, electronics can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, which contributes to the contamination and pollu-tion of air, water and soil. By collecting and recycling with Th ink Recycle, unwanted electronics will be refurbished, recycled or reused, creating a positive environmental impact. You will also be cleaning the air we breathe by planting trees. Th rough their partnerships with American For-ests and Tree Canada, Th ink Recycle donates funds

to have a tree planted for every 24 qualifying prod-ucts collected. To date, their members have contrib-uted to the planting of over 50,000 trees! Th ey Accept the Most Th ink Recycle off ers re-ward money for over 2,000 models of cell phones, inkjet and toner cartridges, and digital cameras – the most in the industry! Good for You! Not only will you be protecting the environment, you’ll be earning money for AIDS Community Services! ACS earns money for every qualifying product we collect. Socially & Environmentally Responsible Th ink Recycle follows a strict zero-landfi ll policy to ensure nothing you send them ends up in a landfi ll. How Can You Help? Bring in your used inkjet and laserjet cartridges, cell phones, digital cameras, and iPods/MP3 players. Tell your family and friends too. Items will be collected on the 5th Floor in Ad-ministration during business hours. C

by Gary Williams

Editor’s Note: Alianza Latina’s Aracely Rodriguez was featured in this November 11 Buff alo News article writ-ten by Jane Kwiatkowski.

Aracely Rodriguez held her young son close as together they discussed the meaning of Th anksgiving. “We were talking today about Pilgrims,” she began, “and I said: ‘Eugenio, we are almost like Pilgrims. It’s you and me and we have to thank God, because we didn’t have nothing in Cuba.’ “ Five years ago, the former high school biology teacher and her then 2-year-old son launched a life-changing journey. She had $100 in her pocket, and a strength that would power their way to their new world in Western New York. On Th ursday at Medaille College, Rodriguez, 37, will att end the Buff alo premiere of “Th e Glow Project,” a 90-minute movie that documents the lives of high-profi le women throughout the country who have turned struggle into success. Th e women - including Cathie Black, president of Hearst Magazines, who this week was named chancellor of New York City schools; Donna Orender, president of the Women’s National Bas-ketball Association, and motivational speaker Marilyn Tam, former CEO of Aveda - will address the ageless is-sues of empowerment and self-help. “Empowerment of women and self-help have a long history in American society,” explained Jane E. Fish-er, director of the Women’s Studies Program at Canisius College. “Are we still fi ghting for equality? Yes. Women still make less than men, and there’s still a glass ceiling in many organizations. Women are there on the ground fl oor, but it’s more diffi cult for them to get into power po-sitions. “Th ere has been progress in many areas,” Fisher noted. “Women outnumber men at just about every level

Refusin

ng to Let Down Mean Outin the educational system, and at some point in the next de-cade or so, that will create a lot of opportunities. You’ll see changes in child care and maternity leave in the workplace. It’s a huge batt le.” Two years ago, Glow Project producers set out to learn what it is that separates the most successful women from those who struggle. Th e result of their research is the movie, which is slowly circulating throughout the country. Recent screenings were held in Dallas and Long Beach, California. Th ursday’s screening at Medaille will be followed by a panel discussion in which fi ve local businesswomen will provide ideas and insights to help today’s women succeed. One pan-elist, Myrna Young, founded Everywoman Opportunity Center in 1977. “I’ve been working on those issues for 20 years before that,” Young said, “listening to their stories, and learning from them so I can help teach others. Th e batt les remain the same. We’ve just gott en bett er at fi ghting them.”

From Cuba Th e journey that started fi ve years ago for Rodriguez and her son ended in Buff alo on Marine Drive, where the water view from their ninth-fl oor apartment’s kitchen win-dow evokes memories of an island country and a family left behind. Rodriguez, who works full time as a senior com-munity outreach specialist for AIDS Community Services, credits Everywoman with helping her rise above many chal-lenges. First was language, followed by transportation. “I came here and I didn’t know how to drive,” Rodri-guez said. “I have my dictionary, and every night I would go through to fi nd words that I didn’t know to help me with the test to drive. I was learning how to get my learning permit. I passed. My fi rst car, I paid $300 from my neighbors on the West Side. It was a Toyota 1996.”

Eugenio stands by, listening. Later the 7-year-old will show pictures from Cuba, pointing out his favorite uncle. He will also wheel from his room a bright red bicycle, a gift from Everywoman, the agency his mother has called her lifeline. With fi ve locations in Olean, Dunkirk, Niagara Falls, Amherst and Buff alo, Everywoman has helped 62,239 wom-an in its 33-year history. Th e agency links service providers with women clients, but beyond that, its staff empowers its clients. “Having a place like Everywoman makes things easy,” said Rodriguez. “Th ey encouraged me to remember my uni-versity days. I was a teacher in Cuba. I can do more here. It’s very important to know that.” Already, the dark-haired Rodriguez is helping her family in Cuba. “My 16-year-old nephew is a smart boy and he wants to go to college,” she explained. “My sister asked me to help with $20 a month for a teacher to come to her house to tutor math and history.”

Feminism’s New Face Feminism has three waves, according to Fisher of Ca-nisius. “First-wave feminism culminated in the Right to Vote movement in 1920,” she noted. “Th e so-called second wave was the 1960s and 1970s. Contemporary feminism is called third-wave feminisms, plural. “Young women today don’t want to be seen as feminists per se, but they’re intensely interested in gender issues,” said Fisher, also associate pro-fessor of English at Canisius College. “Th ey’re interested in social justice issues and global and transnational feminism.” Fisher pointed to the Circle of Women, a Massachu-sett s-based service organization with a chapter at Canisius College whose members are dedicated to building schools for girls in developing countries. Th e fi rst school, “Project Wonkhai,” opened in 2008 in Wardak, Afghanistan, where it

will serve 1,200 girls at the secondary school level. “Women are very good at networking,” Fisher said. “Th ey’re good at developing their own social support sys-tems of friends and family and colleagues. Th at’s how they survive, at least emotionally, usually bett er than men.” When Erika Webb Trueheart, 39, returned to school last year at Medaille College, she had three children, two more than when she graduated from Erie Community Col-lege in 1994. Married and divorced, Trueheart has been on her own since age 16, when her fi rst son was born. “I want to set an example that if you get sidetracked, you do need to pursue your goal until it is accomplished,” said the business major. “People have told me I’m too hard on myself, but I want to set the standard for my children.” Th e average age of students returning to Medaille Col-lege is 33, according to Jackie Matheny, vice president of enrollment for the School of Adult and Graduate Education (SAGE). “I think it can be very scary to go back to school,” said Matheny. “While adults may have the highest achievement, they worry whether they’ll be able to compete in the class-room. It’s about maturity and motivation, not youth and brains.” At the moment, Trueheart is kicking herself aft er re-ceiving her fi rst A-minus. Th e full-time state court clerk also volunteers for her church, Greater Refuge Temple, in the “Families Helping Families” ministry. Her life is built on time management and organization. She believes the rough patches are permanently behind her. “My ministry is reaching out and doing for others,” she said. “I want to open a mentoring program for young women to teach them not to give up. Hard work equals suc-cess, but if you don’t put the time or eff ort or sacrifi ce into something, you won’t get anything out of it.” C

Need to bake for the holidays but don’t have enough time? Would you like to have a variety of tasty cookies for this holiday season? Join the Cookie Swap on Mon-day, December 20. Bake one batch of 48 cookies and re-ceive an assortment of 48 cookies in return. If interested RSVP to Jim Mohr (extension 306) by December 10.

December Book Club

The Book Club will hold December’s meeting on Wednesday, December 15 at 5:15 p.m. at the Left Bank on Rhode Island Street. We’ll be talking about the book Napoleon’s Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History by Penny LeCouteur and Jay Bur-reson. To attend the December meeting at Left Bank, please notify Jim Mohr at x306 or Margaret Hodson at x363 by Monday, December 13 so we can make ap-propriate dinner reservations. Left Bank serves Thai and Vietnamese specials on Wednesday nights. About Napoleon’s Buttons (from the jacket): “This book is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly infl uenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules re-sulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred ad-vances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance-which, in turn, can result in great historical shifts. With lively prose and an eye for colorful and unusual details, Le Couteur and Burreson off er a novel way to understand the shaping of civilization and the workings of our con-temporary world.” About Book Club: Anyone is welcome to join. We meet on the third Wednesday of each month (con-veniently after we’ve been paid) at a café or restau-rant close to work at 5:15 p.m. Each month, a diff er-ent member of the club chooses a book to read and the meeting location. All books chosen are available at the library. There is no obligation to attend each month’s meeting. C

Food Pantry Basicsby Brian Planty

You may access any pantry that is located in the same zip code as your residence. This includes the ACS on-site pantry if you live in 14201. Eligibility is based on income and family size. Income limits for pantry ac-cess are based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For the remainder of 2010 and January 2011, the income limits are as follows:

....................................................................................MonthlyFamily...............................Annual .........................IncomeSize ....................................Income Limit .............Limit

1 .........................................$20,035.50 ..................$1,669.632 .........................................$26,954.50 ..................$2,246.213 .........................................$33,873.50 ..................$2,822.794 .........................................$40,792.50 ..................$3,399.385 .........................................$47,711.50 ..................$3,975.966 .........................................$54,630.50 ..................$4,552.967 .........................................$61,549.50 ..................$5,129.138 .........................................$68,468.50 ..................$5,705.71

A complete listing of Western New York food pantries can be found on the ‘F’ drive at F://nutrition shared/nutrition/pantries. C

Doctors Without Borders

by James Mohr

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Fron-tières (MSF) is an international medical humanitar-ian organization. Since its inception in 1971 it has become an international association with offi ces in 19 countries. On any given day, close to 27,000 doctors, nurses, logisticians, water-and-sanitation experts, administrators, and other qualifi ed profes-sionals can be found providing emergency medical assistance to people aff ected by armed confl ict, epi-demics, malnutrition, natural disasters, or exclusion from health care in nearly 60 countries. In 1999, the organization was awarded the Nobel Peace prize. How can you help? Donate your used pill bottles today! The bottles need to be empty, clean and free of labels. Drop them off in any of the convenient locations on the 1st, 2nd, 4th or 5th fl oors of the Roanoke or the 1st fl oor of the Victorian.

News FromProject SAFE

( S Y R I N G E S AVA I L A B L E F O R E V E R YO N E )

On October 28th, 2010, a new law went into ef-fect that will impact syringe exchange programs throughout the entire state. In order to make the participants of the Project SAFE program aware of what the law states, the staff has been handing out a brief overview of the law, so they know exactly how it aff ects their lives. To summarize, the Penal Code that now conforms with the Public Health Code, clarifi es the law on syringe possession. Th e Syringe Access Legislation was signed into law by Governor David Paterson, and it is important to everyone that is aff ected by this law – SEP par-ticipants, service providers and police – that they are aware of how it works. Th e new law essentially does three things: 1) Makes possession of residue in or on a used syringe legal when the syringe is obtained properly from a syringe access program – this would include a syringe exchange program and an over–the–counter pharmacy sale (also known as ESAP). 2) Adds language into the Pe-nal Code specifying that a person participating in a syringe access program or an ESAP program can legally possess a sterile syringe. 3) R’ar future to go over all details of the law, but the main objective now is informing clients of the law and stress that they need to carry their Project SAFE cards on them at all times. Th is way, the clients will be able to show that they are a participant in a state sanc-tioned syringe access program if they are stopped by the police. C

Bills tickets are still on sale for the Sunday, December 26 game vs. New England Patriots. These $68-value tick-ets are just $15 each and they make great gifts. Please print this page and return to Resource Development with your payment (cash, check, or money order made payable to AIDS Community Services).

Your Name: ________________________________________________________________________________

Division: __________________________________________________________ Extension: ________________

Number of tickets: ________ @ $15 = $________________

If Paying by Credit Card: Name on Card: _________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________________

Credit Card number: ____________________________________________________ Expiration: ____________

Signature: ________________________________________________________________________________

Kaitlin Smith

The Evergreen Association and its affi liates have a long history of participating in internship programs through local colleges and universities. Interns bring fresh perspective and creativity to our programs while gaining valuable hands-on work experi-ence in their chosen fi eld of study. Pathways would like you to meet Kaitlin Smith, currently working as an intern in the Health Promotion Services division of AIDS Community Services.

HI everyone! I am Kaitlin Smith and I'm in my second year as a Masters of Public Health student concentrating in

Community Health and Health Behavior at the University at Buf-falo. I have been interested in the fi eld of Sexual Health since my undergraduate work at SUNY Cortland, where I worked with the Community Health Educator at a Reproductive Health Clinic. I decided that this was the fi eld I was meant to be in. I've always admired those in sexual health because they seemed to be the most interesting and appeared to be having the most fun at their jobs. I'll be spending my time here at AIDS Community Ser-vices working with Marcus May and the Life Changes program. I will evaluate the eff ectiveness of the program by conducting open-ended interviews with Life Changes members to identify and assess the reasons why they continue to be involved with the program as well as what draws them to the agency. In ad-dition, I will be analyzing the data from these interviews to de-velop and test a pilot survey instrument to be administered to Life Changes members. This survey will be used to capture infor-mation on demographics, risky health behaviors, sexual identity and more. With this information, we can evaluate the needs of the Life Changes members and off er programs and services that will address those needs. I am so thankful for the opportunity to work here, and I'm learning so much about myself and my abilities as a professional. Everyone has been so welcoming and wonderful to me, and I'm excited about the prospects of learn-ing from each and every one of you.

Check out the blog for photographs and videos from recent agency events such as World AIDS Day, Wine on Wednesdays and the Nati onal Lati no AIDS Awareness Day community fair.Visit www.acswny.blogspot.com.

Sarah Mutch shows off some of the frozen turkeys distributed to agency clients for the Thanksgiving Holiday.