Ritchie

Generosity is powerful. All throughout the year, I have seen so many people go out of their way to help their community, their family, friends and neighbors. It simply amazes me every time someone in our community does something that brings a smile to the face of another – even if it’s someone they’ve never met and perhaps never will.

Earlier this year, our shoreline communities were victims of historic flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Thousands of homes, businesses and properties are still picking up the pieces from the damage they suffered. While visiting many of these shoreline communities as the waters were rising, it became immediately clear that financial help would be needed. That is why I cosponsored the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence Seaway Flood Relief and Recovery Grant Program, which provided $45 million in funding to impacted year-round and seasonal homeowners, small businesses, farms, not-for-profits and municipalities.

For families all across New York State, nothing says Christmas quite like the smell of pine, that deep green color and the way a tree brightens up our homes and businesses this time of year. It’s become an annual tradition here in New York to get the family together for a trip to the local Christmas tree farm to pick out that perfect evergreen to take home and decorate. Not only are Christmas trees a big part of the holiday season, they’re a big part of New York’s agriculture industry, too.

As a State Senator with five state correctional facilities in my district, and a member of the Senate Standing Committee on Crime Victims, Crime and Correction, I continue to see that dedication and hard work every day from correctional officers throughout New York State. Ensuring that our state correctional facilities employ hardworking correctional officers is critical to public safety, as well as the safety of our prisons. In an effort to achieve both of those goals, I have been proud to sponsor Senate bill S.2959-A, which would help ensure correctional facilities across the state have adequate staffing.

For many New Yorkers agriculture is not just their livelihood, it is a way of life. From food to employment opportunities, because agriculture is our state’s leading industry, every person – one way or another – depends on our farmers and agribusiness owners. While this success is something every New Yorker should be proud of, we cannot take it for granted.

As winter approaches here in Central and Northern New York, many of us are preparing for the drop in temperatures, and an increase in our home heating bills. The cold can take a toll on many of our most vulnerable, including senior citizens and those on low or fixed incomes, who find themselves struggling with the decision of whether to keep the heat on, or have the money to pay for other necessities. For those who find it difficult to manage home heating costs during winter, there is help.

The US military is made up of the bravest, proudest and most selfless people our great nation has to offer. They join the military, and put their lives on the line, in the name of protecting our freedom. Becoming a member of our military not only gives someone a chance to serve our great nation, it also provides a tremendous opportunity to build important life skills that can benefit them long after their service has finished.

Every single day here in New York State, more than 96,000 of our family members, friends and neighbors put their lives on the line when they step up to keep our communities safe as members of volunteer fire departments. Because they sacrifice so much to protect us, we need to show support for their service and find ways that we can keep them safe.

Our military service members make tremendous sacrifices every day of the year protecting our freedoms. Not only are they putting their lives on the line, they have to do it thousands of miles away from family and friends. It is a sacrifice that is always hardest during the holiday season.
Many of our service members, including those serving on Fort Drum, will be spending the holidays on out-of-state installations, overseas or in a military or veterans’ hospital.