Regional News Briefs: October 25, 2024

Community Foundation Observes Estate Planning Week

JOHNSON CITY—The Community Foundation for South Central New York announced that it will observe National Estate Planning Awareness Week, which runs from Monday through Sunday, October 21-27. An estimated 56 percent of Americans do not have an estate plan in place, making it a critically overlooked aspect of financial wellness. Much hardship, financial or otherwise, can be diminished by advanced planning. Estate planning involves the growth, conservation and transfer through an individual’s lifetime and after their death. The Community Foundation offers assistance to people who wish to make charitable bequests and ensure that the donors’ wishes are honored. To begin a discussion, contact a trusted financial advisor or Community Foundation Executive Director Tina Barber at (607) 772-6773 or donorswhocare.org.

Rural Health Initiative To Begin

GOWANDA—The New York State Association for Rural Health will partner with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ new national “Risk Less, Do More” campaign to raise awareness of the latest flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines. They will provide important information on these common, deceptively dangerous respiratory viruses and the latest counter-measures to New Yorkers, especially those at increased risk. During a six-month period last winter, these three diseases caused more than 800,000 hospitalizations across the country. Without immunization, risks are higher, especially for older adults, long-term care home residents, pregnant people, people in rural areas, and some racial and ethnic groups including Black and Hispanic Americans. Visit RiskLessDoMore.hhs.gov or nysarh.org for more information.