November - 2026 Newsletter
Published on November 01, 2026
Download the November issue of our newsletter, The Buzz
A Message from the Office for the Aging Director
Dear Ulster County Older Adults!
It's getting colder and the leaves are falling and late Fall is upon us! Look out for the dreaded Sword! I wanted to take this moment in the month of Thanksgiving to remind everyone how much the County does for its neighbors and citizens. So many helpful departments, people, and outlooks on things, programs and initiatives. As usual, with everything, there is room for improvement.
However, it is easy to work for a place that allows you the creativity to see an issue and act upon it, with the help of your staff. After many years in for-profit worlds, you cannot imagine how refreshing this is. Our staff is, always, willing to help if we can. I hope sometime my pleas for volunteers do not fall on deaf ears. We still seek volunteer drivers and schedulers for our driving program. We have lost some drivers for various reasons, and have not been able to replace them. That leaves many more people without rides for important appointments. Schedulers in the office are needed as well. Just a few hours a week helping our busy coordinator would be a gift to us. Some basic data entry and phone calls to folks looking for rides is really all it is. The gratitude of people finding a ride, as many of us would feel going to important doctor appointments, is also a gift to us here. We know we are doing something crucial for many people.
As many of you know, Gateway is no longer our food vendor, and we had to find someone local to serve at our upcoming Holiday dinners so a new chef will be on board from The Stone Pony Deli and Catering Company. We hope in this season of gratitude you find a way to makes someone's life a little easier. The Kingston SSIP club purchases clothing and necessities for those who are registered in our APS programs each year. All food pantries need donations. Folks need rides, and maybe a friendly call every month. The need seems to grow each year. Let us know how we can help you help someone else.
With gratitude!
Susan Koppenhaver, Director, Ulster County Office for the Aging