Assemblywoman Jenne: Senate vote will help big banks, hurt North Country consumers

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne says a bill passed by the U.S. Senate this week that rolls back a rule that would have protected consumers from big banks and credit card companies is bad news for the North Country.

"The resolution that passed the U.S. Senate smells rotten. This is a big win for Wall Street at the expense of residents on Main Streets in communities all over the North Country, state and nation," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

"A huge blow was dealt to consumers by government officials looking out for the best interest of large banks and credit card companies - who flood politician's campaigns with large donations - instead of hard-working men and women. These companies will be free to take advantage of consumers and prevent class-action lawsuits even after the incidents at Wells Fargo and the data breach at Equifax," she charged.

"With the House voting this past July and now the Senate approving the repeal of this rule, it opens the door to allow these institutions to continue the ways that almost destroyed our economy and put consumers at a huge disadvantage," she added.

"Many North Country residents are struggling, living paycheck to paycheck, and they don't need to be taken advantage of by the big banks and credit card companies by language hidden in the fine print," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

The resolution passed by the House and Senate blocks rules issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that allowed consumers to sue banks when they were taken advantage of by improper actions of banks and credit card companies.

The rule was aimed at blocking mandatory arbitration clauses that have been included in documents many consumers sign when they apply for credit cards or set up new bank accounts.

Those agreements generally require consumers to settle any disputes they have with their credit card companies or banks through arbitration rather than taking the companies to court or joining class action lawsuits. Experts say that system leaves consumers at a large disadvantage, Assemblywoman Jenne said.

Assemblywoman Jenne honored with award for dedication to fort project in Ogdensburg

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne was recognized for her dedication and assistance to the Fort de la Presentation Association and its mission to raise awareness of the history of the area during an event Saturday night in Ogdensburg.

The Fort de la Presentation Association presented the Persis Yates Boyesen Award to Assemblywoman Jenne. The award is given to individuals or organizations who have made outstanding contributions to the association's endeavors to reconstruct Fort de la Presentation.

"While you are sitting on one of the benches at the Abbe Picquet
Monument, enjoying the War of 1812 Peace Garden and learning about the history of Van Rensselaer Point, think of New York State Assemblywoman Addie Jenne," Barbara O'Keefe, president of the association's Board of Directors said.

"Assemblywoman Jenne was able to secure state funds necessary for the construction of the Abbe Picquet Plaza. I also can’t think of a Fort Association event that Addie or a representative of her office has not attended. What is most valuable to me and the association is that Addie is just a phone call away, whether we need advice or have a concern," she added.

The award was presented to the assemblywoman at the Fort de la Presentation Association's annual fall social and fundraiser at the Sherman Inn Bed and Breakfast.

The assemblywoman said she was honored to be recognized by the association, but she noted it is was easy to assist a group working to grow the region's economy by marrying our past to the future.

"The fort is a jewel that we are polishing, and we will all keep polishing until it is brought to its fullest beauty. As the fort comes back to life, so does Ogdensburg. I believe it is one of the keys to the city's future," Assemblywoman Jenne noted.

"It is easy to assist such a dedicated group of volunteers –- association board members, volunteers and re-enactors –- who have dedicated so much of their time, energy and money to give new life to the region's rich history, preserving the role Ogdensburg played in battles between French and British troops," she said.

"It's a story that can bring people here so we can share our story with them. I have been impressed with the work the volunteers have already done on the site, and I am excited about their plans for the future," Assemblywoman Jenne added.

She said it has been impressive to watch the dedication of the people that have been working for years to move the fort project forward.

"I am fully aware the real credit for this effort lies with the volunteers, but I am pleased to have been able to play a small role helping move this project forward," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

Assemblywoman Jenne also praised the honorees of two other awards handed out Saturday evening.

Dallas Robinson, Norfolk, was named the recipient of the David L. Dickinson Award, an honor given to individuals or organizations as special recognition for generous commitment of self and resources to the Fort de la Presentation project.

"Dave Dickinson was truly dedicated to seeing this fort built. This enthusiasm is shared by Dallas, who has shown his devotion to this project by stepping forward to support our yearly Living History Day, the Winter Biathlon, our Founder’s Weekend, Battle of Ogdensburg and to whatever he is called upon to volunteer his time for," Ms. O'Keefe said

Tim McCabe and Deb Jansen, owners of The Freight House Restaurant, were the recipients of The Joseph Cosentino Award.

This award is given to individuals or organizations to recognize their generous commitment of self and resources to the Fort de la Presentation effort.

The restaurant is located directly across the road from the fort grounds.

"The people being bestowed this award, in honor of our beloved Joe, emulate his work ethic, commitment and passion for furthering the goal of reconstructing Fort de la Presentation," according to Ms. O'Keefe.

"They have supported this project for over 15 years. They have helped us plan seminars, parties, meals, catered activities at the fort site and even hosted Country Dancing for Founder’s Weekend," Ms. O'Keefe noted.

"They have generously allowed us to carry out many working luncheons and dinners and to conduct meetings when we had no place else to go," she added.

"The Freight House has offered a haven for us as we have traveled this long road. Deb and Tim have always greeted members of our group with a warm welcome and smile when we have had a particularly frustrating meeting or a setback and need to unwind," Ms. O'Keefe said.

Assemblywoman Jenne said the work of volunteers like Mr. Robinson and businesses like The Freight House are helping bring history back to life in Ogdensburg.

"We know the fort project has already generated a renewed interest in our region's history, and we have seen the economic impact that events sponsored by the Fort de la Presentation Committee are already having on the city. I can't wait to see what the future will bring," she said.

The weekend event also included an update on the progress of the interpretive trail at the VanRenesslaer Point and an address by Dr. Melissa Schrems about the significance of the fort site and Ogdensburg's early history. The evening also included silent and live auctions.

"It was a great night with a lot of laughs. It also demonstrated the support that has allowed the fort project to continue to move forward. The trivia contest was spirited, and the auction was filled with laughs and good cheer. The Sherman Inn offers the perfect venue for this event," Assemblywoman Jenne noted.

Abbé François Picquet built a mission fort called Fort de la Présentation in 1749 on the banks of the Oswegatchie River and the St. Lawrence River in an effort to convert the Iroquois Confederacy to Catholicism and to bring them to the side of France as his nation prepared for war with the British, according to history of the site on the association's web page.

The French begin evacuating Fort de la Présentation in 1759 and constructed Fort Lévis on Chimney Island to prevent a British attack down the St. Lawrence River on Montreal and Quebec.

The British occupied the fort beginning in 1760 and renamed it Fort Oswegatchie. The British used Oswegatchie during the Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1783.

The British refused to give up Fort Oswegatchie to the victorious Americans after the Revolutionary War. It is one of the five forts along the frontier they retained. Jay’s Treaty signed Nov. 19, 1794, contained the provision that the British evacuate the frontier posts by June 1, 1796.

The first settlers under the American flag, according to the association's web site, arrived on Aug. 11, 1796. They were led by Nathan Ford, a land agent for the proprietor, Samuel Ogden.

Fort de la Présentation was abandoned in 1813. The wood, metal and stone were used to build Ogdensburg.

The association's goal is to reconstruct the original fort on the shores of the St. Lawrence and Oswegatchie rivers.

IN THE PHOTOS:

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Barbara O'Keefe, president of the Fort de la Presentation Association Board of Directors, presents Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne with the Persis Yates Boyesen Award.

BOTTOM PHOTOS:

The Fort de la Presentation Association handed out three awards at its annual fall social and fundraiser Saturday night at the Sherman Inn Bed and Breakfast. Pictured are (l-r): Tim Cryderman, vice president, association Board of Directors; Barbara O'Keefe, president, association Board of Directors; Marsha Hough, chairman of the association's social; Deb Jansen, The Freight House, Joe Cosentino Award; Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne, Persis Yates Boyesen Award; and Dallas Robinson, David L. Dickinson Award.

Barbara O'Keefe (r), president of the Fort de la Presentation Association Board of Directors, reviews a design for the pathway to the trail system at the fort site with Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne.

Assemblywoman Jenne: Cooperative Extension, dairy program show importance of reaching out to youth

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne says the benefit of attending events like the annual meeting of Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County and the American Dairy Association Association and Dairy Council, Inc., can never be understated.

"The conversations I have at these events help me as I'm working on policy issues in Albany. There is no better way to gain a better understanding of the issues facing our agriculture industry than talking to our farmers and growers and sharing a meal with them," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

"It seems like every time I attend the Cooperative Extension annual dinner in St. Lawrence County I learn something about a different sector in the ag industry. The conversation during our meal this year was about goats," she noted.

Assemblywoman Jenne said she has been impressed by the steps Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County has taken in recent years to better meet the needs of the region.

"The ag community in St. Lawrence County remains robust even in the face of the current challenges facing the industry. There are some amazing programs underway in the county, and everyone has the same goal - improving the business climate and strengthening the ag industry," she noted.

"This county gets it. We have big industrial dairy here, but there is such diversity in the ag sector in St. Lawrence County. You really help me as I look at ag policy issues, letting me know how it should and shouldn't be done at the state level," Assemblywoman Jenne told attendees at the annual dinner.

She noted the farm to school pilot program she has championed in the North Country has benefitted from the work of Cooperative Extension's commercial kitchen.

"We are seeing a remarkable acceptance of local foods in our school cafeterias. School staff are very excited about bringing local products into their cafeterias, we are getting fresh, healthy local foods in front of our students and we are creating stable institutional markets for our farmers," according to Assemblywoman Jenne.

"Without the work Extension has been doing with the commercial kitchen and the support of our local agriculture community, this wouldn't be possible," she added.

Patrick Ames, executive director of CCE of St. Lawrence County, provided an overview of some of the year's highlights for the agency.

"It was an unusual year. After five years of significant change and growth, I felt there was a potential to get over our skis. I felt it was important to focus on the programs we have started," he said.

He noted those initiatives include the summer camp and after school programs, the commercial kitchen and master food preserver program, 4-H programs that reached 6,470 participants, a wilderness education class based at Camp Overlook and a revised Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program that saw new partnerships formed with agencies ranging from local food pantries to libraries and health care providers.

He pointed out Cooperative Extension continues to see dramatic growth in its North Wind Afterschool and Farm Day Camp.

The Farm Day Camp expanded its length of operation and weekly camper capacity. The program enrolled 240 campers - an increase of 57 campers from 2016 after seeing 46 more campers in 2016 than in 2015. The farm-based after school program has reached its permitted capacity of 25 students.

Assemblywoman Jenne said the numbers tell the story of Cooperative Extension's good work in the region.

"Cooperative Extension's focus on youth in St. Lawrence County is truly admirable. Cooperative Extension has expanded its programs in recent years to better meet the needs of community and has primed the agency for success for many years," she said.

Mr. Ames and his staff also handed out their annual awards to staff members and volunteers responsible for the program's success.

This year's honorees included:

• Program Vision Award:
Justin Hicks, director, North Wind Afterschool and Farm Day Camp

• Director's Award:
Dr. Kitty O'Neil, Regional Crop and Soil Specialist

• Extension Service Awards:
Luke Putney and Arthur Hurlbut, outgoing board members who served two full terms.

• Friends of Extension Award:
Dr. Caroline Pierce of Ranch Veterinarians

• Friends of Extension Award:
4-H Horse Program Advisory Committee, accepted by Mary Beth Green, Judy Boyer and Maureen Benedict

4-H Awards:

• 4-H Volunteer Service Award:
Melanie Locy, for support of Fishing Camp

• 4H Volunteer Spirit Award:
Larry and Diane Dowe, for support of the 4-H Goat Program

"These staff members and volunteers are doing great work, and the impact of their work will be seen for years," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

"They are providing our young people with unique opportunities that are likely to benefit future generations of farmers and growers in the North Country. It was impressive to hear about the work they are doing and the results they are seeing," she added.

Other speakers at the event included Sanford Stauffer, regional director of the American Dairy Association, and St. Lawrence County Dairy Princess Camryn Chester.

"Farmers are under stress. There are big farms, but there are still a lot of family farms in the county. Don't discount the small farms," he said.

American Dairy Association North East is responsible for promoting dairy and its nutritional benefits to 50-million consumers within a six-state region including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia and four counties in northern Virginia.

Mr. Stauffer introduced an American Dairy Association staffer, who screened a video focusing on the group's dairy marketing efforts.

IN THE PHOTOS:

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Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne Visits with St. Lawrence County dairy promoters Myra Bullock, Abby Smith and Kaitlyn Putman at the annual dinner meeting of Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County and the American Dairy Council and the Dairy Council, Inc. St. Lawrence County Dairy Princess Camryn Chester and members of her court are shown in the background working the milk punch and cheese table. Pictured are (l-r) Alternate Dairy Princess Emily teTiele, Ambassador and Dairy "Dude" Josh Godbout and Alternate Dairy Princess Maureen Pierce.

BOTTOM PHOTOS:

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne talks to Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County Executive Director Patrick Ames at the agency's annual dinner meeting in Canton. Assemblywoman Jenne praised Mr. Ames and his staff, board and volunteers for the work they are doing to meet the needs of the agriculture industry in the region.

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne poses for a photograph with St. Lawrence County Dairy Princess Camryn Chester and members of her court at the annual dinner meeting of the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, Inc. Pictured are, front row: dairy promoters Abby Smith, Myrah Bullock and Kaitlyn Putman. Back row: Dairy Princess Chester, Assemblywoman Jenne, Dairy Ambassador Josh Godbout and Alternate Dairy Princess Maureen Pierce.

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne learns about the connections St. Lawrence County dairy promoters Myra Bullock, Abby Smith and Kaitlyn Putman have with the industry.

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne chats with Kaitlyn Putman about the steps that led her to become a dairy promoter. St. Lawrence County Dairy Princess Camryn Chester works the milk punch bowl in the background.

Assemblywoman Jenne visits with SUNY Potsdam students

I always enjoy the opportunity to interact with college students when I visit campuses around the North Country. I stopped to visit with SUNY Potsdam students Ruby Cortez, Greisy Cayetana and Snit Bayne, members of the PACES catering student staff, after they had worked a recent event at Knowles Hall. I learned a bit about their backgrounds and the classes they are taking at SUNY Potsdam. Ruby shared some information about volunteer work one of her classes is doing to assist hurricane victims in Puerto Rico.

IN THE PHOTOS:

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SUNY Potsdam students Greisy Cayetana and Snit Bayne (l-r) talk to Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne about the classes they are taking at SUNY Potsdam. Greisy and Snit are residents of New York City and juniors at SUNY Potsdam.

BOTTOM PHOTO:

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne poses for a photograph with three members of the PACES catering student staff following an event Friday night at the Knowles Conference Center at SUNY Potsdam. Pictured are, front row (l-r): SUNY Potsdam students Ruby Cortez, Greisy Cayetana and Snit Bayne. Back row: Assemblywoman Jenne.

Assemblywoman Jenne: Work continues to meet mental health needs of North Country children, youth

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne, D-Theresa, says a recent survey that found funding and improving mental health services tops the list of priorities for school superintendents around the state fits a narrative that is all too common in the North Country.

Assemblywoman Jenne took part in a roundtable discussion earlier this month in Watertown with New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan; several Office of Mental Health staff team members; representatives from Claxton-Hepburn Hospital, Samaritan Hospital and the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center; and officials from a host of agencies providing mental health services in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties.

"The meeting was called to look at steps that could be taken to address the mental health treatment needs of children and youth in the North Country," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

"The Office of Mental Health was struggling with data that showed high utilization rates of mental health services for children and youth that are out of whack with utilization rates in other areas of the state," she added.

The assemblywoman said local providers and officials presented a rationale for the high utilization rates to the commissioner and state OMH staff.

"We also presented solutions that seem to be working in the region. It would be helpful for the state to offer greater flexibility to providers as they work to address the needs of patients and their families. We need to have a funding system so we are providing our younger patients with programs that offer far more services than just an appointment with a counselor," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

She noted access is an issue for youth and children in need of mental health care in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties.

"We have a lack of providers, and the providers we do have carry high caseloads. We don't have enough beds in the region for treatment or for respite care, which could help take pressure off hospital stays," according to Assemblywoman Jenne.

She said she shared the consensus of many providers at the roundtable that the high utilization rates for mental health services in the North Country is directly tied to the region's struggling economy.

"There was sort of an agreement that trauma, primarily linked to poverty, is driving our high mental health utilization rates. I think there was some consensus that we need to approach treatment from this angle," the assemblywoman noted.

Assemblywoman Jenne noted she has been working for the past few years with educators focused on that issue.

The Student Poverty/Trauma Initiative is a collaborative process designed by the Institute for Learning Centered Education and co-sponsored by the three BOCES districts that include Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Franklin counties. Assemblywoman Jenne secured $20,000 in state funding to move the program forward.

The initiative was piloted in the Copenhagen, Colton-Pierrepont and Tupper Lake school districts last year and has now expanded to include the Ogdensburg, Massena, Norwood-Norfolk and Gouverneur school districts. Three more North Country schools are scheduled to join the initiative during the current school year.

Donald Mesibov, founder and director of the Institute for Learning Centered Education, said the school districts are designing plans to engage and motivate students to learn despite the hardships of poverty and trauma.

The program is designed to provide best methods teaching practices to help educators reach students living in poverty as well as assist children and youth with adverse childhood experiences.

"I am convinced there is a need for all that interact with kids to be aware of these challenges. The Institute for Learning Centered Education's program is a way to spot and address needs early on," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

She pointed out there is also a need to increase the availability of respite beds for children and youth with mental health issues in the North Country, particularly in St. Lawrence County.

"We know that treating kids and then sending them back to the same environment contributes to readmissions. I'm convinced additional investments in respite programs would allow kids and their families the time they need so treatment can be successful in the long term," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

She said participants at the meeting with Office of Mental Health staff underscored the need to keep services in the North Country and to increase services in St. Lawrence County in a structured way to make a serious impact on reducing the current high utilization rates in the region.

"There are no simple or inexpensive solutions to addressing the needs of our kids with mental health treatment needs. But we know the costs will be far higher - both fiscally and on our society - if we don't address those needs now," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

IN THE PHOTOS:

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Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne (r) and State Senator Patty Ritchie (l) listen as New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan discusses the challenges of providing mental health services to children and youth in the North Country.

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Mental health professionals from around Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties met this week in Watertown with New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Ann Sullivan and several members of her team to discuss the high need for mental health services for children and youth in the region. State officials said utilization rates for services are much higher in the North Country than in other areas of the state.

Assemblywoman Jenne praises Massena volunteers for turning dream into reality

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne said it was a powerful moment this week when she got her first glimpse of youngsters enjoying activities at the Boys and Girls Club of Massena.

She checked in on a group of some of the youngest students playing together on a rug, shot hoops with a young boy, checked out older students playing computer games in the technology room and even enjoyed a slice of pizza prepared by club members.

Assemblywoman Jenne was thrilled to see the vision laid out by community leaders over three years ago turn into a space that can serve the youth in a community that has struggled with economic and social ills in recent years.

She was able to secure $250,000 in grant funding from the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York through the community Capital Assistance Program for the project.

"It has been an absolute joy working with the community that has come together to create this wonderful program and new facility to serve our children. It became clear to me very early in the planning process that the level of commitment and competence involved in this effort would ensure its complete success," she said.

She said she is well aware of the challenges the community has faced over the past decade.

"Within my first month in office in the New York State Assembly, I got the call that GM was closing its Massena plant," she said, noting those job losses have been exacerbated by the closing of the Alcoa Massena East plant and job reductions at the Massena West plant in recent years.

She praised community members for continuing to fight for Massena as they rode the roller coaster ride that is the fate of so many manufacturing communities in the country.

The Massena community responded with the competitive spirit it is known for around the region, according to the assemblywoman.

"You said, 'We might be down, but don't count us out. We were reeling here but you did figure out how to mobilize and move forward. This is proof of that," she noted during the Wednesday evening ceremony marking the grand opening of the Boys and Girls Club of Massena.

"It was great to partner with everybody in this room so this could happen. It really is a triumph of this community. This can help turn the tide in Massena. You have shown again with this project you are resilient, tough skinned and everybody is going to pitch in when times are tough," Assemblywoman Jenne added.

"You know we can only change things by putting in one piece of tile at a time but before long you have a beautiful project. We have come a long ways with this project because of everybody in this room. You are a shining example for the rest of us in the North Country," she said.

Assemblywoman Jenne said the Boys and Girls Club is another example of the role the state can play to assist community leaders with projects that have the ability to literally change lives.

Massena Mayor Timmy J. Currier, president of the Boys and Girls Club of Massena's Board of Directors, said he still remembers the kitchen table meeting he had with Assemblywoman Jenne and Ken MacDonnell when she pledged to work to secure funding for the effort.

"She came to us back in 2014 and said, 'I want to help.' And then she pledged to work on a grant for $250,000. I like to say a quarter of a million dollars. She is a great friend and supporter of the Boys and Girls Club of Massena," Mr. Currier said.

Assemblywoman Jenne, speaking after the meeting, said said she still recalls sitting at Mr. MacDonnell's kitchen table with MayorCurrier discussing the impact a Boys and Girls Club could have on the future of Massena.

"Ken had toiled for weeks, probably months, on a 'just the basics' renovation plan. And while I felt bad when I told him that I’d rather not fund that plan, I knew he would be up to the challenge of designing a larger-scale project so the club could make as dramatic an impact as possible. They certainly met that challenge. Ken figured out how to leverage every single penny I got the club," Assemblywoman Jenne said.

The concept of a Boys and Girls Club in Massena originated from the community's Neighborhood Watch program and dates back to 2012.

The Boys and Girls Club of Massena board closed on the purchase on Bayley Road property in January 2017.

Construction and renovation work, including a full asbestos abatement, was completed this spring, and volunteers from a number of clubs, organizations and local businesses donated time to do the final prep work, including lots of painting, necessary before the Boys and Girls Club could open its doors.

Mayor Currier said community members, organizations and businesses had also supported a capital campaign necessary to get the clubhouse doors open. "The names of 400 individuals, groups and communities that helped in that effort are posted in this building," he noted.

He also signaled out Mr. MacDonnell for his leadership role in the effort since day one. He said that effort has only intensified in recent months with the work at the club's home on Bayley Road.

"Ken and Darlene (MacDonnell) have put their personal lives on hold. For most of this year, he has been in this building. We think he has a cot hidden in here. Darlene has been here with him for much of that time. They really put their lives on hold so things here were done on time and done right," Mayor Currier said.

Assemblywoman Jenne said the smiles on the faces and the shrieks of joy she had seen and heard inside the clubhouse late Wednesday afternoon demonstrated the goals she had heard discussed around that kitchen table three years ago had been met.

"We know Massena has its challenges right now, and it is important to have a space in the community where all children can go and just enjoy being kids - a space where all kids have access to technology, enrichment opportunities and positive role models. Young lives are going to be impacted due to the hard work of the volunteers and professionals who have teamed up to turn this dream into a reality," she stressed.

IN THE PHOTOS:

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Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne praises the work of volunteers and supporters with turning a dream into a reality at a ceremony officially marking the grand opening of the Boys and Girls Club of Massena. She is flanked (l-r) by Boys and Girls Club of Massena Board of Directors members Charles Sears and Tom Saxby.

BOTTOM PHOTOS:

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne praises the work of volunteers and supporters with turning a dream into a reality at a ceremony officially marking the grand opening of the Boys and Girls Club of Massena. She is flanked (l-r) by Boys and Girls Club of Massena Board of Directors members Nicole Terminelli, Charles Sears and Tom Saxby.

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne visits with Massena Mayor Timmy J. Currier, president of the Boys and Girls Club of Massena, after taking some time checking out students involved in the club's after school program.

Debra Donatto (r), chief professional officer and program manager at the Boys and Girls Club of Massena, tells Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne she has seen membership numbers skyrocket since the clubhouse opened last month.

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne and Massena Town Councilman Steve O'Shaughnessy chat with others prior to the grand opening ceremony at the Boys and Girls Club of Massena.

Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne and Massena businessman Mike Kassian were on hand to get a first-hand look Wednesday of youngsters enjoying activities ranging from shooting pool to playing computer games at the Boys and Girls Club of Massena.

Massena Mayor Timmy J. Currier, flanked by members of the Boys and Girls Club of Massena, recalled the moment a few years ago when Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne said she would work to secure $250,000 in state funding to assist in bringing a Boys and Girls Club to the community. He is flanked (l-r) by Boys and Girls Club of Massena Board of Directors members Nicole Terminelli, Charles Sears, Tom Saxby, Chief Professional Officer Debra Donatto, Dale Kramer, Ken MacDonnell, Sherry Thompson, Tim Lashomb and Tricia Wilson. Mr. MacDonnell, Mr. MacDonnell, Mr. Kramer, Mr. Lashomb, Anne Marie Lucid, Mr. Sears and Ms. Wilson have served on the board since the club was founded in 2013.