Senator Lea Webb Joins X101 to Discuss Veterans Resource Fair

Jack Eves: X 1 0 1. Always classic Jack here in the studio. And joining me on the phone today is New York State Senator for the 52nd District, Lea Webb. Senator Webb, thank you so much for joining us today.

Senator Lea Webb: Thank you so much, Jack, for allowing me to spend some time with you this morning.

Jack Eves: It’s always great speaking with you.

And you know, we’re already going into the month of November. It’s hard to believe. It’s starting this weekend and you know, with November coming, everyone’s thinking, you know, Thanksgiving, the countdown has begun, I guess, for the holidays. And you’ll also be holding your Thanksgiving student showcase again, is that right?

Senator Lea Webb: Yes, I, I am very excited. You know, I. As a member of our higher education committee in the Senate. Mm-hmm. But also just as someone who definitely appreciates and understands how important, you know, our schools are and all the things that they do for our students and their families. And with the holidays coming around, this is a time of year where, you know, in our communities, across the board, [00:01:00] we lift up what we are thankful for.

Right. And so since I’ve been in the Senate, this program, the Thanksgiving Day. Celebration program where we are looking to hear from students, what are they thankful for this year. And it’s designed to help, our students to, express themselves creatively, but also to, raise our collective awareness about how important community is and how integral it is that we support each other.

So, I, with this program, I invite students to submit essays, artwork, poetry that reflects on the themes of gratitude.

Jack Eves: Yes.

Senator Lea Webb: And, and Thanksgiving. And so for all the students who participate, they’ll receive a certificate of recognition, signed by me on behalf of the New York State Senate to honor them for their efforts and their contributions.

And the, the thing I like [00:02:00] about this program is that, it’s for everyone. So for. If you’re a student that’s in kindergarten or if you’re a senior in high school. Right, right. Everyone can, participate

Jack Eves: and, and it’s gonna be such a great way for, as you said earlier, is creativity and, you know, it’s, it’s open for students.

It doesn’t matter what grade or how old they are, you know, to express themselves and really show what they’re thankful for too. ’cause that’s such an important part, especially this time of year to do that. And, it’s a great and also convenient way too, to sign up. For, they can do it through your website.

That’s correct.

Senator Lea Webb: Yes, they can. For any students that are interested, you can sign up, through my, my website. For any submissions, they just have to be like either in a JPEG or picture format. Okay. Or A PDF, so that way we’re able to, fully see them. Perfect. Yes. But again, it’s you. Those things can be uploaded Right.

Through my, my website. So very, excited for that. And again, it’s just, it’s a great way to not only reflect on what you’re [00:03:00] thankful for, but also to help us to think even more intentionally around how do we really create a more welcoming and inclusive community for, for everyone.

Jack Eves: That’s amazing to see.

And you know, obviously entries have to be submitted by the 21st, and I’m sure every year you’ve done this, you see such creativity in a variety of things with. Either those essays, poetry, or artwork too, right?

Senator Lea Webb: Yes, yes. I, I am very proud to say we have some incredibly talented, creative, students in Senate District 52, and I look forward to the submissions that will be coming in, this year.

Jack Eves: And, you know, in November, that’s not the only thing too you’ll be doing. You’ll also be holding your third annual veterans resource fair. You’ll be doing it at three locations in the 52nd District, one in Broome County, Tompkins County, and obviously Cortland County. The one in Corland County will be taking place at the Home American Legion on Thursday, November 13th, right?

Senator Lea Webb: Yes. From five to [00:04:00] seven o’clock. This event is free, open to, the community, and it’s bringing together a very, impressive array of services and resources to support, one of our. Treasure jewels. And that is our veterans Yes. And their families. And so some of the things that community members, will get to experience, we’re going to have some food courtesy of Cortland, PUDs.

Ooh, love that place. They’re generously, donating, some great pizza, for the event. Also, we’re adding some new things to the, resource fair this year. Okay. So we’re gonna be providing some, free haircuts, courtesy of Dapper Rascal in Cortland. That’s great to here. They’re, they’re gonna be onsite doing free haircuts to, veterans.

We also knew this year, I know transportation, continues to be a challenge, especially when you talk about access and [00:05:00] mm-hmm. In the budget. This year I was really happy that I was able to, along with assembly member Ellis, support, the transition with Centro and expanding some, transportation supports.

And so at the resource fair, centro will be there and, and that stands for the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority. They’re gonna be providing free bus passes to veterans.

Jack Eves: Oh, that’s amazing to see and hear.

Senator Lea Webb: We got some more new things too. We also, if you have, if you love, dogs, we also are gonna be partnering with Paws of Central New York because they will be there with therapy dogs also.

One of our great state agencies, the comptroller’s office, they’re gonna be on site helping people to find any funding, that they have unclaimed funds that they’ll be able to claim. But also, we’re gonna have. The Guthrie Clinic there providing, blood pressure checks. And then also we’re [00:06:00] doing, Narcan training, which is gonna be offered by the Southern Tier AIDS program.

So this is just a few of the, activities and opportunities that’s gonna be happening at the Courtland, county Resource Veterans Resource Fair.

Jack Eves: That’s amazing to hear, you know. A lot of new things. As you said, it’s, it’s pretty much a one stop shop, and again, that’s gonna be on Thursday the 13th from five to seven o’clock at the Homer American Legion.

It’s so great to see all, all these organizations too come together, you know, to help out their veterans who are critical for this ’cause, you know?

Senator Lea Webb: Yeah. They, they provide such incredible service. To our communities all the time, whether it’s the service they provide, or have provided with respect to our military, but they also are a number of folks who are volunteering them and their families.

And so it’s so important that’s right, that as a community we support our veterans and, their families. [00:07:00] It’s, it’s the right thing to do. So I’m, I’m very happy to continue, this tradition with my office of hosting, our annual, veterans Resource Affair. It’s, it’s growing each year, which I’m.

Pleasantly, most certainly, app, appreciative of mm-hmm. And also pleasantly surprised by the number of organizations and folks that are coming to it. I, I just, I know that the need is there and so I’m so glad that we are, partnering with so many organizations, and businesses to help support our veterans and their families.

Jack Eves: It, it, it’s great to see. Senator Webb, thank you so much for taking time outta your day for this. Again, the Thanksgiving Day student showcase is going on now, and that’s for students in grades K through 12 where they can be creative by showing what they’re thankful for this year, all that information and the link of where they can get,

submit that to, we’ll be on our website, wx hc.com, as well as the upcoming [00:08:00] Veterans Resource Fair. The one in Cortland County is gonna be held at the Homer American Legion Post 4 65. That’s on South Main Street in the Village Homer, and that will be from five to seven o’clock. Senator Webb, thank you so much for joining us today.

Senator Lea Webb: My pleasure. Thank you so much for having me, and I look forward to continuing to support all of our great community members in in the district.

Jack Eves: Awesome. For X 1 0 1, I’m Jack Eaves.