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Apr 03
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Sylvan Lake plumbers ask for social distancing while working in homes
Fonda’s Plumbing and Heating says they went out to six service calls in one day during the outbreak
Megan Roth Apr. 2, 2020 12:30 p.m. Local News
Social distancing is an issue in places you might not expect.
Though the calendar says it is spring, one look out the window shows it is still very much winter. When it is cold and snowy outside things like running water and heating are extremely important. During an epidemic like the current COVID-19 outbreak, makes plumbing services an essential service for all Albertans. This means that trained men and women will have to come into your home during an epidemic to assess an emergency situation and fix whatever problem may have arisen.
Kelly Fonda, owner of Fonda’s Plumbing and Heating, says in a single day he has received six service calls for homes without heat. “That is six homes we had to go into and assess the situation to keep families warm and comfortable,” Fonda said. Plumbers and other tradesmen who are still on the clock to keep Albertans comfortable in their own homes, are given as much protection against the coronavirus as possible while working.
Sylvan Lake, Alberta
In the case of employees at Fonda’s Plumbing and Heating, precautions are taken right from the beginning of each morning. Each employee has their temperature taken and asked if they have any symptoms or come into contact with anyone who has symptoms. “We have been lucky so far, none of my guys have shown any symptoms. If they did they would be sent home to self-isolate,” Fonda says. Along with a morning procedure, every employee has an arsenal of cleaning supplies, gloves and some masks to ensure their safety, and the homeowner’s, while working.
Fonda says his employees are told to keep their distance from homeowners as much a possible, to keep the prescribed two metre buffer between them. During this time Fonda says it is also important for homeowners to keep their distance from those coming in to work on their home. “I know it is tough, you have a stranger coming into your home and you want to watch and be nearby as they work, but right now if it important to keep that buffer,” Fonda said. “You need to trust the tradespeople who are coming into your home.”
Most of those working in trades, such as plumbing, are only taking on emergency work during the epidemic.
According to Fonda, all construction work scheduled has been put on the back burner for the time being. Instead he and his team are focusing on emergencies such as leak, no heat calls or frozen pipes. “People need to think about what they are calling us for. Sure now may seem like a good time to redo that basement bathroom, but it isn’t,” said Fonda.
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Aug 17
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Close to home: Utah crash spurs NH domestic violence survivor to share story
Jo Fonda’s estranged husband crashed plane into Amherst home in 2001
WMUR-TV – Amy Coveno – News Anchor/Reporter – Updated: 12:56 PM EDT Aug 14, 2018
MANCHESTER, N.H. — A Utah man crashed a plane into his own house this week, hours after he allegedly assaulted his wife, bringing back difficult memories for an Amherst woman of a similar tragedy nearly 17 years ago. The pilot, Duane Youd, died in the crash on Monday. His wife and child, who were in the home, survived, despite part of the home becoming engulfed in flames.
On Aug. 25, 2001, Jo Fonda‘s estranged husband flew their private plane into their Amherst home after Fonda filed for a restraining order against him. Fonda’s husband of 20 years died in the crash and destroyed nearly everything they owned, except for a single piece of pottery. “Similar situation where there was a restraining order that was served on my husband and within 12 hours, he had crashed our airplane into our home and burned it to the ground,” Fonda said.
Fonda said she was never physically abused, but her husband was a violent, controlling man. “The banging of a table, you know, the punching of a wall, the ripping off a phone off a wall,” Fonda said.
Fonda feels responsible, she said, to share her story of the warning signs and her strategy with other women who right now are afraid of their partners. She said it starts by getting out of the house. “That is the most dangerous time, right after someone is served a restraining order,” Fonda said.
Jo Fonda shared her story with WMUR.
Fonda said a phone call to a hotline saved her life. She had scrawled the number on a piece of scrap paper that she still has. “It said, ‘pathetic hotline.’ That’s how I felt about the need to reach out for help,” Fonda said.
Fonda’s message to the survivors in Utah is one of love and a shared sisterhood. “She should have never stayed in that house thinking that she was safe,” Fonda said. “My heart goes out to you and I’m so grateful that they did manage to stay safe. It’s a miracle in my mind.”
The memories are difficult to handle, but Fonda said she wants other victims of domestic violence to know that asking for help is what saved her life.
Anyone who is the victim of domestic violence is urged to call New Hampshire’s 24-hour hotline at 1-866-644-3574.
Other links: Glamour.com; The Telegraph
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Jan 22
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Southern Indiana 5th grader reunites with first responders who helped save her life during basketball game
Jan 19, 2018 by Jessica Bard
Southern Indiana 5th grader reunites with first responders who helped save her life during basketball game.
Carly Fonda was playing in a Saturday basketball tournament just two weeks ago at Floyd Central High School when everything went wrong. The fifth grader had the game of her career, and her team was soon scheduled to be back out on the court for another one. “I felt pretty good through the first half,” she said. “And then, it was the third quarter, and I was not feeling very well.”
Carly asked her coach to come off the court. She couldn’t breathe. “He thought I was just messing around, and I fell out of my chair,” she said. Her heart suddenly stopped beating. “They were just like ‘She’s having a seizure,’” Carly remembers. “And then they checked my pulse, and I did not have one.”
A group of strangers in the crowd jumped into action. A nurse and a firefighter were among them, and they called for an AED shock to revive her. “I can’t thank them enough,” Carly said. “I don’t know what to do. We can’t find them, but I really just want to say thank you.”
Floyd Central High School is a public high school in the New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation and is located in Southern Indiana, in Floyds Knobs, an unincorporated area in Floyd County, Indiana.
With mom and dad close by Friday, Carly was reunited with two of her guardian angels. “We always say her angels came out and took care of business,” said Beth Fonda, Carly’s mother. “So thank you all so much.” “You guys did not know me a lot, but you helped save my life,” Carly said to nurse Karrie Gricius and firefighter, James Richey. “I just can’t explain it.”
Carly and her family said they can’t express enough gratitude for everyone who helped save her life, which led to a diagnosis of a rare heart defect then open-heart surgery. It’s ”extremely [rare] from what I understand,” Gricius said. “It’s less than 10 percent that have this genetic anomaly, and the mortality rate is extremely high as well.”
Fonda is expected to make a full recovery, and eventually get back up to playing the game she loves. “Your incident actually is probably going to end up saving a lot more lives,” Richey told Carly. “There are several organizations that are actually purchasing AED’s that never had them because this was a big eye opener for them.”
Copyright 2018 WDRB Media. All rights reserved.
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Dec 20
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Mountains to Miracles veteran gift drive a success
Posted by Recorder News – Dec 19, 2017 – by Chantelle DeRose, Recorder News Staff
Chantelle DeRose/Recorder staff
Mountains to Miracles Veterans’ Foundation Office Manager Charlene Fonda organizes donated gifts for veterans.
A gift drive for local veterans and their loyal service dogs was held recently through the Mountains to Miracles Veterans Foundation office on West Main Street.
Mountains to Miracles — an organization founded in 2012 by Tribes Hill native Paul DuBois — provides a plethora of services to local veterans including support groups, transportation, personal care items, furniture, food, clothing and referrals for treatment of depression and similar illnesses. DuBois and a group of volunteers eventually formed the Woofs for Warriors Project following the success of Mountains to Miracles. The program matches local veterans suffering with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, traumatic brain injury and military sexual trauma with service dogs. To date, a total of 61 dogs have been placed with veterans in need.
A holiday gift drive, overseen by the Amsterdam Office Manager Charlene Fonda, turned out to be a major success. Donations for the drive were made by the Glen Reformed Church, the Glen-Mohawk VFW Post 942 and the county Christian Women’s Group. Donations from Johnstown, Burtonsville and local farmers were collected for the drive as well. A check in the amount of $1,000 was also presented by representatives from the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers’ Local Union No. 83 in Clifton Park.
Mountains to Miracles Veterans Foundation (MMVF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established to help and serve our veterans in the Northeast who are in need.
According to Fonda, Woofs for Warriors adopts suitable dogs from shelters or rescue groups. The dogs are then trained and the program attempts to help with the cost of veterinary services and dog food. Local veteran Scott Clancy said the program has had a profound impact on his life. Kent, a 6-year-old Boxador, was placed with Clancy on May 18 in 2016. “He knows what he needs to do for me if my PTSD kicks up. Even if he’s laying down, he’ll come and he’ll push me back,” Clancy said. “He keeps track of my blood sugar. He’ll turn the lights on for me when I go home and he’ll search the house to make sure nobody is in there.”
Clancy also said that Kent goes shopping with him and sits behind him to make sure he isn’t startled. Kent also knows how to hand Clancy his medication if he is unable to reach it himself. “It’s amazing what they can teach these dogs,” Fonda said. “The vets would be lost without them.” Clancy said he has seen the program grow since Kent came into his life. “When I got Kent there was only about 20 dogs [with the program]. Since I’ve had Kent over 60 dogs now have been placed,” Clancy said. “They find a good match for the vets. He was probably the sixth or seventh dog. They went around the country looking before they got him in South Carolina.”
Clancy said his life was “a mess” before Kent became his service dog. He described himself and Kent as “the perfect pair.” “Everything about having him is something I didn’t expect. Years ago, I never even would have considered it. He’s actually given me my life back,” Clancy said. “Life right now is actually pretty good. It still has its moments when things get hairy, but I’ve got Kent to help me.”
Fonda said that the not-for-profit organization is in need of donations now that Christmas is quickly approaching. Large scale gift drives, Fonda said, usually deplete much of the organization’s funding. Monetary donations to assist veterans with rent, heating, utilities, food and any other service they need can be made payable to: Mountains to Miracles Veterans’ Foundation. 347 West Main St., Amsterdam, NY 12010. Those wishing to donate can also contact the office by calling 518-842-6683.
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Aug 25
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Big plans in Fonda’s future
The Leader-Herald – August 25, 2017 – Kerry Minor, Reporter, kminor@leaderherald.com
Shown are conceptual plans for the future of Fonda. (The Leader-Herald/Kerry Minor)
Fonda – The village is planning a new comprehensive plan to plot out what the future of the village might look like. During Tuesday’s unveiling for the new Nathan Littauer Primary Care center, village mayor Bill Peeler discussed the plan, and how the new facility fits into it.
Peeler said the comprehensive plan will serve as a map of the wants of the community. He said the goal is to make sure village residents are getting what they want and not just what village officials preserve them as wanting. “We have a lot of ideas, but we want to make sure that is the vision that our people have,” Peeler said.
Peeler said the village has involved both communities and businesses both in and out of the village in the comprehensive plan. He said a draft plan has been created. Peeler said he is asking residents to let village officials know what they want to see and why they have chosen to live here. “This will go out to the public for approval and changes, amendments and the like, because we want to make sure what ever we are shaping is exactly what folks in our community want to have,” Peeler said.
Primary considerations for the plan is infrastructure and its impact on development. “We cannot have facilities like [Nathan Littauer Primary Care] if we cannot provide them proper services,” Peeler said.
Village Mayor Bill Peeler speaks during the event. (The Leader-Herald/Kerry Minor)
Peeler said recreational facilities are also part of it, along with historical preservation. Residential improvements to the older inventory of homes and creating new housing are touched upon in the plan. Economical development, disaster mitigation and fiscal planning are all a part of the plan. Peeler said the village is also looking at shared services, including meeting with the village of Fultonville. “A river does not separate us, it’s just a river. We are Fonda-Fultonville. We will always be Fonda-Fultonville,” Peeler said. “We want to work with our neighboring communities to keep improving not just our community, but their communities as well.”
Peeler said the village will look into creating a zoning plan. He said Fonda is one of only two communities in Montgomery County without zoning. “That is going to be vital to us getting grant funding,” Peeler said. The plans are not just economic however, Peeler said the village is looking to bring entertainment to the village park with a stage for concerts and other events and creating a campground facility.
Peeler said the county’s plan to move out of the Park Street Office Building and DPW facility will help the village with its waterfront vision. Peeler said the Park Street Building could be turned into condominiums and the DPW facility could be turned into an entrance to the campground. “The goal of our efforts is to make our community a place where we can enjoy our rural culture while seizing economic opportunities. A place you would want to come to visit and live,” he said.