Thankful for my heroes

 

On December 2^nd, 1984, officer Ronnie Wrobel of the Niagara Falls Police Department showed incredible bravery and compassion in an incident that took place on 90^th Street in the Falls.

 

A family was forced out of their home following an argument between the father and son. The son barricaded himself in the home, armed himself, and then said he would he would shoot anyone if he had to.

 

Wrobel was first on the scene and walked to the rear door of the home while the despondent male pointed a loaded shotgun at the officer. Wrobel never drew his firearm because he didn’t want to be a threat to the man who had made it quite known he didn’t trust police. Wrobel chose not to escalate the situation because he believed he could calm the man down. And, he didn’t want the gunman’s family to suffer, especially around the holidays, for anything their son did which could have resulted in the injury or death of the son or Wrobel. 

 

Wrobel’s gut instinct was correct, as was his heart.

 

After many tense moments, he calmed the man down and he and another officer were able to disarm him. No one was killed. No one was even hurt.

 

For that, Officer Wrobel received an award for bravery above and beyond the call of duty.  

 

It wasn’t the first time he received that award, either.

 

He got it another time after running deep into a burning building to save a baby from the inferno. Wrobel never recognized that award and hid it because he believed he failed – the infant succumbed to smoke inhalation not long after that daring rescue.

 

Both of those acts showed us who Ronnie Wrobel was.

 

He was a hero.

 

He was a hero who was also my grandfather.

 

He passed away 18 years ago, but I think about him often – literally every day. He’s especially on my mind this Thanksgiving, a holiday of family and gratitude, that is just a few days ahead of the fortieth anniversary of a defining moment.

 

It was a blessing to have him in my life. Not only did he risk his life to save lives, he lived his life to make life better for all – not just the Falls residents on his beat, but also his wife, children, grandchildren, family, and friends.

 

It’s something special to have someone in your life who lives life with such purpose and love, who, by heroic acts and every day activities, sets a standard for how you see the world and the goodness and value in people.

 

He wasn’t the only one who has been a hero to me. There are a few whom I see as my foundation builders, from my parents and grandparents, to my math teacher and scoutmaster. Each in their own way made sacrifices and did things that showed me how to live, work, and serve others.

 

On this Thanksgiving I give thanks to them, as I do every day in my silent reflections.

 

I encourage my readers to do the same for their heroes. Someone somewhere along the way did something magical, or even routine, for you -- or for others -- that inspired you, benefited you, or showed you that somebody cares. On this day of thankfulness appreciate what they did and savor who you are because of who they are. If you have the chance to do so, let them know that.

 

And, know this: You are a hero for someone else. Everyone has an impact. How you carry yourself and what you do is the benchmark for another who admires you. It might be a kid. It might be a coworker. It might a neighbor. Someone is always looking, always learning, and you are one of their guiding lights. They are thankful for you.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

From the 27 November 2024 Greater Niagara Newspapers and Wellsville Sun

Exploring the Western NY Wilds: What to get a nature lover for Christmas

Trying to figure out what to get an outdoors enthusiast for Christmas can be a daunting task, especially if the shopper really isn’t an outdoorsy person. So, for the past few years, this column has offered some shopping ideas to the friends and families of nature lovers. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just a few days away, it’s as good a time as any to offer my suggestions.

Trail camera

It’s long been a stereotype in outdoors circles – one perpetuated by manufacturers’ and outfitters’ advertising campaigns — that trail cameras (also known as “game cameras”) are solely for hunters who use the devices to track deer movement on their favorite hunting grounds.

That overlooks the value and fun that a trail camera can bring non-hunters. EVERY nature lover should have a trail camera (or two or three) because it gives some great insight into not only animal movements but also the very presence of animals that you never thought could be found in your yard or woods.

Trail cameras record what happens under two scenarios: One, at night, which is when an entirely different world of nature takes place and, two, when you are not around, which tends to give wildlife carte blanche to move about freely.

You will be amazed at what they show. My trail cameras in the Allegany County have photographed everything from bears and coyotes to porcupines and fishers to owls and hawks.

They are also great for detective work: If you have pests tearing up your yard or deer shredding your trees in the fall, set up a camera to see what’s causing the ruckus.

There are literally hundreds of trail cameras to choose from on the market. Almost all do the same thing nowadays: they take photos or videos — triggered by motion detectors — that are put on SD cards that you can then transfer to your home computer. Some extravagant versions will broadcast to the internet while others will film Hollywood-quality footage. Costs vary, but with today’s technology, even the least expensive (around $30 a camera) can do a great job, too.

A Field Guide to Bird Songs

For about $20, you could get “A Field Guide to Bird Songs: Eastern and Central North America”.

This is not really a field guide per se, but rather a CD put out by Peterson Field Guides. It does what bird books can’t – it allows you to hear actual recordings of birds, because that is a critical tool in finding and identifying birds in the field.

The disc features the songs of 267 species of birds found east of the Rockies. It features all birds, not just songbirds. It is perfect for the beginner and the experienced birder alike. I keep a copy in my truck and listen to it regularly to keep my birding skills at a high level.

Books by Gerry Rising

The late Gerry Rising was an impressive naturalist, a great writer, and one of the inspirations for my nature columns. For 25 years he wrote the Nature Watch column for the Buffalo News. There were likely countless readers like me who, when opening the Sunday news, immediately turned to the science page and Gerry’s column. That was something I did religiously through high school, college, and much of my adult life.

 

 

A half dozen years ago Gerry collected and published some of his very best columns. Each tome has 100 of his articles about local birds, with ornithology being Gerry’s most passionate and popular work. If you go to Amazon.com and enter “Gerry Rising” in the search function you will find “Birder’s Break” and “Birds and Birdwatchers” at $12.95 each, which is a steal for the quality of content.  

Nature lovers will enjoy how Gerry makes our avian friends, from the rare to the abundant, approachable and understandable to the layperson. Making it especially relatable to locals is that his columns were all set in Western New York. 


From the 26 November 2024 Wellsville Sun

The NYSDEC takes the lead on lead

 

Last year, while hiking on our spread in Gasport, I encountered an incredibly sick, nearly immobilized raccoon likely affected by rabies and approaching death.

 

I unholstered my handgun and planned to dispatch the suffering creature. But, I had second thoughts and put the gun away.

 

I pondered a possible outcome that I didn’t want to happen had I gone through with it. Within a couple miles of where I was live two pairs of bald eagles. The magnificent birds are opportunistic feeders -- they fly around our community in search of their next meal that, most often, is carrion. My concern was that one of them would discover the dead raccoon, eat it, and ingest the bullet I was going to put into it. 

 

A small piece of lead the size of a rice grain can poison a bald eagle. Once bits of lead are in the very acidic stomach of the bird, they are dissolved and absorbed into the bloodstream. Lead will give an eagle brain damage and harm its nervous system. It can suppress growth, harm fertility, and cause weakness, organ failure, and anemia.

 

When eagles are brought into rescue clinics, most are suffering from lead poisoning. The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota treats 160 to 180 bald eagles a year and 90% percent test positive for lead and about 30% have levels high enough to be fatal. Closer to home, a wildlife pathologist with the New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) found that 14% of the eagles he investigated had died from lead poisoning.  

 

It is believed that in the northeast United States the growth of the eagle population has been suppressed by more than 5% due to lead poisoning – a significant impact for an uncommon species that needs further population recovery.

 

And, that’s where the NYSDEC and its friends come in.

 

This year, the agency is continuing its multi-year cooperative study of how increased use of non-lead ammunition for deer hunting can improve the survival of eagles. Carcasses and entrails left after a successful hunt could have chunks of slugs or bullets in them, a legitimate concern considering more than 200,000 deer were taken by New York hunters last year and the statewide eagle population is around 500 breeding pairs.   

 

To get deer hunters engaged in abandoning lead ammunition, the NYSDEC’s research partners – Hunters For Eagle Conservation -- are incentivizing the change.  All hunters statewide are eligible for a rebate up to $60 for the purchase of non-lead ammunition for use during the 2024 deer hunting season. Last year, the effort was put on only a few wildlife management units. Now, the entire state is in the sights of this endeavor and it is expected that it will be in play for at least a couple more years.

 

If you are looking to stock up on non-lead ammo in advance of next week’s firearms opening day, do so now. The rebate comes after your hunt – successful or not. The rebate is good for one box of factory loaded non-lead ammunition or one box of lead-free bullets for reloading. To receive it, you need to visit https://huntersforeagleconservation.org/new-york/ and complete a survey, which is an invaluable part of the state’s study.

 

When applying for the funds you need to submit your contact information (including mailing address and email address), the name of the store where your box of lead-free ammunition was purchased, and a copy (photo or PDF) of your receipt for one box of the qualifying ammunition. It’s helpful to them if you circle the item on your receipt.

 

A list of certified non-lead ammunition can be found at wildlife.ca.gov/Hunting/Nonlead-Ammunition/Certified

 

Participation in this program is encouraged, even without the financial sweetener. Bald eagles suffered for far too long. In 1976, only one breeding pair of eagles lived in New York. They are on the rebound now and we need to keep that momentum going. The emblem of our nation deserves our best so they can be their best.

 

 

From the 08 November 2024 Greater Niagara Newspapers and Wellsville Sun