We have welcomed some new members recently, and we are excited to introduce them to you!
Jacky Ryan 
Jamey Merkel 
Cathy Crosby
Jacky Ryan is originally from Massena and now lives in Canton with Jamey. They earned their undergraduate and Master’s degrees from SUNY Potsdam. Jacky now works at SUNY Canton and runs the STEM Tutoring Lab. In their free time, Jacky likes to be outdoors hiking and gardening. They enjoy swing dancing, fencing, painting and photography. They also spend a lot of time with their many pets — about 20 reptiles, two ferrets and more! Jacky is looking forward to getting more involved in the North Country.
Jamey Merkel is originally from Long Island and has now lived in the North Country for seven years. They currently live with Jacky and many pets in their Canton home. Jamey received an undergraduate and Master’s degree from SUNY Potsdam. They work at the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative, and they are also currently an organizer for the North Country Poor People’s Campaign. Jamey came to the UU church for the OWL Facilitator training and hasn’t left. Jamey is currently serving on Church Council. They miss seeing people in person and look forward to that opportunity in the future.
Cathy Crosby came to our church service a year and half or so ago when her daughter, Aiofe, was asked to speak as a youth in the transgender community. Cathy felt an instant bond to the church and has formalized that by signing the membership book. She was raised Presbyterian, and it was an influential social and spiritual part of her early years—with a short foray into Methodism—but still looking for “joy” in her spiritual life. During those years she attended Hamilton College for her Bachelors, then on to University of Maryland for a law degree and on further to University of Virginia for a PhD. in Psychology.
She teaches at St. Lawrence in the Psychology Department and has served as Department Chair for the last 8 years. Some of her students intern at community organizations such as Head Start and The ARC of Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties. Her law degree has helped her integrate the two disciplines into courses that broaden and consolidate both areas for aspiring students. She chairs the Institutional Review Board on campus which reviews the ethics of all research with human participants at SLU. She knew many years ago that her destiny would lead her to the classroom as a professor.
She grew up in Morristown New Jersey. Her parents and brothers are still in the Northeast. Her daughter Aiofe is now a First-Year student at St. Lawrence.
For a diversion from her hectic academic pursuits, she is a flower and herb gardener. She exercises often. She sang with the St. Lawrence University Choir for many years and now sings with TAMS (The Any Music Singers). As if she doesn’t have enough challenge to keep her out of trouble, she does 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzles—without visual cues! This is part of her drive to create “systems”. Please ask her someday what she does in her free time!!
She is already on the Worship Committee and seems to have found a spiritual home. If you haven’t met her—grab her after a service and get her to stay for coffee. Someday soon, we may be able to be together again for such gatherings.
Meet Sue Hayden.
Sue and her husband Knute (Dan) Hayden are both Canton natives. They returned to Canton to start a family and have never regretted that decision. They love being grandparents to an active toddler and their son and daughter-in-law are expecting again in early November. She has a big extended family that reunites yearly.
For 34 years Sue had a fulfilling career teaching English at Canton High School “working with good students, fine colleagues and a supportive community.” After retiring she was an adjunct in the English department at SUNY Canton for 5 years.
During retirement she has become more politically and socially active. She is committed to supporting organic farmers, the local library, and the Church and Community Program.
Her childhood fostered a lifelong love and respect for Nature, good food, gardening, travel, learning and engaging with a wide variety of people. Having traveled far and wide, journeys are now mostly to visit family and friends. When she has to be indoors, she enjoys reading, yoga, exercise, cooking, knitting and hosting friends.
Sue appreciates her Methodist roots but has been shopping for a new church for a few years. She credits James’ “To Kill A Mockingbird” sermon for sealing the deal but also gives a nod to Rajiv, Becky Van de Water and Pat Alden for the extra push.