Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Rindy Punch, a resident of the North Wing, hands out candy to a young visitor during Wednesday’s Halloween party. (Right) North Wing activities director Adrian Belson, left, and Anna Lewis, activities coordinator, pose in costume with Lewis’ Golden Retriever Billie at the annual Halloween party for residents of the residential wing at Medina Memorial Hospital.

MEDINA – Residents of Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing showed their Halloween spirit on Friday morning at the annual party planned by Activities Director Adrian Belson.

Belson started the party seven or eight years ago, and it has grown into a Halloween tradition.

Each year, all the residents are dressed in costume, with help from staff and family. The activities department has an assortment of costumes, and families brought in items so all the residents were decked out for the occasion.

Residents of Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing dressed in costume and lined both hallways during their annual Halloween Party. Here, in front, resident Pat Watson is visited by her daughters, Sue Weese at left and Ann Watson, right.

All 28 residents of the North Wing are dressed in a costume and given a bucket of candy to hand out to children who visit. This includes children of staff and friends and the P ‘Raising Day Care Center, who visit every year.

“Adrian has got this event down to a science,” said certified nursing assistant Tina Kelley. “She’s been doing it for years. The whole Activities Department does a wonderful job here. They also do a big celebration for Thanksgiving with staff and family members, as well as Christmas.”

(Left) Makenzie Muck and Kaitlyn Albone of Lyndonville are dressed as a chicken and duck for their visit to the North Wing’s Halloween party on Wednesday morning. Kaitlyn holds her daughter Nova, who will be 1 on Nov. 11. They said Anna Lewis told them about the party and they wanted to visit because their grandma used to be a resident there. (Right) Lindsay Wilston, a certified nursing assistant at the North Wing, was dressed in costume for the Halloween party for residents. Residents were given buckets of candy to hand out to visitors, which included children from P ‘Raising Kids Day Care.

One resident was Audrey Bieliski, who dressed as a nurse. It was a fitting costume, as Bieliski actually worked as a nurse in the hospital for 36 years, said her daughter Margo Sarchia.

“It’s amazing they do this,” Sarchia said. “It takes so much time but they always put the residents first.”

After children and other guests visited all the residents who lined the halls and got their candy, they were given punch and Halloween cookies.

Nicki Fredericks visits her brother Fulton Rogers there every day and thought the costume party was wonderful.

“It’s great they do something like this,” Fredericks said. “Every resident is in costume, even if it’s just a hat or a neckerchief. They do a good job here. It’s nice to see.”

Visiting Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing Halloween party were, from left, Tom Bloomer, North Wing administrator; Rebecca Mannella, director of nursing; and Cassie Maynard, charge nurse.

Audrey Bieliski dressed as a nurse, a fitting costume, as she was a nurse on the North Wing for 36 years. On the wall behind her is a picture of her in uniform with three staff members, taken in 1975. Friday morning she handed out candy with other North Wing residents to young children who visited, many from P ‘Raising Kids Day Care. Waiting for his candy is Jon Kirkpatrick, 2, of Lyndonville, whose mom Amber works in the unit.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) In addition to installation of a wheelchair-accessible lift outside the Knights of Columbus in Medina, council members raised enough money to put in new aluminum stairs at the back of their building. (Right) Jim Mirand, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus in Medina, takes a ride on their new lift with Medina mayor Marguerite Sherman and David Feltz, campaign chair, prior to cutting the ribbon celebrating completion of the lift on Wednesday.

MEDINA – A nearly year-long fundraising campaign was celebrated on Wednesday morning with a ribbon cutting by Medina’s Knights of Columbus Council, recognizing installation of an enclosed wheelchair lift and new aluminum stairs at their rear of their building.

Participating in the ceremony were Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman, Grand Knight Jim Mirand, fundraising campaign chairman David Feltz and bar president Steve Winans.

Sherman and Mirand rode on the elevator to the second floor Council rooms, as he explained its purpose in providing access to wheelchair or handicapped individuals. He said it is designed for outdoor use and will not be affected by the cold.

“This will be a game-changer for us,” Feltz said. “This will allow access for anyone who wants to visit our Council but is handicapped.”

Mirand said they are also constructing a new unisex bathroom in their facility.

The lift project was completed because of a successful fundraising campaign that started in July 2024 and ended on Easter Sunday 2025, Mirand said. When the Knights were unsuccessful in obtaining grant money from the New York Forward project when the winners were announced in May 2024, Mirand said they were disappointed, but not defeated.

“The organization moved forward with an aggressive fundraising campaign,” Mirand said. “The campaign was spearheaded by myself and campaign chair David Feltz, along with Bar President Steve Winans, who played a significant role during the construction phase of the project.”

Mayor Marguerite Sherman, left, joins Knights of Columbus members Steve Winans, Bar President; Grand Knight Jim Mirand; and campaign chairman David Feltz in cutting the ribbon to celebrate the installation of a lift outside their council building on Main Street in Medina.

More than $140,000 was raised from donations received from more than 160 individuals, families and organizations. Donations ranged from $100 to $25,000. The Knights raised an additional $25,000 through raffles and dinners that were held during the same period. The balance of the funds came from savings and loans secured by the Knights.

A grand total of $230,000 was spent on the lift, along with a new set of aluminum stairs which meet ADA standards. Additionally, there was new electrical work completed and new air conditioning for the banquet hall, plus concrete and masonry work. A new entrance was also installed on the front of the building.

Medina Knights of Columbus Council 651 was founded on March 17, 1902. Although the history of the transaction is somewhat unclear, the Knights obtained the deed to their building at 418-422 Main St. in 1921.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s organization that was founded March 29, 1882 by Father Michael McGivney in New Haven, Conn. The Medina Knights was the 651st council to receive a charter, Currently, there are more than 17,000 Knights councils worldwide, with more than 1.5 million members.  Medina’s council claims around 100 members.

The Medina Knights have a long and proud history of supporting the local community, Mirand said. They have sponsored a scholarship to a graduating Medina High School senior for the past 25 years. They proudly support local veterans through donations to Operation Honor and the patriot trip.

Each year they sponsor a member-driven food drive that benefits the Medina Emergency Food Pantry. They have held bowling, shuffleboard and golf tournaments for more than 30 years to raise funds to support their other charitable donations to the local community.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Alma de México does a folkloric dance on Oct. 26, 2024 during a Day of the Dead celebration at the Orleans County YMCA. After six years at the YMCA, the event will move to the Medina Triennial at 345 North Main St. on Saturday.

MEDINA – The Día de los Muertos Festival “Day of the Dead” will be on Saturday in Medina, and will be at a different location this year.

After six years at the YMCA on Pearl Street, the event is shifting to the Medina Triennial headquarters at North Main St. The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council (GO Art!) continues as the main organizer of this event.

The celebration is reimagined this year as an exhibit-based cultural education program, keeping the traditions alive while helping to provide accessibility and safety, organizers said.

Some of the exhibits and features will include:

• Large Ofrenda (altar): For community members and students to place battery-operated candles, photos and letters to loved ones.
• Mojigangas: Giant papier-mâché or cardboard puppets, often 10–12 feet tall. They’re worn over a performer’s body with a harness or frame. The person inside sees through a mesh or cutout near the puppet’s neck or chest. Their purpose is to bring humor, liveliness, and visual spectacle to the celebration, a mix of satire and joy symbolizing the unity of life and death.
• Storyboard Wall: Large, bilingual (English/Spanish) visual timeline introducing the history, meaning, and evolution of Día de los Muertos — from its Indigenous roots to modern-day traditions.
• Video Screenings: Past festival footage and short documentaries played on screens.
• Interactive Kids’ Activities (field trips & public):
• Tissue paper marigolds (symbolic flower).
• “Catrina” figurines (cone dress, marshmallow head, tissue hat, pipe cleaner arms, Día de los Muertos designs).
• Picture frame + remembrance letter project (for altar display).
• Cultural Introduction: Brief introduction of Medina Triennial and Dia de los Muertos at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. by Federico Rosario, Community Engagement & Programs Coordinator of Medina Triennial.