Photo by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Jr.-Sr. High School counselor Audralee Doll shared her inspirational story at Medina High School’s baccalaureate service Sunday, telling how she grew up in a toxic household and forged her parents’ names to enter the Air Force at 17. (Center) MHS senior Mackenzie McGrath introduces keynote speaker, Jr.-Sr. High School counselor Audralee Doll at commencement ceremonies Sunday at the high school. (Right) A closing reflection and prayer for graduates was offered by Pastor Wes Cantrell at Medina High School’s baccalaureate service on Sunday.

MEDINA – Medina High School’s annual baccalaureate service sponsored by Medina Area Association of Churches took place Sunday afternoon at Medina High School.

The Rev. Vince Iorio, vice president of MAAC, welcomed graduates on behalf of president Sue Metzo.

“Baccalaureate is a tradition intended to lift your soul,” the pastor told graduates.

The program included reflective readings from the Bible by seniors Logan Trillizio and Sophia Goyette and a special offering by the A Capella Select Choir, under the direction of Rachel Trillizio.

Senior Mackenzie McGraph introduced keynote speaker Audralee Doll, director of counseling and a high school counselor at MHS. She is also a spin instructor and executive board member with the YMCA.

Medina High School’s A Capella Select Choir, under the direction of Rachel Trillizio,  sang a special offering at baccalaureate.

Doll stated she was taken aback when senior Ryder Jones asked her to be keynote speaker.

“Why would you want to hear your counselor speak?” she asked. “However, it reminded me of a few years ago when a former student, who happened to know a little about my background, suggested I share my story with students. It is because of that, every year before I begin our annual presentation where we give information on preparing for life after high school, I start off by giving my experience growing up in a tumultuous household.”

Due to such, at 17 she joined the Air Force, she said.

During the next seven years, four of which were served overseas, she rose to the rank of staff sergeant and earned more than 10 awards and commendations. Also during her enlistment, she earned her associate’s degree from the Community College of the Air Force and attended the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. She later served with the 146th California Air National Guard, while completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Pepperdine University in Malibu.

Returning to New York, Doll earned a master’s degree in human development and school counseling with a concentration in leadership from the University of Rochester. She has since added K-12 school building and district leadership certifications to her credentials.

Fast forward to today, Doll shared she has earned more than half a million dollars in education and is a few courses shy of her doctorate, all the while having zero debt.

“That is all from someone who believed college was not an option for herself,” she said. “The goal of why I share this with seniors is to emphasize that if there is a will, there is a way, but it’s up to you to achieve that.”

(Left) Logan Trillizio leaves the podium after presenting the first reflective reading at Sunday’s baccalaureate service at Medina High School. (Center) Senior Sophia Goyette shared a selection of readings from the Bible during baccalaureate on Sunday. (Right) The Rev. Vince Iorio, vice president of Medina Area Association of Churches, greeted graduates at Medina High School’s baccalaureate service Sunday, which MAAC sponsored.

What Doll wants to stress is how to navigate life when something gets in the way of that will – because it is inevitable and it will happen.

The secret is to be humble and be grateful, she said.

“Throughout all of my experiences in life, I have never felt sorry for myself,” Doll said. “What has helped me is the mindset that ‘someone else always has it worse.”

To her, that means one is looking at the glass half full.

“Taking life in a positive psychology mindset means you recognize others do have a struggle that is greater than yours, and most importantly, it’s appreciating and recognizing the things you do have,” she said. “You cannot choose what happens to you, what people think of you or what goes on in the world. You can choose what you do about it.”

Life right now couldn’t be better for Doll, a proud resident of Medina with her husband Maximillan and their dog Charlie. They are happily hoping to expand their family.

Final reading of the afternoon was William Ernest Henley’s poem “Invictus” by senior Garrett Koch.

Pastor Wes Cantrell of One Church Medina shared a final message to graduates and a closing prayer.

“In the wink of an eye, the last 12 years have become history,” he said. “The decisions you make now will shape your years ahead.”

Others who contributed to the program were Ryder Jones, who designed the invitations; Amanda Kroening, who designed the programs; pianist Diane Stephenson who accompanied guest in singing “Take my Life and Let it Be”; Karen Jones, who assisted in program planning; River Jones for lights and sound; and Robyn Watts for being the liaison between MAAC and the school.

Students and guests enjoyed punch and cookies, courtesy of MAAC.

Bent’s Opera House covering costs this season for free use for public

File photo by Tom Rivers: These three people enjoy hydro-bikes on the Erie Canal in Medina in July 2023 near the Horan Road bridge. The hydro-bikes were offered for free in an “On the Canals” program where hydro-bikes and kayaks can be rented for free through the Orleans County YMCA. Bent’s Opera House is covering the cost for the kayaks and hydro-bikes to be offered free to the community and visitors this season.

MEDINA – This summer the YMCA will again offer its Canal Club program for people to have fun while exercising on Erie Canal with kayaks and hydro-bikes.

Beginning this week the Y will be allowing people to go kayaking and to pedal the hydro-bikes from Thursdays to Saturdays, from noon to 9 p.m. The program ends on Aug. 9.

People can sign up on Event Brite and rent them for free. (Go to eventbrite.com and search for kayaks and hydro-bikes to make a reservation.) The Y has 10 kayaks and four hydro-bikes from prior years. Bent’s Opera House is covering the costs of the Y’s staff time to run the program.

“We want people to get out and enjoy the summer and the canal,” said Coby Albone, who helps run the program for the Y. “It’s here and it’s free for them to use.”

No experience is needed. Participants need to be at least 12 years old. The Y will have the kayaks and hydro-bikes behind Captain Kidz at 143 East Center St.

The Y received the kayaks and hydro-bikes in 2020 through grants from the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation and the Erie Canalway Corridor’s Consolidated Fund.

The state covered the Y’s staffing costs to run the program with the “On the Canals” initiative in 2021 and 2022. About 1,200 people signed up to use the kayaks and hydro-bikes those years. Albone said the Y would like to reach 2,000 users this summer.

He thanked Bent’s Opera House for its financial assistance this year.

Some residents don’t want to see more rental units in village

Photos by Tom Rivers: Ken DeRoller, a former county legislator who is part of a housing task force in the county, urges the Medina Village Board to support a zoning change to allow mixed use housing on 46 vacant acres at 450 West Oak Orchard St.

MEDINA – The Medina Village Board was told 46 vacant acres near the school district on West Oak Orchard Street represents a great opportunity for much-needed housing development in the community.

Sieck Wholesale Florist owns the land off West Oak Orchard Street. The land is zoned light industrial which doesn’t allow housing.

Ed Michel of Sieck Wholesale wants to use 46 acres for housing and keep the other 8.8 acres of the property as light industrial. That land is next to the railroad and includes a cell tower, an old boiler and another older building.

The Village of Medina Planning Board has recommended the zoning be changed for 46 vacant acres to planned residential community. That allows for mixed use housing and also gives the village more oversight in how the property is developed.

During a public hearing on Monday, some residents said the village is saturated with rental properties and they don’t want more poorly kept rental units that could be a blight on the community. One resident said to keep the zoning as light industrial to allow for more business development in Medina.

Nyla Gaylord, the executive director of the United Way in Orleans County, said a housing shortage is threatening the community’s ability to grow. For businesses to come to Medina, there needs to be more housing for their workers, she said.

J. Lincoln Swedrock, an engineer and vice president with BME Associates in Fairport, said the owner of the acres wants to find out if the land will be rezoned before committing to a detailed plan for the property. Ed Michel of Sieck Wholesale wants a mixed-use option for the property with single-family houses as well as multi-family town houses.

Orleans County overall needs more housing options from single family construction, to affordable rentals for young adults and senior citizens, Gaylord said.

“We have some scary data for our community if we don’t allow more property to be developed for housing,” Gaylord said.

A housing report shared last month by the United Way’s Housing Task Force included the following data:

• Orleans County population dipped from 44,178 in 2020 to 42,850 in 2010 to 39,124 in 2024.
• School enrollments at the five districts are down from 8,225 in 2010 to 5,505 in 2022. The enrollments for 2022 include 1,782 in Albion, 1,391 in Medina, 992 in Holley, 708 in Kendall and 632 in Lyndonville.
• The share of population ages 0 to 4 decreased from 5.3 percent in 2010 to 4.7 percent in 2022, while share of population 65 and older increased from 14.4 percent in 2010 to 20.2 percent in 2022.
• Building permits for new houses are trending down. The county had 83 permits for new houses in 2004 but that was down to 33 in 2020, 21 in 2021, 2 in 2022 and 16 in 2023.

Dean Bellack of the United Way said getting more units should be a high priority in the county so more workers can live locally.

“The big question is do you want to stay in a declining county?” Bellack said.

He said more workers in the county are coming from outside Orleans than those who live in the community.

“These are critical problems,” Gaylord said. “We need to make changes now.”

Ken DeRoller, a former county legislator who has been active with the housing task force, said the vacant acres within the village are a great opportunity for Medina to add housing to keep and attract residents.

Other residents said the developer should provide the detailed plans for the property before the zoning change is approved. Once the zoning is changed to housing, Medina will be limited in how it can influence what happens on the property, said Scott Carlton, a village resident.

“We’re getting ahead of ourselves,” he said.

Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman said the development would be subject to scrutiny and more public meetings if the zoning is changed to allow for housing. She said the zoning change is just step one in the process. A site plan would follow later.

J. Lincoln Swedrock, an engineer and vice president with BME Associates in Fairport, responded to concerns that the property may be contaminated. He said the DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation) shows there is no contamination on the vacant land. There was a spill from Fisher Price but a monitoring well hasn’t detected any contaminants in about 40 years, Swedrock said.

The developer will work on plans if the zoning change is approved, he said. There needs to be a mix of housing with some townhouses to allow more units so a project would be economically feasible, he said.

The board didn’t vote on the issue on Monday, opting to wait until Trustee Mark Prawel also can be at the meeting. The board may vote on the issue at its next meeting on July 14.