Medina Rotary, Job Corps team to offer ‘Buddy Benches’ in village

Photos courtesy of Medina Rotary:  Kneeling, from left, include Chris Dix, Village of Medina DPW, and Job Corps student Jayvon Bryan-Rolfe. In back, Job Corps students Emmanuel Fernandez and Tahir Gilliam, John Thomas (Job Corps Operations Director and Medina Rotarian), Rotary Project Chairs Cindy Hewitt and Carl Tuohey, Robert Trautwein (Job Corps Chief Carpentry instructor), and Job Corps students Eyan Bailey, Kalvie Grimsley and Cahleb Gregory.

Job Corps carpentry student Kalvie Grimsley fastens down the bench in Pine Street Park.

Press Release, Medina Rotary Club

MEDINA – On Wednesday, the first of four “Buddy Benches” were installed in a Medina playground.  The idea of Buddy Benches was brought to the Medina Rotary Club by member Carl Tuohey.

He and Cynthia Hewitt spearheaded the project. The Iroquois Job Corps carpentry trade students constructed four Buddy Benches for the Medina Rotary.

Buddy Benches provide students a safe way to find a buddy. When children see someone sitting on the Buddy Bench, they know he or she needs a friendly companion and can join them to say hello or invite them to play. The first Buddy Bench was placed at Pine Street Park.

Special thanks go to Public Works Superintendent Jason Watts and Medina’s Mayor Marguerite Sherman for their assistance in seeing this project to completion.

The Medina Rotary Club has raised money sponsoring events such as chicken barbecues, meat raffles, Corn Hole tournaments, and meal pairings. Recently, this service organization has donated to the local food pantry, donated multiple Adirondack chairs to benefits and fundraisers, donated to the YMCA, gives a yearly high school scholarship, raised money for Orleans County Walk to end Alzheimer’s, donated to Medina families in need (mattresses, bed frames, bedding, and a bicycle), and is donating four metal benches to the Village of Medina for youth baseball.