By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 September 2025 at 12:14 pm
This image of Robert Brown was part of a military recognition tribute at the Buffalo Bills game last month.
ORCHARD PARK – Robert Brown, a 2003 Medina graduate, was recognized during the Buffalo Bills home preseason game on Aug. 9 against the New York Giants.
Brown was able to stand on the field and be acknowledged by the crowd at the end of the third quarter. A 90-second tribute to his military service was shown on the big screens of Highmark Stadium.
Brown now lives in Buffalo with his wife and four children. He is retiring in November after a 20-year career on active duty with the U.S. Navy.
Chief Petty Officer Brown entered the Navy in 2005. He trained in Hospital Corpsman “A” School that is fundamental for Navy medical personnel. His first assignment was at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla.
He deployed to Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba and then completed Field Medical Training Battalion C School in North Carolina. He was deployed as a senior corpsman to Iraq in 2007.
He was then the leading chief petty officer at Balboa Hospital in San Diego. Brown is currently serving out of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station.
Robert Brown waves to the crowd at the Buffalo Bills game on Aug. 9.
Dr. Clark Godshall, retired Orleans-Niagara BOCES District Superintendent, was recently elected as President of the National Association of Commodores with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary at the group’s national meeting in Dallas, Texas.
The all-volunteer U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, created by act of Congress in 1939 to assist the U.S. Coast Guard, conducts vital missions of Homeland Security and Maritime Public Safety. Auxiliarists perform myriad duties and provide critical services throughout the United States and its territories.
Godshall, a Barker resident, cites his prior educational leadership positions having well prepared him for the diversity of missions which he will administer in support of the USCG and Auxiliary.
“My past 20 years of volunteer service to the USCG Auxiliary well positions me to act in support of the emerging critical national missions of the USCG including the over $25 billion recently targeted for new equipment and recruitment efforts,” Godshall said. “It is a natural continuation of my community service commitments that I previously rendered at the O-N BOCES.”
The USCG Auxiliary serves as the Coast Guard’s “Executive Agent” for the Coast Guard’s Recreational Boating Safety programs. The Auxiliary’s expertise in safety programs is a key national asset, not only for the safety of boaters but also for the safety of ports and waterways as well as educating the public on the importance of their partnership in maintaining a vigil in the maritime environment for any threats to our Homeland Security.
The National Association of Commodores (NAC) mission is to support, identify and assist the National Board of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and their 19,000 members by advancing the programs of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the active duty.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 August 2025 at 5:31 pm
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Brian and Lisa Christiaansen are pictured in October 2024 in the renovated game room they added to their pizzeria at 549 Main St., Medina.
Two businesses/organizations in Orleans County have been named to the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce’s Top 100 list of fastest-growing companies.
Oak Orchard Health and Mark’s Pizzeria (Medina) both were named to the list that was announced today by the Greater Rochester Chamber.
They will be honored during an awards celebration at the Floreano Convention Center on Nov. 6.
“At a time when there is much uncertainty for our business community, taking time to intentionally pause and recognize the innovation and success driving our region forward is critical,” said Bob Duffy, President & CEO, Greater Rochester Chamber. “Our community is made up of companies full of hard-working individuals who are relentless in the pursuit of greatness.”
Brian and Lisa Christiaansen took Mark’s Pizzeria to a new level with the opening of Tapped on Main, which gives customers a place to sit down, dine, have a drink at a bar and also enjoy a game room. The Medina location became the only one of Mark’s franchises to serve beer and wine
Brian Christiaansen started working for Mark’s in Fairport when he was 16 back in 1992. Brian would become a young owner, opening his first pizzeria in Hamlin, followed by Bushnell’s Basin and then Brockport. He now has stores in Medina, Albion and Newfane.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Oak Orchard Health in October 2022 celebrated the opening of a new mobile dental unit that will be going to the five school districts in Orleans County – Albion, Holley, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina. Pictured from left include: Assemblyman Steve Hawley; Karen Watt, then chairwoman of the board for Oak Orchard; Karen Kinter, CEO for Oak Orchard; Rachel Nozzi, chief of dentistry for Oak Orchard; John Craik, program officer for the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (which provided $650,000 for the project); and Erica Wenner, director of constituent services for State Sen. Rob Ortt.
Oak Orchard Health has steadily grown from its beginning in 1973 in Albion, initially serving migrant farm workers. Now Oak Orchard has offices in eight communities serving 34,000 patients.
The locations are in five counties and include Alexander, Albion, Batavia, Brockport, Hornell, Medina, Pembroke and Warsaw.
To see the list of the 100 fastest growing companies, click here.
Provided photo: Emily Livergood is pictured with Mikayla Jackson, Receiving Coordinator and Employee & Community Engagement Lead at FMC’s Agricultural Sciences plant in Middleport.
MIDDLEPORT – FMC Corporation, which operates the Agricultural Sciences plant in Middleport, has honored a Royalton-Hartland High School 2025 graduate with a $2,000 FMC Scholarship from the local plant.
The scholarship was awarded to Emily Livergood of Lockport based on judging of her 350-word essay in which students were asked to describe the field of study they intend to pursue and the career goals they hope to achieve.
FMC is committed to education and supporting students as they pursue their career aspirations.
“We’re very pleased to award this scholarship to Emily as part of the FMC For Good campaign focus area of Education & Opportunity: Advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in Agriculture and STEM,” said Barbara Pilmore, FMC Middleport plant manager. “At FMC, we recognize the importance of supporting young people who are pursuing careers in these areas. It’s an important part of our commitment to this community.”
Emily Livergood will be continuing her education this fall at the University of Buffalo, majoring in chemical engineering. During her years at Roy-Hart, Emily was an accomplished scholar and athlete (tennis and volleyball), while also being very actively involved in student government, band and other extracurricular activities, in which she often took on leadership roles. She also actively participated in a wide range of community service projects.
SHELBY – Makenzie McGrath, 17, of Medina was awarded a $1,000 college scholarship from the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company. Presenting the award is Treasurer Kirk Myhill, left, and Makenzie’s grandfather, Gary Watts. Mr. Watts has been an active member of the company for 52 years and is a past chief.
Shelby Volunteer Fire Company awards an annual scholarship to a student who has shown enthusiasm and volunteered serving the fire company.
Makenzie McGrath is a member of the Shelby Auxiliary and has been an active participate in fire company activities from a very young age. With her great-grandfather, Sidney Watts, a founding member of the company, and many family members active, volunteering with the fire company seems to run in your blood, McGrath said.
She has volunteered at fundraisers, Mothers’ Day Chicken Barbecue, catered weddings and parties for many years. When old enough she became a member of the Auxiliary to support the fire company.
Makenzie graduated from Medina High School in the top 10 of her class and is involved in many other community-service activities. She is the daughter of Patrick and Julianne McGrath and plans to attend Nazareth University and major in Elementary and Music Education.
BATAVIA – There are 241 students from Genesee Community College on the Provost’s List, including many from Orleans Copunty.
Students honored on the Provost’s List have maintained part-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.75 (roughly equivalent to an A) or better.
Carl Zenger has been very active presence at refuge since 1997
By Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
Provided photo: Carl Zenger has been a dedicated volunteer at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge for nearly 30 years.
BASOM – Carl Zenger of Lockport has been awarded the Refuge Volunteer of the Year in the 2025 National Wildlife Refuge Awards by the National Wildlife Refuge Association.
A former board member of the Friends of Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and a retired mechanical engineer, Zenger is an integral part of the refuge. He has been recognized by peers, staff and the community for his unparalleled dedication to conservation. Since starting his volunteer journey in 1997, Zenger, 87, has invested over 44,000 hours — equivalent to 15½ years of a full-time employee.
“I’m not sure the refuge could operate without Carl — he’s such a treasure,” said Richard Moss, president of the Iroquois refuge Friends group. “We are planning to hold an award ceremony later this fall, likely in mid-October.”
In addition to this prestigious national award, Zenger was also named Volunteer of the Year for the Northeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and has been recognized by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney for his commitment to the community.
“Carl’s commitment truly embodies the spirit of John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural message — ‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,’” said Desirée Sorenson-Groves, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Refuge Association. “We congratulate and commend Carl for living this ideal and we thank him on behalf of all Americans for his contribution to conservation and to our world.”
The award ceremony in October will include representatives of the national association, members of the Zenger family, and other dignitaries. Moss said more information would be available closer to that event.
Zenger’s inspirational efforts include:
Building hundreds of bluebird houses and toad abodes for outreach events.
Leading outreach programs and initiating a multi-species cavity nesting program.
Designing innovative nesting structures and pulley systems for safe and easy replacement.
Supplementing calcium intake for purple martins by processing eggshells from local community events.
Being a key proponent of our grassland habitat restoration team, mowing 200 acres annually and maintaining the refuge’s tractors for over sixteen years.
“Being chosen out of the entire national system for this honor is something special. If you see Carl, please join us in celebrating his incredible achievement and thanking him for his invaluable contributions to our community and the environment,” Moss said. “The refuge system has been hit hard by staff and budget cutbacks, going back well before the current round of federal budget scrutiny, so it is heavily dependent on volunteers like Carl to maintain and enhance our public lands.”
The National Wildlife Refuge Association’s 2025 awards also honored Rappahannock Wildlife Refuge Friends in Virginia as the refuge friends group of the year; Andrew Gude as refuge manager of the year for his work at the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys national wildlife refuges in Florida; and Dartha Campbell, with the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia, as refuge employee of the year.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 July 2025 at 2:05 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers: Elijah “The Bull” Starr pushes an 800-pound haybale through a course on Saturday night at the Orleans County 4-H Fair. He won the title despite not having a partner to help with the challenge. Jeremy Neal, the event chairman and judge, is in back.
KNOWLESVILLE – In the four years of the haybale rolling challenge at the Orleans County 4-H Fair, Elijah “The Bull” Starr has emerged as the crowd favorite.
The competition invites two-person teams to roll a haybale and push it end over end through an obstacle course. Starr, 35, has been one of the fastest at the event, despite not having a partner.
On Saturday, he won the competition – all by himself. Starr set a new personal record by completing the task in 1 minute, 6 seconds. The judge and event chairman, Jeremy Neal, assesses 5-second penalties if cones are knocked over and if teams go off course. Starr has one five-second penalty giving him a final time of 1:11. That bested the fastest teams that all qualified for the finals on Saturday night.
Starr runs a beef farm in Lyndonville. He is used to mowing heavy bales.
“This is how I feed my cows,” he said.
The competitors in the event also have to throw smaller 50-pound bales over a 6-foot-high beam at the beginning and end of the competition.
Starr also works at Tractor Supply. He said he has a growing reputation for his skills in the haybale rolling competition. The Orleans County 4-H Fair added the haybale rolling in 2021 after the grease pole was discontinued over objections from the fair’s insurance provider.
Fair officials acknowledge the haybale rolling doesn’t draw the huge crowds like the grease pole, but it does provide a fun way to cap off the day’s events at the fair.
The Phonie E’s – Ian Kingdollar, left, and Immanuel Cornell – compete in haybale rolling on Friday night at the fair. Both are 4-H members. They finished second out of seven and didn’t advance to the finals. They tried again at preliminaries on Saturday.
The team of “Kaitlin Squared” – Kaitlynn Basinait and Kaitlin Bennett – made a valiant effort to get the haybale around the course, and then toss the smaller bales over a beam. They got the big bale to the finish line on Friday night.
Team Frog came in first on Friday and advanced to the finals on Saturday. Seth McCracken and Nathanael Hemmerick finished in 1:24 – 1:09 with 15 seconds of violations.
The Double B’s – Becky and Brandon – won the preliminaries on Saturday to advance to the finals where they finished in 1:35, 1:30 plus a 5-second penalty. This team includes Elijah Starr’s brother, Brandon Skellon.
Photo by Natalie Baron: Royalty this year at the Orleans County 4-H Fair are front row, left to right: Tommy Dresser, 10, Medina (Fair Prince Alternate); Caleb Fisher, 11, Albion (Fair Prince); and Sadie Pask, 11, Albion (Fair Princess). Back row: Immanuel Cornell, 15, Holley (Fair Duke Alternate); Jackson Fraiser, 12, Kent (Fair Duke); Sophia Albone, 14, Medina (Fair Duchess Alternate); Alyssa Murray, 15, Albion (Fair Duchess); Gary Donofrio, 16, Bergen (Fair King); Bailey Gonzalez, 17, Albion (Fair Queen Alternate); and Makenzie McGrath, 17, Medina (Fair Queen). Not pictured is Bailey Elliott, 11, Albion (Fair Princess Alternate). There is no King Alternate.
By Natalie Baron, Orleans Hub intern
KNOWLESVILLE—The royalty of the Orleans County Fair were crowned Saturday evening, concluding the Fair Awards ceremony.
Makenzie McGrath, 17, was named Fair Queen. She is grateful for a decade of experiences and learning in the 4-H program.
“I enjoyed it a lot!” she exclaimed. “I showed goats this year. I only did it a few times. It was fun! I participated in the Trolley Building and all sorts of activities.”
She expressed about being crowned Queen, “It was really surprising and exciting and I’m really grateful.”
Gary Donofrio, 16, Bergen was chosen as Fair King. He also won the grand master showman competition on Friday evening.
There are many reasons to become involved with the 4-H program. “4-H offers kids a variety of hands-on learning opportunities,” said Peggy Gabalski, one of the organizers for the event. “All the skills you’re learning, you’re gonna also be practicing and be able to apply. It also gives 4-Hers a variety of different ages to work with, peers who are the same age and peers who are younger. You learn working with adults and learning responsibility with a variety of tasks.”
“I think 4-H is still strong as a community youth organization,” said organizer Kayla Dengler, “and I think here in Orleans County, we continue to grow strong youth leaders and animal caretakers.”
The award announcers were the crowned king and queen from last year. They shared their journeys of how they became heavily involved in the county fair.
“I grew up doing horses,” explained Lea Donofrio of Bergen. “We got a bigger farm, expanded a bit. Now, I show swine. It was sort of a domino effect to do fair. We had a bunch of family friends who did it.”
Luke Gregoire shared, “I’m technically tied for youngest in my family. My siblings did 4-H. It was a natural process with animals. I started showing guinea pigs, maybe rabbits, then chickens.”
KNOWLESVILLE – The participants in the 2025 Orleans County 4-H Fair Small Animal Grand Master Competition which was held on Saturday include, from left: Bailey Gonzalez, age 17, of Albion, Dog Master Showman; Celes Paratore, 17, of Corfu, Small Animal Reserve Master Showman and Poultry Master Showman; Evelyn Paratore, 13, of Corfu, Small Animal Grand Master Showman, Rabbit Master Showman; Haleigh Pollock, 17, of Waterport, Reserve Dog Showman; Monica Thomas, 14, of Albion, Mini Horse Reserve Showman; and Grace Goodrich, 16 of Medina, Mini Horse Master Showman.
The Small Animal Grand Master competition includes Dog, Rabbit, Poultry and Mini Horse. All master and reserve showman in those four species compete for the Small Animal Grand Master title. Here, Evelyn Paratore shows a mini horse. She went on to take the Small Animal Grand Master Showman title.
Monica Thomas shows a dog to judge Anne Moyer. Monica was the Mini Horse Reserve Showman.
Bailey Gonzalez shows a mini-horse to judge Nicole Dabney. Bailey was the Master Dog Showman.
Celes Paratore shows a chicken to judge David Gerling. Celes took to Reserve Small Animal Master Showman title. She was the Poultry Master Showman and Rabbit Reserve Master Showman.
Haleigh Pollock shows a dog to judge Anne Moyer. Haleigh was the Dog Reserve Master Showman.
Grace Goodrich shows a dog during the Small Animal Grand Master Competition. She was the Mini Horse Master Showman.
Evelyn Paratore shows a rabbit to judge Sue Gerling. Evelyn won Small Animal Grand Master Showman at the competition held Saturday. Evelyn was Rabbit Master Showman and Poultry Reserve Showman.
Participants in the Small Animal Grand Master Competition provide advice and support to each other while they wait for scores to be tallied. From left include Celes Paratore, Haleigh Pollock, Grace Goodrich and Monica Thomas.
Nicole Dabney, Mini Horse Judge for the Small Animal Grand Master Competition, provides feedback to participants as they wait for the winners to be announced.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 July 2025 at 9:29 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Gary Donofrio holds the trophy after winning the grand master showman title on Friday at the Orleans County 4-H Fair. He is congratulated by, from left: Henry Dresser, Isabel Nesbitt, Kyler Bennett and Ian Kingdollar.
KNOWLESVILLE – The Orleans County 4-H Fair held one of its most prestigious competitions on Friday, with the master showmen from several different breeds of animals all vying for the title of grand master showman.
When it was all over, after about 2 ½ hours, Gary Donofrio was the champion.
The competition features the master showman in nine different animals: horse Western, horse English, dairy goat, meat goat, sheep, swine, llama, dairy cattle and beef cattle.
Donofrio, 16, of Bergen qualified by winning the showman title for sheep. He also shows pigs and beef cattle.
He remembers watching the competition as a young 4-Her and aspiring to be in the competition. But in recent years he couldn’t quite win the showman title for beef or with pigs. This year he decided to add sheep showing to his repertoire, hoping it would increase his chance to get in the grand master event. That paid off for him on Friday.
“I like that it takes the best people at showing animals and puts everyone together,” Gary said after he won the title.
The participants had to show all of the different animals, and they couldn’t show their own.
Gary said he enjoys raising and training animals from soon after they are born. The animals imprint of the humans that first work with them. During the grand master event, Gary said his beef animal seemed confused that it wasn’t Gary leading it in the show ring.
Gary and his family live in Bergen in Genesee County. They have been active in the Orleans County 4-H program, where they said they feel welcome and many of the participants strive for excellence, pushing each other to be their best.
Donofrio will be a senior at Byron-Bergen this year. He is hoping to get into the HVAC business, while also continuing to work with animals.
He was praised by Nick Kron, one of the grand master judges, for his versatility and intensity through the competition on a hot summer day.
“He was the most consistent,” Kron said. “He maintained good eye contact. He was the most alert and had a good feel for showing each species.”
Bree Clark, judge for horses and llamas, keeps an eye on the grand master showmen participants as they lead llamas and alpacas. From left in back include Gary Donofrio, Kyler Bennett and Allison Merle.
Ella Christ of Kendall holds an alpaca’s head up high. Behind her is Ian Kingdollar of Lyndonville.
Christ was the reserve grand master showman. She qualified after winning the Western horse showmanship. Kingdollar qualified by winning the meat goat competition.
Kyler Bennett, 12, of Barre shows a horse during the opening event of the grand master showmen competition. Kyler qualified for the grand master by winning the dairy cow showmanship.
Allison Merle, 18, of Holley stoops to show a sheep. The showmen had to lead this animal with their bare hands and no halter. Allison qualified by winning the llama showmanship.
Isabel Nesbitt, 12, of Lyndonville is asked a question by judge Nick Kron. Isabel won the pig showmanship competition to qualify for the grand master. She was among several younger 4-Hers in the grand master event. Kyler Bennett is at left.
Amelia Paratore, 15, of Corfu leads a llama in front of judge Bree Clark. Amelia qualified by winning the meat goat showmanship.
Henry Dresser, 11, of Medina keeps his eyes on the judge while trying to get a sheep set up in the show arena. Henry won the beef cow showmanship.
Emily Smith-Flatley, 12, of Medina and Ian Kingdollar, 16, of Lyndonville get their sheep in position during the grand master showmen event. Emily qualified by winning the English horses competition while Ian was the top showman for dairy goats.
Ian said showing all the different animals was a great experience.
“You get to meet the other showmen who are the top of their class,” he said.
Showing a beef cow, the biggest of the all the livestock in the event, was the toughest.
“They are very heavy and head strong,” Kingdollar said.
Donofrio, the grand master champ, said sheep and goats are taxing on the body because the 4-Hers often are stooped over to show them.
The cows and llamas take a toll on the shoulders, Donofrio said.
The master showmen try to get their pigs under control. From left include Ian Kingdollar, Henry Dresser, Allison Merle, Kyler Bennett, Gary Donofrio, Ella Christ and Emily Smith-Flatley.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 July 2025 at 2:30 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
KNOWLESVILLE – Pictured from left shows the top four finishers in the apple pie baking contest at the Orleans County 4-H Fair.
The top four from left include Marian Fry in first, April Daniels in second, Becky Harris in third, and Amanda Mahle in fourth. Cherrie Ashbery in fifth isn’t in the photo.
The top pies received $200 for first, $100 for second, $75 for third, $50 for fourth and $25 for fifth. Honorable mentions in the kids’ division were for $10 each. (Valent sponsored the prize money.)
The pie-baking contest is one of several new competitions at this year’s fair. The judging was on Thursday and all 10 spots in both the adult and youth divisions were quickly claimed. (Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers was one of the four judges.)
Marian Fry said she has long been well regarded for her apple pies since she was in junior high. She mixed two varieties of apples, Granny Smith and Empire, for her pie. It not only tasted very good, but she had four cutouts in the top of the crust that resembled apples. Fry said the cutouts give her pies an extra-special look. When the Buffalo Bills are playing, she makes cutouts of the Bills logo on top of the pies.
The top five in the youth division include: 1. Addlynne Fox; 2. Fiona Oakes; 3. Kiera Zuch; 4. Olivia Mathes; and 5. Bailey Elliott.
Honorable mentions went to Ellie Oliver, Lily Hungerford, Kenslee Smoak, Morgenn Smoak and Kate Bennett.
Pictured from left in the youth division include Ellie Oliver with honorable mention, Kiera Zuch in third, Addlynne Fox in first, Fiona Oakes in second, and Bailey Elliott in fifth.
KNOWLESVILLE – Adriana Schiavone of Kendall sings “Journey to the Past” from Anastasia during the karaoke championship on Thursday at the Orleans County 4-H Fair.
Adriana scored first place out of 11 participants in the annual karaoke contest. She received a $500 prize. The competition has been held for “at least 30 years here,” said DJ Brad London, who has led the popular event.
Adriana, a star of Kendall school musicals, had a humble start to the karaoke contest. “I did it last year, and I didn’t go through to finals, so I came into it with the goal of just making it to finals. I knew about it since I was a little girl.”
Adriana was not expecting any prize and was all smiles when she won. “When they said 2nd, I was a little disappointed, and when they called my name, I was like, wow!”
(Left) Amir Huzair, who placed second last night, performs “Why, God, Why?” from Miss Saigon. (Center) Heidi Feuerherm sings “At Last” by Etta James. (Right) Emily Schiffhauer confidently sings “Valerie” by Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse.
Abigail Pratt, who placed third and won a $125 prize, sings “Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan. “I’m currently a music student at Fredonia,” Abigail shared. “Music has always been my specialty!”
Abigail’s interest in the karaoke competition grew as she wanted a new space to perform. “Usually I’m at a rehearsal for a summer theater program during this time, but I’ve grown out of this, so I thought, why not come to a little karaoke contest!”
Frank “Boomer’oke” Buell won the fan favorite prize for his engagement with the audience during his performance of Journey’s “Faithfully,” exiting the stage during his performance to mingle with the crowd.
This is Frank’s second year bringing his talents to the karaoke contest. “Friends at my work Wynland Foods asked me to join, and I said y’know what, I’ll sign up,” Frank said. “So, I came and ended up singing One by Creed, interacted with the audience and had a great time!”
(Left) Phoebe Allen enthusiastically sings “Unbelievable” by Diamond Rio. (Center) Samuel Robinson, placing fourth, energetically performs “Livin’ La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin, dancing across the stage. (Right) Denin “Jersey Dee” Martino gets into it performing All Jacked Up by Gretchen Wilson, ultimately placing fifth.
There were five top scorers and two additional prize winners at the karaoke contest on Thursday. Six judges announced the winners of the competition based on the criteria of 1/3 cheering, 1/3 stage presence, and 1/3 vocals. The top five contestants were all only five point values apart from each other, a testament to each one’s talent.
From left include Adriana Schiavone, first ($500 prize); Amir Huzair, second ($250 prize); Abigail Pratt, third ($125); Emily Schiffhauer, the “Best New Performer,” Samuel Robinson, fourth ($75), Denin “Jersey Dee” Martino, fifth ($50), and Frank “Boomer’oke” Buell, the fan favorite.
Audience members take to the stage as the judges tally the contestants’ point values. They danced to a couple of songs, including Cotton Eye Joe.
Provided photos: This photo shows the IFO graduating class of 2025 near the fire training tower at the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.
Press Release, Orleans County Emergency Management Office
ALBION – The Orleans County Emergency Management Office (EMO) held a graduation celebration Wednesday night at the EMO Fire Training Tower to honor the 20 students who successfully completed the Interior Firefighting Operation (IFO) training course. This course prepares graduates to operate as interior structural firefighters, meaning they engage in fire suppression and rescue operations within buildings and enclosed structures.
In his speech to graduates, Orleans County EMO Director Justin Niederhofer said, “The Interior Firefighting Operations course is no small milestone. You’ve learned to enter some of the most dangerous environments imaginable – where others run out, you’ve trained to go in. But tonight’s graduation is not the finish line. It is the starting point of a journey – a lifetime commitment to learning, to safety, and to serving others.”
In order to take the IFO course, students must have successfully completed Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations (BEFO). The BEFO session is a total of 79 training hours and IFO is an additional 50. All training is done by state fire instructors and skills instructor through the NYS Office of Fire Protection Control.
This rigorous IFO course covers a variety of areas including basic firefighter survival techniques, modern fire control methods, building fire search and victim removal techniques, firefighter survival skills, tactical ventilation, coordinated structure fire interior attack and much more. Students are also trained in use of firefighter personal protective equipment and of the self-contained breathing apparatus.
“As fire coordinator, I’ve seen firsthand the difference that well-trained, committed firefighters can make in our communities,” Niederhofer said. “The moments that test us most – structure fires, rescues, the 3 a.m. alarms in the dead of winter – are where your preparation and heart will shine the brightest. But don’t stop here. This course is a foundation, not a ceiling. Seek more training. Take the next class. Ask questions. Learn from the veterans around you, and one day, become the mentor that future firefighters will look up to. The fire service is constantly evolving – and the only way we stay effective and safe is by continuing to grow.”
The graduates and their fire department affiliation are:
Cory Fults, Clarendon
Jeffrey Casillo, Murray Joint Fire District
Carter Prince, Hamlin Morton Walker
William Parkin, Kendall
Stephen Balka, Kendall
Logan Gardner, East Shelby
Joshua Fuller, East Shelby
Robert Toman, Albion
Andrew Austin, Ridgeway
Dylan Taylor, East Shelby
Austin Seefeldt, Ridgeway
Victor Jefferds , East Shelby
Nathan Fuller, East Shelby
Alex Benz, Shelby
Chyenne Tackley, Lyndonville
Kalub Wilson, Hamlin Morton Walker
Benjamin Croce, Hamlin Morton Walker
Tervel Atanassov, Lyndonville
James Nichols, Alabama
Alexander Summers, Alabama
These photos show skills demonstrations – donning gear, forcible entry and wall breach. The firefighters include Will Parkin (Kendall), Alex Benz (Shelby) and Austin Seefeldt (Ridgeway).
BATAVIA – Genesee Community College has announced the students from Orleans County on the Dean’s List for the spring semester. There are 198 students from GCC in total named to Dean’s List.
Students honored on the Dean’s List have maintained full or part-time enrollment and earned a quality point index of 3.50 to 3.74.
