By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 February 2025 at 8:40 am
Makenzie McGrath of Medina first recipient of the honor
Provided photo: Medina music teacher Kyla Leno-Denise, left, congratulates Makenzie McGrath on being awarded the Scholar Artist Award from the Orleans County Music Educators’ Association.
The Orleans County Music Educators’ Association has created a new honor to recognize and celebrate graduating music students who demonstrate commitment and leadership in their respective music programs, while also prioritizing academics and maintaining good grades.
Makenzie McGrath, a senior at Medina, is the first recipient of the award. She received it during Saturday’s All-County Music Festival in Kendall.
“It is the intention of OCMEA to make this a long-standing recognition for years to come,” said Zach Busch, president of the Music Educators’ Association and a band teacher at Holley.
His wife Andrea, a Medina music teacher and vice president of the OCMEA, pushed to create the award. Mrs. Busch presented it during Saturday’s concert.
County music teachers were asked to nominate students who met the following criteria: a GPA of 90.0 or above, active participate in their school’s music department, and leadership in their school district and/ or community.
Makenzie McGrath has a GPA of 98.28 and is a leader in her music department. She plays clarinet in the high school wind ensemble, tenor saxophone in jazz band, sings soprano in choir and is the drum major of the Mustang Marching Band. McGrath also is involved in Medina’s Winter Guard, and both theater and dance productions at her school and in her community. She plans on attending college next year to major in music education.
“Beyond her musical talent and leadership, what truly sets Makenzie apart is the kindness and thoughtfulness she shows to others,” said Medina music teacher Kyla Leno-Denise in nominating McGrath. “In every rehearsal, she is patient and understanding with peers, taking the time to offer constructive feedback and encouragement without ever seeking recognition. Her positive attitude and willingness to support others foster an environment of collaboration and mutual respect. Makenzie has an innate ability to make others feel comfortable and confident, which is an essential quality in a team-oriented setting like the music classroom.”
McGrath was one of four nominees this year. Other nominees included Logan Trillizio from Medina, who was nominated by Matthew Jaeger, high school band director at Medina; Mallory Kozody from Albion, who was nominated by Michael Thaine, high school band director at Albion; and Owen Schultz from Holley, who was nominated by Zach Busch, band director at Holley.
“I am so proud of Makenzie and all of the other students who continuously go above and beyond to make Orleans County an amazing place for music education,” said Andrea Busch. “All four of this year’s nominees are outstanding young men and women, and I cannot thank them for the positive impact they have made.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: Makenzie McGrath, second from left, sings during the All-County Festival on Saturday at Kendall. She is next to Mallory Ashbery, left, and Madelyn Elliott, to the right of McGrath.
KENDALL – Kassidy Primmer from Kendall, assigned to the Company C of the NY National Guard Recruiting & Retention Battalion, received a promotion Jan. 30 to the rank of private.
Army National Guard promotions are based on a soldier’s overall performance, demonstrated leadership abilities, professionalism and future development potential.
Army National Guard citizen soldiers who serve the state and nation are eligible for monthly pay, educational benefits (from the state and federal government), travel across the globe, technical and leadership training, health and dental insurance and contributions towards retirement programs similar to a 401(k).
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 February 2025 at 1:40 pm
ALBANY – Eric Miller of Medina is among the 176 new State Troopers who were recognized in a graduation ceremony at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.
“I commend these 176 new troopers for dedicating themselves to public service, and their commitment to protecting the people of New York State,” Governor Kathy Hochul said. “The members of the New York State Police put their lives on the line each day to keep the rest of us safe — in a world where their mission has grown more challenging and complex. On behalf of all New Yorkers, I want to thank the graduates for their hard work and perseverance — and welcome them to the long gray line.”
Miller graduated in the 216th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy. The new State Troopers increases the State Police ranks to 5,034 sworn members.
“Today’s graduation is the culmination of six months of difficult classwork, physical training, and sacrifice, and we now welcome our newest members to one of the most prestigious and well-respected law enforcement agencies in the nation,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. “I am confident they are equipped to carry out our mission to serve our communities with the same professionalism and pride the State Police have exhibited for the past 107 years.”
CANANDAIGUA – Three students from Orleans County are among the 917 full- and part-time students named to the Dean’s List at Finger Lakes Community College for fall 2024.
To be named to the Dean’s List, students must complete 5 credits with a combined 3.5 grade point for the semester with no class withdrawals or incompletes.
BUFFALO – Buffalo State University is pleased to recognize the following students from Orleans County who have been named to the Fall 2024 Dean’s List. In general, students who have completed at least 12 credit hours and who have attained a GPA of 3.5 or higher qualify for the Buffalo State dean’s list.
The students from Orleans on the Dean’s List include:
Nicolina Creasey, Albion
India Green, Albion
Lorelei Sanders, Medina
Madison Williams, Medina
Buffalo State University is a State University of New York university located in Buffalo, New York, offering over 75 undergraduate majors, more than 60 graduate programs, as well as many minors and certificate programs.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 January 2025 at 8:45 am
The following students from Orleans County are being recognized for making the Dean’s List during the fall semester.
Two students from Orleans County – Drayven Oakes of Medina and Danielle Wyant of Albion – are on the Dean’s List at SUNY New Paltz, maintaining a grade point average of at least 3.3 while taking a full-time course load.
Two students from Orleans County made the Dean’s List at Baldwin Wallace University in Berea, Ohio.
Leah Kania of Albion is majoring in voice performance, and Kayleigh Neale of Holley is majoring in early childhood education.
To be eligible for the Dean’s List at Baldwin Wallace, students need a GPA of 3.8 or higher while being enrolled in 12 or more graded hours during the semester.
Samantha Rotoli of Holley made the Dean’s List at University of Maryland Global Campus. To be eligible for the honor, a student must complete at least six credits during the term, earned a grade point average of at least 3.5 for the term, and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at UMGC.
Nathan Stefanini from Albion, who is assigned to the Company D in the 427th Brigade Support Battalion, received a promotion Dec. 19 to the rank of private 1st class.
Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general for the state of New York, announced the promotion today.
Army National Guard promotions are based on a soldier’s overall performance, demonstrated leadership abilities, professionalism and future development potential.
The New York National Guard (New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs) is the state’s executive agency responsible to the governor for managing New York’s military forces, which consists of nearly 20,000 members of the New York Army National Guard, the New York Air National Guard, the New York Naval Militia and the New York Guard.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 January 2025 at 2:47 pm
The University at Buffalo has named 4,330 students to the fall 2024 Dean’s List including several from Orleans County.
To qualify for the Dean’s List, full-time undergraduate students must demonstrate academic excellence by earning a grade point average of at least 3.600 while completing a minimum of 15 or more UB credit hours, of which 12 are graded (A-F) credits.
The following from Orleans County are on the fall Dean’s List:
Amaya Cancino of Holley
Allison Lyndaker of Holley
Jylees Bermudez of Albion
S’koi Sanders of Albion
Brookelyn Nawotka of Medina
Jaxon Phillips of Medina
Hilda Santiago Bautista of Medina
Daniel Barry of Lyndonville
Nathan Dillenbeck of Lyndonville, New York.
Jaklin Mofardin of Lyndonville, New York.
Nazareth University in Rochester also announced Orleans County students on the Dean’s List with a GPA or at least 3.5.
The following from Orleans County made the list:
Joseph Nettles of Holley
Hailey Crawford of Albion
Tyana Burroughs of Kendall
Raine Baker of Lyndonville
Jacksonville State University in Alabama announced that Seagan Majchrzak of Medina made the Dean’s List for the fall with a GPA between 3.5-3.99.
ALFRED – The fall 2024 Dean’s List features 804 Alfred State College students, including several from Orleans County. To be named to the Dean’s List, students had to take a minimum of 12 credit hours of course work and earn a minimum 3.5 grade point average (GPA) out of a possible 4.0.
For the most recent semester, 142 of the students on the Dean’s List achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA. Students represented five different countries, 15 different states, and 57 different New York counties.
The following students from Orleans County were named to the 2024 fall dean’s list:
Julia Buck: Holley graduate, Financial Planning
Lorelei Dillenbeck: Lyndonville graduate, Diagnostic Medical Sonography
James Salvatore: Albion graduate, Motorsports Technology
Jacob Wilson: Lyndonville graduate, Elec Cons & Maintenance Electrician
“I am proud of the hard work that our students consistently display in the classroom and labs,” said Vice President for Academic Affairs Carrie Cokely, PhD. “Congratulations on this accomplishment and I encourage you to continue to strive for academic excellence.”
Other college and university achievers include:
Lillian Wilson of Medina named a Presidential Scholar at Clarkson
POTSDAM – Lillian Wilson of Medina who has been named a Presidential Scholar at Clarkson University in Potsdam.
Wilson is a sophomore majoring in biology. Presidential Scholars must achieve a minimum 3.80 grade-point average and carry at least 14 credit hours.
Carola Boza-Meade of Holley earns Dean’s List honors at SUNY Canton
CANTON – Carola T. Boza-Meade, a SUNY Canton Forensic Criminology major from Holley, earned Dean’s List honors during the fall 2024 semester.
Dean’s List recognizes full-time students who earned a GPA between 3.25 and 3.74.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 January 2025 at 10:08 pm
Orleans Hub each year highlights outstanding citizens from the previous year who made notable contributions to the community.
We are happy to shine a light on people who put their time, talent and resources into bettering Orleans County.
We are fortunate that so many look ways to help their neighbors, promote the community and preserve important local sites.
Here are some people who stood out in 2024:
Volunteer brought tenacity in getting new basketball courts in Medina
Photos by Tom Rivers: Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman is joined by many kids and local officials on May 30 for a ribbon cutting at Butts Park for two new basketball courts.
Two full-size basketball courts went in Butts Park in 2024, with a ribbon-cutting on May 30. A Medina teacher and coach worked hard on the effort for four years, contacting contractors for bids, helping to secure funding and donations towards the project.
Melissa Valley
Melissa Valley said the outdoor courts have been long overdue. She has been thrilled going by the courts this summer and fall, seeing so many people playing on the courts that have a vibrant red and blue color for the Medina Mustangs.
“It makes me so happy when I drive by and see people out there,” Valley said recently.
She pushed the idea and people rallied, including the Medina Village Board and Shelby Town Board, which both approved a portion of their ARPA funds (American Rescue Plan Act) from the federal government. Medina allotted $110,000 in ARPA, while Shelby gave $10,000.
Valley also secured a $3,332 donation from the Medina Sports Boosters and contacted Shelby Crushed Stone owner Tom Biamonte, who donated 800 tons of stone valued at $9,000 towards the courts.
Valley worked on the project for four years. When restrictions lifted during the Covid-19 pandemic, she knew people wanted to get out and be with friends. Basketball courts would have been a great way to be active and have fun with friends, but Medina didn’t have any community courts.
Valley made it a mission to get them, contacting contractors to get bids for site work, seal the courts, and four adjustable backboards and hoops.
“People wanted the new courts,” Valley said. “It wasn’t just a one-man show. It was the community that got this done.”
Tattoo artist builds thriving business while backing toy drive, fundraiser for stray cats
Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoo, celebrated the opening of Canalside’s new location on Aug. 18, which was also Canalside’s annual “Caturday” fundraiser for the Cat by Cat, Inc. organization in Medina.
Canalside had 13 tattoo artists and other body piercers, as well as 150 gift baskets as part of the fundraiser that raised about $24,000. That is up from $18,000 in 2023 and $10,000 in 2022. The Medina “Cat by Cat” team cares for about 150 cats a year. Feral or community cats remains in “overwhelming” problem in Medina and Orleans County.
Ramsey last summer moved Canalside from Main Street to 627 West Ave. The business has steadily grown since he opened in 2015 in a small storefront on East Center Street. In 2017, he moved to Main Street at the former Curvin’s News, tripling his space from the first location. He then expanded next door on Main Street in 2020, giving him 3,500 square feet.
Last year he moved to the former AJ’s Play Date. Ramsey turned the site into the “Fantasy Factory” giving tattoo artists their own partitioned space, providing more privacy.
Ramsey also has hosted a toy drive during Medina’s Parade of Lights. The new Canalside site again was a popular place for people to give toys that were then distributed to children by Community Action and the Medina Area Association of Churches.
Ramsey and his staff bring a good vibe to Medina and show time and again their big hearts.
Social media star uses platform to help family that suffered heartbreak
Diane Shiffer has an enormous following on social media as “YourChubbyVintageNana.”
In an era when many go on to social media to complain, bully and belittle, Diane Shiffer has built a massive following for her kindness.
Shiffer may have the largest platform or megaphone in Orleans County. She has more than 1 million followers on both Instagram and TikTok. She uses the hashtag: “YourChubbyVintageNana.” She shares videos about fashion from a bygone era and her life at home in Albion, often sipping coffee and watering her plants. She tries to make her huge crowd of followers feel loved.
Shiffer, back in early May, did something out of the norm. She asked her social media followers to donate to a family in Medina that suffered a tragic loss. Those followers responded in a big way, donating $100,000 to a Medina family that suffered heartbreak.
Shiffer, a retired teacher, has a close friendship with Kelsey Dreisbach, who helps care for Shiffer’s daughter who has Down syndrome and often takes her on fun activities. Dreisbach and her husband John have two children. They were pregnant with a third child, but Kelsey had a miscarriage and then was hospitalized with septicemia.
Kelsey Dreisbach said the outpouring of support were very uplifting during such a difficult time.
“The money has literally changed our lives and allowed us to remove financial worries from the equation for the first time ever,” she told the Orleans Hub on May 8. “And the comments and messages from people all over the world have helped me heal more than I would have ever expected – so many people have made it very clear that we are not alone.”
Holley library director expanded children’s programming, embraced public art and outreach to veterans
Sandra Shaw is shown inside the children’s library at Community Free Library on Sept. 7. During her tenure as library director, the library doubled in size with dedicated space for children.
Sandra Shaw in her 16 years as director of Community Free Library in Holley expanded programming and outreach to the community, and embraced public art with two large-scale murals on the back of the building, embracing Holley’s canal and agricultural heritage.
Shaw retired on Oct. 17 after 19 years as director. She was back at the library on Nov. 11 for another one of her missions: leading the community in writing Christmas cards to local veterans. That effort usually results in 500 cards with hand-written messages for veterans in the community, including those in nursing homes.
Shaw was a regular at local municipal board meetings, updating village and town officials about the library and its programs.
She led the library in acquiring a former video store next door where the library expanded in 2008 and dedicated that space for children’s programs and materials.
Shaw secured grants from the state to replace the roof, air-conditioning and furnaces. She wanted the library accessible and comfortable for community members.
During the Covid-19 pandemic when the library was closed to the public, Shaw and the library staff took requests from residents for books, and then had the books ready in the lobby for pickup.
Sandra Shaw congratulates Arthur Barnes on Sept.7 for the completion of his mural on the back of the library. The huge painting celebrates Holley’s agricultural roots. Tony Barry painted the other mural in 2023 with a canal theme.
Holley student working at Subway springs into action, performs CPR
Provided photo: Leigha Walker is shown at the Brockport Subway. She started working there in February 2024. On June 9 she did CPR on a man who was unconscious after crashing into a support beam in front of the Subway.
Leigha Walker knows how to take charge of a situation. She has been catcher for Holley’s softball teams, a key member on the Sectional winning soccer team in 2023 and a horseback rider.
On June 9, she showed her ability to quickly size up a situation and spring into action. She was working the morning shift at the Brockport Subway. A man was driving a vehicle when he had a heart attack and became unconscious. He crashed into a pole outside the Subway where Leigha was working.
She heard the crash and immediately called 911 at about 10 a.m. Leigha grabbed a wooden rod so a bystander could break the passenger window of the pickup truck and then unlock the vehicle.
Leigha and co-worker got the man out of the truck and onto the ground. Leigha checked his vital signs. When the Brockport Fire District ambulance pulled up, a medic urged someone to start CPR.
Leigha did more than 30 compressions to keep the man’s blood moving. Then the Brockport ambulance personnel used an AED to get the man’s heart restarted. He was then transported by ambulance to a hospital.
The man, Jack Brennan, is doing well today. He is a longtime softball umpire and called balls and strikes at some of Holley’s games, with Leigha inches away as the catcher.
Leigha said she is thankful the school district offered a class where she learned CPR. That class is taught by her soccer coach, Renee Wolf. Leigha has since graduated from Holley and now plays soccer for Morrisville State College. Her quick response made a life-saving difference for Brennan.
Medina teacher and historian pushes preservation efforts at Boxwood Cemetery
Photo by Tom Rivers: Todd Bensley, center right, shows Dave and Gail Miller, the restored stained-glass window in the chapel at Boxwood Cemetery on May 18. The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery rededicated the window and invited the community to see a cleaned up chapel. Bensley has written two books about the cemetery and donated the proceeds to Boxwood.
Todd Bensley is busy working full-time as a teacher in Medina and part-time as the village historian. In recent years he has made time to promote and preserve Boxwood Cemetery.
He was able to get the cemetery on North Gravel Road listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He has written two books about the historic cemetery and donated proceeds to improvements at Boxwood.
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Todd Bensley is shown during a book-signing in April when his second book about Boxwood became available.
He is also part of an active group, Friends of Boxwood, that hosts a popular fundraiser, Boxwood at Night, where people can tour the cemetery at night and see lighting displays, guides portraying famous residents and some that may be overlooked, including people in a potter’s field. The Boxwood event gives a new and existing twist to a cemetery tour.
Bensley has connected students to projects at the cemetery, including gravestone cleaning, branch trimming and other tasks.
Bensley and the Friends of Boxwood completed a major milestone project at the cemetery this past year when a stained-glass window of an angel in the chapel was restored.
The volunteers raised $6,500 to have Valerie O’Hara from Pike Stained Glass Studio in Rochester repair the window. O’Hara took apart the bottom half of the window and rebuilt the artwork that is more than a century old.
The Friends of Boxwood also cleaned out the chapel, painted the interior, and put in new doors on the inside leading to the room where bodies were stored in the winter.
“We’re trying to bring it back to life,” Bensley said during the May 18 open house at the chapel. “The more people we get in here, the more people who will want to support the cemetery.”
Bensley has helped bring renewed pride and appreciation for the historic site.
He has long been an energetic participant in many community events and activities. He has coached T-ball and powder puff, served as president of the Medina Historical Society, and was a board member of Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, Village Board, and Medina Planning Board.
Medina woman helps make Christmas a reality for 200-plus children
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Sherry Tuohey-Sipple, the leader of the MAAC Christmas Barrel program the past seven years, is shown in early November with 40 barrels to be distributed into the community. Local businesses, churches and organizations host the barrels that are filled with donations of toys, hats, mittens, canned goods and gifts.
Sherry Tuohey-Sipple works all year to make Christmas a reality for more than 200 children in the Medina area.
The past seven years she has headed the MAAC Christmas Barrel program, where 40 barrels are set up at local businesses, churches and organizations for people to leave toys, gifts, canned food and other donations.
Tuohey-Sipple leads a team of volunteers that sort those donations, and go hunting in stores for more. Tuohey-Sipple keeps a close eye on bargains throughout the year for the holiday event.
“It requires a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes work,” she said. “I want to be there for the community and help the community. There are so many families that are less unfortunate.”
The toys, mittens, hats and gifts are sorted by volunteers who organize them for kids by gender and age groups. Besides the 200-plus children, there are about 150 adults who receive food and a gift, often a crocheted blanket.
Many of the locations have hosted a barrel for years. But Tuohey-Sipple said some businesses and organizations close or relocate, so each year she typically finds two or three new spots for barrels.
She appreciates the community’s generosity in giving the gifts and donations, and a team of 25 to 35 volunteers who put in so much time, especially sorting out toys.
Canalside Tattoo Company also has been a big plus with its toy drive, and Medina firefighters for more than 50 years have delivered the barrels out in the community, picked them up and then distributed the toys and gifts to families in Medina.
Tuohey-Sipple has been the guiding hand behind it the past seven years, staying in contact with volunteers and others who help with a the mighty effort each year.
Retired teacher continues to welcome Holley first-graders to farm
Lynn Vendetti shows the students a pumpkin that was hit by hail by hail on Aug. 11, causing some scarring.
Photos by Tom Rivers
Lynn Vendetti leads a group of Holley first-graders in picking pumpkins on Oct. 4 at Vendetti Farms.
Vendetti, a retired Holley teacher since 2017, and her family have welcomed first-graders at the farm since 2008. About 60 students get to pick out a pumpkin to take home.
The students also meet farm animals, can see big tractors and farm machinery up close, and enjoy a hay ride. The kids play a variety of games with pumpkins including pumpkin bowling, tic tac toe, ring toss and pumpkin stacking.
Vendetti wants to help the students and teachers with their curriculum of learning about the fall, and also give them a memorable day out.
She and her family are generous to students, and explain what they are seeing on the farm, which is a four-generation operation with crops grown on about 2,500 acres. It is an exciting day for the kids, who are delighted to pick out a pumpkin, pet a goat and walk through vines and dirt.
Vendetti Farms was started by Anthony Vendetti, who was followed by Albert, then Lynn’s husband Bob, and their sons, Bobby, Ryan and Andrew.
Lynn Vendetti also has coordinated the Girls on the Run program at Holley Central School, which encourages girls to be more physically active before they move up to junior-senior high school. She also serves on the board for the United Way in Orleans County.
Citizen tries to bring change with update of ordinances for backyard chickens
These inflatables of chickens were part of a Fourth of July float in Lyndonville’s big parade.
We don’t see to many citizen-led movements to change local laws these days, outside of people posting a comment or diatribe on social media.
But Kate Hardner of Lyndonville attended numerous local government meetings, pressed her cause in a float, shared pamphlets from a booth at the county fair, distributed yard signs, wrote a letter to the editor and looked up other municipal laws.
Provided photo: Kate Hardner of Lyndonville led an effort to have local villages update their ordinance to allow backyard chickens.
Her mission: to have backyard chickens in the four Orleans County villages. Hardner would like a small flock, up to six chickens, and no roosters. The chickens owners would have to keep the coops clean.
Lyndonville and Medina would discuss the issue at multiple meetings, and Lyndonville’s Planning Board presented a suggested ordinance to the Village Board to consider. But both Lyndonville and Medina ultimately didn’t pass updated ordinances.
Hardner deserves credit for bringing an issue to public debate, and doing it in a respectful way that engaged the community.
She didn’t get what she wanted, but she showed how citizens can try to bring about change.
Hardner and supporters of “For Cluck’s Sake” say a small group of chickens are not livestock, and they provide nutritional and mental health benefits for families.
Hardner had chickens on her Lyndonville property for seven years with no neighbor complaints until being told to remove them by the village code enforcement officer. Her family initially had them for her daughter’s 4-H project but saw chickens as a sustainable food source for the family, especially during Covid with food supply shortages and in times of fluctuating egg prices.
“Orleans County, with its strong agricultural history, is woefully behind the times in its viewpoint of backyard chicken keeping,” she said. “At this time in our lives, it is easier to own chickens in the suburbs and in the city then it is out here in rural America.”
Dog trainer guides incarcerated women in working with dogs, making the canines more family-friendly for adoptions
Provided photos: (Left) An incarcerated woman at Albion Correctional Facility is pictured with Rogan. (Right) Dawn Spencer, the volunteer trainer, is shown with Rogan and Aries. Two dogs went through 12 weeks of obedience training led by Spencer.
Dawn Spencer of Kent, a dog trainer with more 25 years of experience, has volunteered her time in recent years, working with incarcerated women in Orleans County to train dogs.
The dogs learn obedience training and become more family-friendly to be adopted from PAWS Animal Shelter. Spencer goes to the prison once a week and instructs the incarcerated women on the 10 skills the dogs must master through the AKC Canine Good Citizen Program. She did two 12-week programs the past year at the Albion Correctional Facility.
The incarcerated people find joy and acceptance in working with the canines. Prison officials say the dogs’ presence provides an uplifting element to the prisons.
Spencer runs Eye of Oden K9 Training. She has led about 20 dogs through the program at Albion Correctional, making them better pets for their new homes.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Dawn Spencer of the Eye of Oden tosses glitter into the air on Main Street during the Strawberry Festival Parade on June 8. Spencer and about a dozen people from Eye of Oden walked with dogs in the parade. The Eye of Oden participates in many community parades throughout the year, demonstrating the dogs’ obedience skills.
A rocking concert in opera house and a Christmas float in honor of Santa School founder
Lou Gramm gave a high-energy performance on June 23, belting out tunes from Black Sheep, a Rochester band from the 1970s. Michael Bonafede plays drums for the band. He welcomed the group into the Pratt Theater in Albion.
Michael Bonafede has long been a community volunteer and advocate in Albion, serving on the Board of Education for many years, leading the Strawberry Festival, opening his Gaines Basin Road property to youth soccer, and many other efforts.
In 2024, he pulled off two major victories for the community: Hall of Fame rocker Lou Gramm performed to full houses at the Pratt Theater and Bonafede led volunteers in building a signature float in honor of Charles W. Howard for a lighted parade on Dec. 14.
Bonafede was a drummer in Black Sheep, a band with Gramm (then known as Lou Grammatico) before Gramm went on to fame with the band Foreigner.
Bonafede and his wife Judith Koehler own the Pratt Theater with the third floor opera house. They have poured their time, talent and resources into the building the past two decades. One June 23, Gramm took the stage to a capacity crowd of 300 people. It was a thrill for the crowd and the Black Sheep band, which played a reunion concert. Bonafede wants to make the stage available for more community events. The Pratt and Day buildings, which the Bonafede family owns, are a bright spot on Main Street, home to several tenants.
Michael Bonafede and a team of volunteer made a float in honor of Charles W. Howard. They worked about a month on the project.
Later in the year, Bonafede wanted to help build on the momentum with Albion’s ties to Charles W. Howard, who ran a Santa School in Albion from 1937 until his death in 1966. Howard remains revered among people who portray Santa.
Albion has been trying to honor Howard’s legacy and create more holiday magic. The committee working on a lighted parade named the event the Charles W. Howard Hometown Parade.
Bonafede and group of volunteers wanted a signature float in Howard’s style to cap the parade. They built a 20-by-10 foot deck on a trailer for the float. It had enough room for an 8-piece band on the back of the float with a sleigh for Santa in the middle and the reindeer up front. The reindeer appear to be taking off in flight.
Bonafede and the volunteers did the float in Howard’s style, taking pieces and materials they found and using creativity and a flair.
The float was finished in time to give Santa and a band a ride in the parade on June 14.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 December 2024 at 9:36 pm
Parada portrays Santa to 10,000 people each year in Lockport at Christmas Cottage
File photos by Tom Rivers: Christopher Parada portrays Santa in December 2018 and greets a young girl at the Christmas Cottage, a site he designed and built with his father in 2010 at a park in Lockport.
LOCKPORT – Medina native Christopher Parada, who portrays Santa each year to about 10,000 people at the Christmas Cottage in Lockport, has been inducted in the Santa Claus Hall of Fame.
Parada, a 2002 Medina High School graduate, built the Christmas Cottage in 2010 with assistance from his father, Daniel Parada. The 15-by-15-foot cottage is at Day Road Park in the Town of Lockport.
Parada has a tribute set up in the building for the late Charles W. Howard, founder of the Santa School in Albion from 1937 to 1966.
Howard was in the charter class of the Santa Claus Hall of Fame in 2010.
Parada’s induction was announced today by the Hall of Fame. Click here to see the group’s website which shows all of the inductees since 2010.
The Hall of Fame states the following about Parada:
Photo from Santa Claus Hall of Fame: Christopher Parada gives a very convincing portrayal of Santa.
“Christopher is a true renaissance man in the entertainment industry, directing and producing theatrical productions as the Executive Director of the Historic Palace Theatre for over 20 years.
“In 2010, he founded, built, and created the Santa Claus Christmas Cottage in Lockport, New York. This enchanting destination allows families to visit Santa Claus each Christmas season at no cost. Each year, over 10,000 visitors come to experience the magic of the holiday spirit in this special place. Christopher’s work and dedication has made a lasting impact on the community, bringing joy and festive cheer to families during the most wonderful time of the year, creating ‘Community Togetherness.’
“Growing up just a stone’s throw away from the historic and prestigious Santa Claus school in Albion, New York, Chris was surrounded by the magical world of Santa Claus from a young age. The stories, the spirit of giving, and the joyful atmosphere filled his childhood with wonder. However, it was the theatrical design of the iconic Santa Suit that truly captured his heart.
“Chris honors this cherished tradition by creating historic department store Santa Claus Suits, ensuring that the magic of ‘Nostalgic & New’ continues to delight generations.”
Parada first portrayed Santa in high school. When he was a teen he learned about Charles Howard. Parada learned about the local community’s connection to Howard from his late grandmother, Elaine Janele, who was the children’s librarian at the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina. She created the Santa Claus story hour at the library.
“It intrigued me so much when I found out about this school,” Parada said in a previous interview with the Orleans Hub.
Parada has a Howard suit on display, and black-and-white photos from when LIFE magazine visited the school in Albion in 1961. He has other merchandise, including an admission ticket to Christmas Park, a “Family Funderland.”
“I wanted there to be a connection to where the spark came from, where it all started,” Parada said. “For Albion to be home to the Santa Claus School is a really cool thing.”
He has visited the school, which is now in Midland, Mich. He follows the principles taught by Howard for Santas with how he acts and looks. Parada also plays the role for free at the cottage. He accepts donations which he uses for landscaping at the site and for materials.
Parada wears a suit in the style designed by Howard. The suit is made of wool – not velvet or plush. He has a white shawl collar that is about 6 inches wide all the way around, and has a yarn pom pom tassel on the hat. His beard and wig are made of yak hair, which can be styled with a curling iron.
He also followed Howard’s example with a shiny leather belt with a big silver buckle.
When Parada decided to build a Christmas Cottage, he scouted sites in Lockport. He liked the spot at the town park, next to a big parking lot. The park is popular with its playground, soccer field and other amenities.
Parada had a feeling the cottage would be a hit, especially if it was free for families. He saw Santas in the malls where there was a hefty charge for a photo and the Santas didn’t seem to engage with the children.
“In the mall it’s a nightmare,” he said in the previous interview. “People tell me this is so much better than the mall.”
Parada wanted to create a site where people would feel like they’re going into a storybook.
“Santa and Christmas are fun,” he said. “It’s exciting, it’s happiness. The world needs more of that.”
Parada is the fourth Orleans County person in the Santa Claus Hall of Fame. Besides him and Howard, the Hall of Fame inducted Santa Suit maker Elizabeth Babcock in 2019, and George Cond in 2016. Cond was hand-picked by Howard to be the Santa at Christmas Park in Albion.
A Charles Howard suit is on display in the Christmas Cottage, as well as information about Elizabeth Babcock, who made the Santa suits.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 December 2024 at 9:49 pm
File photo: Adam Kirby holds the trophy for winning the 2019 corn yield contest in New York.
ALBION – A local corn grower is the state winner for highest corn yield in conventional irrigated class.
Adam Kirby of Albion won the title with a yield of 290.548 bushels per acre. He grew the crop with a Pioneer hybrid seed – PO859AM*. He used a John Deere planter and a Case IH to harvest in the corn.
Kirby’s top yield was announced by the National Corn Growers Association in its 60th annual yield contest. Kirby won one of the state categories from 2019 to 2021.
He will be honored at Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado, from March 2-4 with 27 national and 535 state winners from around the country.
David Hula of Charles City, Virginia had the top yield in United States at 490.6276 bushels per acre in the strip-till irrigated division.
For more information on the corn yield contest, click here.
Provided photos: Local professionals who attended the suicide prevention conference are, from left, Lynne C. Mignemi, Morgan Williams, Sue Gagne, Katelyn Zufall, Sara Andrew, Cheryl Netter, Sherri Bensley and Nola Goodrich-Kresse. Peter Mittiga also attended.
BATAVIA – The Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming Pathway to Hope Suicide Prevention Coalition was recognized at the 2024 Suicide Prevention Conference in Albany last month for excellence in the Lethal Means Safety category.
Sara Andrew, a licensed clinical social worker and community engagement and partnership coordinator at the VA Medical Center in Batavia, accepted an award on behalf of GOW Pathway to Hope.
The coalition was nominated for this award by Lynda Battaglia, director of Community Services in Genesee County in partnership with Kelly Dryja, director of Community Services in Wyoming County and Danielle Figura, director of Community Services in Orleans County.
Sara Andrew, community engagement and partnership coordinator at the VA Medical Center in Batavia, accepts an award on behalf of the GOW Pathway to Hope Suicide Prevention Coalition, from Dr. Thomas Smith, chief medical officer, New York State Office of Mental Health, at the 2024 Suicide Prevention Conference in Albany.
Andrew works with coalitions in Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming and Niagara counties to implement community-based interventions for suicide coalition, with a focus on service members, veterans and their families.
About 150 professionals in the suicide prevention field attended the conference at the Desmond Hotel Crowne Plaza.
Lethal means are objects (e.g., medications, firearms, sharp instruments) that can be used to inflict self-directed violence. Lethal Means Safety is an intentional, voluntary practice to reduce one’s suicide risk by limiting access to those lethal means.
In submitting the nomination form, Battaglia outlined steps being taken by the local coalition to reduce means of harm.
“For the GOW Pathway to Hope Suicide Prevention Coalition, it might mean having someone taking a few extra minutes of having to unlock a gun safe or unlocking medications that can give someone that time to pause and not make an impulsive decision, such as suicide,” she wrote.
“We know that people have access to lethal means in their environment and we know the goal of lethal means safety is to promote and give opportunities between thinking of suicide and acting on it for individuals. Preventing access to lethal means in that very moment gives that person a couple of life saving minutes to think about what they are doing and to reach out for help instead.”
Battaglia pointed out that the local coalition has worked to overcome “unique challenges” faced by rural areas, such as accessibility to services and lack of transportation. She noted that suicide in agriculture and farming – key industries of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties – is on the rise.
“While the coalition focuses on the needs of each county, collectively the coalition is stronger working together,” she wrote. “This is demonstrated on a routine basis in ways of sharing resources, education, supports, and promoting efforts to reduce stigma associated with mental illness and suicide by close partnership and collaboration of efforts.”
GOW Pathway to Hope has adopted an evidenced based, suicide prevention initiative that was initially developed in Virginia. The Lock & Talk training educates local residents on what Lethal Means Safety is while encouraging communities to engage in mental wellness conversations.
“Locking/safely securing or removing lethal means is one of the few evidence-based strategies to substantially prevent suicide- many suicides occur with little planning during a short-term crisis,” Battaglia wrote. “Talking can often alleviate distress and reduce the intention to act on suicidal thoughts. It’s also about sharing resources and getting the right help to the right individuals who need it, when they need it.”
Thus far, GOW Pathway to Hope has distributed around 400 Lock & Talk bags that each include a cable gun lock, locking medication pouch or medication lockbox, a pre-paid medication disposal envelope among other local and national resources.
Additionally, about two dozen LMS trainings have been provided to human service professionals as gatekeepers, who in turn received the Lock & Talk bags to provide to community members in need, and several firearm safety for suicide prevention workshops have been conducted.
For more information about the Lock and Talk program, email spcgenesee@gmail.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2024 at 1:55 pm
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Provided photos
HOLLEY – The Holley Village Board last week honored Sal DeLuca as Holle’s Citizen of the Year.
DeLuca was hailed for his long-time contributions on the Board of Education, as a coach and with the Holley Sports Boosters.
The top photo from left shows village trustees Rochelle Moroz and Jessica MacClaren, Sal DeLuca, Mayor Mark Bower, and trustees John Morriss and Jim DeFilipps.
The photo at right shows Mayor Bower presenting the award.
“Sal DeLuca has given an enormous amount of his time in service to the Holley community as a school board member and coach,” Bower said. “ He has impacted numerous Holley residents for the better.”
ONEONTA – Daisy Perez-Reyes and the SUNY Oneonta iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) team traveled to Paris in late October to compete in the annual iGEM Grand Jamboree and received a gold medal in its first-ever collaboration with students and faculty from Hartwick College.
Perez-Reyes of Albion is studying Sociology at SUNY Oneonta.
The iGEM Grand Jamboree is a competition where teams of students from around the world “push the boundaries of synthetic biology by tackling everyday issues facing the world.” More than 450 teams registered for the competition this year, making the 2024 Grand Jamboree the largest in iGEM history. This was the fifth competition for the SUNY Oneonta team, which won silver medals in the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
“We could not be prouder of this year’s team, not only for their success, but also for their enthusiasm and dedication to having a positive impact on the world,” said Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Kelly Gallagher, who advises the team alongside Associate Professor of Biology Jill Fielhaber.
“Receiving a gold medal represents the culmination of countless hours spent both in and outside of the lab from every student,” said Dr. Fielhaber. “Our team’s first collaboration with students and faculty from Hartwick College makes receiving SUNY Oneonta’s first gold medal all the more significant.”
This year’s team included 16 SUNY Oneonta students from a wide variety of majors – including Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Dietetics, Early Childhood/Childhood Education, Earth Science, English, Exercise Science, Philosophy, Political Science and Sociology. They worked on both the scientific and human practices aspects of the project.
Hartwick team members included majors in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry and Mathematics. Together under the mentorship of faculty from both SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick, the students worked on a project titled, “pHish and CHIPS,” to create a device that would neutralize water automatically after detecting the presence of extreme pH imbalances.
“It all started with thinking about what the CHIPS and Science Act meant for upstate New York and all the investment in semiconductor manufacturers that has impacted the state,” said Dr. Gallagher.
Signed into law by President Biden in August 2022, the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act has accelerated the development of new semiconductor chip fabrication plants throughout the United States, with two plants planned for construction near Oneonta. Research for the team’s “pHish and CHIPS” project began in April 2024.
According to the team’s project description, water is crucial to the manufacturing process of semiconductor chips. Prior to release or recycling of these chips, fabricators purify their wastewater by adjusting the pH level and removing contaminants called polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). With millions of gallons of water to process daily, real-time pH adjustment presents sustainability and water management challenges.
Part of the iGEM students’ goal was to use their knowledge of synthetic biology to design a pH-sensitive wastewater system that would “turn on” and release buffers to neutralize the water in the presence of pH extremes during the chip fabrication process.
While one part of the team was concerned with the research and development of the pH device, the human practices group investigated the ethical and regulatory landscape of the project and how to best engage public interests and concerns.
This included how to successfully approach corporate sponsorship, researching what human impacts are related to these types of waste streams, where current holes in regulations exist and what can be done to help close those gaps, and how the group can improve industry issues.
Together, the full team worked on “pHish and CHIPS” with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Six (Ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all) and Nine (Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation) in mind.
The 2024 iGEM Grand Jamboree was four days long, from Oct. 23-26, at the Paris Convention Center – a roughly 15-minute drive from the Eiffel Tower.
At the conference, the team had a booth set up and coordinated times for each member to represent “pHish and CHIPS.” With guidance from their faculty advisors, each student was prepared to answer questions during the judging session by being an expert on at least one part of their project. When they weren’t at the booth, the students explored the other presentations at the Grand Jamboree.
