achievements

2 from Orleans headed to Girls State program this summer

Posted 23 April 2019 at 3:07 pm

Press Release, American Legion Auxiliaries from Orleans County

Provided photo: Mariah Plain, left, of Albion and Katie Pearson of Kendall will represent Orleans County at Empire Girls State.

Mariah Plain of Albion and Katie Pearson of Kendall, both juniors, were recently selected to represent the Orleans County American Legion Auxiliaries this summer at Empire Girls State to be held at The College at Brockport, June 30-July 6.

Candidates were interviewed by members of the American Legion Auxiliaries from Orleans County which resulted in Mariah and Katie being selected as Citizens.

Empire Girls State is an American Legion Auxiliary-sponsored program. Empire Girls State is a week-long, educational experience with hands-on workshops on the political process designed to create a government from the county to the state level. This mythical 51st state allows the participants to learn the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society.

Each year high school principals, with the help of teachers and guidance counselors, identify girls who are juniors in high school who are in the upper third of their class academically and who possess outstanding qualities of leadership, character, honesty, scholarship, cooperation and maturity. Those girls identified and who are interested will submit their name and resume to the Auxiliary Unit for consideration.

Final selection is made by the local American Legion Auxiliary Units. Cathy Fox serves as the Orleans County chairperson for the American Legion Auxiliary Empire Girls State.

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GO Art! will honor Mariachi De Oro

File photo by Tom Rivers: This photo from September 2017 shows some of the Rosario family members who work at Mariachi De Oro Mexican Grill in Medina. The photo includes, front row, from left: Leonel, Dolores, Isabel and Gladys. Back row: Sergio, Kevin and Donato.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 April 2019 at 4:24 pm

BATAVIA – The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council announced it will be recognizing a Medina business with an arts awards.

Mariachi De Oro Mexican Grill on Maple Ridge Road will receive the “Supporter of the Year” award from Go Art! The arts organization last year started a new tradition of annual arts awards, which GO Art! calls the Genean Awards.

Mariachi supports many cultural programs in the community. Last year Mariachi teamed with GO Art! in a Day of the Dead celebration in downtown Medina on Nov. 1. Several of Rosario family members, which own and work at Mariachi, were part of the Day of the Dead, dancing and preparing food for the community.

The event for the first time was moved from the Mariachi restaurant to downtown Medina. Moving it to the downtown was a way to include Main Street businesses and have more room to share food and the festive dances.

The Genean awards will be presented April 27 during GO Art!’s Spring Fling celebration at GO Art! headquarters on Main Street in Batavia. Click here for more information.

Other award winners include:

• Mighty St. Joe’s Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps as he “Organization of the Year.” Might St. Joe’s draws on members throughout Western New York, who have been performing at local parades and events for 29 years.

• Kathy White has been named “Individual Artist of the Year.” She is the musical director for the Harvester 56 Theater in Batavia.

The Mighty St. Joe’s Drum and Bugle Corps has performed in local parades for nearly 30 years. Here the band in shown on June 9, 2018 at the Albion Strawberry Festival.

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Pennysaver wins 7 awards in state-wide graphics contest

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 April 2019 at 9:37 am

Honors include first place awards for Visitor’s Guide and Community Directory

ALBION – The Lake Country Pennysaver won seven awards on Friday in Albany during the Free Community Papers of New York’s annual state-wide graphics awards competition.

The Pennysaver won two first-place honors for the Orleans County Visitor’s Guide and the annual Orleans County Community Directory. Those publications won the top awards for “Separate Publication – Division A magazine” and “Separate Publication – Division B magazine/heavy or glossy.”

The Lake Country Pennysaver also won second place for general excellence tabloid in Division B.

Other awards include second place, sales presentation; second place, best institutional ad Division A black and white; third place, best grocery ad for Division B in color; and third place, best institutional ad for Division A in black and white.

The Pennysaver and the Orleans Hub are both part of Lake Country Media. Karen Sawicz is the owner/publisher of the both the Pennysaver and the Orleans Hub, which are based out of 170 North Main St., Albion.

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Waterport native completes combat skills training in Navy

Staff Reports Posted 7 April 2019 at 7:50 pm

Provided photo

Bryan Vanwycke (right) of Waterport is congratulated by Capt. Michael E. Ray, commander of Coastal Riverine Group ONE. He presents Vanwycke with a certificate of completion to Embarked Security Combat Skills Class 19030 during a graduation ceremony held Friday onboard Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach.

Vanwycke is a Master at Arms Seaman Apprentice for the USA Navy. He is a 2018 Albion graduate. His parents are Gary and Jennifer Vanwycke of Waterport. Vanwycke now heads to Guam for three years.

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National Guard soldier from Albion retires from military service

Staff Reports Posted 27 March 2019 at 8:10 am

Sergeant Michael Mannara of Albion and assigned to the Company A (Distribution), 427th Brigade Support Battalion, retired from the New York Army National Guard last month after nearly 22 years of military service.

Mannara first entered the military in October 1997.

Major General Ray Shields, the Adjutant General for the State of New York, announced Mannara’s retirement.

“A full military career is a major achievement in the lives of our citizen soldiers and their families,” Shields said. “I congratulate our soldiers, their loved ones and their employers on this milestone of more than 20 years of service. We may recruit individual soldiers into our Army National Guard, but I know full well that it takes the support of a family to make this a career.”

“On behalf of our force, I extend my best wishes for their success of our retirees as they begin new chapters in their lives.”

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Louis Chraston of Medina re-enlists in National Guard

Staff Reports Posted 22 March 2019 at 7:51 am

Staff Sergeant Louis Chraston of Medina has re-enlisted for continue service with the Company A, 2-108th Infantry of the Army National Guard.

“It’s great to see soldiers staying in the Army and continuing to serve their State and Nation in the New York Army National Guard,” said Major General Ray Shields, the Adjutant General of the NY Army National Guard. “The most important Army asset we have is the individual soldier. The dedication, skills, and leadership traits they bring to our community and their employers are invaluable.”

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 choosing to stay in the Army National Guard they directly contribute to our nation’s security and to the governor’s ability to respond to disasters, all while building a bright future for their family through the Guard’s retirement, education, and health insurance programs,” Shields said.

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Albion student headed to Girls State

Posted 21 March 2019 at 9:16 pm

Photo courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – Albion student Mariah Plain is pictured with Cathy Fox, president of the American Legion Auxiliary in Orleans County President and Empire Girls State Chairperson.

Mariah, a high school junior, has been accepted to Empire Girls State. The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors Girls State, which will take place at Brockport State College from June 30 to July 6.

Girls State is open to juniors in the top third of their class. It is an experiential “government-in-learning” program that helps young women develop leadership skills as they learn about ideals and principles of government. Students participate in a variety of Americanism activities including flag raising/lowering ceremonies and learning proper flag etiquette.

Mariah is hoping to get into the Air Force Academy next year.

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Culinary students from Orleans CTE Center shine at Taste of Education

Provided photos from Orleans-Niagara BOCES – Pictured from left include Marie Reynolds (Albion), Chef Atzrott, Brandon Heschke (Medina), Zach Richbart (Barker), Jacob McKernan (Royalton-Hartland) and Courtney Lang (Medina). Not pictured: Carolina Overton, Lillee Gollhardt (Lockport) and David Baier (Royalton-Hartland).

Posted 20 March 2019 at 5:43 pm

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

Jacob McKernan of Roy-Hart won the Iron Chef competition with his partner Darian Bryan, Executive Chef for the Plating Society and head chef at Fisher Price.

DEPEW – The Culinary Arts students from the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center took home three big awards at the 15th Annual Taste of Education.

The Taste of Education introduces Western New York young chefs to the public with a friendly cooking competition where the students present a three course meal with appetizer, main course and dessert.

This year’s theme was “Get Stuffed.” There is also an Iron Chef Competition with three professional chefs paired with student sous chefs. The event was held at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens and the Western New York’s Chapter of the New York State Restaurant Association benefits from the fundraiser which they use for scholarships.

Under the direction of their teacher, Chef James Atzrott, these students won first place: David Baier (Royalton-Hartland), Lillee Gollhardt (Lockport), Brandon Heschke (Medina), Courtney Lang (Medina), Jacob McKernan (Royalton-Hartland), Carolina Overton (Lockport), Marie Reynolds (Albion) and Zach Richbart (Barker).

They won for the People’s Choice and first place for the Judges Choice for their menu of Banh Mi Sausage/Asian Pickled Spring Roll/Gochujang Aioli, Loukaniko Sausage/Stuffed Grape Leaves/Ladolemono Sauce, Stuffed Dates/Chocolate/Peanut Butter/ Sea Salt and Sweet Tofu Rangoon/Mexican Cinnamon/Chipotle Sugar.

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Medina volunteer with New York Guard recognized for service

Staff Reports Posted 19 March 2019 at 10:07 am

Pfc. Samuel Maryjanowski of Medina, serving with the 10th Area Command, received the New York Guard Recruiting Medal.

The New York Guard is a force of 500 uniformed volunteers, organized as a military unit, who augment the New York National Guard during state emergencies. They provide administrative and logistics support to the National Guard. Members of the New York Guard have been involved in flood control efforts along the Lake Ontario shoreline.

Unlike members of the New York National Guard, New York Guard members do not have a federal military role and do not deploy outside the state. New York Guard members usually train in a volunteer status and are only paid when they are placed on state duty during emergencies.

The New York Guard, which is one of 23 state defense forces around the country, is authorized to recruit just over 1,000 volunteers organized into units located across New York. Currently there are 600 New Nork Guard members.

About half of the New York Guard volunteers are former members of the active duty military or National Guard who bring a wealth of experience to the force while the other half have never served in the military. Previous military membership is not a requirement for New York Guard service.

People who have served in the military can serve in the New York Guard up until age 68. Those who have never served in the military must be between age 18 and age 55 to join.

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Albion man graduates from Marine Corps boot camp

Staff Reports Posted 18 March 2019 at 4:59 pm

Pvt. Chester B. Boring

ALBION – Pvt. Chester B. Boring, 18, of Albion graduated from United States Marine Corps boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina on Feb. 8, 2019.

Pvt. Boring successfully completed 13 weeks of intensive basic training at Parris Island as one of 514 recruits with 2nd Battalion Hotel Company Platoon 2012. While in recruit training, Pvt. Boring achieved Expert in the Marine Corps Rifle Qualification Course.

Following 10 days home on leave he reported to Camp Geiger for one month for Military Combat Training (MCT).

Pvt. Boring will be headed to Military Occupation Specialty School in Fort Lee, Virginia following his MCT training.

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