achievements

Ward Dobbins has taken Lyndonville apple packing and sales business to new level

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 21 September 2016 at 4:13 pm

Chamber honors H.H. Dobbins owner as ‘Business Person of the Year’

Photos by Tom Rivers: Ward Dobbins is pictured inside H.H. Dobbins while Gala apples are being packed on Tuesday. Dobbins has worked at the company for 30 years, and led a big expansion last year with plans for a bigger packing line next year.

LYNDONVILLE – An apple packing business that started in 1905 by the Dobbins family has grown to a worldwide footprint under the leadership of the fourth-generation owner, Ward Dobbins.

H.H. Dobbins packs 1 million bushels of apples a year, and about 20 to 25 percent are shipped out of country to the United Kingdom, Israel, Iceland, Central America and other distant locales. (Dobbins sold the first U.S. apples into Cuba when the embargo was lifted.)

Workers on the packing line check Gala apples for any defects on Tuesday. Dobbins has about 75 full-time employees in Lyndonville.

Most of the apples packed and sold by Dobbins are grown nearby in Orleans County.

Dobbins, the company owner and chief executive officer, likes the company’s position in the apple market.

Last year it completed a $3.4 million project, adding a 26,240-square-foot controlled atmosphere storage building on Millers Road, about 2 miles from the main packing house on West Avenue.

The new CA boosts Dobbins on-site storage to 300,000 bushels of apples. The CA also acts to put apples “to sleep,” allowing them to be stored for many months, sometimes up to a year.

The ability to pull apples out of storage well after the harvest season means Dobbins can become a year-round packing operation.

The Chamber of Commerce on Friday recognized Dobbins with its “Business Person of the Year” award.

Ward Dobbins is pictured outside the 26,240-square-foot controlled atmosphere storage building that opened last year on Millers Road.

Dobbins said the company’s success is due to a talented management team, dedicated employees and the high-quality apples from so many excellent local growers.

“We have a great team here,” Dobbins said. “I wouldn’t be doing what I am without them.”

Lyndonville has proven to be a great location for the business because the company is nestled nicely in the Lake Ontario fruit belt with growers from Niagara, Orleans, Monroe and Wayne counties.

Those farmers have switched in recent years to popular varieties such as Honeycrisp and many have planted high-density orchards which boosts the yield per acre.

“The growers around here are top-notch,” Dobbins said. “They have the new varieties and systems.”

Dobbins works with about 30 farms, but about 10 supply most of the 1 million bushels packed and shipped from Dobbins each year.

Those apples are packed for well-known customers including Costco, Sam’s Club, Aldi and the Stop & Shop grocery chain.

Ward Dobbins is pictured with some key members of the leadership team, including from left: Brent Baker, international accounts manager; Dobbins, Sheila Dobbins, (Ward's wife) and the company controller; and Ron Wilkowski, general manager.

Ward Dobbins is pictured with some key members of the leadership team, including from left: Brett Baker, international accounts manager; Dobbins; Sheila Dobbins, (Ward’s wife) and the company controller; and Ron Wilkowski, general manager.

There used to be many more packing houses in the region, but many consolidated with larger packing houses serving many farms. Dobbins said his company’s goal is to operate as efficiently and inexpensively as possible to be in the best position to serve the apple growers and Dobbins’ customers.

The packing houses have become high-tech with CA storage that effectively put apples to sleep to allow some of the fruit to be stored for nearly a year. That happens by dropping the oxygen levels to about 2 percent (compared to 20-21 percent of the air people breathe). The CA rooms also have carbon scrubbers that drop CO2 levels to about 2 percent.

The CA storage rooms release nitrogen that displaces oxygen. The new rooms are airtight without leaks. Some of the older CA rooms aren’t as tight and cost more to run.

Dobbins is looking to upgrade its packing house even more. The company plans to replace a packing line next year with new technology that can detect internal and external blemishes on fruit.

Some of the packing house leaders include, from left: Brian Murray, quality manager; Sherri Seefeldt, line operations and production supervisor; and Kyle Merritt, production manager.

Dobbins has 75 workers and many work on the packing lines, sorting out fruit that doesn’t quite look perfect. The new packing line will have a defect sorter that quickly scans for exterior imperfections in fruit. The big advantage to the technology will be seeing problems inside the fruit, such as water coring, that aren’t detectable to the human eye.

A truck from LynOaken Farms pulls up outside the new CA storage building on Millers Road. Dobbins said the company is fortunate to work with many of the leading growers in the region.

Dobbins said the new line won’t displace workers. They will instead be packing boxes and bags of fruit. The new line will increase the volume from 140 bushels packed per hour to 900 bushels, Dobbins said.

The new packing line will require an addition at the West Avenue complex. It will replace a packing line that is 20 years old.

Dobbins said there have been numerous technology innovations in the packing industry, from production lines to building designs.

The industry has also experienced major changes in food safety, from establishing standards for traceability to how workers handle fruit. (Visitors also must sign in, wear company-issued coats and either hair nets or hats. They also need to answer questions about any recent illnesses and medication they are using.)

With traceability, Dobbins can tell which bag of apples comes from which farm, and can even say which field it came from. Every bin of apples delivered at Dobbins is labelled by the farm. When the apples are packed and bagged, there will be a record on the bag noting which farm the apple is from. Should there ever be an outbreak of a foodborne illness, Dobbins can trace it to the farm.

Dobbins has two employees dedicated to food safety and five more that work in quality control.

“The consumer should feel very good,” he said about the many safety steps taken by Dobbins and the industry.

Dobbins about five years ago also merged its sales division with United Apples Sale Inc. to create United Apple Sales.

The apples are stacked high in the new CA storage building.

That company has boosted the exports for Dobbins. The company also opened a new office last week in the state of Washington, the country’s leading apple-producing state. (New York is second.)

Dobbins said the New York apple industry is in a good position. He mentioned a few reasons:

“We have the Great Lakes and rainfall,” he said. “We have access to a huge percentage of the population within an 8-hour drive from here. People are becoming more health conscious.”

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Lions keep up the pride and service to community

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 September 2016 at 4:41 pm

Chamber honors 5 clubs for good deeds

Photos by Tom Rivers: Leaders from the five Lions Clubs in Orleans County are pictured on Friday when the clubs were presented Community Service Awards from the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce. Pictured from left includes: Kendall President Tom Minigiello; Medina Past President Jim Hancock; Mary Janet Sahukar, president of the Albion Lions; Kevin Johnson, Clarendon’s president; and Terry Stinson, third vice president for Lyndonville.

GAINES – Lions Club members have been giving back in Orleans County for nearly a century, beginning in 1924 when the Albion club was chartered.

There are now five clubs in the county with about 200 members. They tackle many community service projects, from planning an annual music festival, to community cleanups, to running the Fourth of July bash in Lyndonville. They serve hot dogs, provide scholarships, and look out for residents in need.

The Rev. Wilfred Moss, a past president of the Lions Club and a member since 1997, leads the group prayer during the Club’s 90th anniversary celebration in 2014.

The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce has recognized the Lions with a Community Service Award. The five clubs all had representatives at Friday’s awards dinner, when the plaques were handed out.

The Lions founder, Melvin Jones, was in insurance business in Chicago and pushed to start the humanitarian organization in 1917. Jones had a motto: “You can’t get very far until you start doing something for somebody else.”

• Albion

The club in Albion is the second oldest in the region between Niagara Falls and Rochester. Only the Lions in Rochester predate the club in Albion.

The club currently has 22 members. They are active in the annual Rock the Park music fest, which raises funds for Bullard Park.

The Albion Lions sponsor a youth baseball team and works on other community projects, raising money with a sausage booth at the Strawberry Festival, and by selling roses on Mother’s Day and geraniums during Memorial Day.

• Clarendon

The Clarendon Lions were chartered in 1998 after being sponsored by the club in Kendall. There are 23 Lions in Clarendon and they help at the Holley Community Center, and with other service projects.

This photo from July 2013 shows Kevin Johnson, left, and Don Knapp. In addition to serving food at the OONA concerts, the Clarendon Lions also serve hot dogs and hamburgers at the annual Tonawanda Valley Kennel Club dog shows over the Labor Day weekend. The Clarendon Lions Club serves hamburgers and sausage at the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association concerts at the Orleans County Marine Park.

N Kendall

Provided photo: Pictured include scholarship winners recognized in January 2016, from left: Marisa Hanlon (attending Daemen College), Lions President Tom Minigiello, Lions Club member Ken DeRoller, Tania Arellano (attending Roberts Wesleyan College), and Taylor Kingsbury (attending St. John Fisher). Not pictured is the other scholarship winner, Luke Rath, who has enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.

Each year the Kendall Lions awards four scholarships for $250 each to deserving seniors. The Kendall Lions in January presented scholarship checks to three of the 2015 recipients.

The Kendall Club has 61 members, making it the largest Lions Club in Orleans County.

The Kendall Lions has a Leo Club in the school, where high schoolers work on service projects.

The Kendall Club started in 1975 after being sponsored by the Medina Lions Club.

The Kendall Lions do an annual community cleanup day. They also purchased a defibrillator for the Kendall Fire Department, and they collect used eyeglasses to be given to people who need glasses.

• Lyndonville

The Lyndonville Lions formed in 1951. The club’s 47 members are busy throughout the year with a host of projects, including running a medical equipment closet where residents can borrow wheelchairs, port-a-potties and other equipment.

Russ Martino, a member of the Lyndonville Lions Club, leads the crowd in doing the motions to the song “YMCA” during a concert by Crash Cadillac in July 2014. The band from Buffalo performed at the Yates Town Park along Lake Ontario at the end of Morrison Road. Martino was the town supervisor when Yates created the park about seven years ago. Current Town Supervisor John Belson, center, and Jeff Johnson join in the dance. The concert was sponsored by the Lions Club, which also takes the lead in the annual Lyndonville Fourth of July celebration.

The Lions do a roadside cleanup along Route 63, a pumpkin carving contest and give out awards to the best-decorating homes during the holiday season.

Lyndonville Central School plans to implement a new Leo Club. The Leo Club gives students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to serve their communities and make a positive impact. It offers a great way to have fun, make new friends and develop valuable leadership skills.

There will be an informational meeting Thursday from 2:35 to 3:15 at the school.

• Medina

The Medina Lions Club formed in 1935 and has 55 members.

The club and other community volunteers decorate the State Street Park in Medina each holiday season, putting lights on Christmas trees, and setting up a Nativity scene and other signs of the upcoming holiday season.

The Medina Lions also do a community cleanup, organize a community-wide garage sale, run a scarecrow fest and maintain a park by the canal, as well as other projects.

Medina Lions Club members Dave Denny, left, and Dave Bellucci, right, work with Ben Kaiser, a volunteer, to set up one of the animals at State Street Park last November. Kaiser’s father Pete supervises the set up and tear down of the display.

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Albion native, a CPA in Syracuse, wins award for service to agencies

Staff Reports Posted 20 September 2016 at 10:44 am

SYRACUSE – An Albion native has won a state-wide award given to a certified public accountant who is a leader at a charitable organization.

James A. Bowers has been influential with several organizations, especially InterFaith Works, an agency in Syracuse that brings people together different religions, races, and cultures; and Transitional Living Services of Onondaga County, which serves people with developmental disabilities and behavioral health issues.

James Bowers

Bowers has been named the 2016 recipient of the 13th annual Michael H. Urbach, CPA Community Builders Award.

“I would certainly recommend CPAs to give back to non-profit organizations,” Bowers said. “The financial expertise of CPAs is needed to help balance budgets as funding for these programs tightens up. CPAs have a certain way of seeing things, such as how the mission of an organization and its financial status can work together. This is why CPAs should find an organization that they are interested in and give back.”

Originally from Albion, Bowers graduated from St. John Fisher College, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. Bowers has been involved in serving Short Line Railroad Industry clients for over 40 years and has been an influential force for the Short Line Railroad industry on a national level, playing an important role in the creation, lobbying, and securing of the Short Line Railroad Rehabilitation Tax Credit, and speaks often at National and Regional ASLRRA conferences.

Bowers has extensive knowledge, experience and service to nonprofits in the Syracuse region. Beth Broadway of Interfaith Works of CNY said Bowers is a “quintessential non-profit volunteer.” He has served on the agency’s board since 1986. She said his expertise helped her agency survive “serious financial challenges.”

Additional organizations and foundations that have benefitted from his volunteerism and leadership include St. Joseph’s the Worker Church, where he served as chairman of the Finance Committee for the last 33 years; Transitional Living Services; Dunbar Association; and the Faith-Hope Center. He has also served as a member, officer and board member of both the Rochester and Syracuse Kiwanis Club for 35 years.

The 2016 award will formally be presented at the New York Council of Nonprofits’ Annual Business Meeting on Oct. 6 in New Paltz.

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Brushstrokes praised for providing family-friendly entertainment

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 September 2016 at 9:16 am

Tim and Crystal Elliott receive award for ‘New Business of the Year’

Photos by Tom Rivers Tim and Crystal Elliott, owners of Brushstrokes Studios, opened the business on Nov. 28 during Medina’s Old Tyme Christmas festival.

MEDINA – The Chamber of Commerce’s “New Business of the Year” allows people of all ages to tap into their creative side.

Brushstrokes Studio opened last Nov. 28. Since then, customers have created more than 5,000 ceramics or glass fused art. Many of the pieces resembles sharks, caterpillars and other creatures feature din children’s books.

Brushstrokes hosts many story hours, and children can paint ceramics that look like the main star in the books, such as “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle.

Brushstrokes is popular for birthday parties, bridal showers and for outings among friends, looking to create a nice memory in a family friendly environment.

Mrs. Elliott, a special education teacher for the Holley school district, said the ceramics and glass fused art are durable with a personal touch.

“This are all unique and they last,” she said. “And they’re useful.”

A ceramic spoon rest is the most popular mold picked by customers.

“We’ve also done lots and lots of coffee mugs,” Mrs. Elliott said.

Many of the creations include hand prints or foot prints from small children. Those plates, mugs and other ceramics are then popular for Father’s Day and Mother’s Day gifts, and for presents for grandparents.

These ceramic creations were decorated using either bubble painting or color blocking techniques. Brushstrokes has classes to help people improve their skills.

“There’s a lot of memories with these,” said Mr. Elliott, a village trustee who also owns and manages properties in Medina. He also is co-owner of a new escape room that opened on Main Street, where people need to solve puzzles to get out.

Elliott said he is interested in bringing more people to Medina to help strengthen the local businesses. Brushstrokes draws many customers from outside the county, who then visit other local businesses. Brushstrokes has partnered with some of the businesses in promotions.

The Elliotts have a bright-colored space at Brushstrokes. They have enjoyed seeing people make so many different ceramics and fused glass, showing an artistic side many didn’t realize they had.

Madelyn Elliott, 7, works on a ceramic at her parents’ business on Saturday.

Although you don’t need to be artistic to paint and create at Brushstrokes, the Elliotts have classes teaching some basics in bubble painting and color blocking. They are planning more classes this upcoming year.

They have also expanded their inventory and color options from 30 to 70. After the ceramics are painted, they are glazed, dried and put in a kiln, bringing out vibrant colors.

Brushstrokes also has a glass kiln for artwork and pieces made with glass fusing. The Elliotts say they already have many dedicated customers, and people interested in classes to learn techniques and hone their skills or just have fun.

“People want something new to do,” Mr. Elliott said. “You get a tangible item to take home.”

The Chamber of Commerce on Friday presented the ‘New Business of the Year’ to Brushstrokes. They were among the award winners recognized during the Chamber’s annual awards banquet at Tillman’s Village Inn.

The Elliotts were praised for offering a family-friendly activity in downtown Medina, and a for starting a business that draws many out-of-towers to the community.

“It’s entertainment whether you are 2 years old or 100,” Mr. Elliott said. “You can create a memory.”

Crystal Elliott holds one of the glass fused pieces at Brushstrokes. With glass fusing, glass plates and strings of glass are melted in a design and then can be bent with curves. Before the business opened, Mrs. Elliott worked on Brushstrokes for about 2 1/2 years, wanting to give families an activity they can do together. She completed a small business class through the Orleans Economic Development Agency.

Brushstrokes has many ceramic animal molds. After they are painted, they are glazed, dried and put in a kiln, bringing out vibrant colors.

Mitchell Farley of Medina paints a ceramic Christmas tree on Saturday with his family, including wife Jessica and their children, Jacob, left, and Madison, right.

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Chamber honors businesses, residents for work to better community

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 September 2016 at 9:50 am

Photos by Tom Rivers: Matt Beadle, plant manager for Freeze-Dry Foods in Albion, and Karen Richardson, company co-owner and president, accept the award for Business of the Year on Friday from the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce.

ALBION – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce honored local businesses, entrepreneurs and community members for their work to build a stronger community during the 18th annual awards banquet for the Chamber on Friday. Nearly 200 people attended the event at Tillman’s Village Inn.

The following were recognized:

Business of the Year: Freeze Dry Foods of Albion.

The company took over the former Lipton’s plant in Albion in 1999 after the former Ontario Foods (now Associated Brands) left Albion for a bigger plant in Medina.

Freeze-Dry has steadily grown in the past 17 years, overhauling the plant and adding new product lines. It has 60 workers that make freeze dry food products. (The company removes moisture and oxygen from meats and food to prevent the products from deteriorating at room temperature.)

Karen Richardson, company co-owner and president, said Albion has been a good fit for the company, which is based in Oakville, Ontario.

She thanked “a very supportive community,” including local economic development leaders, for helping the company grow and invest in Albion.

Lifetime Achievement: Gabrielle Barone (vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency).

Gabrielle Barone accepts her award with congratulations from State Sen. Robert Ortt, left, and Barry Flansburg, representing State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

Barone has worked for the Orleans Economic Development Agency for nearly 15 years, and has had a role in many of the economic development projects around the county, putting together deals and lining up infrastructure for companies.

Barbara Waters said Barone has always been a hard-worker since she was a kid growing up in a family business in Medina.

“She is humble,” Waters said. “She is poised, articulate and a lovely lady and friend who is an inspiration to all woman.”

Barone has shown a drive and enthusiasm to better the community throughout her career, said Waters, who accepted the Lifetime Achievement last year on behalf of her late husband, Robert Waters.

Barone praised the team at the Orleans EDA, local municipal officials and the business owners for bringing many of the projects to reality.

“Achievement is a joint effort,” she said. “Achievement is about partnering.”

Barone said many economic development projects are years in the making.

“At the core of achievement is persistence,” she said. “I always felt better when I gave it one more try.”

Phoenix Award: The Print Shop, owner Ken Daluisio.

Ken Daluisio

An eyesore on East Center Street was radically revamped by Daluisio, who expanded his Medina business into what was a dilapidated storefront, a former laundromat at 124-126 E. Center St.

On March 19, 2015, Daluisio took possession of the former laundromat building. One year and one day later, a vastly improved building was ready for The Print Shop.

When doing renovations for the expansion, Daluisio needed 13 dumpsters to haul out laundry machines and dryers, as well as the old floor, ceiling, partition walls and other debris. It took seven dump truck loads to remove bricks and dirt from the basement. The building was stripped down to four bare walls and then rebuilt with new floor, a roof, electrical system and other upgrades. Daluisio’s brother John managed the construction project.

Daluisio said the renovation follows Kathy Blackburn’s work at Meggie Moos and other work on East Center Street.

“We couldn’t have done it without the support of the community,” he said. “It’s a whole new neighborhood on East Center Street.”

Tim and Crystal Elliott

New Business of the Year: Brushstrokes Studios of Medina (owners Tim and Crystal Elliott).The Elliotts last November opened the new business at 409 Main St., the former home of The Journal-Register in Medina.

At Brushstrokes, customers can paint their own ceramics and glass. The Elliotts have brought a new family friendly activity to the community, and have expanded classes.

Co-owner Tim Elliott thanked the dedicated customers at Brushstrokes and urged the community to “shop small” and support locally owned businesses.

Community Service Award: Lions Clubs in Orleans County (Albion, Clarendon, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina).

The five clubs do a range of community service projects, from running festivals to providing scholarships. They serve food at local events and collect medical supplies and used glasses for people in need.

Tom Minigiello, president of the Kendall Lion Club

Tom Minigiello, president of the Kendall Lions Club

Albion has the longest-lasting Lions Club. It started in 1924. Clarendon has the most recent charter with a club that started in 1998. The five clubs combined have about 200 members with Kendall the largest with 61.

Tom Minigiello, president of the Kendall club, accepted the award that will be presented the Lions district.

“It’s very important to give back to your community,” Minigiello said. “Do your part and it will make our community better.”

Community Service Award: Cindy Robinson of Medina.

Robinson has been president of the Medina Business Association the past decade and has been instrumental in running many of the MBA’s popular events, including wine- and beer-tastings, and the Olde Tyme Christmas celebration.

Cindy Robinson accepts the Community Service Award.

She also is a downtown business owner with the English Rose Tea Shoppe, and serves with other organizations, including the Orleans Renaissance Group, the Chamber of Commerce, and Medina Historical Society.

Robinson encouraged everyone to find a way to volunteer with at least one organization. She said that would build a stronger community with more events and opportunities.

Agricultural Business of the Year: Root Brothers Farm in Albion.

The Root family has been farming in Orleans County since 1852. Today, Robin and his brother Scott Root work about 5,000 acres. The two brothers have been farming together since 1970. There are now six generations of Roots that have been farming in Orleans County.

The brothers have had many lean years, Robin said, but they weathered the storms with help from friends and family.

Robin Root

“You could have a million dollars, but it’s better to have a million friends,” Robin told the Chamber crowd.

He and his brother are the son of the late Pierson Root, a former Orleans County Farm Bureau president. Robin said their father had good advice and helped the brothers during one tough stretch in the early 1990s.

“My dad was a hell of a man,” Robin said. “I really appreciate it.”

The brothers grow corn, cabbage, zucchini, tomatoes, potatoes and other crops in a diversified operation.

Business Person of the Year: Ward Dobbins, owner of H.H. Dobbins in Lyndonville.

Ward Dobbins

Dobbins has led the apple packing and sales company in Lyndonville to expansions. The site handles about 1 million bushels of apples a year, with on-site capacity for up to 300,000 bushels.

Dobbins has 75 employees. The company was started by Ward’s great-grandfather. Ward joined the business 30 years ago. He is active in many of the industry associations.

Ward said the company works with some of the best apple growers in the world.

Small Business of the Year: Paper Boys (owners Ryan Pritchard and Chasen Lee).

Pritchard and Lee opened an office supply business about six years ago after the former Garlock’s Office Supply store in Medina closed.

Pritchard, 31, had been living in Boston for six years when Garlock shut down. He teamed up with Lee, 28, to establish PaperBoys, the new office supply store.

The business at 509 Main St. has expanded to develop web sites and lead small business classes.

Chasen Lee, left, and Ryan Pritchard

Pritchard and Lee say the office supply business remains very important for PaperBoys, but the business has expanded its services for small businesses by building websites, and helping the local businesses use social media and e-mail marketing to attract and keep customers.

With its expanded line of services, the business is now PaperBoys Media, and calls itself ‘The Agency for the Underdog.”

Pritchard thanked the Chamber, Medina Business Association and local businesses for working with PaperBoys.

“We are not successful unless all of the small businesses are successful,” Pritchard said.

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Economic development leader for Orleans has helped put together numerous projects in county

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 September 2016 at 12:10 pm

Gabrielle Barone is recognized for ‘Lifetime Achievement’ by Chamber of Commerce

Photos by Tom Rivers: Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency, has worked on many big projects in Orleans County the past dozen years.

ALBION – Add it all up, and the investments top $200 million.

Since Gabrielle Barone joined the Orleans Economic Development Agency in April 2002, companies have spent lots of money upgrading facilities or building new in Orleans County.

Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans EDA, had a role in many of the undertakings, helping to guide local and state government support for the projects, whether it be with infrastructure upgrades for the sites or securing tax credits or grants to make the projects a reality in Orleans County.

She is being honored this evening with a “Lifetime Achievement” award from the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has its annual awards banquet at Tillman’s Village Inn.

There have been significant projects all across the county in Barone’s tenure with the EDA. The ethanol plant in Medina is the biggest investment at $90 million-plus by Western New York Energy.

Barone and the EDA worked to upgrade Bates Road, a rail line, and secure low-cost hydropower and other incentives for the project to come to the community.

Jodi Gaines, center, is chief executive officer and co-owner of CRFS in Albion. She is pictured in September 2013 with Orleans Economic Development Agency officials Gabrielle Barone, left, and Jim Whipple after CRFS announced it would expand in the vacated former Chase building.

Just down from the ethanol plant, she has been a part of several expansions at Brunner, including the most recent one in 2014 that topped $15 million.

Just west of the ethanol plant on Maple Ridge Road, Pride Pak is building a new $15 million vegetable processing facility. Takeform Architectural Graphics also expanded and moved into the former Trek building on Maple Ridge.

“She is very knowledgeable and strong willed,” said Jim Whipple, executive director of the Orleans EDA. “She has great people skills and a natural feel for politics.”

Barone is part of a three-person EDA staff that puts together many complicated economic development deals. The EDA board of directors and local officials also have been active with many of the projects, Barone said.

“No one achieves on their own,” she said.

Barone said it takes takes determination to see the projects through to the last detail. While juggling work with existing companies in the county, the EDA also needs to be laying the groundwork for projects that could be many years away.

That takes a commitment from local governments to put in water and sewer infrastructure, roads and other infrastructure, knowing the payoff may not be right away, Barone said.

The EDA has worked for years to make a 125-acre site “shovel ready.” The Keppler site in Shelby is just south of Maple Ridge Road by GCC. The infrastructure is in place to serve a manufacturer that would be a big user of water and sewer.

Steve Karr (right), chief executive officer for Pride Pak Canada, in october meets Medina village officials and others working on the company’s new 64,000-square-foot vegetable processing facility. He is pictured with Mauro LoRusso, vice president of finance for Pride Pak (center); Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency (far left); and Marguerite Sherman, village trustee (second from left).

Steve Karr (right), chief executive officer for Pride Pak Canada, last October meets Medina village officials and others working on the company’s new 64,000-square-foot vegetable processing facility. He is pictured with Mauro LoRusso, vice president of finance for Pride Pak (center); Gabrielle Barone, vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency (far left); and Marguerite Sherman, village trustee (second from left).

She thinks about how the EDA chipped away at many sites, sometimes spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to clear land, do environmental cleanups, and get infrastructure in place. Many in the community second guess the work, questioning the wisdom of the upfront expense.

“You’re going to get roasted,” Barone said about some of the skeptics. “It can take years laying the groundwork. If you’re going to do this kind of work you better be resilient. You better be able to take a setback and bounce back.”

Barone said the EDA often has often been a finalist for a project, after months and sometimes years of working with a developer. And then they pick someone else.

“These companies are looking all over – not just in New York State,” she said

But sometimes Orleans County emerges as the top site. Many companies based in Canada look to Orleans as a spot to set up operations in the United States. That is the case with Pride Pak, which will soon open a new vegetable and fruit processing site on Maple Ridge Road in Medina.

There have been many big projects around the county, including a new controlled atmosphere storage building by H.H. Dobbins in Lyndonville, an expansion and new CA storage in Gaines by Lake Ontario Fruit, several expansions by Intergrow Greeenhouses in Gaines, the Cottages at Troutburg at the former Salvation Army camp in Kendall, Precision Packaging Products and Magc Inc. in Holley.

Gabrielle Barone in February 2014 discusses a plan for a 48,000-square-foot addition at Brunner with Town of Ridgeway Planning Board members, from left: Charles Pettit, Tom Fenton (chairman) and Richard Swan. Barone in her role with the EDA needs to line up local support and approval for many of the economic development projects in the community.

In Albion, the EDA worked to bring CRFS in the vacated former Chase building, preserving several hundred jobs. A former warehouse on McKinstry Street was also renovated and is now home to Bomet, an electronic recycling company. The EDA also worked with the Town of Albion to establish the Albion Business Park at Butts Road and Route 31, which is home to an urgent care site run by Orleans Community Health.

There are numerus other projects that Barone and the EDA have had a hand in, from Freeze-Dry Foods in Albion, the addition at Tillman’s Village Inn in Gaines, to projects at Associated Brands, Hinspergers Poly Industries and the Ace Hardware at the former Jubilee in Medina.

The EDA also runs a small business training program that makes low-interest loans available to graduates of the program. Barone and the EDA have offered advice for the entrepreneurs in getting the businesses off to a good start.

Barone has been active in the community in other ways, including leadership in the former League of Women Voters chapter in Orleans County. She serves on the Job Corps Advisory Council, represented Orleans on the GLOW Workforce Investment Board and is currently on the Orleans County Comprehensive Plan Committee.

Gabrielle Barone is pictured at the Orleans EDA suite at 121 North Main St. in Albion with some of the recent EDA-assisted projects in Orleans County.

The comprehensive plan will help guide development and land use in the county for many years to come.

Barone sees opportunities for growth, improved job prospects and a better quality of life in the county. But she said all levels of local government need to be working to improve the communities, including plans for upgrading the local housing stock and “curb appeal” of the villages and hamlets. That includes aesthetics, signage, even logos for the communities.

The comprehensive plan should identify strengths in Orleans and areas that need improvement.

Barone can look across the Orleans County landscape and see a more diversified, and stronger local economy in the past 15 years.

Barone left a career with the Modern Corp. in Niagara County to return to work in her home community.

“I wanted to see if we could make a difference in the type of businesses we draw here, once we understood what we had to offer,” Barone said.

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Local 4-H kids do well at NY State Fair

By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 9 September 2016 at 4:00 pm

Members of the Orleans County 4-H Rabbit Raisers Club participated in the New York State Fair Rabbit Show and Rabbit Knowledge Decathlon Labor Day Weekend. 4-Hers from 13 counties around the state took park in the Knowledge Decathlon on Sept. 4. The Orleans County Sr. Team took first place with Amelia Sidonio, Peggy-Jo Gabalski and Rachel Gregoire. Photo: left to right in back: Joan-Marie Gabalski, Peggy-Jo Gabalski, John Gabalski, Hugh Gabalski, all of Byron, Brian Shaw of Kendall, Zach Albright of Elba, Owen Shaw of Kendall. Front row, far right: Nate Shaw of Kendall and Sebastian Zilempe of Middleport.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski: Members of the Orleans County 4-H Rabbit Raisers Club participated in the New York State Fair Rabbit Show and Rabbit Knowledge Decathlon Labor Day Weekend. 4-Hers from 13 counties around the state took park in the Knowledge Decathlon on Sept. 4. The Orleans County Sr. Team took first place with Amelia Sidonio, Peggy-Jo Gabalski and Rachel Gregoire. Photo: left to right in back: Joan-Marie Gabalski, Peggy-Jo Gabalski, John Gabalski, Hugh Gabalski, all of Byron, Brian Shaw of Kendall, Zach Albright of Elba, Owen Shaw of Kendall. Front row, far right: Nate Shaw of Kendall and Sebastian Zilempe of Middleport.

SYRACUSE – Orleans County was well represented during the 2016 New York State Fair, which wrapped up its annual run on Labor Day at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse.

Photo courtesy of Marlene Seielstad: Kaitlin Zwifka of Albion won a ribbon for a horse-riding event at the State Fair.

Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Educator Robert Batt provided the following results:

• In Dairy Goats, Natalie Mrzywka of Holley was reserve for the Kim Berham Award, which recognizes overall accomplishments for showmanship, project record, knowledge and herdsmanship.

• In sheep, Nicole Mrzywka of Holley won Champion Medium Weight Market Lamb.

• Rylie Lear of Waterport won Reserve Senior Showman in Beef.

• Orleans County Rabbit Raisers brought home many ribbons from the State Fair including the coveted 1st Place ribbon in the Senior Team Division of the Rabbit Knowledge (Science) Decathlon.

The team consists of Peggy-Jo Gabalski, Rachel Gregoire, and Amelia Sidonio. Peggy-Jo placed second in the individual Top 10, Rachel placed third and Amelia placed fourth.

Orleans County fielded two Junior Teams. John Gabalski, Joan-Marie Gabalski and Will Gregoire took second place. Zach Albright, Sebastian Zilempe, Brian Shaw and Owen Shaw took fifth place.

Will Gregoire placed fourth in the individual Top 10, John Gabalski placed sixth and Brian Shaw placed ninth.

In the Novice Division, Meagan Hardner placed fifth and Nate Shaw placed eight in the individual Top 10.

Brian Shaw also won Best of Breed for both his Himalayan rabbit and his English Spot rabbit.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski: Orleans County 4-Her Rachel Gregoire of Murray and Orleans County 4-H Educator Robert Batt man the Orleans County Booth in the Youth Building on the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse Labor Day weekend. Projects displayed around them are exhibits by Orleans County 4-Hers.

Nate Shaw received Best Opposite for his Rex and Best of Breed for his Silver; Zach Albright received Best Opposite for his Satin rabbit; Peggy-Jo Gabalski received Best Opposite for her Californian rabbit; Hugh Gabalski received Best of Breed for his Havana rabbit and Best Opposite for his American Fuzzy Lop, and Peggy-Jo Gabalski received Best of Breed for her American Fuzzy Lop.

• Family and Consumer Science exhibits in the Youth Building received awards including Rylie Seielstad’s banana bread, Sophia Cardone’s sugar cookies, Alexandria Perraciny’s beaded bookmark and Amelia Sidonio’s photographs all received rosettes for outstanding youth exhibit. Amelia’s photos were recognized as the top four in the state.

Peggy-Jo Gabalski’s felted doll won overall third in New York State for all county fairs in the Art and Home Building.

• 4-H Dog Show participants brought home seven Grand Champion and seven Reserve Grand Champion Awards. Kaitlyn Johnson won Grand Champion awards in Beginner B Obedience, Advanced Novice Obedience and Rally Excellent. Lydia Hoffann won Reserve Champion Awards in Beginner C Obedience and Rally Novice. A. Rori Higgins won Grand Champion in Beginner A Obedience. Erin Kiefer won Grand Champion in Agility Open. Rachael Kiefer won Grand Champion in Grooming and Handling B Senior and Reserve Champion in Agility Open and Agility Excellent.

Nicole Mrzywka won Reserve Champion in Graduate Beginner A Obedience, Rally Novice B and Pre-Novice Agility. Madison Ploof won Grand Champion in Grooming and Handling A Senior. Amber Kiefer, Brooke Kiefer, Erin Kiefer and Rachael Kiefer won Grand Champion in the Four-Person Team Class.

• In Horse, here are the following results.

Photo courtesy of Marlene Seierstad: Riley Seielstad of Albion took home many ribbons from the State Fair.

Photo courtesy of Marlene Seielstad: Riley Seielstad of Albion took home many ribbons from the State Fair.

English: Showmanship at halter Jr. – Rachel Inman – 7th Showmanship at halter Sr. – Elizabeth Storm 3rd, Jessica Suttera 7th Trail Hunt Seat Sr. Jessica Suttera – 7th; Elizabeth Storm, 10th Equitation Pont – Riley Seielstad – 7th, Hayleigh MacDonald – 10th Equitation Jr. – Rachel Inman, 8th Equitation Sr. – Mary DiBattisto – 2nd;

Hannah Wehling – 5th; Elizabeth Storm – 10th Hunter Flat Pony – Riley Seielstad – 6th Hunter Flat Jr. – Rachel Inman – 6th Hunter Flat Sr. – Jessica Suttera – 5th; Elizabeth Storm – 9th; Mary DiBattisto – 10th Hunter Pleasure Jr. – Rachel Inman 8th Hunter Pleasure Sr. – Jessia Suttera- 9th Hunter Hack Pony – Riley Seielstad – 2nd;

Hayleigh MacDonald – 8th Hunter Hack Jr. – Emilee Novak – 5th Hunter hack Sr. – Mary DiBattisto 1st; Anna Garbowski – 4th; Andrea Toussaint – 7th Working Hunter Pony – Riley Seielstad – 5th; Hayleigh MacDonald 7th Working Hunter Jr. – Emilee Novak – 5th Equitation over Fences Pony – Hayleigh MacDonald – 7th Equitation over Fences Jr. – Emilee Novak – 6th Equitation over Fences Sr. – Mary DiBattisto – 3rd; Andrea Toussaint – 8th; Hannah Wehling – 7th

Western: Introductory Level Test A Jr. – Madison Bale – 2nd Introductory Level Test B Jr. – Madison Bale – 2nd Basic Level Test A – Madison Bale 1st Western Trail Jr. – Madison Bale – 4th Wester Trail Sr. – Elizabeth Storm – 10th Western Showmanship Sr. – Kelsey Hilburger – 6th; Jessica Suttera – 8th Western Pleasure Pony – Rachel Inman – 5th Western Pleasure Sr. – Kelsey Hilburger – 2nd Wester Road Hack Jr. – Rachel Inman – 10th Western Road Hack Sr. – Kelsey Hilburger 6th Western Horsemanship Jr. – Rachel Inman – 4th;

Emma Klaver 10th Western Showmanship Sr. – Jessica Suttera 1st ; Elizabeth Storm – 5th Stock Seat Equitation Jr. – Rachel Inman – 3rd Stock Seat Equitation Sr. – Jessica Suttera – 2nd Costume Class – Madison Bale, 7th

Hannah Weihling of Albion was among the honored riders at the State Fair.

Hannah Wehling of Albion was among the honored riders at the State Fair.

Dressage: Training Level Test 1 Jr. – Emilee Novak – 3rd Training Level Test 1 Sr. – Mary DiBattisto – 2nd; Andrea Toussaint – 4th; Kelsie Johnstone – 5th; Riley Seielstad – 6th Training Level Test 2 Jr. – Hayleigh MacDonald – 2nd; Emilee Novak – 7th Training Level Test 2 Sr. – Mary DiBattisto – 1st; Riley Seielstad – 3rd; Hannah Wehling – 8th; Kaitlin Zwifka – 9th; Kelsie Johnstone, 10th Dressage Equitation Jr. – Hayleigh MacDonald – 3rd; Emilee Novak – 7th

Dressage Equitation Sr. – Mary DiBattisto – 1st; Hannal Wehling – 4th; Riley Seielstad – 5th; Andrea Toussaint – 10th Training Level test 3 Sr. – Hannah Wehling – 2nd; Kaitlin Zwifka – 7th Prix Caprilli Jr. – Emilee Novak – 3rd; Hayleigh MacDonald – 4th Prix Caprilli Sr. – Kaitlin Zwifka – 1st; Hannah Wehling – 3rd; Riley Seielstad 4th; Mary DiBattisto – 7th; Kelsie Johnstone – 8th; Andrea Toussaint – 9th

Provided photo: Rylie Lear of Waterport won Reserve Senior Showman in Beef.

Strong showing at State Fair for Holley dancers

Staff Reports Posted 7 September 2016 at 12:01 am

Photos courtesy of Heather Kelley

SYRACUSE – Several dancers from Lisa’s Dance Boutique competed at the talent showcase at the State Fair, with some of the dancers making it to the finals, which featured the top 25 acts from qualifying rounds.

The top photo shows a group that made it to the top 10, finishing seventh. They performed a dance called “Me Too.” The dancers were led by instructor Heather Kelley.

The group includes, from left: Leah Weinbeck, Madison Isenberg, Tori Allen, Savanna Isenberg, Olivia Amoroso, Julia Frederick, Kylie Towne and Allison Amoroso.

The dancers are shown in action performing “Me Too.”

This group made it to the finals, performing “Footloose.” They include, from left: Savanna Isenberg, Julia Frederick, Allison Amoroso, Leah Kania, Charlie London, Deanna Schubmehl, Leah Weinbeck, Cora Bennage, Madigan Neumann, Kylie Towne, Hannah Coolbaugh, Olivia Amoroso and Leah Pritchard.

Madison Isenberg, a soloist, made it to the semifinals with her lyrical dance to “Human.”

These contestants – Hailey Bader, Emilie Weinbeck and Carly Fox – performed at the maxi level. Hailey and Carly performed a tap duet to “Feedback” and advanced to the semifinal round as did Emilie with her lyrical solo to “Piece by Piece.”

This mini group – Olivia Amoroso, Allison Amoroso, Kylie Towne and Julia Frederick – advanced to the semifinal round with their lyrical number to “Not About Angels.”

Freeze-Dry sees steady growth, innovation at Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 September 2016 at 10:06 am

Company with Canadian roots is Orleans County Chamber of Commerce ‘Business of the Year’

Photo by Tom Rivers: Matt Beadle, plant manager for Freeze-Dry Foods in Albion, and Karen Richardson, president and co-owner of the company, are pictured with some of the Freeze-Dry products.

ALBION – In 1999, soon after the former Ontario Foods left Albion for a bigger plant in Medina, Freeze-Dry Foods moved into the Albion site on East Avenue, a sprawling site that used to be home to Lipton’s.

Ontario Foods (now Associated Brands) was a Freeze-Dry customer and the Canada-based company welcomed the chance to make its products in Albion at a site that has long been used for food processing.

Matt Beadle, plant manager, and Karen Richardson, co-owner and president, are pictured outside the Freeze-Dry plant in Albion that has a long history of food production, from Lipton’s to Ontario Foods and now Freeze-Dry.

Freeze-Dry has steadily grown in the past 17 years, overhauling the plant, adding new product lines and committing to a long future in Albion.

The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce has recognized Freeze-Dry Foods as the 2016 Business of the Year. The company and other Chamber award winners will be recognized on Sept. 16 at The Village Inn.

Albion has been a good fit for Freeze-Dry, said Karen Richardson, company president and co-owner.

“We like the location,” she said. “We’re only a couple hours away from Canada and we’re close to many customers. We’re in a transportation hub.”

Richardson said she expects more investments in the Albion plant and workforce as the company continues to grow.

Freeze-Dry has benefitted from many dedicated workers, including three current managers who started at entry level positions, Richardson said.

Freeze-Dry employees are pictured Friday after a picnic when the company celebrated being picked as the Chamber's Business of the Year.

Provided photo: Freeze-Dry employees are pictured Friday after a picnic when the company celebrated being picked as the Chamber’s Business of the Year.

Freeze-Dry has 60 employees and has strived to reward them, plant manager Matt Beadle said. Twice the company has raised pay scales the past two years, and also has employees taking leadership and professional development classes at Genesee Community College in Albion.

The company had an employee picnic and celebration on Friday with nearly everyone wearing T-shirts noting that Freeze-Dry was picked as Business of the Year.

Beadle said the company had a recent job fair and 35 people showed up to fill out applications.

“The word is definitely getting out that we have good substantial jobs,” Beadle said.

The company, based in Oakville, Ontario, is one of the few freeze dry companies in the United States. (The technique dehydrates frozen foods so the moisture content changes directly from a solid to a gaseous form. The product maintains its original size and shape with a minimum of cell rupture. Removing moisture prevents a product from deteriorating at room temperature.)

Matt Beadle holds a new Campfire Meals product line launched last year by Freeze-Dry. The meals are in pouches and are ready by simply adding hot water.

Freeze-Dry has added new drying chambers because of increased demand. This year it plans to modernize the controls on its refrigeration systems, which follows a recent effort to install LED lights throughout the building. The new lights and refrigeration controls, as well as recirculated water, reduce the company’s energy draw, Beadle said, making the plant more sustainable.

Beadle joined Freeze-Dry two years ago. He says the employees and owners are committed to excellence, and building a stronger company.

“I see a lot of potential here,” he said. “I see a chance to grow a great business.”

Freeze-Dry declined to show how it makes its products, citing proprietary issues. The plant is certified by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The company specializes in freeze-dried meat & seafood to include poultry, beef, ham, sausage crumbles, pork, pizza toppings, flavored beef and pork, and numerous types of fish & seafood, Beadle said.

The products have a shelf life of up to 25 years because Freeze-Dry eliminates moisture and oxygen, while preserving nutrients, flavor, taste, color and aroma.

Beadle said Freeze-Dry food tastes better than competitors in China partly because of the meat and other ingredients used by Freeze-Dry. Beadle said the company strives to use ingredients that are locally sourced in the United States.

Karen Richardson holds a popular Freeze-Dry product: an emergency “Bug-out bag” that has a backpack, emergency food supply, and gear for short-term survival situations.

Freeze-Dry works with several major food companies, and also has worked to grow its own line of products, including camping/backpacking meals, a line of meals called Piper’s that can be prepared in an office, and emergency food products that are sold as part of survival kits. (Click here to see the Freeze-Dry product line.)

Beadle’s office has a hunting décor, with deer heads mounted on the wall. He has attended outdoor shows, including a recent major event in Utah. The campfire meals come in pouches with 12 different meal options that easy to prepare by adding hot water. The product hit the market last year and was developed in Albion, Beadle said.

“We did all the R & D right here,” Beadle said.

The product, and others made by Freeze-Dry, can be purchased at the Albion plant, 111 West Ave.

Beadle also thinks the company has a winner with the Pipers product, a three-pack of meals that are targeted for time-crunched office workers. The meals – rice & pulled pork, lasagna with meat sauce, rice and chicken tortilla – can be ready in 10 minutes with Keurig coffee machine that adds hot water.

“This is a real meal,” Beadle said. “It’s not astronaut food.”

Freeze-Dry also just started kosher food, and is looking to give back more to the community. It recently donated more than $10,000 of food to the Open Door Mission in Rochester.

Albion businesses recognized for keeping up nice landscape

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 August 2016 at 5:07 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion Betterment Committee presented two landscape awards to businesses on Friday. Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes and Dunkin Donuts were both recognized “for their commitment to the betterment of Albion.”

The top photo shows ABC directors – Gary Kent, Gary Derwick and Joe Gehl – presenting the award to Josh Mitchell, a funeral director at Christopher Mitchell.

Josh manages the grounds at both Albion and Holley. Josh joined the family business in 2011. He mows and waters the lawn, plants flowers, and pulls weeds. Soon after he started at Christopher Mitchell, Josh put up hanging baskets with flowers at the back entrance of the funeral home on Route 31.

“I want to make it colorful and feel homey,” he said about the property.

His father David said he is impressed how Josh has been so committed to the lawns at the funeral homes.

“He’s always been detail-oriented,” David said. “That’s why he is good at his job. It’s nice to see someone young take pride in their surroundings.”

Dunkin’ Donuts opened in August 2014, building a new store after taking down a dilapidated warehouse on South Main Street. The Betterment Committee said Dunkin’ represents a big improvement visually for the street, and the company has been committed to its landscape.

The following are pictured, from left: Joe Gehl; Gary Kent; Dave Eckhart, director of operations for 34 Dunkin’ stores from Medina to Syracuse; Albion store manager Tamara Gaita; and Gary Derwick.

Dunkin’ has an underground irrigation system that turns on at 4 a.m. every day.

ABC for the second year in a row has presented the awards, honoring a locally owned company and a corporate franchise. Last year, the Betterment Committee gave the awards to Albion Agencies and Burger King.

Correction officer from Orleans picked for ‘Valor Award’

Staff Reports Posted 22 August 2016 at 2:55 am

ALBION – A corrections officer from the Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion has been recognized with a “Valor Award” by the state-wide union representing COs.

The New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association recognized Tommy Brice. He was pumping gas on May 16 at about 3:15 p.m. at Crosby’s gas station in Albion.

He observed a girl, 16, walking past a Rite Aid towards a motel as an older man approached her and appeared to start asking her questions. The girl attempted to walk faster, almost appeared to be running away from the man, whom eventually managed to get in front of her, according to the union.

Brice sensed something wasn’t right, drove over and asked the girl if anything was wrong. The girl turned to CO Brice and started to cry. He knew something was wrong and called the police and followed the suspicious man back to his room at the motel until police arrived.

Subsequently, the police entered this man’s room and found 4 knives on the bed. The suspect stated to the police that his intent was to abduct the girl, the union said.

These actions display honor and the true meaning of being a peace officer, and that his tour doesn’t end when he punches out at 3 p.m., NYSCOPBA said.

Clay Crushers are on the mark at state competition

Staff Reports Posted 18 August 2016 at 5:26 pm

ALBION – The Orleans County Clay Crushers, a youth shooting team consisting of 47 area boys and girls, completed their 10th Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP)/Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) Season on Aug. 7.

Members of the team come from Orleans, Genesee, Monroe and Wyoming counties. The SCTP and SASP are youth development programs in which NRA certified coaches and other volunteers use the shooting sports of Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clays and Action Pistol to teach and demonstrate sportsmanship, responsibility, honesty, ethics, integrity, teamwork and other positive life skills.

The Clay Crushers sent 29 kids, representing 81 of the total competitors, at New York State SCTP Championship at the Rochester Brooks International Trap and Skeet Club on June 25-26. Other athletes were from the Bridgeport, Camillus and DeWitt Gun Clubs.

• Trap Shooting

In the Trap Shooting competition the Varsity Squad of Anthony Tomassetti (Holley), Jacob Bensley (Medina), Jared Atwell (Albion), Jenna Coyne (Pittsford) and Zach Brazzell (Medina) broke 446 of 500 targets to earn first place honors. The Clay Crusher squad of Jack Burgoon (Albion), Hayden London (Albion), Zach Monagan (Albion), MacKenzie Donahue (Albion) and Jacob Kuhman (Medina) came in third place.

Individually the top 3 finishers in the Varsity Division were Clay Crushers. In first place was Jared Atwell (97/100), ssecond place went to Jenna Coyne (91/100) and third place to Zach Brazzell (90/100).

In the Junior Varsity Division, the Clay Crusher squad of Patrick Brien (Albion), Mitchell Knaak (Albion), Alex Rustay (Albion), Thomas Rada (Batavia) and James Hapeman (Albion) broke 369 of 500 targets to come in first place.

The Junior Varsity Clay Crusher Squad of Bryan Bale (Medina), Victor Benjovsky (Albion), Jacob Delamarter (Albion), and Mitch Gonyea (Byron) shot their way to a third place finish. There was a tie for the Junior Varsity Individual High Gun between Clay Crushers Patrick Brien and Alex Rustay. Both shooters broke 91 of 100 targets. After a shoot off between the two of them Patrick Brien bested Alex Rustay to take first place.

The Clay Crusher Intermediate Advanced squad of Cole London (Albion), Jacob Long (Elba), Andrew Caldwell (Albion) Austin Aman (Albion) and Ryan Krenning (Albion) broke 364 of 500 targets to earn a second place finish. The Individual High Gun was Clay Crusher Jacob Long breaking 88 of 100 targets.

In the Intermediate Entry Division the Clay Crusher squad of Madison Bale (Medina), Shane Hastings (Albion), Max Hapeman (Albion), and Jordan Boccacci-Philips (Albion) took first place breaking 271 of 500 targets.

• Skeet Shooting

In the Skeet competition the Clay Crusher Varsity squad of Jared Atwell, Zach Brazzell and Bryan Bale won their division. Individually the top three shooters in the Varsity Division were Clay Crushers. In first place was Jared Atwell (97), second place was Bryan Bale (90) and third place was Zach Brazzell (89).

The Junior Varsity squad of Patrick Brien, Jacob Delamarter and Madison Bale came in second place. Individually, Patrick Brien earned first place honors and Madison Bale third place.

• Sporting Clays

In the Sporting Clays Competition Varsity Division, first place went to Jared Atwell (90/100), second place Bryan Bale (68/100) and third place to Anthony Tomassetti (57/100).

The Junior Varsity winner was Patrick Brien (71/100) followed by Alex Rustay (55/100). The Intermediate Advanced winner was Madison Bale (63/100). The Intermediate Entry winner was Mitch Gonyea (63/100).

The Clay Crushers began the season on March 9, shooting over 23,500 targets through Aug. 7. The Crushers are a 501©3 corporation dedicated to teaching area youth the safe and responsible use of firearms in a competitive team atmosphere. If you would like more information about the team, look up Clay Crushers on Facebook.

The club would lie to thank the following for their support this season: Barre Sportsmen’s Club, The Niagara Frontier Friends of the NRA, The Midway USA Foundation, Hunters Landing – Batavia NY, The St. Mary’s Archers Club, VFW Post #4635, The Holley Rod and Gun Club, The Medina Conservation Club, The Junior Wilson’s Sportsmen’s Club and the Black North Rod and Gun Club.

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Student creates walking guides for Mount Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 August 2016 at 3:00 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Kyle Thaine, 18, is pictured by the Ingersoll Memorial Fountain on Sunday after a tour of Mount Albion Cemetery. Thaine has created three walking guides for sections of the historic cemetery.

The guides, which include maps and highlights of notable residents, are available at the cemetery or online by clicking here.

Thaine has seen first-hand the popularity of the annual Ghost Walk at Mount Albion Cemetery. Thaine has portrayed several of the Albion residents buried in the historic cemetery.

The Ghost Walk is put on by Albion students and draws about 500 people to the cemetery. Thaine also attends some of the walking tours led by historians Matt Ballard and Bill Lattin. Those tours draw a crowd of people interested in the backgrounds of residents in the cemetery.

Thaine decided to create three walking guides for people who aren’t able to attend the walking tours or Ghost Walk events.

The guides highlight prominent business leaders, politicians, soldiers and others who were victims of tragedies, such as the bridge collapse on Sept. 28, 1859. The bridge collapsed when 250 gathered to watch a tightrope walker over the canal. At least 15 people died in the calamity.

Photo by Tom Rivers

Thaine portrays Rufus Bullock, who grew up in Albion, was a railroad official in George and was elected that state’s governor in 1868. He was instrumental in the reconstruction of Georgia after the Civil War. Thaine portrayed Bullock in the 2014 Ghost Walk at Mount Albion.

Kyle Thaine during the 2015 Ghost Walk portrayed his great-uncle, Eugene Barnum, who was killed during World War II after shooting down two German planes.

Thaine graduated from Albion High School in June and will major in history in college at Albany. He worked on the Mount Albion guides as part of an internship project his senior year with Sue Starkweather-Miller, the school district’s grants manager and internship coordinator.

Photo by Kim Pritt

“I wanted to do a history project,” Thaine said about creating the guides and a website about Mount Albion. “This is for people who can’t make the Ghost Walks or the tours.”

Thaine also helped with two new interpretive panels that are expected to be added to the cemetery this fall.

He was a seventh-grader when he and his classmates researched and set up a permanent memorial for residents of the Alms House, the precursor to the county nursing home.

Freeze Dry Foods named Chamber’s Business of the Year

Staff Reports Posted 10 August 2016 at 5:24 pm

ALBION – The Orleans County Chamber of Commerce today announced the winners of its annual business awards. The award-winners will be recognized during a Sept. 16 celebration dinner.

Here are the winners:

• Business of the Year: Freeze Dry Foods of Albion. This award is presented to a business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year.

• Lifetime Achievement: Gabrielle Barone (vice president of business development for the Orleans Economic Development Agency). This award is presented to an individual with a long-term record of outstanding business achievements.

• Phoenix Award: The Print Shop, owner Ken Daluisio, who expanded the Medina business on East Center Street, renovating a dilapidated storefront. This award is presented to an organization or business that has successfully adapted or re-used an existing facility.

• New Business of the Year: Brushstrokes Studios of Medina (owners Tim and Crystal Elliott). This award is presented to a business or organization that has opened in the past year.

• Community Service Award: Lions Clubs in Orleans County (Albion, Clarendon, Kendall, Lyndonville and Medina) & Cindy Robinson of Medina. Robinson is president of the Medina Business Association. This award is presented to a business, organization or individual that has provided meaningful contributions to the community in either professional or non-professional spheres.

• Agricultural Business of the Year: Root Brothers Farm in Albion. This award is presented to an agricultural business that has experienced significant overall achievements/success throughout the year.

• Business Person of the Year: Ward Dobbins of H.H. Dobbins in Lyndonville. This award is presented to an individual who has had outstanding accomplishments within their own business/businesses and who has made notable contributions to our local business sector.

• Small Business of the Year: Paper Boys (owners Ryan Pritchard and Chasen Lee). This award is presented to a small business that has experienced significant achievements/success throughout the year.

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Andrew Meier nominated for ‘Reshaping Rochester’ award for work on Newell building

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 August 2016 at 6:44 pm

File photos by Tom Rivers –Andrew Meier is pictured inside the second floor of the Robert H. Newell Building, which is now home to the law offices of Webster, Schubel and Meier.

MEDINA – Andrew Meier is a finalist for an award that recognizes people in the Rochester region with “civic spirit, persistence and determination that translates visions into reality.”

Meier, a former Medina mayor, was nominated for his efforts to revive the former Robert H. Newell Building on West Center Street in Medina. He was fresh out of law school when he bought the run-down historic building in 2005.

He has gradually brought the building back. It is now home to several businesses including the Shirt Factory Café, 810 Meadworks, Webster, Schubel & Meier law offices, the Hart House, a hotel with four rooms plus two lofts for extended stays. The historic site also has an outdoor performance venue in back.

Meier has been nominated for the Reshaping Rochester 2016 Betty Strasenburgh Award for Activism. The award will be presented Nov. 17 by the Community Design Center of Rochester. The non-profit organization of design professionals promotes healthy, sustainable communities by encouraging quality design of the built environment and thoughtful use of built and natural resources.

Meier is one of six finalists for an award that “recognizes a personal effort to advance a difficult and worthwhile endeavor. This award honors leadership that encourages others to pursue challenging paths toward a productive end.”

The revitalization of the Newell building encouraged more people to invest and take a chance on downtown Medina.

Meier was 24 in 2004 when he decided to return to small-town Medina. He had just earned a law degree from Syracuse University after earning his bachelor’s at the University of Rochester. Many of his law school friends settled into jobs at law firms in the big cities.

Meier returned to his hometown, working with David Schubel and Norris Webster at their law firm on Main Street. Meier bought a house in Middleport, renovated it and sold it. He liked that challenge, of bringing life back into an old building.

“I love architecture and I really love old buildings,” Meier told Orleans Hub in a previous interview.

Meier had long admired the Robert H. Newell Building at 113 West Center St. The building for 86 years was home to the Robert H. Newell Shirt Factory, which manufactured custom-made shirts, including for many famous customers, including Winston Churchill and Bob Hope.

The Newell company left the historic building in 2004 and moved to Maple Ridge Road. The business closed in 2007.

The Village of Medina acquired the building after years of unpaid taxes. The three-story site had been neglected and was in disrepair. It was put up for sale in 2005, and Meier bought it. He was 25 at the time.

“It had great bones and potential,” Meier said about the building. “I knew the risks going in. It was an opportunity that came up that I could not pass up.”

He set about the task of methodically renovating and preserving the 14,000-square-foot building that opened in 1876, a site that was a hotel for its first 14 years before it becoming the Newell building.

The Hart House Hotel includes rooms named for famous former Newell shirt customers, including Churchhill for the British statesman. There are also rooms named for Hope (legendary comedian) and Astor (wealthy industrialist from New York City).

Meier showed faith in the community when he invested in the Newell site. Cindy Robinson, the current Medina Business Association president, told the Orleans Hub in a previous article that Meier’s example encouraged others to take a chance on Medina, and has been a big part of the downtown revitalization the past decade.

“He was one of the original risk takers,” Robinson said. “He has been a catalyst for the downtown.”

For more on the Reshaping Rochester awards, click here.