Photos courtesy of The College at Brockport, State University of New York – Matthew Yeoman photographer: Frank Sacheli, a former Brockport mayor, accepts a proclamation from the current mayor, Margaret Blackman, during a tree planting ceremony last week in his honor. Heidi Macpherson, the college president, is at left.
Staff Reports Posted 18 October 2016 at 6:31 pm
Frank Sacheli chats with people at the dedication last week. He worked on his family’s onion farm before going to The College at Brockport, State University of New York. He graduated in 1945.
The College at Brockport, State University of New York
BROCKPORT – A former Brockport mayor whose family owned a muck farm in Barre was honored with a tree planted in his name last week.
Frank Sacheli is a proud graduate of The College at Brockport, State University of New York. He served as president of Brockport Alumni Association, and was inducted in the Alumni Association’s Hall of Heritage in 1990.
The college celebrated Sacheli with a tree-planting ceremony on Oct. 11 with a reception at the Alumni House after the ceremony.
Sacheli has lived in Brockport for 73 years. He is well known for owning the Landmark Hotel in the late 1940’s, and for his family onion farm in Orleans County.
After serving in World War II for two years, Frank graduated from Brockport State College in 1945. Twenty years later, he was elected mayor of the Village of Brockport, a role he would fill for four years.
Frank married Patricia Curtin in 1946, and as a widower became a faithful friend of Antoinette Ercolano. He is the father of Kathleen, John, Anne and Elizabeth. He freely shares his expertise in euchre and gin, continues to enjoy golf and his garlic/vegetable garden, and remains an avid supporter of his community and church.
On behalf of the Village Board, Mayor Margaret B. Blackman proclaimed October 11, 2016 as Frank Sacheli Day in the Village of Brockport.
The tree is planted on the front lawn of Hartwell Hall.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 15 October 2016 at 5:45 pm
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Friday’s annual Medina/Lyndonville vs. Albion football game featured a special pre game ceremony as three new members were inducted into the Mustangs’ John “Pinky” Loughlin Wall of Fame including Ron Taylor (Class of 1975), David Maiorana (Class of 1981) and Charlie Wilson (Class of 1989). Their banners are shown here hanging at Vets Park. All three helped lead the Mustangs to division titles , and in Maiorana’s and Wilson’s case also to sectional football championships in their senior year.
Here David Maiorana is welcomed by players and cheerleaders as he is introduced in the pre game ceremonies.
Charlie Wilson here is cheered by players and cheerleaders during his introduction.
Photo courtesy of Lydia LaDue: Marisa Hanlon of Kendall competes in the Texas T Barrels at the NY State Fair.
(Editor’s Note: This week is National 4-H Week. Orleans Hub posted an article recently about State Fair winners from Orleans, but didn’t include these local youth who competed in the Gymkhana Games for the Horse Division.)
SYRACUSE – Several 4-H’ers in the horse program competed over Labor Day weekend at the State Fair in Gymkhana Games.
Emma Klaver and Katelyn Spierdowis competed in the Junior Division. Emma was 8th in Sweetheart Barrels, 2nd in Texas T Barrels and 10th in Figure 8 Barrel. Katelyn finished 8th in Straight Barrels.
Faith Woody participated in the Pony Division and was 6th in Texas T Barrels, 8th in Quadrangle Barrels and 5th in Pole Bending.
Mary DiBattisto and Marsia Hanlon competed in the Senior Division. Mary was 9th in Keyhole Race and 10th in Pole Bending. Marisa was 6th in Quadrangle Barrels, 6th in Texas T Barrels and 10th in Figure 8 Barrels.
Susan Christie created this artwork that will be featured in the 2017 “Art From the Heart” wall calendar.
Staff Reports Posted 30 September 2016 at 11:55 am
Provided photo: Orchard Manor Administrator Martin MacKenzie, left, is pictured with resident Susan Christie. Jamie Murphy, Orchard manor’s activities director, is in back.
MEDINA – Susan Christie, a resident of Orchard Manor Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina, was recently honored at a reception to celebrate her artistic achievement.
Christie’s artwork is one of 13 chosen of 87 submissions that will be featured in the 2017 “Art From the Heart” wall calendar.
The art competition is sponsored by The Foundation for Quality Care with the New York State Health Facilities Association.
“Art From the Heart” is an opportunity for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in New York state to share their artwork.
Christie, a self-taught artist since the age of nine, said she has used artwork to help cope with abuse she experienced in her past.
“I express myself through my art,” she said. “The more I express myself, the more I blossom and heal.”
Jamie Murphy, Orchard Manor activities director, encouraged Christie to enter the contest. Murphy asked Christie what she enjoys most about creating art. Christie replied, “I like to start with a piece of paper and end up with a face staring back at me or a pretty picture.”
Proceeds from the Art From the Heart calendars will benefit the Foundation for Quality Care.
MEDINA – The Orleans/Niagara BOCES kicked off the new school year by announcing the employees of the year. District Superintendent Dr. Clark Godshall announced the winners at opening day ceremonies.
The winners were nominated by their peers in the categories of administrator, clerical, maintenance, staff specialist, substitute, teacher aide and teacher, all for doing an outstanding job the previous school year.
Dr. Michael Weyrauch
• The Administrator of the Year was Dr. Michael Weyrauch, principal at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center. He has been with BOCES for 4 ½ years and says his favorite part of his job is the staff and students that he gets to work with on a daily basis.
“I felt very honored that in this organization, which has a large number of outstanding staff who give it their all each and every day, that I was chosen,” he said. “It is an outstanding feeling.”
Theresa Clause
• Special education teacher Theresa Clause was named the Teacher of the Year. She has worked at BOCES for 20 years.
“My favorite part of my job is the paperwork – Just kidding!” she said. “Of course it is the kids! My personal experiences are the greatest contributing factors to me becoming a teacher. These experiences shaped my views and continue to influence my teaching style. I love the fact that I can give back.
“I have a learning disability (dyslexia) and I have been on the other side of the classroom. I understand the daily struggles our kids have to overcome just to be on an even playing field with peers and hope I can be a positive role model for them. I want to challenge them to dream bigger and imagine themselves in a different set of circumstances. I want to make them aware of the opportunities they may be oblivious to because they do not know they exist outside of school or the life they know. I strive to meet students where they are, and not dwell on where they should be. I truly believe that you can accomplish anything your put your mind to. When I was in school I always wanted to be a teacher and with hard work and family support I made it happen. I was so surprised and humbled by this award.”
Shirley Campbell
• In the clerical category, Shirley Campbell works for the Special Education Department and has been with BOCES for 14 years.
“My favorite part of my job is working with the secretaries in all the districts,” she said. “They are a wonderful group of women. I was very shocked that I won. It was a wonderful surprise.”
Rene Becht
• Rene Becht has worked at BOCES for 22 years and is the teacher aide in the Welding Program. She was named the outstanding teacher aide during the past school year.
“I started working in the day care as a Toddler Room teacher and after 10 years, I started working with the high school vocational students where I have been an aide since 2008.
“My favorite part of my job is working with the students, helping them realize their potential. I have enjoyed the positive relationships I’ve built with many of them and the daily interactions in and out of school. The staff at the Niagara Career and Technical Education Center are all great and I would not be able to do my job without them. It was a great honor to be recognized. I especially want to thank Dr. Elaine Black-Richards for all her advice over the years and always being there for me.”
Tom Wright
• In the maintenance category Tom Wright has worked in the Print Shop for seven years.
“The best part of working at BOCES is the people, of course! “ he said. “All my coworkers and administrators are great to work with. I was very surprised and excited that I was named an employee of the year.”
• Staff Specialist Leon Szczerbinski has been with BOCES’ Safety Risk Department for eight years. He was employee of the year for the staff specialists.
Leon Szczerbinski
“I work in a very solid unit that provides a valuable and necessary service for our component districts,” he said. “I am impressed by the quality of service the Safety Risk unit has been able to provide and I am encouraged daily to see the end result; a safer place to learn and work.
“I have also met so many wonderful people at BOCES and in all the districts wherever I am assigned. I am grateful for their cooperation, assistance and the opportunity to know and interact with them. Being named an employee of the year is an awesome tribute!
“I am humbled and grateful by this honor and recognition, but I am certain that my inspiration and dedication was and is instilled from my parents, family and my BOCES family of whom I work and interact with daily.”
Robin Quinones
• Robin Quinones is an independent hair stylist at the Blue Door Salon, NYS Certified Instructor for Career and Technical Education and a Career Coach for Beauty Industry Professionals. She has substituted at BOCES since 2006. She was named the outstanding substitute for the past year.
“It’s incredibly gratifying helping students prepare for future careers and continued education. I am honored to be chosen as Orleans/Niagara BOCES’ Substitute of the Year. It truly validates my efforts that I brought into the career and technical ed classrooms.”
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: 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.”
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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, 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.
By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 9 September 2016 at 4:00 pm
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 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;
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 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.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
